RTHK: Myanmar junta releases 800 prisoners in amnesty Myanmar's junta on Saturday announced an amnesty for more than 800 prisoners to mark the country's Union Day, as it held a parade and show of force in the capital. The country has been in turmoil since last year's coup, with mass protests and a subsequent military crackdown that has killed more than 1,500 civilians, according to the UN's human rights office. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing issued the "pardon order" a regular feature of major holidays in the country for 814 prisoners to commemorate Union Day's 75th anniversary, state media said. Those given amnesty will be mostly from prisons in commercial hub Yangon, junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun said. He did not say whether detained Australian academic Sean Turnell who has been detained for more than a year would be among those released. Turnell, an Australian economics professor, was working as an adviser to ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi when he was arrested last February, just days after a military coup. He has been charged with violating Myanmar's official secrets law and faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison if found guilty. The junta released about 23,000 prisoners last April, with some rights groups at the time fearing the move was to free up space for opponents of the military and cause chaos. A similar number were released on last year's Union Day as well. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-02-12. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Mainland moves imminent to further help HK with outbreak (China Daily) 11:22, February 12, 2022 --City reported record 1,325 new cases on Friday, mobile quarantining weighed Residents of Hung Lok House, Hung Fuk Estate in Yuen Long are being arranged for COVID-19 testing, Feb 11, 2022. [Photo/HKSAR Government] Officials and medical experts from both Hong Kong and the mainland are exploring cooperative moves to help the special administrative region curb its worst ever COVID-19 outbreak. A Hong Kong delegation led by Chief Secretary for Administration John Lee Ka-chiu will meet officials and medical experts from the mainland on Saturday in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, to discuss how Hong Kong can contain its worsening COVID-19 outbreak with the mainland's support. The news came as Hong Kong on Friday reported a record 1,325 new infections. Participants at the meeting on the COVID-19 outbreak will exchange views on the best ways to help the coronavirus-hit city get the contagion under control and stabilize cross-border trade before formulating relevant measures. The Hong Kong delegation is made up of the heads of different SAR government bureaus and departments involved in the city's anti-contagion work, such as Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee and Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Erick Tsang Kwok-wai. Saturday's meeting will also be attended by officials and experts of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council, the National Health Commission, the Disease Prevention and Control Bureau, and the governments of Guangdong province and Shenzhen. The HKMAO earlier said that the nation is concerned about recent developments in the city's pandemic situation, adding that the central government will fully support the SAR in battling COVID-19 and will ensure that a sufficient supply of daily necessities reaches the city. Chan said on Friday that Hong Kong authorities are discussing with the mainland side the establishment of mobile hospitals as a solution to ease the acute shortage of hospital beds caused by the surge in infections. Some of the city's lawmakers sent public letters over the past two days to the Chief Executive Office and the Food and Health Bureau, suggesting the government request the central government to lend a helping hand to the SAR to fight the fifth wave of the virus. Lau Wing-hung, a 64-year-old retiree in the city, extended her gratitude for the central government's firm support for the city, saying she believes the well-timed meeting between Hong Kong and the mainland will bring good news for the city. Lau said it is distressing to see the number of infections keep going up day by day. She said the worst thing about the latest upsurge is that the situation seemingly has been out of control and some patients cannot be sent to hospitals and had to stay at home as the medical system has been overloaded. Lau hopes that the government can make full use of local resources and the mainland's support and adopt a multipronged approach to curb the spread of the virus as soon as possible. Starry Lee Wai-king, chairwoman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, said she hopes mainland experts will provide more effective advice on the city's anti-pandemic work at the meeting. The DAB-the largest political party in Hong Kong-called on Friday for mass virus testing and expressed hopes that the central government can assist the city in carrying out relevant work. Chow Pak-chin, an ophthalmologist and president of think tank Wisdom Hong Kong, highlighted the need to carry out compulsory mass virus testing in the city, saying "the outbreak is out of control". Chow said testing must be made mandatory for all residents, except those meeting certain requirements. Otherwise, it won't have any impact on containing the pandemic. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) Mangaluru: Udupi BJP MLA K Raghupathi Bhat has sought an investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) into the hijab controversy. He has written to Karnataka Chief Minister asking the case to be handed over to the NIA. K Raghupathi Bhat is the president of the college development committee at the Womens Government PU College, Udupi where the Hijab issue first began. The girls of Udupi College have moved the High Court on the issue. Speaking to reporters Bhat termed the controversy not as a simple case but a well-planned plot. Earlier we thought only CFI (Campus Front of India) was behind this. Now it is clear that the Congress is also backing this. AIMIM party workers too have come to instigate the issue, the MLA said. He blamed the external forces for instigating and fuelling the controversy. Alleging a well-planned conspiracy, Bhat said that innocent girls are being brainwashed. "Six Muslim girl students of the college had opened Twitter accounts in October-November last year and posted the contents of CFI statements on their accounts which were anti-national," he added. The MLA added that a comprehensive investigation by the NIA is required to bring out the reasons for turning the hijab issue into a controversy. https://sputniknews.com/20220212/us-submarine-was-discovered-in-russian-waters-near-kuril-islands-on-saturday-1092969719.html Moscow Hands Note to US Military Attache Over US Sub Violating Russian Waters Moscow Hands Note to US Military Attache Over US Sub Violating Russian Waters Earlier in the day, Russia said it spotted a US submarine near the Kuril Islands where the Russian Fleet was conducting exercises. 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T15:31+0000 2022-02-12T15:31+0000 2022-02-12T17:19+0000 russia us submarine /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/106334/73/1063347390_0:356:3000:2044_1920x0_80_0_0_b3eecc4ee8d7fe643f65f5c56cb47571.jpg The Russian Defence Ministry has handed a note to the US military attache following the US submarine violating Russian territorial waters."On February 12, a representative of the US embassy's military attache office for defence issues was handed over a note at the Russian defence ministry's main directorate of international military cooperation in Moscow in relation to the violation of Russia's state border by a US navy submarine," the ministry told journalists.According to the ministry, the sub's provocative behaviour posed a threat to Russia's security. The US must prevent such incidents in the future, Moscow said. Russia reserves the right to use any means to ensure security in its territorial waters, the country's defence ministry added.Earlier on Saturday, Russia said a US submarine was discovered at 10:40 Moscow time near one of the Kuril Islands of Urup. The Virginia-class submarine entered an area where the Russian Pacific Fleet was conducting its scheduled exercises.According to the ministry, the submarine was addressed both in Russian and English and was urged to immediately come up to the surface but the warning was ignored. Then, in line with the guidance about the underwater protection of the borders, the crew of the Russian "Marshall Shaposhnikov" frigate used "relevant methods." The submarine left the area quickly, the ministry added.The incident comes as tensions threaten to boil over between Moscow and NATO over European security and Western speculation about Russia's alleged plans to invade Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly said that it does not plan to attack any country and stressed that the West's persistence in hyping the "Russian threat" rhetoric only hampers diplomatic efforts to avoid further escalation. https://sputniknews.com/20220211/russia-strongly-condemns-transfer-of-us-and-allies-troops-to-europe-un-envoy-says-1092928643.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sofia Chegodaeva Sofia Chegodaeva News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sofia Chegodaeva russia, us, submarine https://sputniknews.com/20220212/us-wwii-veteran-who-witnessed-german-surrender-it-took-them-5-minutes-to-sign-1092975232.html US WWII Veteran Who Witnessed German Surrender: 'It Took Them 5 Minutes to Sign' US WWII Veteran Who Witnessed German Surrender: 'It Took Them 5 Minutes to Sign' WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - US WWll veteran Louis Graziano shared with Sputnik how he helped prepare the room for the formal signing of the unconditional surrender... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T22:39+0000 2022-02-12T22:39+0000 2022-02-12T22:37+0000 world war ii veteran nazi germany /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107939/11/1079391178_0:157:3087:1893_1920x0_80_0_0_1c1b9319d2ea52f177002287be04aa3c.jpg February 11 marked 77 years since the end of the historic Yalta Conference, where Soviet leader Joseph Stalin, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt and UK Prime Minister Winston Churchill met to discuss the post-war world architecture. The meeting between the Allied leaders was held at the Black Sea coastal resort in the city of Yalta, also known as the Crimea Conference. The conference was also hosted by the Soviet Union in its Crimean palaces Livadia, Yusupov, and Vorontsov.The 1945 Yalta Conference is thought of as being among the three most important wartime summits among states that defeated the Nazis, along with the 1943 Tehran conference and 1945 Potsdam conference. In Yalta, Churchill, Roosevelt and Stalin gathered to talk post-war reorganization of the nations liberated from Nazi rule and collective security that would ensure sustainable peace.Nazi Germany Formal SurrenderGraziano noted that he learned about three to four days prior that they were bringing the Germans in. "Actually, we did not know it was going to happen, but it did," he said.When getting the room ready, the veteran recalled, it felt really good knowing that he was going to be there to witness the signing. He also knew that with the signing, all of them would be going home soon. It was about 2:41 in the morning when the historic signing took place, the veteran recalled.The veteran said Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, supreme Allied commander in Europe, did not want to be in the room at the time of the signing in case the Germans backed out. He was two rooms up from there waiting to see if they were really going to sign. After the signing, Graziano took German general Alfred Jodl and a translator to Eisenhowers room. Eisenhower asked them if they were satisfied with everything and they replied, "Yes." They then clicked their heels, turned around and walked out. Graziano said, "after the Germans left we all celebrated."Graziano worked as a hairstylist before he was drafted - he was twenty at the time. He was ordered to report to Fort Niagara, New York, and then onto Camp Hood in Texas for training.The veteran went through 20 weeks of combat training and from there, he was sent to Camp Shanks in Orangetown, New York, for four more weeks before they sent him to Fort Dix in New Jersey. While he was at Fort Dix, he went into the city and made a record for his father and told recorded everything they were going to do to Italian fascist leader Benito Mussolini when they got there.He later learned that his father had played that record everyday.D-DayGraziano said he was in the third wave that landed on Omaha Beach in France on June 6, 1944.Following their landing, they fought their way to Saint-Lo commune, which took them 43 days. After that, they kept marching until they got to Reims, France.At that time, Reims hosted the headquarters of the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force, and Graziano was put in charge of the utilities and getting stuff for the men in the camp. Graziano was also in the Battle of the Bulge. In December 1944, he was still in Reims when his commander ordered him to go find General George Pattons troops who got lost.Graziano continued to say that during his time in Reims, he managed to build a mess hall from German prefabricated houses. The veteran then asked for German prisoners and two guards that could speak German and English, and got it finished in three weeks.Love of His LifeGraziano said he got married in Reims and honeymooned in Paris, France."It was love at first sight and we were together for 62 years before she passed," Graziano said of his wife, Bobbie, whom he met through friends.They got married in October and headed home in December to start a life together in America."I was supposed to land in New Jersey. But the storm was so bad and they had to change course and we landed in Virginia. The general said that we had to wait two weeks before we could get someone to take our group to New Jersey. I told the general that I could take them. I am from around there. So, I got home on Christmas," he said.Graziano just turned 99 years old on February 6. He said that upon returning to the United States, he went back to doing hairstyling. His sister still kept the beauty shop going so he could go back to work. Having been a hairstylist since 1939, Graziano still works occasionally. Moreover, the veteran does some work at the church, where he is in charge of all the utilities. But most importantly, he now enjoys his time with his dog and his family. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 world war ii, veteran, nazi germany https://sputniknews.com/20220212/usa-stole-money-from-afghans-people-take-to-streets-of-kabul-to-protest-us-asset-seizure-1092973520.html USA Stole Money From Afghans: People Take to Streets of Kabul to Protest US Asset Seizure USA Stole Money From Afghans: People Take to Streets of Kabul to Protest US Asset Seizure Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday allowing for $7 billion in Afghan Central Bank funds in the US to be split in two into a humanitarian trust and a... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T19:06+0000 2022-02-12T19:06+0000 2022-02-12T19:57+0000 afghanistan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0c/1092973492_242:0:1643:788_1920x0_80_0_0_663b87535f5b83272e3406ed5e18a09e.png A small group of demonstrators took the streets of Kabul on Saturday to protest Washingtons illegal seizure of $7 billion in cash which the previous government had stashed in US banks before Afghanistan was overrun by the Taliban* last summer.Protesters gathered before the Grand Id Gah Mosque with makeshift cardboard signs, some of them in illegible English, reading USA stole money from Afghans, America is cruel and America should give us one million [illegible] people damage.In addition to slamming Bidens decision to use $3.5 billion in Afghan assets for payments to families of American 9/11 victims, protesters demanded financial compensation for the tens of thousands of Afghans who died during the 19+ year war and occupation of their country.Torek Farhadi, a former financial advisor to the US-backed government, told reporters that Bidens order was illegal.The vast majority of Afghanistans overseas assets abroad have been stuck in limbo in US banks ever since the NATO-backed governments collapse last August. Along with $7 billion in the US, another $2 billion is stashed in Germany, Switzerland and the United Arab Emirates.The Taliban blasted the Biden administration over the "theft" of Afghan assets on Friday, calling his decision a "showcase of the human and moral decline of the country and people."Washington has promised that $3.5 billion of the $7 billion will be put into a humanitarian trust which will be used to aid the Afghan people. The rest of the money will remain in the US, pending court rulings on legal claims against the Taliban by the families of victims of the 11 September 2001 terror attacks.The United States holds the Taliban partially responsible for the 9/11 attacks, citing the group's decision to provide refuge to al-Qaeda* commander and terror mastermind Osama bin Laden. The Taliban's refusal to hand him over to US authorities served as a pretext for the US invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. The Taliban maintain to this day that US officials have yet to show them evidence that bin Laden was responsible for 9/11.US courts have not shied away from seizing assets even of countries which had absolutely nothing to do with 9/11 to pay compensation for the attacks. In 2018, a New York court ordered $6 billion in Iranian assets frozen in US banks to be redistributed to 9/11 victims' families, even though none of the 19 terrorist hijackers were Iranians, and despite Iran's record of battling al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other jihadist groups.*The Taliban is an organization under UN sanctions for terrorist activities.*A terrorist group outlawed in Russia and many other countries. https://sputniknews.com/20220211/biden-signs-order-freezing-7bn-in-afghan-assets-1092943237.html afghanistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov afghanistan https://sputniknews.com/20220212/what-a-twist-ukraines-president-demands-proof-that-russia-is-planning-to-invade-1092970024.html What a Twist! Ukraines President Demands Proof That Russia is Planning to Invade What a Twist! Ukraines President Demands Proof That Russia is Planning to Invade Senior Ukrainian officials from the president and defence minister to the secretary of the National Security and Defence Council have questioned US and... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T15:47+0000 2022-02-12T15:47+0000 2022-02-12T18:38+0000 ukraine russia volodymyr zelensky invasion /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0c/1092969993_0:7:3197:1805_1920x0_80_0_0_041dcde44cd74e8dc42cbf757d095a88.jpg Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has asked journalists to provide proof of Russias supposed imminent plans to launch a full-scale invasion of his country.Zelensky said he did not believe in the danger of a full-scale war at the moment. I have to speak to the public with real information at hand. We receive information from many sources. We also have an intelligence service. I dont think that its any worse than the intelligence services of other countries, he noted.The Ukrainian president added that his country must be prepared for hostile steps coming from any border.Tick TockZelenskys remarks follow reporting by Politico on Friday that Russia could start a multi-front invasion of Ukraine as soon as February 16, with President Biden said to have informed Americas European allies about these plans. The same day, a PBS reporter claimed multiple US, Western and defence officials had told him that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a firm decision to invade Ukraine, with the incursion, whose end goal could be regime change, expected to start next week.US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan dismissed the invasion order claims in a briefing later Friday, but poured gasoline on the incursion panic dumpster fire by urging all Americans to leave Ukraine within 48 hours. We are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time, should Vladimir Putin decide to order it, Sullivan said.Russias Foreign Ministry slammed Western media over the latest invasion claims, accusing outlets of spreading blatant misinformation and engaging in manipulations in order to introduce the thesis about Moscows aggressive intentions into public opinion.The US medias 16 February invasion deadline claims follow a separate media scandal last week after Bloomberg set up a live feed suggesting that a Russian assault on Ukraine had already begun. Also last week, State Department Spokesman Ned Price and AP White House correspondent Matt Lee got into a bitter back-and-forth debate after Price claimed that Russia was preparing to create a video fake of atrocities by the Ukrainian army to justify an invasion, but refused to provide any evidence, instead asking media to just take his word for it.The State Department urged all non-emergency personnel at the Embassy in Kiev to leave the country on Saturday, citing continued reports of a Russian military buildup on the border with Ukraine, indicating potential for significant military action.Russia announced that it was optimising staff at diplomatic facilities in Kiev the same day, citing the danger of provocations.In his remarks on Saturday, Zelensky expressed bewilderment over the evacuations of diplomats and said that political and diplomatic efforts should be made to defuse tensions.The Ukrainian presidents blunt comments about the alleged Russian invasion danger follows weeks of reporting that he has expressed concerns in private to his handlers in Washington that the US was "deliberately overplaying" rhetoric about an escalation with Russia.Late last month, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov assured that the Russian military has not created a strike group that could carry out an invasion. Separately, Ukrainian National Security and Defence Council chief Oleksiy Danilov slammed media for putting out a lot of military fiction about Russias alleged plans, and said the bigger danger lay with Ukraine's political destabilisation. https://sputniknews.com/20220211/sullivan-dismisses-russian-invasion-order-rumors-but-still-wont-support-impending-attack-claims-1092951796.html https://sputniknews.com/20220212/lavrov-tells-blinken-propaganda-about-russian-aggression-against-ukraine-has-provocative-purposes-1092963955.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov ukraine, russia, volodymyr zelensky, invasion Miami Valleys Valentines Day Sweetheart Pace has drawn a full field of nine female drivers behind nine competitive pacing mares. Each of the female drivers possess a P (provisional) license and have driven in numerous pari-mutuel track and county fair races over the past year. The ladies vary in age from 22 to 52. Jazmin Arnold, who was 2019's U.S. Amateur Driver of the Year, will sit behind Saks In The City, the 2-1 morning line favourite off a winning 1:53.4 effort in her last start. Classic Comedy, with Kiara Morgan aboard, has been installed as the 3-1 second choice She finished second as the betting favourite to Saks In The City in their most recent start in a $6,500 claiming event. Lady In Fashion, coming in off three straight place finishes at Hawthorne in Chicago, will open as third choice at 9-2 for driver Alesha Binkley. Other lady drivers scheduled to start in the Sweetheart Pace are Mandy Jones, Michelle Crawford, Mariah Wright, Emma Wahlberg, Emily Hay and Kacey Burns. The winner will receive a dozen red roses in the winners circle as well as a gift certificate for dinner for two in the upscale Cin City Restaurant located just off the Miami Valley casino floor. The special Valentines Day race is scheduled as the sixth on a 12 race program that will begin at 4:00 p.m. (Miami Valley) With the February 15 stakes nominations deadline approaching, a new race for Ontario Sired three-year-old colts and geldings has caught the eye of owners and trainers mapping their sophomores routes for 2022. The SBOA Stakes has traditionally been contested for Ontario Sired three-year-old fillies, but that changes this May with the addition of SBOA Stakes for Ontario sired three-year-old colts and geldings, both pacers and trotters. Between our team, COSA and the SBOA, we were all aligned that this made sense to add SBOA Stakes divisions for colts and geldings, said Bill McLinchey, Director of Standardbred Racing for Woodbine. The SBOA Stakes have been very successful for the fillies and with the race returning to its usual spot in May, this will offer a good early season event for Ontario sired three-year-olds to race for good money. Woodbine has made a few amendments to the usual staking process to get the SBOA for colts and geldings off the ground in 2022. The races for fillies requires horses to be nominated as yearlings and that obviously wouldnt work to get the colt races started immediately, said McLinchey. February 15 is the date to nominate for this year and next years editions of the SBOA for colts and geldings. Well then link up the colt races with the fillies for the 2024 edition by requiring the usual yearling nomination payment this May. The nomination fee for this years SBOA Stakes for three-year-old colts and geldings is $300, while nominating for the 2023 event is $200. The eliminations for this years SBOA Stakes will be contested Friday, May 13 and Saturday, May 14, while all finals will be held on Saturday, May 21. All eliminations will go for a guaranteed purse of $25,000, while the finals will have $50,000 in added money. Nominations close on Tuesday, February 15 for the 2022 and 2023 SBOA Stakes for Ontario sired three-year-old colts and geldings. The full conditions for the SBOA and all Woodbine stakes can be viewed in the 2022 Stakes Booklet. Nomination fees can be paid online on Woodbine's website or through SC Stakes Online. If sending nominations by mail, envelopes must be clearly post-marked no later than February 15, 2022 or payment will not be accepted. Registered mail is recommended. (Woodbine) Students at Roosevelt Elementary School were in for a huge surprise Friday afternoon after they all filed into the gym at the end of the day. A handful of adults from Scottsbluff Public Schools, Scottsbluff Public Schools Foundation and Platte Valley Companies stood at the front of the gym to reveal a $125,000 check donation that would go toward a new playground for next year. In the next two or three years, all the elementary schools in Scottsbluff will have new playgrounds, but Roosevelt is going to be first, SBPS Foundation President Johnny Selzer said to the group of students. Gasps, claps and squeals of excitement thundered throughout the gym. The childrens enthusiasm was the best part of the week for many of the adults involved. The kids reaction to the news was absolutely priceless, Superintendent Andrew Dick said. Its certainly a highlight of the day, if not a highlight of the week. Platte Valley Bank President Zac Karpf said, This would be the highlight of my week. You got five days in a week you got meetings and all sorts of stuff. It was really neat to see the reaction of the kids and the smiles on the faces, and you can tell that theyre really excited about their brand new playground thats going to be coming this summer. The $125,000 will be going to the overall project to put in new playgrounds at each elementary school in the district, Hunter Kosman, SBPS Foundation vice president and collateral specialist with Platte Valley Companies, said. The presentation took place at Roosevelt since it would be one of the first schools to get the new equipment, alongside Longfellow. Scottsbluff Public Schools is extremely grateful for the very generous support and donation of Platte Valley Companies towards this very important project, Dick said. The work really coincides with what were doing with the insides with our elementary modernizations, so were excited to get our first two playgrounds done this summer at Roosevelt and Longfellow and then looking ahead to Lincoln Heights, West Moore and Lake Minatare into the future. Karpf said it was a no-brainer to participate in a project like this, especially when it makes such a huge impact on so many children in the community. Were always looking for ways to give back to the community, he said, and when its a community (that) impacts so many kids, its really something thats not that hard for us to decide to be involved in, especially when it promotes healthy lifestyles, being outdoors, all of those things that we love about the community that we serve here in Scottsbluff. As a thank you to Platte Valley Companies, each student at Roosevelt and Longfellow put a single fingerprint on a large sign to show just how many lives the donation will affect. The gift was presented by Roosevelt students Greysen Schick and Miseal Gonzalez. SBPS Foundation Director Beth Rohrer said its thanks to businesses like Platte Valley Companies that children in the community can have a strong and positive educational experience. Im so thankful we have businesses like Platte Valley Companies who see the value in investing in education and the community, she said. I think we cant have a strong community without strong schools, so Im glad that they are a champion of education and the community. The SBPS Foundation is still looking for donations to help make the five-school playground equipment project fully funded. If anyone in the community is interested in participating in the project, connect with the foundation at foundation@sbps.net or 308-981-2917. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form 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. Governor Pete Ricketts will travel to western Nebraska on Tuesday, Feb. 15 to hold a pair of town halls discussing tax relief policy and water resource projects. One of these will take place at the Legacy of the Plains Museum in Gering from 1-2 p.m. Ricketts is holding the Water and Tax presentations to inform constituents of his legislative priorities regarding the two topics. He focused heavily on water rights during his visit to Scottsbluff for a State of the State tour last month. We need to have water for drinking, for agriculture and to protect our natural environment ... Colorado is threatening all that and theyre saying they dont want to give us water above our legal rights, the governor told the Star-Herald on Friday. Ricketts said the state of Colorado is developing 283 projects for water control and storage. Colorados Senate Bill 22-126, introduced last Friday, would prioritize financing water storage projects in the South Platte basin. Therefore, Ricketts plans to use $500 million to resurrect the Perkins County Canal project. This canal would travel from Sedgwick County, Colorado and connect to reservoirs in southwest Nebraska. Thanks to a 1923 water-sharing agreement between the two states, Nebraska is entitled to a minimum of 120 cubic feet per second from Colorados portion of the South Platte River from April 1 to Oct. 15 during irrigation season. The state is entitled to at least 500 feet per second for the rest of the year. Ricketts said Colorado aims to limit Nebraska to the absolute minimum the agreement allows. Building the canal would allow Nebraska more control over the timing of flows and would allow them to use even more water. We have to invest in our natural resources ... I believe its absolutely critical for the future of this state, Ricketts said. He added that Nebraskans uses water for hydroelectric power and for irrigation, the latter of which provides water for three-eighths of the states farmland. ... Should they (Colorado) build all those proposed projects, our Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said that will reduce the amount of water coming into Nebraska by 90 percent. Any Coloradoan projects reducing the flow of water into the South Platte River would also force Nebraska to put additional pressure on the North Platte Rivers resources, he said. Fifty years from now, people will look back at us and either say, far-sighted Nebraskans built this canal to get water for future Nebraskans, or theyll say those Nebraskans failed the state. Thats where were at now, Ricketts said. Any changes to the 1923 pact need to be approved by the legislatures from both states as well as the U.S. Congress. Representatives from the Nebraska DNR and several state senators support the endeavor, though have expressed doubts about the price tag. An additional water-related project would be the reconstruction of the Laramie Irrigation Districts Tunnel No. 2, which collapsed in 2019. Ricketts asked the legislature to appropriate $23 million for its permanent renovation, though he said there would not be funding left over to repair additional irrigation tunnels. Other planned water resource projects include a new marina at Lake McConaughy, a convention center at Niobrara State Park and a 4,000-acre lake along the Platte River between Lincoln and Omaha. Ricketts will also speak about three proposals for different types of tax relief. One deals with eliminating social security tax, which he said is causing seniors to leave the state. What we passed last year in the legislature is a 10-year phase-out of tax on social security. What Im proposing is we phase that out in five years, the governor said. Another proposal Ricketts said hed discuss would be a plan to bring both individual and business income tax down to 5.84%. This proposal will be debated in the Nebraska Legislature next week. The final proposal would put a floor on income tax credits so we can make sure we keep that money for property tax relief in the budget; Ricketts said there is $548 million of potential relief money available. Ricketts will make his first town hall visit at the Lake McConaughy Visitors Center in Ogallala at 9:30 a.m. Additional Water and Taxes events will take place next Friday in Kearney, Norfolk and Nebraska City. Ricketts will travel to the Legacy of the Plains Museum again for a free ice cream social on Friday, Feb. 25 from 3 5 p.m. Submit Your News We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Get local news delivered to your inbox! 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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 A worker screen prints flags of various political parties, for advertising in the upcoming Coimbatore Corporation elections, in Coimbatore. (Photo: PTI) Chennai: Campaigns picked up momentum all over the state as the countdown for the February 19 urban local body elections on Saturday with the State Election Commission (SEC) announcing a few relaxations to its earlier restrictions on roadshows and setting up election offices for candidates. Party workers engaged in mobilizing crowds for the hall meetings or the video conference addresses by their leaders, too, welcomed the SEC relaxing its norms as local body polls have taken the contours of a larger Assembly or Parliament election with even national issues figuring in the campaigns. In his address to voters of Kanyakumari district, Chief Minister M K Stalin launched a scathing attack on even Prime Minister Narendra Modi on various issues, including his failure to protect fishermen setting out to the Palk Straits. He also attacked former Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. Top leaders of all parties were on tour addressing people on not just local issues of immediate concern to the voters but also touch upon larger problems relating to the State on the whole and taking potshots at rival leaders. Another indication of the elections to the 489 local bodies 21 Corporations, 138 Municipalities and 489 Town Panchayats turning acrimonious is the alleged betrayal of party functionaries, which is evident from the large scale expulsions. The AIADMK removed several of its functionaries across the State from their basic membership itself on Friday. At the grassroots level, with less than a week left for campaigning, candidates started taking out small processions with loud speaker-fitted vehicles blaring poll promises driving ahead, thus restoring the traditional carnival aura to the elections. The SEC also extended the timing for campaigns, which can now be done from 6 am to 10 pm, thus providing opportunities for meeting voters at night after they return from work or catching up with them before they leave home. The earlier timing of 8 am to 8 pm was resented by the candidates and the political parties. Similarly the restriction on number of persons going for door to door canvassing has also been relaxed and the parties and candidates have been asked to seek prior permission for taking out processions, marches, cycle rallies and other road shows. In the event of star speakers of parties canvassing for the candidates, prior permission should be obtained for holding the meetings in which Covid protocols should be followed strictly, the SEC announced on Saturday. For setting up election offices, the SEC relaxed its earlier norms and urged the candidates and parties to follow the regulations given by the Election Commission of India for the last State Assembly elections. The slackening of the several strict regulations was welcomed by the candidates and their supporters as they began mobilizing supporters and organizing road shows immediately. It also gave more leeway for the candidates to reach out to the voters by starting off early and winding up late. Another notification from the SEC was on giving out State level advertisements. The parties and candidates were urged to get the approval of the SECs Media accreditation and monitoring committee and then release the advertisements in the media. For advertisements to be given out at the district level, the permission of the district election officers should be taken in advance, a press release from SEC said. The pain of losing a loved one is especially hard for anyone to deal with. It can be overwhelming, taking even the strongest of people out of being themselves for a period of time. For adults, it can be a trying and confusing part of life, but one that is expected, but for kids that havent had the time to process death as a part of life, it can be even more difficult. Thats why Leigh Ann Darty started the Rainbow Kidz program back in 2005, to give children who have experienced the pain of losing a family member or close friend an outlet for their sadness and to teach them that its OK to grieve. When youre able to shed some light in a childs life during a very dark time, it gives them hope, Darty said. Were going to be your guide to help kids get through this. In partnership with the United Way of Iredell County, Rainbow Kidz was selected to take part in the Love United Iredell campaign yet again in 2022 with the goal of receiving the funding needed to orchestrate their annual summer camp, Camp Rainbow, for children dealing with the loss of a loved one. Camp Rainbow which hosted its first campers in the summer of 2020 is provided to children free and strives toward the goals of connecting grieving kids to one another through shared experiences and bonding events during the week-long program. The number one thing that kids feel during the grieving process is loneliness, Darty said. Yes, theres sadness, anger, and confusion, but loneliness is a huge issue. For these kids to connect with one another is so valuable. The camp, which is divided between elementary schoolers one week and middle and high schoolers the next, also aims to provide these children with tools to find an outlet for their grief. During the camp, the kids do many different activities outside of the support sessions such as arts and crafts, karate, yoga, horseback riding, and other forms of pet therapy to name just a few. We certainly teach them coping skills to help them with their grief, Rainbow Kidz counselor Meredith Fleming said. Reaching out a hand to teach them how to do something or be with them in that moment can be more meaningful sometimes. As a part of their partnership with Love United Iredell Rainbow Kidz is looking to raise $2,640 to help fund Camp Rainbow this coming summer, an event which Darty estimates costs around $10,000 to put on. As a part of the 14-day charity event, Rainbow Kidz has been paired with Shepherd Elementary and The Brawley IB School in Mooresville. Both schools will work to raise money for the program, as well as being an integral part of the camp in the form of writing notes of encouragement given to the campers. We just want them to spread kindness within their schools, Darty said. Those schools are so supportive of our message. With everything that has gone on in the world over the last two years regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the leadership of Rainbow Kidz feel as if they have as critical a role as any in the lives of students in Iredell County, whether that be through Camp Rainbow or their frequent trips to the campus of every school in the county. Weve not just been dealing with death and grief, weve also been dealing with the mental health issues, Fleming said. Its been a lot of crisis work over the last couple of years. It can be pretty tough on us, personally, as well. Its very critical what were doing for kids, because kids in grief already feel isolated and COVID has exacerbated that, Darty added. Its traumatic, so its very important for us that no child grieves alone. Darty said a word used frequently with Rainbow Kidz is courage. We always tell the children that it takes courage to talk about your grief and seek support. We think its important to highlight that it also takes courage to show kindness, especially to those who are grieving. Often the ones who are grieving are the ones who need kindness the most, she said. If you would like more information, or to donate to Rainbow Kidz, visit their donation page on the Love United Iredell website: https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/2022LUI/team/RainbowKidz. If you would like more information on Camp Rainbow, or know a child that you would like to nominate, visit http://www.hoic.org/rainbow_kidz_showcase.asp. Ukrainian, French leaders discuss Ukraine's peace process by IANS | Kiev, Feb 9 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and French President Emmanuel Macron met to discuss the peace process aimed at resolving the crisis in and around Ukraine, Zelensky's press service reported. At the talks on Tuesday, the Ukrainian President 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, he said. Meanwhile, Macron said that the Minsk agreements are a path to de-escalation and lasting peace in Ukraine, Xinhua news agency reported. The French President 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. The French President also announced that France will allocate 1.2 billion euros (nearly $1.37 billion) 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 on Tuesday. 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 it has the right to mobilise troops within its borders to defend its territory as the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation'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 February 10. The latest iPhone 13 price cut is massive! Buyers will save a huge amount, and at the same time, get a premium phone. Know how to get the full iPhone 13 discount. Valentine's day is just around the corner, and we can see a wave of discounts descending on ecommerce websites. These discounts are available on a wide range of smartphones, from Xiaomi, Samsung to Apple. Even within the Apple smartphone series, you can find discounts on iPhone SE, iPhone 11 series, iPhone 12 series, and now on the latest iPhone 13. Yes, you can get the latest iPhone 13 with a discount of up to Rs. 23,500! Flipkart is offering a flat 6 percent discount on the iPhone 13, which makes the actual cost fall down to Rs. 84,900 from its earlier price of Rs. 89,900 for 256 GB variant. If you want to get a discount up to Rs. 23,500 then you will need to do something else. Heres what it entails. iPhone 13 price on Flipkart Flipkart will deliver to you the Apple iPhone 13 256GB variant at the price of Rs. 84,900, with a flat discount of Rs. 5000. However, you can do much better. In order to get the rest of the benefit on offer in the deal, you will need to exchange your other phone, which can bring the price down by up to Rs. 18,500. To do so, you will need to visit the Flipkart website and find iPhone 13. Then choose the 'Buy with Exchange' option, which allows you to choose your brand of phone that you are planning exchange. You will be required to provide its model and IMEI number. Once you provide the details, it will give you the exact amount of discount that you will get on the iPhone 13. The maximum amount of discount that you can get is Rs. 18,500. In addition to this, you can get the 5 percent cashback with the payment by Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card. Over and above this, you can buy the iPhone 13 from Flipkart on EMI options too from Rs. 2,560 per month only. The available colours under the sale deal for iPhone 13 are Midnight, Pink, Starlight, and Blue. iPhone 13 other variants deal: Not only the 256GB memory variant of iPhone 13, but Flipkart is also offering a flat 6 percent discount on its 128GB variant too, while the 512GB variant can be purchased with a 4 percent discount. The exchange offer is valid on other variants too. But you need to note that the 128GB variant is currently out of stock for exchange offers at a few locations in India. You need to check if the offer is available or not in your area by entering the pin code of your area. Astronomers say that this candidate planet is the third detected in the near our solar system and the lightest yet discovered orbiting this star- Proxima Centauri. Astronomers have found evidence of another planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System. This candidate planet is the third detected in the system and the lightest yet discovered orbiting this star. At just a quarter of Earth's mass, the planet is also one of the lightest exoplanets ever found. The findings of the research were published in the journal 'Astronomy and Astrophysics'. A team of astronomers using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT) in Chile have found evidence of another planet orbiting Proxima Centauri, the closest star to our Solar System. Looking for a smartphone? To check mobile finder click here. Also read: "The discovery shows that our closest stellar neighbour seems to be packed with interesting new worlds, within reach of further study and future exploration," explained Joao Faria, a researcher at the Instituto de Astrofisica e Ciencias do Espaco, Portugal and lead author of the study. Proxima Centauri is the closest star to the Sun, lying just over four light-years away. The newly discovered planet, named Proxima d, orbits Proxima Centauri at a distance of about four million kilometres, less than a tenth of Mercury's distance from the Sun. It orbits between the star and the habitable zone -- the area around a star where liquid water can exist at the surface of a planet -- and takes just five days to complete one orbit around Proxima Centauri. The star is already known to host two other planets: Proxima b, a planet with a mass comparable to that of Earth that orbits the star every 11 days and is within the habitable zone, and candidate Proxima c, which is on a longer five-year orbit around the star. Proxima b was discovered a few years ago using the HARPS instrument on ESO's 3.6-metre telescope. The discovery was confirmed in 2020 when scientists observed the Proxima system with a new instrument on ESO's VLT that had greater precision, the Echelle Spectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO). It was during these more recent VLT observations that astronomers spotted the first hints of a signal corresponding to an object with a five-day orbit. As the signal was so weak, the team had to conduct follow-up observations with ESPRESSO to confirm that it was due to a planet, and not simply a result of changes in the star itself. "After obtaining new observations, we were able to confirm this signal as a new planet candidate," Faria said. "I was excited by the challenge of detecting such a small signal and, by doing so, discovering an exoplanet so close to Earth." At just a quarter of the mass of Earth, Proxima d is the lightest exoplanet ever measured using the radial velocity technique, surpassing a planet recently discovered in the L 98-59 planetary system. The technique works by picking up tiny wobbles in the motion of a star created by an orbiting planet's gravitational pull. The effect of Proxima d's gravity is so small that it only causes Proxima Centauri to move back and forth at around 40 centimetres per second (1.44 kilometres per hour). "This achievement is extremely important," said Pedro Figueira, ESPRESSO instrument scientist at ESO in Chile. "It shows that the radial velocity technique has the potential to unveil a population of light planets, like our own, that are expected to be the most abundant in our galaxy and that can potentially host life as we know it." "This result clearly shows what ESPRESSO is capable of and makes me wonder about what it will be able to find in the future," Faria added. ESPRESSO's search for other worlds will be complemented by ESO's Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in the Atacama Desert, which will be crucial to discovering and studying many more planets around nearby stars. Former Sen. David Perdue and his wife Bonnie didnt have to wait long in line Monday to cast their ballots for the May 24 primary, which will determine who will receive the Republican nomination for the race to serve as Georgias next governor. Texas A&M University President M. Katherine Banks informed leadership at The Battalion, the universitys student newspaper, Friday afternoon that the publication will pivot to a digital-only outlet at the end of the spring semester. Banks announcement came after A&M Dean of Students Anne Reber and A&M interim director of Student Life Stefanie Baker told Battalion leadership in a meeting Thursday afternoon that Banks had directed The Battalion to cease its print edition immediately. Banks modified her decision after meeting with The Battalions student leadership Friday. Currently, The Battalion prints on a weekly basis. During Fridays meeting with Banks, Battalion editor Myranda Campanella said Banks reiterated that the world is moving toward digital media as justification for directing the move. When asked if the decision was made in response to a story or advertisement from The Battalion, Campanella said Banks told her, Absolutely not. Financial aspects were not a part of Banks reasoning, either. Obviously, the world is moving more towards digital, but The Battalion is digital, Campanella said. Its been digital since the 90s. We have a website. We have all social medial platforms. Its not like were falling behind. Were staying up with the trends. We even have a TikTok. Were not just printing once a week, and I personally dont see any harm with us continuing to do that when we are getting the ads to pay for that ourselves. Were not asking the university to pay for that in any way, shape or form. In a statement Friday afternoon, Banks said she envisions The Battalion, a journalism degree program, and KAMU-TV and radio to be housed in a new proposed performing and fine arts center, which was part of Banks recommendations in December in response to a consultants report in October. Banks attributed her stance of The Battalion shifting to a digital-only format to a Pew Research Center study released last month that said eight in 10 Americans consume news from digital devices. Members of The Battalions leadership were not included in this decision as Banks told The Battalion it was made by university leadership and had been discussed for a few weeks. Times have changed and we want The Battalion and others interested in journalism as a profession to be at the forefront when they graduate, Banks said in a statement. In many ways, we are at the start of a new and exciting era of journalism that will pull together new faculty, professionals from the industry and students to create new types of digital content. We want to give our student journalists the preparation to succeed in a rapidly changing industry. While this is a difficult decision, I believe its the best path forward. During Campanellas meeting with Banks, she told The Battalion that Gen Z and millennials predominantly receive their news [digitally], and that is the market, here in College Station, certainly [among] college students. I do understand why [other university leadership] felt as if you need to have at least one experience to understand print media. Im not a professor of journalism, I dont understand exactly why [print media] is important to the field. The Battalion has had either a daily, weekly or monthly print edition since 1893, except for a short period during World War I, and an online presence since 1997. The Battalion moved to a weekly format before the fall semester in 2019. Many of the print copies of The Battalion are archived in A&Ms Cushing Library, including the original edition on Oct. 1, 1893. You always say that print journalism is the first draft of history, said Douglas Pils, general manager of A&Ms student media. Not being able to have that in your hands, not being able to add onto the archive that currently exists from 1893 to now, I think the university will miss that because you cant archive the daily website like you can archive the daily newspaper. Before Banks decision was modified, Pils said Battalion leadership was told the student news outlet could continue printing its Maroon Life magazine, which has five editions per year, and other special sections for major campus events, such as Bonfire remembrance, Muster and Silver Taps. Theyre not saying never print again, Pils said. There are some certain instances where it could come up. We printed a special edition after the Alabama game, so if something like that happens, obviously I think thats a situation that could warrant some print possibilities. After meeting with Banks on Friday morning, Campanella said A&M student body president Natalie Parks organized a meeting between them and Brig. Gen. Joe Ramirez, A&Ms vice president for student affairs who previously served as the Commandant of Cadets. During a brief meeting, Campanella said Ramirez mentioned that The Battalion was losing money by printing, which she refuted. Documents shared by Pils, who also serves as the papers advertising supervisor, showed The Battalions total revenue for fiscal year 2020-21 was $205,700, and $109,400 of that came from advertisements for weekly print production. Campanella said The Battalion already has $61,000 in advertising deals for the remainder of the semester, which will cover the cost of all planned print editions. Pils said A&M only pays for his salary and the cost of the newsroom, which is located on the lower level of the Memorial Student Center, but not the production of the paper itself. The Battalion prints its paper at The Eagle with a weekly circulation of 5,000. The financial aspect seems a little fishy as well because thats just not true that were losing money, Campanella said. Although The Battalion is an official student organization, Pils said the paper is still an independent outlet and added hes not concerned with First Amendment issues or censorship from the university. A&Ms decision drew a strong reaction on social media Friday. The Student Press Law Center, a nonprofit organization that supports and defends First Amendment press freedoms for student media outlets, said in a social media post that its attorneys are working with Battalion officials to fight for their print edition to continue. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, an organization that defends individual rights of students and faculty members, at American universities, said in a social media post that A&Ms decision is unacceptable. Universities must respect student journalists editorial freedom. Angelique Gammon, who teaches journalism at A&M, said she had a number of former and current students reach out saying they were enraged by the universitys decision. Gammon is a member of a working group developing the future of A&Ms journalism department and degree. She said the group met Wednesday and added there was no indication this announcement was coming. It provides actual real-world experience as a living laboratory for the degree, Gammon said of the function of The Battalions print paper. Is print publishing diminishing? Yes, but our mission for the degree is to expand the reach and diversify the voices in the newsroom and in the news, and a huge part of that is serving small towns where weekly papers, interestingly, are still important and have positive ad flow. To say there is no value to print is, in fact, not accurate with the roll call of recent grads. Copy editor is a real job thats in demand. Students that know how to use [Adobe] InDesign to create publications for print is a very specific skillset. The future of The Battalions print edition will remain through the spring, but eliminating its regular print presence harms the newspaper and its journalists pre-professional job experience, Campanella said. Pils said focusing on digital media is not a bad idea, but added that students still find value in the print edition. Its not just a student organization like a womens org, its something to put on your resume, Campanella said. Its tangible experience that youre getting, actually meeting deadlines and interviewing people and writing stories and editing. Its all the skills you would need, not just that, but physically putting together a paper. I mentioned to Dr. Banks this morning in the Zoom call, one thing I dont think she realizes is that a large number of A&M graduates from journalism go immediately into local print publications. Those are the entry-level jobs available, not these big digital companies that shes talking about. I think its so necessary that we have this print publication at a university, a learning institution, and without that, our students, myself included, wont have that opportunity to put that on their resume. Editors note: Alex Miller was a staff member at The Battalion during his time as a student at Texas A&M from 2016-19. Chennai: NEET, the all-India examination for medical admissions that is already in vogue, is definitely not an ideal subject to be the bone of contention in an urban local body election but it has landed bang on the middle of the hustings, impelling the DMK, AIADMK and BJP to talk about it in their campaigns due to some twists and turns in the States politics. When Governor R N Ravi returned the Bill seeking exemption for the State from NEET to the State Assembly on February 1 after procrastinating for 142 days, the ruling DMK was seemingly shy of making an issue out of it perhaps because they felt that it might be turned against them in the impending elections. But after the Governor himself shone the light on his returning the Bill two days later, the DMK acted fast to turn the issue on its head. After calling for a special Assembly session to discuss and send back the Bill for Presidential approval on February 8, the DMK found in NEET an opportunity for asserting the State rights. Yet it did not look like a potent poll plank to fight the principal rival AIADMK as it was anyway supporting the Government move to seek exemption for the State, thus offering little scope for taking a holier than thou attitude. Though the BJP was openly on the other side of the fence, for the ruling party that was not a worthy rival to take on using NEET. So, when Chief Minister M K Stalin began his daily campaign through video conference to reach out to voters in the districts, he was listing out his governments achievements since June, 2021, and sought the peoples support to continue the good work. It was in the counter to the DMKs campaign that AIADMK head honchos, Edappadi K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam hurled the charge that many of the election promises given during the Assembly polls had not been honoured by the Stalin government. They pointed out that the DMK, in its manifesto, had the abolition of NEET as a promise that they had not met so far. In between, the AIADMK leaders also alleged that NEET was introduced during the UPA rule in New Delhi with a DMK representative as Minister of State for Health. The fight that the State government has launched against the Governor through the resending of the NEET exemption Bill was also brought into the elections scheme of things by DMKs Youth Wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin. As he began his campaign tour of the State, he vowed to fight it out till NEET exemption was obtained, thus making it an election plank. Then the AIADMK started hitting back by reiterating the charge that the DMK was responsible for introducing NEET in the country in the first place, prompting Stalin to blame it all on the AIADMK. Stalin threw a challenge to Palaniswami on Thursday to prove that the DMK was responsible for the introduction of NEET while addressing voters of Coimbatore district. The Chief Minister invited the Leader of the Opposition for an open debate on who was responsible for NEET DMK or AIADMK? Picking up the gauntlet, Palaniswami said at Madurai on Friday that the Chief Minister could choose the place and time for the debate, which could be in the presence of the members of the public and media. The people could be the judge for the debate, he said. To Stalins question if a single NEET examination was held during the DMK regime to prove the point that it was brought by the AIADMK, Palaniswami said that the all-India entrance was introduced in the country only after the DMK demitted office in the State. Panneerselvam, too, attacked the DMK on NEET, saying that the government was incapable of getting the exemption. In the final reckoning, an entrance exam for medical college aspirants, which has the open support of the BJP and is being opposed vehemently by the DMK, AIADMK and every other party, has become a talking point on election platforms that should actually discuss local civic issues. CANAJOHARIE, N.Y. (AP) Ellie the potbellied pig snuggles up to Wyverne Flatt when he watches TV and sometimes rolls over to let him pet her belly. The 110-pound pig is "family," Flatt says, an emotional support animal who helped him through a divorce and the death of his mother. Officials in his upstate village of Canajoharie see it very differently. To them, the pig is a farm animal Flatt is harboring in the village illegally. The case could soon be headed to a criminal trial. But it has already caught the attention of pig partisans who believe the animals should be respected more as companions instead of just a food source. "I could never dream of giving away somebody who's part of my family," Flatt said recently as he patted the pig in his kitchen. "She's very smart. She's more intelligent than my dogs. I think she can kind of hone in on you when you're feeling bad because she'll want to come in and snuggle with you." Story continues after photo gallery Ellie is a knee-high Vietnamese potbellied pig with a black coat and hooves that clack on the floor as she walks from her kitchen food dish. Flatt was living in South Carolina when he got the pig in 2018, when she was "about as big as a shoe." She came north with Flatt in 2019 when he moved to Canajoharie, a modest village on the Mohawk River dominated by the husk of the old Beech-Nut food plant. Flatt, 54, bought a fixer-upper near the business center of the village with plans to remodel it and maybe open restaurant on part of the ground floor. He also has two dogs and two cats. A village code officer told Flatt he was housing Ellie illegally in October 2019 during a visit for a building permit request. When the village noticed Ellie was still there six months later, Flatt was formally notified he was violating the local code barring farm animals in the village. Violation of a zoning code is a misdemeanor under state law, according to court filings. Both sides have dug in since then. Flatt says the village is picking on his pig, which he says is clean and smart. Several of his neighbors have signed affidavits saying they like Ellie. Village Mayor Jeff Baker said the board has no comment while the court case is pending. But an attorney for the village wrote in a court filing that the pig is a potential public health hazard. She argued that if "every citizen were to openly scoff at the Village zoning codes ... we would live in a lawless society." Ellie's fate could hinge on federal housing guidance that says municipalities should provide a "reasonable accommodation" when a person can demonstrate an animal provides emotional support for a disability-related need. Flatt's attorney argues that his client meets that test, saying that Ellie allowed Flatt to get off his medication and cope with his anxiety. The village has argued in court filings it is willing to make reasonable accommodations, but that Flatt never met the standard. A note from a nurse practitioner saying Ellie helped Flatt get off of medication is in dispute. And while he keeps in his wallet a laminated card illustrated with a headshot of Ellie saying she is a "registered emotional support animal," the village's attorney said it was obtained online for a fee with no formal legal process. "Defendant provided no legitimate proof that he is a person under disability, and no proof that his disability was remedied by having an emotional support animal, nor that the particular animal a pig was the only suitable remedy for his condition," attorney Kirsten Dunn wrote in a filing last year. A trial was scheduled to start March 22, but has been delayed. If found guilty, Flatt could face jail time or have the pig taken from him, according to his attorney. Emotional support animals have become common in recent decades. After years of passengers bringing pigs, rabbits, birds and other animals on airplanes, federal transportation officials in 2020 said airlines no longer had to accommodate emotional support animals. And Flatt is not the first pig owner seeking emotional support to run afoul of local housing laws. In 2019, a family in the Buffalo suburb of Amherst were not allowed to keep a potbellied pig, named Pork Chop, they said was an emotional support animal for their daughter-in-law. An Indiana woman was told in 2018 to get rid of her emotional support pig for similar reasons. Although people in the United States have been keeping smaller pigs as pets for decades, their advocates say they're still viewed by some people as little more than livestock. "There's a disconnect in most people's minds that even though these animals were imported originally as pets, they were never intended to be food. There's still a lot of people who do that equation: Pig equals food," said Kathy Stevens, founder of the Catskill Animal Sanctuary for rescued farm animals and a supporter of Flatt. Still, many municipalities around the country allow residents to keep pigs as pets. Some local laws sometimes specify pet pigs must be under a specified weight. Other laws allow only pot-bellied pigs. Canajoharie approved a new law in January clarifying its laws on keeping animals, citing a surge in violations. Farm animals are still barred under the law, which spells out rules for residents seeking a reasonable accommodation. Flatt said he's received offers from people to house Ellie outside the village, but he wants to fight to keep her. "I'm hoping this sets a precedent that people start understanding that these are pets," he said. "These are not something you go home and slaughter and eat." *** Naomi Judd died Saturday at age 76. Here are some of the entertainers, leaders, athletes and other notable people we've lost so far this year. Russ Rerucha has been appointed to the Board of Directors for Home Federal Bank. As a Grand Island resident and chairman of AKRS Equipment, Rerucha brings considerable agricultural and business experience to the diverse Home Federal Bank Board. Rerucha has previously served the Grand Island Education Foundation, The YMCA, and is the current President of the Board of Directors of the Hall County Livestock Improvement Association (Fonner Park). A graduate of Kearney State College, Rerucha worked in computer science before joining the family business, Green Line Equipment Inc. He was president/CEO of Green Line until AKRS Equipment was formed in 2020. Home Federal Bank was founded in 1935 with four employees in Downtown Grand Island and now serves five communities across Nebraska Grand Island, Hastings, Holdrege, Lexington and Superior. Upton joins Federal Reserve advisory council KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City has announced appointments to its Community Development Advisory Council for 2022, including Pete Upton of Grand Island. Upton serves as executive director for the Native360 Loan Fund in Grand Island. Native 360 provides affordable credit, capital, technical assistance and related programs to help Native American business owners. They serve members of all tribes throughout Nebraska, Iowa and southeast South Dakota. The council is composed of community, business and labor leaders from the Kansas City Feds seven-state region. Council members advise the bank on current developments and emerging issues in community and economic development. They serve three-year terms, offer year-round insight on economic and community development issues and meet twice a year with the Kansas City Feds leadership. As the regional headquarters of the nations central bank, the Kansas City Fed and its branch offices in Denver, Oklahoma City and Omaha serve the seven states of the Tenth District: Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Wyoming, northern New Mexico and western Missouri. Mary Lanning engineering employee receives water safety training HASTINGS The recent certification of one Mary Lanning Healthcare employee will help assure that the hospitals water remains safe. Josh Florea, a stationary engineer responsible for steam and chiller plant operations and water quality management, recently received ASSE 12080 Legionella Water Safety and Management Specialist Certification. Legionella and Legionnaires Disease have received attention in the past few years due to the threat of infection in occupied buildings, including hospitals. Thanks to Floreas certification, MLH is now prepared to respond to any such threat, should it arise. The program Florea completed focused on the development of risk analysis and a water management and sampling plan to protect from Legionella and other waterborne pathogens. The training also discussed codes, resources, understanding and skills needed to conduct a facility risk assessment, and implement a water safety and management program to reduce the risk of infections due to Legionella. Presided over by Haldar, the 15th meeting of the CWMA was held through video conference. The team of officials from the State were headed by Additional Chief Secretary of Water Resources, Sandeep Saxena. DC Image Chennai: Karnatakas bid to initiate a discussion on its proposed dam across River Cauvery at Mekedatu at the meeting of Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) on Saturday was successfully thwarted by the officials from Tamil Nadu. Since Karnatakas proposal to build the dam has been challenged in court, the proposal cannot be taken up for deliberations in the meeting, the officials said, forcing the chairman S K Haldar to give it up. Presided over by Haldar, the 15th meeting of the CWMA was held through video conference. The team of officials from the State were headed by Additional Chief Secretary of Water Resources, Sandeep Saxena. Officials from other States like Kerala and Puducherry also participated in the discussions, in which Karnataka was asked to ensure minimum release of Cauvery water at Biligundlu as per norms. MARION Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health and addiction services, is celebrating one year of Dr. Wayne O. Wells serving as medication-assisted treatment (MAT) medical director for Centerstones Illinois region. Dr. Wells began his adventure with Centerstone on Feb. 1, 2021. I am grateful to be welcomed into the Centerstone family as the MAT medical director, said Dr. Wells. I look forward to further support Centerstones noble purpose of delivering life-changing care through my work in the MAT program helping the many individuals in need on their road to recovery. As the MAT medical director, Dr. Wells oversees the MAT services in Illinois, which provides treatment services to those whose lives have been devastated by opiate addiction. MAT treatment includes a combination of medication, counseling and psychiatric services to help individuals establish and maintain long lasting recovery. Dr. Wells responsibilities include being involved with the screening and admissions of new clients as they begin their journey with Centerstone, monitoring the adequate dosage for clients, ensuring compliance with all federal regulations, and responding to any emergent situations that may arise. Born in Miami and growing up in a small town in Florida, Dr. Wells is fluent in Spanish and understands the integral role that culture plays in providing high quality individualized healthcare. Dr. Wells received his medical degree from the Universidad Autonomo de Guerrero in Curnavaca, Mexico. He has served as president and medical director for a variety of healthcare organizations, including the Mid-State Independent Physician Association, Wilson County Medical Society, Trevecca Nazarene University Physician Assistant Program and Health Resource Integration Clinics. With more than 40 years of experience in the medical industry, we are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Wells and his wealth of knowledge on our team at Centerstone, said John Markley, Centerstone Regional CEO. We want to thank Dr. Wells for all of his hard work and dedication to supporting the community, Markley said. Under the leadership of Dr. Wells and his team, Centerstones MAT program has helped more than 300 individuals receive life-changing treatment over the last year. We look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Wells in delivering care that changes peoples lives. To learn more about Centerstone or the MAT program please visit www.centerstone.org or call 1-877-HOPE123 (1-877-467-3123). Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A broken cellular phone screen and an I can fix that attitude that led Krissy and Ryan Stokes down a path of entrepreneurship nearly a decade ago. Krissy had dropped her Apple iPhone right on the concrete, she said and the result was a smashed screen. Getting a poor response from the manufacturer regarding a repair or replacement, it was Ryan who decided to take a try at fixing it. His repair was successful. Before long, family members and friends, all of whom also had broken telephones, asked the Stokes to help them with repairs. Soon he was getting quite experienced at it and we realized that Southern Illinois needed an in-person source for help with technology. We went out on a limb and opened the business. It was the best decision we ever made, Krissy Stokes recalled. Their Carterville business, The iDoctor, has served cellular phone users from all across the region with telephone repairs and more since 2014. Our main thing is screen repair and that is typically what most people come to us for the first time, but once they get here, theyre often pleasantly surprised that we offer a whole lot more, Stokes explained. We offer software assistance, help set up phones or even if someone is having a strange issue with a smartphone, we can help. While the company name hints at expertise with Apple products, Stokes said her husband, who serves as the business lead technician, and other staff members also regularly fix Android devices as well. Well work on any kind of smartphone or tablet or any little piece of technology that you have, she added. Stokes said she enjoys showing clients how to get the most from their devices, using her background in education. Along with helping individual customers, she often teaches iPhone classes at John A. Logan College and local libraries. Because of an extensive inventory of parts and screens, The iDoctor can complete repairs on most Apple products in under an hour; Android fixes take longer because often the parts must be ordered. In any given week, Stokes said the business repairs dozens of devices for customers of all ages. I dont know who is better for business: toddlers or teenagers, but I love them both, she responded with a smile. Stokes added that most damaged devices can be repaired; even what she calls shoebox phones. We hear a lot of stories and sometimes people are embarrassed by what has happened to their phone. Sometimes they will even brag, telling us how they watched their phone get run over after it fell off of the top of their car. They bring them to us in a shoebox, praying that it might be salvageable, she said. I tell them, as long as you dont bend it like a taco shell or drop it in water, its pretty fixable. People should not be embarrassed with broken phones, she said. These things are in our hands and pockets literally everywhere we go, so things are just naturally going to happen, she said. Still, she recommends the use of cases and tempered glass screen protectors. The iDoctor carries both as well as pre-owned telephones and tablets. It doesnt matter if your screen is broken, you need a new battery or your phone is just acting weird, we are here to help, she added. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 County data will be updated weekly on Thursdays with the latest COVID-19 numbers from Illinois Department of Public Health. The numbers reflect 7-day case total of lab-confirmed cases, case total per 100,000, and the weekly test positivity rates by county as reported by IDPH. CARBONDALE Eight years following the tragic death of SIU student Pravin Varughese, family and friends recently gathered for a memorial in the woods celebrating his life. Pravin Varughese, 19, a criminal justice major from the Chicago suburb of Morton Grove, went missing on the night of Feb. 12, 2014. He had gone to a party on College Street with his friends and was found dead in the woods a few days later on Feb. 18. His mother, Lovely Varughese, and her family had a hard battle in front of them that would last years as they tried to preserve Pravins name and seek justice for him. For eight years they have marched single file through mud, rain and snow once a year to the spot he was found to say a prayer. It's not a pleasant month for me, Varughese said. Every single day of this month until this is all over I get this sharp pain in my chest that I sometimes I feel like I can't even breathe, but I know I have to go through this. So I just take a deep breath and I go. Its a mixture of different kinds of emotions. I feel so sad, and I feel happy to come there. I always say I feel like a part of me there. Thats where Pravin was alive last. I always feel like his soul is somewhere there. So I always feel relieved when I come there. After years of being told Pravin's death was an unfortunate accident, the family said he believe they finally received justice when Gaege Bethune was convicted of his murder in 2018. However, Bethunes conviction was overturned three months later because of wording in the original indictment that could have confused a jury. Despite Bethunes initial conviction and the family feeling they have found justice in Pravins case, Bethune is seen as not guilty in the eyes of the law until, or if, he is re-indicted. Another battle that Lovely Varughese and her family had to fight was rebuilding Pravins name. His death was originally contributed to his drunkenness and in past articles, Varughese said it appeared that her son's name was getting raked through the mud. Through her voice, a local scholarship and her constant love, his mother has been able to share who Pravin really was. He was the funniest person that you would want to see, always happy, Varughese said. He wanted people around him to be happy. If somebody is in a bad mood or something, you just have to talk to Pravin for a minute, and you are back in that mood. He cracked jokes, like anything. He spoke in different accents. He will do anything to make people just laugh, and he never held a grudge against anybody. Pravins dream was to join the FBI, and to help fulfill that dream in some way, the Varughese family have been awarding scholarships to local Shawnee Community College students who are pursuing criminal justice. Varugheses hope is that with this scholarship she can help even just a few of the recipients remember Pravins case so they can stop something similar from happening to other people, Varugheses said. Pravins case was a complicated one from beginning to end. Pravins original autopsy showed that there was no evidence of foul play or traumatic injuries and that he died of hypothermia, according to The Southerns archives. However, the Varughese family had got a second independent autopsy in April of 2014 that showed Pravin had been hit in the head and that could have contributed to his death. It took four years for Bethune to face the court. Bethune was allegedly the last person to see Pravin alive as he was giving Pravin a ride from the party, according to prior police records. A fight broke out between the two and Bethune struck Pravin in the head, according to a police interview with Bethune. Pravin then fled into the woods, according to the same interview. Shortly after, an Illinois State Trooper stumbled upon Bethunes truck with the hazard lights on and assessed the situation, as told by Bethune, according to The Southerns archives. The trooper searched the tree line for Pravin, and when Bethune said that he no longer needed anything, the trooper and Bethune left. This information was not known by the police until Bethune came to police with information on Feb. 17, 2014. In 2015, it was decided that no charges would be filed against Bethune as a grand jury. He had faced four different counts of first- and second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and concealment of homicidal death. After years of fighting, the case was reexamined by a special prosecutors office and a jury in 2018 found Bethune guilty after a two-week trial in Jackson County. But on the day he was to be sentenced, the judge set aside the verdict after identifying an issue with the wording of the charging document. Pravins case still touches the hearts of many, including the students who apply for the scholarship. Paige Bigham, who was one of two people to receive the scholarship this year, became especially acquainted with the case after speaking to Varughese's mother. It definitely opened my eyes and gives me a broad look on the justice system, Bigham said. There are certain things that need to be fixed in the justice system and how people fail other people. Hopefully, I can make a change in that with my career. The police department and SIU also continue to hold Pravins memory close as they attend his yearly memorial to offer the family support. The Carbondale Police Department is proud and thankful to be a part of the annual memorial for Pravin to honor him and his family, Chief Stan Reno said. The memories of Pravin continue on through the generous scholarships provided by the Varughese family for local students. We continue to hope for peace and comfort for the family, friends and loved ones of Pravin. Despite the complexities and struggles of Pravins case, some love and goodness has come in the form of new bonds such as the one between Lovely Varughese and Monica Zukas. Zukas was a radio host who heard about Pravins disappearance and death and was moved by Varugheses tears and Pravin's story as a fellow mother. She was moved so much so that she became a key support figure for Varughese and advocate for Pravin. My son at the time was 9, barely 10, and even though my son was alive, and by my side, it was very emotional and upsetting. I couldn't imagine it and that's the reason I have been with her for so long and never would have quit. It was somebody's baby, and it could have been mine. Now my baby eight years later is exactly the age her baby was when it happened, and it really hits home now that he's off on his own, you know, running around and college-age. Even after Bethunes charges were dismissed for a new trial, family and friends feel they have not only gotten justice but also made new bonds in honor of Pravin. Lovely and I connected and we have been like soul sisters. She's like an older sister, like a mom, like a best friend. We video chat still almost every day. We consider them family," Zukas said. "It's bittersweet because Pravin will never be back to life, but we feel we did everything we could to get justice for Pravin. The system did not fail them. Some parts of the system did but we felt like we got justice. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. CARBONDALE From Utah, to Indiana and Ohio, students have been caught distributing controversial white privilege cards. Recently, a Carbondale student at Unity Point did the same. However, instead of letting the incident slide under the radar, the school took action to address it with its entire Junior High student body. In interviews with The Southern, at least one parent and a grassroots activist applauded the school's response. The student was recently caught at Unity Point distributing cards touting white privilege, prompting the administration to have a discussion on the issue. The cards themselves are made to look like credit cards, the top of which read white privilege trumps everything in all capital letters. Under this, the No. 45 is repeated four times. The cardholder's name is listed as Scott Free. The card also reads member since birth and good thru death. The No. 45 has been adopted by former President Donald Trump, who was the 45th President of the United States. The back of the card says: This card grants its bearer happiness and success because its (sic) the color of your skin and not the choices you make that determine your ability to be successful. These same cards were found on Ian Benjamin Rogers, 43, of Napa, California, in January 2021 when he was arrested for possessing illegal weapons and five pipe bombs. Police accused Rogers of threatening to bomb Democrats. The cards have also been distributed at schools across the country, including in Utah, Ohio and Indiana. On Feb. 8, Terri Adams, a mother whose son attends the school posted a picture of the cards on Facebook, asking parents for their thoughts. She said her son had been given the card the day before. Her post was shared 41 times, and garnered 68 comments and 100 reactions. It was sent out to the community via email by the Carbondale branch of the NAACP. Initially, Adams said she believed the issue wasnt addressed enough, but after a follow-up meeting with the school, she believes it has been and offered additional suggestions to the administration. In the follow-up meeting, Adams said she learned more about the child who passed out the cards and their home life. Adams said she found out the cards can simply be ordered on Amazon. They need to understand that actions like this are not OK, it's unacceptable and it's just no tolerance, Adams said. And we kind of came to an agreement about that as far as what can be done in the future also that they really pretty much need more representation at the school because there are so many different children of color, not just Black students. There's students from all different countries, and especially with it being Black History Month, I feel like this can be taken as a teachable moment. Mary Beth Goff, dean of students at Unity Point said Wednesday the school took swift action to address the issue with its Junior High students. We addressed it with our junior high students, really turning it into kind of a social emotional lesson about why it was not appropriate, Goff said. And so I spoke with the entire junior high (Wednesday) and had a conversation and really turned it into a teachable moment to talk about really, the whole concept of hate and inclusion and what we are about as a school, and what we are about as a community. To do this, Goff went to each individual Junior High class to speak with the students. I really wanted to focus on the relationships that we have, as an administrator with my students, and be able to have that conversation in a smaller group, Goff said. I feel like it was very well received, the students engaged in the discussion about the role that hate has played in history and the consequences. And we talked about (...) the diversity of who comes to school here. Goff said she does not believe the incident will happen again. I do appreciate the superintendent when they, you know, when they realized that I wasn't satisfied with what had been done, I do appreciate their willingness to sit down and listen, Adams said. Chastity Mays, a member of the Race Unity Group in Carbondale, also attended the meeting at Unity Point and said she was pleased with how it was addressed. We also gave them several suggestions. I suggested they read the book 'Stamped' and they have small group conversations, instead of just writing a paper ... kids need to talk about that book and how they feel about the content. We also suggested that an African American gentleman by the name of Jeff McGoy go and speak to them, because it's important for them to hear from an African American person how that card made that child feel, Mays said. McGoy is the director of Exploratory Student Advisement at SIU and a motivational speaker from Cairo. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Janel L. Forde, director of the Illinois Department of Central Management Services, will join Southern Illinois University Carbondales Paul Simon Public Policy Institute for a virtual conversation at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18. Forde and John Shaw, institute director, will discuss Fordes career in government and business, her work at CMS and her insight into the future of work. The event is free and open to the public and will be held live via Zoom. Registration is required to access to the Zoom webinar. Visit paulsimoninstitute.org/events to register. Forde has been the director of the Department of Central Management Services since 2019. According to its website, CMS is the operational engine working behind the scenes of Illinois state government departments. It provides administrative services to units of state government, including state employee benefits administration, facility management, purchasing support and vehicle fleet oversight. Before leading CMS, Forde was the chief operating officer for the city of Chicago. She also served as the director of the Office of the CEO for Chicago Public Schools and was chief operating officer of the Illinois State Board of Education. She previously worked with the Boston Consulting Group and in marketing and business development at American Express. "Director Forde has been a creative and visionary leader in both the private and public sectors, Shaw said. We are very eager to learn about her innovative strategic initiatives as the director of CMS, a critically important but little understood agency in Illinois state government." Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for Forde ahead of the event. Questions can be submitted on the registration form or sent by email to paulsimoninstitute@siu.edu. The event is part of the institutes Understanding Our New World virtual conversation series with government and private sector leaders, policy experts, political analysts, authors and journalists. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 An Illinois woman held hostage in her home was rescued after her daughter noticed she had not sent her Wordle score and alerted local authorities. The woman, 80-year-old Denyse Holt, told CNN affiliate WBBM that a naked man entered her Lincolnwood home, dragged her around the house, disconnected phone lines, and eventually barricaded her into a bathroom, where she stayed for about 17 hours. "I didn't think I was going to live," she told the station. Lincolnwood police officers went to check on the homeowner Sunday night after receiving a call from her concerned daughter who hadn't heard from her, the police department said in a news release. The village of Lincolnwood is about 15 miles northwest of Chicago. Her daughter, who was in Seattle, told the station she noticed her mother was not reading her texts and had not sent her usual Wordle updates. "I didn't send my older daughter a Wordle (score) in the morning and that was disconcerting to her," Holt told WBBM. Responding officers saw a broken window in the home and eventually located the homeowner held in the basement, the news release said. Officers determined she was not physically hurt, it added. They found the suspect on the second floor of the home armed with several knives and, after attempting to arrest him, called for more forces to help take him into custody, the release said. The suspect was taken into custody early Monday morning and transferred to a local hospital for medical treatment. Police said the suspect likely took his clothes off earlier Sunday during what investigators believe was a mental health crisis, before breaking into the home. "The subject then awoke the victim armed with scissors and demanded the victim provide him assistance. The subject threatened the victim and collected all telephones/cell phones within the residence to disable the ability for the victim to communicate with anyone," the news release said. "The subject also placed the victim in the basement bathroom securing the door with a chair." The suspect was charged with multiple felonies, including home invasion with a dangerous weapon, aggravated kidnapping while armed with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault against a peace officer. Investigators believe the victim and the suspect had no previous contacts and were not connected in any way, according to the release. *** CNN's Joe Sutton and Kara Devlin contributed to this report. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Illinois Republican candidates for governor are seeing their efforts to focus on local issues clouded by the overwhelming shadow of former President Donald Trump and his control over the national GOP. As the five potential challengers to Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker have all sought to use crime as an issue to make inroads with suburban voters where the GOP once held sway, the Republican National Committee last week declared the deadly Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection was just ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse. Its the latest example of how Trump and Republicans aligned with him have stepped on a message the partys local candidates believe can move them into the future and away from the former presidents obsession with re-litigating the 2020 election that he lost. Trumps a wild card. We know that. We know this whole thing is a wild card. Everybody in the Republican apparatus, running a campaign or whatever, theyre all petrified, Im sure, of whats going to happen going down the road, Christopher Mooney, a political scientist at the University of Illinois at Chicago, said. When I say anything can happen, its more like he can say anything at any given moment that theyre going to have to justify, Mooney said. The five Republicans running for governor Bull Valley businessman Gary Rabine, Petersburg cryptocurrency venture capitalist Jesse Sullivan, Aurora Mayor Richard Irvin, state Sen. Darren Bailey of Xenia and former state Sen. Paul Schimpf of Waterloo have all done their best to dance around Trump and thread the needle of alienating neither Trump supporters nor anti-Trump moderates and independents. Trump lauded the RNCs statement on Jan. 6, which also censured Republican U.S. Reps. Adam Kinzinger of Channahon and Liz Cheney of Wyoming. Trump branded the two Republicans as horrible RINOs (Republican In Name Only) who sit on what he called the House unselect committee of political hacks that is probing the insurrection and the former presidents role in it. Some Republicans have criticized the RNCs censure motion, led by Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, who called Jan. 6 a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election of Democrat Joe Biden. And Kinzinger, leader of an organization seeking to wrest control of the national GOP from the former president, tweeted that every Republican needs to be asked about the RNCs resolution until they answer it clearly. The time for choosing is now. The Republican candidates for governor in Illinois have had varied responses to Trump, his lies about the election and the Jan. 6 insurrection. Rabine, a Trump fundraiser, has said he is not smart enough to know if the 2020 presidential election was stolen as the former president falsely contends. Irvin and Sullivan have acknowledged Biden is president but have not said if they think the election was stolen or if they voted for Trump. Six days after the insurrection, Bailey said on Twitter that Republicans should stand up for our Republican president, and stand against the yearslong, nonstop personal and political assault against him led by an out-of-touch Democrat party and a few nominal Republicans, like Kinzinger. Schimpf acknowledged voting for Trump in 2020 but said the former president failed to make his case in court and did not win the election. When the candidates and their campaigns were asked directly if they agreed with the RNCs description of the insurrection, the general response was that they are focused on Illinois and that lawbreakers should be prosecuted. Only Schimpf directly addressed the RNCs action, calling it misguided and said that those who chose to break the law should be held accountable. But Schimpf, a former military prosecutor, said the RNCs position will have no impact on the governors race and Pritzkers disgraceful lack of support for law enforcement. Rabine sought to paint the RNCs action as irrelevant to the state election. I am running for governor of Illinois. I dont focus on what the RNC does or says. Im focused on Illinois, Rabine said. J. B. Pritzker has failed miserably in his most primary function as governor keeping people safe and everyone here knows that. Statements by anyone, including the RNC, have no impact whatsoever on my mission to clean up J.B.s crime mess. Rabine understates his interest in national Republican politics. He is an advisory board member of Turning Point USA, the controversial Trump-aligned conservative youth group founded by Illinoisan Charlie Kirk. Its political arm has endorsed his candidacy. Rabine also is a member of the Republican Governors Association. Sullivan also said that he is focused on Illinois issues, while saying people who break the law should be prosecuted, period. This is something that J.B. Pritzker and Illinois Democrats fail to recognize each and every day, as they continue to erode accountability in our state, Sullivan said. Irvins campaign did not directly address his view of the RNCs action. Instead, the campaign said he supports peaceful protest but believes anyone who breaks the law should be rightfully prosecuted. Irvin accused Pritzker of using the RNCs declaration as a distraction from his disastrous record on crime. Bailey, who prompted Kinzingers tweet by walking out of a Statehouse news conference when asked about the RNC declaration, said later that anybody that breached that ( U.S. Capitol) should be tried or should be punished. Asked by a reporter if the RNCs labeling of the Jan. 6 riot as legitimate political discourse undermines local Republican attacks of Pritzker on crime, Bailey said: No. It frustrates me that people did indeed pass law enforcement officials and come in on (government) property as they did when the doors were closed. It shouldnt have happened. A Bailey campaign volunteer from Chicago, Lawrence Ligas, is facing charges over illegally entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. The Bailey campaign said he was not a paid staff member. Despite Republican attempts to try to portray questions about Trump and his RNC allies as a distraction, Mooney, the political scientist, said the inquiries are likely to continue every time the former president creates a fresh controversy. Candidates courting the support of Trump and his voters will have to reconcile their anti-crime-message with the Republican Partys message that the insurrection was legitimate political discourse, Mooney said. They need to be aligned with Trump to win the nomination and thats a fundamental problem. Youve got two different electorates the Republican primary electorate and the general election electorate. Those are two completely different things, Mooney said. The Democratic electorate is also very different, but its closer to the general election electorate because there are fewer Republicans in the state. And where Republicans live, in less populated areas of the state, theyre all-in Trump people, he said. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO - For more than a decade, schools in Illinois and across the nation have felt the squeeze of a teacher shortage. The pandemic with divisive rulings on mask mandates disrupting schools and fear of illness still widespread has only exacerbated the problem, with more than 4,000 unfilled teaching positions statewide, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Searching for an immediate stopgap measure, a bill nearing a vote in the state Senate would expand to Chicago Public Schools a measure passed last year for the rest of Illinois that makes it easier to rehire retired teachers to work in schools without putting their pensions at risk. We have to work long-term on how we address this teacher shortage, how we attract and recruit and retain (teachers), state Sen. Robert Martwick, a Chicago Democrat and one of the bills sponsors, said in an interview. But in the short-term, weve got to do something, now, to get teachers into the classroom. Statewide, 88% of school districts say they were experiencing a teacher shortage, according to a 2021 survey from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools. That measure has increased 10 percentage points since 2017, with more than three-quarters of districts saying the pandemic has worsened the teacher shortage. A staggering 96% of districts identified as having a substitute teacher shortage 663 of the states 853 eligible public school districts responded to the survey, the association said in its report. An insufficient number of available educators forced more than 400 classes to be canceled this fall and left more than 2,000 unfilled teaching positions across the state, according to the report. Districts reported a shortage of substitutes will continue to be an issue for at least the next two school years, the report said. Sign up for The Spin to get the top stories in politics delivered to your inbox weekday afternoons. Last year, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation affording districts flexibility in bringing retired educators in as substitute teachers, Martwick said. But that law didnt extend to educators under the Chicago Teachers Pension Fund. Its important that Chicago have the same flexibility granted to the rest of the state, Martwick said. Chicago is also suffering. The legislation allowing retired CPS teachers to return to work without endangering their pensions would remain in effect until June 30, 2024. The bill has made it through the Education Committee, and since the similar legislation last year passed unanimously, Martwick said he anticipates this bill will pass. Other bills this session also seek to address the teacher shortage. An amendment to the bill that passed last year would protect retired teachers pensions as long as they dont work more than 140 days or 700 hours in a school year, up from the existing thresholds of 120 days and 600 hours, respectively. The increase would remain in effect until June 30, 2023, after which it would revert to previous limits. And a bill that would waive the $25 application fee for short-term substitute licensing is set to be considered by the entire Senate. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For the most updated version of this story: Students in Heartland Community College's training program are at the "forefront of the electric vehicle revolution," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Saturday. Buttigieg appeared at the college in Normal along with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. The visit was meant to highlight work that the transportation department is doing to make electric vehicles accessible to more Americans. Heartland's electric vehicle and energy storage program is designed to train students in the manufacture, diagnosis, service, and repair of electric vehicles. "We believe that there is a strong policy role to make sure that the EV revolution happens quickly enough to beat climate change, that it happens on equitable terms and benefits every American, and that it is a Made in America electric vehicle revolution," Buttigieg said, "and you see all of those goals at play in what is going on right here in the Bloomington-Normal area." Before speaking to the media, the group spent time with a truck driver, had a roundtable discussion at Heartland and "just had an opportunity to see for ourselves not just the equipment, but the students who are very much at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution," said Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend who was among Democratic primary candidates for the 2020 election. The Biden administration released its EV charging action plan Dec. 13, outlining the steps federal agencies are taking to boost infrastructure, manufacturing and consumer adoption. The $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed into law in November, includes $5 billion in funding for states and a $2.5 billion competitive grant program for rural and disadvantaged communities to put the U.S. on the path to a national network of 500,000 charging stations. The Chicago Tribune contributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 An Ukrainian serviceman flashes the V for victory sign during unpacking shipment of military aid delivered as part of the USA's security assistance to Ukraine, at the Boryspil airport, outside Kyiv, Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. (AP/Efrem Lukatsky) Wellington: New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta called on New Zealanders in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible due to the "heightened tensions." "In response to heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the New Zealand Government is advising New Zealanders in the Ukraine to leave immediately while there are commercial flights able to get them home," Mahuta said in a statement, as quoted by the government website. The minister added that the country does not have a diplomatic mission in Ukraine, and the assistance that can be provided to citizens is limited. The security situation in Ukraine can change quickly, so New Zealanders should not rely on evacuation organized by their country, according to Mahuta. Earlier this week, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea also advised their citizens to leave Ukraine shortly after US State Secretary Antony Blinken claimed that Russia could attack its neighboring country even before the end of the Olympics, which are being held in China at the moment. Russia has repeatedly denied West's allegations about its preparations to invade Ukraine, saying it has no plans to attack any country but reserves the right to move troops on its sovereign territory as it sees fit. Russia has warned that NATO's plans to further expand eastward represent a direct threat to its national security. This subscription will allow existing subscribers of The World to access all of our online content, including the E-Editions area. NOTE: To claim your access to the site, you will need to enter the Last Name and First Name that is tied to your subscription in this format: SMITH, JOHN If you need help with exactly how your specific name needs be entered, please email us at admin@countrymedia.net or call us at 1-541 266 6047. (TBTCO) - Thi truong chung khoan Viet Nam co ban van giu nhip on inh trong quy au nam nay, tuy nhien, thi truong chiu ap luc ieu chinh kha manh ke tu cuoi thang 3 en nay do tac ong tu cac yeu to ngoai bien va cac vu viec sai pham mang tinh on le cua mot so ca nhan, to chuc. Theo cac chuyen gia, nhung tac ong en tam ly ngan han cua nha au tu la kho tranh khoi, nhung ay la co hoi e huong dong tien i ung huong, giup thi truong gan uc, khoi trong e phat trien ben vung. Today Partly cloudy. High 84F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. Low 61F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. Tomorrow Partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms. High 83F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. A state legislative committee has cut $7 million from Gov. Mark Gordons American Rescue Plan budget proposal that would have paid for round-the-clock staff for Wyomings suicide prevention hotline. Wyoming had the highest rate of suicide in the country in 2019, according to the CDC. (Data for 2020 hasnt been released yet.) The Equality State has ranked in the top five in the nation for suicide since 1996. But until 2020, it was the only state without its own suicide prevention call center. The Legislature set aside $400,000 in the 2020-2021 state budget to start one at the Central Wyoming Counseling Center in Casper. And with more than $1 billion coming to the state from the American Rescue Plan Act, the governor proposed allocating $7 million over two years to help bring the states suicide hotline up to 24/7 operations. Wyoming's first in-state suicide prevention hotline launches in Casper Wyoming is no longer the only state without a local suicide prevention call center. The Central Wyoming Counseling Center on Tuesday launched For now, its only staffed Sunday through Thursday, from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. Another privately-funded hotline, Wyoming Lifeline in Greybull, staffs its phones from 4 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Fridays. Anyone who calls outside those hours is redirected to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. The main benefit of a Wyoming hotline, operators say, is that its run by counselors who live in-state. They know how to connect callers with local resources as close to them as possible, and know the culture of the state. No call goes unanswered, said Ralph Nieder-Westermann, who runs the Greybull hotline. But you will get someone who doesnt know Wyoming. Gordons $7 million proposal to expand Wyomings hotline comes as suicide hotlines around the country prepare to implement the new 988 number, which is set to go into effect nationwide in July. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a law in 2020 to establish 988 as the new telephone shortcut for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which can now be reached at 1 (800) 273-TALK (8255). Millions in federal funds have been set aside to help states boost their mental health crisis support in preparation for that change, which is intended to make it easier to access the hotline and life-saving resources. In order for the 988 system to work as projected from the federal government, youre supposed to have a 24/7 operation, said Jen Davis, a health and human services policy adviser for the governors office, so that when individuals call into that system they are actually able to connect with Wyoming, so that they are able to connect with the appropriate resources. Andi Summerville, executive director of the Wyoming Association of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers (WAMHSAC), said that Wyoming isnt necessarily required to staff its hotlines 24/7, but it is the gold standard and makes it much easier to connect people with whatever level of care they need. In the last year, data from both centers shows that around 50% of calls in Wyoming were answered out-of-state. An average of 300 calls per month were made to lifelines from Wyoming in that time. Members of the legislatures Joint Appropriations Committee voted unanimously against the $7 million proposal on Jan. 20. Im voting no on this, not because I or anyone else doesnt want to prevent suicide, its rather that we think the program as designed and as presented might not be cost effective, Rep. Clark Stith, R-Rock Springs, said during that meeting. Sen. Mike Gierau, D-Jackson, also sits on the committee. He said he thinks the panel was under the impression the lifeline was already fully funded to operate 24/7. The $7 million figure, he said, seemed high considering the current schedule operates on $1 million for two years. For now, the hotline will still be getting $200,000 from the state annually. But the service could get another shot at more funding during Wyomings 2022 legislative session, which starts Monday. Sen. Fred Baldwin, R-Kemmerer, said hes sponsoring an amendment to put that $7 million back in the budget. On the House side, Rep. Sue Wilson, R-Cheyenne, said shes working on an amendment that would allocate American Rescue Plan money toward the hotline, as well as other mental health services. Neither sit on the appropriations committee. Gordons administration is looking into other ways to fund the hotline, Davis said. We are looking at all of the funding streams that have come into the state and to see where there are opportunities, Davis said. Applying for federal grant money is another potential avenue, she said. Presenting the governors proposal to the Joint Appropriations Committee on Jan. 14, Davis said that even if $7 million in one-time funding was approved for the lifeline, federal money would likely be needed down the road to sustain the round-the-clock coverage. Wyomings hotline is a much-needed first step toward suicide prevention, Davis said. But for people who are struggling, its not always enough. Whats really necessary is a robust mental health system so that they can get the services that they need, hopefully before they ever come into crisis, she said. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Ellen Gerst City and crime reporter Follow Ellen Gerst 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 Coughing, trouble breathing and fever may sound like familiar symptoms in this age of COVID infections, but a Malta paleontologist and his colleagues think theyve identified signs of a respiratory infection in 150-million-year-old dinosaur bones. Cary Woodruff, director of paleontology at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum, is the lead author of the research paper, published in the recent issue of the Scientific Reports journal. Woodruff and his co-authors, which included veterinarians and anatomists, drew their conclusions after examining fossilized neck bones from a young (15 to 20 years old) Diplodocus nicknamed Dolly. The dinosaurs bones were first excavated from the Paradise Valley in 1990, with later additions following 2013-15 field seasons. After the fossils were cleaned, Woodruff spotted an abnormality. There were bony protrusions in the normally smooth pockets in the dinosaurs vertebrae. Imagine you took a broccoli floret and fossilized it, its this weird, abnormal, lumpy bit of bone, Woodruff said. The abnormalities were similar to those caused by a common fungal affliction in modern birds known as aspergillosis. If the most common respiratory infection in birds today is fungal derived, and birds are dinosaurs, it evolutionarily had to come from somewhere, Woodruff said. Therefore, a dinosaur in the past was probably susceptible to a very similar type of fungal infection. Dinos Diplodocus was a long-necked dinosaur, with an equally long tail, that roamed the Earth during the Late Jurassic period between 155 million to 145 million years ago. Back then, the Paradise Valley was part of the Sundance Sea, extending from the Arctic Ocean across Canada to the Black Hills. At that time the valleys climate would have been tropical. When Montanans think dinosaur bones, theyre more likely to envision Eastern Montanas prairie badlands which have yielded legendary fossil finds. Yet Woodruff said the Paradise Valley has the bulk of Montanas geologic history represented. Thanks to the mountain building process that thin layer of Mesozoic rock [was] exposed. The fossils collected in several layers along an ancient and large river floodplain. One of the sauropod dinosaurs found in the Paradise Valley greeted visitors to the Museum of the Rockies when its Siebel Dinosaur Complex was completed in 2007, Woodruff noted. The same dig site in southwest Montana also uncovered other largely complete diplodocid specimens, an infant Camarasurus, the states first stegosaur-like Hesperosaurus, beaked Camptosaurus, carnivorous Allosaurus and a smaller iguana-like reptile known as sphenodontid. When fully grown, the plant-eating Diplodocus dinosaurs like Dolly were huge adults living 30 years grew to 80 to 100 feet long and weighed an estimated 16 tons. Since Dolly wasnt fully grown, shes estimated to have stretched to only about 60 feet long, almost the length of two school buses parked end to end. Breathe Sauropods are ancient ancestors of modern birds. Like birds and some reptiles, dinosaurs had complicated respiratory systems that included air sacs in their neck vertebrae, hips, back and tail. Woodruff said the sacs could have been a way to provide more efficient respiration, or they may have evolved to help the animals lighten their heavy loads. An infection in these air sacs is believed to have caused the bony growths Woodruff and collaborators describe in their research. To make their diagnosis, the team looked at it from an evolutionary perspective, Woodruff said. Even though we dont have any of this preserved respiratory tissue in these groups of dinosaurs with these features, we have these sockets in the bone; so we figure similar respiratory tissue had to connect to them, Woodruff explained. Narrowing By looking at similar infections in crocodilians and birds the team narrowed the diagnosis down further. Since crocodilians dont have these air sacs in their bones, they examined only bird-related illnesses. Thats when they concluded that an infection in the air sacs caused a secondary bone infection derived from a fungus that is still common in birds today. We didnt find a perfect 100% match, and we werent expecting to because, again, were literally comparing cases that are separated by 150 million years, Woodruff said. But we found very similar results a respiratory infection that caused a secondary bone infection. If the diagnosis holds up to scrutiny, it will be the first time an avian-style respiratory disorder has been described in a non-avian dinosaur. However, as the authors note throughout the paper, the lack of tissues/structures that elucidate origination means that we cannot pinpoint a causation at this time. John Scannella, the John R. Horner Curator of Paleontology at the Museum of the Rockies, said, The discovery of an avian-style respiratory infection in this sauropod provides another window into what dinosaurs were like as living, breathing animals. Even the largest animals to ever walk the Earth were not immune to disease; dinosaurs had to face many of the same challenges that life faces today. Help The diagnosis was aided by the Phillips County Hospitals radiology department, which scanned the fossils for Woodruff, along with Advanced Medical Imaging at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Phillips County has had a CT scanner for some time, but until recently not one that was powerful enough to scan dinosaur bones, according to Donny Bagley, who manages the lab and X-ray department. Its quite different from a person because of the thickness and density of the dinosaur bones, he said. Theyre much larger. We had to lay them out on a table and scanned them from different angles, and then used reconstruction software to put all the images together, to produce as much information as possible. Bagley and a second technician, Tammy Hebany, were excited to help the local museum with its 150-million-year-old patient. The research was personal for Woodruff because his yellow Labrador, Hatcher, contracted respiratory problems and died. Thus, he dedicated the work to his pup who passed far too soon. The research team included paleopathologist/veterinarian Ewan Wolff, of the University of New Mexico; veterinarian Sophie Dennison, of TeleVet Imaging Solutions in Virginia; and paleontologists and medical anatomists Mathew Wedel, of Western University of Health Sciences in California, and Lawrence Witmer, of Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine. Woodruff said the human interest angle to the teams dinosaur research makes it more relatable. We know that birds that have respiratory disease today; they show symptoms that are consistent with flu and pneumonia, he said. So sneezing, coughing, headaches, fever, diarrhea, weight loss, etc., these are all of the exact same symptoms we have all felt when weve had respiratory issues. So the fact is, you can hold that 150-million-year-old dinosaur bone from Dolly and you literally can sympathize with this animal. You know exactly how crummy that animal felt when it was sick, because its the exact same way you felt. Chris Jorgensen contributed to this story. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A pregnant mother and her family affected by the Quarry Street New Years Day fire say they felt pressured to accept an Oropune Gardens apartment as a permanent home after their years long efforts to find secure housing. The family, who had previously spent months surrounded by debris and without electricity, told the Express they felt as though they were being pushed to mortgage the apartment as a quick fix to their problem. Those with authority over others often become wolves because the people under their charge Two University High School student musicians will get solo shots with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson this spring after taking home top honors in the community orchestras annual young musicians competition. The pair pianist Jisue Choi and cellist Molly Urbon-Bonine were among 27 students competing Jan. 23 in the orchestras 37th annual Young Artists Competition. Cash prizes were awarded for winners in the junior and senior divisions and the contest was open to musicians from 10 to 18 years old. Jisue, a senior at UHS, placed first in the senior piano division, earning her a shot to play Prokofievs Piano Concerto No. 3 with the orchestra on April 30. Jisue started studying piano when she was 5 with her father, a longtime Tucson piano teacher and accompanist with Desert Voices Chorus and Reveille Mens Chorus. Jisue adds her Civic Orchestra senior division win to a growing list of local contest prizes that include the 2020 Civic Orchestra Young Artist Competition and back-to-back wins in 2020 and 2021 of the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra Scholarship Competition. In 2019, she took first place in the Tucson Music Teachers Association Merit Scholarship Auditions. Molly, who is a sophomore at UHS, will perform Faures Elegy for Cello and Orchestra with the Civic Orchestra of Tucson on May 1. Molly, who placed first in the senior strings competition, has been studying cello for six years with retired Tucson Symphony Orchestra cellist Mary Beth Tyndall. She also plays in the Tucson Philharmonia Youth Orchestra and the UHS Chamber Orchestra. Jisues concert with the Civic Orchestra will be at Green Valley Presbyterian Church, 2800 Camino del Sol, Green Valley. Mollys concert will be at DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park. Admission is free for both events. For details, visit cotmusic.org or call 520-730-3371. In addition to the solo artists competing, the Young Artists Competition also has a category for ensembles open to duos and trios or groups up to 10. Contact reporter Cathalena E. Burch at cburch@tucson.com. On Twitter @Starburch Other winners Winners of the 37th annual Civic Orchestra of Tucson Young Artists Competition held in January. Junior Strings: Ayla Moreno, first place; Nathaniel Friesen, second; Evan Friesen, honorable mention. Senior Strings: Molly Urbon-Bonine, first; Joshua Thai, second; Bradley Breen, honorable mention. Junior Piano: Ayla Moreno, first place. Senior Piano: Jisue Choi, first place; Jonas Blackketter, second; Shawna Parsa, honorable mention. Other winners: Desiree Blute, junior harp Sophie Breault and Roma Tiwari (tied for first), junior winds. Julia Faltin, senior winds Ayla Moreno and Hannah Zhang, ensemble first place. Molly Urbon-Bonine and Rose Kim, ensemble second place. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A group of protesters trying to bring attention to a decade-high number of deaths at the Pima County jail in 2021 clashed Friday night with deputies after a skirmish that included the use of police dogs during an attempted arrest for vandalism. The group of about 80 people, including several family members of those whove died at the jail, traveled around the facility at 1270 W. Silverlake Road holding signs, at one point blocking traffic on Silverlake. Frances Guzman, whose son Cruz Patino Jr. III, 22, died at the jail in August, said two of her family members were detained Friday night. The Sheriffs Department was unable to say Saturday morning how many arrests were made. In 2021, 10 people died in the jails custody. That marked a 10-year high for the facility thats already reported two more inmate deaths this year. Im not upset with the cops, Im not even upset with some of the COs in there. I am upset that nothings being done, Guzman said. (Sheriff) Nanos, thats the person that needs to come out. If it was 12 of his colleagues who died, things would be different. Protesters started the night in front of the jails entrance, listening to testimony of family members and celebrating Guzmans first birthday without her son. The group eventually marched up West Silverlake Road and blocked traffic for nearly 40 minutes, holding signs and reciting the names of 12 inmates whove died since January 2021 as Tucson Police Department personnel stood by. The group proceeded to the east side of jail to a restricted entrance and placed signs on a sheriffs patrol vehicle and transport van. About 15 deputies responded, asking the crowd to leave for trespassing. One protester wrote KKK killers and murders with black marker on the side of a Sheriffs Department van. The protest ended back at the jails main public entrance, where Sheriffs Department personnel deployed dogs on the crowd after an attempted arrest ended in a skirmish. The dogs were never let off leash, but deputies did warn the crowd they will bite. Sheriffs personnel tried to detain someone in the crowd for writing graffiti on signs near the jail, and said pretty much the entire crowd attacks us, Sgt. Robert Svec, who responded to the protest, said Friday night. After deputies deployed the dogs, a smoke bomb went off in the crowd as people dispersed. Svec said the Sheriffs Department did not deploy the smoke bomb. Contact reporter Nicole Ludden at nludden@tucson.com Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. 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. Nearly 6,000 rounds of ammunition addressed to a fictitious name arrived at the door of a Tucson residence in April 2020. The ammunition would pass through several more hands before being smuggled into Mexico. The two U.S. citizens who received and stored the ammo later told authorities they were hired by someone in Nogales, Sonora, and were paid $40 a box. The records did not say how many boxes there were. The Tucson residents were eventually charged with smuggling goods from the United States and conspiracy, along with four others involved in the operation that included nearly 30,000 rounds of ammo made for high-powered firearms. This was one of 39 cases involving weapons being smuggled into Mexico filed in federal courts in Tucson and one in Phoenix in 2021, nearly double any single year going back to 2008 when the statute was first used. Court records show that many of the smugglers are young adults and U.S. citizens who say they were contacted by someone in Mexico and were often paid a few hundred or few thousand dollars to buy, store or transport weapons. Cases vary from gun smuggling rings in Tucson that included a half-dozen people to a single person with three 9 mm pistols strapped to their body walking into Sonora through the Nogales port of entry. One 18-year-old man was arrested walking into Mexico pushing a handcart with 1,400 rounds of 5.56x45 mm ammunition, which fits an AR-15 rifle, hidden inside boxes of laundry detergent and cat litter. After waiving his Miranda rights, he told officers he was recruited by someone in Nogales, Sonora, and was promised $1,500 to transport 3,000 rounds into Mexico, but he couldnt fit it all in his handcart. Cases filed in 2021 in Arizona federal courts involved nearly 300,000 rounds of ammunition, about 460 magazines, 830 ammunition links, 37 guns, 57 rifles and 80 parts and accessories, some of which were seized and some that made it out of the country, according to an Arizona Daily Star analysis. The increase in gun smuggling cases being prosecuted in District of Arizona federal courts corresponds to an increase in weapons seized at southbound ports of entry. U.S. Customs officials on the Southern Arizona border confiscated 104 rifles and 101 handguns headed into Mexico in 2021, which is much higher than any year in at least a decade, with the next highest being 2012, when officials confiscated 23 rifles and 21 handguns. As well, U.S. Customs confiscated nearly 95,000 rounds of ammunition and 372 magazines in 2021 that were headed from Arizona to Mexico. Ammunition seizures at the Arizona border saw a dramatic increase in 2020 that continued into 2021. More weapons, more seizures The reasons for the increase are both more incidents of people attempting to smuggle weapons into Mexico and more incidents of law enforcement interceding due to improved technology and increased staffing, leading to more seizures at ports of entry and outside of them, says Scott Brown, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Phoenix. Experts also say increased coordination between agencies on both sides of the border is leading to a higher number of confiscations. Financial insecurities in the U.S. exacerbated by the pandemic, and continued violence among cartels in Mexico, who fuel arms trafficking, are a couple reasons weapons smuggling has increased, Brown said. People hired to buy the firearms in the U.S. often have very nebulous ties to cartels. Those hired to transport the weapons across the border may have a slightly closer tie and often have a history of border crossings, so as to draw less scrutiny. The pandemic has brought financial uncertainties to people already struggling to make ends meet, Brown said. When an opportunity to make quick money presents itself, people are more apt to take risks for a payout. Recruiters are using social media to target young people. Young people tend to think they wont get caught. Experts also agree that a spike in gun sales in the U.S. during the pandemic likely contributed to an increase in guns smuggled into Mexico. More coordination between agencies As collaboration between U.S.-based organizations has increased, so has collaboration with the government of Mexico, which officials in both countries say is a significant change. The U.S. needs to do its part to make sure the Mexican government has the ability to fight cartels, Brown says. Mexico has rightfully recognized that as much as we complain about the drugs coming in from Mexico, Mexico has rightly gotten more vocal about the weapons coming from the U.S. into Mexico, he said. If we want Mexico to be able to effectively fight the cartels, we have to do our part to make sure that the cartels arent out-gunning the Mexican law enforcement and even the Mexican military. U.S. Homeland Security and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives launched partner operations in 2020, Operation Without a Trace and Operation Southbound, targeting gun smuggling individuals and organizations, which has resulted in more interdictions and prosecutions. They also strengthened coordination with the U.S. District Attorneys Office and Customs and Border Protection in this effort. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives traced nearly 10,000 firearms in 2020 involved in a crime in Mexico back to U.S. manufacturers. But ammunition is much harder to trace. The bureau has representatives in other countries, including Mexico, and part of Operation Southbound is to have continual conversations about tracing all firearms as theyre recovered from criminal matters, says Brendan Iber, special agent in charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Phoenix. These drug trafficking organizations and cartels, they have to protect their illegal drug trade somehow, Iber said. Its the firearms that help them protect that criminal enterprise that theyre involved in. So were trying to make sure those tools dont get to them in the first place because, unfortunately, bad things happen when the firearms get into those peoples hands. U.S. guns fuel Mexican drug trade, illegal immigration Gun smuggling from the U.S. into Mexico is a problem for both countries, as it fuels illegal drug trade into the U.S. and creates a level of violence in Mexico and beyond that pushes people to flee their homes and seek refuge, oftentimes in the U.S. While around 200 guns were confiscated at the Southern Arizona border in 2021, the Mexican government estimates that 200,000 firearms are smuggled from the United States each year. Between 70% and 90% of firearms that the Mexican government recovers from crime scenes are trafficked from the U.S., 15% of which come from Arizona, says Fabian Medina Hernandez, chief of staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mexico. As the incidents of gun seizures increase, so do seizures of dangerous drugs being smuggled into the U.S. The amount of fentanyl seized at the southern border nationwide increased yearly by 73% in 2020 and more than doubled in 2021. Seizures of methamphetamine also increased, by nearly 30% in 2020 and almost 7% in 2021. Gun smuggling into Mexico and drug trafficking into the U.S. are all connected, says Rafael Barcelo Durazo, consul of Mexico in Tucson. Easy access to guns in the U.S. empowers cartels in Mexico, who smuggle drugs into the U.S., who then have more money for more weapons to continue terrorizing Mexican towns and cities. We need to continue coming up with alternatives that have real results so there are less firearms in the hands of criminals, Barcelo said. If there are a lot of firearms in the hands of criminals, many innocent people are going to continue dying, and many people are going to continue to be displaced, immigrating from their communities because of the level of violence this leads to. Bullets outpace guns The amount of ammunition smuggled from the U.S. into Mexico has overtaken the amount of weapons, according to Mexican officials. The Mexican government is confiscating more ammunition than weapons, which has been the case for at least six years, says Javier Osorio, professor at the School of Government and Public Policy at the University of Arizona, whos been studying organized crime in Mexico for over a decade. As the conflict evolved, now all these cartels are pretty much well armed, he said. What they need is ammunition. So we see larger imports and that gets reflected in the proportion of seizures the Mexican government is doing, basically the army. Now theyre confiscating more ammunition and magazines and new rifles. Recently, there has been a huge increase in ammunition being smuggling into Mexico form the U.S., says Hernandez, with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Mexico. He agrees this has to do with organized crime factions in Mexico already having large weapon stockpiles, adding that the majority of ammunition thats smuggled from Southern Arizona is for weapons meant to cause the maximum amount of damage. Renewed efforts After the fatal shooting of three women and six children in La Mora, Sonora, on Nov. 4, 2019, involving ammunition that came from the U.S., some officials said they expected more national-level enforcement initiatives to appear, but experts agree that there have not been any significant regulatory or legal changes. Apart from more coordination, another thing that has changed is the way the U.S. and Mexican governments are discussing the problem. High-level officials from the United States and Mexico launched the Bicentennial Framework Binational Group Against Arms Smuggling at the end of January, with both countries committing to increase extraditions, speed up case processing, strengthen patrols on both sides of the border, work together to modernize border inspection technology and to improve information-sharing. One of the objectives is that officials on both sides of the border confiscate more arms at the border especially high-powered ones, said the Mexican Foreign Ministrys Head of North American Affairs Roberto Velasco during the meeting. The amount of high-powered weapons smuggled into Mexico has only increased in recent years, reflected in the cases filed in Tucson federal court, which include many high-powered rifles and ammunition. This was at least the second high-level talk on arms smuggling between the two countries since President Joe Biden took office, after such discussions had been suspended under the Trump administration. The fact that the Mexican government is making arms smuggling a key element of its foreign relations with the U.S. is unprecedented, says Osorio, with the School of Government and Public Policy. But he doesnt think Mexicos increased pressure will be enough to get the U.S. to make regulatory change, for a variety of economic, political and cultural reasons. The love for guns in this country is everywhere, he said. Its part of the culture. People like it, and people vote for it, and people get elected campaigning on those terms. So why would the U.S. government change its politics and domestic relations? I dont think so. Liability of gun manufacturers The Mexican government filed a lawsuit last year against some U.S. gun manufacturers, seeking billions in damages, saying they have negligent and irresponsible practices that allow their firearms to wreak havoc in Mexico. The suit asks for reparations and that the companies put measures in place to stop their guns from getting into the hands of organized criminal groups in Mexico. While others have attempted to get reparations from U.S. gun manufacturers, theyve failed because of The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a United States law. It protects firearms manufacturers and dealers from being held liable when crimes have been committed with their products. But this law may not give immunity to the manufacturers when the damage is outside the country. Numerous U.S. entities filed amicus briefs, on Feb. 3, in support of Mexico, saying the case should not be dismissed on the grounds of that law, including the states of Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York and Oregon, as well as the District of Columbia. A similar brief was filed by 30 state, district and county attorneys, including Pima County Attorney Laura Conover. Similar briefs were also filed by Mexican activists, scholars and victims; governments and nongovernmental organizations in Latin American and Caribbean regions; and scholars of international law. The drugs Mexican cartels are importing, facilitated and protected by defendants guns, cause acute harm in our communities, says the brief signed by Conover and the other attorneys. Easy access to defendants guns has allowed Mexican cartels to realize their ultimate goal: becoming primary distributors of the opioids that are decimating communities. Photos of the U.S. Mexico border fence U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Douglas, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Lochiel, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near Lochiel, Ariz. 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U.S. Mexico border near San Luis, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near San Luis, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near San Luis, Ariz. U.S. Mexico border near San Luis, Ariz. Contact reporter Danyelle Khmara at dkhmara@tucson.com or 573-4223 . On Twitter: @DanyelleKhmara Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. 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. Most journalists live for an exclusive, for breaking a big story and staying ahead of the competition. Dan Marries has been ahead all the way on this story, but its been kind of lonely. The story just goes on and on, regularly affecting people around the Tucson area, but he has been the only one focused on it. Marries, evening news anchor at KOLD Channel 13, has taken to calling the phenomenon mystery booms. Hes reported on them repeatedly since 2017. People around the Tucson area hear these booms, but they seem to be especially prevalent on the west side of the metro area. People feel a rumble in the ground and hear a boom. The house may shake briefly. And thats about it. The last one Marries did a story on was Jan. 22; another took place just this past Thursday. You feel it rumble. It feels like its coming from the ground, said Ernesto Bonillas, a Green Valley resident. Those booms are nothing new, he added. Today was stronger than normal. Bonillas was one of dozens who commented on Marries Facebook post about the latest mystery boom. Another, Michelle Ansbach, lives on the southeast side. She told me via Facebook message shes felt occasional booms and rumbles for years. It sounds and feels like it is coming from under the ground. Ive experienced earthquakes while living in Washington state and it isnt an earthquake. I also lived across from the base here for 3 years, still not the same. Definitely not sonic booms. Quit asking questions People give varying descriptions, said Marries. As he spoke, he was standing on his northwest-side patio, where hes watched his glass doors shake during the booms. You know, earthquake, sonic boom, truck driving by, something falling on the house, I thought something hit my house, Marries said, rattling off the explanations he hears from the public. One of the people said I felt like a car ran into my house. Thats how much force some of these have. What I have personally felt you can kind of feel a rumble come through. Its like a wave, he said. He doesnt discount sonic booms, which are perhaps the most likely explanation, but Marries, who comes from a family full of pilots, isnt convinced of that, either. You could describe these as a sonic boom, but when you feel the rumble in the ground, thats what makes it different for me, he said. Obviously, sonic booms come from the air. These mystery booms, rumbles or whatever you call them seem to come from the ground. When Marries reports the booms, people of course chime in with their own theories. One is that it has to do with the geological effects of the water table dropping. Others? Underground tunneling for secret government operations, secret military bases. Thats a pretty popular one, he recalled. Then theres the people who say Its a sonic boom, idiot. Quit asking questions. You tell a reporter to stop asking questions. Come on thats what I do for a living. Marries has even dug into the journals of William Clark, who reported unexplained booms in the Lewis & Clark expedition, and checked out reports of the Seneca Guns a similar phenomenon reported on the East Coast. Seismic station detects them Its clear something real is happening around here. Not only have hundreds of people from around the Tucson area responded to Marries Facebook posts about the mystery booms, reporting what they felt at the same time, but geologists regularly detect them on a local seismometer. A pair of these mystery booms occurred Thursday, most people noticing them at about 11:08 a.m. When Marries asked University of Arizona geosciences professor Susan Beck about it, she checked the seismometer, and there were the signals. Two occurrences at 11:08. This happens all the time. In fact, Beck told me shes seen similar reports occasionally since she arrived in Tucson in 1990. The seismological station generally shows something happened, but its not clear what. Every time Ive looked at these over the years, theyre not earthquakes, Beck said. The problem is we only have one seismic station. I cant tell you where theyre coming from. So they remain a mystery. This has been a bit frustrating to Marries. Every time he feels, hears, or hears of one of the mystery booms, he posts about it on Facebook. Inevitably, he gets dozens of replies from people like Bonillas and Ansbach, reporting familiar booms, rumbles and rolls. Then Marries goes down his list. He calls Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. He calls Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix. He calls Asarco to see if theyve been using explosives at the mines. Out of all these incidents, theyve never been doing mining explosions that day, he said. Out of all these years, theres been one sonic boom reported on the same day, but it wasnt at the same time. Seismic network would be helpful Marries also calls Beck or other members of the UAs geosciences department, who typically find that something registered on their seismometer. Beck doesnt know what explains them all. Shes discounted earthquakes because of the seismological signature and the sound. She also doubts mining explosions, because of the distance they seem to travel. Beck leans toward sonic booms as the explanation. With Southern Arizonas dry climate and steep topography, jets could break the sound barrier a long ways away, with the effects rippling toward us probably from the west. I think its an atmospheric disturbance, most likely a sonic boom of some sort that couples into the ground as it comes across, she said. A few steps could start solving the mystery. Simple ones include mapping where people feel them and registering the times. Marries has got reports from SaddleBrooke to Sierra Vista, and lately they usually happen between late morning and midafternoon. The most important step, though, would be to station seismometers around the Tucson valley, Beck said. That would allow them to capture the direction and speed of the booms. Then the source could be narrowed down. But it would take maybe 10 to 12 of them, and good ones are not cheap. Marries plans to persist on the story, his unwanted exclusive. Im just so curious whats causing it, he said. But after so many years, Im still at square one. Im no closer to figuring out what it is than I was at the beginning. Photos: Aircraft over Tucson through the years Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson F-106 Delta Darts Lockheed C5A, 1970 DC-10, 1971 DC-10, 1971 747, 1970 Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson CSAR, D-M EC-130H, D-M 10 Air Tanker Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft over Tucson Aircraft Boneyard Contact columnist Tim Steller at tsteller@tucson.com or 520-807-7789. On Twitter: @senyorreporter Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. 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. Before there was the African American Museum of Southern Arizona, Tucson had the Afro American Heritage Museum on South Park Avenue. In 1998, Charles Kendrick and his friend Shadrick Shad Blair combined their extensive collections of historical items and put them on display, free of charge, in the same building as Kendricks popular Mr. Ks barbecue joint. The two men operated their museum and added to it for decades, but the enterprise has fallen on hard times in recent years. Blair and Kendrick talked about closing the doors for good and selling off their antiques and artifacts in 2018, but the sale never quite happened. The building at Park and Silverlake Drive was still filled with old stuff when Blair died in 2020 at the age of 88. These days, the cluttered, dusty museum is only open by request, but there are plans in the works to revive it. Kendricks daughter, Rhonda Moniz, said she and her dad, now 90, want to find a way to renovate the building and incorporate the collection into a new community center of sorts. Theyre calling it the Tucson Center for Black Life, and at the moment theyre working to get it federal tax-exempt status as a nonprofit. Moniz said she is hoping they can work together with the new African American Museum of Southern Arizona. Kendrick thinks Tucson has plenty of room for both operations. Were already here, and theyre just getting started, he said. The community needs something like this. Beverley Elliott thinks so, too. We absolutely want to collaborate and support his museum, said Elliott, founder and executive director of the new museum with ties to the University of Arizona. Its always good for people to have a couple of places to go to. As far as she is concerned, Kendrick isnt just a keeper of Black history in Tucson, hes a major part of it. Kendrick was one of the first Black men to graduate from the UA School of Pharmacy, in 1955, on his way to a 42-year career at Pima County Hospital, later known as Kino Hospital. He also ran several business ventures on Tucsons south side in addition to his barbecue restaurant. I was called the mayor of South Park, he said. Last year, Elliott invited Kendrick to record an oral history for the new museum. In the resulting video, now available on the museums website, he talks extensively about his Depression-era childhood on the Texas-Arkansas border and his journey to Tucson as a teenager on a segregated train. He had hoped things would be different in Arizona, but he faced many of the same institutional barriers here that he did in the South. He wasnt allowed to swim in certain public pools or drink from certain water fountains around because of the color of his skin. He said his guidance counselor at Tucson High School once told him he had the right color to be a dining car waiter. Kendrick went to the UA instead, only to be refused service in the dining hall, denied entry into the Air Force ROTC and rejected for a family tuition discount all on his very first day of classes and despite the fact that his father had worked as a janitor at the university for more than a decade. Years later, when Kendrick decided to open a business in his South Park Neighborhood, about a block from his fathers house, he couldnt find a bank that would loan money to a Black man so he had to build the building himself. The heritage museum now takes up half of that structure, with more than 2,000 historical items covering such topics as slavery, Japanese internment, the civil rights movement, sports, music, racist advertising, Black cowboys and Buffalo Soldiers. Antique furniture, tools, appliances and household items are arranged to create replicas of an early 20th century schoolhouse, a drug store with a soda fountain, a country store and a barber shop. One of the oldest items in the collection is an original handwritten inventory from a slave plantation, which includes a lengthy roster of human beings, all with the same last name as the man who owned them. Kendrick said the same thing was done on the plantation where his great-grandfather was enslaved. Every slave on that plantations last name was Kendrick. Thats an actual document to prove how I lost my name, my language and my religion because of slavery. His interest in collecting old stuff and educating others about it is rooted in what he sees as the vast difference between the history people are taught in school and the actual experiences of people like him. The heritage museum is a way to set the record straight. History books are made by people who werent there, Kendrick said. Contact reporter Henry Brean at hbrean@tucson.com or 573-4283. On Twitter: @RefriedBrean Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. 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. PHOENIX Business interests asked a judge Friday to block the public from voting on, and possibly vetoing, the $1.9 billion tax cut that largely benefits the wealthy, which was approved last year by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Attorney Kory Langhofer, representing the Free Enterprise Club, detailed what he said are a series of mistakes made by people when they signed up to circulate petitions to refer the tax cut to voters. All the signatures those people gathered cannot be counted, he told Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper. Langhofer contends there are enough invalid signatures to leave Proposition 307 short of the 118,823 needed to put the measure on the November ballot. But an attorney for Invest in Arizona, the group behind the initiative drive, said the requirements Langhofer is claiming circulators ignored do not exist in law. More significantly, attorney Roopali Desai said even if there were technical violations a point she is not conceding they fall by the wayside because they would run afoul of provisions in the Arizona Constitution that specifically empower voters to second-guess the actions of the Legislature. Hanging in the balance is the plan to scrap the current income tax system. It sets variable tax rates, starting at 2.59% for taxable earnings up to $26,500 a year for individuals and twice that for married couples filing jointly. The top rate is 4.5% for individuals earning more than $159,000 a year. The legislation approved last year on a party-line vote and signed by Republican Gov. Doug Ducey would replace all that with a single 2.5% tax rate beginning in 2025. Legislative budget staffers peg the reduction in state revenues at $1.9 billion a year. Invest in Arizona leaders have said their issue with with the tax-cut plan is it would cut into funding for education and other programs. Ducey has said the plan will provide a tax cut of about $300 a year for the average Arizonan. But an analysis by legislative budget staffers shows annual tax savings of $11 for someone making between $25,000 and $30,000, a figure that increases to $96 for those in the $50,000 to $75,000 taxable range. At the other end, taxpayers with income between $250,000 and $500,000 would net an average $3,071 in annual savings; those in the $500,000 to $1 million range would benefit by $7,300 a year, the budget analysts said. Foes gathered about 215,000 signatures, and the secretary of states review found enough of them were valid to put the issue on the November ballot. That led to the lawsuit by the Free Enterprise Club, which lobbies for lower taxes, attempting to quash the petition drive as illegal. Cooper already tossed the first part of the organizations complaint, rejecting the idea that matters involving taxes are not subject to referendum. Langhofer has appealed that to the state Supreme Court. He is back with new arguments that there are irregularities in the petitions to disqualify enough signatures to leave it short of the minimum requirement. Many of these relate to requirements added by lawmakers that out-of-state and paid circulators first register with the secretary of state. For example, Langhofer told the judge, some circulators did not comply with requirements to provide a full address because they failed to list an apartment or hotel room number. He said thats necessary if petition challengers want to question those people. Desai, however, said that requirement does not exist in statute. And an attorney for the Secretary of States Office noted that the form circulators must fill out does not seek that information. There is also about question of whether they must register each time they circulate a new petition and sign a new affidavit in front of a notary, and not just register online. Obviously, the internet is not a notary, Langhofer said. The notary confirms you are the person you say you are. But Desai told Cooper that once people have registered, even to circulate a petition in a prior year, there is no requirement to start from scratch each year. Moreover, Desai said, Plaintiffs dont mention, not once, the constitutional right of referendum granted to the people of Arizona (under the constitution) as a backdrop to all of these statutes that have been passed regulating circulators and petition circulation. Consider, she said, the question of the lack of an apartment or hotel room number on the application to circulate petitions. It cannot be that that absence of number, that has no legitimate legislative purpose, and has no bearing on whether or not you can find them, invalidates every signature of every Arizona elector who signed a petition of that circulator, she said. Cooper set no date to issue a decision. But she acknowledged that whatever she rules is likely to be appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court. This lawsuit isnt the only current effort by the Free Enterprise Club to affect the November ballot. The organization is financing a separate initiative drive by Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, to ask Arizonans to impose new restrictions on voters before they can cast a ballot. It would add a requirement that anyone dropping a ballot in the mail also must provide a date of birth or other identification like a drivers license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number. The same requirement would apply to those who drop off their early ballots at polling places. That would be in addition to the current requirement for a signature on the ballot envelope. Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Major Chinese streaming platforms have censored an LGBTQ plotline in the popular TV series "Friends," causing fans of the show to express their anger on social media. In the first episode, conversations regarding the character Ross's ex-wife, Carol Willick, who divorces him after realizing she is a lesbian, were deleted. Other conversations that were sexually suggestive were also edited out. In the original version, Ross mentions that "there was only one woman" for Carol, who leaves him for her friend Susan Bunch, while his friend Joey asks him if he ever knew she was a lesbian. "Friends," which stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and David Schwimmer as six friends living in New York City, is wildly popular in China with a hugely loyal fan base. The show debuted on Chinese streaming platforms Sohu video and iQiyi in 2012 without any censorship, and this was available to watch until its streaming agreement ended in 2013. Following the burgeoning popularity of the 2021 special 'Friends: The Reunion', which saw the six main actors come together to reminisce about the show, Chinese streaming platforms together purchased the broadcasting rights to the show. Platforms including Bilibili, Tencent, Youku, Sohu and iQiyi began streaming "Friends" starting February 11. Fans have taken to the Chinese social media site Weibo to protest censorship of the show, with #FriendsCensored becoming the most trending topic on the site. The hashtag received more than 54 million views on the site on Friday night, but was later censored by the platform on Saturday morning, with search results showing, "this topic is not shown according to relevant laws and regulations." CNN has reached out to Bilibili, Tencent, Youku, Sohu, and iQiyi for comment. In the previous version on Sohu, Ross said "[Women can have] multiple orgasms" when debating men and women's advantages with his friends in the cafe. However, in the recent version, the platforms substituted the Chinese subtitle of Ross' line with "Women have endless gossips" despite keeping the original soundtrack and English subtitle. Many netzines mocked this as an "insult to our English language ability." One Weibo user said: "Not only does it ignore women's sexual desire and enjoyment, but also reinforces the gender stereotype of women." This comment received more than 81,000 likes. The censorship is a result of the Chinese government tightening its control of media and entertainment. In 2016, China issued new guidelines saying television shows shouldn't include story lines involving gay relationships, as well as other topics that "exaggerate the dark side of society." The eight-page document referenced "vulgar, immoral and unhealthy content" and deemed homosexuality, extramarital affairs, one-night stands and underage love as being off-limits. When the film "Bohemian Rhapsody," a biopic of British rock band Queen, released in China in 2019, more than two minutes of LGBTQ content were removed from the film, including scenes of two men kissing and the word "gay." ___ CNN's Jeevan Ravindran contributed to this report. DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) Without much fuss and even less public attention, the nation's egg producers are in the midst of a multibillion-dollar shift to cage-free eggs that is dramatically changing the lives of millions of hens in response to new laws and demands from restaurant chains. In a decade, the percentage of hens in cage-free housing has soared from 4% in 2010 to 28% in 2020, and that figure is expected to more than double to about 70% in the next four years. The change marks one of the animal welfare movement's biggest successes after years of battles with the food industry. The transition has cost billions of dollars for producers who initially resisted calls for more humane treatment of chickens but have since fully embraced the new reality. Pushed by voter initiatives in California and other states as well as pressure from fast food restaurant chains and major grocers, egg producers are freeing chickens from cages and letting them move throughout hen houses. "What we producers failed to realize early on was that the people funding all the animal rights activist groups, they were our customers. And at the end of the day, we have to listen to our customers," said Marcus Rust, the CEO of Indiana-based Rose Acre Farms, the nation's second-largest egg producer. Josh Balk, vice president for farm animal protection at the Humane Society of the United States, noted the abruptness of the about face. This is "an entire industry that at one point fought tooth and nail not to make any changes," he said. To a great extent, the industry concluded it didn't have another choice. Beginning in about 2015, McDonald's, Burger King and other national restaurant chains as well as dozens of grocers and food manufacturers responded to pressure from animal welfare groups by announcing their commitment to cage-free eggs. That was followed by laws requiring cage-free housing in California and similar rules in at least seven other states Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, Utah and Washington. McDonald's, which buys about 2 billion eggs annually, said it gradually shifted to cage-free after concluding it was desired by customers. Many companies widely promoted their move to cage-free as good for their brand's image. Earlier, animal welfare groups, especially the Humane Society, had organized shareholder campaigns, conducted undercover investigations of chicken farms and filed federal complaints. A Gallup poll from 2015 found that nearly two-thirds of Americans thought animals deserved protection from harm and exploitation. Animal rights groups have made allowing animals room to move a priority in their campaigns, but the results have been mixed. The pork industry is fighting to block the California initiative that required more space for breeding pigs and veal calves, and a state judge recently delayed implementation of new rules. The egg industry also initially sought national standards that would allow larger cages but ultimately relented, said J. T. Dean, president of Iowa-based Versova, a leading egg producer. Egg companies house about 325 million laying hens, so shifting many out of cages where they couldn't move and into spaces where they could walk and roost was an expensive proposition, Dean said. Besides building structures with more space, companies had to figure out how to feed birds that could move about and how to collect their eggs. More workers and more feed were also needed because hens moving around would work up more of an appetite. The key, said Dean, was getting long-term commitments for guaranteed buyers of eggs at a higher price and then finding financing that would work for his company. "When you start talking about needing billions of dollars, you have to try every avenue you can," Dean said. The exact cost of the switch on egg producers is hard to estimate, in part because some updating of buildings and equipment is done periodically anyway. The cost to people at grocery stores is clearer. Jayson Lusk, who heads the Agricultural Economics Department at Purdue University, found that after a mandatory shift on Jan. 1 to cage-free in California, the price of a dozen eggs in the state jumped by 72 cents or 103% over the average U.S. price, although the gap could shrink as the market adapts. At Des Moines' Gateway Market, which specializes in organic and specialty food, shoppers said they think it's worth paying more for eggs if it improves lives for hens. "I feel as though I want the chicken to be happy," said Mary Skinner of Des Moines. "How would we feel if we were stuck in a cage?" Gregg Fath, a Des Moines resident who enjoys eating three eggs for breakfast, said he thinks "people are learning to be more aware." Looking years into the future, egg company leaders said they think the demand for cheaper eggs from caged hens will remain roughly 25% or more of the market, but Balk at the Humane Society said he expects it to become a tiny percentage of overall sales. Balk notes that hundreds of national retailers, restaurants, grocers and food manufacturers either have implemented cage-free requirements or plan to do so within a few years. "This is the future of every state in America," he said. Rarely a day went by that the mail carrier didnt have something for Blanche Albritton. She was always getting letters, her granddaughter, Khandyce Smith, recalled. Letters on top of letters on top of letters. I think she kept all of them, too. I got a lot of them after she died. Even rarer, Smith added, was the day that Albritton wasnt sending off several letters of her own. She was always writing people. She couldnt keep enough stamps or envelopes around. Shed say, Ive got to go to the post office. I need another book of stamps, Smith said, laughing. Albrittons appreciation for the value of a good letter is easy to understand when you know more about her history. During World War II, as a member of the Armys 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the mail had been her focus. The Six Triple Eight, as it was known, would be the only African American womens unit sent overseas during the war, and its mission was deemed critical: to get mountains of piled-up mail moving again and into the hands of homesick troops, many of them fighting on the front lines. I hadnt heard of the 6888th until I ran across a recent story online highlighting it for Black History Month. But Ive done enough interviews with WWII veterans to know how much the mail mattered. And as I read the story, I couldnt help wondering whether any Oklahomans had been part of the 6888ths vital effort. Turns out, there were a handful, including five who volunteered out of the Tulsa area. Thats how I learned about Albritton. Albritton, who grew up in the historic all-Black community of Wybark north of Muskogee, later moved to Tulsa. Thats where she was in 1943 when she joined the recently established Womens Army Corps. In the military at that time, women were allowed to serve only on a temporary basis as needed, which usually meant wartime. And with segregation still the rule, African Americans typically were relegated to units of their own under white commanders. Most women who served would remain stateside during the war. But in 1944, with the success of the D-Day invasion and the Allies rapid advance across western Europe, a critical new need arose. Letters and packages to American service members were piling up in warehouses. A new Army unit was needed to support an overwhelmed postal staff. Drawing African American women from previous units, the 6888th was formed and dispatched to England and then France. It grew to include over 800 enlisted personnel and 31 officers, all African American. No Mail, Low Morale As much of the world as Albritton saw during the war, her own little corner of it would stay small. She walked pretty much everywhere she went, her granddaughter said. She never learned to drive, in fact. I guess she just didnt see the need. In Muskogee, where Albritton later settled, her destinations included church, the grocery store and, of course, the post office. Smith, who saw her grandmother every day, often accompanied her. As they walked, Albritton would talk. She would tell me about her life, Smith said. Shed say, Ive seen it all. I saw dirt roads turn into paved roads. Horses turn into cars. Ive seen airplanes. And shed seen war. She told me what she had done in the Army, Smith said. That there were soldiers not getting their letters, and that she had gone over to help keep the mail moving. Given how technology has changed communication, making handwritten letters all but obsolete, its worth remembering just how important mail was to previous generations. Especially in wartime. For the troops, letters were an emotional lifeline a connection to home and their loved ones. The motto of the 6888th underscored the point: No Mail, Low Morale. And American troops needed all the morale they could muster. They were in a fight for their lives. That Albritton took this work seriously is no surprise to her granddaughter. Anything she did she did to the best of her ability, Smith said. She did her job well, going on to achieve the rank of technician fifth grade. She also formed close bonds with many of her comrades in uniform. They stayed in touch for the rest of their lives. For a long time, they would meet up and take trips together, Smith said. I remember us dropping her off at the bus stop for one of those trips. If nobody else acknowledged their contributions to the war, the women could at least revisit it among themselves. They talked about it a lot, I think, Smith said. My grandma was proud of her service and of what shed done to help further us as Black people and women. Change would come soon after the war. In June 1948, women finally were granted full, permanent status as members of the U.S. Armed Forces. And just a few weeks later, via an executive order from President Harry Truman, segregation in the military was officially outlawed. By this time, their job done and unit disbanded, most of the women of the 6888th had returned to civilian lives. For decades, their story would go largely overlooked. However, more recently, that has begun to change. In 2018, a monument to the unit was dedicated in Buffalo Soldier Military Park at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. In 2021, the 6888th was honored with a Congressional Gold Medal for its service. A website also now celebrates the unit at womenofthe6888th.org. In 2019 a bipartisan effort was started to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the 6888th; a bill has passed the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. None of this came in time for Albritton, unfortunately. She died at age 88 in 1999. She was buried with military honors at Fort Gibson National Cemetery. Next to her is her husband, Egans Albritton, also a WWII veteran. Blanche Albrittons death actually occurred on Memorial Day, her granddaughter said. Theres something appropriate in that, added Smith, who tries to visit the cemetery every year on the patriotic holiday. The opportunity to help the USA was something my grandmother was very proud of, and she made me proud of it, Smith said. She always made me feel strong, she added. She was an amazing woman. Featured video: Black History Month events 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. Agencies concerned should race against time to complete formalities for five large expressway projects, mostly in southern Vietnam, so that they all can be implemented within this year, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh said on Friday. The deputy PM made the direction while chairing a virtual meeting on traffic infrastructure development with relevant authorities in 22 cities and provinces the same day. Among many expressway projects that are being implemented across the country, five are major ones that run through the countrys key southern economic areas and must, therefore, be subject to approval of the National Assembly (NA), the meeting was told. The five projects will be submitted to the NA soon for consideration, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Duy Lam said. They include Belt Road No. 3 in Ho Chi Minh City, Belt Road No. 4 in Hanoi, and three expressway sections, including the 53.7 km Bien Hoa - Vung Tau route with a cost of VND17.8 trillion (US$784.6 million), the 188 km Chau Doc - Can Tho - Soc Trang section with an investment of VND45 trillion ($1.98 billion), and the Khanh Hoa - Buon Ma Thuot route spanning 117.5 km and costing VND22 trillion ($969.7 million). Deputy chairman of Hanois administration Duong Duc Tuan said that he had set up a working group to accelerate the Belt Road No. 4 project, while Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee chairman Phan Van Mai said the Belt Road No. 3 project had been ready for appraisal. Deputy PM Thanh said the country will spend VND300 trillion ($13.2 billion) to VND400 trillion ($17.6 billion) building some 2,000 km of expressways nationwide from now until 2025. He asked relevant ministries and authorities to race against the clock to complete procedures of the five projects and submit them to the NA for approval at its coming May session so that they can all be developed later this year and completed in 2024 or 2025. The sooner expressways are built, the less cost they consume, VTC News quoted deputy PM Thanh as saying while warning that some thruway projects have yet to be implemented after being approved many years ago. Upon operation, the projects will create a new momentum for socio-economic development in the localities they run through, the official stated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Everyone knows a typical day in the life of a farmer includes planting rice, spraying insecticides, digging irrigation, and harvesting crops. But did you know famers in Vietnam are pulling in extra cash by working as photography models in their own fields? Farmers in central Vietnams famed ancient city of Hoi An are taking to the fields, but for the reasons you might not think. Every year, during the first few days of spring, photographers descend on Hoi An to ask local farmers to pose for photos in their fields. While the farmers appreciate the novelty of their modeling gigs, they also admit the extra cash does not hurt. Doing a job they already have Pham Vu Dung has spent the past month renting a 2,000-square-meter rice field from families in Thanh Tay Hamlet, Cam Chau Ward, Hoi An City, where he not only pays rent, but also pays local famers tofarm. Yes, it might sound bizarre to pay famers to do a job they already have on land they already own, but Dungs investment is not in the rice field, its in the opportunity to offer customers of his tourism company - Hoa Hong - a chance to take photos of the farmers preparing a new harvest. Among the farmers Dung hires is Na, whose main job is to care of a herd of buffalos Hoa Hong keeps in the rice fields for tourists to take photos with. Nas duties include making sure the buffalos are clean and smell nice before customers climb atop their backs to take photos. He also guides the buffalos as they do their traditional job of plowing the fields. Its the same job Na would probably be doing if Hoa Hong had never found it, but instead of worrying about the upcoming harvest, Na merely needs to interact with customers and put smiles on their faces. The business model combining a restaurant with a cafe in a rice field has become quite popular in the outskirts of Hoi An City in the central Quang Nam Province. Photo: B.D. / Tuoi Tre Dung also owns a constantly busy restaurant overlooking the rice fields, where customers can enjoy the scenery while they eat. The daily work is appreciated Transitioning from farming to modeling for tourists is becoming more and more common in Hoi An, where scenes of hardworking farmers against a backdrop of yellow rice fields are now a trademark of the ancient city. Nguyen Thi Ban and Nguyen Thi Thiet are two of these models. Both Ban and Thiet work part-time at Hoa Hongs restaurant where they farm a small area of the companys field and receive VND300,000 (US$13.22) per day in return. "I use my free time to visit Hoi An and grow rice. It's really nice to both work and be photographed at the same time," Ban said. Among the cafes which overlook Hoi Ans rice fields, Moving House is perhaps of the most popular. The cafe's owner, Nguyen Duc Xinh, is an architect who decided to transform a 1,000-square-meter property into a nostalgic coffee house. Xinh's cafe is not only attractive to customers because of its beautiful decoration and furnishings, but also because of the work that farmers do in the field every day in front of customers. "When I decided to open a coffee house, I first met with the farmers whose rice fields are nearby. They understood my plan and agreed to "work" without any reward," Xinh shared. "One of them even gave me a field of about 1,000 square meters to grow rice. They get excited when they see visitors taking photos of them at work and it inspires them to take better care of their fields, Xinh explained. After two years of operating his coffee house, Xinh now gives back to the farmers by giving them positions as employees at his cafe. "They can continue to work in the rice fields, but also use their free time to work as waiters and receive a monthly salary," he told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper. The field as a stage Pham Huu, a resident of Son Pho 2 in Hoi An City, owns a 1,300-square-meter field that has been unused for many years. Recently, he was asked to work with a company and plant his field. Huu decided to give his field to the company for a rental price of VND8 million ($352) per year. "Normally, when I grow rice by myself, I make almost no profit. Now, if I lease my fields, not only am I paid annually, but my field is also maintained," Huu explained. In addition to Huu, several other farmers have also chosen to lease their fields to entrepreneurs. In addition to the lease, they are invited to do their traditional work in the fields as a way of entertaining tourists. Under this model of cooperation, the farmers are responsible for plowing and growing rice, keeping the fields green, and cleaning the fields so that entrepreneurs can serve tourists. At big events, the farmers are invited to perform their work for visitors. This new job gives the farmers an additional source of income. Tourism in the fields is changing rural life According to deputy chairman of Hoi An City People's Committee, Nguyen The Hung, in addition to the traditional profession of rice farming, local people have found many new ways of farming that help them increase production and work in the tourism industry. Hoi An authorities are determined to preserve the fields and the natural ecosystem to provide farmers with a stable source of income for rice cultivation and tourism. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A U.S. decision on Pfizer and BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine for infants and children 6 months through 4 years of age has been postponed for at least two months after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it needed more data. The FDA had planned to decide on the vaccine based on early trial data as soon as next week with the government planning to roll it out on Feb. 21. It had asked Pfizer to speed up its application as the Omicron variant of the coronavirus caused a surge of infections, including among children. On Friday, the agency said it had reviewed new trial information that arrived after Pfizer and BioNTech's request for emergency authorization and decided it needed more data before weighing in on the authorization. The FDA said parents anxiously awaiting the vaccine for the roughly 18 million children in the age group should be reassured that the agency is taking the time to make sure it meets the standard it has set for authorization. "If something does not meet that standard, we can't proceed forward," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. Marks noted some of the new data that pushed the FDA to delay the decision was "late-breaking." Pfizer and BioNTech had submitted data on the first two doses of a planned three-dose regimen earlier this month at the request of the FDA. It did not disclose efficacy data. The submission was surprising because in December the companies said early trial results of the two low doses of the vaccine fell short of expectations, and it amended its clinical trial to test a three-dose version. The companies said on Friday that they expect to have data on three shots in early April. "It makes sense to wait for the safety and efficacy data on all three doses to be available before we make a decision about this vaccine," said Dr. Paul Offit from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Offit is a member of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee that had been scheduled to vote on whether to recommend authorization of the shot for kids under 5 on Tuesday. The meeting was postponed. Signage is seen outside of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) headquarters in White Oak, Maryland, U.S., August 29, 2020. Photo: Reuters Third dose The primary series of the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine has been two doses in all older age groups. But Pfizer began testing a third dose of the vaccine in the younger age group because early results showed the lower dose generated an immune response in 2- to 4-year-olds that was inferior to the response measured in those aged 16 to 25 in previous clinical trials. In 6-month- to 24-month-old children, the vaccine generated an immune response in line with 16- to 25-year-olds. The delay may be disappointing for harried parents of younger children who have had to contend with quarantines and closures of preschools and day care centers. But not all parents are eager for the shots. Casey Shea, 42, and his wife Langhorne, 40, of Glendale, Calif., are vaccinated themselves but have not inoculated their 5-year-old daughter and are not in a hurry to vaccinate their 3-year-old daughter. The couple said they only knew about half a dozen children in their older daughters' school who became ill during the Omicron surge and none were hospitalized. "For us, we're sort of not chomping at the bit (for a vaccine). And we're hoping it doesn't become a mandated thing," Casey Shea said. Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, said there had been considerable pushback among scientists about the FDA's decision to pursue authorization so quickly. "This age group is very low risk for severe disease and vaccine uptake in the 5-11 (age group) has been very suboptimal," he said. "Its critical that people have confidence in the process if higher vaccine uptake is the goal," Adalja said. As its blood reserve is running out, Cho Ray Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City has called on local people to make blood donations to ensure enough supply for medical treatment. The hospitals Blood Transfusion Center has only 1,618 blood units left, barely enough for use until the middle of next week, if no more blood is given, Dr. Le Hoang Oanh, director of the center, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday. The centers blood storage became depleted during the nine-day traditional Lunar New Year, or Tet, holiday, from January 29 to February 6, during which blood donation was paused, Dr. Oanh stated. The remaining blood inventory had been collected from pre-Tet donations, the doctor added. In addition to meeting the need for blood in the hospitals operations, the center must provide blood to five southeastern provinces, so the current reserve source is too little. From today we have received blood donations but the collection is still low. Meanwhile, red cross societies in those provinces have yet to resume blood donation drives after the Tet break, Dr. Oanh said. In face of such situation, the center and Cho Ray Hospital have called on people to voluntarily make blood donations at 12-week intervals to join hands in saving patients. Free rapid COVID-19 tests and free parking will be given to blood donors at the center, located at Pham Huu Chi Street, Ward 12, District 5, Ho Chi Minh City. In related news, the Ho Chi Minh City Red Cross Society has set a target to obtain 210,000 blood bags, of which usable blood will reach 98 percent, this year. Among the total, 350 - 450ml blood bags are expected account for 80 percent or more, Tran Truong Son, the societys chairman, said on Thursday. Last year, despite the COVID-19 epidemic, the city received more than 174,800 blood bags, or more than 236,400 blood units, from donors, achieving 84 percent of the years plan and meeting the needs of blood for patient treatment, the chairman stated. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! A seven-story hospital in Da Nang City, central Vietnam was completely built a long time ago, but a recent inspection has showed that its investor has yet to obtain a construction permit for the project. The Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District in Da Nang City announced on Friday afternoon the results of its inspection of the Hoa Hao Hospital project at 2 Nguyen Huu Tho Street. The officials found that all three main parts of the project have been completed and put into use without a construction permit by the competent authority. The dossier of the case shows that Truong Son Tung Service-Trading Co. Ltd., headquartered in Son Tra District, sought approval for the use right of the land lot, which is owned by Military Zone 5, in March 2015. The High Command of Military Zone 5 approved the plan on using the land lot for economic purposes one month later as it did not serve national defense goals at that time. As the military unit signed an investment cooperation contract with Truong Son Tung Co. Ltd. on April 14, 2015, the project was renamed Hoa Hao Hospital, according to Phap Luat (Law) newspaper. The High Command granted a use term of 25 years for the land lot, which covers an area of 6,500 square meters, to Truong Son Tung on June 2015. The project consisted of three main items with a total construction area of 4,500 square meters, a total floor area of 10,000 square meters, and construction density of 70 percent. In 2016, the High Command approved the projects design documents before issuing an official dispatch applying for a construction permit to the Peoples Committee of Da Nang City and the municipal Department of Construction at the end of the same year. However, in February 2017, inspectors of the Department of Construction issued a decision to impose an administrative fine of VND50 million (US$2,203) on Truong Son Tung Co. Ltd. for building works without permission. The investor fully paid the penalty. Construction items determined as unauthorized at that time included a seven-story polyclinic, a three-story dental block, and a two-story car service center. Until now, all three work items mentioned above have been completed and put into use but have not yet been licensed by the competent authority, according to the Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District. Meanwhile, the project investor asserted during a working session with the Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District that the company had carried out the relevant documentation procedures to apply for a construction permit. However, due to the lack of a number of documents, no permits have been granted so far. As the investor already paid an administrative fine for building works without permission, there are currently no legal grounds for the authorities to impose additional sanctions, according to the Peoples Committee of Hai Chau District. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Police in Ha Giang Province, a popular tourist destination in northern Vietnam, have announced the detention of a member of a group including 20 backpackers after they had been filmed ganging up against a truck driver on Thursday. The detention was meant to serve the investigation into the attack, Nguyen Duy Huan, chairman of Can Ty Commune in Ha Giangs Quan Ba District, where the incident occurred, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday. A woman, who was later identified as the wife of the truck driver in question, made a phone call to local police to report the assault on Thursday morning, according to Huan. However, when the police officers arrived at the scene, the whole group of backpackers, the truck driver and his wife had left. As the officers contacted the driver's wife, they were told that the backpacking group had traveled towards Yen Minh District while her husband did not suffer any injuries. Huan added that both of the truck driver and his wife are not local residents. A video capturing the group of 20 backpackers and the truck driver having a fight was later circulated on social media. The footage showed that the 20 backpackers wearing raincoats and helmets climbed up the truck and assaulted the driver. The driver then suddenly accelerated the vehicle, causing the backpackers to run away. The clip also showed that the truck is registered with a plate number issued in Hanoi. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Binge has begun production in Sydney on its first Australian-made romantic comedy, Colin from Accounts. The 8-episode series is created and written by, and stars, Patrick Brammall (No Activity, A Moody Christmas) and Harriet Dyer (Wakefield, The Invisible Man). Centred on Ashley (Dyer) and Gordon (Brammall), two single(ish), complex humans who are brought together by a car accident and an injured dog, Colin from Accounts is about flawed, funny people choosing each other and being brave enough to show their true self, scars and all, as they navigate life together. The series is produced by Easy Tiger Productions and CBS Studios, with Rob Gibson and Ian Collie producing for Easy Tiger (Jack Irish, Rake, Doctor Doctor, Saving Mr Banks). Directors are Trent ODonnell (No Activity, The Letdown), Matt Moore (The Great, Diary of an Uber Driver) and Madeleine Dyer. Executive Producers are Brammall, Dyer, ODonnell, Alison Hurbert-Burns and Brian Walsh. Binge Executive Director, Alison Hurbert-Burns told TV Tonight, A fresh Australian comedy felt like a good next step to Binge after Love Me. Brian Walsh and I were saying we just couldnt remember reading something where we laughed so much. A few weeks ago doing the first table read, it was just laugh out loud. Its really fresh and funny. Harriets character is a med student. So were shooting at the UTS Nursing University in the city and across Sydney. Discussions on the series began in 2020 but the pandemic also opened a window of opportunity when Brammall and Dyer returned from the USA. Following drama series Love Me, it will mark the first comedy commission for Binge which, unlike Free to Air networks, doesnt have concerns about how to schedule a half hour comedy. We can luxuriate in that. Episodes can be different lengths if they need to, as well. These obviously go out on on Foxtel as well who have the commercial hour considerations to fill a bit more, but certainly for our audience, it could be 20 minutes, 40 minutes an hour, Hurbert-Burns said. Easy Tigers Rob Gibson and Ian Collie said: Dyer, Brammall, rom-com, cute dog: whats not to love? Its a delight to be working on this hilarious and big-hearted show with Harriet, Patrick, Trent, Matt and Maddy, which is a ridiculous amount of talent all in the one place. Were very grateful to our partners at Binge and CBS Studios, who immediately saw the appeal of Colin from Accounts for their audiences in Australia and around the world, and also of course to Screen Australia and Screen NSW for their wonderful support. Screen Australias CEO Graeme Mason said, Were thrilled to support creators Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall whose careers have been exploding overseas, as they join forces on this relatable and charming home-grown comedy. Teaming up with the talented producers at Easy Tiger, Colin from Accounts will undoubtedly delight and resonate with viewers on Binge. Head of Screen NSW Grainne Brunsdon said: Screen NSW is joining forces with the Foxtel Group and Screen Australia to secure another original series for NSWs highly skilled screen industry. Colin from Accounts is a Binge original series that aligns the production know-how of Easy Tiger with the creative team of Patrick Brammall, Harriet Dyer and Trent ODonnell for an exciting rom com series set in Sydney. I know this 100% NSW-made production will deliver laughs for audiences at home and abroad, Brunsdon said. Binge is yet to formally announce a second season for Love Me, but Hurbert-Burns gives reason for optimism. Love Me felt like it was very embraced by Australia and I dont know if it was being after a big year, COVID and Christmas, but certainly the sentiment that we hoped it would tap into it seems to have connected with. It was very positively received by our audiences and all the different things that we look at, beyond just viewing numbers engagement, binge-ability and social media commentary, it was really positive. We were thrilled to get out of the gate with our first one with that and wed love to see where we can go with another season. The series is distributed outside Australia and New Zealand by ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group. The series commissioned for the Foxtel Group will be produced by Easy Tiger Productions and CBS Studios. It has major production funding from Screen Australia with support from Screen NSW. 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. About 8% of mail-in ballot applications for the March primary in Smith County have been rejected because of missing information required by the states new election law. Michelle Allcon, Smith County elections administrator, said Senate Bill 1, approved this past year, requires voters to include their drivers license/state ID number or the last four digits of their Social Security Number on the mail-in ballot application as well as the mail-in ballot. While the new law only require one ID number, voters can provide a drivers license number/state ID number and the the last four digits of a Social Security number to avoid issues. Mail-in ballot applications and mail-in ballots are checked to verify the voters ID number matches with the voter registration record, Allcon said. The problem is the voter (registration) records dont always have the (ID) that they choose, she said. Thats been a bit of an issue, but not a huge issue. On Friday, Allcon said her office had received 60 mail-in ballots. Those ballots are being processed, so she was unsure how many, if any, will be sent back to voters because of missing information. Now that were starting to get mail-in ballots, we need people to realize that the envelope itself also requires a personal identification number to be entered, Allcon said. Its taking a lot of extra time on our part, and its going to be a lot of extra postage if we have to keep sending (ballots) back to voters. She said the elections office has received numerous questions related to the mail-in ballot changes, and she said elections workers would rather have voters call or stop by for clarification rather than us having to reject an application or ballot. Applications for a mail-in ballot must be received not postmarked by Friday. Mail-in ballot applications can be requested from the Smith County Elections Office by calling (903) 590-4777 or emailing scelections@smith-county.com. Residents also print off an application and mail it to the elections office at 302 E. Ferguson St, Tyler, TX 75702. To print off an application visit webservices.sos.state.tx.us/forms/5-15f.pdf . To be eligible to vote by mail in Texas you must: Be 65 years or older; or Be disabled; or Expect to give birth within three weeks before or after Election Day; or Be out of the county on election day and during the early voting period; or Be confined in jail or involuntary civil commitment, but otherwise eligible. Times and dates for early voting are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 14 to. 18; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 19; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 20; and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 22 to 25. Feb. 21 is a state holiday. Voters in Smith County can cast their ballot at one of these early voting locations: Tyler The HUB, 304 E. Ferguson St. Heritage Building, 1900 Bellwood Rd. Noonday Community Center, 16662 CR 196. Lindale Lindale Masonic Lodge, 200 W. Margaret St. Whitehouse Whitehouse United Methodist Church, 405 W. Main St. See your 2022 March primary ballot here. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears uswhatever we askwe know that we have what we asked of him. (1 John 5:14-15) IKEA, Aldi Tesco and more issue 'do not eat' warning amid health concerns - full list. (PA/Canva) Major UK Supermarkets (and furniture stores) are recalling a range of popular food items with customers being warned of possible health risks. Tesco, Co-op and Iceland are among the supermarkets urging customers not to eat food items bought in-store and return it to the point of sale. Food allergies, incorrect packaging and choking hazards are among the reasons behind a number of product recalls. We've rounded up the latest products to be recalled. If you have bought any of the items mentioned below, you need to be aware of these possible health risks. IKEA IKEA UK recalls frozen IKEA Huvudroll Vegetable Balls because some packs have been found to contain pieces of plastic. Product details: IKEA Huvudroll Vegetable Balls (frozen) Pack size: 1000g Best before: 26 October 2022 Snaffling Pig Pork Scratchings Snaffling Pig is recalling its Perfectly Salted Pork Scratchings after salmonella was found in the product. The popular savoury snack is being recalled by Snaffling Pig because salmonella has been found in the product. Salmonella infection usually causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms can begin six hours to six days after infection and can last up to a week. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling the product detailing advice on what to do if theyve bought the product. Snaffling Pig Perfectly Salted Pork Scratchings Pack size: 45g Best before: 11 June 2022 Waitrose Waitrose is recalling Waitrose Prosciutto Cappelletti and Waitrose Essentials Cheese and Smoked Ham Tortelloni because of undeclared pistachio (nuts). This means the products are a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy to pistachio (nuts). Waitrose Prosciutto Cappelletti Product details: Pack size: 310g Use by: 20 February 2022 and 21 February 2022 Allergens: Nuts (pistachio nut) Waitrose Essentials Cheese and Smoked Ham Tortelloni Pack size: 300g Use by: 20 February 2022 Allergens: Nuts (pistachio nut) Holland and Barrett Story continues Holland & Barrett is recalling its range of sesame seeds amid salmonella fears. The high street chain is recalling its Holland and Barrett Hulled Sesame Seeds because salmonella has been found in the product. Salmonella infection usually causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms can begin six hours to six days after infection and can last up to a week. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling the product detailing advice on what to do if theyve bought the product. Holland and Barrett Hulled Sesame Seeds Product details: Pack size: 125g Best before: September 2022 Aldi Aldi is recalling Moser Roth The Collection Milk, White and Dark Chocolates because they contain egg which is not mentioned on the label. Moser Roth The Collection Milk, White and Dark Chocolates Product details: Pack size: 160g Best before: All dates Allergens: Egg Lidl Lidl is recalling Deluxe Stuffed Dates because salmonella has been found in the product. Deluxe Stuffed Dates Product details: Pack size: 240g Batch code: 21301/196 Best before: 21 January 2022 Asda Asda is recalling Asda Extra Special Lamb Moussaka because it contains egg which is not mentioned on the label. The error makes it a potental health risk. Asda Extra Special Lamb Moussaka Product details: Pack size: 360 (3 x 120ml) Best before: February 2023 Waitrose Waitrose is recalling Belgian Dark Chocolate with Raisins and Almonds because some packs contain hazelnuts (nuts) which are not mentioned on the label. Waitrose Belgian Dark Chocolate with Raisins and Almonds Product details: Pack size: 180g Best before: November 2022 Allergens: Nuts (hazelnut) Morrisons Morrisons has issued an urgent recall over a its own brand chocolate-covered ice cream amid health fears. Amour Classic Vanilla Ice Cream is being recalled over fears it may contain pieces of plastic. The Food Standards Agency issued the health warning over the dairy product stating the possible presence of plastic makes this product unsafe to eat. Morrisons Amour Classic Vanilla Ice Cream Product details: Pack size: 360 (3 x 120ml) Best before: February 2023 Tesco Tesco is recalling Jacks 50% Reduced Fat Salad Cream and Tesco 50% Less Fat Salad Cream because they contain milk which is not mentioned on the label. Product details: Jacks 50% Reduced Fat Salad Cream Pack size: 450ml Batch code: All Batches Best before: June 2022 Allergens: Milk Tesco 50% Less Fat Salad Cream Pack size: 450ml Batch code: All Batches Best before: June 2022 Allergens: Milk Sainsbury's SFC Wholesale Ltd is recalling The Original SFC Bargain Box as it contains milk, which is not mentioned on the label. This means the product is a possible health risk to anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents. The Original SFC Bargain Box The following article is an associate of Okanjo, an affiliate marketing agency that helps us monetize our content. Products sold through the links in the article allow us to receive compensation and keep producing great content. As cold weather sets in, it can be more challenging to get outside and get moving! Staying active during the colder months is critical for your overall health and wellness, so dont let the cool temperatures interfere with your wellness goals. One of the best ways to stay fit while having fun is to follow YouTube channels dedicated to senior fitness. With options for every fitness level and desired workout style, youll find enough variety to get you through until spring! (Note: Be sure to talk with your doctor before embarking on any new fitness plan.) Here are seven of the best channels to jumpstart your at-home fitness journey today. This husband-and-wife team brings energy, excitement, and compassion with more than 600 free videos. While they fill their videos with plenty of enthusiasm, they also understand that everyones fitness journey moves at a different pace. Curated playlists include a low-impact series for beginners and all you really need is a yoga mat. You can also search by video length, with plenty that are 10 minutes or less! The team releases a new video every week or two, as well as nutrition plans and suggestions for those who would like to pair their workouts with healthy meals. If variety helps you stick with a fitness routine, the BeFit channel might be for you! BeFit makes it easy to maximize at-home use of a medicine ball, yoga ball, yoga mat, and light weight dumbbells. BeFit has something for everyone with a collection of classic videos from fitness legends like Jane Fonda alongside newer trainers like Jillian Michaels and Billy Blanks. Its easy to search through the collection for keywords such as standing or low-impact if youre looking for a place to begin your fitness journey. With over 1,000 free videos and an energetic duo of trainers leading the way, the HASfit channel will keep you on track at every stage of your fitness journey. The team focuses on easy workouts with light weights and exercise bands, curated wellness plans for any fitness level, complete with meal ideas and motivational mantras. Start with the Exercises for Seniors playlist if youre just beginning your fitness journey or need to stick with low-impact or seated workouts. Created by a certified senior fitness expert, Senior Shape is dedicated to active aging at all stages. Youll find various workouts here that range from low-impact, seated, 10-minute videos to full-body high-intensity cardio classes. There are several categories for pain relief or stretches that target specific areas, so you can find a video to follow even on the days when you have less energy or an injury to overcome. If youd like a wide variety of workouts to choose from, and all geared towards seniors, Merediths channel is a great place to start. With workouts that use only bodyweight all the way to classes featuring resistance bands and hand weights, these videos are easy to follow and can support any fitness level. Frequent live-stream workouts are a great way to make fitness part of your regular routine. Set an alarm to join in when Meredith guides a live (virtual) audience through a new routine, and youll feel as if youre in the class with other motivated peers. This diverse channel is great to share with the whole family, including the grandkids! Featuring many trainers and series, The Body Coach produces videos that help get kids excited about working out alongside their peers, parents, and communities. Other series, including a 7-Day Seniors Workout Challenge, help take the guesswork out of planning a consistent fitness routine. As an added bonus, many of the videos feature trainers working out around the world, so you can go on a virtual vacation as you exercise! Walking is a great low-impact cardio workout thats accessible almost anywhere! If its easier to stay home while you exercise, get some virtual company with these walk-at-home videos. Featuring different lengths and goals (like a heart-healthy walk or a happy walk), these videos make it easy to slip on your sneakers and get closer to your 10,000 daily steps. Whether youre just beginning your fitness journey or youre looking for new and exciting activities to try at home, these fitness channels offer an almost endless variety to keep you fit and engaged every step of the way! A week of declining numbers of new COVID-19 cases has both Ascension Providence and Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest medical centers returning to elective surgeries and other procedures postponed earlier in the omicron surge. Hillcrest has resumed elective surgeries requiring overnight recovery, while Providence will do so beginning Monday, representatives for both hospitals said. A flood of COVID-19 patients since late December had led the hospitals to urge potential patients and visitors to consider the high caseloads of their emergency departments. Ascension Providence announced on Jan. 17 a temporary suspension of elective surgeries requiring overnight recoveries, and community demand for COVID-19 testing had both hospitals reminding residents to reserve use of their emergency departments for the seriously ill or injured. This week, however, has seen drops in the number of new cases reported daily and in COVID-19 hospitalizations. The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District reported Friday 99 new cases, the second consecutive day the new case count was below 100, with 211 active cases, 96 hospitalized patients, including 13 on ventilators, and one death. The seven-day average of new cases dropped to 94, nearly one-tenth of what it had been in mid-January. Only a week ago, the district reported 203 new cases, 1,345 active cases and 153 patients hospitalized. Dr. Farley Verner, health authority for the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District, said hospitalization numbers and deaths tend to lag case counts by two to three weeks, and that those numbers have not fallen as sharply as case counts. He also cautioned about putting much weight on active case numbers as those are calculated based on the days since a new case was reported, rather than any confirmation from testing that a COVID-19 patient no longer has the virus. Still, the numbers this week suggest the county may be on the downhill side of the steep omicron-variant surge. The trend is very encouraging, Verner said. New COVID-19 cases were down this week at Waco Family Medicine. Were seeing 10 to 15 new cases a day, but our positivity rate is stubbornly around 15%, Assistant Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ben Wilson said. In contrast, the community health service saw a one-day record of 210 new cases out of 420 tests conducted for an unparalleled positivity rate of 50%. That forced Waco Family Medicine to move much of its COVID-19 testing and patient evaluation to outdoor tents for safety reasons. With the lower numbers and rates, some of that outdoor staffing can be reduced, Wilson said. The more contagious omicron coronavirus variant caused an unprecedented number of cases, but hospitalizations and deaths to this point have not seen increases at that same rate. Hospitalizations and the number of COVID-19 patients on ventilators have not yet matched the peaks experienced during the delta variant surge of August-September, although deaths in the first third of February are roughly a third of the total recorded in September, COVID-19s deadliest month to date for the county. Verner said the omicron variant seems to be less virulent than the delta variant that preceded it. Even among unvaccinated county residents, omicron was less likely than delta to cause serious outcomes or death, he said. Nationally, the current omicron surge seems to be waning in many states, prompting nearly a dozen to relax or end their masking mandates this week. With COVID-19 cases in McLennan County dropping, can residents anticipate any relaxing of strongly urged masking? Verner said possibly, particularly for fully vaccinated people, although health officials have not determined at what level of COVID-19 in the county where that could be recommended. The short answer is yes, but the cutoff is hard to say, he said. As the numbers come down, well be examining the question of when to relax restrictions. Theyre looking for data that makes those determinations continuously at the national level. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention still recommends masking when in groups, indoors or near people with weakened immune systems. Given omicrons higher transmission rate, masking is a measure that is certainly prudent, Verner said. Schools should consider keeping their current masking recommendations for the time being, particularly since a new variant is on the horizon, he said. He also urged people to consider continuing wearing masks out of consideration for those who are immunocompromised. Given the combination of county residents who are vaccinated and those who have developed immunity after contracting COVID-19 in recent months, a future surge may not hit as hard. It puts everybody in a better place. If theres another surge, it possibly could be for a shorter period of time, Verner said. 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. Skiers fly through the wind like birds landing lightly on the snow, lugers plunge down the chute at 90 mph in a death-defying dive, skaters slice through the ice and downhill skiers carve moguls on the mountain. The Beijing Olympics stir memories: the magnificence of the mountains, the silence of the snow, the rush of the wind. In the classic words from Wide World of Sports, it is the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. When Eileen Gu won the gold in womens big air competition, she rushed to console Tess Ledeaux, who finished in second place. In 1988 Eddie the Eagle entered the ski jump competition as the sole competitor from Great Britain. Near sighted and overweight for a skier, Eddie finished last, but set a UK record, He inspired the world with his heart for competition against all odds. In the Vancouver Olympics 12 years ago it was the tragic story of Nodar Kumaritashvilis fatal crash on the luge the day before opening ceremonies or Lindsey Vonns struggle to overcome a bruised leg and win gold in the downhill. The winter games remind us of Dan Jansen skating for gold moments after his sister died only to crash into the wall on the final turn. Who can forget the image of Jansen sitting forlorn on the ice? Four years later he returned to capture the top medal and carried his two-year-old son on a victory lap in memory of his sister. Two thousand years ago the Apostle Paul used Olympic metaphors to help us understand faith. He wrote, Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). The race is different for each of us. Our challenges are unique. But we all have a race to run, a challenge to face. No one has the luxury of sitting on the sidelines as a spectator. Faith requires discipline, determination, perseverance and sacrifice. The good news is that we dont have to face our challenges alone. We have One who has run the race and shown us the way. We have One who enters the race alongside us, pacing us and spurring us on to the finish. The author of Hebrews writes, Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Hebrews 12:1-3). Bill Tinsley reflects on current events and life experience from a faith perspective. His books are available at www.tinsleycenter.com. Email bill@tinsleycenter.com. LINCOLN The Nebraska Department of Transportation (NDOT) announced 17 proposals have been selected for funding in the sixth round of the County Bridge Match Program (CBMP). The program was created as a result of the 2016 Transportation Innovation Act (TIA), signed into law by Gov. Pete Ricketts in April of 2016. Since the passage of the Transportation Innovation Act, NDOT has worked with our partners to develop and implement programs that encourage innovation and improves the overall transportation system, said NDOT Director John Selmer. We all understand bridges have a vital function in providing for safe and reliable travel. This program along with the recent passage of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act recognizes that role and the resources required to sustain the states bridges. The CBMP provides funding to Nebraska counties for the innovative replacement and repair of deficient county bridges. The sixth request for proposals (RFP) was announced in October, with $4 million available for distribution to counties across Nebraska. Proposals were submitted by 43 counties and included 134 bridges. This program was an experiment in how funding allocations from state resources can support best practices by local agencies and will continue to benefit future bridge management decisions, said NDOTs Kent Miller, a member of the County Bridge Match Program working group. The County Bridge Match Program continues to make a significant impact by investing in the infrastructure of our local counties, said Mark Traynowicz, NDOT bridge engineer throughout the selection process. Interest in the program remained strong again this year, with a large number of counties submitting proposals and a large number of bridges included in the proposals. Including this years selected bridges, the program has funded the replacement, repair, or removal of 340 deficient bridges since the first round of proposals were selected in January 2017. Since the programs inception, the County Bridge Match Program has: - Approved funding for 64 of the 70 counties that have submitted proposals. - Selected 123 proposals for funding to repair or replace around 340 bridges. - Spurred and supported innovative best practices that have been used on some of the additional 485 bridges that have been replaced with county funds during the same time period. The CBMP funds 55 percent of eligible bridge construction cost (up to $200,000) with counties providing a 45 percent match. The selected proposals include 20 counties and 38 bridges at a total construction cost of $14.4 million of which $4.3 million is from the CBMP. Selected proposals are listed on the NDOT website at: http://dot.nebraska.gov/projects/tia/bridge-match/. Four Saunders County bridges were selected in this years round of proposals. All four bridges, in Valparaiso, Morse Bluff, Colon and Leshara, will have culvert pipes replaced. WATERLOO The three middle school girls methodically went through the experiment. They measured 10 milliliters of water, poured it into a small plastic bag and recorded the temperature. Then they poured in four milliliters of the white powder calcium chloride and mixed it. Shake it, stir it up, Sierra Meeks, a high school student overseeing the experiment, instructed the girls. The water turned milky and the calcium chloride didnt completely dissolve. But thats not the only thing the students observed. Oh, thats hot! one of the girls exclaimed as she touched the bag. The temperature inside the bag shot up from 35 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit with the addition of the substance in the water. When the water got really hot, that was really surprising, Amara Henderson, one of the girls, said later. They were learning about endothermic and exothermic processes as part of a STEM Day event Friday at the University of Northern Iowa Center for Urban Education. STEM career fields include science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Around 40 Waterloo middle school students who are part of UNI-CUEs Educational Talent Search program participated. Another 15 high school students in the Talent Search and Upward Bound programs guided lessons, mentoring the middle schoolers. Waterloo Community Schools students had the day off Friday for staff professional development. The event was held after the Governors STEM Advisory Council awarded a scale-up grant to UNI-CUE. Sarah Cohen, an Educational Talent Search academic counselor, applied for the grant and organized the program along with Amanda Strayer, academic coordinator for Upward Bound. We try to provide opportunities for them to see all types of careers, said Cohen, of the reason to hold the STEM event. She wanted students to learn that STEM is fun, that STEM is exciting. So it just gives them another opportunity to engage with it hands-on. Groups of students rotated through six different stations Friday morning and afternoon. They completed two or three experiments in each session, using a worksheet to write down their observations. All of the sessions build off energy transformation, how that process works, said Cohen. For example, the exothermic reaction involving the calcium chloride released heat into its surroundings, making the plastic bag hot. At other stations, students did experiments related to potential and kinetic energy, radiant energy transformations, thermal and motion energy, chemical energy, and renewable and nonrenewabl energy sources. They used balls, small solar panels, rubber bands, glow sticks and apples to conduct various kinds of experiments. Im a big advocate of inquiry-based learning, said Cohen. Thats how the high school mentors prepared to teach the lessons, and she hoped the middle school students would learn a lot by going through the experiments. I think that programming like this is important for young female students, she added, noting that two-thirds of participants were girls. This is something that girls can like, too. UNI-CUE Director Robert Smith called Cohen a strong advocate for empowering females, particularly when it comes to STEM. Shes really done a great job in leading in these areas, he said. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. High heating bills are greeting thousands of MidAmerican Energy and Cedar Falls Utilities customers across the Cedar Valley this winter. While that reality may leave them feeling down, the utility companies point out there are ways to lessen the blow. Right now, most customers are paying 50% to 100% more compared with last years cold season. Thats largely due to factors they cant control. Natural gas demand is outpacing production and whats in storage, due to the extremely cold temperatures and the pandemic economic recovery. As a result, market prices are reaching highs not seen since 2008, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and more than double what they were a year ago. Mike Litterer, CFU director of customer service and business development, points out that January 2022, as compared with January 2021, had 23% more heating degree days. Heating degree days are a measure of how cold the temperature was on a given day or during a period of days. The more extreme the outside cold, the higher the number of degree days. Waterloo man killed in Bremer County crash A Waterloo man has died when his van and a semi collided in Bremer County on Tuesday morning. Hopefully, once it starts to warm up, the supply will catch up, said Litterer. CFU and MidAmerican representatives suggest customers turn down their thermostat at night or when not home, or lower the temperature of their water heater. Washing clothes with cold water is another idea. In addition, opening the blinds brings in natural sunlight. Try adding more attic insulation, or fix drafty windows and doors. Have a professional look at the furnace to make sure its operating most efficiently, and periodically change its filter. Assistance programs also are available in cases when customers still fall short on their bill. Operation Threshold received 8.5% more applications for its Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program from October 2021 through January 2022 than the same four month period last year, according to Executive Director Barbara Grant. She chalks it up to more households being eligible because of expanded criteria, but also the uptick in utility costs and overall living expenses. She noted many families are struggling financially due to the pandemic. When people see what they are paying to heat their home, its tough not to be reminded of the winter storm last February that left much of Texas without power for days and sent natural gas prices soaring. While natural gas spot prices this season have not exceeded what we saw during last Februarys spike, overall winter heating season prices this season have been much higher than last years, said Geoff Greenwood, a spokesperson for MidAmerican. Both utility companies emphasize theyre not turning a profit on the high market prices. Theyre simply passing the cost on to customers. What we pay is what we charge, said Greenwood. To shield customers from the impact of a volatile market, agreements are in place at both companies to purchase more gas at higher, more stable monthly market prices, rather than at daily ones. Also, after the February 2021 polar vortex, the two companies spread the impact of the price increases over a years time instead of having the customer take on one-time large increases to their bills. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Photo taken on Feb. 14, 2022 shows the Qargha Lake on the western suburb of Kabul, Afghanistan. Once a popular recreational site, the Qargha Lake used to be crowded with visitors. But nowadays, it is almost deserted by raging economic problems. (Photo by Saifurahmad Safi/Xinhua) KABUL, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Once a popular recreational site, the Qargha Lake, situated on the western suburb of Kabul city, used to be crowded with visitors. But nowadays, it is almost deserted by raging economic problems. "The number of visitors to the Qargha Lake amusement park has been drastically reduced," Zadran, a 50-year-old roadside food seller, told Xinhua, saying that his income was thus decreased. "Last year at this time I could earn up to 4,000 afghanis daily but this year nowadays I can hardly earn 300 afghanis a day," said Zadran, the sole bread earner of a family of eight, who started his roadside food shop in the lake area 10 years ago. He said a high unemployment rate, poverty, among other economic problems, have sandwiched the people of Afghanistan and eventually reduced the number of visitors to the park. Zadran, however, said he feels safer working in his roadside shop everyday, praising the improving security situation in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of the U.S.-led forces. Washington has imposed sanctions on the Taliban-led government after a hasty pullout in late August, which battered the economy in the war-torn country. More than 22 million out of the country's some 35 million people, according to aid agencies, have been facing acute food insecurity despite humanitarian assistance from countries and aid agencies. "Poverty has affected my income. I charged 20 afghanis for one photo last year but 10 for each now," a young photographer Abdul Rashid told Xinhua. Taking group photos for tourists to earn a living, Rashid said it became harder to support his 10-member family as visitors kept declining. (1 U.S. dollar equals 93 afghanis) An Afghan vendor waits for customers at the Qargha Lake on the western suburb of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Feb. 14, 2022. Once a popular recreational site, the Qargha Lake used to be crowded with visitors. But nowadays, it is almost deserted by raging economic problems. (Photo by Saifurahmad Safi/Xinhua) Photo taken on Feb. 14, 2022 shows the Qargha Lake on the western suburb of Kabul, Afghanistan. Once a popular recreational site, the Qargha Lake used to be crowded with visitors. But nowadays, it is almost deserted by raging economic problems. (Photo by Saifurahmad Safi/Xinhua) People at seen at the Qargha Lake on the western suburb of Kabul, Afghanistan, on Feb. 14, 2022. Once a popular recreational site, the Qargha Lake used to be crowded with visitors. But nowadays, it is almost deserted by raging economic problems. (Photo by Saifurahmad Safi/Xinhua) Supporters pass by a honking truck near Queens Park on February 5, 2022 in Toronto, Canada. A convoy of truckers and supporters have occupied downtown Ottawa since last Saturday in protest of Canada's Covid-19 vaccine mandate, with convoys branching out to other cities. Imagine having filed and paid your taxes last year, then months later you get a letter in the mail from the IRS saying you didn't. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal The number of new COVID-19 infections continued to decline, tallying 1,127 on Friday, suggesting New Mexico remains on the downward side of the omicron surge. But the new infections were enough to push the state above the 500,000 mark. The New Mexico Department of Health reported a total 500,516 COVID-19 infections on Friday. New infections were down from 1,837 on Thursday and record daily new infections exceeding 6,000 in late January. New Mexico also reported 29 additional deaths, pushing the states COVID-19 death toll to 6,658. Health officials cautioned this week that deaths lag behind new infections and are likely to remain high in the near term. There were 498 people with COVID in New Mexico hospitals, down slightly from 534 on Thursday. Of the 29 additional deaths, 22 occurred within the past 30 days, including a Dona Ana County woman in her 30s who was hospitalized with underlying conditions. Among the seven deaths that occurred more than 30 days ago was a Santa Fe County man in his 20s with underlying conditions. Health officials report that about 78% of New Mexicans 18 and older are fully vaccinated, and 43% have received a booster shot. New data released this week offered more evidence that COVID-19 vaccinations, and booster shots, are highly effective in preventing hospitalizations and deaths. During a recent four-week period that includes the omicron surge, an unvaccinated person was eight times more likely to die of COVID-19 than a vaccinated person, and 29 times more likely to die than someone with a booster shot. WASHINGTON COVID-19 vaccinations for children under 5 hit another monthslong delay Friday as U.S. regulators abruptly put the brakes on their efforts to speed a review of the shots that Pfizer is testing for youngsters. The Food and Drug Administration, worried about the omicron variants toll on kids, had taken the extraordinary step of urging Pfizer to apply for OK of the extra-low dose vaccine before its clear if tots will need two shots or three. The agencys plan could have allowed vaccinations to begin within weeks. But Friday, the FDA reversed course and said it had become clear the agency needed to wait for data on how well a third shot works for the youngest age group. Pfizer said in a statement that it expected the data by early April. FDAs vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said he hoped parents would understand that the agencys decision was part of its careful scientific review of the evidence Pfizer has submitted so far. That information made us realize that we needed to see data from a third dose from the ongoing trial in order to make a determination, Marks told reporters. We take our responsibility for reviewing these vaccines very seriously because were parents as well. The nations 18 million children under 5 make up the only age group not yet eligible for vaccination. Rachel Perera, the mother of an 8-month-old from Los Angeles, said Fridays news felt like the rug just got pulled out from under me. After consulting with her pediatrician, Perera hoped a vaccine would be available this winter, or in early 2022 at the latest. The education policy researcher and her husband are caring for their child to avoid the unpredictability and risks of child care during a pandemic. But that means working on her dissertation for the Ph.D. she is pursuing when her child sleeps. On top of that, the daily calculations of risks, she says, have left her with decision fatigue. Im just tired, and it feels like when is this going to end? Perera said. It feels like people around us are moving on with their lives, and were being left behind. Vaccine experts had been concerned with the sudden race to evaluate Pfizers vaccine and now wonder what parents will make of the back-and-forth. I think they made the right decision to be careful and wait for the third-dose data, said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief. It was great to hear that there might be some promising data from two doses but it came out as Hey everybody, you can expect a vaccine in a few weeks,' he added. I think this messaging gets very confusing for people. Its not the first delay. Pfizer originally had expected to know by late December if the extra-low doses worked for kids under 5 only to face a disappointing setback. Preliminary study results showed two shots were safe and strong enough to give good protection to babies as young as 6 months. But once tots reached the preschool age the 2- to 4-year-olds two doses werent protective enough, prompting the addition of a third to the study. So it was a surprise when a few weeks ago, FDA urged Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to go ahead and apply. Next week, the agencys independent scientific advisers were set to publicly debate if it was OK to start giving tots two shots before there was proof that a third would give them the extra needed protection a highly unusual move. Friday, the FDA abruptly canceled that meeting, promising to hold it once Pfizer submits the third-dose evidence. Even if Pfizer completes its submission by early April, it will take the FDA and other health authorities several weeks to vet the data. Earlier this week, FDAs Marks had promised the agency wouldnt cut corners but also noted how rapidly the pandemic was changing. Pfizer aims to give children as young as 6 months shots that contain one-tenth of the dose given to adults. So, there he was, outside on a cold winter day in the South Valley, crafting a giant likeness of his wifes lips out of tree branches, when he wondered to himself: Am I crazy? Some thought so, Lonnie Anderson knew, given all the wild and whimsical Valentines Day ideas hes come up with these past 27 years to show how much he loves his wife, his South Valley neighborhood and the world. Write out an e.e. cummings poem with 6,500 pebbles in the sand? Set up an amusement park carousel in the yard? Build a bouquet of flowers taller than a house? Solicit a love poem from author Rudolfo Anaya and a painting from artist Shepard Fairey? Been there, done that. But even his oldest daughter, Hawthorn, 18, was beginning to think he might be crazy. Maybe, she had suggested, you could just take Mom out to dinner this year. Like normal people. That kind of surprised me, Anderson said. Hawthorn has been a part of these Valentine projects since she was a baby and I dressed her as a Cupid. But this year felt different. Joyless. Chaotic. Crazy. All his grand ideas for Anne Bolger Witherspoon, his wife of 21 years, were sputtering. Maybe it was the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic that had made people weary. Or maybe his daughter was right. This year has been a struggle, he said. He thought of launching 200 lighted drones to form a giant, glowing heart in the skies above Albuquerque. At a discounted cost of $10,000, far exceeding Andersons rule of not spending more on his Valentines projects than the price of a fancy dinner and a dozen roses, this was a failure to launch. He thought of having Annes name projected on the side of the Matterhorn in Switzerland, just like the images that had been projected there in the early days of the pandemic. The Zermatt Tourism folks let him down gently. The projection was a one-time project, an email from the Swiss agency read. I hope youll find another great Valentines Day project for 2022. That lightened Andersons spirits, he said. Im grateful for anyone who returns my emails. Another idea was having a symphony orchestra dedicate a song to his wife. He sent out requests to numerous orchestras, including New Mexicos. Most turned him down. But the London Philharmonic Orchestra was charmed with the idea and began discussing how to pull it off. We even talked about Anne and I going to London for the performance, Anderson said. Then the plan hit a sour note: The lawyers and union got involved at the last minute. It was heartbreaking. His next idea was to obtain a personal letter from President Biden and the first lady. An Interior Department official told Anderson he would walk over the request to the White House. So far, nothing. But he remains hopeful. You get 10 nos, but then you get one yes, and its beautiful, he said. Deep breath! So its a messy, chaotic, high-anxiety, beautiful process. Andersons love of spreading love began as a vow that his wife would never feel unloved, unappreciated or insecure like he had during his turbulent childhood. A short documentary of his life and love titled Love in the Valley by filmmaker Kel Cruz and produced by the citys One Albuquerque Media explains that he was abandoned and sent to an orphanage as a baby, and later adopted by a family torn by violence. That abandonment sticks with you, Anderson said. It brings a loneliness and insecurity that you are not loved. No one, he said, should feel that way. And so came the grand gestures, the private prom, the royal throne fit for a queen, the giant candies, the giant heart pinata, the images of love projected on the side of a building Downtown, and the planetarium stars spelling out Annes name at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. One year, he asked random folks around the globe to send photos of themselves holding I Love Anne signs. Hundreds of them from more than 65 countries did. But its not a love for Anne that inspired these strangers around the world and all the others over the years who have made Andersons crazy Valentines projects happen. Its that they love love. He loves that. The Valentines thing has evolved, he said. Its got a life of its own. Im like the curator now, not in charge of it. Last year, his Valentines Day offering literally was a curated art exhibit titled Love, which featured items from past years combined with the works of nationally famous artists. It was held at the South Broadway Cultural Center under COVID-19 restrictions. Even so, one visitor who braved the pandemic was an elderly woman who told Anderson that every year she reads about his Valentines Day projects and wanted to see a few for herself. This sweet woman risked her health just to see the exhibit, Anderson said. People like that make me not care about the people who think Im crazy. So Anderson forged ahead with yet another idea, this one involving the re-creation of Annes face high in the elm trees outside the family home. He traced the projected likeness of her face on a large tarp, then used the tracing as a template, finding twigs, leaves and branches shaped like a nose, an eyebrow, lips, gluing them together with environmentally safe glue. On Thursday, he hoisted the face into the trees, the glow from the sunset through the gossamer of branches lighting up the features of his wifes knowing gaze. He hopes shell light up when she sees it. So maybe I dont get the symphony. Maybe I dont get the drones or the Matterhorn, he said. Its spreading love in whatever way you can that is beautiful. Thats not so crazy. UpFront is a front-page news and opinion column. See the film Love in the Valley, a short documentary on Lonnie Andersons work, and love of his wife and the South Valley by filmmaker Kel Cruz screens at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jean Cocteau Cinema in Santa Fe, as part of the Santa Fe Film Festival. SANTA FE The state House late Friday passed a bill that would make it a crime to threaten a judge action that came after New Mexico judges reported harassment and threats of sexual violence. Republican Rep. Ryan Lane of Aztec said lawmakers heard testimony from judges in committee hearings about the type of intimidation that would give us all pause. He presented the legislation, House Bill 99, as the chief justice of the state Supreme Court, Michael E. Vigil, served as an expert witness. The bill passed the House on an 59-7 vote and now heads to the Senate after a 70-minute debate late Friday night. The goal is to try to protect our judiciary, said Lane, a cosponsor of the bill. The measure would make it a fourth-degree felony to threaten a judge or the judges family members. The threat would have to be made with the intent of making the victims fear great bodily harm, interrupting their job duties or retaliating for their work in court. Under the bill, the malicious sharing of a judges personal information to cause harm would be a misdemeanor. Rep. Dayan Hochman-Vigil, D-Albuquerque, said one judge was almost run over by a someone who had appeared in court. Others have faced harassment, she said. We cant have a functional judiciary if our judges are scared to go to work, Hochman-Vigil said. Some Republican lawmakers questioned whether the legislation is necessary and, if so, whether other public servants should be covered under the bill. All seven no vote came from Republicans. Rep. Zachary Cook, R-Ruidoso, asked whether any judge in New Mexico had actually been murdered or kidnapped. He suggested assault and battery laws already in place are sufficient to protect judges without interfering with the right to free speech. This is a First Amendment issue, said Cook, who voted against the bill. Lane noted that its already a crime with stiffer penalties to threaten a witness or juror. Lawmakers discussed broadening the proposal to cover prosecutors, defense attorneys and law enforcement officers. But they said they wanted to discuss the idea more carefully, and no amendment was proposed. To reach the desk of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the bill would have to clear the Senate and its committee system by noon Thursday, the end of the 30-day session. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Authorities say a man stole more than $50,000 in sunglasses in 11 robberies over three months around Albuquerque, sometimes leading a duo or team of thieves during the brazen heists. Isaiah Martinez, 28, is charged with four counts of shoplifting between $500 and $2,500, seven counts of shoplifting between $2,500 and $20,000, and one count of battery. The state Attorney Generals Office issued a warrant on Tuesday for Martinezs arrest. His criminal history includes arrests for shoplifting and drug possession, namely heroin, and more recently, fentanyl pills. According to an arrest warrant affidavit filed in Metropolitan Court: Between October and November 2021, loss prevention officers from Luxottica, the parent company of Sunglass Hut and LensCrafters, identified Martinez as the man who had stolen tens of thousands of dollars worth of glasses from their stores when they found him selling the glasses on Facebook Marketplace. Following this identification, Martinez continued to commit theft after theft, according to the affidavit. Between Oct. 31 and Jan. 27, agents documented 11 robberies allegedly committed by Martinez, most of them at the Sunglass Hut at Coronado Center. Agents say Martinez started the robberies alone and in the first incident shoved a female security guard when she tried to stop him. Later, he brought along an accomplice in multiple robberies and in one incident had three men and a woman join him in clearing the shelves of expensive eyewear as employees and a security guard watched, authorities said. Martinez allegedly stole anywhere from $580 to $11,079 in glasses at a time, with an average haul of $4,000. Over the course of the incidents Martinez criminal progression is clearly visible, according to the affidavit. In the first robbery, agents say he was visibly nervous and pacing but by his sixth robbery appears confident and leads a team of thieves. Agents say the spree accounted for 40% of Luxotticas losses in New Mexico and, although others participated, Martinez appears to be the leader and common denominator in the thefts. Martinez has demonstrated that he will threaten, push and even struggle with anyone, even women, who challenge him, according to the affidavit. During the confirmation hearings for G. Harrold Carswell, one of President Richard Nixons doomed Supreme Court nominees, the Nebraska Sen. Roman Hruska rose to respond to the charge that Carswell, a sitting federal judge, had proved himself a mediocrity. There are a lot of mediocre judges and people and lawyers, Hruska argued. They are entitled to a little representation, arent they? We cant have all Brandeises, Frankfurters and Cardozos. Hruskas wish has been amply fulfilled in recent decades. But its worth noting that the legal titans he extolled were all Jewish. The Supreme Court never had a Jewish justice until 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson appointed Louis Brandeis. (As if to balance it out, one of Wilsons other high courts picks was the antisemite James McReynolds.) Then, in 1932, President Franklin Roosevelt appointed Benjamin Cardozo, giving the court its second Jewish justice. When Cardozo died in office, he was replaced by Felix Frankfurter, who was replaced by Arthur Goldberg, who was replaced by Abe Fortas. Theirs was the Jewish seat. When Fortas resigned in disgrace, his replacement was named by President Nixon, whose feelings about Jews have been recorded elsewhere, including on his own White House tapes. For the next 24 years, there was again no Jewish justice. Sometimes youll hear references to a comparable Catholic seat, but that history is a little more complicated. For its first century of existence, the U.S. Supreme Court had exactly one Catholic justice, Roger Taney, a crony of President Andrew Jackson. And Taney was actually rejected by the Senate the first time he was nominated. Maybe religion had something to do with his rejection, but Taney also trailed the sulfurous stink of corruption into the Senate chambers. (For details, see David Grimstads article Robbing the Poor to Aid the Rich: Roger B. Taney and the Bank of Maryland Swindle.) But when the legendary Chief Justice John Marshall died in office, Jackson nominated Taney again. This time, as the Oxford Companion to the Supreme Court blandly reports, after an executive session in which no records were kept, the Senate confirmed him. The details of the backroom deal have never been ferreted out. Taneys pliability, we can only surmise, gave certain senators something to work with. That was 1835. Nearly 60 years passed before another Catholic was named to the Supreme Court, when the Confederate veteran and Louisiana Sen. Edward Douglass White took his seat. White, the son of an enslaver, became an architect of southern apartheid. He bore a striking resemblance to Foghorn Leghorn, which may not be coincidental. In 1898 Joseph McKenna joined him on the high court, which for 23 years had two Catholic justices. Sadly, McKenna developed dementia while still in active service. The same cruel fate has befallen other serving justices, including Robert Grier, Nathan Clifford, Stephen J. Field and William O. Douglas (that we know about). After McKenna was finally coaxed into retiring, the court never again had more than one Catholic justice at a time until Antonin Scalia joined William Brennan in 1986. Twice during the intervening years the courts sole Catholic justice was replaced by a fellow Catholic, suggesting a conscious pattern (Pierce Butler was succeeded by Frank Murphy, Sherman Minton by Brennan), but there were gaps, too, which makes it a bit misleading to speak of a Catholic seat. Rather, it was a soft quota and hard maximum. We dont know whether or not there will be a Hispanic seat, since Sonia Sotomayor was the first Hispanic to serve on the court and shes still there. Cardozos forebears were Sephardic Jews from Portugal, so its sometimes claimed he was Hispanic, as well, but Ive seen nothing to suggest he considered himself Portuguese American. Theres an African American seat, too, of course. Not even his most ardent admirers would deny that Clarence Thomass race influenced President George H.W. Bushs decision to choose him to replace Thurgood Marshall, the first Black justice. Then we get to the non-Hispanic white male Protestant seat. Or rather seats. For most of the first 200 years of the Supreme Courts history, at least six and up to 10 seats were set aside for this one particular identity group. All that has changed in the present century, when the number of Catholics, Jews and women on the court reached all-time highs (six, three and three, respectively). As a natural consequence, the number of seats set aside for non-Hispanic white Protestant males hit an all-time low (zero, briefly, and one currently). There has never been a time in American history when a president choosing a nominee for the Supreme Court didnt take into consideration the nominees race, ethnicity, religion and gender. Joel Jacobsen is an author who in 2015 retired from a 29-year legal career. If there are topics you would like to see covered in future columns, please write him at legal.column.tips@gmail.com. Cause we got a little ol convoy rockin through the night. Yeah, we got a little ol convoy, aint she a beautiful sight? Come on and join our convoy, aint nothin gonna get in our way. These are some of the lyrics of the 1975 C.W. McCall novelty song called Convoy, which went to No.1 on the pop charts that year. The song spawned a 1978 movie called Convoy, starring Kris Kristofferson, in which truckers rebel against heavy-handed law enforcement and form a destructive convoy. The movie is a true 1970s piece of cinema fiction that I enjoyed watching as a kid. However, fiction has now become reality throughout Canada and on the U.S.-Canada border. On Jan. 15, Canadian and northern cross-border truckers organized the Freedom Convoy to oppose Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus and various provinces COVID-19 requirements for truckers to reenter Canada by land, which were implemented the same day as the event. Although the protest was arranged to last one day, it stretched into weeks. Truckers from all over Canada formed convoys blocking bridges and roads. In certain Canadian cities, they assembled downtown with their rigs paralyzing economic activity. In Ottawa, the nations capital, they parked in front of government buildings, blocking the flow of traffic. In addition to shutting off key byways, truckers flashed their lights and incessantly blared their horns, rattling residents who could get no relief. Some truckers and passenger vehicles were stranded in places such as northern Montana because the convoy blocked the delivery of fuels. Food shortages occurred in other areas. In the midst of all this chaos, other elements jumped on board. Right-wing groups opposed to various policies joined the truckers to make the experience as miserable as possible. Hooligans who just wanted to cause disruptions and mayhem also joined in the fray. They amused themselves by setting off fireworks, throwing objects in the street and driving on sidewalks. During my career and experience I dont think I have met a Canadian of whom I formed a negative opinion. Canada is a country that has a reputation of being accommodating and hospitable. It is not a country that constantly generates news about riots, excessive gang activity, murders or insurgencies. And this is what is really disconcerting. If this kind of rogue behavior in response to the vaccine mandates, a proven way to fight the pandemic, can occur in Canada, it can occur in any democratic country. Would you have ever imagined that a state of emergency would be declared in normally peaceful Ottawa, and extra anti-riot personnel would have to be moved in to try to take control of the situation? Well, that is exactly what Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson did on Feb. 6. As Canada is a politically democratic country, citizens have the right to protest government policies. However, they do not have the right to disturb the peace or to cause misery in regular citizens lives. It is clear that a small percentage of the Canadian population is responsible for the bedlam. Polls show that approximately 70% of Canadians support a vaccine mandate for adults in one form or the other. The behavior of the truckers and sympathizers is exactly the kind that is not needed in a pandemic. Concentrating unvaccinated people in close quarters and I imagine that a large portion of the protesters do not believe in wearing masks either is recipe ripe for an outbreak. It also exposes people to danger who are practicing diligence. Blocking traffic and using semi rigs to impede the flow of goods and services exacerbates the already serious disruptions in supply chains that have been ongoing during the pandemic. Truckers have been hailed as heroes because they are responsible for getting food, medicine and consumer products to all of us. Manufacturers, distribution centers, and logistic firms are desperately trying to catch up with demand and manage the supply chain disruptions that we are experiencing in most industries. Disrupting the supply chains even more will have the effect of making protesting truckers not heroes, but villains. The behavior being displayed in Canada by rogue forces doesnt help, but actually hurts their case. By disrupting the everyday Canadians life, the protesting truckers are making enemies of the very people whose support they need. Canadian citizens who are affected by the blockades and sick of the mess are appealing to their officials to use force to restore order. We are all tired of the pandemic. I dont know a person who doesnt want this misery to end. However, for us to get through this pandemic, logic and civility must prevail, especially in Canada, a nation that in the past has set the standard for these two elements. Jerry Pacheco is the executive director of the International Business Accelerator, a nonprofit trade counseling program of the New Mexico Small Business Development Centers Network. He can be reached at 575-589-2200 or at jerry@nmiba.com.
WASHINGTON President Joe Biden told Russias Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would cause widespread human suffering and that the West was committed to diplomacy to end the crisis but equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House said Saturday. It offered no suggestion that the hourlong call diminished the threat of an imminent war in Europe. Biden also said the United States and its allies would respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs if the Kremlin attacked its neighbor, according to the White House. The two presidents spoke a day after Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned that U.S. intelligence shows a Russian invasion could begin within days and before the Winter Olympics in Beijing end on Feb. 20. Russia denies it intends to invade but has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, encircling Ukraine on three sides. U.S. officials say Russias buildup of firepower has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. The conversation came at a critical moment for what has become the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. U.S. officials believe they have mere days to prevent an invasion and enormous bloodshed in Ukraine. And while the U.S. and its NATO allies have no plans to send troops to Ukraine to fight Russia, an invasion and resulting punishing sanctions could reverberate far beyond the former Soviet republic, affecting energy supplies, global markets and the power balance in Europe. President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House statement said. The call was professional and substantive but produced no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters following the call on condition of anonymity. The official added that it remains unclear whether Putin has made a final decision to move forward with military action. Yuri Ushakov, Putins top foreign policy aide, said that while tensions have been escalating for months, in recent days the situation has simply been brought to the point of absurdity. He said Biden mentioned the possible sanctions that could be imposed on Russia, but this issue was not the focus during a fairly long conversation with the Russian leader. Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made toward cooling down the tensions. Putin complained in the call that the United States and NATO have not responded satisfactorily to Russian demands that Ukraine be prohibited from joining the military alliance and that NATO pull back forces from Eastern Europe. In a sign that American officials are getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate most of its staff from the embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine. Canada has shuttered its embassy in Kyiv and relocated its diplomatic staff to a temporary office in Lviv, located in the western part of the country, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Saturday. Lviv is home to a Ukrainian military base that has served as the main hub for Canadas 200-soldier training mission in the former Soviet country. The timing of any possible Russian military action remained a key question. The U.S. picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a U.S. official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he told his Russian counterpart Saturday that further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive and united trans-Atlantic response. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to project calm as he observed military exercises Saturday near Crimea, the peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. We are not afraid, were without panic, all is under control, he said. Ukrainian armed forces chief commander Lt. Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny and Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov issued a more defiant joint statement. We are ready to meet the enemy, and not with flowers, but with Stingers, Javelins and NLAWs anti-tank and -aircraft weapons, they said. Welcome to hell! U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, also held telephone discussions on Saturday. Further U.S.-Russia tensions arose on Saturday when the Defense Ministry summoned the U.S. Embassys military attache after it said the navy detected an American submarine in Russian waters near the Kuril Islands in the Pacific. The submarine declined orders to leave, but departed after the navy used unspecified appropriate means, the ministry said. Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 U.S. troops to Poland to reassure allies. The U.S. has urged all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately, and Sullivan said those who remain should not expect the U.S. military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. The Biden administration has been warning for weeks that Russia could invade Ukraine soon, but U.S. officials had previously said the Kremlin would likely wait until after the Winter Games ended so as not to antagonize China. Sullivan told reporters on Friday that U.S. intelligence shows that Russia could take invade during the Olympics. He said military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action, Sullivan said, adding that Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine. He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the U.S. talk of urgency. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems. Zakharova said her country had optimized staffing at its own embassy in Kyiv in response to concerns about possible military actions from the Ukrainian side. In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that U.S. officials say Russia has assembled along Ukraines eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week, Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Biden has bolstered the U.S. military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on NATOs eastern flank. The 3,000 additional soldiers ordered to Poland come on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The U.S. Army also is shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Russia is demanding that the West keep former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe demands flatly rejected by the West. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraines Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing the Crimean Peninsula and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed over 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. ___ Heintz reported from Moscow. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Colleen Long in Washington; Mark Lewis in Stavanger, Norway; and Robert Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report. PARIS Paris police fired tear gas Saturday against a handful of demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees Avenue who defied a police order by taking part in a vehicle protest against virus restrictions inspired by Canadas horn-honking truckers. In the Netherlands, dozens of trucks and other vehicles ranging from tractors to a car towing a camping van arrived in The Hague for a similar virus-related protest Saturday, blocking an entrance to the historic Dutch parliamentary complex. But a threatened blockade of Paris failed to materialize Saturday, despite days of online organizing efforts. Police set up checkpoints into the French capital on key roads and said they successfully stopped at least 500 vehicles from heading to the banned protest, but a few dozen vehicles were able to slip in and disrupt traffic on the boutique-lined Champs-Elysees. Authorities fired tear gas as they demanded that the demonstrators disperse, some of whom climbed onto their vehicles in the middle of the road to create chaos. An Associated Press photographer was hit in the head with a tear gas canister as police struggled to control the crowd. Police at the scene were growing increasingly tense, and fired the tear gas after several photographers took photos of officers kicking and subduing a protester. Police detained 54 people and handed out 300 tickets to motorists involved in the protest. Police also seized knives, hammers and other objects in a central Parisian square. Protesters railing against the vaccination pass that France requires to enter restaurants and many other venues have converged in recent days toward Paris from the north, south, east and west, waving and honking at onlookers as they drove by. Some convoys sought to avoid police detection by traveling on local roads instead of the major highways leading into the capital. Waving French flags and shouting Freedom!, the protesters were galvanized in part by truckers who have blockaded the center of Ottawa, Canadas capital, and blocked border crossings to the U.S. Most of the French convoys appeared small, and it is unclear how many people participated. The protest came as months of demonstrations against French government vaccination rules have been waning and as the government is relaxing virus restrictions. Nearly all French adults are vaccinated against COVID-19 and the protests have represented a small minority. In the Dutch protest, protesters on foot joined the truckers, carrying a banner emblazoned with the Dutch words Love & freedom, no dictatorship. Police urged the protesters to move to a nearby park and warned the public about traffic problems. Online chat groups, meanwhile, are encouraging French and Dutch protesters to join an attempted blockade convoy on Monday in Brussels, capital of Belgium and the 27-nation European Union. Belgian federal police were urging people to avoid Brussels on Monday, including commuters, and said all vehicles coming to demonstrate will be escorted to a giant parking lot north of town where a protest will be authorized. ___ Aleksandar Furtula in The Hague, Mike Corder in Ede, Netherlands, and Sylvain Plazy in Brussels contributed. ___ Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. WELLINGTON, New Zealand Some countries might send in a riot squad to disperse trespassing protesters. In New Zealand, authorities turned on the sprinklers and Barry Manilow. Initial moves to try and flush out several hundred protesters who have been camped on Parliaments grassy grounds since Tuesday had little effect. The protesters, who have been voicing their opposition to coronavirus vaccine mandates, responded to the soaking from the sprinklers by digging trenches and installing makeshift drainpipes to divert the water. When a downpour hit Saturday, their numbers only grew. Protesters brought in bales of straw, which they scattered on the increasingly sodden grounds at Parliament. Some shouted, others danced and one group performed an Indigenous Maori haka. By evening, Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard had come up with a new plan to make the protesters uncomfortable: using a sound system to blast out vaccine messages, decades-old Barry Manilow songs and the 1990s earworm hit Macarena on a repeat loop. Protesters responded by playing their own tunes, including Twister Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It. The protest began when a convoy of trucks and cars drove to Parliament from around the nation, inspired by protests in Canada. At first there were more than 1,000 protesters but that number dwindled as the week wore on before growing again on Saturday. Police have been taking a more hands-off approach since Thursday, when they arrested 122 people and charged many of them with trespassing or obstruction. Police, who have been wearing protective vests but havent been using riot gear or carrying guns, had tried to slowly advance on the protesters. But that resulted in a number of physical confrontations. A video of two female officers briefly dragging a naked woman by her hair from amid a scuffle went viral. In a response to questions from The Associated Press, New Zealand police said they did not remove the womans clothing as some people had claimed online, and that she had been naked for some time before her arrest. Police also said the images and videos didnt provide the full context of the protest activity or the situation that police faced. Still, the scuffles seemed to prompt a strategic rethink by police, who appeared more content to wait it out as the week wore on. But by Friday, Mallard, the Parliament speaker, had seen enough, and told staff to turn on the sprinklers overnight. I ordered them on, he confirmed to the AP. No one who is here is here legally, and if theyre getting wet from below as well as above, theyre likely to be a little bit less comfortable and more likely to go home, Mallard said, according to news organization Stuff. Some people have suggested we add the vaccine in the water, but I dont think it works that way, he joked. Mallard told media he was responsible for the sound system loop as well. Some of the protesters vehicles have remained parked in the middle of streets around Parliament, forcing some street closures. The National Library and many cafes and bars in the area have closed their doors while the protest plays out. Police said one protester had a medical event on Friday evening and an ambulance was unable to reach him because of the vehicles blocking the streets, resulting in a delay before he was treated. Among the protesters grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against COVID-19, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel. Many protesters also oppose mask mandates such as those in stores and among children over about age 8 in classrooms and champion the ideal of more freedom. Parliaments grounds have often been the site of peaceful protests, although mass campouts are unusual. Typically at least some politicians will come out to listen to the concerns of protesters, but politicians reconvening at Parliament after a summer break were in rare unison by not acknowledging the protesters. New Zealand was spared the worst of the pandemic after it closed its borders and implemented strict lockdowns, limiting the spread of the virus. The nation has reported just 53 virus deaths among its population of 5 million. But some have grown weary of the restrictions. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week said the country would end its quarantine requirements for incoming travelers in stages as it reopened its borders. With about 77% of New Zealanders vaccinated, Ardern has also promised she wont impose more lockdowns. An outbreak of the omicron variant has been growing, with New Zealand reporting a record 454 new community cases Saturday. But none of the 27 people hospitalized from the outbreak needed to be in intensive care beds. WELLINGTON, New Zealand The U.S. says it will open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, laying out in unusually blunt terms a plan to increase its influence in the South Pacific nation before China becomes strongly embedded. The reasoning was explained in a State Department notification to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press. The plan was confirmed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a Saturday visit to Fiji, part on a Pacific tour that began in Australia. Blinken later landed in Hawaii, where he will host the foreign ministers from Japan and South Korea to discuss the threat posed by North Korea, amid rising concerns over its recent missile tests. The State Department said Solomon Islanders cherished their history with Americans on the battlefields of World War II, but that the U.S. was in danger of losing its preferential ties as China aggressively seeks to engage elite politicians and business people in the Solomon Islands. The move comes after rioting rocked the nation of 700,000 in November. The riots grew from a peaceful protest and highlighted long-simmering regional rivalries, economic problems and concerns about the countrys increasing links with China, after it switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing three years ago. Rioters set fire to buildings and looted stores. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence vote the following month, telling lawmakers in a fiery 90-minute speech that hed done nothing wrong and would not bow down to the forces of evil or to Taiwans agents. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomons for five years before closing it in 1993. Since then, U.S. diplomats from neighboring Papua New Guinea have been accredited to the Solomons, which has a U.S. consular agency. The embassy announcement fits with a new Biden administration strategy for the Indo-Pacific that was announced Friday and emphasizes building partnerships with allies in the region as a way to counter Chinas growing influence and ambitions. In its notification to Congress, the State Department said China had been utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels, when engaging with political and business leaders from the Solomon Islands. The United States has a strategic interest in enhancing our political, economic, and commercial relationship with Solomon Islands, the largest Pacific Island nation without a U.S. Embassy, the State Department wrote. The State Department said it didnt expect to build a new embassy immediately but would at first lease space at an initial set-up cost of $12.4 million. The embassy would be located in the capital, Honiara, and would start small, with two U.S. employees and about five local staff. The State Department said the Peace Corps was planning to reopen an office in the Solomon Islands and have its volunteers serve there, and that several U.S. agencies were establishing government positions with portfolios in the Solomons. The Department needs to be part of this increased U.S. presence, rather than remaining a remote player, it wrote. During his visit to Fiji, Blinken met with Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and other Pacific leaders to talk about regional issues, especially the existential risk posed by climate change. It was the first visit by a U.S. secretary of state to Fiji since 1985. Sayed-Khaiyum said he welcomed the renewed U.S. engagement in the region and President Joe Bidens move last year to rejoin the Paris Agreement. He said that in the past, Pacific island nations had sometimes felt overlooked by larger nations as flyover countries. Small dots spotted from plane windows of leaders, en route to meetings where they spoke about us rather than with us, if they spoke of us at all, he said. Blinken and the Pacific leaders also spoke about the coronavirus pandemic and disaster assistance. But looming over the visit were the increasing tensions in Ukraine. We continue to see very, very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving around Ukraines borders, Blinken said. Blinken visited Fiji after leaving the Australian city of Melbourne, where he had a meeting with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan. The four nations form the Quad, a bloc of Indo-Pacific democracies that was created to counter Chinas regional influence. ___ AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. Truckers drive westbound through the snow on Interstate 40 toward Albuquerque on Feb. 2. Challenges within the trucking industry have been well-documented since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the American Trucking Associations estimated that the industry would be short 80,000 drivers by the end of 2021, which it characterized as a historic high. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) CNM Ingenuity instructor Steve Towne works with a student on parallel parking Wednesday as part of Ingenuitys ABQ CDL program. The program launched in 2018 to give students an accelerated option for getting a CDL. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Trucks are lined up at a truck stop near the intersection of Menaul and University in central Albuquerque. Leaders around New Mexico told the Journal theyre concerned that the rule change will make it more difficult to recruit and retain workers in positions where theyve already had challenges bringing in new employees. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Maria Abeyta, a student at CNM Ingenuitys commercial drivers license program, adjusts her seat during a class. Shanna Sanchez, a senior program manager with CNM Ingenuity, said about 120 students graduate in this training program per year. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Instructor Steve Towne helps guide student Eric Maestas as part of CNM Ingenuitys commercial drivers program. Critics of the rule change argue that paying to go through a CDL training course may be a bridge too far for many applicants. (Adolphe Pierre-Louis/Journal) Truckers park at a truck stop near the intersection of Menaul and University in central Albuquerque. A little-known rule change established for the first time a set of federal requirements for drivers seeking a commercial drivers license. (Roberto E. Rosales/Journal) Prev 1 of 6 Next A little-known federal rule change will affect how New Mexicans looking to enter the trucking industry can acquire a commercial drivers license, and some in the industry are concerned that the new rule will impact everything from supply chains to how cities find garbage truck drivers. Last Monday, the Entry Level Driver Training regulations went into effect across the country, establishing for the first time a set of federal requirements that new truck drivers must meet in order to receive a commercial drivers license, or CDL. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation thats responsible for regulating large commercial motor vehicles, says on its website that the new rules are designed to improve driver safety by standardizing training. The new rules require new drivers to train with a federally registered training provider, which can include everything from private training schools to government programs to workforce development programs operated by colleges, rather than simply training for the test on their own. A federal list of facilities shows 117 certified trainers in New Mexico as of last week. Theres a whole lot of municipalities that are absolutely freaking out about this, said Doug Morrison, founder of Vehicle Safety Programs LLC, a federally licensed truck-driving school in Portales. Whos going to pick up your trash, and what are you going to have to pay that trash truck driver now? Morrison, who works as a CDL examiner for the state of New Mexico, said creating such a baseline was a good idea that could create safer drivers, but added that hes concerned the rule would push drivers into truck-driving programs that add expense, keeping some from breaking into the industry. Morrison said private schools could cost up to $6,000 before the rule went into place, and the cost may prompt some potential CDL applicants to look elsewhere for work. The value judgment is going to be there thats never been there before, Morrison said. Do I want to go thousands of dollars in debt for this hourly job, or do I want to do something else?' If it comes to pass, such a choice would be bad news for both cross-country trucking companies, many of which are already facing significant staffing shortages, and local cities and counties, which rely on CDL holders to fill roles like garbage truck drivers, snowplow operators and other everyday jobs. A lot of people are going to be caught flat-footed, I believe, said Clint Bunch, public works director for the city of Clovis. What do students learn? The rules are not retroactive, and only apply to drivers looking to procure or upgrade to a Class A or Class B CDL after Feb. 7. The new rules set minimum requirements, and different training providers will offer slightly different programs. Central New Mexico Community College offers a pair of workforce training programs one that spans a full semester, and another, offered by CNM Ingenuity, that can be completed in four weeks for aspiring truck drivers seeking a CDL. Shanna Sanchez, senior program manager for the CNM Ingenuity program, said the program graduates about 120 students per year. CNM spokesman Brad Moore added that the certificate program graduated another 77 students in 2021. Sanchez said the Ingenuity program is a blend of theory and behind-the-wheel training. Students take an online, self-paced theory course, which typically takes about 30 hours to complete. For the practice portion, students attend in person, breaking into smaller cohorts to practice driving four or five days a week, Sanchez said. Program participants will learn everything from basic shifting to diagnosing issues with their vehicle. Our students are out there on pretty much a full-time schedule, Sanchez said. Sanchez said the program currently costs $4,200, though that may change in the future. Mary Gallivan, senior director of program management for CNM Ingenuity, said CNM is looking to partner with other funding sources to keep the program accessible to students. We are always looking to make sure that we are appropriately and competitively priced, Gallivan said. Industry impact Challenges within the trucking industry have been well-documented since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year, the American Trucking Associations estimated that the industry would be short 80,000 drivers by the end of 2021, which it characterized as a historic high. The association attributed the shortage to a high number of retirements during the pandemic and a shortage of new drivers being trained, among other systemic factors. At current trends, the shortage could surpass 160,000 in 2030, a fact sheet from the organization reads. These shortages have been linked to supply chain challenges for goods and services across the country. Johnny Johnson, managing director of the New Mexico Trucking Association, said hes concerned that the new rule could exacerbate those existing shortages, as new drivers, particularly those just out of high school, may opt for a different path rather than going through the training process. They may not choose this industry, and thats our biggest concern, Johnson said. Johnson added that the industry has a higher-than-normal burn rate, particularly for new drivers who might not be accustomed to the long periods of time away from home that often come with the job. He said many large trucking companies maintain training programs to keep a steady stream of new drivers who want to be behind the wheel. When youve got an 80,000-pound truck going down the road, you want somebody who wants to be there, Morrison added. Morrison noted that most employers offer reimbursements for CDL training programs, but those tend to come with strings attached. In many cases, Morrison said employees have to work for a company for a certain number of years in order to pay off their tuition. Add in the fact that some schools may raise their prices to keep up with demand, and Morrison said hes concerned that the cost-benefit analysis will end up favoring other industries. With no supply and high demand, the price goes up, he said. How are municipalities preparing? The leaders of city and county public works departments around New Mexico told the Journal theyre concerned that the rule change will make it more difficult to recruit and retain workers in positions where theyve already had challenges bringing in new employees. Its going to shift that burden to us, said Elias Archuleta, Bernalillo Countys deputy county manager for public works. Archuleta said in an email that the county has 69 positions that require a CDL, in the fleet and facilities maintenance, and the operations and maintenance departments. Of those, he said 23 positions are currently vacant, which he attributed primarily to a tight labor market and increased competition from private companies. The benefits (offered by the county) arent that big of a draw, they want that cash and the check, Archuleta said. The problems are particularly acute on the operations and maintenance side, which handles road and storm drain maintenance, among other tasks. Because the market is tight, Archuleta said the county has largely been hiring applicants without CDLs for these positions and giving them a probationary period to acquire one. He said the county had previously offered in-house services to help employees get a CDL, but they would have to rely on outside services following the rule change, which adds to the cost and may make it harder to recruit. The county is exploring a change that would make it so most mechanics who dont need to drive a vehicle dont need a CDL, which Archuleta said would alleviate some of the issues. For other positions, Archuleta said the department is looking at raising starting salaries, which range from $16.97 to $22.28 for operations staff, to make the jobs more attractive to newcomers. There doesnt seem to be that entry-level market right now, he said. Out in Clovis, Bunch, from the citys public works department, said the city is working with Morrison to offer training and working to set up indoor and outdoor facilities to get drivers trained on-site. We heard through the grapevine that there were changes coming, so we tried to stay ahead of the curve, Bunch said. Still, Bunch said his department has found recruiting to be a challenge as well. He said a sanitation driver working for Clovis public works department starts at $13.23 an hour, and paying to go through a CDL training course may be a bridge too far for many applicants. For these kind of positions, we are going to have to have to look at that and see if its a possibility that we have to raise the pay, Bunch said. Theres a fine line between what you can and cant do, with the amount of income that the city has. Filling the gaps Morrison said he believes the supply of certified training programs will be a challenge for a couple years, before new programs launch to meet the need. In the meantime, existing New Mexico programs will need to fill the demand. Sanchez said CNM Ingenuity is expecting a significant uptick in demand for its training program associated with the rule change. So there will be an increase in demand industrywide for us to train people, Sanchez said. Gallivan said the truck-driving program is more challenging to scale up than some boot camp programs offered by the institute. The program currently operates four trucks, and is looking at options to add more as the program grows. We want to make sure everybody who is in a group is getting the instruction time to learn how to do this and do this safely, Sanchez added. On the industry side, Johnson said he believes logistical changes are needed to meet the needs for truck drivers. He said hes expecting the industry to continue to shift to more short-term routes rather than relying on long-haul trucking as much. I think in the next 10 years, youre going to see this industry completely change in terms of how it deals with logistics, he said. Instagram Celebrity Three months prior to her passing, the transgender actress portraying Cristina Ortiz Rodriguez on the HBO Max series revealed that she only had 'two months to live.' Feb 12, 2022 AceShowbiz - Spanish actress Isabel Torres has sadly passed away. The transgender star portraying Cristina Ortiz Rodriguez on "Veneno" died after losing her year-long battle with lung cancer. She was 52 years old. Announcing the heartbreaking news was the actress' family via her Instagram account. "Today, February 11, 2022, we say goodbye to Isabel," her family wrote in Spanish. "Although her family and friends feel her loss deeply, we know that wherever she goes, she will have fun as only she knows how." "Thank you for all the messages of affection and concern. She has left feeling very loved and supported," the statement continued to read. Underneath the post, which also included a beautiful black-and-white image of the late actress, the family penned, "Thank you all for the support and shows of affection right now." Among those who mourned the death of Isabel was "Veneno" director Javier Ambrossi. Taking to his Instagram account, the actor/director shared a photo of Isabel with a heartfelt caption that read, "I can only thank you, Isabel." "I still see you in every memory. In every complicit look in filming, in every dance when we could, in every rehearsal," Javier continued. He then praised Isabel, saying, "You are effort, talent, courage, beauty, power. I take you to inside forever. Rest, my love." Isabel had been battling lung cancer since 2019. Prior to her death, the transgender woman told her fans that she only had two months to live in an emotional video she posted on her Instagram page. "[The doctors] give me two months to live," Isabel said in Spanish last November, "Let's see if I get over it, and if not, what are we going to do? Life is like that." In the caption, she noted that the clip marked her "last video." Isabel became an international star when she was one of three trans actresses cast to play Cristina Ortiz on the HBO Max series. She was diagnosed with lung cancer during the filming of the show. "My life has not been easy. Without realizing it, I have made a battle of my life," Isabel said when unveiling her health scare at the time. "A battle that I don't know if it will end soon or a little later. What I am clear about is that I am not going to stop fighting until the last moment." Instagram Celebrity During her appearance on SiriusXM's 'Jeff Lewis Live', the 50-year-old former star of 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' talks about her relationship with the 17-year-old. Feb 12, 2022 AceShowbiz - Denise Richards is opening up about her relationship with her daughter Sami. During her appearance on SiriusXM's "Jeff Lewis Live" on Friday, February 11, the 50-year-old talked about her "strained" relationship with the 17-year-old. "Honestly, I have a strained relationship with her," shared Denise, who also shares daughter Lola with ex Charlie Sheen. "It's very difficult. I know we'll get bachk to where we were eventually but right now, it is strained." When asked if Denise was happy with Sami living with Charlie, the actress responded, "Obviously I would love for her to live with me. She lived with me all these years." However, she noted, "But I think it's very difficult raising teenagers now and especially in Los Angeles when there's access to everything. We didn't grow up with Postmates and Uber where you have everything that you want." "There are certain rules and I enforce them. And [at Sheen's], there's different rules at that house and that's okay," she continued. The former Bravo star said that Sami is "not in school," adding that she and Charlie do not "agree with certain things" that he does. "But that's okay. We can agree to disagree," she shared. While Denise believes that she's "not a strict mom," she does have "rules and boundaries." Back in September, a source told PEOPLE that Sami and Lola tend to have more freedom at Charlie's household compared to when they were with Denise as she and husband Aaron Phypers set more rules at their home. "She would love for the kids, when she has to film, to stay in her nice house but they go to 'Wonderland' where they can get anything they want," said the source, who claimed that "everything is a big party" at Charlie's house. A separate source, however, added, "Charlie is a terrific dad and his daughters adore him. They enjoy being with him. Charlie is a strict father but fair. The girls have rules at Charlie's house, which includes homework and curfew. The girls are polite and smart and funny and a joy to be with." Instagram Celebrity The 'Sand In My Boots' crooner and his model girlfriend, who previously dated actor Armie Hammer, go public with their relationship by sharing a PDA-filled photo of the two. Feb 12, 2022 AceShowbiz - Morgan Wallen and Paige Lorenze are officially dating. The "Sand In My Boots" crooner and his girlfriend, who reportedly have been together "for almost a year," finally made their romance Instagram official. After the country star finished his show in New York City, Paige took to Instagram Story to give her man a shout-out. Alongside a photo of the two sharing a hug backstage, the model gushed, "i love you! and am so proud of you. @morganwallen." Morgan and Paige sparked romance rumors in January after they celebrated her 24th birthday together. At that time, the former contestant of "The Voice" shared on Instagram Story a picture of them cozying up to one another at "dinner w some of [his] fav folks," including his sister Ashlyne. Days later, the country star and the Connecticut beauty attended Ashlyne's "Denim and Diamonds"-themed birthday bashed at Cross-Eyed Critters karaoke bar in Nashville. In a picture shared by a friend on Instagram, the influencer was seen putting her hand on her rumored boyfriend's shoulder. Ashlyne, meanwhile, smiled next to them. Earlier this month, a source told Page Six that they have been seeing each other for nearly one year. "They've been together for almost a year now," the source told the outlet. "They agreed to keep their relationship out of the spotlight, but it's no secret among family and friends." Morgan was previously dating Katie Smith, with whom he shares 1-year-old son Indigo. The former couple became an item in December 2016 and got engaged in April 2017. In August 2018, they decided to call off their engagement before splitting for good in November 2019. As for Paige, she was in a romantic relationship with actor Armie Hammer for several months in 2020. In February 2021, however, she accused the "Call Me by Your Name" actor of performing a skin branding on her without consent. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close Soybean growers are optimistic about the future of biodiesel. A move toward cleaner energy sources bodes well for renewable sources, and soybeans are a vital component. Biodiesel goes in a lot of things, said Ed Lammers, who was the United Soybean Boards oil target coordinator in 2021. Anything we can do to lessen our demand from overseas oil production and convert it to biodiesel is good for the whole nation. Particularly promising is SAF, or sustainable aviation fuel. Even oil producer British Petroleum touts its benefits. SAF gives an impressive reduction of up to 80% in carbon emissions over the lifecycle of the fuel compared to traditional jet fuel it replaces, depending on the sustainable feedstock used, production method and supply chain to the airport, the company said on its website. Shell and other oil companies are also getting on the bandwagon. One barrier is cost, as SAF is more expensive than petroleum-based aviation fuel. The benefits to the environment and health are proven. Were finding out through studies that there is a large health benefit to using biodiesel, said Lammers, who farms near Hartington in northeast Nebraska. You can go to 50% blends and reduce carbon 60% to 70%. That has a huge health advantage. A 2021 study in which the National Biodiesel Board partnered with Trinity Consultants found that use of B100 could save lives and increase productivity. The study, which looked at 13 communities in the U.S., said cleaner fuels could dramatically reduce instances of cancer and asthma while also cutting down on sick days for employees. So-called renewable diesel may hold even more promise. It has the same chemical formulation as petroleum-based diesel, according to John Jansen, USBs vice president of strategic partnerships. Its a one-for-one replacement, Jansen said. Its a lot easier to track. You can make pretty dramatic improvements in greenhouse gas reduction. Renewable diesel cannot be used as aviation fuel, however. Another promising product is Pore-Shield, a soy-based concrete sealant that protects bridges, roadways and other surfaces from the effects of freezing rain and snow. The $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill signed into law by President Biden last year could be a boon for such soybean-based products. The infrastructure bill is quite broad, Lammers said. Anything we can do to lessen our demand from overseas oil production and convert it to biodiesel a more sustainable, environmentally friendly and renewable resource is good for the whole nation. Were hopeful theyll use this surface treatment that is a great replacement for petroleum-based products. Jansen also believes the push for soy-based products will drive the industry over the next several years. Theres no doubt that there is a desire by this administration to ramp up these renewables, he said. Youre mitigating 74% of greenhouse gas emissions for every gallon of petroleum you replace. Demand for biodiesel is driving expansion of processing. Nine new integrated crusher-refiners are under construction, which will add 15% to North American crush and refining by 2024, Jansen said. Were moving as fast as the infrastructure can support it, he said. Were running 93% of processors ability to produce soybean oil to meet renewable standards. Lammers agrees. Were going to have a few bottlenecks in the production, but were going to get there, he said. Analysts expect U.S. farmers to expand soybean acres by 5% at the expense of corn this year. Though much of that increase will likely come because of high fertilizer prices, new uses of beans are also driving increased supply. CropWatch Weekly Update Get the Iowa and Illinois CropWatchers report delivered to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. It may not come as a big surprise, but Scottsdale is home to more short-term rentals than th 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. In May 1939, as Adolf Hitler was issuing ultimatums to Poland, an article in a Paris newspaper asked the question. Mourir pour Danzig? Today, the bellicose language of Vladimir Putin and the Russian military activity close to Ukraine evokes a similar question. The Russian bear, symbolizing power and might and also ferocity, in reality is a clumsy and mysterious animal. Thirty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when it lost power, the bear ridden by the horseman Putin, aiming opportunistically if not clumsily, to be a world power is exhibiting mysteriously puzzling indecision about whether to order military aggression against Ukraine. Two questions can be raised: will Russia continue to intensify its military activity regarding Ukraine; and is the Western world sleepwalking about Russian threats of aggression concerning Ukraine? Russian acts of aggression have been displayed by cyberattacks on Estonian installations, an attempted coup in Montenegro, assassinations in Bulgaria, poisonings in England, control of Belarus, invasion of Crimea in 2014, and harassing of shipping off the coast of Ukraine and the Sea of Azov. Vladimir Putin has made no secrets of his general intentions, though they are sometimes couched in different forms, but evoking uncertainty and lack of clarity on specific actions towards Ukraine. In his essay of 2021, Historical Unity of Russia and Ukraine, Putin argued the people of Russia and Ukraine are one people, and have been separated by outside powers. He espouses historic Russian policy, the unity of Russian lands, the need to control Kiev, the fertile Pontic Steppe on northern shore of the Black Sea, and the deep-water port at Sevastopol. Above all, Putin aims at security in strategic depth at the expense of Western powers, and to restore the super-power status of Russia, a reassembling of the power of the Soviet Union. Putins polemic against the West is clear, if ill founded. NATO is to stop eastward expansion, and to stop its military activity in a number of arenas. He is conscious of the February 9, 1990 agreement between Secretary of State James Baker and Mikhail Gorbachev, that in return for the Soviets withdrawal from East Germany, the West would not expand NATO an inch to the east, beyond territory of East Germany. Since 1990, there have been three expansions of NATO. Putin claims that the West broke its promises not to expand. This helps explain Putins insistence to prevent Ukraine becoming a member of NATO, and call for NATO troops to be removed from Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Moscow has demanded that the U.S. and NATO should immediately stop hostile actions against it, but the reverse is true: hostile actions have come from Russia with 70,000 troops invading Georgia, which had 10,000 troops, in August 2008 and Ukraine in 2014. Russia occupied the regions of Abkhazia and south Ossetia in violation of the ceasefire agreement. Western policy towards Russian aggression has been divided and ineffectual, as in 2014 when the U.S. and NATO failed to act when Russia annexed Crimea. One immediate issue is the questionable role of Germany which is dependent on Russian gas and oil. It has been hesitant to play any strong role in international affairs, it has business links with Moscow, has not joined in shipping defensive weapons to Ukraine, and has refused to give a definite answer whether it would freeze the Nord Stream 2 pipeline if Russia invaded Ukraine. Today, the western world is trying to defuse the tensions and appealing to Russia to de-escalate and remove its forces, and threatening to target Russia by a broad package of economic sanctions and export controls. The Russian bear, in noncommittal fashion, has responded that NATO has failed to meet its demands and consequently refused to comment on any timetable or definite date for troop withdrawal. The U.S, after initial confusing remarks by President Joe Biden, has stated that Russian aggression against Ukraine will be met with very severe consequences. Biden has called for American citizens to leave Ukraine immediately while stating no U.S. troops would be sent to rescue them. The U.S. has put 8,500 troops on alert to bolster NATO defenses in eastern Europe. Other NATO countries are sending ships and fighter jets to the region, and providing financial help. Enter French President Emmanuel Macron, the ambitious would-be savior of Europe, promoting his self-image as a global statesman while seeking to overcome the humiliation of the AUKUS submarine deal. He has promoted himself to the European center stage, eager to take over the leading role in Europe of former German Chancellor Angela Markel, as he prepares for a reelection bid. Macrons approach to the crisis is different from that of the U.S. and other NATO countries. He holds that Russia is mainly interested in clarifying relations with NATO, its extension and the inclusion in it of countries from the former Soviet Union. The question is whether Macrons participation in discussions about Ukraine has helped a solution or merely indicated differences among Western countries. On January 1, 2022, France became president of the European Union, and Macron became head of the European Commission. In a speech on January 19, 2022, to the European Parliament, Macron declared that Europe must make its single, powerful voice heard on issues of strategic and conventional weapons, a Europe as a democratic, cultural. and educational power advocating peace and equilibrium. This entails frank, demanding dialogue with Russia. Macron who in 2019 had declared that NATO was brain dead now argues that the EU must play a larger role in defense of Europe, more independent from U.S. influence. Macron outlined his objectives; avoid war; defend Europe and its allies; protect important principles, respect of the sovereignty of all states; territorial integrity and values; and dialogue with Russia. The Ukraine crisis needs attention and time; I do not believe it can be resolved by a few hours of deliberation. The Macron approach means a leadership role for Europe, one not dependent on the U.S. But he is also a French nationalist. France, he held, is Europes leading power. This policy would use the so called Normandy format, high-level political discussions, which resulted from a meeting of representatives of four countries, France, Germany, Russia, Ukraine, during D-Day celebrations in Normandy in 2014, to resolve the war in Donbas and the annexation of Crimea. It led to the 2015 Minsk Protocol, which required Ukraine to grant autonomy to two Russian-backed separatist regions in east Ukraine, and achieved a cease fire in Donbas, but was never fully implemented. The new Normandy format would be a meeting of four powers to search for a solution; and to try to de-escalate the Russian military presence. In February 2022, Macron embarked on several days of intense international diplomacy. In a six-hour meeting with Vladimir Putin on in Moscow at which the two leaders sat at a 13-foot table, each at opposite ends, apparently because Macron refused to take a COVID test. Macron made proposals without consulting or informing his ministers. Macron presented ideas to Putin and claimed they had reached agreement that Putin would not take new military initiatives, agreed on proposals that would lead to de-escalation of tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and that Russia would withdraw troops from Belarus. However, these claims were denied and ridiculed by Moscow which asserted that Macron did not have enough influence or authority to negotiate any deal unilaterally. One Macron proposal is to de-escalate the crisis by Finlandizing Ukraine, a reference to the Finnish-Soviet treaty of April 1948 that meant Finlands neutrality in the Cold War, agreement not to join NATO, allowing the Soviet Union to influence Finnish internal and external policy, with Finland maintaining its own political and economic system. In the present situation, Finlandization would mean Ukraine would remain independent but would refrain from supporting opposition of others to Russia. After a Finlandization meeting on February 10, 2022 which failed to reach agreement, the efforts of Macron were praised by Russian negotiators. Not all the NATO nations would agree. Yet there is still time. No Russian invasion of Ukraine is likely before the end of the Olympics. Macron should stick to electioneering politics. Image: Jeso Carneiro Russian President Vladimir Putin is in a pickle. Having mobilized his forces, he has committed his prestige, and Russias, at the Ukrainian border. He can scarcely afford to pull back without a loss of face, certainly for himself, and possibly no less for Russia. Indeed, Russias self-conception may be on the line. On the other hand, invading Ukraine could become a disaster of epic proportions for Russia. There is much talk of the Russian armys capability, but the underlying realities are sobering. Russia has a small economy, smaller than even that of Canada or South Korea. At $1.5 trillion, Russias GDP is one-fourteenth the size of the US economy, and its population is only half of Americas. Add in all of NATO and the disparity is even starker. NATOs population is six times that of Russia, and its GDP is 25 times larger. The late senator John McCain was scarcely exaggerating when he called Russia a gas station masquerading as a country. Successfully invading Ukraine, therefore, requires either speed to conclusion or passivity from NATO and, most importantly, the United States. Like it or not, Russia cannot move without US acquiescence, not unless Putin is willing to risk unmitigated disaster. Moreover, the US and NATO do not have to win for Russia to lose. NATO can bankrupt Russia out of petty cash merely by keeping the Russians in the field. In such an event, gas and oil sales will prove problematic and, of course, Russia will be unable to borrow from international capital markets. Indeed, Russia will be entirely thrust upon the kindness of its neighbor, Chinas President Xi Jinping. Such support could prove punishingly expensive. Xi can scarcely imagine his own equal, and he is certain that Putin is not that. Moreover, Xi has demonstrated a taste for real estate acquisitions, including the South China Sea and Taiwan. But Taiwan is small potatoes compared to the vast Russian lands north of China. This includes a Russian coastline extending to the Arctic, one that would enable Chinas effective domination of Japan. Russia is playing the Big Fish but is as likely to end up on Xis dinner plate. The harsh reality is that no country in Europe covets Russian land but, sooner or later, Xis attention will turn to Russias vast and empty east. For Putin, this risks the worst of all worlds: A war in the west where Russia not only fails to secure Ukraine, but that also sees earlier gains in Crimea and Donbas reversed, along with the risk that NATO seizes Belarus, putting that country into the western camp. Russian weakness and dependence on Chinese support would make Moscow susceptible to Chinas demands for compensation in the east. It is a nightmare scenario, but a not inconceivable outcome of a prolonged conflict in Ukraine. Nevertheless, the status quo is also unsatisfactory. Russia has struggled to integrate occupied Crimea and the Donbas region into the Russian economy. Fighting continues sporadically in the Donbas area, and more importantly, Ukraine has cut off Crimeas water supply. Much of Crimean agriculture had been irrigated by a canal from the Dnipro River, which Ukraine cut off after Russia invaded the peninsula in 2014. Further, sanctions have depressed the Crimean tourist industry, a critical part of the economy there. Both Crimea and Donbas, therefore, appear to be continuing drains on the Russian treasury, although estimates differ. Some argue that the cost is negligible, but an annual burden of 2% of Russian GDP does not appear particularly implausible when subsidies, investments, and military costs are included. Consequently, Russia and Putin are facing the prospect of a lose-lose situation. If they fight and lose, Russia will suffer a historic setback. On the other hand, if Russia backs down, then its hold on Crimea may become increasingly precarious over time, particularly if Ukraine cozies up to the west. At best, the country would be stuck with a problematic status quo. At worst, Ukraine could leverage NATO support to put the squeeze on Moscow. Image: Vladimir Putin. YouTube screen grab. As a result, Putin finds himself in a situation in which he can neither advance nor retreat without cost, time may not be on his side, and the risks are hard to judge. For the moment, the Germans are dead at the switch, but what of the Biden administration? Washington has demonstrated weakness in foreign policy, notably by allowing the US to be ignominiously chased out of Afghanistan by a ragtag Taliban at a time when the US was neither taking casualties nor incurring extravagant costs. If the Biden administration exhibits such passivity in Ukraine and NATO sits on the sidelines, then Putin can take Ukraine and perhaps even Belarus and restore most of imperial Russia. But should Washington decide to intervene, the calculus is entirely different. Putin must weigh the risks. Biden should have been clear upfront: The US would not abide re-writing Europes borders in this fashion and would meet the Russians in the field. That might have prevented Putin from investing so much of his and Russias prestige into this perilous venture. However, it would not have addressed Russian concerns and, if the US is to veto Russian action, as the global hegemon, America is obligated to find some reasonable accommodation. It is important to emphasize that the US interest is not anti-Russian or pro-Ukrainian, or vice versa. Americas and NATOs interest is in stability, normalcy, and peace. The intent is not only to integrate Ukraine into Europe but also to integrate Russia as well, such that its people should enjoy a status similar to that of, say, Hungarians or Poles. Gradual, steady progress towards prosperity in both Russia and Ukraine is the western interest, just as it is the interest of the Russian and Ukrainian people. Still, Russias status can only be normalized pursuant to a settlement of the status of Ukraines currently occupied lands. Russia will not give these back. It is a matter of national pride. The occupied lands may yet be lost in war, but no Russian leadernot Putin nor his successorwould willing cede Donbas and Crimea. What then should be done? Fortunately, title to property may be settled by means other than force. It may be purchased. The status of the occupied territories could be resolved with appropriate payment. A reasonable price might be set at 1-2% of Russias GDP for a quarter-century; call it $0.5 - $1.0 trillion over twenty-five years. This would still be vastly cheaper than an unsuccessfulor even successfulwar in Ukraine and present far less risk. The move would pay for itself with lower costs associated with holding Crimea and through enhanced trade between Russia, Ukraine, and Europe. It would allow Putin to claim a victory for a show of force and see a path back to a normalization of Russias status in Europe. Ukrainians may not be elated, but the reality is this: If Putin does not start a war, there appears no feasible path for Ukraine to reconquer the occupied territories. Neither the US nor NATO will underwrite such a venture. Meanwhile, Russias control over these territories will tend to create a fait accompli over decades, if not years. At some point, European leaders will tire of the whole matter and concede Russian hegemony over contested territories. Therefore, unless one is wildly optimistic about prospects for the re-conquest of occupied territories, Ukraines interest is to put a dollar value on the land and take the money. Ukraines GDP totals $160 bn/year, a little more than 10% that of Russia. An annual payment of $25 billion from Russia would amount to 16% of Ukraines GDP, and resolving the conflict should boost GDP by as much again. Thus, ceding Crimea and other negotiated lands to Russia should boost Ukrainian GDP by perhaps one-third. This would not be a bad deal for Ukraine, all things considered. Further, for the next quarter-century, ceding occupied lands to Russia through an agreement could be leveraged both to protect Ukrainian sovereignty and Finlandize Ukraine, subject to acceptable behavior from Moscow. That would provide plenty of time for the various parties to become accustomed to the new status quo. For Russians, such a deal would mean tempering ambitions for reunifying Greater Russia, while Ukrainians would have to accept compensation for territorial losses. It would not be everything, but it is certainly far better than the potential disaster of a European war. American and NATO interests dictate that the dispute between Ukraine and Russia be settled on reasonable, financial terms rather than through force. Our diplomacy should be geared to support that outcome. As momentum from the Freedom Convoy in Canada mounts and works its way into the US, and similar convoys spring up in Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, people are collectively standing up to two years of COVID restrictions, lies, misery, and abuse at the hands of our government masters. And we owe it all to Canadas truckers. Oh, Canadas truckers! We love you! But its not just the truckers. Its their families traveling with them. Its the ordinary citizens bringing them fuel, hot drinks, and meals. Its the throngs of people braving the cold and raising maple leaf flags in solidarity. Its those sitting on the sidelines, cheering them onhoping they dont cave; praying they continue to resist. Its the non-MSM journalists actually interviewing truckers and hearing their well-articulated grievances for the first time and revealing that, it turns out, they arent the Nazis, terrorists, racists, white supremacists, small fringe minority, or Neanderthals the Trudeau-Biden elites would have you believe. The truckers make a clear case for freedom. They understand tyranny when they see it. As trucker after trucker emerges as Sikh, Jew, Black, Asian, Ukrainian, and regular white guy, they scoff at the simplistic and over-used, now ho-hum and fully anticipated, fabricated accusations that they are racist terrorists. Those who came to the West from far lands are afraid, however, that the misery and oppression they left behind in their home countries are coming to their adopted homelands. No hoods. No swastikas. No Confederate flags. Those are all just government-fed fictions. And whats the reaction of the officials both in Canada and the US? To pressure GoFundMe to cancel the $10 million raised for the Freedom Convoy; freeze out truckers and their children by having police remove their fuel cans in sub-freezing weather; arrest an old man for honking his horn; and starve out truckers and their families by threatening to arrest people who bring them food and drink. Meanwhile, the Biden administration and Pete Buttigieg plot to find alternate routes around bridges facing long delays because of the truck convoy and the state of Michigan brandishes the possibility of forcibly removing the big rigs and their supporters from the Ambassador Bridge. Oh, lets not forget the Department of Homeland Security promising to investigate as a domestic terrorist anyone who articulates viewpoints about COVID at variance with official government agitatsiyaattempting to thwart a US convoy before it even starts. You got that? Thats an unconstitutional prior restraint on expression if you ask me. Forget the politicians. Theyre worthless. But the police both in Canada and the US are going to have to decide if they want to support those fighting for the right to live free or be the jackboots and brown shirts of fascists past, robotically doing the bidding of their masters. This is no longer run-of-the-mill law enforcementto protect and serve, ensuring peace and safety of the citizenry. This is about our governments using a virus as an excuse to restrict our ability to work, live, travel, speak, pray, and parent; as a cudgel to exert power over our lives; and to spread disinformation to keep us living in fear and pitting us against one another. The police are being used to arrest and detain law-abiding, hard-working, tax-paying citizens whose views on COVID the authoritarians dont like, but who have been forced to the brink and have no choice but to take bold (but peaceful and lawful) action to regain their lives and liberties. Image: The Freedom Convoy. YouTube screen grab. So many have been champing at the bit waiting to do somethinganythingto stop the insanity. But too many have been intimidated by the Biden administrations persecution of the J6ers and ongoing threats from DHS that differing viewpoints about COVID or the 2020 election will be treated as mis-, dis-, and mal-information. This intimidation is intentional. But the truckers took the initiative and freed us from those fears. It had to be them. They were the ones destined to take action because not only did they work during the plandemic to keep us heated, fed, and medicated, but they also essentially control the supply chain. No truckers? The supply chain collapses. They are the only ones who could force the governments handjust as Americas parents were the only ones who could stop the CRT curriculum, LGBTQ grooming, and damaging COVID mandates in our schools. If the government arrests all the truckerswho will deliver our food? If the government allows the convoy, who will deliver our heating oil? If the government prevents them from assembling and protesting, the truckers have made it clear they will not resume driving and delivering. They will not yield until the mandates are history. Its their way or the highway. They are the purple squirrel s for this job. They swooped down out of nowhere to stand between us and the government. And so it is incumbent on all of us to support themwhether we make a donation at GiveSendGo, hang a Canadian flag from our front porch, get in the car and join the anticipated US convoy to DC, bring them food, or cheer them on from the roadside. This is how the plandemic ends. And if this persists for a few months, so be it. If we cant get all the supplies we need, well make the best of it. Dig into our doomsday closet supplies. Stock up while we still can. Make sure we have enough medication for a few months. In this Government vs. The People standoff, we will win. Elites have nothing but disdain for the very people they depend on to livepeople who work with their hands so the elites dont have to; who build their homes and buildings; manufacture just about everything they need; repair their electrical, plumbing, and heating systems; install their AC and repair their cars; care for their kids; deliver their food, fuel, building supplies, new ovens, whatever. Teachers, nurses, gas station attendants. The very people the left claims to care about are now domestic terrorists and racists. Well survive but the elites will fall apart. Weve lost so much: our loved ones, our health, our freedoms, our dreams, our jobs, our prosperity, and our humanity. Weve lost the very essence of what it is to be an American or a Canadian. This is our lets roll moment. The truckers gave us this moment. Lets not squander it because we are too busy or too scared. And we are legion. This movement is international and, unlike a worldwide Marxist movement, its a force for good. Truckers of the world, unite! Were all truckers now! As for the rest of you? Truck you, you mother truckers! In an ongoing embarrassment for Dartmouth College, the once-venerable institution has repeatedly demonstrated that it is unable or more likely, ideologically opposed to allow students the free speech that once breathed air on its "Live Free or Die" campus. The school's student Republican organization has found the Dartmouth doors increasingly closed to any effort to discuss the anti-American ideology with which Dartmouth has surreptitiously polluted every aspect of campus life and curricula. Thugs and criminals rule Dartmouth now, so the Dartmouth Republicans wisely arranged for their latest speaker nationally acclaimed author James Lindsay to speak off campus, where free speech is not (yet) verboten. Dartmouth bureaucrats claim they favor free speech, while they elevate the rights of permitless, foul-mouthed, speech-silencing protesters over those of a peaceful student organization with a permit. The nation first watched this disgrace when Madison Cawthorn spoke at Dartmouth, and hateful children screamed anti-police epithets to intimidate attendees. But at least that event went forward, under security reminiscent of inner-city or prison policing. The college feigns concern over security but has clearly demonstrated it has no concern about assaults on speech liberties. The Dartmouth Republicans tried yet again, with national speaker Andy Ngo. This time Dartmouth College canceled the event, claiming vague threats by far-left criminals who appear to have organized with campus Antifa (and perhaps college professors who hate America) to stifle opinions that expose the filth of their hateful cult. The college silenced Ngo just an hour prior to the event, claiming that students' free speech rights were protected because they were allowed to proceed remotely by Zoom. Dartmouth officials claim that this "separate but equal" discrimination was merited by the criminal threats: Dartmouth favors criminals over the tuition-paying students whose rights it throttles. This student organization has done a stellar job of recruiting fantastic, highly informed speakers to New England, yet they are shunned by a college too stilted by stupidity to remember what "institution of higher learning" even means. So after Andy Ngo was rudely treated and his event destroyed, these brave student thinkers arranged for James Lindsay to speak across the river from Dartmouth's campus, at a public restaurant in White River Junction, Vermont. There was no security presence at this event, let alone the scowling Dartmouth black-ops bulldogs who treated attendees like prison inmates at the Cawthorn event. Without power to conjure hidden menaces as grounds to shut down free thought, poor Dartmouth was compelled to permit free speech in its students! Doubtless the college is pleased with itself, having protected the ideologically indoctrinated campus majority from any facts or intellectual challenges to its racist, trans-stupid, imploding new religion. Dartmouth should change its name to Jonestown College and advertise the potent Kool-Aid it supplies for young liberals seeking priesthood. James Lindsay gave an impressive dissertation on the Marxist roots of every aspect of this new far-left hatred that seeks to eviscerate "rights," hates the working class, and is dominated by a professional class of academics who will rule over the new totalitarianism already displayed by Dartmouth in its recent actions. At least the progressive eugenicists halted their programs when the light of reason exposed their evils these people wear blinders and have closed their eyes to truth. James Lindsay has exposed the threat to America by this ideology in his book (with Helen Pluckrose), Cynical Theories: How Activist Scholarship Made Everything about Race, Gender, and Identity and Why This Harms Everybody, now followed by his new truth-telling effort, Race Marxism: The Truth about Critical Race Theory and Praxis. Mr. Lindsay explained that CRT is designed to cow white people and is built on racist anti-whiteness, and that it will not go away unless Americans who understand their culture and constitution rise up forcefully to resist at every level. He explained that this garbage "theory" is "as big as a lake but only an inch deep": it is easily dismantled with facts and logic. Dartmouth College and the fascists it favors desperately inflict those very privations of free speech rights the nation witnesses in all aspects of this partisan battle because its elitist ideology cannot survive intellectual scrutiny. Pretty ironic that Dartmouth is now the center of opposing intellectual pursuit. There was not a whiff of violence at the delightful Vermont Turkish restaurant where the Dartmouth Republicans relocated for James Lindsay's erudite presentation. In the future, all such events will likely be arranged off-campus, where Dartmouth has not yet contrived to cancel them. Also in the future, this vile ideology will either stand or fall: if it stands, Dartmouth will be a full-blown indoctrination center and will no longer have to deceive would-be students with pretenses of open thought. If it fails, as with the eugenics movement, the credibility of this institution will lie irrevocably shattered on the ground...as it should be. Image: MaxPixel, CC0 public domain. Last year, without even bothering to interview him, the Capitol Police instantly exonerated Lt. Michael Byrd, the man who shot an unarmed Ashli Babbitt in cold blood. Now we've learned that the Washington, D.C. police force's Bureau of Internal Affairs has exonerated a police officer who beat an unconscious woman to death. You know, as I do, that if the two dead women had been Black leftists, instead of White Trump supporters, the outcome of these two investigations would have been very different. American Thinker has already covered the travesty of Byrd's exoneration, so I won't return to that subject. This post concerns the death of Rosanne Boyland of Kennesaw, Georgia. As you may recall, when the media first reported on her death, they stated that she died of an amphetamine overdose, implying that she was a junkie. Meanwhile, D.C. refused to give her family the autopsy results. Even Vanity Fair, which did manage to get a copy of the autopsy results, eventually conceded that the finding was later clarified to say she died of an "accidental" Adderall overdose, again implying a drug problem. In fact, according to her father, Boyland has safely taken the prescription medicine for a decade. However, the autopsy seems to have left out something interesting: a Metro police officer brutally beat Boyland with both a steel baton and a large wooden stick: Witnesses to the scene say Boyland fell unconscious after being crushed under the weight of other protesters and for a time stopped breathing. Video footage reportedly taken after Boyland fell unconscious shows D.C. Metro Police Officer Lila Morris beating Boyland with a steel baton and what appeared to be a wooden walking stick. Morris can be seen on bodycam footage picking up either a walking stick or tree branch, raising the object over her head and striking Boyland several times in quick succession before being pulled back by other officers. Boyland's friend, Justin Winchell, who had traveled with her to the capital that day, cried out for police and protesters to help. "She's gonna die! She's gonna die!" Winchell pleaded. "I need somebody! She's dead!" Those are damning facts: a video shows a police officer beating an unconscious woman to death. Further evidence shows that law enforcement refused to provide aid until it was way too late. Image: Roseanne Boyland, murder victim. CBS46 video screen grab. This is a much more heinous case of police brutality than when George Floyd filled himself full of a variety of drugs, including sticking Fentanyl up his rectum, passed counterfeit money, and then fought with police. Moreover, had the crowd not prevented Derek Chauvin from properly arresting Floyd, it's likely that Floyd's overworked heart wouldn't have given out as he lay there on the sidewalk. (Considering his heart disease and the amount of illegal drugs in his system, Floyd would still have died, only later.) Still, Floyd was a cause celebre, with the media ramping up the hysteria. Meanwhile, Boyland was lied about with claims that she was a Trumpie junkie. With every passing day, it becomes more clear that the narrative about January 6 from the mainstream media and Democrat political class (but I repeat myself) is a lie. Neither Trump nor anyone else at his rally told people to attack Congress, false flag actors were on the ground directing people into the Capitol, those same actors removed signs and fencing that would have alerted people that they were trespassing on grounds that are usually open to the public, and the Capitol police opened the heavy magnetic doors from the inside. Once the January 6 events took place, the Biden administration was able to weaponize them to intimidate all Trump-supporters into lying low and abandoning all forms of protest lest they too end up imprisoned for a year without any hope of a speedy trial, and with punishments far in excess of those meted out to the violent BLM and Antifa rioters of 2020, who burned cities, looted, assaulted, and murdered people. The only thing we know with certainty about January 6 is that most of our elected officials are cowards, both physically and morally. That was probably a useful lesson to learn. We've also discovered that the D.C. police (whether Metro or Capitol) contain at least a few bad apples and that their hierarchies will give them a pass for murdering two people in cold blood. That's probably a useful lesson to learn, too. After Robert Francis O'Rourke challenged Ted Cruz, he became a media darling whom voters ignored. Still, despite losing to Cruz, O'Rourke was so buoyed up by press adoration that he parlayed that failed Senate run into a presidential run, which he also lost. Now, Robert Francis O'Rourke is back again, this time seeking to unseat Texas governor Gregg Abbott. O'Rourke, however, has learned something along the way, which is that you pay lip service to leaving Texans' guns alone. I must give O'Rourke credit for being the kind of guy who is undeterred by failure. And indeed, people like that often eventually succeed. For example, as Ulysses S. Grant's detractors liked to point out, until he became a successful Civil War general, Grant had a record of career failure. He just needed the right opportunity. Likewise, Scott Adams, the hugely successful Dilbert cartoonist, likes to boast about his failures on the way to success. O'Rourke, though, is no Grant or Adams. He's a man who couldn't accomplish anything in the private sector (although he cleverly married the daughter of a real estate tycoon), but who succeeded in a small way in Texas politics, first as a member of the El Paso City Council and then, for six years, as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Those are real, albeit small, victories, but the reality is that O'Rourke is an utterly undistinguished, hardcore, generic leftist. If there is a seed of greatness in him, it's completely dormant, smothered by O'Rourke's slavish fealty to the Democrat party. During the 2019 run-up to the Democrat primaries, O'Rourke did manage to stand out from the pack for a few brief moments. In one debate, he spoke in labored Spanish. But it was in another debate, when O'Rourke was asked about guns, that he truly gained recognition. When asked about gun control, O'Rourke forthrightly admitted that he wants to take away people's guns. After trying to distinguish between guns on the battlefield versus those on the streets (a pointless difference since the purpose of guns, when used defensively, is always to kill your enemy), he enthusiastically shouted, "Hell, yes! We're going to take your AR-15, your AK-47. We're not going to allow it to be used against our fellow Americans anymore." In any event, the AR-15 is not a dedicated battlefield weapon. It is a standard rifle that is designed so that it can easily accommodate useful attachments. It also has almost no kick. There's a reason it's one of the most popular civilian weapons in America: it's fun to use for sport (whether hunting paper targets or live game) and reliable when your life or someone else's life is on the line. In the latter case, you want that gun to destroy the person attacking you. If you cannot neutralize the threat, you are still at risk. Democrat voters were not impressed by O'Rourke, and he dropped out of the primaries fairly quickly. (He didn't even last as long as Kamala Harris.) Whether it was that "hell, yes" moment or his general weeniness that ended his campaign is open to debate. Certainly, that "hell, yes" moment is memorable. But what is a man supposed to do when he throws his hat in the ring to be governor of Texas? Texans, after all, take their Second Amendment rights very, very seriously. If you're O'Rourke, without offering any explanation for your change of heart, you suddenly announce that you strongly support the Second Amendment and wouldn't dream of taking away people's guns. Image: Robert Francis O'Rourke. YouTube screen grab. Thus, on Friday, when a reporter asked him about his plan to seize AR-15s, O'Rourke shut down that line of questioning as if he'd never said "hell, yes" before: "I'm not interested in taking anything from anyone," O'Rourke said to reporters in Tyler, Texas. "What I want to make sure that we do is defend the Second Amendment. I want to make sure that we protect our fellow Texans far better than we're doing right now." Of course, O'Rourke doesn't really mean what he just said. Two weeks ago, he posted a video making the same point he made during the 2019 debate: anything that could be used as a battlefield weapon has no place in O'Rourke's Texas. O'Rourke did concede, however, that there wasn't a snowball's chance in Hell of him putting his seizure plan in effect. Therefore, he hopes to come up with other, more creative ways of limiting gun ownership. Essentially, he said, I can't take your guns, but I don't want you to have them...and I'm working on that problem. What O'Rourke refuses to understand is that all guns can be used on the battlefield. I knew a veteran of the Battle of Midway who was the gunner on one of the planes on that day. When his machine gun jammed, he leaned out the window and started firing at the Japanese with his sidearm. If you believe in the Second Amendment, both in terms of your inherent right to self-defense and in terms of your part in an American militia ready to defend against all enemies foreign and domestic (all adult males are automatically militia members), you don't want Robert Francis O'Rourke as your Texas governor. Spotify and Joe Rogan decided to remove dozens of the podcast giant's episodes over the past few days. It wasn't Rogan's open-minded discussions of all things COVID and vaccines that finally got the digital axe out, though that is relevant. It was a bunch of old episodes in which he quoted other people using the n-word. Read that last sentence again. Joe Rogan is no racist. He is a comedian who converses with and quotes numerous people from all backgrounds and beliefs. He used the n-word within quotes of other people using it. Now, should he have known better? Perhaps. Leftists have been trying and sometimes succeeding to get the masterpiece American novel, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, removed from schools for decades because that book uses the n-word several times. The censor scolds do not care that Mark Twain's book is still one of the greatest works of fiction ever written in any language. They don't care that it transcends time and space to tell a classic story of American adventure and racial tolerance while militating against evils such as slavery. They don't care that Mark Twain was not a racist he was friends with Abraham Lincoln, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and Ulysses S. Grant, and he admired Frederick Douglass. None of that matters. It contains a word that clangs against modern ears. And it represents American greatness. So it's gotta go. Joe Rogan is no Mark Twain. Neither is Quentin Tarantino. He used the n-word in his cinematic masterpiece, Pulp Fiction, multiple times. And by used, I mean he wrote the script and wrote his own character saying it, and then actually said it on camera. Why isn't anyone trying to cancel him? Well, Spike Lee tried, but Samuel L. Jackson came to Tarantino's defense. That is the most important question anyone can ask in this moment of social media witch hunts and censorship. Why have the digital torches and pitchforks come out for Rogan but not Tarantino (or any other artist, or even Joe Biden himself, who is guilty of exactly the same sin)? The ruthless pursuit of Joe Rogan looks organic because that's how it's supposed to look. But it's orchestrated. It's calculated. It's a coordinated surgical political strike against a man who speaks his mind and threatens the left's orthodoxy, despite the fact that he's vaccinated and has even mocked the unvaccinated. Think back to January. The push to censor Rogan was coming from social media, mostly from a group called MeidasTouch and its partner PatriotTakes. Rolling Stone once tried to look under the MeidasTouch hood but found its finances "impossible" to figure out. So much for transparency. They're a social media agitator and a Democrat super-PAC that generates many of the cancel crusades we've suffered over the past couple of years. They can receive and expend unlimited amounts of money doing whatever they want to whomever they want, and they explicitly took on Joe Rogan. Why? Well, first, he denounced California, which is owned by progressive Democrats and the lavishly funded teachers' unions, for stifling freedom. Then he spoke with his feet and his massive wallet and moved himself and his huge show out of California and into Texas, the giant red state that still represents freedom. Then and this may be his first unforgivable sin he maintained an audience that dwarfs anything CNN and MSNBC can put together, combined. He is an existential threat to the party line they parrot, which comes straight from the DNC. CNN's new boss admitted that last week, after Jeff Zucker resigned in disgrace. Rogan's next unforgivable sin was to interview experts who question the Biden party line on COVID, which is Rogan's God-given right to do. The experts from Fauci on down have been proven wrong time and time again. They're not infallible. No one elected them. The campaign to cancel Rogan hit high gear when the Biden White House explicitly weighed in and said "more can be done." That came from Biden spokesweasel Jen Psaki, standing at the podium in the White House press room, using the American bully pulpit to assault the constitutional rights of a law-abiding American. Joe Biden can't control the border, can't get a handle on the anti-cop socialist Squad or the radical criminal-coddling district attorneys in his own party, and threw Afghanistan and one of America's most capable airbases to a bunch of terrorists, but through his flak he deliberately unleashed the digital hounds on Joe Rogan, an American just doing that most American of things exercising his First Amendment rights and his freedom of movement and his freedom of association. If only the Biden White House would treat the Taliban the way they treat Joe Rogan. They're un-American. But it's where we are in 2022, thanks largely to fools who thought Joe Biden would somehow restore normalcy. He hasn't. He won't. He never intended to. He's a puppet owned and operated by far-left radicals. Now we're stuck in a horror movie, where the calls to kill our American freedoms are coming from deep inside America's house. After Psaki's call to do more, more was done. Neil Young and other has-beens leaving Spotify never made a scratch, but some paid intern going through hours of Rogan's old shows and snipping and clipping the naughtiest bits to push out on social media made serious dents. Dozens of those episodes are gone now. The podcast giant is staggered. Spotify says it'll stand by Rogan. Maybe it will, but I doubt the White House wants Rogan's crucifixion to end here. A.J. Rice is author of the book The Woking Dead: How Society's Vogue Virus Destroys Our Culture. He serves as CEO of Publius PR, a premier communications firm in Washington, D.C. Image: Screen shot from Fox News video via YouTube. Tucker Carlson (see below) had a somewhat ebullient segment about the fact that the Canadian truckers represent the rise of the ordinary people, while the response from Canada's leadership class bespeaks fear and helplessness. I'm sorry to say I believe that Tucker is wrong and that things are getting very dangerous for the truckers. They still have options, but, whenever you have to depend on the goodwill of a tyrant, his police state, and his military, things aren't going well. That's especially true of Canada because, on May 1, 2020, Canadians gave up their guns. In some ways, the Canadian truckers have had a huge success. They've galvanized freedom-seekers across the Western world with their peaceful convoy and eventual descent on Ottawa, all with the single aim of ending Canada's exceptionally onerous COVID restrictions. As we now know, because all the conventional wisdom about COVID and vaccines was wrong, every restriction is pointless. They currently serve no other purpose than to maintain the world governments' unlimited power over the people. Within Canada, people have supported the truckers in huge numbers, and Justin Trudeau, who may well have a genetic legacy of despotism, ran away. For two weeks, the truckers controlled the news, even as the Canadian and American media squawked about the horrors of allegedly "racist" truckers peacefully protesting mandates that were destroying their livelihoods. Everything the media said was a lie. Through it all, Trudeau refused even to meet with the truckers or to discuss terms say, a definite end date to all the mandates. Instead, he simply defamed them. Now, aided by Ontario premier Doug Ford, Trudeau is escalating the war against the truckers, especially because they've blocked an essential bridge between Canada and America. (Michigan's governor, Gretchen Whitmer, who cheerfully set about destroying the state's economy by shutting down everything in 2020, is seen, without irony, telling a CNN host that the truckers on the bridge must be stopped, with force if necessary, because they dared to shut things down.) Image: Justin Trudeau, North American tyrant (edited). YouTube screen grab. In Ontario (home to Ottawa), Premier Doug Ford has announced that truckers face $100,000 in fines, a year in prison, the seizure of their trucks, and the loss of their licenses if they don't go away. Meanwhile, Trudeau says that if the protesters don't leave the bridge, in addition to being subject to all those fines, calling out the army is a possibility. In this, he has support from Biden (another wannabe COVID tyrant, restrained only by our constitutional system): 'President Biden and I both agreed that for the security of people and the economy, these blockades cannot continue,' Trudeau said at a press briefing on Friday. 'Make no mistake, the border cannot and will not remain closed. 'Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end, and it will end.' "Everything is on the table" means the possibility of military force of arms to compel the truckers to move their trucks. At this point, the truckers can stay and face the risks, which would be courageous and possibly inspiring. What they really are depending on is that the troops won't turn on them. However, as we've seen in Australia, Austria, Canada, and various jurisdictions across America, police do not side with the people; they side with the ones who write (as opposed to funding) their paychecks and manage their pensions. The same may be true for the military. Hoping for a better outcome than what happened at Tiananmen may be unduly optimistic. The best option for the truckers may be to go home and simply park their trucks. They've gotten their government's and the world's attention. Provided that American and Mexican truckers don't turn into scabs (and they'd have to be vaccinated scabs), now may be the time to show the elites that, without the truckers, the country is helpless. The one thing that's certain is that the government isn't really scared of its citizens. On May 1, 2020, just when Trudeau was busy acquiring the tyrannical powers he's now exercising, the government banned all semi-automatic guns. While I am not advocating for, and do not ever intend to advocate for, armed resistance or a hot civil war, there is a virtue to a government that knows that its citizens are not sitting (and disarmed) ducks. There's a reason that every 20th-century dictator, as his first act, disarmed all but proven loyalists. As John Basil Barnhill said in 1914, "Where the people fear the government, you have tyranny. Where the government fears the people, you have liberty." PLEASE NOTE: ALL ONLINE PURCHASES ARE AUTOMATIC RENEWALS UNLESS YOU EMAIL JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM OR CONTACT CUSTOMER SERVICE @ 256-235-9253.... Purchase an online subscription to our website for $7.99 a month with automatic renewal. Each online subscription gives you full access to all of our newspaper websites and mobile applications. To cancel you may contact Customer Service @ 256-235-9253 or email JPAYNE@ANNISTONSTAR.COM *NEW SUBSCRIBERS ONLY join with a NEW ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION is just $59.99 for the first year. Existing customers do not qualify for the specials! AMEX is not accepted through this site. After the first year, well automatically renew your subscription to continue your access at the regular price of $69.99 per year. Please note *Your Subscription will Automatically Renew unless you contact Customer Service To Cancel* (ANSA) - ROME, FEB 11 - A Stidda (Star) Sicilian mafia boss who is one of Italy's 20 most dangerous fugitives returned to Italy from Spain Friday after a court there authorised the execution of a European arrest warrant against him Thursday. Gioacchino Gammino, 61, had been on the run since a jail break in Italy 20 years ago. The arrest warrant was issued by an Agrigento court in May 2014. The Italian justice minister thanked Spanish authorities for their cooperation in dealing quickly with the case of Gammino, who was detained at Galapagar on the outskirts of Madrid on December 17. For years he had been posing as a respectable businessman and restaurateur there. The Stidda is a Mafia-type criminal organization centered in the central-southern part of Sicily. Members are known as stiddari or stiddaroli. It is most active in the rural parts of southern Sicily and is partially a rival to Cosa Nostra. Some members have a star tattooed on their bodies. The celebrated late anti-mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone investigated Gammino over 20 years ago, before he was slain by Cosa Nostra in 1992. (ANSA). Videos Sorry, there are no recent results for popular videos. Boris Johnson will be invited to address the Scottish Conservative conference in March, the party has said. It comes after the Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross last month called on the Prime Minister to resign over the so-called partygate investigation into potential lockdown breaches in Downing Street. The Scottish Conservatives are holding their conference in Aberdeen on March 18 and 19, at the same time as the UK spring conference in Blackpool, meaning Mr Johnson may address the Scottish gathering virtually. A Scottish Conservatives spokesman said: The Prime Minister will be invited to address party conference, just as has been the case in any other year. Douglas Ross called on the Prime Minister to step down (Andy Buchanan/PA) Mr Ross was among the Tory MPs who wrote to the 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady seeking to trigger a no confidence vote. The move prompted Jacob Rees-Mogg, then the leader of the House, to called the head of the Scottish Conservatives a lightweight However, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said Mr Ross had his full backing. Speaking in the House of Commons last week, Mr Jack said: Douglas Ross absolutely is the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, he is put there by the membership because were a constitutionally devolved organisation, hes doing a very good job, he holds Nicola Sturgeon to account and he has my full backing. SNP MP Pete Wishart described the announcement as a humiliating climbdown for Douglas Ross which demonstrates that the Scottish Tory party is nothing more than a branch office under the control of Tory HQ in Westminster. Such an embarrassing U-turn leaves Mr Ross with egg all over his face and will do little to counter claims by senior Tories that he is a lightweight whose authority is crumbling, said Mr Wishart. It simply isnt credible for the Scottish Tories to demand Boris Johnsons resignation one week, then invite him to give a keynote speech the next. This will only add to speculation that the Scottish Tory Leader is on his way out the door. They cant both credibly remain in post. On Friday, Downing Street confirmed that Mr Johnson had received a legal questionnaire from Met officers investigating events in No 10. He now has seven days to adequately explain his attendance or face a fine for breaking his own Covid regulations. The father of a man who shot and killed five people in Plymouth last year said he is sorry and ashamed over his sons actions. Jake Davison, 22, murdered his mother at her home and then fatally shot another four people, including a three-year-old girl, during a 12-minute rampage in Keyham on August 12. Davison, who had suffered mental health problems and could have been influenced by incel culture, had a firearms licence and legally held a pump-action shotgun. The killing spree happened only weeks after Davisons gun and licence were returned to him by Devon and Cornwall Police. His father, Mark Davison, said he called the force in 2017 to air his concerns about his sons mental health and told them he did not think his son should be allowed a shotgun. Speaking for the first time in an interview with the BBC six months after the killings, Mr Davison said: If I could say sorry any better than I can, if I could change it, I really would. I am sorry and I am ashamed. Its just a horrendous thing thats happened like, it really is. Its horrible. These are real people, people that as far as Im aware Jake didnt even know. And I dont know what was going on in his mind. Jake Davison killed his mother and four other people (PA) And it must be terrible for the victims families. It must be horrendous. He added: That three-year-old little girl, and the other victims people just going about their lives, going to the park or going to the shop, taking the dog or whatever they were doing. Maxine Davison, 51, Lee Martyn, 43 and his daughter Sophie Martyn, 3, Stephen Washington, 59, and 66-year-old Katherine Shepherd, were killed within minutes of each other. Apprentice crane operator Davison then turned the pump-action shotgun on himself before armed officers reached him. Since the tragedy, the Home Office has ordered police to check a persons medical history before issuing a gun licence. Davisons shotgun had been seized in 2020 after he assaulted two teenagers in a park. The Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) is still investigating how the force approved Davisons application and then later gave him back the licence and weapon. Tributes left in Keyham for the five victims (Ben Birchall/PA) The National Police Chiefs Council is also leading an inquiry into Devon and Cornwalls firearms policies and procedures. He should never have had a gun in the first place, Mr Davison said. Jake was in his own world. He struggled to show emotion and that rung alarm bells for me. I phoned them (the police) up and told them these things. I said I dont want him to have a shotgun. Why did he even need one in the first place? He lived in the city if he was a farmer or whatever it was then yes maybe then, but he shouldnt have had the gun in the first place. Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said firearms laws needed top to bottom reform as the system is broken. Mr Pollard is now working with some of the victims families on a campaign to tighten gun laws in the UK to ensure that what happened in Keyham cant happen anywhere else. The MP also called for a crackdown on websites hosting incel material, related to an online subculture involving men who express hostility and extreme resentment towards those who are sexually active, particularly women. Fully vaccinated British travellers heading to France no longer have to take a coronavirus test before departure, with travel rules easing just in time for the half-term holidays. Guillaume Bazard, Frances consul-general in London, announced the change on Twitter: As of February 12, tests will no longer be necessary for travellers with a complete course of vaccination heading from (the UK) to (France). France considers anyone who has received their most recent dose within the past nine months as fully vaccinated. #France Updated information on the removal of the requirement for fully vaccinated travellers from the UK to provide a negative PCR or antigen test result before travel to France https://t.co/mnQNC4xGY9 pic.twitter.com/rSxSxkPfm5 FCDO Travel Advice (@FCDOtravelGovUK) February 12, 2022 Unvaccinated Britons still need to have a compelling reason to travel to France, as well as a negative Covid test carried out less than 48 hours before departure. Children under 12 are exempt from the requirements. The move comes after the UK significantly eased its rules for arriving travellers from 4am on Friday. People who are fully vaccinated no longer need to take a post-arrival lateral flow test, while unvaccinated arrivals must still take tests but no longer need to self-isolate. That means no tests are needed in either direction for jabbed holidaymakers. Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are embarking on foreign trips during half-term, with French ski resorts in demand. Cross-Channel train operator Eurostar said more than 125,000 people were booked to travel between the UK and the Continent during the school holiday. Frances move came after Spain announced it will drop its entry requirement for passengers aged 12 to 17 from non-EU countries, such as the UK, to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus. The Spanish change comes into force on Monday. Boris Johnson was facing a possible fine for breaching coronavirus laws after police formally demanded answers from the Prime Minister over partygate allegations. Downing Street confirmed on Friday night that Mr Johnson had received a legal questionnaire from Metropolitan Police officers investigating events in No 10. The Prime Minister now has seven days to adequately explain his attendance or face a fine for breaking his own Covid regulations, which would deepen this crisis surrounding his leadership. Scotland Yard says the questionnaires ask for an account and explanation of the recipients participation in an event and have formal legal status and must be answered truthfully. A No 10 spokeswoman said: We can confirm the Prime Minister has received a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police. He will respond as required. Mr Johnson has denied any wrongdoing, but he is alleged to have been at up to six of the 12 events being investigated as part of Operation Hillman. Downing Street would not say whether the letter was questioning the Prime Minister over one or more events. Among them, Mr Johnson has admitted attending a bring your own booze party in the No 10 garden in May 2020 during the first lockdown, but insisted he believed it would be a work event. He also allegedly attended a gathering organised by his wife Carrie Johnson in the official Downing Street residence, during which Abba songs were reportedly heard on the November 2020 night of Dominic Cummings departure as chief adviser. great work tory mps leaving this crippled joke of a pm spending next 7 days bunkered down with lawyers trying to remember all his different lies while another major global crisis unfolds Dominic Cummings (@Dominic2306) February 11, 2022 Mr Cummings tweeted: great work tory mps leaving this crippled joke of a pm spending next 7 days bunkered down with lawyers trying to remember all his different lies while another major global crisis unfolds. More than 50 individuals across Downing Street and wider Government are expected to receive questionnaires. Outgoing Met Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick this week suggested some of those being contacted by officers will end up with fines. Clearly, some, but probably not all, of those people may very well end up with a ticket, she told BBC Radio London. The development further imperils the embattled Prime Minister. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his wife Carrie (Peter Nicholls/PA) Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has said it would be very tough for Mr Johnson to cling on to power if he is fined. It will be difficult, he knows that, the senior MP said in an interview with the i newspaper. Sir Iain added: If youve set the laws, and you break them and the police decide you have broken them and then theres the unredacted (Sue Gray) report the two things will come together. Fifteen Tory MPs have publicly called for Mr Johnson to go, while more are thought to have privately written to the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories calling for a no confidence vote. More still are poised to do so if the Prime Minister is found to have broken his own coronavirus laws, or further damaging details emerge from the Sue Gray inquiry. He will face a vote of no confidence if 54 Conservatives write to 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady, and would be ousted if more than half of his MPs subsequently voted against Mr Johnson. Tobias Ellwood, one of the Conservative MPs to have written a letter, told BBC Newsnight: We need to get this resolved. The nation is looking at this. Theres a massive level of trust to be regained. We need to move forward, this is a mess. The questionnaire was also dispatched during a difficult time for the Met, with Dame Cressida having been pressured into announcing her resignation after a series of scandals. Her replacement will be chosen by Home Secretary Priti Patel, though London Mayor Sadiq Khans views should also be consulted. Jon Richardson has paid tribute to the effortlessly hilarious Sean Lock after one of the late comedians last appearances on 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown aired on Channel 4. The comedian, who starred alongside Lock on the show, said he noticed how upset he had been during the episode but that his fellow team captain had remained a true comic to the end. Fridays episode of the comedy panel show was dedicated to Lock, who died of cancer at the age of 58 in August of last year. Watching Sean's last ep of Countdown I can see how upset I was knowing he was ill and how much that affected my performance, while Sean himself continued to be effortlessly hilarious. A true comic to the end. That's why he's trending on twitter and why he's so missed. Jon Richardson (@RonJichardson) February 11, 2022 Watching Seans last ep of Countdown I can see how upset I was knowing he was ill and how much that affected my performance, while Sean himself continued to be effortlessly hilarious, Richardson wrote. A true comic to the end. Thats why hes trending on Twitter and why hes so missed. Panellist Rosie Jones, who also featured in the episode along with Harry Hill and Nick Mohammed, said watching it air was bittersweet. Ah. This is bittersweet. Im on #CatsDoesCountdown tonight and its Seans last appearance on the show https://t.co/VhS4Ii2z7N Rosie Jones (@josierones) February 11, 2022 Ahead of the show she said: Ah. This is bittersweet. Im on #CatsDoesCountdown tonight and its Seans last appearance on the show. Lock, known for his surreal content and deadpan style, received a mountain of tributes from other comedy greats such as Lee Mack, Bill Bailey and Eddie Izzard following his death. People are being treated by paramedics after a mezzanine floor collapsed at a London bar and restaurant. The incident happened on Saturday evening at Two More Years in Roach Road, Hackney Wick, east London. Emergency services are dealing with the incident. London Ambulance Service (LAS) said it sent a number of resources to Roach Road and crews are treating patients at the scene. The Metropolitan Police said they were called by the LAS at 4.47pm to reports of a partial building collapse at a pub. We were called at 4:44pm to Roach Road, #HackneyWick, to reports that part of a building had collapsed. We have sent a number of resources to the scene. Crews are treating patients at the scene and are working closely with emergency services colleagues. More info to follow https://t.co/8VVez6H1qr London Ambulance Service (@Ldn_Ambulance) February 12, 2022 A man who was in the venue at the time told the PA news agency: There was just this sort of cracking sort of noise and dust started coming down. Me and my friend just ran to the side and the whole thing just came down in a matter of seconds. The man said it was lucky that there were not more people sitting directly under the mezzanine floor that came down. He saw one person being brought out on a stretcher and put into an ambulance, but he said most of the injured appeared to have cuts and bruises rather than anything serious. An LAS spokesperson said: We were called at 4.44pm today to Roach Road, Hackney Wick, to reports that part of a building had collapsed. We have sent a number of resources to the scene. Crews are treating patients at the scene and are working closely with emergency services colleagues. More information to follow. A police cordon has since been lifted. The Department of Foreign Affairs has said it is monitoring the situation in Ukraine, after a number of countries warned their citizens to leave the country amid ongoing tensions at the Russian border. The UK Foreign Office updated its advice on Friday evening to urge UK nationals to leave now while commercial means are still available. It came after UK prime minister Boris Johnson voiced fears for the security of Europe during a call with Western leaders including US President Joe Biden. On Friday evening, a statement issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland said that ongoing contact is taking place with EU partners, as well as the UK and the US, regarding the political and security situation in Ukraine. Our Embassy in Kyiv is in constant coordination with partners on the ground in respect of consular and security contingency planning and that coordination will continue through the weekend. The Embassy is following the security situation very closely, along with likeminded partners. Please continue to monitor our travel advice: https://t.co/TSQqTRgsYb. If you are an Irish citizen in Ukraine, please register with us here: https://t.co/uPxlXfArTD Irish Embassy Ukraine (@IrlEmbUkraine) February 11, 2022 We are aware of the decision today by the US and UK to change their travel advice to their citizens currently in Ukraine and to advise them to leave, the statement said. Currently, Ireland is advising against non-essential travel to Ukraine. Foreign Affairs officials have also asked all Irish citizens in Ukraine to ensure that they are registered with the Irish embassy in Kyiv. Travel advice will be kept under constant review, in consultation with EU partners, the statement read. A small number of Embassies in Kyiv, including the UK, US, Canada, have drawn down non-essential personnel and family members of diplomatic staff only. Essential diplomatic and consular staff remain. There are no plans to withdraw staff from the Embassy of Ireland in Kyiv at this time. The Department is in ongoing direct contact with Irish families scheduled to travel to Ukraine for surrogacy purposes and will continue to provide advice and assistance. We continue to call on Russia to de-escalate, abide by international law and engage constructively in dialogue. Recent high-level discussions are welcome. These now need to translate into immediate, tangible actions and a commitment to dialogue. Mr Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan earlier said an attack before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 was a credible prospect, assigning it a very, very distinct possibility. He said new Russian forces were arriving at the border and are in a position to mount a major military operation in Ukraine any day now, which could include a rapid assault on the city of Kyiv or on other parts of the country. Speaking from the White House, Mr Sullivan said Russia could choose in very short order to commence a major military action against Ukraine, but stressed the US does not know whether Mr Putin has made a final decision. Mr Sullivan said the threat is now immediate enough to urge Americans to leave Ukraine as soon as possible and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours. Boris Johnson should recuse himself from involvement in picking the next Met chief while under investigation for possible Covid-19 rule breaches, a former force leader has said. Lord Blair, a former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, described the decision about Dame Cressida Dicks successor as an enormously important choice. Dame Cressida dramatically announced she was standing down as Commissioner on Thursday evening after London Mayor Sadiq Khan made clear he had no confidence in her plans to reform the service. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Met Police Commissioner Cressida Dick (Aaron Chown/PA) Lord Blair told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Thats a very difficult issue and I do accept that. I think Boris Johnson should recuse himself from being involved. But its an enormously important choice and presumably it will take some time to get to being to who the commissioner is, and by that stage presumably he will have filled in his questionnaire and the matter will be over. Downing Street confirmed on Friday night that Mr Johnson had received a legal questionnaire from Met officers investigating events in No 10. He now has seven days to adequately explain his attendance or face a fine for breaking his own Covid regulations. Meanwhile, Home Secretary Priti Patel has warned that the new Met chief must be prepared to tackle the policing culture which has left the countrys biggest force reeling from a series of scandals. Dame Cressida Dick arriving at New Scotland Yard on Friday (Dominic Lipinski/PA) Ms Patel, who must now oversee the appointment of a new Commissioner, said it would require strong and decisive leadership to rebuild public confidence in the forces integrity and professionalism. Dame Cressidas departure follows a barrage of criticism of the force including over its handling of the case of Sarah Everard who was murdered by a serving Met officer. The force has also been criticised for being slow to investigate reports of parties in Downing Street and Whitehall in breach of Covid restrictions. The final straw, however, was a report by the police watchdog which exposed violently racist, misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers based at Charing Cross police station. There were nevertheless signs of tension between Ms Patel and Mr Khan over the manner of Dame Cressidas departure, just months after the Home Secretary agreed a two-year extension to her contract. Home Office sources said Ms Patel was angered by Mr Khans failure to inform her that he had called Dame Cressida to a meeting on Thursday afternoon, which she considered rude and unprofessional. Dame Cressida, however, chose not attend after reportedly being informed that Mr Khan had no confidence in her plans for reform. Sources close to the mayor said that it had been a regular bilateral meeting and that it was up to Dame Cressida to inform Ms Patel of her decision herself. US President Joe Biden warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would cause widespread human suffering, as Britons urged to flee the region began arriving back in the UK. The White House account of the crisis call on Saturday said Mr Biden warned an attack would diminish Russias standing as the West pinned hopes on diplomacy to avert war. They were said to have spoken for around an hour after French President Emmanuel Macron also shared a call with Mr Putin, with fears of an imminent attack heightening. UK nationals in Ukraine are being urged by the Foreign Office to leave now while commercial means are still available. Armed Forces minister James Heappey warned Russia is in a position to be able to attack very, very quickly, with an estimated 130,000 troops on Ukraines border. But unlike when the Taliban seized Kabul, Mr Heappey stressed that the RAF would not be carrying out evacuations in the event of war in Ukraine. The White House said: President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia. President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russias standing. President Biden spoke with President Vladimir Putin today to make clear that if Russia further invades Ukraine, the U.S. and our allies will impose swift and severe costs on Russia. President Biden urged President Putin to engage in de-escalation and diplomacy instead. pic.twitter.com/HqK0b65kFm The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 12, 2022 Mr Biden told the Russian leader that the US and allies are prepared to engage in diplomacy but are equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House said. It was understood that Boris Johnson, who spoke to the Russian president earlier this month, does not have any calls with Moscow scheduled. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said it is highly likely that Russia will invade as he seemingly likened the last-minute flurry of diplomatic efforts to appeasement. It may be that he (Putin) just switches off his tanks and we all go home, but there is a whiff of Munich in the air from some in the West, he said in an interview with the Sunday Times. The US has received intelligence that Russia is considering Wednesday as a target date to strike, but it was unclear how definitive the intelligence was. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said: The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said she discussed her acute concerns that Russia may launch further military aggression against Ukraine in coming days during a call on Saturday with US secretary of state Antony Blinken. We agree Russia will face massive consequences for any invasion, including severe sanctions, she said. Spoke to @SecBlinken today about acute concerns that Russia may launch further military aggression against Ukraine in coming days. We agree Russia will face massive consequences for any invasion, including severe sanctions. Russia must deescalate and engage with @NATO proposals Liz Truss (@trussliz) February 12, 2022 After UK nationals in Ukraine, thought to number in the low thousands, were ordered to leave on Friday night, passengers arrived on a flight to Gatwick Airport from Kyiv on Saturday afternoon. Among them was 21-year-old Haider Ali from Birmingham, who said the warning had caused quite a panic with his fellow students at the Dnipro Medical Institute. The Foreign Offices order to leave was issued as intelligence and advice from experts on the ground suggested an increased threat level, with an invasion at some point deemed highly likely, the PA news agency understood. Mr Heappey told BBC Breakfast: We are now confident that the artillery systems, the missile systems and the combat air are all in place that would allow Russia to launch at no notice an attack on Ukraine. And on that basis I think it is our responsibility to share with UK citizens our view that they should leave the country immediately while commercial means are still available. There will be a big difference between what they may have seen on their TV screens in Afghanistan over the summer and what may happen over the next week or so and that is that the Royal Air Force will not be in a position to go in and to fly people out so they need to leave now by commercial means or drive out of Ukraine into a neighbouring country. I am staying in Kyiv and continue to work there with a core team. The embassy remains operational. https://t.co/WWvIz4uIT4 Melinda Simmons (@MelSimmonsFCDO) February 12, 2022 British ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons was remaining with a core team in Kyiv, but some embassy staff and their families were being withdrawn. The Foreign Offices order to flee was issued as intelligence and advice from experts on the ground suggested an increased threat level, with an invasion at some point deemed highly likely, PA understands. Mr Wallace has said an invasion could come at any time, while US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said an attack before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 is a credible prospect. Polands Defence Minister @mblaszczak: #NATO is united to provide security to its eastern flank. The US will send 3,000 additional troops to in response to tensions around . I spoke w/ @SecDef Austin & we are ready to receive troops in https://t.co/8pLnPZs6zP PLinNATO (@PLinNATO) February 12, 2022 Western leaders have threatened Moscow with a damaging package of sanctions in the event of a further incursion into Ukrainian soil. Ukraine is not a Nato member and allies in the defence alliance have said they would not join fighting in Ukraine, but have bolstered forces in neighbouring nations and are threatening widespread sanctions. Though the Kremlin insists it is not planning an invasion, US intelligence suggests Russia could fabricate a false flag pretext to attack. Mr Heappey told BBC Radio 4s Today programme that the UK personnel sent to train Ukrainians to use British-supplied anti-tank missiles will be leaving over the course of the weekend. The United States issued a new warning on Friday, saying that a Russian invasion of Ukraine might start during the Olympics. "We can't identify the day or the hour at this moment. But what we can say is that there is a genuine risk that a Russian military attack will take place even before the end of the Olympics," US national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House. The Winter Olympics, which is now taking place in Beijing, is set to finish on February 20. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered the same message earlier Friday in Melbourne, Australia: "As we've stated previously, we're in a window where an invasion could start at any time, even during the Olympics." Russia Could Begin Ukraine Invasion During Olympics, Biden Adviser Claims According to Sullivan, the US still does not know whether Russian President Vladimir Putin has made the decision to invade. However, he stated that the situation has deteriorated to the point where Americans in Ukraine should leave immediately or within the next 24 to 48 hours, ABC News reported. President Joe Biden is anticipated to "engage via telephone with President Putin," according to Sullivan, who talked to ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Mary Bruce. The two leaders last spoke on Dec. 30. The two men will discuss Saturday morning, according to a White House official. Sullivan said Biden does not want to sacrifice the lives of American troops in order to save the remaining Americans. Biden spoke with transatlantic leaders earlier Friday to plan next steps as negotiations over Russia's military buildup near Ukraine showed no signs of defusing the issue. According to the White House, Biden discussed "diplomacy and deterrent cooperation" with the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, the United Kingdom, NATO, the European Commission, and the European Council. Over the past few days, the president has kept mainly mute on Ukraine; the POTUS hosted public events focused on the US economy instead. Per WBHM, Sullivan said he couldn't say whether a Russian military invasion of Ukraine would be limited or extensive. Sullivan would not speculate on the timing of a Russian military strike. When asked about previous US intelligence assessments that turned out to be incorrect, such as in the run-up to the Iraq War, when Bush administration officials said Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, Sullivan stated this time is different. Meanwhile, a Defense Department official said that an additional 3,000 US troops will be sent to Poland in the coming days. This is in addition to the 3,000 US troops the government is sending to Poland and Romania, as well as the 8,500 troops currently on high alert and ready to move to Europe if necessary. US Marines in Poland are expected to assist Americans who have fled Ukraine in preparation of an invasion, but they will not engage in battle in the country. Read Also: Canada's Justin Trudeau Calls Truckers Protest "Unacceptable"; Protesters Vow To Stay Put Until Prime Minister Resigns Russia Masses Its Navy Along Ukraine's Coast After meeting with leaders of the so-called Quad countries - the United States, Australia, Japan, and India, Blinken warned of an impending Russian attack on Ukraine. Blinken's warning came only one day after President Joe Biden encouraged Americans to leave the nation quickly and cautioned in an interview about the possibility of a serious battle with Russia if US and Russian soldiers clashed. Even in the event of a Russian invasion, the US president stated that he would not commit soldiers to Ukraine. On Thursday, Russia began ten days of extensive military maneuvers in Belarus and stationed six of its ships at a vital Black Sea port, prompting a harsh criticism from Ukrainian authorities, who described Moscow's moves as exacerbating regional tensions. Per Big News Network, thousands of Russian troops and advanced military systems, including S-400 surface-to-air missiles, Pantsir air defense systems, and Su-35 fighter planes, took part in the training in Belarus, which was held roughly 210 kilometers north of Kyiv, Ukraine's capital. The six ships, according to the Russian Defense Ministry, landed at Sevastopol, Crimea, which Moscow took from Ukraine in 2014. They had traveled 13,000 kilometers from the Baltic Sea to commence naval operations, according to authorities. The Russian landing ships are meant to transport troops, vehicles, and supplies to the ground. Russian forces will leave Belarus once the maneuvers conclude on February 20, according to officials in Moscow and Minsk. However, Western authorities are concerned that these, together with 100,000 Russian troops stationed along Ukraine's eastern border, may be used in a Russian invasion of Ukraine, a former Soviet republic. On February 10, 2022, Ukrainian troops walk during military training outside Kharkiv, Ukraine, near the country's border with Russia. Ukrainian officials, who began their own training on Thursday, slammed the upcoming naval exercises, describing them as disruptive action aimed at destabilizing the security situation. Russia is accused of breaking international law by blocking large expanses of open sea for missile and artillery fire training, according to Kyiv. Despite Russian authorities' denials that they want to attack Ukraine, diplomatic negotiations with Western officials have resulted in a deadlock. Russia has requested that the US and its allies reject Ukraine's application for NATO membership. The West has dismissed this as a non-starter but has stated that it is open to discuss with Moscow regarding missile deployment and army drills in Russia's eastern European neighbors. Related Article: NATO Urges Deescalation as Russia Deploys Troops in Belarus, Says It's Biggest in 30 Years Since Cold War @YouTube @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. A British couple in Ukraine have described the bizarre and worrying wait for their surrogate-born babys emergency travel document. Thousands of Britons are being urged to leave the country immediately over growing concerns that Russia could launch an invasion in the coming days, despite diplomatic efforts to avert war. Ben Garratt, 40, and his wife, Alice, live in Queens Park, north London, but moved to Kyiv in December where their son was born thanks to the very different surrogacy laws in Ukraine that allow for a swifter IVF and surrogacy process. Ben and his wife were originally trying to secure a British passport for Raphael, but are now waiting on an emergency travel document instead (Ben Garratt/PA) Mr Garratt, who works in stakeholder engagement at London North Eastern Railway, said he and his wife are growing increasingly concerned after the Foreign Office updated its advice on Friday evening to encourage UK nationals to leave. He told the PA news agency: It does add to our worry, were thinking about basic things that we need to do to make sure that were ready to leave as soon as possible. If we take the advice at face value, it means the UK and also the US government are worried that Russian action is imminent that makes us want to get out. The couple, who were originally waiting on a British passport to be issued for baby Raphael, are now also trying to secure an emergency travel document. Were essentially stuck in Ukraine until we can get the required British paperwork to allow our son born here to leave, Mr Garratt said. When we first arrived, that means getting him a British passport but given the current situation, it means getting him an emergency travel document. Its getting frustrating because were being told by the UK Government to leave the country and we still dont have the document we need. Mr Garratt is due to have an interview with the passport office in Kyiv next week to provide proof of his sons British citizenship. They want to do a two-hour phone interview with me, but thats not until Wednesday, he said. It is bizarre, but I think its based around the normal assumption that the people applying for an emergency travel document, perhaps, are already definitely British and maybe theyve just lost their passport somewhere, as opposed to being a newborn baby who needs to go through that process. Ben Garratt said it is worrying that the Foreign Office are now urging UK nationals to leave Ukraine (Ben Garratt/PA) Mr Garratt said much of their fears revolve around making sure they have ticked every box required on Raphaels paperwork. Theres always the worry that weve missed something or, you know, Ive got a large folder and lots of bits of paper Ive taken colour copies of, and theres always the worry that weve missed something. The key individuals weve been talking to in the Government and outside the government have been really helpful and very reassuring, but its the bureaucratic processes that add concern and frustration. Friends and family have been in touch, urging Mr Garratt, his wife, and Raphael to get home. We have had a flurry of messages from friends and family. Last night, when the travel advice changed, some (were) checking if wed seen it of course wed seen it. Some were asking, oh, youre back in the UK, right? I reply, no, were not back in the UK and theyre saying, no why? Thats ridiculous. Despite the anxiety surrounding their sons travel documents, the couple maintain life in Kyiv remains normal. All we know, just what we see from taking Rafi for a walk every day, everything seems normal, Mr Garratt said. Theres tourists outside the churches and cathedrals taking photos its feels very normal out there. But I dont know what abnormal in a big city like this would feel like. The call for Britons to flee Ukraine as the threat of Russian invasion looms caused quite a panic and a rush to return home, according to a student who landed in the UK on one of the first commercial flights out of Kyiv since the warning. Passengers arrived at Gatwick Airport, south of London, on a direct flight from the Ukrainian capital shortly after noon on Saturday, just hours after the Foreign Office warned UK nationals in the country, thought to number in the low thousands, to leave now while commercial means are still available. Those returning suggested there were mixed signals about the level of concern in the country about the threat of war. Haider Ali spoke to the PA news agency after landing at Gatwick Airport from Kyiv on Saturday. Haider Ali, 21, from Birmingham (Sophie Wingate/PA) He said: Id been in two minds about coming back because of the advice coming out by the British Embassy, about the amber alert, red alert. A lot of people, a lot of students were waiting for the red alert, and it happened yesterday. Once that happened, everybody booked their tickets and left as soon as possible. The 21-year-old from Birmingham said his university, the Dnipro Medical Institute in Dnipro, a city in central Ukraine, had advised students to get out as soon as you can. He said around half the students at the university are British. The UK and other Nato countries have urged their citizens to leave as fears grow that Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an invasion in the coming days. Mr Ali said: I think the main thing that people were getting worried about as well is, because its along the Dnieper River, a lot of the people were saying, if Putin wants to suffocate Kyiv, push his warships along that path as well. The student said he had paid 210 for his one-way flight ticket and thought prices would get much more expensive over the next three days as more people rush out of the country. He said he was hoping to return to Ukraine by June to continue his studies. Mr Ali said Ukrainians opinions were split on the likelihood of a Russian incursion, but that the perception that Western media were blowing the crisis out of proportion was changing. He said: The Ukrainians are generally very laissez-faire as in terms of people, but the last couple of days theyve started to get worried. And when that happens, alarm bells should be ringing. Paul Meakin, his wife Svetlana and their daughter arrive at Gatwick from Kyiv, Ukraine (Sophie Wingate/PA) Another British citizen arriving at Gatwick on the same plane said Ukrainians did not seem worried. Paul Meakin, 51, from Poole in Dorset, his Ukrainian-British wife Svetlana, 36, and their daughter, who had spent a week in Ukraine to attend a funeral, said most passengers on their flight had been Ukrainian, not British. Asked about peoples attitudes there, the IT company chief said: You wouldnt even know. They dont care, thats what came across. That sentiment was echoed by Ukrainian Pasha Honcharuk, 24, from Kyiv, who said he was not too worried and that he would have stayed home if it were not for work in the UK. He said: All news channels tell that there will be war but I dont think so. But a Ukrainian business analyst, who did not want to be named, told PA that of course everybodys worried about the threat of war. But she said this had not influenced her pre-existing decision to move to London from Kyiv for work. Families are facing anxious waits for Ukraine-born babies to be issued British passports as they look to flee amid the prospect of war. Thousands of Britons are being urged to leave the country immediately over growing concerns that Russia could launch an invasion in the coming days, despite diplomatic efforts to avert war. Ben Garratt, 40, and his wife, Alice, live in Queens Park, north London, but moved to Kyiv in December where their son was born thanks to the very different surrogacy laws in Ukraine that allow for a swifter IVF and surrogacy process. Ben and his wife were originally trying to secure a British passport for Raphael, but are now waiting on an emergency travel document instead (Ben Garratt/PA) Mr Garratt, who works in stakeholder engagement at London North Eastern Railway, said he and his wife are growing increasingly concerned after the Foreign Office updated its advice on Friday evening to encourage UK nationals to leave. He told the PA news agency: It does add to our worry, were thinking about basic things that we need to do to make sure that were ready to leave as soon as possible. If we take the advice at face value, it means the UK and also the US government are worried that Russian action is imminent that makes us want to get out. Thanks to everyone who has contacted me about my constituents Alice & Ben who are stuck in Ukraine. Ive been assisting them for over a month now and have raised the case directly with James Cleverly. Im working as hard as I can to get them home along with their baby Raphael. Tulip Siddiq (@TulipSiddiq) February 12, 2022 The couple, who were originally waiting on a British passport to be issued for baby Raphael, are now also trying to secure an emergency travel document. Were essentially stuck in Ukraine until we can get the required British paperwork to allow our son, born here, to leave, Mr Garratt said. When we first arrived, that meant getting him a British passport but given the current situation, it means getting him an emergency travel document. Its getting frustrating because were being told by the UK Government to leave the country and we still dont have the document we need. Ben Garratt said it is worrying that the Foreign Office are now urging UK nationals to leave Ukraine (Ben Garratt/PA) Mr Garratt is due to have an interview with the passport office in Kyiv next week to provide proof of his sons British citizenship. They want to do a two-hour phone interview with me, but thats not until Wednesday, he said. It is bizarre, but I think its based around the normal assumption that the people applying for an emergency travel document, perhaps, are already definitely British and maybe theyve just lost their passport somewhere, as opposed to being a newborn baby who needs to go through that process. Mr Garratt said much of their fears revolve around making sure they have ticked every box required on Raphaels paperwork. Theres always the worry that weve missed something or, you know, Ive got a large folder and lots of bits of paper Ive taken colour copies of, and theres always the worry that weve missed something. The key individuals weve been talking to in the Government and outside the government have been really helpful and very reassuring, but its the bureaucratic processes that add concern and frustration. Constituency MP Tulip Siddiq said she had been assisting the couple for more than a month and had raised it with the newly-appointed Minister for Europe James Cleverly. The Labour MP for Hampstead and Kilburn said: Thanks to everyone who has contacted me about my constituents Alice and Ben who are stuck in Ukraine. Ive been assisting them for over a month now and have raised the case directly with James Cleverly. Im working as hard as I can to get them home along with their baby Raphael. The situation in Ukraine is extremely concerning and I know many are trapped and struggling to get consular assistance. Daniel Williams, 45, who is originally from the Isle of Wight and now lives in Kyiv as a business investor, has a four-month-old daughter with his Ukrainian wife. Mr Williams wife has a valid travel visa, but their baby does not yet have a British passport or a Ukrainian passport to get to the UK by commercial means. We are waiting on the UK Embassy to issue a passport for my daughter so we can follow their own urgent advice, Mr Williams said. Telling citizens to get out in 48 hours but then telling them to apply via the website for their passport (is) utter nonsense. It is ridiculous that the bureaucrats wont actually do anything to help the citizens whose taxes pay their wages. He maintains that he and his family are 100% stuck in Ukraine until they can get a passport for their daughter. It is all on the so-called emergency issuance department, Mr Williams explained. We are 100% stuck until we can get travel documents. Daniel Williams said he and his family are 100% stuck in Ukraine until his four-month-old can get the correct travel documents (Daniel Williams/PA) Mr Williams also admitted to being frustrated about the process of getting their daughter a UK passport and added their plans entirely depend on getting a response from the passport office other than a nonsense autoreply. A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office said in a statement: We are doing everything we can to support all British families with surrogacy arrangements in Ukraine at this time. Her Majestys Passport Office (HMPO) have sped up the process of issuing passports in Ukraine to support British families get the right documentation to allow them to return to the UK. President Joe Biden spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, a day after the U.S. warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin during the Olympics. The two leaders spoke for just over an hour for the first time since Dec. 30, marking their third conversation amid escalating tensions over Russia's military buildup at the Ukraine border, where it has amassed over 100,000 troops. Biden warned that the U.S. and its allies "will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia" if it invades Ukraine, according to a brief White House readout of the call. PHOTO: President Joe Biden walks on the South Lawn of the White House after stepping off Marine One, Feb. 10, 2022. (Patrick Semansky/AP) The president also stressed that a Russian invasion of Ukraine "would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia's standing," the White House said. "President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios," the White House said. Russia has repeatedly denied it has plans to invade Ukraine, despite the buildup on its border. The Kremlins top foreign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov, told reporters the call took place in a business-like manner despite an atmosphere of unprecedented hysteria he claimed was being artificially inflated by the U.S. "The last days, hours, the situation has simply been brought to the point of absurdity," Ushakov said. We have outlined our considerations and stressed several times that we do not understand why deliberately false information about our Russian intentions should be transmitted to the media," he continued. President Biden spoke with President Vladimir Putin today to make clear that if Russia further invades Ukraine, the U.S. and our allies will impose swift and severe costs on Russia. President Biden urged President Putin to engage in de-escalation and diplomacy instead. pic.twitter.com/HqK0b65kFm The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 12, 2022 A senior administration official did not detail specifics of the call, but told reporters "there was no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks." The official said the countries will continue to "stay engaged in the days ahead," as military action from Russia remains a "distinct possibility." "We are not basing our assessment of this on what the Russians say publicly. We are basing this assessment on what we're seeing on the ground with our own eyes, which is the continued Russian buildup on the border with Ukraine, and no meaningful evidence of de-escalation," the official said. The call comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts Saturday to defuse tensions and avoid war in eastern Europe. On Saturday, France President Emmanuel Macron and Putin spoke at the request of Macron, Russian officials said. The two presidents "continued their discussion on the conditions for security and stability in Europe," Macron's office said in a statement. "They both expressed a desire to continue the dialogue on these two points," the statement continued. PHOTO: Russian Federation via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo residence outside Moscow, Feb. 9, 2022. (Alexei Nikolsky/Sputnik/Kremlin Pool via AP) French officials said Macron received personal assurances from Putin that he has no intention of attacking Ukraine. Macron raised concerns about Russian naval maneuvers near Ukraine in the Sea of Azov. "Putin did not present this movement as a precursor to attack," French officials said. On Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Secretary of State Blinken also spoke. During the 35-minute call, Blinken discussed "acute and shared concerns that Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days," U.S. officials said. Blinken repeated his refrain that the path of diplomacy remains available -- but if not, the repercussions will be "resolute, massive and united." Lavrov accused the U.S. and its allies of a "propaganda" campaign and of making attempts to "sabotage" the diplomatic talks to resolve the Russian-stoked conflict in eastern Ukraine, Russian officials said. Lavrov denied that Russia has any intention to invade Ukraine, but he also didn't signal that Russia was prepared to deescalate, a senior State Department official told ABC News. MORE: Russia begins huge war games in Belarus amid Ukraine invasion fears Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin also spoke with his Russian counterpart, Defense Minister Sergey Shoygu, on Saturday about "Russia's force build-up in Crimea and around Ukraine," the Department of Defense said in a brief readout. The calls come a day after U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters at the White House that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin during the Beijing Winter Olympics, which are scheduled to end on Feb. 20. "We can't pinpoint the day, at this point, and we can't pinpoint the hour, but what we can say is that there is a credible prospect that a Russian military action would take place even before the end of the Olympics," Sullivan said. MORE: Biden, Putin to speak as US says Russia could invade Ukraine during Olympics Following the warning, the State Department said Saturday that all non-emergency U.S. employees would depart the embassy in Kyiv, leaving only a core team of American diplomats and Ukrainian staff members. The department also emphasized that all Americans in Ukraine should leave the country immediately. "We encourage all American citizens who remain in Ukraine to depart immediately," Sullivan said Friday. "We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible, and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours." The Pentagon also ordered Saturday that a contingent of about 160 members of the Florida Army National Guard training in western Ukraine leave the country. PHOTO: Armored vehicles move at the Gozhsky training ground during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus in a photo released by the Belarusian Telegraph Agencyon Feb. 12, 2022. (BelTA via AP) Over a dozen countries have joined the U.S. in telling their citizens in recent days to leave Ukraine. On Saturday, senior U.K. officials said British citizens should get out "immediately by any means." The European Union has also begun pulling out non-emergency staff. In Kyiv, Mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced an evacuation plan Saturday and said the Ukrainian capital is preparing in case of a large-scale attack. Russia has also announced it is drawing down its embassy in Ukraine and pulling out some staff because it fears "provocations" from Kyiv or other countries, officials said Saturday. MORE: Russia-Ukraine tensions threaten Europe's oil supply, reigniting debate over Biden's climate agenda Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday that the country is ready to counter a possible Russian invasion, but intelligence claims on possible aggression coming next week and the evacuation of foreign diplomats only cause panic. "Today in the information space, there is too much information about a deep, full-scale invasion from Russia," Zelenskyy told reporters. "The best friend of our enemy is panic in our country, and all that information which helps create only panic doesn't help us." Russia and Ukraine held talks Thursday in Berlin, moderated by Germany and France, but after nine hours of discussion failed to agree on issuing a joint statement. The sides remained at an impasse over Russia's insistence that the Ukrainian government speak directly with Russian-backed separatist leaders in eastern Ukraine. ABC News' Molly Nagle, Karen Travers, Patrick Reevell, Luis Martinez, Tanya Stukalova and Ben Gittleson contributed to this report. Biden, Putin speak for 3rd time as US warns Russia could invade Ukraine soon originally appeared on abcnews.go.com ZHANGJIAKOU, China Viewers who tuned in to the English-language version of CNN on Chinese television one night shortly after the Olympic Opening Ceremony would have seen Jake Tapper excoriating China for its human rights violations and authoritarian rule. When Tapper mentioned Chinese president Xi Jinping, the screen was suddenly replaced with color bars and the message No Signal Please Stand By. The signal resumed moments later, as Tapper was wrapping up his remarks. Western journalists in China for the Olympic Games are finding it impossible to access services such as Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Google on local wi-fi networks. Even an Olympics-only wifi has restrictions; local search engines do not return results for the Washington Post and the New York Times, for example, and all Yahoo sports and news articles are blocked on every network. Its all part of Chinas concerted and thorough effort to block off internet access to certain elements of the outside world, like social media, alternative views and Western philosophies. Theres little recourse for Chinas citizens to get to that content, even if they know it exists. VPNs virtual private networks, designed to get around the so-called Great Firewall are illegal to operate in China. So when raised-in-America-but-skiing-for-China gold medalist Eileen Gu blithely advocated for the use of a VPN in an Instagram post, it didnt go over well with some of her instagram followers or the Chinese government. Gus Instagram page is a collection of motivational and inspirational slogans, a scrapbook designed to present a specific, curated image of her to the world. One user commented on an otherwise innocuous post: Why can you use Instagram and millions of Chinese people from mainland cannot, why you got such special treatment as a Chinese citizen. Thats not fair, can you speak up for those millions of Chinese who dont have internet freedom, user cilla chan wrote. Anyone can download a vpn, Gu replied, its literally free on the App Store. The website Protocol noted that multiple users fired back at Gu that Chinese citizens dont have that freedom, not so subtly suggesting that if Gu is in fact a Chinese citizen alone which she has deliberately not confirmed she is enjoying benefits her fellow citizens cant access. Screenshots of the exchange were censored from the Chinese social media service Weibo. (Instagram) At its Friday morning briefing, the IOC was asked if the deletion of the screenshots was a violation of Rule 50, the rule permitting athletes to speak freely on matters of their choosing outside the confines of actual competition. The IOC declined to comment without further information. This is the line that Gu must walk. Born and raised in the United States but competing for her mother's home country of China in these Olympics, Gu is a huge celebrity here, appearing on billboards and commercials all over the country. But accusations of favoritism would be tough to shake, and many of the rights and freedoms Gu has enjoyed for 18 years as an American free expression, an open and unfettered internet arent available to Chinese citizens. Gu is already a huge star in China, but shes liable to face enormous backlash if she flaunts the fact that shes not living under the same rules as her fellow citizens. KIEV, UKRAINE - JANUARY 24: Embassy of the United States of America after US ordered family members of embassy staff to leave Ukraine on January 24, 2022, in Kiev, Ukraine. (Photo by Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) By Pavel Polityuk and Simon Lewis KYIV/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The United States said on Saturday it was ordering most staff at its embassy in Kyiv to leave Ukraine immediately due to the threat of an invasion by Russia. An updated travel advisory said the State Department had ordered the departure of most employees at the embassy in Kyiv, adding to its call earlier this week for private U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. A senior State Department official said the Biden administration would continue diplomatic efforts to "ensure that Ukraine does not become a war zone." Washington's warnings that the Russian buildup of more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's borders could herald an invasion have become increasingly urgent in recent days. Moscow has denied it plans to invade, saying it has its own security concerns over what it terms aggression by NATO allies. "It appears increasingly likely that this is where this situation is headed towards some kind of active conflict, and that is why we are reducing our staff to a bare minimum while we still have the ability to get our official people out safely and in a predictable fashion," said the official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity. Tensions have been mounting for weeks during the Russian military buildup near its ex-Soviet neighbour. Washington said on Friday an invasion could happen anytime and urged U.S. citizens in Ukraine to leave the country right away, saying that it will not send troops to evacuate them if conflict erupts. A string of other countries including Britain, Japan and Australia have also said their citizens should leave. A U.S. official said the order for U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine includes those working for a monitoring mission by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The OSCE did not respond to a request for comment. The OSCE conducts operations in Ukraine including a civilian monitoring mission in the Russian-backed self-proclaimed separatist republics in the country's east where a war that erupted in 2014 has killed more than 14,000 people. Routine consular services at the Kyiv embassy would be suspended from Sunday, the State Department official said, but some emergency services would be provided in Lviv, a city in western Ukraine that is further from the eastern and northern borders where Russian troops are massed. Embassy personnel will return to the United States and continue to work on Ukraine, the official said. Russia, which has accused Western nations of spreading lies, meanwhile said on Saturday it had decided to "optimise" its diplomatic staff numbers in Ukraine, fearing "provocations" by Kyiv or another party. Moscow did not say whether that meant a reduction in staff numbers but said the embassy and consulates in Ukraine continued to perform their key functions. (Reporting by Simon Lewis in Washington, Anton Zverev in Donetsk and Maria Tsvetkova in Moscow, Pavel Polityuk in Kyiv and Vladimir Soldatkin in MoscowWriting by Tom Balmforth and Simon LewisEditing by Christina Fincher and Frances Kerry) WASHINGTON During a late January appearance on Bill Mahers HBO talk show Real Time, the former New York Times columnist and perennial provocateur Bari Weiss delivered a blunt take on the coronavirus pandemic. Im done with COVID, she said. At the time, about 2,000 people were dying daily from COVID-19 per day across the country, with the United States headed towards 900,000 deaths since the pandemic began (a figure since surpassed). Given those grim statistics, Weisss assertion struck some as both selfish and premature. A Boston doctor deemed Weiss a nihilist and her thinking dangerous and lazy, echoing the widespread backlash her remarks engendered from progressives, who saw the Omicron wave as a sign of how devastating the coronavirus remained. But not a month later, an increasing number of Americans and the leaders they elected, as well as a vociferous group of public health officials, are moving towards (if not yet outright embracing) a gentler version of the done-with-COVID mentality Weiss had espoused. That shift was especially pronounced this week, with Democratic governors across the country lifting (or declining to renew) mask mandates, leaving the White House and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as some of the last significant redoubts of a caution-first approach. The realignment of pandemic politics was months in the making, reflecting both a growing societal exasperation with a pandemic many thought would be over by now and a growing awareness among Democrats that having listened to scientific expertise for two years, they needed to also listen to the voices of frustrated Americans who have been forced to shutter their businesses, mask their children and live with the low thrum of anxiety about a pandemic that had come dominate their lives. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Shawn Thew/Pool/Getty Images) "As we move toward this next phase, theres a huge responsibility on them to get this right and get it right for everyone and every community. That isnt on these states; its on us," a White House official said in justifying the CDC's deliberative pace. The official said that the Biden administration "is thinking about the next phase of this pandemic and is spending significant time and energy on the path forward" by consulting with both government and outside experts. There is, of course, no way to know whether the coronavirus is really heading toward the exits. With more than 200,000 infections per day and hospitals in many parts of the country still crowded with COVID-19 patients, it would be difficult to say the virus has been relegated to endemic status, meaning it is a seasonal concern like the influenza. Were not there yet, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Wednesday, a day that saw several states dispense with mask mandates. The warning may well be accurate from a public health perspective. For many, however, the warning is also beside the point. A recent Pew Research Center poll found that Americans are increasingly critical of the response to COVID-19 from elected officeholders and public health officials, taking out their frustrations on Biden and the CDC in particular. Another poll, from Monmouth, had 70 percent of Americans saying it was time to move beyond the pandemic. Predictions about the pandemics progress have been frustrated time and again. President Biden knows that better than anyone, having effectively declared victory over the coronavirus on July 4, as the Delta variant was on its way to undoing his promised summer of freedom. Not wanting to see similar promises dashed once more, Biden and his top officials have spent much of the week repeating that they would continue to follow CDC guidance, which continues to call for everyone, including vaccinated individuals, to continue masking indoors, and for universal masking in schools. The insistence had one incredulous reporter on Wednesday asking Bidens press secretary Jen Psaki who was in charge, the White House or the CDC? Even as the White House sees Democratic governors forcing its hand on the pandemic, it knows it cannot do anything that might look like the administration rushing the CDC to revise guidelines or simply ignoring guidelines it doesnt like the kind of thing Biden accused then-President Donald Trump of doing during the 2020 presidential campaign. President Biden at the White House on Friday. (Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images) And so the same week that saw Democrats assert themselves also saw Biden increasingly isolated from his own party and from the majority of American people. Biden tried to defend his stance in an interview with NBC that will air in full during the Super Bowl on Sunday. Ive committed that I would follow the science the science as put forward by the CDC and the federal people and I think its probably premature, but its, you know, its a tough call, the president said, referring to Democratic governors who have moved faster than he has to reopen. Those governors, and some Democratic leaders, had given him plenty of warning that they were becoming fatigued with the pandemic, as were their constituents. Last fall, San Francisco Mayor London Breed was photographed without a mask at a jazz club. Breed met the coverage of her lapse with defiance. We dont need the fun police to come in and try and micromanage and tell us what we should or shouldnt be doing, she said. That the leader of one of the most progressive, health-conscious cities in the country was tired of masking was only one of several signs that was missed by the White House, where masking rules and other precautions have been closely followed. Officials who attend meetings with the president are not given glasses of water at their place settings, as was previously a common practice, to keep them from removing their masks. Another warning came a little more than a month after the Breed brouhaha, when close Biden associate Terry McAuliffe suffered a surprising loss on the way to what many assumed would be his second stint as Virginias governor. Instead, virtually unknown Republican financier Glenn Youngkin prevailed, in large part by harnessing parental frustration about school closures. Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey survived a challenge on the same day, but the tight election results clearly left him rattled. According to the New York Times, the governors top advisers hosted a series of focus groups that left them convinced that the close call with defeat in a blue-as-the-sky state had everything to do with the pandemic, with voters describing frustrations over public health measures, a sense of pessimism about the future and a deep desire to return to some sense of normalcy. Yet the moment proved inopportune for scaling back restrictions. Omicron arrived in late November, just as the Delta surge appeared to be receding. The new, even more transmissible variant dissipated any hope for a wintertime return to normalcy. CNN anchor Anderson Cooper opined hyperbolically that December 2022 had the ominous feel of March 2020, when the pandemic began. Rhetoric of that variety seemed to exacerbate tensions that had been building for months. Millions of Americans had been inoculated, then boosted. Theyd worn masks and kept 6 feet apart. And now they were tired, even if a new variant was infecting hundreds of thousands of people across the country every day. For the vaccinated, an Omicron infection was highly likely to result in a mild illness or perhaps an infection without any symptoms at all. Glenn Youngkin, the recently elected Republican governor of Virginia. (Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images) As for the unvaccinated? Given the highly favorable attention his remarks received, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado may have most directly summed up the frustrations with those who continued to refuse their shots, despite mountains of evidence citing their safety and efficacy. Those who get sick, its almost entirely their own darn fault, Polis said during a December interview in which he refused to impose a new mask order, arguing that it was unnecessary. The speed with which his comments were praised was a hint of how hungry many Americans were for a new approach, one that seemed to recognize a nuanced reality instead of harkening back to the dark days of early 2020. Some public health experts have maintained that it is irresponsible to hold a picnic in the middle of a thunderstorm. Yes, vaccination rates should ideally be higher but they arent, and it is the duty of elected officials to protect the unvaccinated as well as the immunocompromised and young children ineligible for vaccination. We know that variants and the surges that they drive are a hallmark of the pandemic, so we really need to be building our policy and public health infrastructure, not dismantling it, as we come out of the Omicron surge, Dartmouth public health expert Anne Sosin told Healthline. Tellingly, the White House was cool to the Polis approach, a foreshadowing of the wider conflict to come in February, when many more governors would adopt his position. But that was still weeks away. The holiday season saw cases surging, while January began with a new round of school closures. Businesses pushed back return-to-office dates. Downtowns remained hauntingly empty. Owners of bars and restaurants wondered how they could survive another pandemic. And then cases started dropping with a startling rapidity in a pattern that had been observed in South Africa, where the Omicron variant had been discovered in November. Public health officials warned that hospitals were still filling up and people still dying. But many Americans who were fully vaccinated, or who had natural immunity from having been previously sickened by COVID-19, seemed less interested than they had previously been in heeding those warnings. I dont care about COVID anymore. I want my kids to have a regular life. I dont want the masks, a focus group participant told the veteran pollster Frank Luntz. I dont want them social distancing. I do not worry about them getting sick. When members of the National Governors Association met with Biden, it was to convey more or less that very message. We need to move away from the pandemic, NGA head and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson a Republican whod been praised for his response to the pandemic said to reporters. The governors had asked the president to help give us clear guidelines on how we can return to a great state of normality, Hutchinson added. Next to Hutchinson stood Murphy, the New Jersey governor, looking unmistakably pained. Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, left, chairman of the National Governors Association, with New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, at the White House after a meeting with President Biden and other governors, Jan. 31, 2022. (Win McNamee/Getty Images) No new guidance was forthcoming from the CDC. At a White House pandemic response team briefing two days later, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky discounted the notion that the nations relatively high vaccination rate, combined with the Omicron variants diminished severity, made the moment ripe for a course correction. Milder does not mean mild, she said. And so, we really do have to look to our hospitalization rates and our death rates to look to when it is time to lift some of these mitigation efforts. Governors werent going to wait. The following Monday opened with Murphy, the New Jersey governor, announcing that masks could come off in schools. Delaware followed suit, as did Massachusetts and Connecticut. Some larger Democratic states such as New York announced other changes, such as an end to indoor masking requirements in businesses. By midweek, nearly a dozen states had dropped mask mandates in some way, or announced that they were about to do so, leaving the White House to deal with an unexpected and unwelcome political rift. The White House official who described the administration's thinking to Yahoo News said that President Biden and his top pandemic advisers were less concerned with being first than being correct. Were talking about guidance not just for a moment in time, but for the entire future, the official said in an email to Yahoo News. So we have to take our time in a way that is unique to the United States government. How are vaccination rates affecting the latest COVID surge? Check out this explainer from Yahoo Immersive to find out. Thousands of Britons are being urged to flee Ukraine immediately over growing concerns that Russia could launch an invasion in the coming days. The Foreign Office updated its advice on Friday evening to urge UK nationals to leave now while commercial means are still available. The order was issued as intelligence and advice from experts on the ground suggested an increased threat level, with an invasion at some point deemed highly likely, the PA news agency understood. It came after Boris Johnson voiced fears for the security of Europe during a call with Western leaders including US President Joe Biden. Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said an invasion could come at any time, with Russian President Vladimir Putin having amassed an estimated 130,000 troops on the border with Ukraine. Mr Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan said an attack before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 was a credible prospect, assigning it a very, very distinct possibility. He said new Russian forces were arriving at the border and are in a position to mount a major military operation in Ukraine any day now, which could include a rapid assault on the city of Kyiv or on other parts of the country. Speaking from the White House, Mr Sullivan said Russia could choose in very short order to commence a major military action against Ukraine, but stressed the US does not know whether Mr Putin has made a final decision. Mr Sullivan said the threat is now immediate enough to urge Americans to leave Ukraine as soon as possible and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours. We are now advising against all travel to Ukraine. British nationals in Ukraine should leave now by commercial means. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 11, 2022 It comes as former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith told the i newspaper French President Emmanuel Macron was a gullible idiot for trying to negotiate with Mr Putin, with Sir Iain adding that the Biden administration is learning why the UK is the USs most reliable ally. In a call lasting around 80 minutes, Downing Street said Mr Johnson urged Nato allies to make it clear to Moscow there is a heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go. The Prime Minister told the group that he feared for the security of Europe in the current circumstances, a No 10 spokeswoman said, in an account of the call that included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, as well as EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel. Mr Johnson warned that the penalties would be extremely damaging to Russias economy and urged that allies must reinforce Natos eastern frontiers. The Foreign Office said: British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available. Officials believe the number of UK nationals in Ukraine is in the low thousands. Some British embassy staff and their families were being withdraw from Kyiv. Britons were warned by the Foreign Office that they should not expect help evacuating in the event of an invasion. Mr Wallace held talks in Moscow with Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu as part of diplomatic efforts to avert war. Currently theres over 130,000 troops stationed at readiness or exercising plus warplanes, plus ships into the Black Sea on the borders of Ukraine and that is an action that is not normal, Mr Wallace told a news conference in the British embassy. It is beyond normal exercising therefore we will judge that statement on the evidence. Following a frosty meeting in Russia between Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her counterpart Sergei Lavrov a day earlier, Mr Wallace said his discussions with Mr Shoigui had been frank and constructive. While he said that he took the ministers assurances seriously, he admitted he was less optimistic than he had been previously that there could be a diplomatic solution to the crisis. He said the current disposition of Russian forces meant they could do a whole range of actions, including an invasion of a neighbouring country, at any time. Foreign Office advice has been changed to urge UK nationals to immediately leave Ukraine by commercial means while they still can. With other Nato allies issuing the same advice to their citizens, the shift represented a heightening of concerns in the West that Russia could mount an invasion. What is the cause of the tension in the region? The current difficulties date back to the overthrow in 2014 of the pro-Moscow Ukrainian government of Viktor Yanukovych, prompting fears in the Kremlin that the country was moving into the orbit of the West. President Vladimir Putin responded by sending in troops to annex Crimea while Russian-backed separatist rebels seized territory in eastern Ukraine in bloody fighting with the Ukrainian military. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants Nato to draw back forces from eastern Europe (Matt Cardy/PA) Why is the West so concerned now? For months, the US and other Nato allies have been warning of a massive Russian military build-up on the Ukrainian border, triggering fears that it is preparing another incursion against its southern neighbour. Latest estimates suggest Moscow has 130,000 troops massed in the border region and in neighbouring Belarus, close to the strength some analysts believe would be needed to mount a full-scale invasion. Russian and Belarus forces are embarking on large-scale military exercises which, some believe, could provide cover for an attack. Will the West intervene militarily if Russia does attack? It is very unlikely. Ukraine is not a member of Nato and so there is no obligation on alliance members to come to its defence and there is little appetite in Western capitals for a military conflict with Moscow. Boris Johnson in Kyiv last week for crisis talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (Peter Nicholls/PA) Some allies have been sending military support to Kyiv Britain has despatched 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers and a small group of military trainers, but they are expected to leave over the weekend. There have also been moves to bolster alliance forces in Natos eastern members with the UK sending additional troops to Poland and Estonia. However, the main response has been the threat of crippling economic sanctions including measures targeting the private wealth of President Putins cronies in the West. How has Moscow responded? Mr Putin has repeatedly insisted that Russia has no intention of carrying out an invasion. He has however issued a series of demands intended to curb the influence of the West in eastern Europe, in what Moscow traditionally regards as its sphere of influence. They include calls for guarantees Nato will not admit any new members including Ukraine and the drawback of alliance forces in the region. Boris Johnson during a meeting with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg (Daniel Leal/PA) What is the reaction to that in the West? Nato has been adamant it will not accept limits on the nations that it admits to the alliance. Boris Johnson has however said there is a conversation to be had about force dispositions in eastern Europe. More controversially, French President Emmanuel Macron, who held talks with Mr Putin in Moscow, has raised the idea of the Finlandisation of Ukraine, with Kyiv becoming neutral in the way Finland was during the Cold War. And the advice to British citizens in Ukraine? On Friday night, the Foreign Office said all British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available. British ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons was remaining with a core team in Kyiv, but some embassy staff and their families were being withdrawn. But UK nationals were warned by armed forces minister James Heappey that the RAF would not carry out Kabul-style airlifts for any citizens who do not leave before fighting begins. The White House has also urged US citizens to flee Ukraine, as have Nato allies Canada, Norway and Denmark, as well as non-alliance ally New Zealand. So will there be war? With an estimated 130,000 troops on Ukraines borders, some analysts believe the Russian build-up has gone too far for there not to be some kind of military incursion. Ultimately, however, it comes down to President Putin and what he calculates are the potential risks and benefits as the West struggles to put on a united front. Illinois police reported that they have successfully rescued an 80-year-old Lincolnwood woman who was kept hostage in her home for 18 hours last weekend after her daughter noticed a missing Wordle update from the victim. The victim, identified as Denyse Holt, said she discovered a naked man lying in bed next to her last weekend. The ordeal stretched into a lengthy incident that ended on Sunday night after police conducted a wellness check on the woman at around 9:40 p.m. Wordle-Aided Rescue Law enforcement quickly arrested a Chicago man in connection to the incident and came after Holt's daughter became concerned when her mother did not respond to text messages. She said that she became worried after her mother did not pass along her Wordle score for the day. Wordle is an online word game that has continued to receive praise and fans across the United States. It involves players trying to guess a mystery five-letter word using only six attempts and each day brings a new word and a new challenge for puzzle lovers. The suspect, identified as 32-year-old James Harris from Chicago, was ordered held without bond after his arrest. Officials charged the man with Felony X home invasion and aggravated kidnapping with a dangerous weapon, as per Patch. The victim said that Harris was armed with scissors and told her that if she screamed, he would cut her. Law enforcement believes that the suspect got into Holt's home by breaking one of the windows. The elderly woman added that the suspect ordered her to shower with him and dragged her around the house disconnecting phones. Read Also: Taliban Harassment Strikes Fear Into Afghanistan Journalists as Citizens Face Poverty, Displacement Harris eventually took Holt to a basement bathroom and barricaded it using a chair, keeping the 80-year-old woman there for nearly a day. The suspect left the victim with no windows, no medication, and in pain. While Harris gave Holt access to water, he did not give her food to eat. Kiro7 reported that after Holt's daughter reported her concerns to police, authorities had an hours-long standoff with the suspect. They were later able to subdue Harris by using a stun gun through a hole in the door to incapacitate him. Held Hostage In a similar incident, a Lowe's delivery driver in Illinois, who was held hostage by a customer, was fired by the company after he posted a video of the incident. The young victim was reportedly doing his job of dropping off a washer and a dryer at a customer's home. However, the woman who owned the home suddenly blocked the door, preventing the young man from leaving. She said that she worked for the police department and was allegedly furious that the driver was 15 minutes early. The victim, identified as Corey, kept his cool despite the customer becoming even more unreasonable as time went on. Lowe's defended the firing of the man by saying that the video showed the customer's personal information that could lead to a lawsuit. But many expressed their concerns after the company ignored the fact that the employee was essentially held hostage, WBCKFM reported. Lowe's reached out to HNGN and has denied any association with the delivery driver and refuted reports of his dismissal. "This is not an associate of Lowe's. Lowe's is not involved in any employment action involving this individual and is unaware of any legal action being taken against him," a Lowe spokesperson said. Related Article: Amir Locke Shooting: Real Murder Case Suspect Arrested; Locke's Parents Demand Change, Justice Over 'Execution' @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Not at all. It just seems like a lot of back-and-forth talk. Yes. I'm growing very worried over what might happen. If it keeps up, I might be a little more concerned. I think there are much larger things to concern us as a country. It's hard to tell; I can't take the leader of either country seriously. Vote View Results Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Feature Your News Online $25.00 / for 30 days Highlight your business' news for just $25! We'll feature your content on our News From Local Business section & our Marketplace front page to give it maximum exposure for the next 30 days. Owosso, MI (48867) Today Periods of rain. High 51F. Winds ENE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy with light rain early. Low 43F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 12, ARMENPRESS. The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Associated Press reports. U.S. officials said the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that virtually all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave. A small number of officials may remain in Kyiv but the vast majority of the almost 200 Americans at the embassy will be sent out or relocated to Ukraines far west, near the Polish border, so the U.S. can retain a diplomatic presence in the country. The State Department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to Associated Press. Katheryn Yvonne Horne was born January 22, 1935 on the family farm just east of Wilmot in Ashley County Arkansas. She left this life for Heavenly Paradise on March 23, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. She went by her middle name Yvonne, though her sister called her Bo. She went to elem Read more New York is set to fire roughly 3,000 public city workers from their jobs by Friday if they still do not comply with a mandate that requires them to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. While the number represents about 1% of the entire 370,000-person workforce in the city and includes teachers, firefighters, and police officers, the mass firing will mark an unprecedented move by city officials. The city has imposed one of the most sweeping vaccine mandates in the United States. Plans To Terminate Roughly 3,000 City Workers In an address during a news conference last week, New York City Mayor Eric Adams detailed the approaching firing, noting that the majority of city workers complied with the mandate. He said that rules are needed for complex cities like New York. Officials imposed the vaccine mandate last year under the administration of former Mayor Bill de Blasio. City workers were required to get their coronavirus vaccine shots by the end of October or they could be placed on unpaid leave. Furthermore, new workers who started with their jobs after Aug. 2, 2021, were required to comply with the requirement and show proof of vaccination, as per ABC News. Additionally, more city workers could lose their jobs due to the vaccine mandate as city officials received 13,044 religious and medical accommodation requests for a vaccine exemption. Roughly 54% of the applications have been processed with 2,118 approved and 4,912 denied, based on City Hall data. Read Also: Rat-Born COVID-19 Variant Discovered in New York Sewage; Experts Raise Alerts That Virus May Circulate Among Wild Animals The remaining applications are still being reviewed, which means that there is still a chance more people can be denied their exemptions and could be fired from their jobs if they do not comply with the vaccine mandate. The initial 3,000 workers set to be fired are those who declined to apply for a medical or religious exemption or have already been denied one. Gothamist reported that Adams argued that the issue was not about terminating public city workers but regarding vaccination. He said that authorities wanted people to be vaccinated against the virus to prevent another shutdown across the city. Vaccine Mandate Deadline Adams said that his administration will continue with the termination process amid legal objections and a slew of public protests against the vaccine mandate. One of the demonstrators, identified as New York Fire Department (FDNY) paramedic Carin Rosado, said she would most likely be forced out of the city and her job of 10 years. The 33-year-old frontline worker said in an interview that she was about to lose her apartment and her car. Without a job, she said that she will not be able to afford to live in New York City anymore. However, she said that she was protesting because it was worth it to fight for her "freedom." Adams argued that the termination was not about "firing" employees and insisted that workers were "quitting" by choice. The New York City mayor said that workers had the responsibility to follow the rules when they get hired for the job. He said that if people did not follow the requirements, they were the ones making the decision, the New York Post reported. Related Article: COVID-19 Cases in US Sees 38% Hospitalization Drop, But Expert Warns Don't Relax Just Yet @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. BRIMS students, however, were reportedly allowed to take the examination after the intervention of student groups Students participate in a procession to protest against barring Muslim girls wearing hijab from attending classes at some schools in Karnataka, in Kolkata, Feb. 9, 2022. (AP /Bikas Das) New Delhi: The Karnataka government has postponed the resumption of classes for Standards 11 and 12 and colleges in the state till Wednesday after a fresh row erupted in Bidar after the Institute of Medical Sciences (BRIMS), a government medical college, on Thursday refused to allow hijab-wearing students to sit for their BSc nursing examination. The incident took place on Thursday even as the Karnataka High Court was hearing the matter and had asked all sides to maintain restraint till its final order. BRIMS students, however, were reportedly allowed to take the examination after the intervention of student groups. The BRIMS administration denied the allegations. According to Chandrakant Chillargi, director of BRIMS, the students were stopped for a few minutes outside the hall to enable examiners to check their identity cards and to rule out proxy candidates. He added that the staff on examination duty had only asked the girls to produce their ID cards at the entrance, as it was difficult to recognise students if their faces were covered. Referring to a video clip that was shared on social media, he said the examination hall in-charge was asking outsiders who had accompanied the girls to leave the campus, which does not violate any rule. Amid this row, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan said there were instances of women refusing to wear the veil in the history of Islam. An appeal had been filed in the apex court challenging the direction of the Karnataka High Court New Delhi: In a candid message, the Supreme Court on Friday said that it is watching the situation in Karnataka in the wake of the hijab ban, including the proceedings in the high court, and would step in at an appropriate time to protect the constitutional rights of the affected people. The Supreme Court, however, declined to give urgent listing for hearing a Special Leave Petition against Karnataka high courts direction regarding the hijab petitions. An appeal has been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the direction of the Karnataka high court that has asked students not to wear hijab on campus till the matter is resolved. The plea filed by a student has sought a stay on the direction of the high court. We will definitely protect the constitutional rights of everybody, definitely we will interfere, we will take up the matter at an appropriate time, Chief Justice N.V. Ramana heading a bench also comprising Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice Hima Kohli told senior lawyer Devadatt Kamat who sought top courts intervention in the high court order asking affected students not to insist on wearing religious clothes which are not conducive. The Karnataka high court on Friday issued an interim order restraining students from wearing hijab and saffron shawls in classrooms. In the course of the hearing on a batch of petitions challenging the hijab ban before the Karnataka high court on Thursday, Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi said, We are ready to decide the issue at the earliest. We feel that peace and tranquillity should be restored. Till the decision, you should not insist on wearing these religious clothes which are not conducive. Besides Chief Justice Awasthi, other two judges on the high court bench are Justice Krishna S. Dixit and Justice J.M. Khazi. Making a mentioning for an urgent listing of the petition challenging the interim order, preferably on Monday (February 14), senior lawyer Kamat told the Supreme Court that the interim order is not limited to Muslims as it would not impact Muslims alone but also other religions minorities like Sikhs, who wear turban. He said the interim order denudes minorities rights guaranteed under Article 25 of the constitution guaranteeing freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion. However, CJI Ramana asked Mr Kamat not to enlarge the issue at the national level by bringing it to the Supreme Court. Dont spread these issues to a larger level by bringing it to the Supreme Court. We are watching. We also know what is happening in the state and in the high court. We will definitely protect the constitutional rights of affected people. Definitely we will interfere. We will take up the matter at an appropriate time, CJI Ramana said. As solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for Karnataka's BJP government, said that the high court order has not come and there should not be any attempt to politicise the issue, CJI Ramana asked him to let Mr Kamat have his say. The petition challenging the interim order of the Karnataka high court, asking students not to insist on wearing religious clothes, says that the interim order creates a distinction between Muslim and non-Muslim female students and directly hits at secularism, which is part of the basic structure of the Constitution. The right to wear hijab falls under right to expression under Article 19(1)(a), right to privacy and freedom of conscience under Article 25. The same cannot be infringed upon without a valid law, the petition has contended. While the Opposition is willing to stall Parliament on every other issue its silence on China is deafening It is baffling as to why in the business advisory committee meetings the leaders of Opposition in both houses have not jointly and collectively pressed aggressively for a discussion on the border situation qua China. (Representational Image/ AFP) The first leg of the Budget Session has ended. During his reply both in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to the motion of thanks on the Presidents address the Prime Minister did not mention the word China even once. Not a word in his speech either directly or obliquely alluded to the stand-off on our borders that has been continuing now for over twenty two months since the April of 2020. Moreover, there has not been a single discussion in Parliament on the Chinese situation since September 2020 when Parliament first convened after the Covid-19 lockdowns. Even questions by members of Parliament on China are brushed aside with contempt by the Parliament Secretariat citing vague rules. As of December 20, 2021, 17 questions of mine pertaining to China have been disallowed so far. One more question on China during the ongoing budget session has been ostensibly referred (whatever that means) under some vague rule. It is hilarious that the legislature is seeking the consent of the executive as to what question they will find not uncomfortable and inconvenient to answer. I reproduce the question as tabled by my office in full: Will the Minister of Defence may be pleased to state a. Whether the government has taken cognisance of reports by Chinese media which claim that the PLA in August and November 2021 conducted several drills including night and day military drills and used reconnaissance drones, howitzers and rocket launcher systems; b. Whether the government is aware that Chinese Military has published pictures that show anti-nuclear, biological and chemical warfare drills being conducted in Tibet close to the LAC; c. What has been the governments response to use of anti-nuclear, chemical and biological gear so close to Indias border; d. Whether the government is aware of any other such exercises which may threaten Indias national security; if yes, details thereof; e. If no, reasons therefor; f. Whether the government is aware that Chinese forces are constructing a new bridge on Pangong Lake in Ladakh, a territory claimed by India; g. If yes, what action has the government taken in this regard? On December 1, 2021, Subramanian Swamy a nominated member of the Rajya Sabha was compelled to tweet It is hilarious if not tragic for Rajya Sabha secretariat to inform me today that my question whether the Chinese have crossed the LAC in Ladakh, cannot be allowed because of national interest! This situation does not auger well for the supreme legislative institution of the country, on one hand, and betrays a very profound sense of paranoia on behalf of the government, on the other. Even internationally it is counterproductive for the message it sends out is that the Government of India is trying to hide facts from its own people. What have been the parliamentary traditions with regard to debates and discussions on national security in the national legislatures? The British Parliament often considered as the mother of all legislatures was in session during the entire four years of the First World War and five years during the Second World War. In fact, Winston Churchill delivered some of his finest speeches in the House of Commons in the years leading up to the 2nd World War on Britains unpreparedness for the looming threat of war because of the advance of fascism and Nazism. In one such speech entitled The Locust Years delivered on November 12, 1936, he had warned the House of Commons I have been staggered by the failure of the House of Commons to react effectively against those dangers. That, I am bound to say, I never expected. I never would have believed that we should have been allowed to go on getting into this plight, month by month and year by year, and that even the governments own confessions of error would have produced no concentration of parliamentary opinion and force capable of lifting our efforts to the level of emergency. I say that unless the House resolves to find out the truth for itself it will have committed an act of abdication of duty without parallel in its long history. Mani Shankar Aiyar, writing for ndtv.com, on October 12, 2016, had this to say about the debate in Parliament during the Sino-Indian conflict On 26 October, Nehrus government issued a Proclamation of National Emergency. The same day, a young Rajya Sabha MP, one Atal Behari Vajpayee, aged 36, accompanied by his parliamentary party colleagues (just four of them in total) called on the Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, then at 72 exactly twice Vajpayees age, and with a two-thirds majority backing him. Vajpayee sought an immediate convening of Parliament. Nehru instantly agreed. Both houses were summoned on 8 November. It was an object lesson in how democracy functions in a time of armed conflict I can quite understand that the government is not interested in a discussion on Chinese transgressions into Indian territory for the facts are embarrassing but what intrigues me even more is the silence of the collective Opposition. While the Opposition is willing to stall Parliament on every other issue its silence on China is deafening. Not once has the Opposition come together collectively to demand that the government must concede to a discussion on China. It is baffling as to why in the business advisory committee meetings the leaders of Opposition in both houses have not jointly and collectively pressed aggressively for a discussion on the border situation qua China. The rules of procedure and conduct of business of the House even provide for a secret session. Rule 248 to 252 have been specifically inserted to deal with such a contingency. If the house deems it necessary it can always use this option that is already available in the rule book. If the highest institution of Westminster style democracy does not discharge its responsibility then, as Winston Churchill pointed out, not only would the government but Parliament also would be equally responsible were things pan out on an unfortunate trajectory. As he presciently stated in the context of the House of Commons not holding the British government to account, it would have committed an act of abdication of duty without parallel in its long history. Our lives have changed so much since the pandemic started that some things we thought normal a few years ago seem extraordinary now These are strange times. Our lives have changed so much since the pandemic started that some things we thought normal a few years ago seem extraordinary now. Every trip to town, a trip that we made casually until early 2020, is now an expedition that we plan like a trip to the North Pole. We stock up on masks and hand sanitiser and air purifiers, and plan our stops to minimise exposure to the virus. We still manage to get into trouble, but I find reassurance in one thing that hasnt changed. Let me explain. A few days ago, my wife Prita and I went to town after a gap of a few weeks. We use our four-year-old car so little these days and take so much care over Covid-related precautions that we sometimes miss changes in traffic regulations. Prita was driving, as usual, because I prefer two wheels to four, and we were both surprised when a traffic policeman signalled us to pull over. We stopped, and Prita rolled down the window before rummaging in her handbag for her licence and other papers. The policeman, who had taken up position by the door on the drivers side, took one look at her and politely told her he didnt need to check her papers. The number plate, he said, was defective, for it didnt have a nationality marker, and there was a fine of Rs 500. After she paid the fine, he gave us a receipt, telling her very considerately that if another cop stopped us for the same offence in the next 24 hours, we wouldnt have to pay another fine. Then he took a walk around the car, inspecting both number plates closely, and told us that only the front number plate was defective: wed replaced the rear plate, when it developed a crack sometime last year, and it was in line with the new rules. While we were driving around trying to find a place where we could get the defective number plate replaced, I couldnt help remembering other occasions when Prita got preferential treatment from policemen. The earliest memory was from over two decades ago, when we lived in Coimbatore. We were on a bike, riding out to Guruvayur to visit her mother. Hoping to beat the rush and get there for breakfast, we left home at the crack of dawn. At the outskirts of the city, though, we ran into a traffic policeman stopping passing vehicles to check for papers. This was in the days before they got rigorous about insurance and emissions, so all we needed were my driving licence and the bikes registration certificate. We had neither. Due to a strange combination of circumstances and forgetfulness, I didnt have a valid driving licence, and Id forgotten the bikes registration documents at home. There was a line of a few vehicles ahead of us, waiting to be checked, and the policeman took his time getting to us. By the time he arrived, Prita had raised the visor of her helmet. The cop took a good look at us.He saw a fat bearded man and a slim woman, kitted out with helmets and gloves and jackets, on what was, by the standards of the day, a powerful bike, all loaded up with luggage for a long ride. He looked dubiously at me for a moment, then at the growing line of vehicles behind us, waiting to be checked. Then he decided to save some time. Do you have your papers with you? he asked. I didnt want to lie, so I shook my head in a vague fashion that could mean yes or no. He interpreted it to mean that yes, I had my papers with me, and he waved us on. I couldnt help thinking then that if Id been alone, hed have taken a different view. And then there was that time a few years ago when we went out to dinner at a nice restaurant in Mangalore. I had a couple of drinks with dinner, but we werent worried because she was driving anyway. We finished up a little before eleven, when the restaurant was due to shut its doors, and left a few minutes later, full of good food and good spirits, looking forward to a good nights sleep. A kilometre from the restaurant, at a major traffic junction with very little traffic because of the lateness of the hour was a police checkpoint where a group of policemen were checking whether drivers of passing vehicles had been drinking or not. Prita stopped close to a bright street lamp, and the interior of the car was clearly visible to the policeman who stepped up to check us, breathalyser in hand. He saw Prita in the drivers seat and me in the passenger seat and jumped to the conclusion that she was driving because Id had a couple and she hadnt. He waved us on, hurrying to check the next car. Home was only a couple of kilometres away, and in just a few minutes after the leaving the checkpoint we were near the lane to our house. The street lamp at the mouth of the lane was off and the approach was pitch dark. As we approached, Prita complained that it was so dark she couldnt see where to turn. It was only then that the two of us realised that shed forgotten to turn on the cars headlamps. Wed driven all the way from the restaurant in the dark, and even the policeman at the checkpoint hadnt bothered about it! So, like I said, one thing that hasnt changed is that when Prita and I are together, traffic policemen dont hassle us. It seems shes my respectable half, and Im not complaining! by Guido Alberto Casanova The disparity between sparsely and more densely populated areas is too great. The system has been kept to favour rural voters and the Liberal Democratic Party, which has held power almost uninterruptedly since 1945. Tokyo (AsiaNews) A consensus appears to be emerging that Japans electoral system needs an overhaul to improve representation, following four court rulings in the past 10 days After last years general elections (31 October), a group of lawyers took legal action in several districts because of a widening disparity among the countrys single-member constituencies. In the last poll, the disparity between the smallest (largely rural) constituency (Tottori Prefectures No. 1) and the largest (Tokyos No. 13) was 2.08; this meant that in Tottori a ballot weighted more than double that in Tokyo. The lawyers that started the campaign argue that such disparities violate the Constitution, which holds that every citizen's vote should count equally. More courts are expected to rule by 9 March; among those that have already spoken, three have decreed that the 2019 election was held in a state of unconstitutionality; only in Tokyo did the high court declare the election results constitutional. The Takamatsu High Court ruled that the disparity could not be dismissed, and that its level exceeded 2.0 in 29 constituencies (out of 289). However, this did not invalidate the election, as requested by a group of lawyers. Now the issue moves up to the Supreme Court, which could rule by the end of the year. Japans highest court considered the same matter in three lower house elections in 2009, 2012 and 2014, when the disparity exceeded two to one. The authorities eventually eliminated six constituencies and the 2017 elections (held with the same divisions as those of last October) were deemed constitutional, since the disparity had dropped to 1.98. Japans parliament took further steps to ensure that election results are more representative, including the abolition of 10 largely underpopulated constituencies and adding 10 to more densely populated urban areas, but the changes have not yet been implemented. Meanwhile, the whole issue has become a major bone of contention among political parties. The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has been historically strong in rural areas, has always favoured rural over-representation, justifying the bias by the need to give a greater voice to less developed areas. Even after the creation of nine new constituencies in Greater Tokyo at the expense of some traditional liberal democratic strongholds, the vote disparity dropped only to 1.69, without radically changing the general layout of the pro-LDP electoral system. Yet, even these changes have aroused discontent within the ruling party, with several senior leaders speaking out against modifying the constituencies. The aging of the population, the economic depression of rural areas and the migration of young people in search of work to the metropolises are at the heart of the problem. Over the next few decades, the disparity is bound to increase. Revising the electoral system to make it fairer will continue to be a challenge for Japanese democracy. by Stefano Caprio The defection of Alexandrian priests to the Russian patriarchate seems unstoppable. The real canonical war within Orthodoxy is being played out today in Africa where Moscow's interests are as much spiritual as they are material, pastoral, political, liturgical and military. The Russian exarchate of Africa The Russian invasion of the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the titular see of Byzantine Christianity in the African continent, continues to create great turmoil among Orthodox. The break took place after a minor event, the concelebration on a remote Mediterranean island of the Alexandrian Patriarch Theodore II (Horeftakis), Greek namesake of the "pope" of the Copts, with the metropolitan of Kyiv Epiphanius (Dumenko), reviled by the Russians because of the autocephaly granted to him by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew (Arhondonis), Moscows great adversary for supremacy among the Orthodox. The loss of Alexandrian priests defecting to the Russian patriarchate seems unstoppable. On 10 February, another 15 went over to the exarch for Africa appointed by Moscow, 54-year-old Metropolitan Leonid (Gorbachev), a faithful follower of Patriarch Kirill (Gundayev), who was Moscow's representative to the patriarchate of Theodore for over a decade, so much so that he organised a meeting in Cairo with President Dmitry Medvedev in 2009. Leonid served for a long time in the Russian army and air force, since he was already a subdeacon and patriarchal aide, and his dual military and ecclesiastical services are an important key to his professional and clerical career. The new exarch contributed to the integration of Orthodox chaplaincies in the Russian military, and performed diplomatic services everywhere. He was patriarchal representative in Argentina, and was recently appointed exarch of Armenia, operating in the Caucasian lands closest to Moscow, working out a deal with Karekin II, the Catholikos of the Apostolic Church. He followed developments in the Church of Ethiopia and the bilateral talks between Russian Orthodoxy and the Indian Malankara Church, finally obtaining the title of patriarchal vicar as bishop of Klin, a town in Moscow province. All these titles and assignments have frantically accumulated according to the fits and starts typical of Kirill's style of management, who likes to move his closest aides like video game pawns, when he has to find a solution to the most burning issues. Leonid welcomed new Russian-African priests during a pastoral assembly in Meru, a town in eastern Kenya, where most Orthodox clergy of the Eparchy of Nyeri switched to Moscow, despite the pleas and threats of excommunication by Bishop Neofit (Kongai), a Kenyan who grew up among the Greeks. The priests arrived at the meeting on motorbikes from distant parishes, wearing only an under-cassock (podroznik), partly because of the weather and partly for lack of money, which will now be generously guaranteed by Moscow. In fact, the version by the Russian patriarchate is that one could not but respond to the request of so many African priests, eager to join Moscow because of the unacceptable scandal of the Ukrainian schism. As Metropolitan Hilarion (Alfeyev), patriarchal "foreign minister", said recently, the Christians of Africa need the protection of Russia, not because of our will, but because of the situation that has been created. We created the Exarchate to offer a canonical refuge for African priests, who do not intend to follow Alexandria in legitimising the Ukrainian schism. The Russians have long been sending missionaries to serve the Russian-speaking believers in African countries, and now everything is being turned into eparchies and structures of canonical reception. Moscow has repeatedly reiterated that it will be forced to open Russian parishes even in Turkey, in Bartholomews backyard, already home to substantial numbers of Russians; however, so far only a few chapels have been set up within consular districts. For now, Greece is not threatened. Archbishop Ieronymos II (Liapis) of Athens has recognised the Metropolia of Kyiv, even though the Russians decided to officially break relations with the monastic communities of Mount Athos, where many Russian monks reside. At least the other two patriarchs of the traditional ancient "pentarchy", in which Moscow has inserted itself in modern times in place of "heretical" Rome, have remained neutral. Patriarch Theophilos III (Giannopoulos) of Jerusalem can only try to make the best of a difficult situation, since the Holy Land is home to every type of Christian canonical structure, whilst Patriarch John (Ioannis) X (Yazigi) of Antioch has always been on the side Moscow, both for personal reasons (he grew up in Soviet times along with the future Patriarch Kirill), and for objective territorial reasons, Syria is close to Russia and is now under its political and military protection, after the war with the Islamic State group. For all these and other reasons, the true "canonical war" within Orthodoxy is being waged in Africa. Despite Moscows watchful eye, Greece and the Middle East will remain quite independent without raising canonical barricades, but Africa is too vast, too complex and too important to be left to rivals. In this case, the Russian Church is not acting out of compassion alone for priests who reject heresy, and perhaps hoping for their daily allowance, nor even for juridical-ecclesiastical stubbornness in the dispute over autocephaly and canonical territories. The fact is that Russian interests in Africa are as much spiritual as they are material, pastoral, political, liturgical, and military. Market for cannons Africa is one of the main export markets for Russian weapons, and in many countries, ties have survived the collapse of the Soviet Union, so that Russia is now competing with China, which has been in the continent for years. The situation in Burkina Faso is a case in point. On 24 January, a military coup took place closely watched by the Russians. In Ouagadougou, the country's capital, the military seized power and arrested President Marc Kabore, removing his government, and dissolving parliament. The journalists covering the affair were quite surprised when immediately after the coup crowds backing the military poured into the streets waving Russian flags, demanding the country change its foreign policy in favour of Moscow instead of Paris. Russian military specialists rushed to support the military of the former colony French, a throwback to similar operations during Soviet times. Once upon a time, the Soviet Union was very active in Africa, and many Africans still live and work in Russia, where scholarships and specialized institutes were never closed. At the height of the Cold War, in 1960, the Peoples Friendship University of Russia opened in Moscow, and was later renamed after Congolese socialist martyr Patrice Lumumba. Many foreign students, especially Africans, still study there. Many of them also actively participate in the life of Russian Catholic parishes; one of them, engineering graduate Corentin Ntontas, originally from Pointe-Noire, teaches Sacred Scripture at the seminary in St Petersburg. In the past, the adversary was the United States. The end of communism forced the Russians to leave the region to the Chinese, but now it seems the time has come to take revenge against both rivals. Before the pandemic, in 2019, a large "Russia-Africa" summit was held in Sochi with delegations from 54 African countries, three of them special strategic partners Algeria, Egypt and South Africa linked to Russia by very close economic and military ties that were never severed. Now Moscow wants to expand its ties to the least developed and poorest countries, with pledges of security and defence assistances, as in Burkina Faso. For the Russians, weapons, technologies and military experts are the best cards, plus canonical blessings, symbolically united in the person of the exarch, Colonel Leonid. In August 2021, weapons sales to Africa represent 30-40 per cent of Russias military exports, or about US$ 14 billion a year, this according to Dmitry Shugayev, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation. Russian military and economic aid to Africa varies from country to country sometimes it comes from agreements between governments; sometimes it entails sending mercenaries, like in Mali and Libya. The Central African Republic was the first African country to be visited in 2018 by the notorious Wagner Group in support of beleaguered President Faustine-Archange Tuadera. Wagner's operatives are financed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, the St Petersburg-based oligarch known in the media as Putins chef, a man very much interested in mining precious stones in African countries. There is much more to confirm Russia's interest in Africa, but one more factor is worth mentioning: African countries represent 25 per cent of all members of the UN General Assembly, and their vote is traditionally pro-Russia. In fact, no African countries has imposed sanctions against Russia, and now in religious affairs, Africans are choosing the Moscow Patriarchate over Constantinople, thus asserting Russian pre-eminence in Africa as well. RUSSIAN WORLD IS THE ASIANEWS NEWSLETTER DEDICATED TO RUSSIA. WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE IT EVERY SATURDAY IN YOUR E-MAIL INBOX? TO SUBSCRIBE, CLICK HERE. In the past four years, some 80 Yazidi civilians have become "collateral damage" of Erdogan's bombs against the PKK. About 350,000 Yazidis are still internally displaced and more than 100,000 have left Iraq. For activist, Sinjar is turning into a war zone" and the population is suffering under unimaginable conditions in displacement camps. Erbil (AsiaNews) Yazidi refugees have been prevented from returning home as a result of repeated and indiscriminate attacks by Turkish planes across the border in northern Iraq, including Kurdish areas. Under the pretext of attacking Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) bases, Turkeys air force has been pounding the Sinjar region for some time, causing serious damage and making the whole area unstable. As a result, representatives of the Yazidi community have called on the international community to provide protection from Erdogans bombs. Since 2017, some 80 Yazidis have become the victims of collateral damage from Turkish air strikes against PKK targets in Iraq where many of its fighters found refuge. Turkey considers the PKK a terrorist organisation. Many Yazidis did not leave Sinjar despite all the tragedy that befell them, Yazidi leader Saad Hamo told al-Monitor, a news website. We are looking for other ways to convince those who remain in the displacement camps in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) to return. Some 350,000 Yazidis are internally displaced in Iraq and more than 100,000 have left the country permanently. Members of this religious group have suffered the most under the yoke of the Islamic State (IS), when the jihadi group ruled parts of Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2017, before its military defeat and the liberation of most of the territories it controlled. One of the latest Turkish air raids took place on 2 February, when planes hit several positions on Mount Sinjar controlled by local Yazidi People's Mobilization Units (PMUs), not the PKK. Iraq has repeatedly condemned Turkish military operations within its territory, but has failed so far to stop Turkish attacks and aggression. Today Yazidi leaders have spoken out against the violence, demanding an end to military operations and guarantees for a safe return to their homes; otherwise, their presence and their future in Iraq will be "at risk". Many already believe that a safe and dignified life in the country is "impossible" today, especially in the Sinjar area. For Activist Murad Ismail, founder of the Sinjar Academy, the community is "losing hope". In his view, This is a direct result of the failure of Iraq and the international community to create a safe space for our people to recover from genocide by the Islamic State. Instead of creating hope for a deeply traumatised community and instead of healing our wounds and bringing some justice to the lost lives of 10,000 Yazidis, Sinjar is turning into a war zone. More than half of our people are still suffering under unimaginable conditions in displacement camps and may never be able to return. by Peter Tran The Dominican superior is demanding answers, but pledges Christian forgiveness for the murderer. He wants the law to be implemented, not revenge. The priest's grave has become a destination for pilgrimage and prayers for Catholics, Buddhists and atheists. A group of lawyers is helping the family. Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) Fr Giuse (Joseph) Tran Ngoc Thanh, a Dominican clergyman, was killed on 29 January, on the eve of Lunar New Year celebrations. Following his death, Vietnamese Catholics are demanding justice and want to know why he was murdered. They also seek forgiveness for his murderer because, as the Gospel of Christ teaches, one does not react with violence to violent crimes, however brutal. The faithful are still shaken by the violent death of the young priest who was killed while performing the sacrament of confession and are eager to see some light shed on the murky details surrounding it. Since he was buried, his grave has become a place of pilgrimage, by Christians and others, coming to pay their respect to his memory. Last Monday, Fr Toma Aquino Nguyen Truong Tam, Dominican provincial superior, expressed support for the priest's relatives, and met with the group of lawyers helping them. Dominican leaders, together with the Diocese of Kontum, are considering appointing a consultant tasked with preparing a brief for the investigators in charge of the case. Ordained in 2018, the dead clergyman travelled to ak Mot parish the following year where he took up the post of deputy vicar. His funeral was held on 31 January at St Martins monastery in Bien Hoa, ong Nai province, while his remains were buried on the grounds of the local Dominican monastery. Speaking to AsiaNews, Fr Toma Aquino stresses that the order wants the investigation into the priests murder to be completely transparent, hoping that an open trial will soon get underway. At the same time, he wants justice and Vietnams law to be enforced in a Catholic spirit" because "we do not want revenge" or another person's blood" nor material compensation. We just want to know the reasons that led the killer to take a knife; the goal is to prevent further violence. We shall all forgive him. Remembering the kind, humble, diligent, saintly committed spirit of the murdered priest, the Dominican Father said they received many messages of condolence and closeness from other religious orders. In his view, Fr Thanhs death was martyrdom. The slain clergymans body now lies near the statue of the Virgin Mary, on a hill, with a non-stop flow of people, Catholics and non-Catholics, who light incense and pray at his grave. I was moved and anxious to pray at the grave of Fr Thanh, said Joseph Phan, a Catholic from Ho Chi Minh City, speaking to AsiaNews. Many people are queuing, in silence, he explained. Everyone seems to feel the love and courage of the missionary from the (Central) Highlands. People of other or no faith have also come to pray and lay flowers. One bunch carried a note that said: God is love. I am an atheist, but I'm here to pay homage to Fr Joseph. Abroad, hundreds of Buddhist monks also prayed for his soul, in accordance with Buddhist practice, in front of the altar. A picture of the prayer posted online went immediately viral, touching many Christians and non-Christians. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. The daily case average of Covid-19 in the United States hit rock bottom since Christmas, with a currently reported average of 215,000 new cases each day, a drop of 71 % in the past three weeks based on federal records. However, observers believe that the reported numbers are not enough reason to relax. There is a possibility of higher case totals as almost 99% of US counties reported high transmission numbers, and many Americans who use at-home Covid-19 tests do not submit their results to health authorities. Federal data show that hospitalization rates in the country continue to drop. Per ABC News, a daily average of roughly 12,100 Americans with COVID-19 get hospitalized, decreasing by nearly 25% in the last week. Around 2,300 new Covid-19 deaths per day are now the national average. According to data from Johns Hopkins University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering, more than 5.7 million individuals have died from the COVID-19 virus worldwide, including more than 917,000 Americans. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a total of 64.3 percent of the population in the United States has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Businesses Begin to Ease Restrictions Amid the decline in the reported Covid-19 cases in the country, some business establishments end some pandemic restrictions. Walmart officials advised their employees on Friday that they will no longer be required to wear masks at Walmart or Sam's Club stores if they are fully vaccinated, with exceptions. In a company memo obtained by news companies, Per WSOC-TV, Walmart chief people officer Donna Morris and chief medical officer, Dr. John Wig, reported some updates on the company's Covid-19 protocols. The memo stated that "fully vaccinated associates will not be required to wear masks while working unless required by a state or local mandate or ordinance." Walmart officials consider a person fully vaccinated after receiving two doses of either e Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine or one shot of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, in sync with the recommendations from the CDC. The memo further states that employees who are unvaccinated "will be required to continue wearing masks until further notice." Moreover, masks will still be mandated for associates in health clinics and pharmacies with direct contact with patients/customers regardless of vaccination status. In the coming weeks, Walmart will drop daily health screenings and will stop its Covid-19 emergency leave policy "except as required by state or local mandates or ordinances." As public health officials note a decline in reported US COVID-19 cases, other corporations have also expressed plans to eliminate employee mask requirements. According to The Wall Street Journal, Amazon announced in a recent memo that fully vaccinated warehouse workers would no longer be required to wear masks. Read Also: Roughly 3,000 NY City Workers Could Lose Their Jobs Due to Vaccine Mandate Deadline Vaccine For Kids Under 5 Put On Hold Meanwhile, Pfizer and BioNTech on Friday suspended the process of authorizing its Covid-19 vaccine for children under five years old. USA Today reported that both companies decided to wait for the data on a third vaccine dose for children under the bracket to become available, possibly in April. The pharmaceutical firms had earlier remarked that such information would be ready in late March or early April and that they would subsequently seek vaccination approval. The manufacturers, however, presented their data and requested authorization for the first two doses and said they could add a third in the future, under the pressure of the Food and Drug Administration. Related Article: Dole Salad Listeria Outbreak: 1 Dead in Wisconsin, 17 People in 13 States Infected @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Mr. Phillip Nathaniel Ware aged 62, passed away on Wednesday April 6, 2022 in Dallas, Texas . He was born to Mr. Frederick Brink Ware and Ms. Irene Duffner on Sunday, November 15, 1959 in Kansas City, Kansas. Phillip N. Ware will leave his loved ones with unforgettable memories and loving st Chicago and other cities have been rassling with a sharp rise of violent carjacking. With 2022 just setting in, police in Chicago have already arrested more than 56 individuals with charges related to carjacking, Fox News reported.Superintendent David Brown of the Chicago Police Department attributed the number of arrests to efforts by the CPD hijacking task force.Theres been a steep rise in carjackings in the U.S., with a daring incident in Midtown Manhattan captured on video and shared online. It was one of three unrelated carjacking incidents in one hour in New York in January.For the first time in the history of auto exhibitions, attendees of the 2022 Chicago Auto Show will find a carjacking safety booth mixed among electric vehicle and related displays.According to the Cook County Sherriffs office, the situation is pretty bad, with carjacking incidents up to 40 percent. The Department is pushing for clients who buy vehicles during the auto show to get units that feature tracking technology. CBS reported.In December, a state senator lost his valuables in his car outside Chicago at gunpoint. Data released by NCIB (National Crime Insurance Bureau) reported that car owners in the U.S experienced spikes in carjacking incidents, making carjackings the single most common form of property crime.Superintendent Brown said a big part of solving the problem is getting car manufacturers on board. He asked 11 major auto manufacturers to set up a 24/7 hotline to help clients and law enforcement officers curb the vice. Our hobbies and passions usually start at an early age, but few of them actually go and become our profession. But, for this two-year-old Brazilian girl, her current passion is cars. And shes better at it than most grown-ups.Something that can be quite difficult for people who don't have an interest in cars is a piece of cake for this little girl.A woman called Rafaela Gava from Brazil shared a short video of her two-year-old girl, Julia, who is quick to identify more than 30 car brands while they're out for a walk. Captioned: a little girl in love with cars, the woman also added that there are more missing from the short video because it would've been too long if she had put them all.With a quick search on the woman's social media account, you can see that the little one posed with several vehicles, and her passion for it is real.During their walks, two-year-old Julia names the brands from Ferrari, Mercedes, Audi, or even Lamborghini ; she can tell each one by looking at the brands logo on the front or even after checking out their wheels.For her birthday, her parents even threw her a safari-themed birthday, which also included a car-shaped table for the cake and other goodies. On the social media account, you can notice how proud the parents are of the little girls quick wit.The video became viral, and even Alex from Supercar Blondie reshared it, with the funny caption: Finally, I can retire. The first admittedly blurry and not very well-defined image of celestial objects in the vastness of space was snapped this past week. It was a week-long-plus project to determine what sort of shape the telescope's NIRC camera was in after the month-long journey to L2 orbit. Some of you who remember the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and its disastrously blurry first images.It was a problem that required a series of Space Shuttle missions to fix properly. Such a space mission is not possible farther away from the Earth than the Moon by a substantial degree. Absolutely everything about the JWST's cameras, mirrors, electronics, and other sub-systems is going to have to be pretty darn perfect if it's expected to survive and collect scientific data for any prolonged period of time.Several test images were merged together after the fact to create a mosaic by pointing the telescope at a vert luminous singular star in the constellation Ursa Major, known as HD 84406. The star was chosen because, as far as we can see, it's not surrounded by clusters of other, less bright stars, a perfect target for calibration.Fifty-four gigabytes, 1,500-plus images, and several sleepless nights for NASA/ESA scientists resulted in the very first flickers of hope for a project that looked to be dead in the water several times over the last 30 years. What happens when JWST takes its first snapshots of things billions of lightyears away? It's anyone's guess as to what it'll find. Whatever the case may be, you can read about it right here on autoevolution as soon as it happens. Assuming that you have enough Benjamins saved up, your own hangar, lots of knowledge, flying license, and whatever else may be required for enjoying such a toy every now and then, there are quite a lot of them to choose from.We stopped at something built in 1960, and named the Douglas A-4C Skyhawk , as it appears to be one paint job away (it was actually repainted in 2020) from making you talk like Maverick. It takes a lot more than just fancy flying, as Charlie famously said in the 1986 Top Gun, but if youre brave enough to say no to all the cool cars you could get for such an amount, which well talk about in a few moments, then youll get to experience some real Gs.According to the Controller ad, this Douglas A-4C Skyhawk is capable of doing 670 mph (1,078 kph) at sea level. Back when it served its country, more specifically during the wars in Korea and Vietnam, it had a pair of cannons to deal with its aerial adversaries.The A-4s were mainly used by the Navy and Marine Corps for light air attack missions, and they were also sold to other countries, such as Israel, Argentina, and Kuwait until production stopped in 1979. Subsequently, they were used for training purposes by the same uniformed services of the U.S. of A.As for how much this toy for big boys (or gals) costs, that would be $5,120.59 per month, for $240 months, with a 15% down payment, and 3.99% APR. Or you could simply buy it now for the asking price, which is $995,000. Autonomous technology is currently being integrated into various types of air-based, land-based, or maritime means of transportation, so its not surprising that even parachutes would become able to operate this way. Uncrewed operations are particularly important for military applications, because they dont put personnel at risk, and because they can get the job done without most of the limitations that are inevitably linked to human-centered missions.This new smart cargo parachute combines the benefits of automated operations with high payload capacity. It can deliver military goods in the so-called guidance mode, based on digital communication with ground control, using the coordinates provided by either GPS (Global Positioning System), or GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System, the Russian-developed navigation system).Thanks to these navigation systems, the smart cargo parachute performs with high accuracy it can land from up to 26,246 feet (8,000 meters), with a landing error of maximum 328 feet (100 meters). Its also designed to be used with different types of aircraft operated by the Russian Army.If needed, the cargo parachute can also operate with a leading parachutist, following him instead of the data provided through the navigation system. In terms of payload, it can drop cargo weighing more than 550 lbs (250 kg), but its capacity can double, according to the manufacturer, with the help of a multi-purpose harness. Both the parachute and the harness were developed at the Polet Ivanovo Parachute Plant.According to the Rostec state corporation, the smart parachute system (which was recently patented) is still in the development phase, undergoing flight tests. By the end of the year, other tests will follow, at the Ministry of Defenses State Flight Test Center. More than half of the monkeys implanted with Elon Musk's Neuralink brain chip, which aims to cure neurological problems, have reportedly died. At least 15 of the 23 monkeys implanted with Neuralink at the University of California Davis died according to the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), an animal-rights group that viewed 700 pages of documents and records on the Neuralink monkey trials through a public records request. Since its inception in 2016, Neuralink has focused on rehabilitating people who have suffered traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, treating depression and other mental health issues, and connecting people to the internet for everything from music streaming to near-telepathic communication, among other things, as per report by Consequence. The project has attracted a great deal of interest from notable personalities as well as individuals with conditions like paralysis who volunteer to be a part of human trials. Musk previously said that he hoped to begin human trials of the Neuralink Brain Chip Implant in 2021, but that goal has been pushed back to 2022. Neuralink Chips Not Ready For Human Test According to PCRM's findings, the Neuralink Brain Chip Implants seem far from ready for human testing based on the discovered Neuralink monkey suffering. The group's research advocacy director Jeremy Beckham said that each monkey that got the chips implanted in their head "suffered from pretty debilitating health effects" that were "killing" them. Neuralink Brain Chip Implant was installed in the monkeys by drilling holes into their skulls. One of them developed a serious skin infection and got euthanized. Another monkey, which got euthanized also, was seen to have missing fingers and toes that were most likely from self-mutilation and other "unspecified trauma." A third primate, according to the reports, had uncontrollable vomiting after the surgery and appeared to collapse days later. An autopsy revealed that a brain hemorrhage caused the condition. Read Also: Elon Musk's Plan To Colonize Mars Will Be Faced With Uncertain Survival Issues Once First Settlers Arrive Elon Musk's Neuralink Charged With Animal Cruelty The PCRM with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) would file an administrative action against Neuralink and the University of California, Davis, which assisted in the Neuralink monkey trials. The USDA investigates several incidents of alleged maltreatment of monkeys by both Neuralink and UC Davis workers, which regulates animal research under the Animal Welfare Act, per Fortune. The complaint cites the university's animal care records and the alleged animal cruelty resulting in chronic infections caused by surgery, psychological discomfort, and "extreme suffering." One spokesperson of UC Davis claimed that the university's partnership with Neuralink had ended in 2020 and said that the university's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee had meticulously "reviewed" the protocols of the controversial research. Since 2005, PCRM has actively opposed animal research and has launched lawsuits against a number of academic institutions, mostly to get public records about animal experiments. After filing a separate case in California Superior Court last May alleging that UC Davis was withholding the records from the group in violation of the California Public Records Act. PCRM finally recently obtained the university's animal care records related to Neuralink's study. According to USA Today, Neuralink's ultimate goal is to create a "brain-computer interface" that allows users to wirelessly transmit and receive data between their brain and a computer. Related Article: SpaceX Starship Launch Coming Soon, But Elon Musk Warns Failures for World's Most Powerful Rocket @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Owned by Palm Beach Dyno founder and owner Ken Bjonnes, the red-painted rig had its doors and roof panels removed because weight hampers down acceleration. The spare wheel was also removed, because why not?As for the aforementioned tune, PBD used a JB4 plug-and-play unit to extract 322 horsepower and 419 pound-feet (568 Nm) of torque at 3,740 revolutions per minute at the rear wheels on an E30+ tune. Lovingly nicknamed Bronchitis, the Bronco further boasts a MagnaFlow Overland cat-back stainless-steel exhaust system that retails at $1,099 at press time.Mere days ago, Bjonnes recorded 5.1 seconds to 60 miles per hour (97 kilometers per hour), with the first foot of rollout subtracted and E85 in the tank. Definitely not bad for such a heavy beast, more so if you remember that PBD still hasnt modified the intake system and the motors internals.For the 2022 model year, the four-door Bronco Wildtrak is listed with a base curb weight of 4,754 pounds (2,158 kilograms). The Ford Motor Company also quotes a total weight of 56.2 pounds (25.5 kilograms) for the front left, front right, and rear roof panels. The front doors weigh 55 pounds (24.9 kilograms) each, and the rear doors weigh 44 pounds (19.9 kilograms) apiece.Until the brand-new Everglades and Raptor arrive at dealers, the Wildtrak remains the most expensive specification available for the 2022 model year.A four-door Wildtrak like the one in the following video currently retails at $49,475 excluding destination charge and optional extras, options that include the $3,590 Lux Package or $520 bodyside graphics. Last but certainly not least, finding a Bronco at MSRP nowadays is like finding a needle in a haystack due to ongoing supply issues and very greedy dealerships. A starry sky, the flowing outline of Californias hills, and the silhouette of an A-10 Thunderbolt II , with just a couple of lights behind it, are all it takes to properly place this menacing beast at the top of the list of things giving enemies bad dreams.Born in the hangars of Fairchild Republic back in the early 1970s, the Thunderbolt , also known as the Warthog on account of how ugly it is, compared to other planes currently in operation, was the first aircraft the U.S. Air Force (USAF) had made for close air support of ground forces.The military branch describes this plane as simple, effective and survivable, a brute that could cut enemy forces to shreds thanks to the seven-barrel Gatling gun that can rain projectiles from as high as 4,000 feet (1,200 meters), directly into an area on the ground just 40 feet (12 meters) in diameter.Aside from the gun, it can carry up to 16,000 pounds (7,200 kg) of mixed ordnance, most of it external, hanging from eight under-wing and three under-fuselage pylon stations and making it look lethal in the process.The one we have here, deployed with the forces out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona, does not pack the full extent of its gear, but still looks menacing on the surface of a dry lakebed in Cali, where it attended an air-land integration combat training exercise in early January.Its one of close to 300 such beasts currently in service with the American military. Despite its age, the brute of an airplane will form the backbone of what the USAF calls its future streamlined fleet of aircraft, which will also include the F-35 Lightning II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and a future sixth-gen aircraft. Ford has poached engineering director Alan Clarke from Tesla. The 35-year-old engineer now works with Ford's Advanced EV Development department in California. (Photo : PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images) Ford Motor Company CEO Jim Farley admitted in an interview earlier this year that the Detroit automaker is following Tesla's lead when it comes to the electric vehicle business. He has made a significant move to close the gap between the two carmakers, with Ford poaching engineering director Alan Clarke from Tesla to improve its EV business, as per Carscoops. Clarke, who worked at Tesla for 12 years, apparently joined Ford back in January. Clarke made the move public after updating his LinkedIn page earlier this week, with the former Tesla engineer now working with Ford in California. Clarke issued a statement on the professional network, saying, "I'm happy to share that I'm starting a new position in Advanced EV Development at Ford Motor Company." More than 700 people responded to his message, including Farley, who posted, "Welcome, Alan! Great to have you on the team." Ford lands key hire in Clarke INSIDEEVs reported that Clarke is a huge acquisition for Ford as he brings a wealth of experience in the auto industry. He made a name for himself at Tesla, playing a key role in making the company the world's largest EV manufacturer. Clarke worked as a senior design engineer for Tesla on the Model S between September 2009 and January 2012 before serving as senior manager of new programs engineering between January 2012 and October 2017. He was then promoted by Tesla to director of new programs engineering in October 2017, retaining that role until January of this year. Before joining Tesla in 2009, Clarke worked at Honda Performance Development, serving as its chassis development engineer for the ARX 02A P1 and ARX 01b P2 prototypes that participated in the American Le Mans Series. Clarke played a crucial role in developing Tesla's Model S car, overseeing the design of its suspension, battery enclosure, exterior door handle mechanisms, and steering. The 35-year-old engineer also contributed to the development of the drivetrain of the Tesla Model X. When he assumed the position of senior manager of new programs engineering, Clarke led Tesla's important programs such as vehicle architecture for Model Y and Model 3, engineering work on the Cybertruck prototype, and chief engineering for the Tesla Roadster prototype. Related Article: Ford Takes Inspiration From Tesla: 'On the Fly' Updates for Mustang Mach-E Helps Them Slash Costs Clarke joins former Tesla colleague Field in Ford This is not the first time Ford has poached someone from Tesla to bolster its EV business. Last September, Ford recruited Doug Field, who previously worked as the senior vice president of Engineering at Tesla. He also once headed Apple's car project. Field, who played an important role in launching the Tesla Model 3, is currently leading Ford's Embedded Software and Hardware organization, in charge of Architecture & Platform, Driver Assistance Technology, Digital Engineering Tools, Features, Integration & Validation, Vehicle Controls, and Enterprise Connectivity. A Ford spokesperson told Automotive News that Clarke would directly report to Field, who is the company's chief advanced technology and embedded systems officer. READ MORE ON AWN: Tesla Records Impressive Car Sales in California in 2021; Model Y and Model 3 Both Rank in Top 5 EV Market Grows in Europe: Sales of Electric Vehicles Exceed 1.2 Million Units in 2021 GOYANG, SOUTH KOREA - A model poses next to a Mercedes-Benz New A Class at the Seoul Motor Show 2019 at KINTEX on March 28, 2019 in Goyang, South Korea. (Photo : Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images) Mercedes-Benz has decided to remove the A-Class sedan from its U.S. lineup with a spokesperson for the German automaker confirming to website Car and Driver that the A220 model will no longer be made available to the American market after the 2022 model year. That is sad news for consumers looking to buy the cheapest Mercedes around. The A220 four-door served as Mercedes-Benz's price leader in the lineup with a starting cost of $35,000. The GLA-class crossover will soon take over as the entry-level Benz in the U.S. market with a starting price of $37,450. It was only a matter of time before Mercedes-Benz killed off the A-Class sedan from its lineup in the United States. Before removing the A220 model, Mercedes had already dropped the A-35, the A-class sedan's more powerful AMG variant, just two months ago. A-Class sales flounder in the U.S. Contributing to Mercedes-Benz's decision to remove the A-Class altogether is the lowering sales of the A220, as per The Drive. After selling 17,641 units in its first year in the American market in 2019, Mercedes saw the sales of the A220 model drop to just 8,108 in 2021. That signaled a massive 47 percent drop compared to its sales numbers in 2020. The low volume of the A-Class was a major problem for Mercedes as the company gets lower profit margins from it because of its lower price. Aside from the well-aged S.L., the A-Class had the biggest year-to-year drop in sales out of all the Mercedes cars officially still in production. While the profit margins on the A-Class were never strong, to begin with, because of its lower price, Mercedes' main purpose in selling them was to attract young people to its brand and retain these buyers once they decide to upgrade to a larger vehicle like a GLC crossover or a C-Class sedan. Unfortunately for Mercedes, that did not materialize with the A-Class recording paltry sales in the U.S., forcing the German car brand to cut its losses. Related Article: California Sues Tesla Over Allegations of Racial Discrimination and Harassment of Black Workers Will CLA be the next one to get the ax? Yahoo News reported that it did not help the A-Class that it also had competition within Mercedes. The German automaker also sells the CLA-Class in the U.S., a sedan almost similar in performance, price, size, and many other ways to the A-Class. In the memo that Mercedes sent to its dealers in the United States, the company confirmed that CLA would continue to be produced for the U.S. market in 2023. It may not be long before the CLA gets the ax as well, though, with the model only selling 6,822 units in the U.S. last year, even lower than the sales of the A-Class in 2021. Mercedes has higher hopes for the GLA, which gave a strong sales performance last year. It sold 14,322 units in the U.S. in 2021, with the GLA outselling the A-Class by a 1.8:1 ratio. READ MORE ON AWN: Toyota Posts Record Net Profit for April to December; Weaker Yen Boosts Firm's Earnings for FY 2021 Nissan Lifts Net Profit Outlook for FY 2021 to $1.8 Billion; Weaker Yen Helps Automaker Boost Profits Satellite images recently captured by Maxar Technologies show that Russia is continuing to deploy troops and military equipment, likely including field hospitals, near Ukraine's borders in Crimea, Belarus and western Russia. The big picture: U.S. officials warned Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin at "at any time." State of play: Although Russia denied plans to invade, it has amassed over 100,000 troops and several military vehicles, including tanks, troop transports and fighter jets, near Ukraine's northern, southern and eastern borders. Six Russian warships, including some that could be used in amphibious landing operations against Ukraine, entered the Black Sea from the Mediterranean for naval drills this week, Reuters reports. Russia and Belarus launched their largest joint military exercises ever on Thursday, involving up to 30,000 troops and sophisticated missile systems, and U.S. officials believe that Russia may use the exercises inside Belarus as cover to attack Ukraine from the north, Axios' Zach Basu reports. What they're saying: Maxar Technologies said it has observed a large new deployment of troops and equipment at an abandoned airfield north of Simferopol, Crimea, that included more than 550 troop tents and hundreds of vehicles. In Belarus, it said, it has seen a large new buildup of troops and military vehicles near Gomel, less than 15 miles from the border with Ukraine, while more troops and vehicles remain deployed near the city of Rechitsa. It has also seen Russian troops and equipment recently arriving at a training area east of Kursk, Russia, which is about 68 miles from Ukraine's eastern border. Two analysts, Foreign Policy Research Institute's Rob Lee and CNA's Michael Kofman, also spotted what appeared to be field hospitals in the images. In photos: A troop housing area and an apparent field hospital at an airfield near Gomel, Belarus, on Feb. 10. Satellite image: 2022 Maxar Technologies Troop tents and other military equipment near an airfield in central Crimea on Feb. 10. Satellite image: 2022 Maxar Technologies A troop housing area and military vehicles parked near Rechitsa, Belarus, on Feb. 10. Satellite image: 2022 Maxar Technologies Troops housing and military vehicles near Kursk, Russia, on Feb. 10. Satellite image: 2022 Maxar Technologies New armored vehicle deployments near Slavne, Crimea, on Feb. 10. Satellite image: 2022 Maxar Technologies Go deeper: Foreign policy "Blob" backs Biden on Ukraine The United Nations Security Council will be "unified" on Monday "in calling for the Russians to explain themselves," U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield told ABC's "This Week." Why it matters: The meeting, called by the United States and which is expected to be broadcast live on Monday, will be "one more opportunity to find a diplomatic way out for the Russians," the ambassador said. The U.S. and its allies have continued pushing for diplomatic resolutions to Russia's military buildup along its border with Ukraine, even as they have accelerated warnings that a Russian invasion could be imminent. Russia, one of five permanent members along with the United States of the 15-member body, decried the meeting. But although the Kremlin has the authority to veto UNSC decisions, a nine-vote majority is necessary to block scheduled meetings. "I cant recall another occasion when a SC member proposed to discuss its own baseless allegations and assumptions as a threat to intl order from someone else," Dmitry Polyanskiy, the Kremlin's deputy permanent representative at the United Nations, wrote on Twitter. "Hopefully fellow UNSC members will not support this clear PR stunt shameful for the reputation of UN Security Council." Driving the news: "We're going to go in the room prepared to listen to them, but we're not going to be distracted by their propaganda and we're going to be prepared to respond to any disinformation that they attempt to spread during this meeting," said Thomas-Greenfield, a career diplomat. Asked by host George Stephanopoulos to respond to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's push back against Western warnings of an "imminent" invasion, Thomas-Greenfield reiterated the U.S. support for Ukraine and noted that the government in Kyiv asked for the meeting in a letter to the UNSC. Go deeper: Pentagon spox: U.S. considering Russian sanctions "the likes of which we haven't done before" Prince Andrew has been among the controversial personalities recently due to the serious allegations against this member of the British Royal Family. In January, Buckingham Palace announced Andrew was stripped of his military titles and charities after a US judge ruled a sexual abuse civil lawsuit against him could proceed. Meaning he can no longer use "His Royal Highness" in any official capacity, and this was approved by his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, according to reports. One source in the palace, as per CNN, said that all of Andrew's roles "have been handed back to the Queen with immediate effect for redistribution to other members of the Royal Family." The source also mentioned that the roles "will not return to The Duke of York." Andrew was born in Buckingham Palace, London, on February 19, 1960. In the British Royal Family, he is the second son and third child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip. What is Prince Andrew Net Worth in 2022? According to Distractify, Prince Andrew Net Worth in 2022 is $25 million. The Duke of York reportedly gets a $27,130 monthly pension from the British Navy. Previous reports said The Queen was giving him a tax-free yearly "allowance" of $322,000. Andrew is also known for living a lavish lifestyle. At one time, he was seen driving a brand new hybrid-electric Range Rover with personalized plates that were registered in the United Kingdom in December. In late 2020, one luxury Bently car was registered under his name. Combined, the two cars cost more than $271,000. Read Also: Prince Andrew's Ex-Massage Therapist Says Duke Is the Creepiest Client That Asks X-Rated Questions Financial Trouble Looming Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew of raping her when she was still a teenager two decades ago at the London residence of his friend Jeffrey Epstein, who was a known sex offender. But Andrew denied the allegations against him. According to Bloomberg, Andrew faces legal fees in seven digits if Virginia Giuffre's sexual abuse suit goes to trial. The cost of settling is expected to be in excess of $5 million. Given the personal fortune estimated by his private bank at $6.8 million in 2017, the legal battle will hurt Prince Andrew's wealth. The Founder and Director of Legal Fee Analytics LLC in Chicago Jerome Struder, remarked that the kind of litigation that he faces is possible to get an extended time that can lead to a "significant amount of fees" depending on the length of the litigation period. If Andrew loses the case, he would be penalized to cover fees for the emotional and mental damages and medical fees of Giuffre. If the court finds him guilty, he will also have to pay punitive damages for alleged unlawful acts. Even if he successfully defends himself in court, he would still have to pay his lawyers. If Andrew loses, he could have to cover damages for Giuffre's pain and suffering, including medical bills, as well as punitive damages for his alleged wrongful acts if the jury finds he did abuse her. Even if he wins, he will still have to cover his legal costs. However, there is no confirmation yet if The Queen would be willing to pay for his legal costs. Related Article: Prince Andrew, Prince Harry Ineligible for Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee Medal After Being Stripped of Military Honors @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. You can reach Ishani Desai at 661-395-7417. You can also follow her at @idesai98 on Twitter. Kern County is rolling out the welcome mat to deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department who refuse to be vaccinated and could Earlier this week, Samsung promised an Unpacked Event in the metaverse, which excited many fans in the digital space. The tech giant invited them to watch the show in Samsung 837X, a digital building in Decentraland. But to the disappointment of the fans, the event suffered serious technical issues. Many fans posted their complaints on Twitter. Samsung is notably one of the biggest electronics companies in the world. It is a popular manufacturer of smartphones, appliances, smartwatches, and other related gadgets. Taking all of this into consideration, many fans anticipated their latest Unpacked Event, which revealed Samsung's incoming projects for the year. Samsung Metaverse Event 2022 Samsung Unpacked 2022 officially took place on Wednesday, Feb 9. But prior to the date, Samsung said it will be aired on both virtual reality and actual reality. This prompted many metaverse-minded fans to try to attend the event digitally. For reference, the metaverse is a 3D virtual world that exists through blockchain technology. This means users had to create a digital avatar that could navigate around the virtual world. While some users control their avatar through mouse and keyboard, others use VR headsets and smart glasses. Regardless of the means, a group of digitalized people tried to attend the exciting Samsung Unpacked 2022 event. Read Also: Unwanted Apple AirTag Tracking No More? Tech Company Release Update to Address the Issue How to Join Samsung Unpacked in the Metaverse According to CNBC, the event venue called Samsung 837X is actually a data center designed after Samsung's New York experience center. This is a gigantic showroom that mainly consists of glass and multiple floors. Samsung said its Unpacked event was launched in the digital building's "Connectivity Theatre." Unfortunately, this is where fans encountered a few issues. Fans React to Samsung Metaverse Event According to Twitter user Sam Shead, he was "trying and failing" to get to the Samsung event. When he tweeted the issue, one fan commented "same result for me," which eventually led to the conclusion that the event was a "pretty awful brand experience (and) product launch." I went in too Sam, same result for me. Pretty awful brand experience let alone for a product launch pic.twitter.com/8PQbIkkBYM Drew Benvie (@drewb) February 9, 2022 Shead also ended up tweeting that a lot of people in the lobby were feeling restless about the circumstances. He took more than 20 minutes trying to resolve his issue. After ~20 minutes of trying, I finally made it into Samsung's metaverse event. No idea where anyone is pic.twitter.com/ugAf8Wczdk Sam Shead (@Sam_L_Shead) February 9, 2022 Ironically, even after finding the event location, Shead noticed that nobody was in the area. This led to speculations that the Samsung event was struggling with wide-area connectivity issues. Another fan with the username Russell Holly shared his experience for the event. He said that even after the event start time had passed, the doors for the event venue "have not opened." The #SamsungUnpacked event has started, but nobody in the #Metaverse can see it because the doors to the venue have not opened. The crowd is growing restless. And for some reason it is now night time here. pic.twitter.com/UvguK2rsUD Russell Holly (@russellholly) February 9, 2022 It is also worth noting that right after he entered the digital space, Holly was required to change his avatar clothes before participating in the event. I finally found the #GalaxyUnpacked Connectivity Theater and, as I feared, we're in a theater watching the live stream everyone else is watching. Welcome to the #Metaverse, where watching things everyone else is watching takes a lot more steps and you end up missing the beginning pic.twitter.com/gfMVj8YWAm Russell Holly (@russellholly) February 9, 2022 Lastly, it should be emphasized that Samsung only live streamed the same video that they launched across the internet. This means there were no interactive events for Samsung Unpacked on the metaverse. Keep in mind Shead and Holly are only some of the fans who were affected on the event. Many others hope that Samsung would resolve these kinds of issues in their future events. Related Article: Is McDonald's Joining the Metaverse? Trademark Application for a Virtual Restaurant Spotted Email Dan Walters of CalMatters at dan@calmatters.org. CalMatters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit journalism venture committed to explaining how Californias state Capitol works and why it matters. For more columns by Walters, go to calmatters.org/dan-walters. Bluefield, WV (24701) Today Some clouds and possibly an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. High near 80F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will become overcast later during the night. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 62F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Responding to an increasing number of students who recently moved to the United States and into the district, Beaumont ISD has launched its own "newcomer center" to specifically target difficulties these students face. These new learners sometimes face different challenges in school than their U.S.-born classmates, such as language barriers, cultural differences and varying degrees of educational background. These and other difficulties can lead to increased dropout rates among the demographic. In the 2019-20 school year, ninth through 12th grade students identified as English learners had an annual dropout rate of 3.3% -- double the statewide average -- according to data from the Texas Education Agency. Some four years ago, Beaumont ISD started seeing an influx of newcomer students, mainly from South America, said district Bilingual/English as a Second Language & Foreign Languages Director Blanca Jones. Seeing the need to provide extra support for these students, a district committee began making plans for a center that would address the difficulties newcomer students face. On Jan. 3, the BISD Newcomer Center opened for the first time. RELATED: ESL students faced even more virtual learning-related challenges. These teachers are bringing them up to speed. "A lot of these students are coming without previous schooling," Jones said. "So, it's really hard for them to get used to the environment in the United States, everything is a shock." The center enrolls only high school newcomer students because the graduation rate for those students is concerning, Jones said. According to the TEA, high school English learners had a four-year graduation rate of 79.3%, compared to the statewide average of 90.3%. English-learner students are at a particular risk for dropping out for several reasons, such as discouragement, their home life and/or personal troubles, said Newcomer Center Coordinator and ESL Dropout Prevention Coordinator Maria McClelland. "We have looked across the district at patterns, and one of the biggest patterns we noticed was that students, especially at the high school level, when they come to this country, if they don't feel successful and they feel discouraged, they don't tend to stay in (school)," she said. RELATED: Hispanic parents voice concerns about language barrier in BISD McClelland said students are sometimes pulled straight to the workforce so they can contribute financially to their families in their home countries. But one of the program's goals is to show students that finishing their education increases their potential income -- a boon for student and family, alike. It's important for newcomer students to feel welcomed at school and like they are a part of the community, too, McClelland said. "We did notice that those students who do end up dropping out are those students who just never felt accepted, the school was so challenging, they got very discouraged and then it seems easier for them to go, 'OK, well, I might as well just drop out because I feel embarrassed and I'm not learning or doing well and I'm better off just earning money,'" she said. The center currently has 20 students enrolled -- up from six when operations began at the beginning of the year, McClelland said. "It has been so popular and obviously it has been growing exponentially," she said. "We anticipated that we might have 40 students possibly by the end of the year based on previous analysis of spring and fall enrollment, and just within a month of opening, we're already halfway through our goal." At full capacity, McClelland said the center could have as many as 120 students in the program. RELATED: BISDs bilingual outreach night draws parents, district leaders, Mexican Consulate reps Students who are eligible for the program are identified by counselors and Public Education Information Management System clerks when they first enroll in school, McClelland said. Students must be between the ages of 14 and 21 when they're enrolling in school for the first time, have never taken the Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System test and have no high school credits, she said. "(The program is) only for ninth graders," McClelland said. "The idea is that we begin supporting them as a ninth grader -- a lot of support with English -- so that then they can continue their high school careers. And by the time they're seniors, they have a better opportunity to continue on with their education." The center does not have its own dedicated building, yet. It is currently housed in the West Brook High School campus, but students from both high school campuses participate in the program. Twelve students in the program attend Beaumont United High School, and the remaining eight attend West Brook. In the morning, students from Beaumont United are bussed to West Brook, where they take their first two classes with the Newcomer Center before being taken back to their home campus for electives. West Brook students take their elective courses in the morning and newcomer program classes in the afternoon. Jones said this method helps the Beaumont United students to identify with their campus, so when they leave the newcomer program, they are already used to their school environment. RELATED: Beaumont ISD has filled 300 positions. They still need more. "Our goal is to have (the students in the program) for one year," she said. "It's going to depend on how fast the student gets the skills that they need to survive in a regular environment, but it's going to be at least a year." The center hired three teachers to work with the newcomer students. McClelland said the hiring campaign was intensive, and they were lucky to hire three bilingual teachers -- a rare find in the current teacher market. Bilingual/ESL teachers are on TEA's list of teacher shortages for this academic year and next year. When the center opened last month, McClelland said there were no teachers. So, she had to teach all four core subjects: English language arts, math, science and social studies. "It was very difficult," she said. "But it just kind of happened that once we hired one person, and the word got around that it was actually a great program and they are great kids, we have been getting more and more applicants." The center is still looking to hire a science teacher. Candidates must be ESL-certified and have experience working with students who are English learners, but the candidate does not have to be bilingual. "I'm confident that before the end of the school year, we will be fully staffed," McClelland said. "It is extremely difficult to find ESL-certified teachers and so that's why we are focusing on intensive training. It takes a special kind of teacher to be able to do this and so we recognize that and we're giving them a lot of support and a lot of professional development." RELATED: Two Beaumont educators get significant raise Jones said since the program is its own entity, they have more freedom to address the needs of their students and staff, which will help to train future staff members in the district. The center also provides support for newcomer parents. "I wasn't raised in the United States, so when I came 13 years ago, I didn't know how to open a bank account. I didn't even know how to fill up the gas in my car because in my country, you don't do that," Jones said. "So, they might be silly, but parents don't know those things and we want to educate them, we want to make sure that they understand they can count on us." While the program has launched, it's still a work in progress, Jones said. In a couple of years, she said she hopes the center can start to support middle school students and expand its welcoming aspect. "From seventh grade, we start looking at the dropout (risk) in our students," she said. "Once we have our program running strong, then we can go lower and support the other grade levels." RELATED: Texas struggled to teach students learning English before COVID-19. The pandemic made it worse. One month into the program's establishment, McClelland said she's already seeing the results. "The most telling flag is the student's reactions," she said. "It usually takes a couple of weeks for students to kind of feel comfortable, especially because they don't know the language, they don't know what's happening and they go through this silent period of not wanting to interact with anyone. But we have heard feedback from teachers not here at the center, telling us how they're learning weekly and they're learning much faster than previous students who did not participate in the program. The students are happy, they're working really hard and it's going to translate into data." For more information or questions, call McClelland at 409-617-3140, or visit the Multilingual Department BISD Facebook page. olivia.malick@hearst.com twitter.com/OliviaMalick A Southeast Texas man who was jailed on a $1 million bond for allegedly killing his wifes relative has been acquitted by a Jefferson County jury. Jarvis Cuttens verdict was read Friday. Cutten was previously charged in connection with the death of Delvin Simon, who is his wifes cousin. I was very grateful and thankful that the jury exonerated my client Mr. Cutten, defense attorney Langston Adams told The Enterprise on Friday. He was in his own home and acted in self-defense and unfortunately that resulted in the death of Mr. Simon. Jarvis Cutten was sitting on the porch of his home in late October 2020 when the altercation occurred. He came outside, and he lit up synthetic marijuana and my client told him, Hey you cant smoke that here in my house. I dont tolerate that in my house, Adams said. The guy got mad at him for telling him, Hey, you cant smoke that in my house, and began to attack him. As they were fighting, he got on top of Jarvis and was hitting him on the back of the head, Adams said. Well, Jarvis as he was getting hit, somehow threw an elbow and caught him and it turned the tides when he got on top and placed him in a choke hold with his forearm across his neck. As they were fighting, once the guy passed out, Jarvis let the chokehold go. Paramedics were called to the scene and Jarvis was charged with murder. Im just really and truly blessed, Cutten said. Yes, this was a very unfortunate tragedy, and I am just thankful to God that the truth was able to come out about this situation and I really didnt intend on having anyone hurt or harmed in this situation. I was just doing the best I could to defend myself and I am so regretful in that process that he did lose his life, he continued. But I thank God that the jury was able to see the evidence and truly understand that it was only in defense of myself. Adams said the prosecution accused his client of choking Simon to death, saying he should have loosened up on or released the chokehold. But the defense made three claims: Jarvis was in his own home, he did not provoke the attack and he felt his life was in danger. Mike Laird, who is the prosecutor and Chief of Criminal District Court with the Jefferson County District Attorneys Office, said he was disappointed in the jurys decision. I wouldnt have prosecuted if I didnt think he was guilty, but I can also understand their decision as far as finding there was self-defense, he said. That was a point of being an issue in the trial, I knew that from the start. If found guilty, Adams said Cutten faced up to life in prison for killing. Instead, the jurys decision to accept his argument of self-defense has granted him freedom. Im very grateful and satisfied that he will be able to return to society, Adams said. Jarvis went to the military, he got an honorable discharge, he is a licensed carpenter. Jarvis is the type of guy who will be an asset to our community as well as our family. Cutten said the experience has been extremely life changing. Aside from being detained for a traffic violation in 1998, Cutten said he has not previous legal issues, nor had he been incarcerated a day in his life. Cutten spent six months in jail before making bond, which had been lowered to $150,000, in May 2021. I had never spent a night in jail, Cutten said. In 43-odd-years of my life I had never had that experience. Then to be thrown into that experience was very traumatizing. Never been incarcerated before, especially of that type of magnitude and having that type of looming charge over your head it was nothing but God that got me through that. By me believing in him helped me keep my sanity. Bonding out but still not having a way to earn an income made it hard on his family, said the man who is married with two children. But by the grace of God, he protected us, and he kept us through that time, Cutten said. Cutten will get his ankle monitor removed on Saturday. As far as what he expected ahead of the trial, he said he counted on faith for the verdict. Based on the fact that I am a very religious man, I put the trust in God that he would actually have the truth come out and I rested it on my faith and believing in him that he would allow the truth to come out and he did that, Cutten said. Moving forward, Cutten now plans to get back to work, take care of his family and thank God for another chance at life. The main thing that I would like the public to know is just when the world feels like it is crumbling down on you, just hold on to your faith, and if you are really on the right side of the law God will make a way, he said. meagan.ellsworth@beaumontenterprise.com twitter.com/megzmagpie In this picture taken by People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) investigators on Nov. 12, 2018, retired racehorses are whipped by a man before being killed at a slaughterhouse on Jeju Island. Courtesy of PETA By Lee Hae-rin The death of the retired racehorse, "Kami," during the filming of a KBS drama in January put a spotlight on the dire conditions in the Korean equestrian industry. Each year, over 1,400 horses, which sustain the country's 8-trillion-won horseracing industry, are retired and face ill-treatment and sometimes even slaughter for horsemeat or as ingredients for pet food, recent local reports revealed. Spurred by public rage and calls for a humane system for retiring racehorses, animal rights activists, along with lawmakers and government officials, gathered in the National Assembly to discuss ways to enhance equine welfare. The Korean Animal Welfare Association (KAWA), Wednesday, hosted the event for the establishment of a lifelong welfare system for racehorses, in collaboration with the Democratic Party of Korea's Wi Seong-gon and Jeju Vegan. Only 0.08 percent, or 14 out of 17,298 racehorses that retired since 2010, have been retrained and rehomed, said Kim Jung-hyun, the head of the Korea Association of Therapeutic Horsemanship (KATH), during the presentation. Kim explained that most retired racehorses are neglected, resulting in poor health conditions, and most fail to live for even half of their average lifespan of 30 years. "Happiness," for example, was a Jeju-born racehorse that retired at the age of six with an injury. The horse was resold at a giveaway price multiple times due to its poor health, but never received proper care for the multiple fractures it received from equestrian and recreational activities. The crippled horse collapsed and died when it was only 16 years old. "Victory," who was once one of the finest steeds in the country, also died a tragic death. The horse ran 51 international and domestic races, bringing in 1 billion won ($835,700) in prize money with 19 victories. However, it died soon into retirement at the age of 10, after being moved from one riding track to another. According to Kim, these cases are indicative of the most common post-retirement fates of racehorses in Korea, due to the country's poor animal welfare system. Humane practices, as seen in advanced countries, need to be introduced for the betterment of the local industry. The United Kingdom makes the effort to provide healthcare and retraining programs to all retired animals, while the United States and Hong Kong also run protection systems for former racehorses. Philip Shein, on-screen, the senior director of research in the policy department for PETA speaks during a panel discussion on building a humane system for the management of racehorses at the National Assembly building in Yeouido, Seoul, Wednesday. Korea Times photo by Koh Eun-kyung According to Philip Shein, the senior director of research in the policy department at PETA, who investigated and documented racehorse cruelty in Jeju from 2018 to 2019, the fundamental problem of the Korean equestrian industry is "the vicious cycle of breeding to slaughter," where the excessive breeding and importing of racehorses creates an unwanted surplus of animals. "The Korean Racing Authority (KRA) needs to take responsibility, as Korea's centralized racing authority, by doing everything in its power to ensure that private owners and breeders who abuse horses will not be permitted to race at KRA tracks," Shein said, calling on the authority to revoke the licenses of those who send their horses to slaughter. To build a humane system for racehorse retirement, the PETA researcher recommended the KRA to allocate 3 percent of its prize money, which would equate to over 5 billion won ($4.2 million), to ensure the safety of racehorses in retirement and to set the highest international standard. The racing authorities of Australia, Hong Kong, and the United States deploy funds for former racehorses' welfare from 1 to 2 percent of prize money, or a portion of stud fees and auction sales. In response, the KRA claimed it had formed a horse welfare committee in 2014 and built a medium-and-long-term roadmap to enhance welfare standards, but that it has faced several difficulties, including convincing private entities to comply. The authority needs the support of the government and related organizations, as well as the legislature, to build a comprehensive welfare program, as demanded by activists. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, which monitors the KRA, said it will consider implementing a horse management system that tracks and documents animals from birth to death. The suggested funding measure should be sought on the basis of a social consensus, as the prize money is shared by private entities including horse owners and trainers, the ministry said. A retired racehorse "General Thunder," who was put slaughtered at the age of four after retirement, arrives at a slaughterhouse in Jeju in 2018. Courtesy of Jeju Vegan The panel experts called for introducing legislation and a transparent management system for horses and banning the use of racehorses as horsemeat. 99 percent of animals slaughtered for horsemeat are bred at studs as it is more lucrative than livestock farming, according to the 2019 report by Jeju Province's audit committee. "There is no statutory provision for the welfare of horses, unlike for pets, farm animals, and exhibited animals," said Park Chang-gil, the head of a domestic animal advocacy group Voice for Animals, pressing the need for legal grounds to protect horses. "The racehorses are bred and trained to race as part of the 8 trillion won equestrian industry. It is clearly unethical to slaughter them for pet food or horsemeat when they are considered no longer financially viable," said Park. A Philippine police investigator searches for evidence on Saturday after nine people were killed in an ambush of two vehicles in Maguindanao province, Feb. 12, 2022. Armed men ambushed a two-vehicle convoy carrying a Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) commander traveling through a southern Philippine village on Saturday, killing nine and injuring three others, authorities said. The men attacked the convoy of Peges Mamasainged, also known as Commander Black Magic, around 8:30 a.m. in Tambunan village in Maguindanao province, according to provincial police commander Col. Jibin Bongcayao. The motive of the incident is the long-standing family feud of the involved parties, the police official said. Mamasainged, a member of the MILFs inner guard base command, was traveling to a nearby village when he was killed along with five relatives and three unidentified individuals. Authorities did not release details on those who were injured. Bongcayao identified MILF members Jordan Mama Lintang and his son, Morsid, as the alleged leaders of the attack. He did not say if any of the attackers were injured or if members of the convoy fired back. MILF spokesman Von Al Haq, meanwhile, said the father and son were not members of the organization. The MILF signed a peace agreement with the government in 2014, ending its long-running separatist insurgency in the region. In predominantly Muslim areas of Mindanao Island, it is not unusual for families to settle differences through clan wars known as rido. Hostilities could last for decades until a peace pact is signed, usually through mediation by religious leaders along with a cash payment. Political rivalries, ancestral land claims, disputes over local fiefdoms as well as election-related feuds often spur clan wars in Mindanao, the countrys mineral-rich southern third. Police and military personnel have been deployed in the area to prevent escalation of the incident, Bongcayao said. Al Haq, the MILF spokesman, told BenarNews the organizations ceasefire team was on the ground as well to help prevent the situation from getting worse. Its confirmed that those people ambushed were our men. The suspects are not connected with us, he said. We are checking if its election related. On May 9, Filipinos will vote to elect a new president and vice president, fill 12 of the 24 Senate and all 316 House seats along with about 18,000 official positions ranging from governors to mayors and town councilors. Philippine elections, especially in the countryside, are traditionally marred by violence. In 2019, 23 people were killed and 50 injured during mid-term polls and as many as 50 people died in poll-related violence during the 2016 presidential election, according to statistics from the national police. By Lee Kyung-min Former U.S. Ambassador to Korea Mark Lippert is expected to join Samsung Electronics next month, functioning as an effective intermediary between Korea and the U.S. amid heightened tension over economic and national security concerning semiconductor, battery and vaccine manufacturing, according to industry watchers, Friday. How effectively he integrates his deep understanding of Korean corporate culture with ongoing, sensitive chip-making trade issues remains to be seen. Lippert will also be tested by growing U.S. demands, notably the insistence on Samsung and SK hynix providing sensitive semiconductor data. The widely known Korea-friendly figure who served from 2014 and 2017 as ambassador under the Obama administration, will assume the role of executive vice president and head of corporate affairs for Samsung Electronics America, replacing his predecessor David Steel whose term ended in July of last year. The former ambassador will report to top Samsung Electronics figures for businesses in the North American region, focusing primarily on enhancing the firm's reputation through effective management and influence on key policy points for issues concerning global supply chains, technological alliances, cyber security and the escalating U.S.-China hegemony war. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. GREAT BARRINGTON Under pressure to make a decision about whether to enforce a mask requirement after the states school mandate expires at the end of the month, school officials plan to go slow. Peter Dillion, superintendent of the Berkshire Hills Regional School District, said at Thursdays School Committees meeting that he had only known of Gov. Charlie Bakers announcement ending the mandate, effective Feb. 28, for 30 hours, and he needed time to digest the news. Im not ready tonight, he said. I would like to be very deliberate and spend the next week talking to the four school nurses, our local doctors, the boards of health. Dillon said he will bring his thoughts and information, and some really crystallized thinking to the committee next week, before the schools go on winter break the week after. While he doesnt think there is a huge sense of urgency to make a decision, he is fielding many questions from the school community. Everybody is starting to email me, he said. This is one race that I dont feel we need to win, and it may make a little sense to be deliberate and see what happens in some neighboring communities before we jump to our own decision. There are lots of advantages and disadvantages. The issue has roiled schools across the country, and raised questions about the necessity of masking children and young people who are the least vulnerable to COVID-19, and most vulnerable to harm to their development and education. Masks are a big issue here, too. A few towns north, almost 100 people attended a Lenox School Committee meeting last week to chime in before the committee voted unanimously to end mask rules for middle and high schoolers starting mid-March. Case counts are falling, and communities are toying with taking off the masks. Health officials are optimistic, but urge caution. Massachusetts already has a law allowing schools to end masking if vaccination rates are over 80 percent. At Berkshire Hills, Monument Mountain Regional High School surpassed that in October, but officials kept the rule intact, given the wild spread of the omicron variant in the community. While a number of health experts have dismissed concerns that masks might contribute to developmental issues, a Brown University study published last fall found a "significant negative change in cognitive functioning" attributed to pandemic-related changes in the environment that include "the associated economic shut-down, school disruptions, and social distancing, stay-at-home, and mask policies." Masking is considered undesirable enough that Baker joined the governors of several states last week in ending the school mandates, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet reversed its recommendation that students wear masks at school. Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks at a news conference as truckers and their supporters continue to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 11. Reuters-Yonhap Canadian leader Justin Trudeau said Friday all options were now "on the table" for ending trucker-led protests that have paralyzed Ottawa and closed border crossings with the United States, but stressed calling in the military was a distant final resort. Under increasing U.S. pressure to crack down on the protests over COVID-19 rules that have triggered a state of emergency in Ontario Province and copycat demonstrations as far away as France and New Zealand, Trudeau signaled that patience was running out. "Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end," the prime minister told a news conference. The Canadian capital has been clogged with hundreds of big rigs for two weeks as the snowballing movement has morphed into a broader protest against pandemic health rules and Trudeau's government, and sparked solidarity rallies from France to New Zealand. Upping the stakes, President Joe Biden reiterated his "concern" over the blockades at the U.S. border in a phone call with Trudeau, telling him that paralyzing a key North American trade route was having "serious effects" on U.S. firms. Trudeau stressed to reporters however that calling in the army would be a very last resort, and that "using military forces against civilian populations in Canada or any other democracy is something to avoid having to do at all costs." It remained up to police to "enforce the law and protect public order," Trudeau said, without giving details. The days-long blockades have already had significant economic impact, with automakers forced to cut back production on both sides of the border, triggering fears it could undermine Canada's recovery from the pandemic. In his call with Trudeau, Biden said the movement was impacting companies and workers with "slowdowns in production, shortened work hours, and plant closures." Anti-vaccine mandate protestors block the roadway at the Ambassador Bridge border crossing, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, Feb. 11. AFP-Yonhap Canada's self-styled "Freedom Convoy" began last month in the country's west launched in anger at requirements that truckers either be vaccinated, or test and isolate, when crossing the US-Canada border. The premier of Ontario Province the epicenter of the protests Friday declared a state of emergency. In announcing the move, Ontario premier Doug Ford promised to take "whatever steps are necessary" to end the blockades, threatening steep fines of up to $80,000 and jail unless protesters end their "illegal occupation." "To the people of Ottawa under siege, I say we will ensure you're able to resume life and business as soon as possible," said Ford, who like Trudeau has been accused of inaction over the protests. The Ontario emergency came as a coalition of protesters an estimated 1,800 vehicles according to a police source were closing in on Paris after setting off in convoy from across France. Defying police warnings, the French protesters included opponents of COVID-19 vaccination, but also people angry at fast-rising energy prices in an echo of the "yellow vest" grievances that sparked widespread protests in 2018 and 2019. Protesters have likewise set up a makeshift camp outside New Zealand's parliament, the scene of violent clashes earlier this week as police sought to clear anti-vaccine demonstrators. An aerial photo made with a drone shows trucks backed up on the Blue Water Bridge over the St. Clair River that links Port Edward, Ontario, Canada, with Port Huron, Michigan, the United States, Feb. 11. EPA-Yonhap The Ontario premier acknowledged the "right to peacefully protest" and said he understood "frustrations have reached a boiling point for many Canadians." But he warned: "This is no longer a protest." Ford accused the truckers of "targeting our lifeline for food, fuel and goods across our borders" while "trying to force a political agenda through disruption, intimidation, and chaos." "We're in a critical situation worldwide economically... the last thing we need is an anchor around our neck," he said. The vital Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario and the U.S. city of Detroit, is used daily by more than 40,000 commuters and tourists, along with trucks carrying $323 million worth of goods each day on average about one-quarter of all Canada-US trade. On Thursday evening, Ford's government separately obtained a court order barring anyone from tapping the millions of dollars raised by the convoy through the fundraising platform GiveSendGo. The protesters had switched their fundraising efforts to the platform after GoFundMe terminated their original campaign, claiming it violated terms of service that "prohibit user content that reflects or promotes behavior in support of violence." Trudeau said Friday: "Canadian banks are monitoring financial activity very closely and taking action as necessary." (AFP) PITTSFIELD Community Eco Power may have found a buyer for its waste-to-energy facility on Hubbard Avenue in Pittsfield. In a letter to employees, the head of the company said the future use of the 5.8-acre Pittsfield facility, with its distinctive billowing smoke, could be as a trash transfer station. An anonymous source sent the letter to The Eagle. The Eagle was able to verify that Community Eco Power employees had received it. It was sent by Richard Fish, the president and chief operating officer of the North Carolina-based company, which also owns a plant on the banks of the Connecticut River in Agawam. The Eagle left voicemails on Fishs cellphone on Saturday. He did not respond. When contacted by phone on Saturday, Mayor Linda Tyer told The Eagle that the city knows nothing about the plans. We have not been notified about this latest development, which is obviously disappointing to me because this has a significant impact on the way that we manage the citys solid waste, she said. Despite the company filing for bankruptcy earlier last year, Community Eco Powers two Massachusetts facilities have remained in operation. The company had stated that its intentions were to keep the facilities running while putting its financial matters into order. In August, following the companys Chapter 11 filing, the city of Pittsfield entered into a three-year agreement to continue its relationship with Community Eco Power. Tyer confirmed on Saturday that the agreement includes a clause that the city be given an advance notice of a year should Community Eco Power decide to shut down or discontinue service. Its not clear if, or how, that clause would be honored, should a sale of the facility go through. Importantly, as Fishs letter states, any sale would be contingent upon the approval from the bankruptcy court. According to the company website, Community Eco Powers Pittsfield plant processes 240 tons each day of solid waste generated by residences and commercial operations throughout Berkshire County. The trash-burning plant produces over 450 million pounds of steam, as well as 3.5 million kilowatt-hours of electricity. Fishs letter to employees indicates the company has received interest from various buyers who want to continue to operate the facilities as currently operated, as well as from buyers who want to convert the facilities into transfer stations. We have been reviewing these offers carefully as these options may impact all stakeholders customers, vendors, the communities we serve and each of you. Recently, we signed a non-binding letter of intent with a company that is interested in the [Agawam] facility as a transfer station as well as a company that is interested in the Pittsfield facility as a transfer station. Fish wrote that a sale will take months. He wrote that employees can expect another update by Feb. 21. Thank you for your efforts in keeping the plants operational while we work through the process, the letter closes. If it switches over to a transfer station only, Tyer said, it means that our solid waste, our trash, will have to be, essentially, collated or collected, gathered, at the transfer station and then transported to another facility for disposal. So you know, the question is, what are the costs associated with that? What facility is it going to? She said, Im sure there will be a lot more coming on this topic in the weeks ahead. As of June 18, the Pittsfield plant had 21 employees. Six of them were salaried, and the other 15 were receiving hourly salary compensation, according to the bankruptcy filing. Its unclear if the staffing remains the same. The facility was built by Vicon Corp. in 1981. According to Eagle files, the waste-to-energy facility is one of the oldest such plants in the country. Community Eco Power purchased the two Massachusetts plants from Covanta Energy Corp. in 2019. The company soon filed for Chapter 11 because deferred maintenance on the Pittsfield facility was a little bit higher than they expected it to be, Community Eco Powers attorney Sam Anderson told The Eagle last July. Because of that, they had to take out loans. Investigations editor Larry Parnass joined The Eagle in 2016 from the Daily Hampshire Gazette, where he was editor in chief. His freelance work has appeared in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, CommonWealth Magazine and with the Reuters news service. Community News Editor / Librarian Jeannie Maschino is community news editor and librarian for The Berkshire Eagle. She has worked for the newspaper in various capacities since 1982 and joined the newsroom in 1989. Berkshire Immigrant Center staff say that state laws, and the lack of public transportation options, force undocumented immigrants to drive unlicensed or miss out on basic needs. Massachusetts would join Connecticut, New York, Vermont and 13 other states in allowing residents to apply for a license ,regardless of immigration status, under a bill co-authored by state Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier, D-Pittsfield. John Cellana, left, and Chad Cellana are transforming the former sawmill behind them into a retail cannabis shop just off Route 8 in Clarksburg. James Brooke, of Lenox, has traveled to about 100 countries reporting for The New York Times, Bloomberg and Voice of America. If we care about expanding health care access to all regardless of income, that must include dental care, too. Community Health Programs knows that, and thankfully the nonprofit is doing something about it for the worrying fraction of Berkshire Medicaid enrollees who dont have a dentist. Deprivation of decent dental care, though, is a broader structural problem that shouldnt and cant fall to a single nonprofit to solve. More than a third of Berkshire Medicaid enrollees don't have a dentist. CHP wants to change that For thousands of patients enrolled in Medicaid, getting critical preventive care and other dental services is nearly impossible. Why? In no small part because there are not enough dentists willing to care for them, a gap that Community Health Programs wants to help close. We are encouraged to hear CHPs planned $6 million expansion will hopefully double its capacity to provide dental services to those with Medicaid. We also must underscore why this move is so imperative. In the Berkshires, about four in 10 enrollees in MassHealth the states version of Medicaid, which assists limited-income people with health care costs lack a dental provider. A big part of the reason why is an unfortunately familiar theme for low-income people seeking access to physical, mental and behavioral heath care: Like many rural, underserved regions across America, ours has a dearth of providers. Meanwhile, lackluster Medicaid reimbursements for dental care have led more and more private practitioners to stop serving Medicaid clients. For many poor people, that squeeze means accessing basic dental care is essentially impossible. We cant allow this to continue. That some of our neighbors suffer the pain and stress of dental issues simply because theyre low-income is morally unacceptable in the richest nation in history. Further, oral health is like all others in an important way: Prevention is far more cost-efficient than treatment. If low-income people cant get dental check-ups, theyre far more likely to develop downstream problems that require expensive oral surgery or an emergency room visit, a heavier cost for them that also impacts their communities through more strain on the safety net, insurers and ERs. Our community is lucky to have an organization that seeks to provide quality and compassionate care to all regardless of ability to pay. But as groups like CHP attempt to help vulnerable people trapped in care gaps, we as a society owe it to those groups and those people to address the gaps themselves. If Medicaid is meant to help limited-income folks access critical care like dental check-ups, why is the reimbursement rate such that it actually dissuades many providers from caring for them? That is a policy choice, and its one we can choose to make differently. A bill currently on Beacon Hill (H.1250) would increase the dental enhancement fee that community health centers like CHP receive for their life-giving work. Another bill (H.1180), filed by state Rep. Smitty Pignatelli, D-Lenox, seeks to address the bottleneck of available providers by allowing dental hygienists and assistants to perform more basic services and thereby increase capacity. Both of these measures deserve the Legislatures serious attention as ways to increase quality of life for vulnerable constituents in rural and less populous corners of the state. Meanwhile, Congress should move on the Medicaid Dental Benefit Act, which would increase the reimbursement rates for such services. Beyond policy, this is an issue of priority. Yes, all of these proposals to make decent dental care more equitable cost money whether its the $6 million CHP is putting up originating from grants and subsidies or the tax dollars that could provide more expansive funding in our public budgets at the state and federal level. If we say we care about health care access as a priority issue, that conversation requires some parity for the consideration of dental care, just as it does for mental and behavioral care. Health care and dental care are often construed as different concepts. Tell that to the 28-year-old who came to CHP with teeth so deteriorated every single one required extraction. John Brazill, CHPs director of dental programs, told The Eagle about seeing just such a patient recently. It was shocking, Brazill said. It should be shocking to all of us in a nation of plenty that we let such fates befall our neighbors because of economic barriers to care. U.S. soldiers stand at attention during a visit by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to the Mihail Kogalniceanu Airbase, near the Black Sea port city of Constanta in eastern Romania, Feb. 11. The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. AP-Yonhap The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. U.S. officials said the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that virtually all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave ahead of a feared Russian invasion. A small number of officials may remain in Kyiv but the vast majority of the almost 200 Americans at the embassy will be sent out or relocated to Ukraine's far west, near the Polish border, so the U.S. can retain a diplomatic presence in the country. The State Department would not comment. Spearfish, SD (57783) Today Partly cloudy. High 61F. Winds SE at 15 to 25 mph. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Tonight Cloudy in the evening, then off and on rain showers after midnight. Low 42F. ESE winds at 10 to 20 mph, decreasing to 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. IDAHO COUNTY - During a meeting scheduled to be held next month, the Idaho Fish and Game Commission will consider changes to the proposed hunting season for Unit 14 in response to five deer and an elk testing positive for Chronic Wasting Disease in the area between November and January. In November, the Idaho Fish and Game received notification that two mule deer bucks taken in Unit 14 tested positive for CWD, which were the first-ever known cases in the state. Further testing showed four more positive cases, including three in white-tailed deer and one elk, all in Unit 14, which is in Idaho County. Some of the proposed changes include increasing mule deer harvest, increasing the amount of elk tags, and adding an antlerless mule deer hunt. Proposed Changes Increase mule deer harvest Option 1: Increase antlered mule deer controlled hunt tags from 180 to 400 tags with the hunting season running from October 10 November 20. Option 2: Replace existing antlered controlled hunt (180 tags) with a general-season, antlered-only hunt from October 10 November 20. Add antlerless mule deer hunt Add new mule deer extra antlerless hunt with 200 tags from October 10 November 20. Extra tags allow hunters to harvest an additional animal in addition to a regular or controlled hunt tag. White-tailed deer extra tags Option 1: In addition to the existing general season, either-sex whitetail hunt, add a new extra antlerless whitetail hunt with 250 tags, and a new whitetail, extra antlered tag with 250 tags. Each hunt would run October 10 November 20. Option 2: Extend the existing general, either-sex hunt from October 10 December 31. Increase elk tags Increase elk tags in one land owner permission hunt in Controlled Hunt Unit 14-1 from 50 tags to 80 tags and extend the southern boundary of the hunt unit about 3 miles. The intent of proposed hunting season changes is to stop or slow the spread of CWD and keep the prevalence low, which is the number of animals within herds that have the disease. In 2021, Fish and Games CWD testing showed the amount of disease, or prevalence, is estimated to be less than 2 percent for deer and likely less in elk. Research from other states has shown that keeping the prevalence rate less than 5 percent can stop, or slow, the spread of the disease. Fish & Game researchers also say that structuring hunts to achieve lower densities of deer and younger age classes within herds has shown in other states to slow the geographic spread of CWD and hold prevalence at current levels or lower. Hunters and other interested parties will have an opportunity to comment on the proposals beginning February 22, and the deadline to comment is March 13. The commission is scheduled to decide on changes at its March 23-24 meeting in Boise. BOISE - On Thursday, Idaho Senate Bill 1262 passed the Senate on a 30-5 vote. The legislation intends to protect Idahoans gun rights in the case of a declared emergency. The bill ensures that firearms be exempt from the section of Idaho code that allows the government to confiscate personal property, such as construction equipment, if needed in an emergency. The bill also declares that firearm-related commerce be established as an essential service, and therefore could not be closed in the case of a shutdown. The National Rifle Association and Governor Brad Little worked closely with Senators to draft the legislation that is now headed to the Idaho House for consideration. LEWISTON - Nez Perce County Prosecutor Justin Coleman on Friday filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty in the double murder case involving 56-year-old Defendant Richard Ross. Ross was taken into custody in October at the Clarkston Motel 6, and has since been held at the Nez Perce County Jail for his suspected involvement in the 2021 murders of 76-year-old Edwina Devin near Grangeville on September 30, and her 57-year-old son, Michael Devin, in Lewiston the next day. Both had been strangled. According the the Probable Cause Affidavit, Edwina Devins body was found in her home on Cove Road outside Grangeville on September 30, with her hands and feet bound by a small cord and duct tape, and her head tightly wrapped in duct tape. Her body was covered in wood chips that appeared to have been soaked in diesel fuel, along with pieces of wood, a chair, newspaper, and other combustibles. The newspaper, along with some cotton balls, were found slightly charred. At approximately 3:20 a.m. on October 1, police and fire units were called to the scene of a burning 2007 GMC pickup truck on Nez Perce Drive in Lewiston, where they found Michael Devins remains inside. His head was also wrapped in duct tape, and burned handcuffs were found where his hands would be. Michael Devin is a former brother-in-law of Ross. The Notice of Intent to Seek the Death Penalty, filed on Friday afternoon by Coleman, lists five reasons "pursuant to Idaho Code" behind the decision to seek death, listed below. 1) Idaho Code 19-2515(9)(b) - at the time the murder was committed the Defendant also committed another murder; and/or 2) Idaho Code 19-2515(9)(e) - the murder was especially heinous, atrocious or cruel, manifesting exceptional depravity; and/or 3) Idaho Code 19-2515(9)(f) - by the murder, or circumstances surrounding its commission, the Defendant exhibited an utter disregard for human life; and/or 4) Idaho Code 19-2515(9)(g) - the murder was committed in the perpetration of, or attempt to perpetrate, arson, rape, robbery, burglary, kidnapping or mayhem and the Defendant killed, intended a killing, or acted with reckless indifference to human life; and/or 5) Idaho Code 19-2515(9)(i) - the Defendant, by his conduct, whether such conduct was before, during or after the commission of the murder at hand, has exhibited a propensity to commit murder which will probably constitute a continuing threat to society. Coleman's office is handling the case in both Nez Perce and Idaho Counties. Ross is also a suspect in the 1994 Grangeville murder of Bruce and Lynn Peeples. Both were discovered in a burning home by firefighters. The cause of death was strangulation in those cases. OLYMPIA - A four-bill package introduced this week by Democrats in Washington state looks to tax gasoline and diesel fuel that is shipped from refineries in the Puget Sound area to Alaska, Idaho and Oregon. Called Move Ahead Washington, the legislation would raise $16 billion over 16 years. The money would go toward a variety of transportation issues, including highway repair and construction, bridge replacements and new hydro-electric ferries. The tax on fuel exports would be 6 cents per gallon and would raise $2 billion. Neither Idaho nor Oregon have any fuel refineries and Alaska, despite being rich in oil production, has just one. Most of the money would come from gas and diesel transported to Oregon. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reports that 90% of fuel used there comes from Washington. Oregon state Sen. Lee Beyer, who chairs the Joint Transportation Committee there, told Oregon Public Broadcasting that he has questions about the constitutionality of such a law and that if passes, his state will look at ways to retaliate. Sen. Marko Liias, D-Everett, who chairs Washingtons Senate Transportation Committee, said precedent exists for adopting the law. Florida, Texas and Tennessee have taxes that they apply to exported fuel from their instate refineries, he said during a virtual press conference. Washington will not be the first to consider this as a revenue tool. The legislation could impact other states as well. It would levy the tax on fuel shipped to any other state with a lower gas tax than Washingtons 49.4 cents per gallon. Drivers in Oregon pay 38 cents per gallon, while Idaho is at 33 cents and Alaska is just shy of 9 cents per gallon. Rep. Jake Fey, D-Tacoma, who chairs the House Transportation Committee, called the plan accessible and sustainable in a blog post. Weve worked hard over the last two years to listen to communities all across Washington, and they told us that their top priorities included preserving our infrastructure, finishing projects weve started, taking action against climate change, expanding multimodal options and addressing the harm of past transportation policies, he said. Im proud that this package reflects all those things to invest in every Washington community. In FY21, Cloudnine had assisted in 16,801 deliveries and 5,994 fertility services Bengaluru based super specialty mother and baby care chain, operating under the Cloudnine brand, offering end-to-end coverage of all stages of the parenthood journey has filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) for its initial public offering (IPO). The issue with a face value of Rs 5 per equity share consists of a fresh issue of equity shares worth up to Rs 300 crore and an offer-for-sale (OFS) of up to 13,293,514 equity shares by existing shareholders. As per market sources, the company looks to raise around Rs. 1,200 crore. Dr. Kishore Kumar Rajagopal, Scrips 'N' Scrolls India Private Limited, True North Fund V LLP, Indium V (Mauritius) Holdings Limited, and Sequoia Capital Investment are among the key shareholders selling in the IPO. The offer also includes a reservation for a subscription for eligible employees. The proceeds from its fresh issuance worth Rs. 95 crores for the repayment or prepayment of borrowings, in full or part of all or certain borrowings for the company, Rs 117.90 crore for setting up seven new Mother and Baby centres at various locations over the next few years, Rs 12.71 crore for acquisition of 49% stake in its subsidiary, Acquity Labs Private Limited besides general corporate purposes. As at September 30, 2021, its had a team of 1,480 medical professionals, including 196 junior doctors and 1,284 nurses and held medical records of more than 7.6L customers. In FY21 it had assisted in 16,801 deliveries and 5,994 fertility services. As per the Crisil Report stated in its DRHP, the total addressable market for private maternity healthcare in Fiscal 2020 was Rs 20,800 crore and projected to grow at CAGR of 11% to 12% from Fiscal 2021 to Fiscal 2026 to reach Rs 26,100 crore in Fiscal 2026. This strategic business decision is leading to the separation of approximately 400 employees of Novartis India due to role redundancies Novartis India has announced an exclusive sales and distribution agreement with Dr Reddys Laboratories for a few of its established medicines which includes the Voveran range, the Calcium range and Methergine. This arrangement aims to further broaden access of these medicines beyond the current geographies to benefit many more patients, more efficiently, by significantly extending the reach of healthcare professionals through an expanded field force. This brings together the manufacturing and development synergies of Novartis India with the sales and distribution strengths of Dr Reddys. Sanjay Murdeshwar, Country President and Managing Director, Novartis in India, said, Today, on one hand, keeping the patient interest at the center, we have entered this strategic business arrangement with Dr. Reddys Laboratories to extend access to our Established Medicines to benefit more patients in India efficiently. On the other hand, we understand the implication on the roles of our colleagues in Novartis India Limited and are doing our best to support them. Novartis has a large footprint in India with over 10,000 full time employees. Since January 2020, Novartis has hired more than 1,600 employees across the Novartis divisions and companies in India are planning to continue this hiring programme in 2022. Over the last five years, Novartis has spent over $300 million in creating an R&D support center and services in India. Novartis is also in the process of expanding further by setting up an additional manufacturing plant at Kalwe, with an investment of approximately $49 million. This plant would manufacture oral cancer medicines for the global market. Peter Sloly, the Jamaican-born police chief in Canadas capital city of Ottawa, worked for the multinational consulting firm Deloitte before he took over the Ottawa police force. Deloitte operates the vaccine tracking system for the Canadian federal government and also for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States. Peter Sloly collected years of income from Deloitte, and now he is trying to use the power of government to force the Freedom Truckers out of Ottawa. The Freedom Convoy is occupying Ottawa to protest vaccine mandates. The Freedom Truckers are inspiring humanity and they even caused leftist prime minister Justin Trudeau to flee his dwelling in the capital, but Sloly is serving as a globalist apparatchik to shut down the brave truckers and restore authoritarian rule to Ottawa. Sloly began working for Deloitte in 2016 after resigning from the Toronto Police Service. Sloly was described as a partner at Deloitte. He jumped from Deloitte directly to the Ottawa Police Service in 2019. Deloitte also got the job tracking vaccines for the CDC in the United States in 2021, even though a black woman claimed that Deloitte ripped off her project. Why is Sloly, an obvious globalist puppet who got paid by the company tracking vaccinations for the feds, serving as police chief in Ottawa? His contempt for the truckers is obvious. An estimated 1,500 pro-freedom demonstrators continued to rally outside the New Zealand Parliament on Friday in defiance of the police and the government. They gathered in what was described as a carnival atmosphere just 24-hours after some 120 of their number were arrested and removed. After witnessing the shocking footage of how New Zealands police handled the protestors, who were initially supported by politicians and allowed onto the lawn outside the Wellington parliament, alongside the mass arrests including a lady who was dragged naked by her hair across the lawn by the police the freedom convoy crowd has now increased from 200 to 1,500. Reports have emerged that protestors have repitched new tents after police initially confiscated some, as well as erecting a marquee to protect themselves from forecast rain and some have even set up portaloos, the New Zealand Herald reports. While a hardcore of protestors camp on the parliaments grounds they are supported by individuals who arrive through the day who either camp nearby, sleep in their cars or are local or new support. Former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters is among those who have lambasted the NZs governments heavy handed approach tweeting out: If you occupy private land like Ihumatao you can stay as long as you want & the govt embraces you. If you occupy public land the govt will trespass you the same day & label you a minority. The Supreme Court on Friday shot down an appeal from a group of New York City school teachers who sought to block a COVID-19 vaccine mandate, arguing it violated their religious freedom. Justice Sonia Sotomayor rejected the emergency appeal on Friday, the same day as the deadline for city employees to comply with the mandate or face losing their jobs. Sotomayor did not offer an explanation, which is the courts usual procedure. The appeal was filed Tuesday by 15 Department of Education workers, who claimed the city was violating their religious freedoms by not accepting their exemption claims. The city requires that religious exemption requests must be backed up by religious leaders. For example, the teachers said the city would not accept an exemption from Catholics because Pope Francis had urged his flock to get their shots. PLEASE DISABLE AD BLOCKER TO VIEW DISQUS COMMENTS Ad Blocking software disables some of the functionality of our website, including our comments section for some browsers. Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. 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 Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Local elected officials in the Brandon area say the time is right to start removing COVID-19 health orders and mandates. Advertisement Advertise With Us Local elected officials in the Brandon area say the time is right to start removing COVID-19 health orders and mandates. In the wake of protests and blockades calling for an end to mandates and provincial governments, including Manitobas, either completely removing or laying a path for health orders to be removed, the Sun reached out to representatives at all three levels of government for their views on the situation. Though Westmans Conservative MPs issued a statement Thursday afternoon calling for the end to the border blockades in Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario and the harm theyre causing to the economy, both Brandon-Souris MP Larry Maguire and Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa MP Dan Mazier said it is time to set the country on a path to ending restrictions at the federal level. Their feelings match that of their party, which put forth a motion on its Opposition day Friday calling for the government to put a plan in place for the removal of COVID-19 restrictions by the end of the month. With the Bloc Quebecois signalling support, the motion appears likely to pass. In an email exchange, Maguire wrote that hes had more than 500 people reach out to him since the protests started and that the majority have expressed support for the truckers and ending mandates. "I also want to note that a lot of the people who reached out made a point of saying they are fully vaccinated and dont understand why the Liberals decided that almost after two years that truckers were no longer deemed essential," Maguire wrote. "There are also some whove let me know they dont support the truckers. The common message through all the calls and emails is that everyone must remain peaceful I fully agree. "I am hoping with the passage of our motion, the federal government will table their plan to lift the federal mandates sooner than February 28. I also believe provincial governments should be following suit and outlining their plans to do the same." In a phone interview, Mazier said the sooner the federal mandates are lifted, the better. "The science is clear; Dr. Theresa Tam has stated its time to shift our thinking," Mazier. "Interestingly enough, provincial governments are ahead of the federal government on this." The protests, he said, are proof that people are tired of dealing with the current restrictions without seeing a plan to eventually move past them. Beyond that, Mazier said he believes Canadians deserve a break in this regard after living with these restrictions for two years and becoming one of the highest-vaccinated countries in the world. The New York Times vaccination tracker lists Canada as 13th in the world when it comes to the percentage of residents with both a single dose and two doses of COVID-19 vaccine. For booster doses, Canada ranks 26th among countries. Like Maguire, Mazier said hes been hearing a lot from his constituents regarding mandates recently, at the same frequency they were reaching out to him about their fears when the pandemic started. On Friday morning, Premier Heather Stefanson and chief provincial public health officer Dr. Brent Roussin unveiled a plan to make Manitoba restriction-free by March 15. The premier was asked multiple times by reporters if the decision to drop restrictions was motivated by the protests, especially the one at the U.S. border near Emerson. She denied that was the case, which Spruce Woods MLA and deputy premier Cliff Cullen backed up in an interview. "Weve said right from the beginning that public health orders were just short-term," he said. "Clearly we were aiming to lift these restrictions. We wanted them in place in as short a period as possible. All along, weve been trying to find the balance between protecting Manitobans and ensuring that they had health care when required as well." He said that with data showing a decrease in the number of cases of the virus and hospitalizations and high vaccination rates, this was the day they were waiting for, when it was clear that things could be reopened. Cullen hopes Manitobans will continue to take precautions to keep themselves and others safe. His cabinet colleague, Brandon West MLA and Labour Minister Reg Helwer, said Fridays announcement was the result of months of work in collaboration with public health officials like Roussin. "We have the vaccines, weve been watching the health-care system closely and we have the ICU capacity to respond to whats been happening here in Manitoba and also the decline over the last week in that burden," said Helwer, who revealed Friday was his first day out of isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 last week. "Following the science has always been important to this government and we continue to do so," he said. Brandon Mayor Rick Chrest expressed optimism about the lessening of restrictions and that Brandonites would continue to act in ways that express respect and kindness going forward. "When you think back to where we were when this pandemic began, there were lots of people who were exercising additional precautions before it was even mandatory," he said. "I think at the time, people just respected those who were taking extra precautions because we had no idea what health considerations they may have. Im encouraged, but our community still needs to be cautious." As for whether municipal orders and mandates would be repealed, Chrest said thats something city administration will now need to look at. cslark@brandonsun.com Twitter: @ColinSlark OTTAWA The federal government has no qualms about paying $1,000 to pick up a single COVID-19 PCR test swab in rural Manitoba, arguing its a matter of equitable service. Advertisement Advertise With Us OTTAWA The federal government has no qualms about paying $1,000 to pick up a single COVID-19 PCR test swab in rural Manitoba, arguing its a matter of equitable service. "Everyone has a right to receive the same quality of services; its the foundation of the (entire) health-care agenda," Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Friday, in response to questions from the Free Press. "Thats for (contracted companies) to decide the way in which that has to be done." Over the past month, a handful of Manitobans have stepped forward to question a program that randomly selects Canadians returning home from the United States by land for a take-home COVID-19 test. Those selected swab their own noses during a supervised video call, and have the samples sent to a private lab such as Dynacare or LifeLabs, via courier. People in rural areas of Manitobas parkland region, who lack access to Purolator or FedEx, have had couriers or even taxis from Winnipeg show up. That has meant 10-hour return trips; a metered Unicity cab ride from Winnipeg likely cost around $1,075. The federal government has refused to divulge how much it pays for the pickup-and-delivery trips. Conservative MP Dan Mazier (DauphinSwan RiverNeepawa) has called the program a massive waste of funds, given that the program is for people who already had a PCR test 48 hours before reaching the border and experience no symptoms. But Duclos had no problem with the expense. "We have, obviously, a big country, where people live in very different places and sometimes quite far away from urban centres," he said Friday. "Our suppliers have been told that they need to do what is needed, to provide everyone with the level of service that they need and deserve." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca After months of waiting in anticipation, one Westman family is able to move on to the next chapter in their lives, as the past year saw an uptick in permanent resident applications in Brandon. Advertisement Advertise With Us After months of waiting in anticipation, one Westman family is able to move on to the next chapter in their lives, as the past year saw an uptick in permanent resident applications in Brandon. "Ill be honest, we were jumping in the dining room and had a group hug," said David Picasso. He and his wife received approval on their permanent resident applications in December. JOSEPH BERNACKI/THE BRANDON SUN David Picasso and his daughter Constanza Picasso recently got Lola, their new cat, as a welcome addition to their family. Picasso and his wife moved their family to Brandon in the summer of 2018. Data published and collected by the Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) provides monthly updates across the country on the number of permanent resident applications processed throughout the year. The federal government resource has shown the trend for the Westman region is looking positive, according to a manager at Westman Immigrant Services. "2021 is looking like it could be one of the highest years for permanent residents to come to Brandon since 2015," said Hannah Holt, community outreach manager for Westman Immigrant Services. As of Nov. 30, 2021, 780 permanent residents were processed for the City of Brandon. The data table traces back to 2015 which has seen a fluctuation in applications processed from 535 as a low mark in 2020 to 880 as a peak in 2019 during that six-year timeframe. Holt said she believes 2021 is on pace to match the 2019 record, based on the monthly trend which is missing the December count at the time of publication. She noted the federal governments goal was to process 401,000 applications. As of that same date, 361,415 people had their applications processed by the end of November. "From a local point of view, things are looking pretty good," Holt said. For Picasso and his family, its a huge sense of relief after moving from Chihuahua, Mexico, to Brandon in the summer of 2018. In Mexico, Picasso owned a business and had shares in a restaurant with a few partners. By 2018, Picasso felt like Canada was an opportunity to move forward with his family, and his wife was accepted at Assiniboine Community College to study business administration. It was a way for the couple to be able to study and have a temporary work permit at the same time. Picasso said he had a great sense of anticipation for what lay ahead upon arrival. After a short period of time, he realized the move would bring on some serious challenges in finding work. "I brought my suits and my shoes, I didnt know what I was coming for. I knew English, but I wasnt a perfect speaker," Picasso said. "I came here and started asking for jobs and everybody said, we dont know you, you dont have any Canadian experience. It started becoming frustrating because I suspected that everyone was waiting for me." Picasso had no prior connections to Canada before their move and the rest of his family questioned his decision from Mexico. "I was desperate after three weeks, more or less," Picasso said. "I was looking for a job everywhere. I dropped 40 to 50 resumes, and nobody called me." After finding an apartment, Picasso made a connection through a man installing flooring in their complex who was able to steer him toward working for the Maple Leaf plant in Brandon. He was assigned to work on the "kill floor," at the start, a process he found overwhelming. "Im not going to lie, it was pretty intimidating, I thought wow, what am I doing here, it wasnt this bad in Mexico, but we sold everything and there was no point in returning. If you got a job you got to do it," Picasso said. With the goal of raising his family here, Picasso told the Sun he served as a production worker for 14 months, then got a supervisor position with the company. Before the pandemic, he was able to buy a house and welcome another child with his wife. A few years later, Picasso said his family has come to love exploring the parks in the Westman region and has enjoyed Brandons diverse community. Shortly after receiving his application, Picasso started a new job at Saputo, where he works in management as a supervisor and loves it. "We are happy here, this is home," Picasso said. "People ask me when I am coming back to Mexico, I tell them Canada is my country and Brandon is my house." Others, however, have had to be extra patient in waiting for their turn to receive word their permanent residency has been approved. Its a case for Dev Bhayraw, who moved from Mauritius to Brandon in October 2019. Similar to Picasso, Bhayraws wife was accepted to study information technology (IT) at ACC, and Bhayraw found work at Walmart in his first few months of living here. Through existing friends at the Mauritius Cultural Association who had moved to Canada before, Bhayraw was able to find work at Maple Leaf from that connection. "A lot of people try their best to get here, I knew I wouldnt be alone." Bhayraw, who worked as a mechanical technician in Mauritius, had to adjust to working in shipping and transportation at Maple Leaf. He told the Sun that delays from the pandemic have lengthened his application and is hopeful he will get the same news Picasso did last year. He has enjoyed living here despite a long adjustment period to the weather, and loves seeing the growth in his children simply through language. "My son did not know a lot of English at first, luckily he started speaking very good English in a short time, more better than I," Bhayraw said. "Hes teaching me." Both families said they wish there was an easier process at first to get a Manitoba Health card, and Bhayraw said obtaining a drivers licence was a challenge. At Westman Immigrant Services, Holt said the top three concerns they have been asked by permanent residents for assistance in is finding adequate housing, job placement and overcoming the cold winters. "I was lucky compared to other people because I had a community here," Bhayraw said. Picasso has found if you have the mindset and courage to take on the challenge of moving to another country, you will become a better person through accepting the culture of Westman and your home culture. "If the people here are blue, and we immigrants are yellow, you have to become like green," Picasso said. "You become a blend, and you realize you are a new kind of person. Its challenging but its possible. In three years, I have moved forward a lot." jbernacki@brandonsun.com Twitter: @JosephBernacki ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Canadian Coast Guard says a Dutch cargo ship leaked about 30,000 litres of "heavy fuel" into its bilge, which was subsequently pumped into the ocean. A large iceberg is visible from the shore in Ferryland, N.L. on April 10, 2017. The Canadian Coast Guard says a Dutch cargo ship leaked about 30,000 litres of fuel into its bilge, which was subsequently pumped out into the ocean, about 97 nautical miles southeast of Cape Race, N.L. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly ST. JOHN'S, N.L. - The Canadian Coast Guard says a Dutch cargo ship leaked about 30,000 litres of "heavy fuel" into its bilge, which was subsequently pumped into the ocean. The coast guard said in an email Friday the leak came from the MV Alaskaborg's fuel tank, which was punctured during rough weather off Newfoundland's southern coast. The email says the Alaskaborg crew notified the federal agency Thursday about the incident, prompting the coast guard ship Ann Harvey to set out Friday morning to help. As of Friday afternoon, the agency said the Alaskaborg was heading to St. John's, with the Ann Harvey monitoring its track. Marine traffic websites show the ship had been en route to Rotterdam after beginning its journey in Baie-Comeau, Que. The cargo vessel was about 97 nautical miles southeast of Cape Race, N.L., when it reported the incident. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2022. OTTAWA - Government officials invoked stronger measures Friday to stop illegal blockades that were paralyzing the national capital and halting traffic at Canada's busiest border crossing with the United States. Protestors gather along Wellington Street as a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that has been marked by gridlock and the sound of truck horns reaches its 14th day, in Ottawa, Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nick Iwanyshyn OTTAWA - Government officials invoked stronger measures Friday to stop illegal blockades that were paralyzing the national capital and halting traffic at Canada's busiest border crossing with the United States. The City of Ottawa went to court for an injunction to enforce bylaws while Ontario declared a state of emergency that will allow for hefty fines and jail time. Even so, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau would not venture to say when the crisis might end, and antigovernment protesters railing against COVID-19 measures seemed unfazed by the latest efforts to rein them in. "Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end," Trudeau said. "Of course, I can't say too much more now as to exactly when or how this ends because, unfortunately, we are concerned about violence. So we're taking every precaution to keep people safe." Jurisdictional battles and partisan tensions also appeared to be hindering collaboration on resolving the disruptions dragging into a third weekend in Ottawa and almost a full week at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont. The Ottawa protest is billed by many involved as a demand to end all COVID-19 restrictions, but various people leading the fight have also said they want to oust the democratically elected Liberal government, suggesting several different but illegal methods for doing so. City of Ottawa solicitor David White said the city had asked for a court injunction against the "flagrant and repeated violations" of bylaws against noise, idling, fireworks, open air fires, encroachments on city highways and illegal use of parks and facilities. Protesters, including many with large trucks, have turned the streets around Parliament Hill into a party pit, blasting music, setting up barbecues and mini-kitchens, burning fires in the streets, setting off fireworks into the wee hours, and idling endlessly, spewing diesel fumes into the air. White said bylaw officers have been unable to enforce the laws because of safety concerns, and even when tickets were issued, it did not stop the behaviour. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency that will allow his cabinet to impose $100,000 fines and up to one year in jail as punishments against people who continue to illegally block roads, bridges, walkways and other critical infrastructure. Both Ford and Trudeau told protesters if they don't go home the sanctions they face could ruin their lives. "You now need to understand you're breaking laws," Trudeau said. "The consequences are becoming more and more severe. You don't want to end up losing your licence, end up with a criminal record which will impact your job, your livelihood, even your ability to travel internationally, including to the U.S." Even as he spoke on Parliament Hill, protesters were outside dancing in the streets, undeterred in the slightest by the threats. From the cab of a truck on Wellington Street, Tyler Armstrong said he had been in town for two weeks and won't leave "until we get our freedoms back." I believe in karma, like very heavily ... I stand by my decision, so whatever happens (is) going to happen and Im prepared to face any consequence," he said. Bethan Nodwell, a nurse from Quebec, mocked Ford for telling protesters to go home and called for more border crossings to be blocked. She also cheered the fact that Alberta, Saskatchewan and now Manitoba have announced plans to ease COVID-19 restrictions. Ford said Friday a plan to do so in Ontario is coming based on public health expertise, not the demands of protesters. By Friday evening, protesters on Parliament Hill had set up a large screen and stage lights on a flat-bed truck. A crowd gathered listening to live music as the screen displayed a Canada flag. Ottawa police Chief Peter Sloly said Friday the biggest limitation on his force's ability to end the crisis is a lack of officers, adding he had no response to his request for 1,800 personnel from the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police. Trudeau said the RCMP and OPP had carefully examined the request "to look at what exactly the plan is, what is exactly needed and what is needed is being provided to be able to move through this in a peaceful responsible way." Trudeau spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden about the crisis Friday morning. The Americans have said Canada must fix the problem at the border crossings because it is hampering trade. In addition to the Ambassador Bridge, border crossings at Emerson, Man., and Coutts, Alta., are being blockaded. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in Washington that Biden told Trudeau the blockades are hurting American companies and workers. Trudeau said he talked to Biden about the Americans involved in the crisis, including some demonstrating in person, others helping to fund protests and still others flooding Ottawa with fake 911 calls to distract police. Trudeau said almost half the funds flowing to the protesters are coming from American sources. Ontario got a court injunction Thursday blocking the distribution of those funds, and the prime minister said Canadian banks were monitoring the situation very closely. Trudeau did not rule out eventually ordering the military to help but said using soldiers against civilians should be avoided. "We are a long way from ever having to call in the military," he said. "Although, of course, we have to be ready for any eventuality. But it is not something we are seriously contemplating." While publicly most politicians say they want the protests to end, tensions between the federal and provincial governments have been mounting. Ottawa tried to hold trilateral meetings with the province and city this week, but the province refused to attend. A senior provincial government source, who spoke on condition they not be identified, said provincial ministers were already talking to their federal counterparts and the so-called "trilateral table" was not going to add any value. Two sources close to the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss matters not public, told The Canadian Press a phone call Wednesday between federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra and Ontario Transport Minister Caroline Mulroney was extremely tense. Alghabra said five days ago he planned to talk to Mulroney about using provincial powers over highways to revoke commercial truck licences and go after their insurance, and raised that in the call, but the sources said Mulroney only wanted to hear what Ottawa would do. The federal government doesn't have the authority to stop protests on provincial highways, but the province does, said one of the sources who spoke about the call between Alghabra and Mulroney. On Friday Mulroney tweeted that the province's decision to invoke a state of emergency came because the federal government wouldn't do anything. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2022. With files from Allison Jones WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Some countries might send in a riot squad to disperse trespassing protesters. In New Zealand, authorities turned on the sprinklers and Barry Manilow. FILE - Police arrest people protesting against coronavirus mandates at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on Feb. 10, 2022. Some countries might send in a riot squad to disperse trespassing protesters. In New Zealand, authorities turned on the sprinklers and Barry Manilow. But the moves to try and flush out several hundred protesters who have been camped on Parliament's grassy grounds since Tuesday, Feb. 8, had little effect. (Mark Mitchell/NZ Herald via AP, File) WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) Some countries might send in a riot squad to disperse trespassing protesters. In New Zealand, authorities turned on the sprinklers and Barry Manilow. Initial moves to try and flush out several hundred protesters who have been camped on Parliament's grassy grounds since Tuesday had little effect. The protesters, who have been voicing their opposition to coronavirus vaccine mandates, responded to the soaking from the sprinklers by digging trenches and installing makeshift drainpipes to divert the water. FILE - A convoy of vehicles block an intersection near New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington on Feb. 8, 2022. Some countries might send in a riot squad to disperse trespassing protesters. In New Zealand, authorities turned on the sprinklers and Barry Manilow. But the moves to try and flush out several hundred protesters who have been camped on Parliament's grassy grounds since Tuesday had little effect. (Mark Mitchell/New Zealand Herald via AP, File) When a downpour hit Saturday, their numbers only grew. Protesters brought in bales of straw, which they scattered on the increasingly sodden grounds at Parliament. Some shouted, others danced and one group performed an Indigenous Maori haka. By evening, Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard had come up with a new plan to make the protesters uncomfortable: using a sound system to blast out vaccine messages, decades-old Barry Manilow songs and the 1990s earworm hit Macarena on a repeat loop. Protesters responded by playing their own tunes, including Twister Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It. The protest began when a convoy of trucks and cars drove to Parliament from around the nation, inspired by protests in Canada. At first there were more than 1,000 protesters but that number dwindled as the week wore on before growing again on Saturday. Protesters watch as a man spins the tire on his motorcycle in wet conditions as they demonstrate their opposition to coronavirus vaccine mandates at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. The protest began when a convoy of trucks and cars drove to Parliament from around the nation, inspired by protests in Canada. (George Heard/NZME via AP) Police have been taking a more hands-off approach since Thursday, when they arrested 122 people and charged many of them with trespassing or obstruction. Police, who have been wearing protective vests but haven't been using riot gear or carrying guns, had tried to slowly advance on the protesters. But that resulted in a number of physical confrontations. A video of two female officers briefly dragging a naked woman by her hair from amid a scuffle went viral. In a response to questions from The Associated Press, New Zealand police said they did not remove the womans clothing as some people had claimed online, and that she had been naked for some time before her arrest. Police also said the images and videos didn't provide the full context of the protest activity or the situation that police faced. Still, the scuffles seemed to prompt a strategic rethink by police, who appeared more content to wait it out as the week wore on. But by Friday, Mallard, the Parliament speaker, had seen enough, and told staff to turn on the sprinklers overnight. Protesters hold signs as they stand in wet conditions as they voice their opposition to coronavirus vaccine mandates at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. The protest began when a convoy of trucks and cars drove to Parliament from around the nation, inspired by protests in Canada. (Mark Mitchell/NZME via AP) I ordered them on, he confirmed to the AP. No one who is here is here legally, and if theyre getting wet from below as well as above, theyre likely to be a little bit less comfortable and more likely to go home, Mallard said, according to news organization Stuff. Some people have suggested we add the vaccine in the water, but I dont think it works that way," he joked. Mallard told media he was responsible for the sound system loop as well. Some of the protesters vehicles have remained parked in the middle of streets around Parliament, forcing some street closures. The National Library and many cafes and bars in the area have closed their doors while the protest plays out. Police said one protester had a medical event on Friday evening and an ambulance was unable to reach him because of the vehicles blocking the streets, resulting in a delay before he was treated. Among the protesters grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against COVID-19, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel. Many protesters also oppose mask mandates such as those in stores and among children over about age 8 in classrooms and champion the ideal of more freedom. Parliaments grounds have often been the site of peaceful protests, although mass campouts are unusual. Typically at least some politicians will come out to listen to the concerns of protesters, but politicians reconvening at Parliament after a summer break were in rare unison by not acknowledging the protesters. New Zealand was spared the worst of the pandemic after it closed its borders and implemented strict lockdowns, limiting the spread of the virus. The nation has reported just 53 virus deaths among its population of 5 million. But some have grown weary of the restrictions. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern last week said the country would end its quarantine requirements for incoming travelers in stages as it reopened its borders. With about 77% of New Zealanders vaccinated, Ardern has also promised she wont impose more lockdowns. An outbreak of the omicron variant has been growing, with New Zealand reporting a record 454 new community cases Saturday. But none of the 27 people hospitalized from the outbreak needed to be in intensive care beds. Even domestic tourist spending 64 per cent of industry turnover pre-COVID fell by a quarter in the first 10 months of 2021 compared to 2019, according to Tourism Research Australia data. Sydney and Melbourne suffered the heaviest blows, with domestic tourist dollars falling 57 and 68 per cent respectively. The Omicron variant not only denied tourism operators the summer revival they were desperate for, but dented optimism about how quickly the 9 million foreign tourists who had visited Australia annually will return. Its going to be harder to nudge people off the sofa, says Adele Labine-Romain, lead tourism partner at consultancy firm Deloitte. Melbourne has suffered the biggest downturn in domestic tourist in 2021, with spending down 68 per cent. Credit:Eddie Jim Labine-Romain forecast in November last year that foreign tourists could hit 7 million in 2022, but she now says it will likely be between 3 million and 4.5 million. Omicron also finally broke the desire of many Australians to travel again, with no sign of the pent-up demand that was unleashed following lockdowns earlier in the pandemic. Over 2020 and 2021, every time [lockdown] lifted people would be just like chickens running out of the coop - people were really excited, she says. Theres a really significant proportion of our population that are waiting a little longer before they venture out again. John OSullivan, Tourism Australias managing director from 2014 to 2019 and now CEO of tour operator Experience Co., which operates boat, diving, skydiving and walking tours across Australia and New Zealand, says the border news is welcome but will not mark an opening of the floodgates. Tourism jobs accounted for around 5 per cent of Australias workforce before COVID - more than twice that of mining. Credit:Tourism and Events Queensland We know theres pent-up demand, Australia is still top of mind for a lot of travel markets, he says. But ... were still looking at 2024 as to when it returns [to pre-COVID levels]. The industrys biggest short-term issue, OSullivan says, is staff shortages, with many of his companys foreign divemasters, tandem skydiving masters and boat captains returning to their homes overseas when the pandemic hit. OSullivan only has enough staff to run Great Barrier Reef boat tours five days a week, although he says working holiday visa holders should fill roles when the border opens. One of the strategic challenges now as we come out of this... is how do we get that next generation of workers to say: I want to work in these industries, I see this as a viable career, he says. A lot of people look at tourism as something you do at uni, [but] if you go into places like Switzerland or North America, tourism and hospitality are seen as long-term careers. OSullivan says Australia needs to send a consistent message to the world about the rules of travelling here, with federal and state governments already at odds over whether visitors need two jabs or three. And the country will need to compete fiercely with other destinations to attract visitors, he says, suggesting Tourism Australias funding should be increased, from around $200 million annually to $250 million or $300 million to drive a post-COVID revival. Loading Every country is coming out of this and saying, how do we get our economy going? Lets get some visitors, but you actually then have to go and fight for that, he says. Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said in a statement that Tourism Australia would launch marketing campaigns ahead of the border reopening to attract as many tourists as possible. Karl Flowers, a tourism and aviation economist who runs Decisive Consulting, says many tourism businesses are now in the toughest period of the pandemic, facing rising costs from wages, training new staff and materials while revenue remains severely depressed. The first two-thirds of the pandemic have been about the loss of demand, and the last third is the loss of demand and the increase in costs, he says. Its a double whammy. Loading Flowers says the countrys handling of the pandemic should reinforce the perception that it is a safe place to holiday, while Australians learning to love their backyard while the border was closed will boost domestic travel volumes into the future. But as I say, the major issue at the moment is survival ... [and] were still not out of the woods in the case of new variants, he says. How quickly foreign tourists return will hinge on whether affordable airfares are available, according to Morgan Kelly, KPMGs global lead partner of Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism restructuring. Airlines capacity remains slim, and the rise of video conferencing will permanently dent the number of corporate travellers, whose business class fares subsidise cheaper economy seats. Mr Bosi, who warns people in a number of videos not to talk to the media, did not respond to a request for comment made through his AustraliaOne party website. Loading The response to the Bosi video is just the latest example of the electoral commissions increasingly assertive approach to correcting facts. AEC director of media and digital engagement, Evan Ekin-Smyth, who runs the social media team, confirmed a policy of setting the record straight. A key part of the AECs thinking and our role is that if we dont defend Australias democracy from potential disinformation about the electoral process, who will? Mr Ekin-Smyth said. Both Parliament and intelligence agencies have growing concern about misinformation (any incorrect information) and disinformation (a subset of misinformation that is deliberately deceptive) undermining Australian elections, amid growing distrust of elections in Western democracies internationally, especially in the United States. Mr Ekin-Smyth said it was not the role of the AEC to fact-check politicians, but it was very much in its remit to correct information and answer questions about how elections run everything from people asking why pencils are used instead of pens to suggestions that the electoral commission is not politically neutral. The AECs channels include its website, AEC TV on YouTube, Facebook including an Indigenous-specific Facebook page, Twitter and LinkedIn, and it has a watching brief on TikTok and Reddit. Mr Ekin-Smyths team uses a software package called Falcon for third-party monitoring, and will frequently insert itself into conversations where it has not been tagged. When necessary, it asks platforms to remove content. Mr Ekin-Smyth said his team do not have the capacity to monitor social media conversations in languages other than English, and cannot see private messages or inside private Facebook groups. Thousands marched on Parliament House on Saturday as the Convoy to Canberra continues. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Reset Australia, the local affiliate of a global not-for-profit organisation working to counter digital threats to democracy, says this leaves large gaps. Executive director Chris Cooper said misinformation often starts in closed Facebook groups. It builds a following and then explodes out into public Facebook but by that stage, in the context of an election, its too late, Mr Cooper said. He also said it was not wise to rely on the goodwill of the social media platforms and their willingness to take down material, when the revelations of whistleblowers such as ex-Facebook employee Frances Haugen showed they consistently put engagement and profit above the greater good. The big technology companies signed the Australian Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation last year, but Mr Cooper said the code was fundamentally flawed, being written by industry and entirely voluntary. The Senates Select Committee on Foreign Interference through Social Media, established in 2019, also has questions about how well the code is working. In interim recommendations published in December, the select committee recommended the Australian Communications and Media Authoritys report into the functioning of the code be publicly released as a matter of priority. A spokesperson for the Department of Home Affairs said the Electoral Integrity Assurance Taskforce a multi-agency body chaired by the AEC had not identified any foreign interference that undermined the integrity of the 2019 election, but had a watching brief for the 2022 election and was testing scenarios with a number of social media companies. Foreign interference is one threat, but homegrown conspiracy theories spread and reinforced by echo chambers on social media are another one that counter-espionage agency ASIO highlighted in its annual threat assessment last week. Director-General Mike Burgess said the pandemic had sent online radicalisation into overdrive because isolated individuals spent more time in online environments where they were exposed to extremist messaging, misinformation and conspiracy theories without the circuit breakers of everyday life. The AEC says people sharing misinformation and disinformation are often importing perceived problems from the US. A Trump flag was spotted at last weekends protest. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen The storming of the US Capitol last January, and the large number of Americans who believe former president Donald Trumps repeated claims he won the 2020 election, are a cautionary tale of what can happen when citizens lose confidence in electoral integrity. Meanwhile, the US has a long history of voter suppression usually of Black voters who are more likely to vote Democrat and foreign interference is no longer just a hypothetical, given intelligence agencies confirmed Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election when Mr Trump was elected. Mr Ekin-Smyth said the globalisation of media consumption means many Australian voters across the political spectrum were importing perceived problems from overseas. What we see on our online channels is a lot of reference to the United States and some of the suggestions about what may or may not have gone on there with the electoral process, he said. The comparisons are often not very useful because the American electoral system is so vastly different. The AEC has won fans for its proactive and humorous approach to correct misinformation on social media but also critics. Recent tweets, for example, include cant afford shoe-strings, spent all of our budget on cardboard in response to someone who said the electoral commission operated on a shoestring budget. Mr Ekin-Smyth said the aim was to talk like real people, rather than robots so the messages could be easily understood and shared, but it did not mean any lack of respect for the serious nature of the election process. I think were irreverent when the subject matter demands it, po-faced when it demands it and a range of other styles really treating each interaction on its merits, he said. But there are pros and cons to every approach. Monitoring tools that mean the AEC is apprised of every utterance about the election made in public on social media can mean they wind up replying to the same accounts multiple times, making the individuals feel hounded by a government institution. And what is humorous to one person can be snark to another. One woman who was on the receiving end of a fact-check on Twitter over a speculative tweet said she subsequently received torrents of abuse from third parties, and she believes the way the account engaged with her contributed to that outcome. She asked to be anonymous to avoid adding fuel to the fire. I want to be clear that I absolutely respect and admire the work that the AEC does in running elections they wrangle the bloody cat every three years, she said. But I think the social media team is completely out of control if their role is to educate, they can educate and stop with the snark. The AEC has blocked a handful of users on social media, citing personal abuse, raising the question of whether a government body should block citizens and the fine line between trolling and dissenting voices. Greg Jericho, author of The Rise of the Fifth Estate, Social Media and Blogging in Australian Politics and an active Twitter user, said the AECs use of humour in social media was fantastic and in his view blocking is acceptable but not preferable. Were I the AEC I would just mute those accounts who in my view have been attacking them with some pretty outlandish conspiracy claims, Jericho said. Anti-vaccine sentiment is rife among the protesters targeting Parliament House. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen Government accounts should only block as a last resort, but for those who manage the account, it is also in effect their work role and dealing with abuse in work is not something they should have to put up with just because it is an official account. Another big disadvantage to rebutting misinformation is whether it actually changes hearts and minds. Loading I did have a conversation with one individual via the AEC account where the indication provided to me was that the more that we engage, the more likely a certain cohort of people are to not believe what were saying, Mr Ekin-Smyth said. I dont quite understand that. If you want factual information, surely you want to go to the most authoritative source of that information and if its about the election process, well, thats us. Mr Cooper said this experience mirrored several research studies both in Australia and abroad that found providing factual information to correct misinformation or misunderstanding on social media can sometimes lead to that person doubling down on their belief. The broader trend is that networks that traffic in misinformation and currently thats a mix of anti-lockdown, COVID science and climate science when you dig down into some of the values that are informing their views, and enabling those individuals to be susceptible to disinformation, there is often a very consistent anti-government sentiment, he said. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The cadaver dog roams the grassy paddock, its nose to the ground. And then comes the breakthrough, as a piece of carpet, rolled up to conceal the items within, is pulled from the earth. The carpet is unfurled, its contents intact among the dirt. Womens underwear. A hessian bag. And perhaps most unwonted, half a seashell. Clues the police could not find, leaving a desperate family to take matters into their own hands. Sandrine Jourdans 2012 disappearance from Caboolture, north of Brisbane, was officially a closed case, a coroner ruling she probably died of suicide. Her family never believed it. Advertisement Mother-of-three Sandrine, 37, was last seen alive on Tomlinson Road, at the home of her friend John Boegheim. Five years passed before a private investigator hired by her family arranged a search of the paddock near Boegheims property. Sandrine Jourdan was last seen on Tomlinson Road, Caboolture, north of Brisbane. As far as were concerned, the police never did their job for Sandrine, says her sister, Christine. They just put it in a too-hard basket and put it down as a mental health case and that was not the case. There is no suggestion Boegheim was involved in Sandrines disappearance and he was cleared of any suspicion at the time of the ruling. Advertisement After the carpet was dug up, the police were called to the paddock and the family were removed from the area, as the SES were brought in to search. Sandrines young daughter told police she had the other half of the seashell, and later handed it over. We found half of a shell ... we found pants, we found bras, we found everything, Christine says. All wrapped up in a carpet. Sandrines family said she had months of plans and appointments in her diary, and was even planning a new business when she went missing. Police said there was no DNA. Mind you, this was five years later. I ended up calling police and going What happened with that? and theyve all said inconclusive. Advertisement I said, What do you mean inconclusive?, and he goes, We cant prove if [the belongings were] hers or not. We dont know if it was hers or not. It looked similar to what she had at the time and the bag especially. She had one of those old hessian bags, she carried that around with her all the time and thats what she put her stuff in. On the day Sandrine went missing, she was wearing a jumper her sister says it was a purple-blue woolly top - she had bought from the Vinnies shop down the road of her family home. We found the threads there, but the police said no, they could not identify that that was what she was wearing on the day, Christine says. Sandrine was seemingly running from something, her family believe. Advertisement She also told me this two days before she went missing, that she had upset the wrong people and she didnt want to put my family in jeopardy so she stayed away, Christine recalls. I said, What do you mean? and she goes, I cant tell you any more, youll be in trouble. Jourdan sisters Christine, Sandrine, Bernadette and Diana. And it was two days before she went missing. She said she sent an email but she apparently sent that email to the wrong person. Her email accounts were actually wiped out. I got access to her emails and they were wiped and deleted. We told the police this, and police were like, She must have done it. Advertisement A man has been airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries after he lost control of his electric scooter, the latest of a series of accidents connected to the vehicles across Victoria. Just before 12am on Saturday, a 50-year-old man crashed the electric scooter he was riding in Winifred Street, Morwell. The man was flown by air ambulance to The Alfred hospital in a critical condition with severe upper body injuries. The accident follows an incident where an 11-year-old boy was knocked over by an e-scooter on Monday outside an ice cream shop on Bay Street, Port Melbourne and the death of a man who was hit by a car while riding a privately-owned e-scooter in Narre Warren on Thursday. Police are investigating the circumstances around the accident. The next challenge is to teach world religions in such a way that my students become attracted to find out more about them. If my students do not have a desire to know more about other religions, they eventually come to consider the study of other religions as unnecessary and useless. My first duty as a teacher is to respect my students religion by showing them that my knowledge of Islam is in keeping with what they believe; its not limited to my personal view of Islam. I grew up in a Christian family and studied Christian theology. I also studied Islam at university. For the past five years, I have been living between Melbourne and Lahore in Pakistan. In Lahore, I have been teaching a subject called world religions at a Muslim university. A lot of my time is taken up trying to remove misunderstandings, presuppositions and misconceptions. I do this by suggesting possible connections and parallels between the subject matter of my lectures and the Islamic beliefs of my students. For example, all the religions say that human beings continue to live after death in some way. So I look for connections between what each religion says about death and the afterlife. Sometimes I come across a particular scriptural verse or doctrine that is difficult to understand. When this happens, I need to find a reasonable way of explaining its meaning. For example, the title Son of God, which Christians use for Jesus Christ: I explain to my Muslim students that this title does not refer to any kind of physical relationship between Jesus and God. On the contrary, by calling Jesus Son of God in the Gospels, Christians were saying something about the unique and intimate relationship that Jesus experienced in his relationship with God. One thing I have learnt from this experience is that it is not much use arguing and debating about religious beliefs. It is much more important to keep listening to the others point of view. Every person brings their own understanding and experience of religion, so there is always another perspective to consider. I am also discovering that the truths of world religions contain aspects that can perhaps never be fully explained in human words. Sometimes we just need to accept what others believe without fully understanding why they do. Loading Learning about other religions has helped my students and me to think more deeply about our own religious ideas and traditions. Maybe the greatest benefit I find in the study of other religions is that this kind of study brings me back to my own religion and makes me reflect on my beliefs and practices. This is what keeps the project of learning about other religions alive and interesting. PD: Im part of a team and Ive been part of a Liberal team for a long time. Were weeks, literally weeks, out from calling an election and changing a leader now is not in our party or our countrys best interests. Fitz: If you lose that election, will you stand for the Liberal leadership? PD: I think the history of parties going to opposition brings all sorts of candidates up to contest the leadership. Fitz: But lets just say that politics plays out and theres Prime Minister Albanese and Opposition Leader Dutton. Would you support the Voice, a constitutionally guaranteed First Nations voice, an advisory body in Parliament? PD: I would support further recognition and I have had long discussions with Noel Pearson about the Voice and about other ways in which we can do practical recognition. I would consider the Voice and there are a few alternatives around that at the moment. Fitz: While federal politics is by nature a hard-ball game you have played it harder than most and youve frequently been vilified by it for your role, including by me, to the point your wife recently made headlines saying My Peter is not a monster. Does that stuff ever get to you? Do you ever think maybe I did go too far? PD: Look, sometimes I do, but I signed up to play tackle, not touch and Im here, Ive missed out on a large part of my kids growing up and Im not wasting days whilst Im here, I want to make each day count. Loading Fitz: Speaking of going too far, on Thursday in Parliament you all but said Anthony Albanese was an agent of Chinese Communist Party, or at least their pick as their preference to be PM. Malcolm Turnbull called your comments reckless and said they undermine Australian security, [using] matters of grave national security purely for crass political advantage. By any measure, he has a point. PD: Its silly to suggest I called him an agent of China; of course hes not. But there is no question the [Chinese] Communist Party wants to see a change of government. And sadly Malcolm is just consumed by hatred - Ive been there when Malcolm had the briefings on CPP interference in our system, and its only got worse since he left politics. Fitz: On the subject of the issue du jour, Bob Carr (him again) dropped what we call in the trade a bombshell this week, saying you were the federal minister who called the PM a psycho and gave Peter van Onselen permission to use it. Youve strongly denied it. But it is said that the screenshot had been circulating beforehand. Had you at least seen that screenshot before it emerged in the public domain? PD: No. I was sitting opposite to Peter van Onselen at the Press Club when he asked the question and I think the photos captured my face; the first time Id heard it. Id never seen it before. Fitz: You threatened defamation action against Bob Carr, and yet he hasnt taken it down. Have you called your lawyer? PD: Its a couple hundred grand to go to court and, you know, its a big distraction. I think it is clearly defamatory but . .. Brittany Higgins spoke at the March 4 Justice protest to rally in March 2021 against the ongoing abuse and discrimination of women in Parliament House. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Fitz: The other burning issue, not just of today, but of the times, is the treatment of women. Last year you said of the Brittany Higgins rape allegations, it was a he said/she said scenario. Do you regret that, Minister? PD: (Pause.) I regret that any offence was taken to it. But, look, I was a detective and I worked in the sex offenders squad, Ive arrested people for rape. Ive dedicated my adult life to protecting women and children from sexual assault and that was probably a return to a police phrase where there was a conflicting view . . . there was no offence intended. Fitz: The governments account of who knew what and when is that you knew of the devastating allegations of Ms Higgins before they broke but you did not tell the PM. Why not tell him something of that magnitude? PD: Because Id been told in confidence by the AFP commissioner and my job at the time was as minister for home affairs and there were briefings on sensitive matters every day from the commissioner to me, and its not a confidence that I would ever break. That responsibility rests with the minister who has [direct] responsibility, and its not to receive the intelligence or receive the advice on a matter and then go and blab it to another party. Loading Fitz: Do you really think the PM didnt know of an allegation of something of that magnitude 50 metres from his door? PD: I think hes been pretty clear about it . . . Fitz: Yes, very clear about it, but seriously, do you believe that he could not know a whiff of such an allegation? PD: Yes I do, Ive worked now for four PMs, and they go from daylight to dark and there are a hundred balls in the air each day and they have a lot on their plate so . . . I take the Prime Minister at his word. Fitz: Alright, John Howard said once, that if ever he had to run a wartime cabinet, Kim Beazley was the one ALP parliamentarian hed be delighted in having on it. When you personally scan the opposition benches is there someone whose acumen you admire across tribal lines? Can you surprise us all by saying something nice about one of them? PD: On the current frontbench my first pick would be Richard Marles with whom I have a long standing friendship. I have a friendship with a number of other Labor MPs past and present but Richard Marles I think has a particular quality and capacity and intellect that if youre being objective you would admire. Tweet of the week @Brendon5374 in the wake of the Religious Discrimination Bill falling over, amid bitter criticism from the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL). Quote of the week The PM is looking like the slowest wildebeest of the herd and ... weve seen Peter [Duttons] head pop up from behind the bushes like the lion licking his chops. Richard Marles, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, on the Today Show. What they said Being an Aussie is much more than punting on the Melbourne Cup and shouting Go Saints or Go Sharkies. Its a bloody diverse place, its black, its white, its brown, it prays in a church, in a mosque, it prays in a shrine, in a synagogue, in a hall, or on a surfboard just behind the breaks. Its men, its women, its straight, its gay, its trans, its intersex its our whole bloody lot. We are the Australia of Storm Boy, of Breaker Morant, of Puberty Blues and yes, of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Its not easy crafting a national story that includes all of us, but thats our damned job and the national story must have a place for all of us and all of our kids - how we imagine them but more importantly how they are. Federal Labor frontbencher Stephen Jones, who revealed the suicide of his gay nephew and fears for his own high-heel wearing sons safety in a powerful intervention during debate on the proposed religious discrimination bill. Paddy Quilter-Jones says he is just Paddy and wants other kids like him to know they can be themselves. My thoughts were, if Im feeling nervous, whats a child whos grown up with a family that doesnt support them and doesnt have that network of people around them? They need someone they can see and has done this for a while and has experienced it. Paddy Quilter-Jones, the high-heel wearing, handbag-carrying son of Labor frontbencher Stephen Jones, who says he gave his father permission to talk about him in Parliament during the religious freedom law debate to encourage LGBTQI kids who dont enjoy the support of their families. I am sorry. We are sorry. Im sorry to Ms Higgins for the terrible things that took place here. And the place that shouldve been a space of safety and contribution turned out to be a nightmare. Im sorry for far more than that. For all those who came before Ms Higgins and endured the same, but she had the courage to stand up. We are sorry for all of those things. I want this to be a place where young Australians young women in particular, can follow their dreams, and not be crushed by brutality. Scott Morrison in Parliament this week. What bothered me most about the whole imagine if it were our daughters spiel wasnt that he necessarily needed his wifes advice to help contextualise my rape in a way that mattered to him personally . . . I didnt want his sympathy as a father. I wanted him to use his power as Prime Minister. Brittany Higgins this week saying she was disappointed by Scott Morrisons response to her allegation of rape by a colleague in Parliament House. What people send around as texts, I frankly could not care less about. Scott Morrison, apparently blase about texts calling him a liar, a hypocrite, a horrible person and a psycho. The silence was deafening. A National after Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce used a private meeting with his Nationals colleagues to admit he damaged the government by sending a private text message that called Prime Minister Scott Morrison a hypocrite and a liar. Jakara Anthony was greeted by her father Darren and mother Sue at the airport. Credit:Getty Images I reckon she can have a puppy. Jakara Anthonys father, Darren, after she won the gold medal at the Winter Olympics. He had previously refused her requests for a dog. I think a bill that protected some people from discrimination, but indirectly or directly discriminated another group is a crap bill, that needs to go in the bin at the best of times. Australian of the Year, Dylan Alcott on Q&A, talking of the religious discrimination bill. Joke of the week Due to a major power blackout, only one paramedic is able to respond to a call from a woman who is suddenly caught short and about to give birth in her own home. The house is very, very dark, so the paramedic asks the womans three-year-old daughter, Katelyn, to hold a flashlight high over her mother so he can see while he helps deliver the baby. Very diligently, Katelyn does as she is asked. Buyers and their advocates say underquoting is endemic, while selling agents argue it is a small percentage of sales. Legally, underquoting can occur when a property is advertised at a price that is less than the estimated selling price, is less than the sellers asking price, or has already been rejected by the seller. But it is hard to prove. There is no requirement for a seller to disclose their reserve price to their agent before auction day, leaving buyers confused over why some auctions can have a higher reserve price than the public price guide. A sale for thousands over the reserve price is not by definition underquoting, given it could be the result of competition from emotionally attached buyers. Real Estate Institute of Victoria president Adam Docking said the body had zero tolerance for underquoting. Its a blight on the industry that affects everybody, he said. Underquoting is a very small percentage of sales, we would rather it be zero. He said strong sale prices were not necessarily a result of underquoting, especially in a rising market where high prices might be achieved by bidder competition. The underquoting review comes as property prices have soared. Credit:Wayne Taylor When we have got a market that has been as buoyant as it is, obviously when its rising at a rapid rate, it [underquoting] is coming into focus because competition pushes prices above the price quoted, he said. He had not heard of an increase in the level of underquoting, but said with a high volume of transactions post-lockdown it follows there could be an increase in cases even as the percentage stayed the same. Loading Mr Docking added that agent education requirements have already been increased. As a result of the review, he hopes to see underquoting stamped out, a closer working relationship between government and industry, more timely investigations from Consumer Affairs, and changes to stamp duty to make buying a home cheaper. Real Estate Buyers Agents Association of Australia president Cate Bakos said underquoting was an enormous issue for consumers. Its huge. Its rampant and it is a big issue, she said. Buyers certainly feel wounded when they fall prey to it. They may have spent money on building inspections and legal reviews on an attractively priced home, only to discover at auction they never had a chance, or they might lose time in a rising market chasing properties out of their reach and losing the opportunity to compete for suitable properties before prices get away, she said. She sees advertisements that do not list comparable sales even when such sales are available, or cherry-pick incomparable properties that are inferior in location, land size or condition. Ms Bakos called for vendors to be required to state their reserve price when they engage a real estate agent, and be given the right to change it later. Finding out on auction morning is way too late, she said. Buyers can be left deflated by underquoting. Credit:Stephen McKenzie Top-end buyers agent David Morrell said underquoting was endemic and said the $300,000 in fines issued last year was like slapping people over the face with a wet lettuce. He recently made an offer of $3.5 million on a home guided at $3.1 million to $3.4 million, but the offer was not accepted. He said a $10,000 fine was not enough to deter an agent selling a prestige property and receiving a commission of about $100,000. Not only should fines be higher, but agents found to be underquoting more than once should lose their real estate licence, he said. Reserve prices should also be within the quoted price guide, he said, not higher than the public guide. The review will seek input from community members and will be conducted by former Real Estate Institute of Victoria chief executive Enzo Raimondo and former co-chief executive of the Consumer Action Law Centre Carolyn Bond. Theyd come to us and say, Ive never seen this place before; I want to stay here next time I come. Then theyd come back, theyd tell their friends, and all of a sudden it became the place everyone wanted to be. Sunshine Beach has chalked up a slew of record-breaking sales in recent years, including last years $34 million trophy-home sale that obliterated the Queensland property price record that deal was linked to Gina Rinehart and the $17 million sale of what was once Pat Rafters beachfront mansion to Therese Rein, businesswoman and wife to former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, in 2020. Pat Rafters old house at Sunshine Beach, which Therese Rein and Kevin Rudd purchased in 2020 for $17 million. Credit: We used to say dont tell anyone else to people when they came here, but as soon as someone high profile buys, its on everyones radar, Ms Sellman said. They come and experience Sunshine Beach and realise what the hype is all about. Ultimately its still the same beautiful, quiet little village where everyone is relaxed. And if you want to go to Noosa its only a three-minute drive or a walk through the national park. Famous faces and high-profile names aside, the meteoric rise of Sunshine Beach as one of Australias most sought-after property markets can also be attributed to its unique topography it slopes upwards away from the beach, which means the stunning beach views are enjoyed by more properties than just those at the front as well as the great COVID migration to coastal locations while people work from home. Loading COVID has changed the amount of people who actually reside here rather than invest here, Ms Sellman said. A lot of people have realised they can work from home. Fifteen years ago you could go for a run along the beach in the afternoon and a lot of the lights were off. Now, most of them are on. People are selling their smaller investments in Sunshine Beach and buying a bigger home to spend most of the year in. And the elevation of the land keeps house prices high here because the price doesnt tend to drop if youre a street or two back. You can be behind the beach and a few streets back and still get a great view. And everything faces east. While Sunshine Beach will be the first Queensland suburb to break the $3 million median house price barrier, its unlikely to be the last. The topography of Sunshine Beach means homeowners can be streets back from the ocean but still enjoy sweeping, uninterrupted views. Credit:Sunshine Beach Real Estate Queenslands annual net interstate migration is at its highest level in almost 20 years, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The lure of working from home with more space and sunshine, coupled with its relatively affordable house prices, helped drive more than 30,000 people to the Sunshine State in the year to June 2021. That figure accounted for more than 90 per cent of Australias net interstate migration. Prior to the pandemic there was a drain of residents [in Queensland] but since the pandemic, theyve seen a net gain of people choosing to live there. That changes the housing market, said Nicola Powell, chief of research and economics at Domain. Loading Greater Brisbane saw its house prices rise at their steepest rate in 18 years last year. Suburbs that had once drawn gasps for their million-dollar medians have sailed well past that point into the $2 million club. Following Sunshine Beach, which tops the list of Queenslands most expensive suburbs, are luxury postcodes like Mermaid Beach ($2.375 million), New Farm ($2.15 million) and Teneriffe ($2,077,500). Old-money suburb Ascot is on the verge of the $2 million club, recording a median price of $1,938,500, with Paradise Point on the Gold Coast not far behind with a median of $1.9 million. Minyama, also on the Sunshine Coast, is well on its way to cementing its place as one of the most expensive suburbs in the state, following a phenomenal period of growth. The median house price in Minyama jumped by a massive 88 per cent last year the highest percentage rise of any suburb or locality in Queensland in 2021 and over the past five years, prices have risen by a staggering 212.9 per cent. It was one of only two suburbs in Australia to pip Sunshine Beachs five-year house price growth the other was the master-planned community of Aintree in Victoria, up by 250.5 per cent but its astonishing rate of growth is for different reasons, said Jordan Lund of Elite Lifestyle Properties. The appeal of Minyama is because of the direct ocean access. Theres nowhere else like it on the Sunshine Coast, Mr Lund said. We do get a couple of the holidaymakers or people wanting a long-term position to hold their boats but mainly our clients are local people upgrading from their place on the Sunny Coast that isnt on the water. What we are finding here is even people from Noosa are starting to recognise the position and how good the ocean access is here you can store up to a 100-foot vessel. Minyama is a suburb situated on the Mooloolah River, located just south of popular beach holiday spot Mooloolaba and surrounded almost entirely by water. Mr Lund said there was nowhere near enough housing stock to sate buyer demand. Most properties are selling prior to hitting the market. Id say only 50 per cent hit the market, he said. The problem has always been for buyers that no one leaves. When they do leave its to downsize, when theyre not using the water as frequently as they used to, and they transition to a unit. Theres no other reason. A feverish round of diplomatic talks took place on Saturday after the US warned of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine a claim Moscow dismissed as propaganda. Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin spoke via telephone just hours after Putin held a similar call with French President Emmanuel Macron. An anti-war rally in Kyiv on Saturday as US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin spoke by phone. Credit:Getty Images The closely watched call between Biden and Putin lasted just over an hour, according to the White House. Biden conducted the call from Camp David, telling his Russian counterpart that the US would keep diplomatic channels open but that it was equally prepared for other scenarios. Washington: It is the question foreign policy pundits have been pondering for weeks: is Russia set to invade Ukraine? Tensions escalated again on Friday night when the White House warned that the prospect was a distinct possibility, perhaps within a very swift time frame, and urged Americans in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible. US Navy fighter jets near the Black Sea port city of Constanta, eastern Romania, on Friday. Credit:AP Its not the first time the US has given such a warning, and chances are it wont be the last. But for some observers watching this chess game play out over the past few weeks, the frenzy of activity over the previous 48 hours added a sense of urgency to growing fears about a likely incursion. The mood began to shift on Thursday night in the US when President Joe Biden joined his top national security advisers in the situation room to discuss the build-up of troops on Russias border. Bryan, OH (43506) Today Rain early with thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 61F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 46F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. 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. Rahul Bajaj, the patriarch and a veteran industrialist, passed away in Pune at 2:30 pm. Bajaj, 83, wasnt keeping well. His last rites will be performed in Pune on Sunday, according to the Bajaj Group's communication team. Known for his plain speak and a harsh critique of the governments policies since the pre-liberalisation era, the Padma Bhushan awardee was a Harvard Business School alumnus. He was known in corporate circles as the man who does not mince words when it came to any matter of national interest, or echoing corporate Indias woes. Condolences poured in on Twitter from various quarters over the noted industrialist's death. Former Union Minister, Jairam Ramesh wrote on Twitter: I have many fond memories of spread over 40 years of friendship. He laid the foundations for the success of Bajaj Auto. He was fearless. One of the few businessmen who spoke out against the 2002 communal riots, and against the climate of fear and intimidation since 2014. I am devastatedhe was a dear dear friend and will miss him dearly. The country has lost a great son and nation builder. Om Shanti, wrote Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, chairman, Biocon. After several decades at the helm, the patriarch stepped down as chairman of the holding company, Bajaj Holdings & Investments, Bajaj Auto, and Bajaj Finserv on March 31, 2020. "He was the whole-time director and chairman of the automobile making arm since April 1, 1970. He decided not to continue as a whole-time director of the company after the expiry of his term, the company had said in a notification to the stock exchanges. He oversaw the successful transition of Bajaj Auto from the Hamara Bajaj days through its popular Chetak brand of scooters to the Worlds Favourite Indian Bajaj now sells its motorcycles in over 70 countries. Bajaj, who played an active role in the affairs of the company till 2005, took a backseat in group companies, passing on the baton to the elder son, Rajiv Bajaj, for the auto business, and for the financial services business to the younger son, Sanjiv Bajaj. On November 30, 2019, at an awards event organised by the Economic Times in Mumbai, said he was born anti-establishment. In the 1970s, when Italy's Piaggio didnt renew Bajaj's licence, he began manufacturing his own brand of scooters with names like Chetak and Super. India Inc pays condolences to the industry doyen Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group I stand on the shoulders of giants. Thank you Rahulbhai. For letting me clamber up onto your broad shoulders, advising me, cheering me on, encouraging me to be bold. Your footprints on the sands of Business will never be extinguished. Om Shanti." Venu Srinivasan, chairman, TVS Motor Co strode across the Indian industrial landscape like a colossus. He was among the few stars who created the Indian automotive industry. "He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology. He stood for high integrity in business and stuck to his principles. "Rahul played a key role in industry bodies around the world like World Economic Forum and CII and was very well respected. He will be sorely missed." Harsh Goenka, chairman, RPG Enterprises The spine of Indian business cracks. A close family friend, he was a visionary, straight talking and very respected for his value systems. An era ends! He leaves behind the two most capable sons in Indian industry, Rajiv and Sanjiv." Pawan Goenka, Chairman designate of INSPACe, Dept of Space, Chairman SCALE "With Rahul Bajaj passing away, India has lost a stalwart, an icon, a fearless leader. I was fortunate to always have his blessings. In some ways he influenced me to return to India. His contribution to the auto industry is immeasurable. Om Shanti." Tulsi Tanti, Chairman and Managing Director, Suzlon Group "I am deeply saddened by the passing of Rahul Bajaj. He was an icon that kept the flag of Indian Inc. flying high at all times. His contribution to India is unparalleled. His efforts to promoted local manufacturing has helped build the foundation of Atma Nirbhar Bharat for decades. For me this is a personal loss since he was one of our oldest customers who demonstrated faith in wind energy and Suzlon since its early times. At the very onset of my journey he put his faith in me which I will never forget. Mr. Bajaj will be an inspiration for generations to come. His absence and the void created thereof will be difficult to fill for a long time. My prayers are with the family." Uday Kotak CEO, Kotak Mahindra Bank "Rahul Bajaj: bold and fearless. A rare businessman who spoke truth to power. A proud Indian. Built a world class enterprise. I am truly honoured to know him. Will miss him." President first zeroed in on a pair of finalists for his first pick when there were rumours last year that Justice Stephen Breyer would retire. But since the upcoming retirement was actually announced late last month, it has come with the rise of a third candidate, one with ready-made bipartisan support that has complicated the decision. For Biden, it's a tantalizing prospect. The president believes he was elected to try to bring the country together following the yawning and rancorous political divide that grew during the Trump administration and especially following the Capitol insurrection in January 2021. And a Supreme Court nominee with a raft of qualifications who has the vocal support of even one or two Republican senators could well attract the backing of other Republicans. That, in turn, could make for a smoother nomination process after some painfully partisan ones in recent years. This story is based on accounts from seven people familiar with Biden's decision-making who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about private discussions. Two of the three judges now on Biden's short list were evaluated last year by White House aides, although that early vetting did not include deep dives into their opinions or backgrounds, formal interviews or FBI background checks. They are Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, a recent appointee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where she has served since June 2021, and Leondra Kruger, 45, a California Supreme Court judge since 2015 who would be the first person in more than 40 years to move from a state court to the Supreme Court if she were to be confirmed. Jackson is seen as the top candidate. And she, too, has a proven record of bipartisan support: She was confirmed to the appeals court on a 53-44 vote. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voted for her. But J. Michelle Childs has rapidly become a serious third candidate after House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D.-S.C., publicly announced his support for her, as did the state's Republican senators, Graham and Tim Scott. Graham has made clear Childs is his preferred choice. The 55-year-old is a federal judge in South Carolina who has been nominated to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. That nomination is on hold while she's under consideration for the high court. Childs lacks the elite law school credentials of many current Supreme Court justices she attended the University of South Carolina School of Law. But that's part of her appeal to Clyburn and others who question why Ivy League credentials are necessary. Eight of the court's nine current members attended law school at Harvard or Yale. Childs also has a master's degree from the school as well as a different legal degree from Duke. Among the three justices on Biden's short list, Childs is considered the most moderate, and she has been criticized by progressives land labor groups who say her record is not sufficiently supportive of worker rights. She was previously a state court judge and has served as a federal trial court judge since 2010. Jackson did attend Harvard Law School and has expertise that would bring considerable professional diversity to the high court. She worked as a public defender and served on the U.S. Sentencing Commission before she was nominated to the federal bench by former President Barack Obama. She is the favorite of progressives. Kruger, 45, has been on the California Supreme Court since 2015. She was just 38 when chosen for the job by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. She's seen as a moderate on the seven-member court. She used to work for the Department of Justice. Breyer's replacement won't shift the ideological makeup of the court. So in some ways, that makes it easier for Republicans to back a candidate advanced by Biden. But Biden has also said bipartisan support is not a necessity; a razor-thin majority in the U.S. Senate means he doesn't need it. Biden said earlier this week he was looking closely at about four candidates and was interested in selecting a nominee in the mold of Breyer who could be a persuasive" force with fellow justices. Although his votes tended to put him to the left of center on an increasingly conservative court, Breyer frequently saw the gray in situations that colleagues to his right and left were more likely to find black or white. Biden, who is spending the weekend at Camp David, is studying a range of cases and other materials about the candidates, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday. His team, led by former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, has compiled past writings, public remarks and decisions of the candidates, as well as learning their life stories. Psaki said Biden could begin meeting with top contenders as early as next week, noting that such interviews typically happen at the end of the vetting process. She said the president remains on track for an announcement by the end of the month. Going back as far as his campaign, Biden has pledged to nominate a Black woman for the slot. The Supreme Court was made up entirely of white men for almost two centuries. Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Thurgood Marshall are the only two Black men who have served on the court. There has never been a Black woman. Other possible candidates included U.S. District Court Judge Wilhelmina Wright from Minnesota; Melissa Murray, a New York University law professor who is an expert in family law and reproductive rights justice; and Leslie Abrams Gardner, a U.S. district judge for the Middle District of Georgia and the sister of Stacey Abrams, a powerful voting rights activist and nominee for Georgia governor. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The restructuring of gasification assets will unlock value, provide flexibility for Limited (RIL). Gasification Undertaking is proposed to be transferred, as a going concern on Slump Sale basis, by way of a Scheme of Arrangement. The Appointed Date for the Scheme is March 31, 2022 or such other date as may be approved by the Board. The Scheme has been filed with both Mumbai and Ahmedabad NCLTs and will require approvals of Shareholders, Creditors and . said this in a presentation for Equity Shareholders and Creditors in relation to the Scheme of Arrangement between Limited (RIL) & its shareholders and creditors and Reliance Syngas Limited (wholly owned subsidiary of RIL) & its shareholders and creditors. Gasification assets are proposed to be transferred to a subsidiary which will provide flexibility to induct suitable strategic partners and distinct sets of investors, said in a presentation. Collaborative and asset-light approach to unlock value of syngas, specifically induction of investors in gasifier subsidiary and capturing value of upgradation in through partnerships and investments in different chemical streams. With downstream optionality for Syngas, the nature of risk and returns associated with the gasifier assets will likely become distinct from those of other businesses of the Company. Syngas has potential to produce H2 at a competitive cost of $1.2-1.5 / kg 2. With CCUS, RIL can be one of the largest producers of blue hydrogen globally. In the interim, till cost of green hydrogen comes down, RIL can be the first mover to establish a hydrogen ecosystem, with minimal incremental investment, in India. Subsequently, as hydrogen from syngas is replaced by green hydrogen, the entire syngas will be converted to chemicals. Jamnagar energy demand is currently met through fossil fuels including syngas from the gasifiers. Fossil fuel can be replaced by renewables, including solar, biomass-based fuel, H2 and changing steam drives to electric drives. Jamnagar will progressively transition to renewables with battery energy storage system (BESS) to meet its electricity and steam demand. Hydrogen demand will be met by green hydrogen produced through water electrolysis. RIL has set an ambitious target to achieve Net Carbon Zero by 2035. Framework for reducing carbon footprint include migration from fossil energy to renewables, maximizing sustainable materials and chemicals as part of portfolio, carbon fixation, capture and utilisation. RIL said transition to Net Carbon Zero provides unique opportunity to unlock value through repurposing of assets and upgradation of configuration. New chemicals subsidiary of RIL to focus on value addition to syngas. JV approach to attract technology/licensor partners for individual chemical streams and a balance-sheet light approach to de-risk investments. --IANS san/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) members staged a protest at food joints of KFC, Dominos, Pizza Hut and showrooms of Hyundai Motor Company and Motors in on Saturday against their alleged social media post supporting 'Kashmir Solidarity Day'. "They should issue an apology saying that Kashmir is an integral part of India, only then we will forgive them," Jvalit Mehta, North Gujarat convener of told ANI. Earlier, a Delhi based lawyer filed a complaint against Hyundai India, India, India and Pizza Hut India and request to Minister of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and Delhi Police to de-register these companies and lodge an FIR against the said companies for the alleged offence of challenging the sovereignty of our country. Complainant Lawyer Vineet Jindal states that the said companies have recently posted on their social media account offensive statements and posts challenging the sovereignty of our country. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor expressed deep regrets over the offence caused to Indians due to an "unauthorized" tweet on Kashmir from the official account of the Pakistan Hyundai. "As a business policy, Hyundai Motor Company does not comment on political or religious issues in any specific region. Therefore, it is clearly against Hyundai Motor's policy that the independently-owned distributor in Pakistan made unauthorized Kashmir-related social media posts from their own accounts," read the statement issued by South Korea's company on February 8. The company further said that "once the situation was brought to our attention, we made the distributor acutely aware of the inappropriateness of the action. We have since taken measures to ensure the distributor, which misused the Hyundai brand identity, has removed the social media posts and we have put in place processes to prevent a future recurrence." Notably. Pakistan has designated February 5 as a holiday in order to "express solidarity" with the Kashmir separatist movement. Since its launch in 1990, anti-India groups and individuals have used Kashmir Day to convince the people in the union territory and incite violence. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US Secretary of State has met Indian counterpart on the sidelines of the Quad Ministerial in Melbourne, discussing the current situation in Afghanistan, diplomatic efforts in the Russia- crisis and the latest developments in the COVID-19 outbreak. Blinken and Jaishankar reviewed bilateral ties on Friday, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said. The two leaders talked about efforts to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific through the Quad Grouping and expansion of cooperation on common priorities, including reinforcing the rules-based international order, he said. Blinken and Jaishankar met in Melbourne, Australia on the sidelines of the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting; foreign ministers of Australia, Japan and the United States participated along with Jaishankar in the meeting. Blinken and Jaishankar also discussed cooperation on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, diplomatic efforts in response to building up troops in its border with Ukraine, the challenges facing Afghanistan, and future of democracy in Myanmar, among other issues of mutual concern, Price said. "Blinken and Jaishankar reviewed the progress made over the past year in broadening and deepening the US-India Strategic Partnership, which is critical to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, Price said in a readout of the meeting. On Friday, Jaishankar tweeted, "A review of our bilateral cooperation with @SecBlinken. The readout on progress in different domains was positive. Our strategic partnership has deepened so visibly." "Good meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to discuss efforts to strengthen #IndoPacific cooperation bilaterally and through the Quad. I look forward to working together on issues that affect our two countries, Blinken had tweeted. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The current situation at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) has arisen due to the disregard of written agreements by not to mass soldiers at the border, External Affairs Minister said on Saturday. Speaking at a joint press conference along with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne, Jaishankar further said when a large country disregards written commitments, it's an issue of legitimate concern for the entire international community. The minister made the comments in response to a question on the eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries. When asked whether the India- border standoff issue came up for discussion during during the Quad Foreign ministers' meeting here on Friday, Jaishankar replied, Yes. "Yes, we (Quad) had a discussion on India- relations because it was part of how we briefed each other about what was happening in our neighbourhood. And it's an issue in which a lot of countries legitimately take interest, particularly if they are from the Indo-Pacific region, he said. The situation at the has arisen due to the disregard by China in 2020 of written agreements with India not to mass forces at the border, he said. "So, when a large country disregards written commitments, I think it's an issue of legitimate concern for the entire international community," he added. The eastern Ladakh border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries erupted following a violent clash in the Pangong lake areas and both sides gradually enhanced their deployment by rushing in tens of thousands of soldiers as well as heavy weaponry. The tension escalated following a deadly clash in Galwan Valley. As a result of a series of military and diplomatic talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process in the north and south banks of the Pangong lake in February and in the Gogra area in August last year. India and China held the 14th round of Corps Commander-level meeting on January 12 during which the two sides agreed to maintain dialogue through military and diplomatic channels to work out a "mutually acceptable resolution" of the remaining issues of the standoff at eastern Ladakh. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India on Saturday reported a net decrease of 87,359 in active cases to take its count to 610,443. Indias share of global active cases now stands at .82 per cent (one in 122). The country is sixteenth among the most affected countries by active cases. On Friday, it added 50,407 cases to take its total caseload to 42,586,544 from 42,536,137 an increase of 0.12%. And, with 804 new fatalities, its Covid-19 reached 507,981, or 1.19 per cent of total confirmed infections. With 4,682,662 more Covid-19 vaccine doses being administered on Friday, Indias total count of vaccine shots so far reached 1,722,947,688. The count of recovered cases across India, meanwhile, reached 41,468,120 or 97.37 per cent of total caseload with 136,962 new cured cases being reported on Saturday. Now the sixteenth-most-affected country by active cases, third by deaths, second by total cases and recoveries, India has added 505,880 cases in the past 7 days. India now accounts for .82% of all active cases globally (one in every 122 active cases), and 8.74% of all deaths (one in every 11 deaths). Among states with more than 10 million population, the top 5 in number of vaccine shots per one million population are Delhi (1547042), Gujarat (1525809), Jammu and Kashmir (1482708), Kerala (1443681), and Uttarakhand (1413346). Backwards from here, the last 1 million cases for India have come in 11 days. The count of active cases across India on Saturday saw a net decrease of 87,359, compared with 92,987 on Friday. With 136,962 new daily recoveries, Indias recovery rate stands at 97.37%, while fatality rate remained unchanged at 1.19%. The Indian states and UTs with the worst case fatality rates at present are Punjab (2.33%), Nagaland (2.14%), and Maharashtra (1.83%). The rate in as many as 14 is higher than the national average. Indias new daily closed cases stand at 137,766 804 deaths and 136,962 recoveries. The share of deaths in total closed cases stands at 0.58%. Indias 5-day moving average of daily rate of addition to total cases stands at 0.1%. Indias doubling time for total cases stands at 585.3 days, and for deaths at 437.6 days. Overall, five states with the biggest 24-hour jump in total cases are Kerala (16012), Maharashtra (5455), Karnataka (3976), Tamil Nadu (3086), and Rajasthan (2890). India on Friday conducted 1,450,532 to take the total count of tests conducted so far in the country to 749,320,579. The test positivity rate recorded was 3.5%. The five most affected states by total cases are Maharashtra (7835088), Kerala (6381063), Karnataka (3921095), Tamil Nadu (3431154), and Andhra Pradesh (2311133). Maharashtra, the most affected state overall, has reported 5455 new cases to take its tally to 7835088. Kerala, the second-most-affected state by total tally, has added 16012 cases to take its tally to 6381063. Karnataka, the third-most-affected state, has reported 3976 cases to take its tally to 3921095. Tamil Nadu has added 3086 cases to take its tally to 3431154. Andhra Pradesh has seen its tally going up by 1166 to 2311133. Uttar Pradesh has added 1777 cases to take its tally to 2054995. West Bengal has added 767 cases to take its tally to 2009717. Delhi has added 977 cases to take its tally to 1849596. Dear Reader, Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance. We, however, have a request. As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed. Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard. Digital Editor Stating that augmentation of capacity is a continuous process, the government on Friday told the Rajya Sabha that the (FCI) is operating a total of 2,199 warehouses, owned, or hired, across India. The top three states are: Punjab has 611, followed by Haryana 297 and Uttar Pradesh 248. "The (FCI) continuously assesses and monitors the storage capacity and based on the storage gap assessment, storage capacities are created/hired," Union Minister of State for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Ashwini Kumar Choubey told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. FCI augments its storage capacity through Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme; Central Sector Scheme (CSS); Construction of Silo's under Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode; Hiring of godown from Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) / State Warehousing Corporations (SWCs) / State Agencies and Hiring of godown through Private Warehousing Scheme (PWS). The state-wise number of storage unit available with FCI (Owned and Hired) as on January 1, 2022 are: Bihar has 80; Jharkhand has 48; Odisha (46); West Bengal (30); Sikkim (2); Arunachal Pradesh (15); Assam (40); Manipur (9); Nagaland (6); Tripura (7); Mizoram (6); Meghalaya (6); Delhi (6); Haryana (297); Himachal Pradesh (18); Jammu & Kashmir (26); Ladakh (6); Punjab (611); Chandigarh (1); Rajasthan (173); Uttar Pradesh (248); Uttaranchal (20); Andhra Pradesh (40); Andaman & Nicobar (1); Karnataka (62); Lakshadweep (1); Kerala (25); Tamil Nadu (68); Puducherry (3); Telangana (72); Chhattisgarh (63); Gujarat (36); Dadra Nagar Haveli & DD (0); Madhya Pradesh (36); Goa (2) and Maharashtra (89) making the total of 2,199, the Minister said. --IANS niv/pgh (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya informed Lok Sabha on Friday that genome sequencing of 84,386 cases of Covid Variants of Concern (VoCs) and 5,606 cases of Variants of Interest (VoIs) have been conducted in the country so far. Citing data from INSACOG, the minister said these sequencing was conducted as part of the larger set of all sequences done of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), jointly initiated by the Ministry of Health and the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) with Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), is a consortium of laboratories to monitor the genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2. "As per the data from INSACOG, 84,386 cases of VoCs and 5,606 cases of VoIs have so far been sequenced in the country, as part of the larger set of all sequences done of SARS-CoV-2 virus," Mandaviya said in written reply to a question. At present, 52 laboratories across India are working under INSACOG to monitor genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2. For the sentinel surveillance, nearly 300 sentinel sites are identified to send samples to the regional sequencing labs through the integrated disease surveillance programme network, Mandaviya said. Sentinel sites are expected to send at least 15 samples every 15 days to the identified lab. Besides this, in view of threat of new variants, including the recent Omicron variant, entering from abroad, a point-of-entry screening is also undertaken. The network carries out whole genome sequencing of SARS-Cov-2 to identify existing Variants of Concern (VoCs), Variants of Interest (VoIs) and new mutations and variants which could help in understanding of correlation of genomic variants with how the virus spreads, disease severity and provide information for public health response. The Union Ministry of Health is supporting states through technical guidance for managing various aspects of COVID-19, including containment and surveillance, testing, management of co-morbidities, clinical management protocols, besides logistic and funding support to manage the pandemic, Mandaviya stated. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Les membres du gouvernement se sont reunis comme chaque vendredi et ont pris note de la prochaine visiter dune delegation scientifique dans les Chagos, ds avancees dans la construction de 12,000 maisons par la New Social Living Development Ltd, aussi sir le projet du New Bel Air Market Fair project, de lelaboration dun National Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Strategic Plan, que le 8 fevrier est desormais le qu ele 8 fevrier le Bhojpuri Gammat Day et le 21 le Seggae Day, entre autres. 1. Cabinet has taken note of the visit being undertaken by a Mauritius delegation to the Chagos Archipelago as from 08 February 2022 for the conduct of a scientific survey of Blenheim Reef in the context of the maritime delimitation case brought by Mauritius against Maldives under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Mauritius delegation is led by Ambassador J.D. Koonjul, the Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the UN in New York, and comprises technicians from Mauritius, foreign surveyors, some of the external lawyers of Mauritius, representatives of the Chagossian community as well as journalists. The trip to the Chagos Archipelago is expected to last for about 15 days. 2. Cabinet has taken note of the status regarding the implementation of the project for the construction of 12,000 residential units by the New Social Living Development Ltd (NSLD) including the identification of the sites across the island. Project Management Consultants in Construction have been appointed and they are in the process of finalising the housing models for the project, in line with international norms. 3. Cabinet has taken note of the latest development regarding the New Bel Air Market Fair project. An additional block of 225 stalls for the fruits and vegetables section would be constructed at the New Bel Air Market Fair. 4. Cabinet has taken note of the elaboration of a National Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Strategic Plan by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which is in line with the Health Sector Strategic Plan 2020-2024 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the context of the rapid ageing of the world population, in 2017 the World Health Organization has developed the ICOPE approach, which recommends that the health and social care systems as well as services be aligned to the needs and rights of older people so as to ensure that such care is integrated, accessible and of high quality. A National ICOPE Technical Committee has been set up with relevant stakeholders including the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare. The Committee would be responsible for: (a) coordinating the development of the National ICOPE Strategic Plan; (b) organising meetings of the ICOPE Technical Working Group; (c) ensuring preparation of the ICOPE strategy document; (d) developing a short term roadmap for advancing healthy ageing including institutionalisation and scaling-up implementation of the ICOPE approach; and (e) preparing reports as and when required. The World Health Organization would provide financial and technical support to develop the Strategic Plan. 5. Cabinet has agreed: (a) to declare 08 February as the Bhojpuri Gammat Day, the day on which Sona Noyan passed away; and (b) 21 February as the Seggae Day, the day on which Joseph Reginald Topize (Kaya) passed away. Seggae and Bhojpuri Gammat have enhanced the Mauritian music landscape for decades and the intangible cultural heritage has to be preserved at national level. Seggae is a creative blending of Jamaican Reggae and Mauritian Sega. Late Joseph Reginald Topize, is popularly known to be a creator of Seggae. Gammat is a lively genre of Bhojpuri music brought by the Girmitiya forefathers from the Bhojpuri belt of India. Late Sona Noyan, known as the King of Gammat kept the flame of creative Bhojpuri singing alive for over five decades, until 2013. 6. Cabinet has agreed to the promulgation of the Motorways and Main Roads (Amendment) Regulations 2022 which aim at amending the Motorways and Main Roads Regulations to enable the classification of the newly constructed Riche Terre Link as a Main Road A, namely A21. 7. Cabinet has taken note of the Technical Assistance Facility that would be provided by the European Union to prepare a strategy for the development of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sector in Mauritius. The comprehensive feasibility study, besides the strategic positioning of Mauritius as a regional medical hub, would also contribute towards maximising the value proposition for potential investors and laying the basis for a sustainable ecosystem for production of bio-pharmaceutical products. The deliverables include the following: (a) conduct a market analysis to provide most appropriate strategic options on bio-pharmaceutical products to be developed, identification of potential targeted investors as well as value proposition and export potentials; (b) review of the legislative and regulatory framework to identify and address legislative gaps including Intellectual Property issues; (c) conduct a capacity and skills gap to promote employment in this sector; and (d) advise on the governance and institutional structure required to oversee the proper functioning of this sector, including an appropriate investment framework in respect to joint public and private financing. 8. Cabinet has taken note of the forthcoming visit of a delegation from the National Informatics Centre, a department operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in India, from 21 to 25 February 2022, to assist the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation in working out a Digital Government blueprint. During the visit, the delegation would be having meetings with the key departments of the Ministry of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation, to gather information on the present situation in Mauritius in terms of online services being offered, projects already implemented and those in the pipeline. The collaboration of various Ministries/Departments which already offer a number of e-services has been sought for the indian team to better understand and/or identify gaps in the existing ICT ecosystem of Mauritius in terms of service delivery. 9. Cabinet has taken note that the African Development Bank (AfDB) had carried out an assessment of the Non-Sugar Sector wherein it was recommended that a Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zone (SPAZ) be set up at Wooton so as to increase production and competitiveness of the Non-Sugar Sector and a feasibility study was recommended. The AfDB has conveyed its approval for a Middle-Income Country Technical Assistance Fund (MIC TAF) Grant of approximately USD143,927 to cover the following components of the SPAZ Project, namely: (a) full Feasibility Study and Master Plans for the SAPZ; (b) presentation of the full Feasibility Report and Master Plans to Government and stakeholders; and (c) project coordination and management. A delegation from the AfDB would be in Mauritius from 14 to 18 February 2022 to launch the MIC TAF Grant for the Feasibility Study of a SAPZ in Mauritius. 10. Cabinet has taken note of the designation of Buffer zones surrounding the Black River Gorges-Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve. The application of Mauritius for the extension and renaming of the Macchabee Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve into the Black River Gorges Bel Ombre Biosphere Reserve was approved on 28 October 2020. One of the criteria of a Man and Biosphere Reserve is the designation of Buffer zones surrounding the core zone (Black River Gorges Bel Ombre). The Native Terrestrial Biodiversity and National Parks Act provides that the Minister may declare any land adjoining a private or reserved land within an area not exceeding 200 metres to be a buffer zone for that Man and Biosphere Reserve. The description of 100 metres (private properties) and 200 metres (State Land) buffers has accordingly been worked out by the Forestry Service of the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security. 11. Cabinet has taken note of the situation of the COVID-19 pandemic prevailing across the world. Some 406.6 million cases have been reported globally, of which 326.8 million persons have been successfully treated. With regard to Mauritius, as at 09 January 2022, there were 1,372 active cases of COVID-19, out of which seven were admitted at the New ENT Hospital. Over the period 03 February 2022 to 09 February 2022, 12 deaths were attributed to COVID-19. Cabinet has also taken note of progress in the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme, including the administration of the booster dose in the Republic of Mauritius. As at 10 February 2022, 991,281 persons had received a first dose of vaccine (representing 78.3 percent of the population). 943,742 persons were fully vaccinated (representing 74.5 percent of the population). 406,000 persons had received a booster dose (representing 32.1 percent of the population). 73.4 percent of adolescents aged 12 to 17 years had received a first dose of vaccine and 53.1 percent had received a second dose. 12. Cabinet has taken note of the COVID-19 situation prevailing in Rodrigues. As at 09 February 2022, there were 3,976 active cases. 22 persons were admitted at Mont Lubin Treatment Centre. The Ministry of Health and Wellness would deploy three additional Nursing Officers, one Anaesthetist and five Medical Health Officers to Rodrigues. An additional consignment of COVID-19 drugs has been sent to Rodrigues. Cabinet has also taken note that the Prime Minister made the Temporary Restrictions of Movement Order on 09 February 2022 to extend the curfew in Rodrigues from 19 00 hours to 06 00 hours until 24 February 2022. 13. Cabinet has taken note that the French Government has donated 100,000 doses of moderna vaccines to Mauritius on 5 February 2022. Another consignment of 100,000 doses was expected on 12 February 2022. 14. Cabinet has taken note that in view of the COVID-19 situation prevailing in Rodrigues and to prevent the further spread of the virus, the President of the Republic has, after necessary consultations, postponed the Rodrigues Regional Assembly Elections to Sunday 27 February 2022. 15. Cabinet has taken note of the status on the wreck of the Motor Tanker (MT) Tresta Star. A preliminary inquiry would be conducted by Capt. Hubert Noel, Principal Nautical Surveyor who would be assisted by Capt. Asiva Coopen, Deputy Director of Shipping at the Shipping Division of the Ministry of Blue Economy, Marine Resources, Fisheries and Shipping. 16. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the recent meeting the Minister of Land Transport and Light Rail, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade had with Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, United Kingdom, Minister of State for South Asia and the Commonwealth and the Prime Ministers Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict during his visit to Mauritius. Discussions were held on Commonwealth issues, namely: (a) Commonwealth increasing importance; (b) the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub; (c) engagements of Mauritius with the Commonwealth; (d) the need to activate the Small States Trade Finance Facility; and (e) the Commonwealth Universal Vulnerability Index. 17. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the Eighth Meeting of the Council of Ministers of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) held recently in Accra, Ghana. The AfCFTA Agreement entered into force on 30 May 2019. The Council of Ministers noted that, with regard to the Phase I negotiations, 44 tariff offers from Member States have been received, while services offers received from Member States increased to 46. On Phase II Negotiations, the Council of Ministers established the Phase II Committees to facilitate negotiations on the Protocols on Investment, Competition Policy, Intellectual Property Rights, Digital Trade and Women and Youth in Trade. These were at different stages of progress. The Council of Ministers took note of the progress made and the considerable challenges in both Phase I and II negotiations. Decisions were taken regarding Trade in Services, Trade in Goods, Investment, the Competition Policy and the Dispute Settlement Body. 18. Cabinet has taken note that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade would, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), organise a national workshop to validate the Report on the AfCFTA National Response Strategy on 21 March 2022. The Report, entitled the Mauritian Strategy to leverage the opportunities in the AfCFTA, which would be presented at the workshop has been prepared with the technical assistance from UNECA. The Report identifies key areas where Mauritius could develop strategies to take advantage of the AfCFTA, particularly in sectors where the country currently possesses competitive strength. The Report further sets out an action plan with respect to key intervention areas required at the national level to enhance economic diversification in Mauritius and expand trade in both goods and services with other African countries. The workshop would bring together a maximum of 50 participants from different Ministries, private sector representatives and the Economic Development Board. 19. Cabinet has taken note of the outcome of the participation of the Mauritius delegation in the 40th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council and the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union held recently in Addis Ababa. HE Mr D. Busgeeth, Ambassador of Mauritius to the African Union Commission participated in both the Executive Council and the Assembly Sessions. Mauritius also participated in the following virtual meetings which were held in the margins of the above-mentioned sessions: (a) African Union Ministerial Committee on Agenda 2063. Mauritius was among the ten countries selected to present their Country-level Report; (b) 39th Session of the Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee; and (c) 31st Summit of the African Peer Review Forum of Heads of State and Government. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade represented the Prime Minister during the video-conference held on 04 February 2022 and presented the Progress Report on the Implementation of the APRM National Programme of Action of Mauritius. During the 40th Ordinary Session of the Executive Council, the Council recommended to the AU Assembly a decision reaffirming the sovereignty of Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago. This was subsequently endorsed by the AU Assembly. The elections of 15 Members of the African Union Peace and Security Council were conducted during the Executive Council. During the 35th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, HE Macky Sall, President of the Republic of Senegal, was elected as the new Chairperson of the African Union. 20. Cabinet has taken note of the appointment of Mrs C. R. Seewooruthun, Senior Chief Executive at the Ministry of Health and Wellness as Chairperson of the Mauritius Institute of Health Board. Partager et informez vous aussi...... 0 shares Share Tweet LinkedIn Articles similaires India has asked other countries to refrain from commenting on the issue of dress code in educational institutions in Karnataka, stating that "motivated comments on our internal issues aren't welcome." The (MEA) made these remarks on Saturday in response to media queries on India's reaction to comments by some countries on the dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka. "A matter regarding dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka is under judicial examination by Karnataka High Court...Motivated comments on our internal issues aren't welcome," said spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on comments on dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka. Notably, Pakistan had summoned India's Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad over an ongoing row in Karnataka. The Pakistan Foreign Office on Wednesday had said that the Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned over the row in Karnataka. The protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes wearing hijab (a headscarf worn by Muslim women). The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is "watching" what's happening in the state and in hearing before the High Court. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that India "greatly appreciated" the opening of Australian borders which will help those who have been waiting to come back, especially students, temporary visa holders and separated families. will open its borders to all vaccinated tourists and business travellers from February 21 in a further relaxation of pandemic restrictions announced on February 7. imposed some of the world's toughest travel restrictions on its citizens and permanent residents in March 2020 to prevent them from bringing COVID-19 home. "I welcome the opening of borders by the Government of Australia, which will help those who have been in India waiting to come back, especially students, temporary visa holders, separated families and this is something which is greatly appreciated," Jaishankar, who is visiting on his first trip to the country as external affairs minister, said during the joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne. "I yesterday had an opportunity to meet some student representatives, their spirits were much higher after learning of this decision," he said. In October, Australia announced the reopening of international travel and the easing of border restrictions. The country has approved the India-made Covishield vaccine for travelling into the country. Jaishankar also met Australia's Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on Friday and discussed issues like talent, mobility and globalisation. Indian students in Australia have formed among the highest number of international students in the country, second only to China. Data by Australia's Department of Education indicated that 2,500 Indian students began studies in Australia last year, an 83 per cent decrease compared to 2019 over the same period. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, during 2019/20, Indian students contributed 6.6 Australian billion dollars to Australia's economy. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Industry leaders on Saturday paid rich tributes to noted industrialist (83) who passed away due to illness at his home in Pune. Taking to Twitter, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra stated: I stand on the shoulders of giants. Thank you, Rahulbhai, for letting me clamber up onto your broad shoulders, advising me, cheering me on, encouraging me to be bold. Your footprints on the sands of Indian Business will never be extinguished." Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted: "Industrialist Rahul Bajaj, Former Chairman Of Bajaj Group, Dies At 83 - I am devastated - he was a dear dear friend and will miss him dearly. The country has lost a great son & nation builder." TVS Motor Company Chairman Venu Srinivasan stated that Bajaj strode across the Indian industrial landscape like a colossus. "He was among the few stars who created the Indian automotive industry. He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology. He stood for high integrity in business and stuck to his principles. Rahul played a key role in industry bodies around the world like World Economic Forum and CII and was very well respected. He will be sorely missed," he stated. Expressing similar feelings, Raymond Chairman and Managing Director Gautam Hari Singhania stated that the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the patriarch of the Bajaj Group, one of the largest diversified groups of India, is a terrible loss to the corporate world. "The doyen of the Indian business world will be missed for his intellectual honesty and straightforwardness. His contribution to the auto industry and steering the group during the license raj days will always be remembered. In immeasurable manner he has contributed to the growth of Maharashtra and the country. On behalf of the Raymond Group I offer my sincere condolences to the Bajaj family," he said in a statement. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The on Friday asked whether parties connected with cases involving quota in private sector - based on domicile - can be heard together. A bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and B.R, Gavai said: "If the matters are pending before other high courts, we can hear the larger issue after calling for the papers from high courts..." The top court was hearing an appeal by the challenging the Punjab and Haryana High Court interim stay, on its law to give 75 per cent reservation to the youths belonging to the state in the private sector. The bench said Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh government policies granting reservation on the basis of domicile have been challenged in the high courts. It further queried the parties in the Haryana matter, whether matters of other states could be brought to the top court for adjudication along with Haryana government's policy. The top court asked parties, including the Haryana government, to find out the pending cases in high courts and inform it on Monday whether they are agreeable on hearing matters together. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Haryana government, submitted at the beginning of the hearing that only a handful of people are opposed to the state's policy. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi said he will consult with his clients. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing one of the parties, emphasised that the matter requires examination by the top court. In a special leave petition, the contended that the interim order was passed in the teeth of law laid down by the top court in Bhavesh D. Parish vs Union of India (2000), and also in violation of the principles of natural justice. "It is submitted that the hearing granted by the High Court was mere empty formality, whereby, the High Court with a predetermined conclusion opened the hearing by saying that they Act is liable to be stayed and thereafter did not afford any opportunity to the law officer appearing on behalf of the state of Haryana," said the plea. "Violation of principles of natural justice is manifest from the fact the entire hearing in the matter concluded within one minute," it added. On February 3, in a setback to the BJP-JJP government in Haryana, the Punjab and Haryana High Court stayed the state government law to give 75 per cent reservation to the youths belonging to the state in the private sector. The law under the Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020 is applicable in industries having more than 10 employees. In a petition, the Faridabad Industrial Association said the impugned Act was against the provisions of Constitution and also against the basic principle of meritocracy that acted as the foundation for businesses to grow and remain competitive. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The era of restrictions is fading away, but that doesnt mean Covid-19 is gone. Governments are racing to scrap the last remaining pandemic measures, eager to reset the world after two years of dramatic upheaval. Even slow-mover Germany is planning to unwind curbs next week, despite setting records for infections on a daily basis. Officials say data and science are behind the decisions, but politics, as well as weariness and frustration, are mixed in too. While the world has changed since early 2020 and new approaches are justified, health officials warn that the virus remains part of our reality. Its still circulating, new severe variants could emerge, or next winter could spark another seasonal surge. To them, governments appear to be rushing toward something that isnt quite the finish line. Soumya Swaminathan, chief scientist at the World Health Organization, says its foolish now to drop all precautions. With the exception of China, which is sticking to Covid-zero policies, caution is a hard sell after two years of restrictions that disrupted everything from work to shopping and travel. The most severe measures -- economically crippling lockdowns -- pushed businesses under water, workers out of jobs and triggered massive government borrowing to shore up economies. Its also clearly about much more than money. Almost 6 million people have died, and the grief of mourners was made harder by restrictions that cut loved ones off from each other and curtailed funerals. The pandemic battle has also pitted politics against science. It fueled protests -- like the trucker blockades in Canada over vaccine mandates -- and became tangled up with the ideological differences that have deepened divisions in society. It was very disappointing to see the attack on scientists and science, Swaminathan said in an interview on Bloomberg Quicktake. It got stronger over the course of the pandemic, and it has a potential to do a lot of damage. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson accelerated easing plans this week, announcing that Englands final curbs would end later in February. Norway and Denmark have already ditched most restrictions. In South Africa, where the omicron variant was first identified before spreading at light speed around the world, self-isolation rules have been scrapped. The U.K. offers a prime example of the multiple factors at play right now, and why some worry that governments are moving too fast. Yes, the countrys vaccine rate is above 80%, more than half of the population is boosted, and hospitalizations have fallen sharply since their December peak. But tied up with the move to call time on the pandemic are accusations that Johnson is trying to distract from a scandal about rule-breaking parties thats threatening his future as leader. As governments offer voters the lure of normality -- or freedom as some like to call it -- anger remains, many of it linked to vaccination. France risks being hit with fresh protests this weekend similar to the ones in Canada that have disrupted businesses. Among public-health experts, theres concern that politicians have missed the lessons from the crisis, particularly the on again-off again curbs, and will be caught flatfooted if and when a relapse hits. For the past two years, we have misused the opportunity of the spring and summer, where behavior limits transmission, not to make good on the hard-earned control from harsh lockdowns, Stephen Griffin, a virology professor at the University of Leeds. The promises around there not being a need for further restrictions in the future have proven hollow. Given the uncertainty about fresh Covid variants, potential spikes in infections and the risks of future pandemics, authorities will need to be ready, according to Richard Hatchett, who leads the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Its likely the case that the public will be able to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation as omicron subsides, but its incumbent on governments not to forget that we dont know whats coming next, Hatchett, a former White House adviser, said in an interview. Expanding home-testing, improving ventilation in public buildings, increasing efforts to track mutations and developing better vaccines and drugs that can work against a broad range of variants and other diseases are all part of the toolkit. The bottom line is that from a government perspective, from a risk-management perspective, we have to make investments with an assumption that we might have a bad scenario, even if its less likely, Hatchett said. U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson accelerated easing plans this week, announcing that Englands final curbs would end later in February. Norway and Denmark have already ditched most restrictions. In South Africa, where the omicron variant was first identified before spreading at light speed around the world, self-isolation rules have been scrapped. The U.K. offers a prime example of the multiple factors at play right now, and why some worry that governments are moving too fast. Yes, the countrys vaccine rate is above 80%, more than half of the population is boosted, and hospitalizations have fallen sharply since their December peak. But tied up with the move to call time on the pandemic are accusations that Johnson is trying to distract from a scandal about rule-breaking parties thats threatening his future as leader. As governments offer voters the lure of normality -- or freedom as some like to call it -- anger remains, many of it linked to vaccination. France risks being hit with fresh protests this weekend similar to the ones in Canada that have disrupted businesses. Among public-health experts, theres concern that politicians have missed the lessons from the crisis, particularly the on again-off again curbs, and will be caught flatfooted if and when a relapse hits. For the past two years, we have misused the opportunity of the spring and summer, where behavior limits transmission, not to make good on the hard-earned control from harsh lockdowns, Stephen Griffin, a virology professor at the University of Leeds. The promises around there not being a need for further restrictions in the future have proven hollow. Given the uncertainty about fresh Covid variants, potential spikes in infections and the risks of future pandemics, authorities will need to be ready, according to Richard Hatchett, who leads the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations. Its likely the case that the public will be able to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation as omicron subsides, but its incumbent on governments not to forget that we dont know whats coming next, Hatchett, a former White House adviser, said in an interview. Expanding home-testing, improving ventilation in public buildings, increasing efforts to track mutations and developing better vaccines and drugs that can work against a broad range of variants and other diseases are all part of the toolkit. The bottom line is that from a government perspective, from a risk-management perspective, we have to make investments with an assumption that we might have a bad scenario, even if its less likely, Hatchett said. In the wake of rumours that the government of is considering allowing flexible cinema ticket pricing, many Telugu biggies are preparing for release. Also, and his delegation's attempt to fix the pertaining issues is expected to be fruitful, as the government has responded positively to ticket pricing in AP. So, the whole industry is looking forward to the new Government Order on movie ticket prices, so as to announce the release dates of most of the movies. As the ticket pricing issues had made the movie business go haywire, the new order is expected to resolve the problems to some extent. Big-ticket movies like 'RRR', 'Sarkaru Vaari Paata' and 'Radhe Shyam' have their release dates fixed, while the makers of the respective movies are hopeful about a positive footstep by the Jagan government, for them to withstand the ongoing crisis in the movie industry. On the other hand, the makers of some biggies have announced dual dates for the release of their movies, in a hope that they could fix any of the two given dates after the new ticket prices come into existence in . Pawan Kalyan and Rana's 'Bheemla Nayak' will be released on either February 25 or April 1, while Ravi Teja's 'Ramarao On Duty' is slated for its release on March 25 or April 15. Varun Tej's 'Ghani' also has two probable release dates February 25 or March 4. Now, that the AP government is to come up with a positive amendment, it is expected that most of the movies will be released in the summer, which will have a huge impact on the industry's revenue as a whole. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Joe Biden's administration has outlined its Indo-Pacific strategy that would "support Indias continued rise and regional leadership", as Washington seeks to counter China's attempts at global domination. The long-awaited document released on Friday said: "We recognise that India is a like-minded partner and leader in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, active in and connected to Southeast Asia." China's "coercion and aggression" is acute "along the Line of Actual Control with India", it said. The document further said that as it continues to build its strategic partnership with India, the US will "contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific", a region where confronts the US and other countries. The strategy plan said that the US would "steadily advance our Major Defence Partnership with India and support its role as a net security provider". India was given the Major Defence Partner designation in 2016 and the two countries have steadily built it up with several agreements for defence cooperation. The document prepared mostly by the National Security Council and released a year after Biden assumed office sets out the plan for the Indo-Pacific, a region that his administration had said was going to be the focus of its diplomatic and strategic engagement. Other developments like the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the standoff in Europe with Russia that is deploying a huge military force along the Ukraine border have come in the way, but now the Biden administration is reinforcing its commitment to the Indo-Pacific even as it says a Russian invasion is imminent. Its release in Washington was timed to coincide with the meeting in Melbourne of the Foreign Ministers of the Quad, the group of India, the US, Japan and Australia that is emerging as the linchpin of American strategy in the Indo-Pacific. The strategy document warned: "The PRC (People's Republic of China) is combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might as it pursues a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and seeks to become the world's most influential power." A senior administration official who briefed reporters about the strategy document said that there was "a recognition that India is a critical strategic partner, and a desire to continue building on the very good work of previous administrations to significantly broaden and deepen that relationship". Working with India is seen "as a very, very high priority", the official said. "There is tremendous appreciation of the importance and the challenges of strengthening the engagement with India and a recognition that India is a critical strategic partner," according to the official. Asked about the likelihood of a defence pact with India like the AUKUS, the alliance between the US, Australia and the UK, the official cited the different situation in India in regards to achieving such an agreement without explicitly ruling it out. "Obviously, you know, India is in a very different place, in many ways, than Australia, than other countries," the official said. "India faces very significant challenges. And I think that, you know, China's behaviour in the Line of Actual Control has had a galvanising impact on India. "We see tremendous opportunities in working with another democracy, with a country that has a maritime tradition that understands the importance of the global commons to advance critical issues in the region," the official added. The official turned to the Quad as the vehicle for promoting strategic cooperation with India. "Obviously, India's role in the Quad, I think, is a very significant element of that, including the much-enhanced ability to speak frankly about issues in the region; to work together to deliver, you know, essentially, public goods that address, you know, challenges in the region, and to enhance ways in which we can coordinate." The strategy document promised to "bring together our Indo-Pacific and European partners in novel ways, including through the AUKUS partnership". "We will foster security ties between our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, including by finding new opportunities to link our defence industrial bases, integrating our defence supply chains, and co-producing key technologies that will shore up our collective military advantages," it added. Highlighting the challenge from China, the strategic plan said: "We will focus on every corner of the region, from Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, to South Asia and Oceania, including the Pacific Islands. "In a quickly changing strategic landscape, we recognise that American interests can only be advanced if we firmly anchor the United States in the Indo-Pacific and strengthen the region itself, alongside our closest allies and partners." Injecting a note of urgency, the document said: "Our collective efforts over the next decade will determine whether the PRC succeeds in transforming the rules and norms that have benefitted the Indo-Pacific and the world." The document noted that many of the US allies and partners are also focusing on the region and support for enhancing US involvement in the region has support in the US across party lines. The document acknowledges that the US illusions of changing into a responsible democracy through engagement are dead. "Our objective is not to change the PRC but to shape the strategic environment in which it operates, building a balance of influence in the world that is maximally favourable to the US, our allies and partners, and the interests and values we share. "We will also seek to manage competition with the PRC responsibly," but will cooperate with Beijing in areas like climate change and nuclear non-proliferation," it said. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis) --IANS al/ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) India has initiated a probe into alleged subsidisation by Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand on exports of a chemical -- used in making of personal care products such as shampoo, soap and detergents -- here which is impacting the domestic industry, according to a notification. Following a complaint by a domestic firm, the commerce ministry's investigation arm Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has started the probe to examine whether the subsidy programmes of these countries for exports of saturated fatty alcohols are impacting the domestic industry. VVF India Ltd has filed an application before the directorate alleging subsidisation of this alcohol from Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. The company has requested for initiation of an anti-subsidy probe for levy of countervailing duties on the imports from these countries. The company has alleged that producers and exporters of the product in these countries have benefited from subsidies provided by their respective governments at various levels. In a notification, the directorate said there is prima facie evidence of existence of "countervailable subsidies" on production and/or of the goods in these countries and such subsidised imports are causing material injury to the domestic industry through their volume and price effects. "In view of the above position, the authority hereby initiates an investigation into the alleged subsidisation and consequent material injury and threat of injury to the domestic industry," it has said. It would to determine the existence, degree and effect of alleged subsidisation. If it is established that subsidies by these nations are impacting the domestic industry, DGTR will recommend the amount of countervailing duty, which if levied, would be adequate to remove the injury to the domestic industry. Under the global trade rules of the World Trade Organization (WTO), a member country is allowed to impose anti-subsidy or countervailing duty if a product is subsidised by the government of its trading partner. These duties are trade remedies to protect domestic industry. Subsidy on a product makes it competitive in price terms in other markets. Countries provide this to boost their exports. These three countries are important trading partners of India and they all are members of this Geneva-based multilateral organisation - . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Traditional rivals and are relying on "borrowed" players in the battle for Amethi, the bastion of the Gandhi family which the saffron party has demolished now. The has fielded veteran leader Sanjay Sinh, who crossed over from the grand old party to the saffron camp in 2019, while the has nominated turncoat Ashish Shukla from the assembly seat which will go to polls on February 27 in the fifth of the seven phase Uttar Pradesh elections. Starting with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Shukla had shifted to the in 2017 and has now left it for the Congress. Moments after the announcement of Sinh's candidature, Shukla was inducted into the Congress in Delhi and was immediately named as its nominee from the high-profile seat that continues to draw the nation's attention due to its association with the Gandhi family since the days of Indira Gandhi. Without losing any time, Sinh and Shukla swore their loyalty to their respective new parties and are reaching out to voters with their parties' manifestos. But, in the fight between the BJP and the Congress, the Akhilesh Yadav-led (SP) has fielded life convict Gayatri Prajapati's wife for the Amethi assembly seat. Mayawati's BSP has chosen Ragini Tiwari as part of its old social engineering formula of Dalits-Brahmins, threatening to make the contest a multi-corner one. The fight for Amethi started in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections when Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani challenged former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Though she lost in 2014, Irani avenged her defeat by trouncing Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The script of the last parliamentary poll upset was written by the BJP in the 2017 assembly elections again when it won four out of the five assembly seats in the Amethi Lok Sabha segment. The Gauriganj seat had gone to the SP then, while the Congress drew a blank in 2017. The Amethi Lok Sabha seat comprises five assembly constituencies- Amethi, Gauriganj, Jagdishpur (SC reserved) and Tiloi and Salon (located in neighbouring Rae Bareli district). Amethi is no more a bastion (of the Congress), said Sinh, in whose favour the BJP settled a family feud for a poll ticket between his first wife and BJP MLA Garima Singh and his second wife and badminton player Amita Singh, who switched over to the party along with her husband. "It's neither any longer a 'gadh' (fort) nor any the 'gadhwale' is seen here," he said mockingly while campaigning. Sinh is reaching out to the people on the basis of the development works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani. Congress candidate Shukla, who had once fought against Rahul Gandhi in a parliamentary election from Amethi and bagged over one lakh votes, is canvassing on the basis of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "Ladki Hun, Lad Sakti Hoon" campaign and the promises made by the party in its manifesto. For SP nominee Maharaji Prajapati and her son and two daughters, the fight is to get justice for her husband Gayatri Prajapati, a minister in the earlier SP government, who is serving life sentence in a case of gangrape of a minor girl. "It's all false...my father was implicated in the case as part of a conspiracy," said Anil Prajapati, who is overseeing his mother's campaigning. Prajapati's daughters Ankita Prajapati and Sudha Praapati are taking the help of social media to seek justice for their jailed father. Meanwhile, BSP's Tiwari is banking on the huge Brahmin vote as well as the base vote of Mayawati among Dalits, to propel her to victory. According to sources in different political parties, the Amethi assembly seat has over 3.48 lakh electors. Out of this Brahmins are 80,000, Thakurs around 30,000, Muslims 25,000, Dalits 30,000 and Other Backward Class nearly 1.25 lakh. While Sinh is a Thakur, Congress nominee Shukla and BSP contestant Tiwari are Brahmins. SP's Maharaji Prajapati is from the OBC. Rajesh Agrahi, a powerful local BJP leader who is also Smriti Irani's constituency representative, told PTI, "Neither Rahul Gandhi has any taker among people nor any caste factor will work here". "Only 'Modi-Yogi' chant is on the lips of every poor who are availing free ration and health benefits being provided by the double engine government, among others, without any discrimination," Agrahi, who himself was a strong contender for the poll ticket, said. College going girls, Sadhna and Priti, say Priyanka Gandhi's "Ladki hoon..." catchline has no effect among the people. "Shall we study or fight the goondas?" Priti, a resident of Jayash locality said. Jang Bahadur Singh, Loknath Yadav and Ram Bahadur Yadav of Pandeypur bazar, said they would vote only for those who promise to do development work in the area. Pitardeen Shukla and Binod Kumar Shukla of Madhavpur village in Gauriganj said "(Muhammad Ali) Jinnah and Pakistan will not provide them 'roji-roti' (livelihood). We need somebody who does development work in the area." District Congress president Prashant Tripathi and his colleagues Anupam Pandey and Anil Singh highlighted the setting up of the Petroleum Institute, CRPF training camp and seven NHs by the Congress in Amethi. BJP district unit president Durgesh Tripathi said "Rahul Gandhi's development could be understood from the fact that there was no CT-Scan facility in Gauriganj during his time while Smriti ji has got nine oxygen plants, an over-bridge to decongest traffic rush among others. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Australian Prime Minister has called on citizens of his country to leave amid the escalation of tensions on the border with . "We respect their decisions [Australians who stay in Ukraine], but our advice to them is very clear - this is a very dangerous situation and for your own safety you should seek to make your way out of Ukraine," Morrison said, as quoted by the News.com.au news portal. He described the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border as serious. "We hope for peace, but in the event of conflict, we want to ensure that Australians have had the opportunity to remove themselves from to a place of safety - and we have been saying they consistently now for many, many weeks." the prime minister added. In the past few months, the West and have accused of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for an invasion. Moscow has repeatedly said that it is not threatening anyone and pointed to NATO military activity near the Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Le ministere de la Sante a eu le feu vert le 11 fevrier 2022 pour lelaboration du National Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Strategic Plan qui aura le soutien de lOrganisation Mondiale de la Sante. Cabinet has taken note of the elaboration of a National Integrated Care for Older People (ICOPE) Strategic Plan by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, which is in line with the Health Sector Strategic Plan 2020-2024 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. In the context of the rapid ageing of the world population, in 2017 the World Health Organization has developed the ICOPE approach, which recommends that the health and social care systems as well as services be aligned to the needs and rights of older people so as to ensure that such care is integrated, accessible and of high quality. A National ICOPE Technical Committee has been set up with relevant stakeholders including the Ministry of Social Integration, Social Security and National Solidarity, the Ministry of Agro-Industry and Food Security and the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family Welfare. The Committee would be responsible for: (a) coordinating the development of the National ICOPE Strategic Plan; (b) organising meetings of the ICOPE Technical Working Group; (c) ensuring preparation of the ICOPE strategy document; (d) developing a short term roadmap for advancing healthy ageing including institutionalisation and scaling-up implementation of the ICOPE approach; and (e) preparing reports as and when required. The World Health Organization would provide financial and technical support to develop the Strategic Plan. The government of will not accept further troops on the country's soil as part of maneuvers related to the crisis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade here said. Contacted by Xinhua news agency for confirmation, the Ministry's Press Office referred to an earlier interview given by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to Euronews and said that it reflected the Hungarian government's official stance. The US has already sent extra troops to Poland and Romania, while Germany has deployed additional troops to Lithuania. troops are already stationed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. "No, we have not agreed to that (the deployment of extra troops) and we will not agree because we have already NATO's troops on the territory of the country, which is the Hungarian army and the Hungarian armed forces," Euronews quoted Szijjarto as saying. These troops "are in the proper shape to guarantee the security of the country. So, we don't need additional troops on the territory of Hungary". The US has claimed that may be weighing a potential "invasion" of . Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations. Hungary's Ministry of Defence also commented on the issue. "There is no need for a lasting presence of NATO forces in Hungary, but this does not mean that will move away from the organisation, in fact, it will have closer ties." --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Pentagon is sending another 3,000 combat troops to Poland to join 1,700 who already are assembling there in a demonstration of American commitment to NATO allies worried at the prospect of Russia invading Ukraine, a senior defense official said Friday. The additional soldiers will depart their post at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over the next couple days and should be in Poland by early next week, according to the defense official, who provided the information under ground rules set by the Pentagon. They are the remaining elements of an infantry brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division. Their mission will be to train and provide deterrence but not to engage in combat in Ukraine. The announcement came shortly after Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, issued a public warning for all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible. Sullivan said Russian President Vladimir Putin could give the order to launch an invasion of Ukraine any day now. In addition to the U.S. troops deploying to Poland, about 1,000 U.S. soldiers based in Germany are shifting to Romania in a similar mission of reassurance to a NATO ally. Also, 300 soldiers of an 18th Airborne Corps headquarters unit has arrived in Germany, commanded by Lt. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla. The American troops are to train with host-nation forces but not enter Ukraine for any purpose. The U.S. already has about 80,000 troops throughout Europe at permanent stations and on rotational deployments. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Tech billionaire Elon Musk's brain-chip company Neuralink is reportedly facing a legal challenge from an animal rights group that has accused the company of subjecting monkeys to "extreme suffering" during years of gruesome experiments. The organisation is accusing Neuralink and UC Davis of nine violations of the federal Act -- a federal measure designed to reduce suffering during animal experiments, reports The New York Post. Neuralink's brain chips were implanted in monkeys' brains during a series of tests at the University of California, Davis from 2017 to 2020, according to a compliant from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed with the US Department of Agriculture. In one example, a was allegedly found missing some of its fingers and toes "possibly from self-mutilation or some other unspecified trauma". The was later killed during a "terminal procedure," the group said in a copy of the complaint shared with The Post. In another case, a had holes drilled in its skull and electrodes implanted into its brain, then allegedly developed a bloody skin infection and had to be euthanized, according to the complaint. In a third instance, a female macaque monkey had electrodes implanted into its brain, then was overcome with vomiting, retching and gasping. Days later, researchers wrote that the animal "appeared to collapse from exhaustion/fatigue" and was subsequently euthanized. An autopsy then showed the monkey had suffered from a brain hemorrhage, according to the report. The experiments involved 23 monkeys in all. At least 15 of them died or were euthanized by 2020, according to the group, which based the report on records released through California's open records law. Musk claims that Neuralink's brain chips will one day make humans hyper-intelligent and let paralyzed people walk again. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Russian President and US President are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of escalated sharply and the US announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Before talking to Biden, Putin is to have a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. Russia has massed troops near the border and has sent troops to exercises in neighbouring Belarus, but insistently denies that it intends to launch an offensive against . Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 US troops to Poland to reassure allies. Biden has said the US military will not enter a war in Ukraine, but he has promised severe economic sanctions against Moscow, in concert with allies. The timing of any possible Russian military action remains a key question. The US picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a US official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorised to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was, and the White House publicly underscored that the US does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to invasion. However, US officials said anew that Russia's buildup of offensive air, land and sea firepower near Ukraine has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. US officials told The Associated Press that the State Department plans to announce Saturday that virtually all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of US embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, urged all Americans in Ukraine to leave, emphasising that they should not expect the US military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Several NATO allies including Britain, Canada, Norway and Denmark also are asking their citizens to leave Ukraine, as is non-NATO ally New Zealand. Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. Yes, it is an urgent message because we are in an urgent situation, he told reporters at the White House. Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action, Sullivan said, adding, Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine. He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the US talk of urgency. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favourite method of solving their own problems. In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that US officials say Russia has assembled along Ukraine's eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Sullivan's stark warning accelerated the projected timeframe for a potential invasion, which many analysts had believed was unlikely until after the Winter Olympics in China end on Feb 20. Sullivan said the combination of a further Russian troop buildup on Ukraine's borders and unspecified intelligence indicators have prompted the administration to warn that war could begin any time. We can't pinpoint the day at this point, and we can't pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility, Sullivan said. Biden has said US troops will not enter Ukraine to contest any Russian invasion, but he has bolstered the US military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on NATO's eastern flank. On Friday the Pentagon said Biden ordered a further 3,000 soldiers to Poland, on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The US Army also is shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Biden spoke to a number of European leaders on Friday to underscore the concerns raised by US intelligence about the potential imminence of a Russian invasion. Sullivan said the Western leaders were completely united and would respond harshly to a Russian invasion with devastating economic and trade sanctions. Russia is demanding that the West keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe - demands flatly rejected by the West. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing Crimea and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed over 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The situation around did not affect Sweden's position regarding joining NATO, and Stockholm is not seeking to become a member of the alliance, the Swedish state secretary to the prime minister, Karin Wallensteen, said. "In a situation like this, more than ever, stability and predictability is important... Our security policy is set... We want to be a good, strong partner to NATO, but we're not looking to join," Wallensteen told Politico on Friday. The precarious situation around has worsened in recent weeks with the United States and the European Union raising concerns over Russian military buildup at the Ukrainian border, and urging allies to boost their military support for Kiev. Russia, in turn, has repeatedly denied allegations of intending to invade its neighbor, pointing out that NATO's military activity near Russian borders poses a threat to its national security while hampering efforts toward peaceful resolution in . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) founder and CEO said that he is hopeful that company's Texas launch site will receive federal approval to launch "the largest flying object of any kind" by March. Musk's update on the Starship program since 2019, was delivered from a stage at Starbase, where he stood in front of a crowd of employees, reports The Verge. Musk, highly confident that Starship will reach orbit this year, also demonstrated a new video of Starship's potential at the event. Designed to take people and cargo to the Moon, Mars and other distant destinations in space, the rocket has been in the making for more than two years and, in May 2021, reached an altitude of 10 kms before landing safely. Musk said that in the future, Starships could be built every three days. Late last year, Musk, in an email to employees, asked them to work over the weekend on the Raptor engine as the company faces "genuine risk of bankruptcy" unless it speeds up the production. "Unfortunately, the Raptor production crisis is much worse than it had seemed a few weeks ago," Musk reportedly wrote. SpaceX is waiting for regulatory approvals from the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) to fly Starship to orbit. The company has raised billions in funding over the past several years, both for Starship and its satellite internet project Starlink. --IANS wh/svn (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The Taliban-led government in has approved a plan to assist the victims of war under which aid will be provided to the orphans of the Islamic Emirate and former government forces as well as victims of the past four decades of conflict. "Under the Islamic Emirate, aid will be provided to martyrs' families, disabled people, orphans and also orphans of the previous governments' security forces," TOLO News quoted Bilal Karimi, the Taliban's deputy spokesman, as saying on Friday. The families of the Islamic Emirate and former security forces who lost their lives in the 20 years of war said that they are facing a severe economic situation. Khan Mohammad was a member of the Islamic Emirate who was killed in a roadside bomb in about nine months ago. Mohammad's children are struggling with a difficult life. "I don't have a breadwinner for the family. I am facing a lot of problems. I don't have money to pay the rent and electricity and water bills. I have a very difficult life," said Mohmmad's wife, who is responsible for the family now. On the other corner of the capital city there are two widows of former security forces. The widows said that they are struggling to support their families. "When I had a job. My life was good. I had a salary. Now the problems are a lot," one of the widows told TOLO News. The number of the former Afghan security forces who died in combat is estimated at around 90,000, but the exact death toll of the Islamic Emirate forces were not known. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The UN Mission in has welcomed the release of the two reporters by Afghanistan's de facto authorities after more than four days in custody. had detained at least nine foreigners in Kabul, including one American and several British citizens, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing relatives of the detainees and sources familiar with the matter. Two of those detained, both journalists, were released late Friday. "UNAMA welcomes the release of the reporters by Afghanistan's de facto authorities. Time to end all arbitrary detentions. No Afghan or int'l journalist, nor civil society activist, should be picked up & held incommunicado. Time to free all those wrongly incarcerated," said UN Mission in . The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it is relieved to confirm the release in Kabul of the two journalists on assignment with UNHCR, and the Afghan nationals working with them. "We are relieved to confirm the release in Kabul of the two journalists on assignment with UNHCR, and the Afghan nationals working with them. We are grateful to all who expressed concern and offered help. We remain committed to the people of Afghanistan," said UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. On Friday, the UNHCR had confirmed the detentions after news of them began to leak on social media. The news came as concerns grow over reports of arbitrary arrests since the recaptured power in August. Earlier, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights raised concerns over an apparent "pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as torture and ill-treatment" in Taliban-ruled . (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US says it will open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, laying out in unusually blunt terms a plan to increase its influence in the South Pacific nation before becomes strongly embedded. The reasoning was explained in a State Department notification to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press. It comes as U.S. Secretary of State is touring the Pacific, meeting diplomats from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Fiji and other nations. The State Department said Solomon Islanders cherished their history with Americans on the battlefields of World War II, but that the U.S. was in danger of losing its preferential ties as aggressively seeks to engage elite politicians and business people in the . The move comes after rioting rocked the nation of 700,000 in November. The riots grew from a peaceful protest and highlighted long-simmering regional rivalries, economic problems and concerns about the country's increasing links with . Rioters set fire to buildings and looted stores. Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence vote the following month, telling lawmakers in a fiery 90-minute speech that he'd done nothing wrong and would not bow down to the forces of evil or to Taiwan's agents. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomons for five years before closing it in 1993. Since then, U.S. diplomats from neighboring Papua New Guinea have been accredited to the Solomons, which has a U.S. consular agency. The embassy announcement fits with a new Biden administration strategy for the Indo-Pacific that was announced Friday and emphasises building partnerships with allies in the region as a way to counter China's growing influence and ambitions. In its notification to Congress, the State Department said China had been utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels, when engaging with political and business leaders from the . The United States has a strategic interest in enhancing our political, economic, and commercial relationship with Solomon Islands, the largest Pacific Island nation without a U.S. Embassy, the State Department wrote. The State Department said it didn't expect to build a new embassy immediately but would at first lease space at an initial set-up cost of USD 12.4 million. The embassy would be located in the capital, Honiara, and would start small, with two U.S. employees and about five local staff. The State Department said the Peace Corps was planning to reopen an office in the Solomon Islands and have its volunteers serve there, and that several U.S. agencies were establishing government positions with portfolios in the Solomons. The Department needs to be part of this increased U.S. presence, rather than remaining a remote player, it wrote. Blinken on Saturday left for Fiji after visiting the Australian city of Melbourne where he had a meeting with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan. The four nations form the so-called Quad, a bloc of Indo-Pacific democracies that was created to counter China's regional influence. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it has postponed an advisory panel meeting on the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine in children six months through four years of age, saying it needs more data. The meeting of the FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee was originally scheduled for February 15, reports Xinhua news agency. The agency said it had reviewed new trial information that arrived after and BioNTech's request for emergency authorization and decided it needed more data from an ongoing trial of a third vaccine dose in younger children in order to move forward with emergency use authorization. "We believe additional information regarding the ongoing evaluation of a third dose should be considered as part of our decision-making for potential authorisation," said the agency in a statement. and BioNTech said on Friday that they expected to have data on three doses available in early April. --IANS ksk/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A woman and four children are dead after a house fire in Polk Township Friday, Feb.11,2022. (Amy Shortell / The Morning Call) An online fundraiser has raised over $81,000 for a Monroe County couple after a fire late Thursday night killed five people, including their four children. The GoFundMe, Ribera Family, has garnered almost half of the campaigns $200,000 goal since it launched Friday. Money raised will go toward Markie Ribera and her husband, Carlos, to cover all financial aspects so they can grieve without financial concerns, according to the fundraisers description. Advertisement Rosemarie LaBarre, Markies mother, was watching the children while the parents were out, according to previous reports. The fundraiser identifies the children as Kathryn, Kaleb, Kristian and Kasper. LaBarre, 53, worked at Bethlehems East Hills Middle School, teaching family and consumer sciences there since 2008. Two of the children were elementary homeschooled students in the Pleasant Valley School District. Advertisement About 11:50 p.m. Thursday, firefighters responded to the home at 5107 Brook Road in Polk Township, a ranch-style home near Kunkletown, for a report of a house fire. State police and firefighters searched the home and found the bodies of the LaBarre, and the four children, who ranged in age from 2 to 7. All were pronounced dead at the scene by the Monroe County Coroners Office. In a news release, state police said the fire appeared to be an accident, with nothing suspicious being observed at the scene. Reached Saturday morning, state police spokesperson Trooper Anthony Petroski said no further information would be released at this time. The GoFundMes organizer, Jessica McCormic, the Monroe County Coroners Office and Polk Township Police have not yet responded to a request from The Morning Call for any updates or additional information available. Morning Call reporter Molly Bilinski can be reached at mbilinski@mcall.com. The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of is increasingly imminent. U.S. officials say the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave the country ahead of a feared Russian invasion. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of . The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said a limited number of U.S. diplomats may be relocated to Ukraine's far west, near the border with Poland, a NATO ally, so the U.S. could retain a diplomatic presence in the country. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Highlighting the importance of ties between the US and India, a senior American official said that sees New Delhi's role in as of "very high priority" as it has a "very significant element including the much-enhanced ability to speak frankly about issues in the region." "With regard to India, I think we are very explicitly highlighting the importance of, what the last four administrations have all played a very important role in advancing, which is the much greater US engagement, much improved US relations with and much closer US partnership with India," the US administration official said in a statement. The official added: "India's role in the Quad, is a very significant element of that, including the much-enhanced ability to speak frankly about issues in the region, to work together to deliver, essentially, public goods that address, challenges in the region, and to enhance ways in which we can coordinate. So we see this (India) as a very, very high priority." Asserting that India is in a very different place, in many ways than Australia and other countries, the senior official said that New Delhi faces very significant challenges. "I think that China's behavior in the line of actual control has had a galvanizing impact on India," The official also said that from our standpoint, "we see tremendous opportunities in working with another democracy, with a country that has a maritime tradition that understands the importance of the global commons to advance critical issues in the region." The US administration official noted there is the tremendous appreciation of the importance and the challenges of engage -- of strengthening the engagement with India and recognition that New Delhi is a critical strategic partner, and a desire to continue building on the very good work of previous administrations to significantly broaden and deepen that relationship. Meanwhile, during bilateral talks with US State Secretary Antony Blinken on the sidelines of Foreign Ministers' Meeting, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said that the changing India-US relationship has been a very defining development in this century. "Quad, we have progressed a lot and much of that is due to the fact that we've all devoted a lot of time, energy, attention to that. We have made it into concrete actionable propositions our teams have worked on...A big part of that is because we've strong bilateral relationships," Jaishankar said. "Certainly, for us, in this century the changing India-US relationship has really been a very defining development. So, I welcome the chance today to sit with you and look at our relationship and see how we can continue to take it forward in its positive trajectory, " he added. It was the first meeting of Foreign Ministers since the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) Summit was held in the United States last year. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Japan Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa and the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Ashok Leyland reported a standalone net profit of Rs 6 crore in Q3 FY22 as against a net loss of Rs 19 crore in Q3 FY21. The revenues for the quarter stood at Rs 5,535 crore as against Rs 4,814 crore in Q3 FY21, up 15% YoY. While the company's domestic MHCV sales increased by 15% to 16,667 units, domestic LCV volumes declined by 11% to 14,233 units in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21. Export volumes (MHCV & LCV) for Q3 FY22 was 3,177 units, up 8% YoY. In Q3 FY22, Ashok Leyland MHCV domestic truck and bus volumes have grown at almost twice that of industry at 39% compared to the TIV growth of 20%. Consequently, the company's MHCV market share has improved sequentially by 3.6% to 26.1% in Q3 FY33 from 22.5% in Q2. FY22. During the quarter the company generated cash of Rs 415 crore which brought down the net debt as on 31 December 2021 to Rs 2,697 crore. Debt equity as at the end of the quarter was 0.42 times. The company plans to launch further vehicles in Q4 of the current year under the CNG range, the auto maker said. The company's Electric vehicle business under Switch continues to expand and grow. Switch UK has announced the setting up of a manufacturing plant in Spain. It continues to win electric vehicle orders from State Transport Undertakings. In Q3, Switch won a 300 electric bus order from Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. The company had also commenced the supply of the 40 units electric bus order from the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking. Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, said The CV industry is on a recovery owing to the improvement in the macroeconomic environment and healthy demand from the end-user industries. The MHCV segment is expected to lead the recovery in the coming months riding on the back of growth in core sectors such as construction & mining, increased capital outlay for infrastructure projects, conducive financing environment and pent up replacement demand. The response for AVTR and our BS6 performance is very good. Together with the introduction of CNG, we are confident of recovering our market share. LCV volumes should grow further owing to the increased demand for last mile connectivity, especially from the e-commerce segment. The focus on Exports, Defence, Power Solutions and Parts businesses will ensure a balanced growth, even as we expand the reach and the products of our core MHCV business. We are hoping that the commodity prices will decrease further and the situation on the semi-conductor will ease. Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja group, is among the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India and also among the biggest manufacturers of buses and trucks globally. The scrip fell 2.46% to end at Rs 132.95 on the BSE on Friday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Metropolis Healthcare reported 30% fall in consolidated net profit to Rs 41.2 crore despite a 7% rise in total revenue from operations to Rs 293.1 crore in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21. Reported EBIDTA in Q3 FY22 was Rs 76.2 crore, down by 12% from Rs 86.7 crore in Q3 FY21. Reported EBIDTA Margin was 26% in Q3 FY22 as against 31.5% in Q3 FY21. Ameera Shah, promoter and managing director, Metropolis Healthcare said: During Q3FY22, we are pleased to share that we have been able to grow our non-covid revenue despite sharp drop in volumes from a government contract. We have made increased investments in digital& marketing, manpower& customer experience initiatives in order to strengthen our brand. This has impacted margins which we believe is a short term phenomenon. Our focused cities performance and B2C contribution continues to witness healthy growth and is a testimony to our on-ground efforts and the acceptance of Metropolis Brand in the minds of consumers. We have also been able to successfully complete the acquisition of Hitech Diagnostics during Q3 which will enable us to scale up our business, improve the B2C revenue contribution and tap the value end of the market. The company said its board has declared an interim dividend of Rs 8 per share for the financial year 2021-22. Metropolis Healthcare is a leading diagnostics company in India with a widespread presence across 20 states in India. Metropolis offers a comprehensive range of 4000 plus tests and profiles that include advanced tests in diagnosis of cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, and an array of genetic abnormalities. The scrip fell 1.63% to Rs 2419.95 on the BSE. Powered by Capital Market - Live News (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Weeks before the crucial assembly elections, the ruling BJP in on Friday expelled its chief spokesperson, Chongtham Bijoy, a day after he termed the People's Party (NPP) a "parasite that had proved a menace" to the ruling alliance in the last five years. The NPP headed by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma is a dominant party of the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government and an ally of ruling BJP in since 2017 though the two parties separately contesting the two phase assembly polls on February 28 and March 5. According to a statement issued by state BJP President A. Sharda Devi, Bijoy was expelled from the party's primary membership for six years "for violation of the party's rules and regulation and breach of party discipline". Soon after his expulsion from BJP, Bijoy told the media that he would be supporting Janata Dal (United) candidate of Uripok Assembly constituency Kh Suresh in the ensuing elections. "I was denied a party ticket as I was vocal against the corruption. Without serving any show cause notice to me and following the due procedure, an expulsion order was issued against me by the party President," he said. Bijoy, who was keen to contest the Assembly polls from Uripok, reacted sharply after a retired IAS officer, L. Raghumani, was nominated by the BJP for the assembly seat. He claimed that Raghumani, despite being "a corrupt man", got the BJP ticket on the recommendations of the influentials. --IANS sc/pgh (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Senior TMC leader Madan Mitra, who recently spoke out against a section of the party leadership over the candidate list for the civic polls, Friday said his comments have been "blown out of context" and he never intended to hurt senior leaders. Mitra, who is also an MLA, reacting to media reports that he might be showcaused by the party said he will work as an actor if he is expelled from TMC. "My comments have been blown out of context. I never meant to insult anyone. Mamata Banerjee is my supreme leader. I have heard in the media that I might be showcaused, but I am yet to receive any letter from the party top brass. If the party sends me a notice, I will reply," he told reporters here. "My comments have also been blown out of proprtion to mislead people. If the party decides to expel me then I might work as an actor as I have several movie offers," he said. Without naming anyone, Mitra criticised a section of the TMC leaders, "Those who have leaked the matter to the media should be showcaused first," There was no official confirmation till late Friday evening on whether Mitra will be showcaused by the party or not. The Kamarhati MLA, who had last month said that he would take a break from social media for three months on the instructions of the TMC top brass, appeared to have changed his mind and has made a return to it in the last few days. He had recently slammed a section of the party leaders over the candidate list for the upcoming civic polls and directed his criticism towards party secretary general Partha Chatterjee, who is considered to be close to TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. Mitra had also praised the party's general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and said he would take over the party's control from Mamata Banerjee in the near future. Abhishek is the nephew of Mamata Banerjee. On Friday he said, "I am a follower of Mamata Banerjee, she is my leader. Abhishek is like my younger brother. I have known him since his childhood days". Mitra had earlier sympathised with the aggrieved leaders on the candidates list and said he would take up the matter with Mamata Banerjee. The controversy erupted last week after Chatterjee and TMC president Subrata Bakshi released the party's official list of candidates, which was signed by them and a separate unsigned list of candidates popped up on the party's official social media handle. This led to protests in various parts of the state, and disgruntled activists took to the streets, burnt tyres and raised slogans. The spat comes in the backdrop of the perceived power struggle in the party and apparent differences between its generation next leaders and a section of the old guard. As the internal bickering came out in the open, Mamata Banerjee announced that the list signed by Chatterjee and Bakshi is final. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With a view to enhancing localised ties and people-to-people relationships, Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has stepped interactions with local city mayors and governors across the US. This policy of the Indian government assumes significance in the context of the growing clout of elected representatives in powerful metropolises - New York, and Chicago - in domestic and national politics. Affirming this trend, US President Joe Biden has now nominated City Mayor Eric Garcetti as his ambassador to India. In the last fortnight alone, Ambassador Sandhu has met with three dominant mayors. This is in addition to engaging senior American administration officials and over 40 of the 50 state governors. Now, the Indian diplomatic mission here and the ambassador are making special efforts in its outreach to local administrations. Last month, Sandhu met Mayor Eric Adams. An African American, law and order officer for over 20 years, he had a historic victory against progressives and projects a centrist view on law and order as opposed to calls for defund police. Adams was in national spotlight when President Biden travelled to to roll out his policies on law and order in the mayor's presence. On 30 January, Sandhu met Mayor Adams and congratulated him on his historic election as City's Mayor. He thanked the Mayor for his support to India-US partnership and to the Indian diaspora in New York. Sandhu and the mayor held discussion on further bolstering the strong partnership between India and the City of New York with special emphasis on key areas including affordable healthcare, renewable energy, new and emerging technology, education and knowledge partnership, IT and fintech and space. The meeting was followed by interaction with several prominent members of the city's Indian-American diaspora The ambassador has met Mayor of Edison, New Jersey Samip Joshi, who has his roots from Gujarat's Shivrajpur. Edison has a significantly large Indian American population, in particular those from Gujarat. Separately, the ambassador also met Aftab Pureval, another young and dynamic Mayor who was also the first Indian-origin candidate to become Mayor of Cincinnati. Pureval's father is from Punjab and mother is Tibetan. Cincinnati has a sister city relationship with Mysore in Karnataka. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) A Macungie family who claimed lessons at Emmaus High School on white privilege, systemic racism, police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement were anti-Christian, discriminatory and violated their childrens religious rights would get a $45,000 settlement under a proposed agreement filed in federal court. East Penn School District solicitor Marc Fisher said the school board is set to vote Monday on the agreement, under which the district would also provide at-home instruction to the familys son and excuse his absences from school since he stopped attending in person. Fisher declined to comment further before the school board vote, and an attorney for the family did not return a call. Advertisement Maureen and Christopher Brophy sued in U.S. District Court in June, alleging that their 16-year-old son and 15-year-old daughter were denied access to educational opportunities and benefits; that they were subjected to religious and racial discrimination and a hostile school environment; and retaliated against for opposition to the discrimination. It also alleges that when the parents expressed concern, the district withheld educational benefits related to their disabilities, further discriminating and retaliating against the students. The Brophys sought a jury trial and an unspecified amount for damages including emotional distress and attorney fees. Under the proposed settlement, the familys attorneys would get 25% of the settlement plus litigation costs, and the remainder would be split between the Brophy children to pay for educational costs. Advertisement The Brophys lawsuit named Superintendent Kristen Campbell and other district employees, including a teacher and administrators, as defendants. The lawsuit was filed about a year after the murder of George Floyd and other killings of Black people by police touched off a summer of protests across the country and triggered a sea change in the way issues surrounding racism, white supremacy, equality and inclusion are approached in schools. The events also drew criticism from the conservative right over protests that turned violent, and claims that the concepts surrounding race being taught in some school were themselves racist. In September 2020 teachers in the Brophy childrens classes introduced students to the book White Fragility: Why Its So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. The lawsuit claimed the book goes against Christian morals and teachings, including denouncing the belief that there is only one God, promoting a different list of sins than the Bible and offering salvation by merit, which produces self-righteousness. First Call Daily Leading local stories delivered on weekday mornings > The theory is problematic for Christians on the most foundational level as it is unlikely to help Christians pursue unity with God, a core belief of the religion, the lawsuit said. Additionally, White Fragility espouses the theory that one should do good and be good in the eyes of society to be judged and viewed as good by others. This is contrary to the Christian and Catholic value that the only judge is God and that ones true good is measured by the intentions of their heart, it continued. In October 2020 Maureen Brophy informed district staff that the family was opting the children out of curricula involving systemic racism, white fragility, white privilege and Black Lives Matter, alleging the topics were anti-Christian, anti-Conservative and that they discriminated against the family and its religious beliefs. Campbell informed the Brophys they could not opt-out of the subjects on a blanket basis, but rather, could review the curricula for their classes and provide a detailed request in writing to be excused from the instruction. The lawsuit claims the topics to which the Brophys objected did not appear on the curricula, and they were unable to comply with the districts opt-out policy. The suit also claims that when the Brophy children logged out of the schools virtual instruction program when the topics were being discussed, they were marked absent. The suit also alleges that the children suffered unfair and discriminatory treatment, including having their work graded more harshly than that of other students, and being denied accommodations for disabilities, including not being required to wear a mask and being provided printed materials during periods of virtual instruction. Advertisement In addition to the school board vote, the settlement agreement must also be approved by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey L. Schmehl because it involves minors. Morning Call reporter Peter Hall can be reached at 610-820-6581 or peter.hall@mcall.com. The Caixin Must-Read newsletter brings you the best of our coverage over the past week, handpicked by our editors. # Finance # Exclusive: Goldman Sachs Has Big Plans for China As China tears down barriers to foreign investment banks, the U.S. group is looking to expand in all four of its business lines In Depth: The Legacy of Rags-to-Riches Wealth Management Tycoon Xie Zhikun Hand-painted signs in Amish country often advertise fresh eggs, shoofly pies, or handmade quilts, but the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is trying to determine whether one Lancaster County farmers sizable gun collection was also his side hustle. An ATF spokesperson said agents seized evidence during an enforcement operation on Jan. 12 at the Cattail Foundry in Leacock Township, Lancaster County, but declined to comment further. Two sources familiar with the investigation said approximately 600 firearms were seized during the operation. Advertisement On Wednesday morning, farm owner Reuben King declined to comment on the matter at his home, but he did talk to Lancaster Online several weeks ago. King told the news outlet he was a dairy farmer, first and foremost, but admitted selling some firearms from his personal collection to fellow Amish and a few non-Amish, too. Sources said handguns were among the weapons taken by ATF. King told Lancaster Online he mostly sold long guns, for hunting. Advertisement I was not dealing in handguns, positively not, King said last month. The ATF said the investigation is ongoing but no charges have been filed. King told The Inquirer he hadnt hired an attorney. The Amish, generally, do not pose for photographs, and therefore, most dont get the photo IDs needed to purchase firearms from licensed gun shops. Hunting rifles and shotguns, known as long guns, can be sold privately between two parties without a background check or photo ID. Joshua Prince, a Pennsylvania attorney who specializes in firearms law, said the ATF operation at Kings farm could lead investigators into a murky area. Its not clear, he said, how many firearms an individual would have to sell in order for that person to be considered a firearms dealer. The ATFs own website said licenses are required for individuals who repetitively buy and sell firearms with the principal motive of making a profit but not for the occasional sales of firearms from your personal collection. Its so vague, and thats going to be the governments biggest hurdle, Prince said. It could turn out that they just say Listen, dont do this again. " Prince, who is not affiliated with Kings case, sued the federal government in 2015 on behalf of an Amish man from Northumberland County who felt he should have a religious exemption from the photo identification needed for a firearms purchase. Prince said he could not discuss the outcome of the case, but said any Amish person can produce all the documentation needed to get a photo identification in the first place. I think thats unconstitutional, Prince said of the photo requirement. There is a way to prove our identity in the absence of pictures. We arent born with photo ID. U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, a Republican from Ohio, introduced a bill in December to allow the Amish to purchase guns without a photo ID. Advertisement Steve Nolt, an Elizabethtown College professor who has studied Amish society for decades, said the Amish arent a monolith and that customs and adherence to certain beliefs about photography and use of technology vary by location. I would say theres a small number of Amish who get photo IDs, he said. At the Sportsmans Shop, a large firearms dealer and gun range nine miles north of Kings home, a manager said plenty of Amish customers come in with photo ID, particularly during hunting season. We do sell a lot of new guns to the Amish, said the manager, who asked not to be identified. There was no signage at Kings farm Wednesday that suggested he sold firearms there. A non-Amish man wearing a shirt in support of the Second Amendment was driving around the property, also looking to speak to him. Most Amish families own a long gun, Nolt said, and their interest in hunting goes back centuries. That interest, however, has grown beyond sustenance. Advertisement Last Call Daily Get top headlines from The Morning Call delivered weekday afternoons. > Hunting has also become a recreational sport for them, he said. They own hunting cabins up north. They take hunting trips. Nolt was surprised, however, at the sheer number of guns the ATF allegedly seized during the operation last month. He also said its unusual for the Amish to use or own handguns. Theres no real history of the Amish using guns for personal protection, he said. There would be a bit of a taboo with handguns. Staff writers Jeremy Roebuck and William Bender contributed to this article. (c)2022 The Philadelphia Inquirer Visit The Philadelphia Inquirer at www.inquirer.com Advertisement Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Astronomers have detected a new planet around the star closest to the Sun. Using the European Southern Observatorys Very Large Telescope (ESOs VLT) in Chile, they found evidence of the body orbiting Proxima Centauri. The candidate planet is the third detected in the system and is just a quarter of Earths mass, making it the lightest yet discovered orbiting this star which is just over four light-years away from the Sun. It is also one of the lightest exoplanets a planet outside the Solar System ever found, the researchers said. Lead author Joao Faria, a researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, said: The discovery shows that our closest stellar neighbour seems to be packed with interesting new worlds, within reach of further study and future exploration. Named Proxima d, the newly discovered planet orbits Proxima Centauri at a distance of about four million kilometres less than a 10th of Mercurys distance from the Sun. Astronomers found it orbits between the star and the habitable zone the area around a star where liquid water can exist at the surface of a planet and takes just five days to complete one orbit of Proxima Centauri. The star is already known to host two other planets. Proxima b, which orbits the star every 11 days, has a mass comparable to that of Earth, and is within the habitable zone. Proxima c is on a longer five-year orbit around the star. The discovery of Proxima b was confirmed in 2020 when scientists observed the system with a new instrument, the Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanets and Stable Spectroscopic Observations (ESPRESSO), that had greater precision. During these observations, astronomers spotted the first hints of a signal corresponding to an object with a five-day orbit. But because the signal was so weak, the team conducted follow-up observations with ESPRESSO to confirm that it was due to a planet, and not simply a result of changes in the star itself. Mr Faria said: After obtaining new observations, we were able to confirm this signal as a new planet candidate. I was excited by the challenge of detecting such a small signal and, by doing so, discovering an exoplanet so close to Earth. The discovery is reported in the Astronomy and Astrophysics journal. A worker adds herbicide into drones at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) Aerial photo taken on Feb. 11, 2022 shows drones spraying herbicide at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Photo by Liu Qinli/Xinhua) Aerial photo taken on Feb. 11, 2022 shows the automatic irrigation and fertilization system operating at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Photo by Liu Qinli/Xinhua) Drones are used to spray herbicide at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) Drones are used to spray herbicide at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) The automatic irrigation and fertilization system is seen operating in the fields at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) A worker monitors the condition of the fields with intelligent systems at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) A worker uses a mobile phone to check the condition of water and fertilizer in the fields at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) A worker starts the automatic irrigation and fertilization system at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) GOP leaders want to let NC students opt out of mask mandates The town of Emerald Isle is thinking about partnering with other western Carteret towns on a regional fireworks show for July 4 this year after Mike Stanley, owner of the Bogue Inlet Pier where the town has set off fireworks for the past 30 years, decided he will no longer host the show. (News-Times photo) Glen, NH (03838) Today Cloudy. High 58F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. Low 44F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Photo: Contributed Kashif Ramzan A man who posed as a modelling agent and then sexually assaulted teens in Vancouver and Surrey will spend two years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of sexual assault. Justice Jennifer Duncan said Kashif Ramzan bears a high degree of moral blameworthiness for the offences. He was not motivated by anything except fulfilling his desire to interact sexually with young women he picked from Instagram by weaving a tissue of lies, Duncan said. Ramzan pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of a young woman known as V.N. between Sept. 14-19, 2019 in Vancouver and Surrey, as well as the assault of a young woman known as A.C. in Vancouver on April 25, 2020. Duncan, sitting in New Westminster B.C. Supreme Court, said Ramzan contacted women on Instagram, pretending to be someone from a casting or talent agency and a photographer. He claimed to have influence in the modelling and acting world. Ramzan is none of those things, Duncan said. He persuaded V.N. and A.C. to attend auditions with him and in the course of the auditions, he engaged in sexual acts with them. Mr. Ramzan asked both of the complainants about their comfort level with nudity and love scenes in advance of the auditions. By his plea of guilty, he has admitted that he neither had their consent nor had an honest, but mistaken, belief in their communicated consent to engage in the sexual acts that took place with them, Duncan said in her Feb. 9 ruling. Further Ramzan created a website reezphotography.com and an associated email account to convince women he was a professional photographer associated with the modelling industry. The website does not represent a legitimate photography business, Duncan said. Mr. Ramzan appropriated images of models and uploaded them to this site. He told V.N. that if she had sex with him, he would give her the best recommendation, which would lead to a 99 per cent chance of being recruited for a film. She was 18 when the incidents began. He began touching her, despite her protestations and bleeding. She later agreed to have sex for money and also performed oral sex. For the offences, Ramzan was given six months less one day incarceration. A.C. was 19 when Ramzan contacted her via Instagram, saying he thought she could be a professional model. He said he was recruiting for a high-profile film, that, the director had agreed to consider her for the lead role with the starting pay of $50,000. He asked what her limitations were concerning lovemaking scenes. A.C. said she was comfortable with nudity and love scenes so long as the partner was respectful and professional and there was no penetration or sexual intercourse, Duncan wrote. Ramzan drove her to a Surrey hotel, where he had reserved the penthouse suite. He had cameras and video equipment. He directed A.C. to remove her clothing, with the exception of underwear and nipple covers, so he could take her measurements and fill out some forms. As he measured A.C., he touched her breasts and buttocks without her consent. Soon, he was videotaping them on a couch and took his pants off. Then, he started digitally penetrating her in various places, causing bleeding. It is troubling that when Mr. Ramzan first noticed the blood he did not stop what he was doing or alter the speed or force of the digital penetration, Duncan said. After having some food, Ramzan produced some sex toys and, without asking A.C. for consent, placed a collar around her neck and handcuffs on her wrists behind her back. He attached the collar to the cuffs with a chain and placed her face down on the bed in the bedroom. A 12-minute video recording was made of what occurred in the bedroom. For those offences, Duncan imposed a sentence of two years less a day to be served consecutively with the other sentence. Mr. Ramzan set up an elaborate framework of online deceit from which he engaged in a pattern of predatory conduct against young women, Duncan said. Ramzan is a permanent resident of Canada, not a citizen. His criminal conviction could result in deportation. Having entered guilty pleas to two counts of sexual assault, Mr. Ramzan is inadmissible to Canada on the basis of serious criminality and subject to a removal order, Duncan said. The Immigration Appeal Division of the Immigration and Refugee Board has the power to stay a removal order on humanitarian and compassionate grounds. His wife said if her husband is deported, they cannot be together in Pakistan, where he was born, because she is not Muslim. They also could not be together in South Korea because his criminal conviction would bar him from entering her homeland. If you or someone you know is a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Call local police or VictimLinkBC at 1-800-563-0808 for information and support; the toll-free multilingual service is available across B.C. and the Yukon 24/7. Other resources: Photo: The Canadian Press Police say they are investigating after a man was found dead at a north Nanaimo business Saturday morning. They say his death is being treated as a homicide. The RCMP says officers were responding to the location for a well-being check. Upon arrival, it says police found the man's body, along with one other person. RCMP confirmed the second man has been taken into police custody. They say police, including forensic investigators, remain on scene but would not be providing any more information at this time. Photo: The Canadian Press Canada's Minister of Foreign Affairs Melanie Joly and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba on Jan. 18, 2022. Canada has shuttered its embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and relocated its diplomatic staff to a temporary office in the western part of the country amid fears of a war with Russia. Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly announced the move this afternoon in a statement that blamed Russia for the deteriorating security situation in Ukraine. Russia has mobilized 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine and is demanding a series of concessions from the NATO military alliance, which includes Canada. While Russia has denied wanting a war, diplomatic talks between Moscow and the West have failed to resolve the standoff and NATO leaders have started warning of a conflict in Ukraine. Joly announced the closure of the embassy in Kyiv shortly after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A summary of the conversation from the Prime Minister's Office said Trudeau emphasized Canada's support for Ukraine and promised a Russian invasion would be met with economic sanctions. On February 11, 2022, this report was posted online as an MMWR Early Release. During September 22, 2021February 6, 2022, approximately 82.6 million U.S. residents aged 18 years received a COVID-19 vaccine booster dose.* The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized a booster dose of either the same product administered for the primary series (homologous) or a booster dose that differs from the product administered for the primary series (heterologous). These booster authorizations apply to all three COVID-19 vaccines used in the United States (13). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended preferential use of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (mRNA-1273 [Moderna] or BNT162b2 [Pfizer-BioNTech]) for a booster, even for persons who received the Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen [Johnson & Johnson]) COVID-19 vaccine for their single-dose primary series. To characterize the safety of COVID-19 vaccine boosters among persons aged 18 years during September 22, 2021February 6, 2022, CDC reviewed adverse events and health impact assessments following receipt of a booster that were reported to v-safe, a voluntary smartphone-based safety surveillance system for adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination, and adverse events reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a passive vaccine safety surveillance system managed by CDC and FDA. Among 721,562 v-safe registrants aged 18 years who reported receiving a booster, 88.8% received homologous COVID-19 mRNA vaccination. Among registrants who reported a homologous COVID-19 mRNA booster dose, systemic reactions were less frequent following the booster (58.4% [Pfizer-BioNTech] and 64.4% [Moderna], respectively) than were those following dose 2 (66.7% and 78.4%, respectively). The adjusted odds of reporting a systemic reaction were higher following a Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster, irrespective of the vaccine received for the primary series. VAERS has received 39,286 reports of adverse events after a COVID-19 mRNA booster vaccination for adults aged 18 years, including 36,282 (92.4%) nonserious and 3,004 (7.6%) serious events. Vaccination providers should educate patients that local and systemic reactions are expected following a homologous COVID-19 mRNA vaccine booster; however, these reactions appear less common than those following dose 2 of an mRNA-based vaccine. CDC and FDA will continue to monitor vaccine safety and provide data to guide vaccine recommendations and protect public health. V-safe (https://vsafe.cdc.gov/en/) is a voluntary, smartphone-based U.S. safety surveillance system established to monitor adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination. The platform allows existing registrants to report receiving a COVID-19 booster dose and new registrants to enter information about all COVID-19 vaccine doses received. Health surveys are sent daily during the first week after receipt of each dose and include questions about local injection site and systemic reactions and health impacts. CDCs v-safe call center contacts registrants who indicate that medical care was sought after vaccination and encourages completion of a VAERS report, if indicated. VAERS is a U.S. national passive vaccine safety surveillance system managed by CDC and FDA that monitors adverse events after vaccination (4). VAERS accepts reports from health care providers, vaccine manufacturers, and members of the public.** VAERS reports are classified as serious if there are any reports of hospitalization, prolongation of hospitalization, life-threatening illness, permanent disability, congenital anomaly or birth defect, or death. VAERS staff members assign Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) preferred terms to the signs, symptoms, and diagnostic findings in VAERS reports. Previous reports of myocarditis and pericarditis following receipt of COVID-19 vaccine were identified by a search for selected MedDRA preferred terms (5); CDC staff members attempted to collect information from health care providers about clinical course and determined whether the case definition for myocarditis or pericarditis was met. Local and systemic reactions and health impacts reported during the week following booster vaccination were described for v-safe registrants aged 18 years who received a COVID-19 booster (2 months after a single dose of Janssen COVID-19 vaccine or 5 months after the second dose of a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine) during September 22, 2021February 6, 2022, and completed at least one v-safe health check-in survey in the week after each vaccination. Registrants who reported receiving a COVID-19 mRNA primary vaccination series followed by a Janssen booster (476) were excluded from the analysis because of small numbers. VAERS reports for persons aged 18 years who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine booster during September 22, 2021February 6, 2022, were described by severity (serious versus nonserious), demographic characteristics (i.e., age, sex, race, and ethnicity), and MedDRA preferred terms. Reporting rates for myocarditis reports meeting the case definition after a booster were stratified by sex and age group. Multivariable analyses were conducted to estimate the adjusted odds of reporting an adverse event or health impact by comparing 1) dose 2 and booster for registrants who received homologous COVID-19 mRNA vaccination, and 2) homologous and heterologous booster vaccination. SAS software (version 9.4; SAS Institute) was used to conduct all analyses.*** These surveillance activities were reviewed by CDC and conducted consistent with applicable federal law and CDC policy. BAGHDAD, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Iraq urged Saturday its citizens in Ukraine to leave the country and called on Iraqi diplomats to take their annual leave amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. "For the safety of the Iraqi community in Ukraine, and as a result of the exceptional circumstances there, the ministry urges the community to leave Ukrainian territory and not to travel to it," the Iraqi Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. The ministry also called on the employees of the Iraqi embassy in Kiev "to take their annual leave in a way that ensures the safety of the diplomatic mission's personnel," the statement said. The Iraqi ministry's decision came at a time of increasing uncertainty over the Russian-Ukrainian border. 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. This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact The Chanute Tribune office at 620-431-4100 if you have any questions Chattanooga School for the Liberal Arts is celebrating its 30 Anniversary with an alumni reunion on March 12 from 1-3 p.m. The theme for the day will be Once an Eagle, Always an Eagle! "This is the last school year that the school will be in the existing building, and we want to give alumni a chance to see the school one more time," officials said. The event will be mostly outside on the front lawn, and will feature music from a crowdsourced playlist, food trucks, games and gatherings. Alumni students and faculty are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket or camping table to enjoy lunch on the lawn. There will be tables with photos from each five years of the schools 30-year history. Alumni can connect with old CLSA friends, bringing memories, yearbooks and their own photos to share. Cornhole and parachute will be set up and ready to play. There will also be an open house, with student ambassadors to give information about what is happening at CSLA now. A brief program will celebrate the past, legacy and future of CSLA. Alumni of Elbert Long Junior High are also welcome to join. Click here for more information and to RSVP. A county school investigation found that students in a Bible class at East Hamilton High School were not offended by any comments made by a teacher involving the Jewish people. However, officials said, "While it does not appear that the statement was intended to cause offense, it did. No student should feel singled out or marginalized in class as a result of a teachers instruction." They said additional concerns brought forth by a parent of a student in the class are also being checked out. The parent, Juniper Russo, went to the news media and headlines went out across the country stating "Chattanooga Teacher Accused Of Teaching Students 'How To Torture A Jew.' " The teacher's attorney, Caldwell Huckabay, said she had been "unjustly smeared online and in the media." County School officials said, "In its efforts to ensure that all students and staff experience a climate of belonging and support, Hamilton County Schools last week launched a rigorous investigation into a parent complaint concerning classroom activities involving the Bible History elective course at East Hamilton Middle School. "The investigation was led by counsel and included multiple interviews with the teacher, students who were in the class at the time referenced, and the parent who raised the concerns. The investigation determined the following concerning the teachers alleged use of the word torture during a lesson surrounding the Hebrew name of God on Feb. 2. "The teacher made a reference to the fact that Jewish people do not say the Hebrew name of God as represented and, in essence, that to hear or say that word would be a torturous or difficult experience for them. Some students recalled the discussion while others did not. None of the students interviewed believed that the teacher was instructing them on how to torture a Jewish person or that her comments were rooted in malice. "We cannot conclude that the teacher intended to actually instruct her students about how to torture a Jewish person, and none of the students interviewed who recalled the comment interpreted it negatively. While it does not appear that the statement was intended to cause offense, it did. No student should feel singled out or marginalized in class as a result of a teachers instruction. Additional concerns brought forth by the parent were also investigated, and a review committee is being formed by the districts partner to evaluate course content and reference materials. "Hamilton County Schools is committed to restoring a positive learning experience between the teacher and students. As a District, we will continue to take appropriate steps to ensure all students feel accepted and supported while receiving the opportunities and access needed to thrive in our classrooms, and we will continue to support teachers as they learn and grow in their profession to accomplish that goal." The East Hamilton Middle School Bible teacher said, This statement is in response to the many false accusations that have been made about me online and in the media. As a Hamilton County Schools educator and recent Emory University seminary graduate, I have been professionally trained in the academic presentation of the Hebrew Bible as a historical text. I strongly support the equal and fair treatment for people of all religious, racial, and cultural backgrounds. "I am personally offended by the statements that have been attributed to me, and I unequivocally deny making them. I did not utter antisemitic remarks nor refuse a parent/teacher meeting. It is a shame that a misinterpretation of what I actually said has caused such far-reaching destruction to my students, the Jewish community world-wide, and me. I am grateful that the investigation of this matter by the Hamilton County School System has completely exonerated me. It is my hope that this statement will clear up confusion and false accusations. Attorney Huckabay said, My client has been unjustly smeared online and in the media for allegedly saying something that she absolutely did not say, nor would she ever. This is what happens when people rush to judgment without knowing the facts. "Fortunately, the Hamilton County School System took its time, conducted a thorough investigation of this matter, and arrived at the correct conclusion that my client said nothing of the sort. In an effort to promote an open and productive dialogue, we have offered to meet with the parent involved, the Jewish Federation of Greater Chattanooga, and the Anti-Defamation League, and we sincerely hope that they will accept our offer. The owners of the Red Wolf development in East Ridge are continuing to invest in the 60-acre area around the stadium which has already been partially built along I-75. The entire development has been designated for a variety of uses including the stadium, retail space, hotels, residences and the infrastructure associated with the new buildings. East Ridge City Council members made decisions Thursday night to assist the new growth that is taking place around that area, including asking the state for a $13 million grant. A state grant has just become available for aid in development that was discovered by Sterling Holdings, the owner of what the city considers its gateway development, and the developer of the projects, Star Community Builders. The state money that would require no match is from Governor Bill Lees new budget. It would be eligible to help with economic development involving public infrastructure improvements. The deadline to apply for the grant is Feb. 12. Because the Red Wolves development is a privately owned, the owners cannot apply for the grant. But the application can come from the city. The request will be for $13 million and if received, would be paid to the city of East Ridge which would pass it to the citys Industrial Development Board and then to Star Community Builders, to help with Phase 1 of the development. There would be benchmarks that the developer must meet to receive payments from the IDB. For its work, the city of East Ridge would be allocated $130,000 in administrative fees , or one percent of the total amount of the grant. Jeff Sikes and Kenny Custer from ASA Engineering told the council that because Phase 1 has already been started there are already associated costs of $33 million that have been identified which meet the qualifications for the grant, but that amount is not all for public infrastructure. The goal, said City Attorney Mark Litchford, is to keep the project that has been started continuing moving forward by helping with costs already incurred. It is his opinion that the grant can be used in retrospect. He believes that developers should not be penalized because work has already kicked off and that they should be rewarded for their commitment. Definite answers are needed, he said, before a development agreement can be made between the owner, developer and city to make sure all entities are protected. East Ridge must ensure that it will not be responsible if some of the costs end up being unacceptable for grant money. The council voted unanimously to let Mayor Brian Williams apply for the grant. Mr. Litchford said the development agreement may be ready for a vote at the next council meeting in two weeks if it is approved by the IDB beforehand. The council also approved rezoning 10.3 acres adjacent to the Red Wolf stadium property on Hurst Street, Floyd Drive, McCall Road and Mack Smith Road to C-1 Commercial and C-4 Planned Commerce District to allow the developers to extend the area for building new townhomes and parking. The city will abandon its right-of-way at the end of Hurst Road so the new neighborhood of townhomes can be enlarged. A rezoning request to change 495 Camp Jordan Parkway from C-1 Commercial to O-1 Hospital and Institutional District was approved for the 1.7-acre property. This zoning will allow an emergency services business run by HCA Hospitals to be built on the location that will provide easy access to Camp Jordan Park that is the home of so many team sporting events. The Regional Planning Agency recommended approval and the council followed the recommendation. The lease will be for 15-20 years but if the clinic ever stops operating, the zoning will revert back to Commercial activity. Rezoning property at 1410 Mack Smith Road to build apartments was tabled in November after public meetings had been held. It was on the agenda again Thursday night for a vote which resulted in the project unanimously being denied with no additional discussion. At the meeting, an overview was presented of the citys plan to amend the East Ridge Municipal Code pertaining to personnel. Personnel Director Michelle Sinigaglio told the council that the personnel manual will be removed from the city codes and all content will be put into a separate human resources manual. She has had the assistance of MTAS in making changes to the outdated terminology and inaccuracies and in adding needed polices. Making changes previously had to be done as an ordinance. Changes to that may be made to the manual are less cumbersome and can be done by resolution, she said. It will also make city policies and guidelines easier for employees to find. The council reviewed and approved the design and facade materials for the two new package Liquor stores that are currently under construction in East Ridge. This will provide oversight to ensure the new buildings meet design standards and sizes that were required. City Manager Chris Dorsey said the new Pioneer Frontier playground is being landscaped now using ADA compliant features for ramps and parking. It is hoped the playground can be opened soon. The splash pad area is being fenced and ADA compliant sidewalks and parking are also being built there. The city manager hopes it can open in May once the weather warms. The new Dog Park is now fenced and benches have been installed. Agility equipment has been ordered including crawl tunnels, a teeter totter, King of the Hill, a ring jump thermo, stepping paws and two Fido Fountains. Including shipping, this equipment totals $19,725. Fencing, benches and three waste stations were donated. Money to pay for the park is coming from a $25,000 grant from The Boyd Foundation. With the COVID virus trending down and the from the suggestion by Mayor Williams, the council agreed to relax COVID protocols. Beginning with the next meeting the partitions between council members will be removed and there will no longer be live feeds of the council meetings. They will continue to be recorded and available to view the following day. A man is attending the Super Bowl, when he notices an empty seat. Thinking this to be strange, the man asks the person sitting next to the empty seat if he knows who sits there. The guy replies: Well, I bought two tickets for my wife and I a long time ago, but she passed away. So the man asks: Couldn't you have brought someone else? "They're all at the funeral." * * * IF YOU'RE INTERESTED... A friend of mine has two tickets for the 2022 Super Bowl, both box seats. He paid $11,500 each. It comes with ride to and from the airport, lunch, dinner and $400.00 bar credit. Also a back stage pass to the winners locker room. He didn't realize last year when he bought them, it was going to be on the same day as his wedding. If you are interested, he is looking for someone to take his place... It's at St Paul's Church, in Tampa at 3 p.m. Her name is Ashley. She's 5'4", about 145 lbs, and a good cook too. She loves to fish and hunt. She'll be the one in the white dress. * * * WHERE ARE THE CANNED PEACHES? I asked a supermarket worker where they kept the canned peaches. He said, "I'll see" and walked away. He never came back. When I saw another supermarket worker, I asked him. He said, "I'll see" and walked away. He never came back either. I got tired of waiting and started looking up and down every aisle. I finally found them. As sure as rain, canned peaches were in Aisle C. * * * SOME DANDY ONE-LINERS * -- I know the score of the Super Bowl even before it starts! (Hint: 0-0) * -- When I want to have an intelligent conversation, I talk to myself. * -- May the Mass times Acceleration be with you. * -- Money can't buy you happiness, but it can buy you a Happy Meal. * -- A northern fairy tale begins 'Once upon a time' A southern fairy tale begins 'Y'all ain't gonna believe this! * -- My uncle knew exactly when he was going to die. The judge told him. * -- Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. But teach a man to fish, and you still have a fish. * -- If you keep both feet firmly planted on the ground, you'll have trouble putting on your pants. * -- If I told you I was a secret agent, I wouldn't be. * -- Rap is to music as Etch-A-Sketch is to art. * -- This is my step ladder. I never knew my real ladder. * * * THE REFLECTION IN THE MIRROR An old hillbilly lived in the remote wilderness of Kentucky all his life. He heard there was a new farm supply store in the city, so he went there to get some supplies. In the store he picked up a mirror and looked at it. Never having seen a mirror before, he remarked at the image staring back at him, "How about that! Here's a picture of my daddy." He bought the 'picture', but on the way home he remembered his wife, Lizzy, didn't like his father. So he hung it in the barn. Whenever he looked at it he remembered his daddy and it put a big smile on his face. Lizzy, seeing her husband always smiling and happier than he had been in a while, began to get suspicious. One day after her husband left, she searched the barn and found the mirror. As she looked into the glass, she fumed, "So that's the ugly piece of trash he's runnin' around with." * * * GRANDFATHER IS JUST FINE My 85-year-old grandfather was rushed to the hospital with a possible concussion. The doctor asked him a series of questions: Do you know where you are? Im at Memorial Hospital. What city are you in? Chattanooga. Do you know who I am? Dr. Hamilton. When the doctor left my grandfather turned to the nurse and said, I hope he doesnt ask me any more questions. Why? she asked. You knew all the answers. Yeah! Because all of those answers were on his name tag. * * * Having a Cookout It's a Super Bowl weekend and a man walks into a butcher shop that has a sign in the window saying "Ground Sirloin: 29 cents per pound." The man says, "I'm having a cookout this weekend. I'd like 5 pounds of your ground sirloin, please." The butcher shakes his head and says, "Sorry. I'm all out." The man, disappointed goes down the street to another butcher shop and asks, "How much is your ground sirloin?" The proprietor replies, "It's $3.29 per pound." "Three twenty nine!?!" exclaimed the customer. "Just up the street he sells it for 29 cents a pound!" The butcher smiles at the gentleman and asks, "Does he have any?" "No. He's out of it right now." "Well," says the butcher. "When I don't have any, I can sell it for 19 cents a pound!" * * * TWO BLONDE GUYS RIDE THE TRAIN Two guys were taking their first train trip. A vendor came down the aisle selling bananas . Each bought one. The first one eagerly peeled the banana and bit into it just as the train went into a tunnel. When the train emerged from the tunnel, he looked across to his friend and said, "I wouldn't eat that if I were you." "Why not?" "I took one bite and went blind for half a minute." * * * EVERY LITTLE TRICK HELPS That wont help you, you know? Oh it helps a lot, says the man, its the only way I can see the numbers! * * * SOME OF THE BEST VIDEOS THIS WEEK * -- A Living Statue -- The Bronze Cowboy click HERE * -- New and Improved Bushman Pranks click HERE * -- Tuba Skinny, "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" click HERE * -- 47.4 million have watched Lynyrd Skynyrd - Freebird - 7/2/1977 click HERE * -- George Strait - All My Ex's Live In Texas click HERE A clerk at the Mapco, 201 Browns Ferry Road, told police a white female came into the store and stole beer. Police showed the clerk a picture of a woman who is known to police in the area as a frequent shoplifter. The clerk positively identified her as the same woman. The store clerk has yet to decide to prosecute for the $7 worth of beer. Police will follow up at a later time to find out if he has made a decision. * * * A disorder was reported at a residence on South Moss Avenue. Police spoke with a woman who said she and her boyfriend were arguing over "dumb stuff." She said at no time did the altercation become physical. Police then spoke with the boyfriend, who said the same as the woman. Police observed no signs that anything physical had taken place between them. * * * A man at an apartment on West Martin Luther King Boulevard told police he is currently in the process of moving out, and while doing so, a black male identified as "Lonnie" who is partially disabled, cursed at him in the lobby. The man said he wished to report the matter to police. Police attempted to speak with "Lonnie," but it appeared he had already left. * * * A man on Brainerd Road told police that his neighbors were being very loud, but it had since ceased. He said that he was moving out the next day and everything was fine. * * * A suspicious person was reported at 248 Northgate Mall Dr. Police found a man going through the American Thrift Store donation bins. Police spoke with the man, who said he was just looking for dry clothes to wear. Northgate Mall security was on scene and said the man has been on the property several times this week loitering and acting suspicious. The mall security officer issued the man a one-year ban from the property and he was told not to come back. * * * A man was reported standing on the side of the road in the rain at 1200 Mercer St. Police asked him if he was okay, and he asked if this was about last night. The man said he wanted a ride to his grandmother's house on Arkwright Street. Police were skeptical about taking the man to his grandmother's house, since he was carrying two bags of clothes and made the comment of police being there last night. Police got the grandmother's phone number from the man and gave her a call. The grandmother said police were called out there last night and she did not want her grandson at her residence. The man then said he would like a ride to the Community Kitchen and the officer gave him a ride there. The man did not have any warrants for his arrest. * * * A man told police that while traveling at 230 Highway 153 southbound he struck a vehicle tire with the front of his truck that caused damage. The man said that he is unsure what happened, but believes that it was from a wreck that also occurred at this location. Police checked the vehicle involved in the crash. It was a single vehicle and all tires were still attached to it. * * * Police received a request for a disorder prevention at the Trails of Signal Mountain, 3535 Mountain Creek Road. Police spoke to a man there who said that he needed to get the remainder of his daughters belongings out of the apartment. The man and his daughter were there and they were able to quickly gather some belongings that had been set by the front door of the apartment. The man said that no further assistance was needed. * * * An employee at the Family Dollar, 5000 Brainerd Road, told police that a black male entered the store and took $50 worth of merchandise. He said the man then fled. No other suspect information is available. * * * A disorder was reported at The Overlook of Hamilton Place, 2288 Gunbarrel Road. Police found a couple who were occupying a white Saturn sedan (TN tag). The man told police he was having car issues and was screaming outside because he was upset. The couple said they were both okay and were already calming down from being upset. * * * A woman at an apartment on West 37th Street told police that sometime between 3 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. someone broke out the passenger-side window of her Hyundai Elantra (GA tag). She said they stole a purse that did not contain anything of value. There is no suspect information. * * * A woman on North Moore Road told police her 2020 Nissan Rogue was taken and then found a couple of days ago. The woman said she had the vehicle in her driveway waiting on the insurance company to pick it up for repairs. She said the thieves came back that morning around 6 a.m. and stole her vehicle again. She said the thief had kept the key to the vehicle when they stole it the first time. The vehicle is in NCIC. There is no suspect information. A forensic examiner famously known for his involvement in former President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., Jeffery Epstein, and O.J. Simpsons cases, testified Friday as a defense witness in Benjamin Browns child murder trial. Dr. Micheal Baden said he is often called to review other examiners' work in cases that need a second opinion. He said he is usually hired by defense attorneys to conduct private investigations. He was the chief medical examiner in New York for 25 years. Dr. Baden told the jury in the courtroom of Judge Barry Steelman what he thinks happened to three-year-old Annie Shell in August 2018. Dr. Baden said he thought Dr. James Metcalfes autopsy report was professional, but he did not agree with the cause of death. There is not a single mention of shaken baby in the autopsy, said Dr. Baden. If there was any evidence of shaken baby, it would be on the first page. The famous examiner made two of his own reports in this case 13 months apart. Information was provided by Browns previous defense attorney for Dr. Badens first report in 2020. All records were allegedly reviewed by Dr. Baden. Hospital records and Browns police interview were additionally provided by his current defense attorney, Kevin Loper. Dr. Baden made a second report after receiving the new information in 2021. Dr. Baden said he concluded the immediate cause of death was fentanyl overdose and possibly medical malpractice. Hospital records say Annie had a level of 8.3 of fentanyl in her body when she died. Dr. Baden said this was a lethal dose as a normal dose is around 2. Dr. Metcalfe had testified that fentanyl was not the cause of death. I think the care at Erlanger was good, but the exception is the amount of fentanyl given, said Dr. Baden. He also said there was a breathing tube that to him was most likely the cause of Annies esophagus injuries. Dr. Baden said when the tube is removed or inserted, it can cause damage. He said this explains why her esophagus injuries were only present on the day before she passed - when the tube was removed. Dr. Baden discussed with attorney Loper about Annies head injuries as well. He said that her injuries are consistent with an unwitnessed fall. Even a short fall could have caused these injuries, according to Dr. Baden. Its my opinion that she fell, said Dr. Baden. If anybody falls it has a different reaction than when youre hit and it appears to be more accidental. He also said there was only one external bruise and no fractures possibly indicating minimal blunt forced trauma. Dr. Baden testified that injuries could have happened the night before or morning that she was sent to the hospital from a seizure. The state brought Dr. Mary Palmer who specializes in ER pediatrics as their next witness. Dr. Palmer had a different view than Dr. Baden. Its not medically possible for her to sustain life overnight with the injuries she had, said Dr. Palmer. Dr. Palmer said the injury to Annies brain caused extreme swelling. She said it was from direct trauma to the brain through a fall, a hit or shaking the child - although she said the term shaking baby is not a good diagnostic term. Dr. Palmer said she disagreed with Dr. Badens statement regarding the care at Erlanger and she said she thought the care was exceptional in Annies case. Dr. Palmer also had a response to the high dose of fentanyl in Annies system when she passed. The family discovered that Annie would have to live in difficult conditions after her injuries so they decided that would not be the life she should live, said Dr. Palmer. At five - on Aug. 21, 2018 - they took out one of her tubes and that caused the brain to swell and they continued with the sedative, adjusting to her pain as requested by the family, then they removed the breathing tube. Dr. Palmer had an explanation for the esophagus tear that according to Dr. Baden was caused by Annies breathing tube. And a response as to why the care at Erlanger might have been in question. The tube is just coming out, so there is no resistance that happens there that wouldve caused injury, said Dr. Palmer. But the medical team wouldve done a lot of other things differently if they wouldve known about some of the injuries. In fact, Dr. Palmer said it makes the most sense to her that there were two blows to the head and two to the stomach. She said falling was possible but not likely and that she could tell how cautious Annie was when she did things in the video evidence. The defense cross examined her last where the jury discovered Dr. Palmers opinion on Dr. Metcalfes cause of death. I would say that blunt force trauma to the chest I dont agree with, said Dr. Palmer. Through the defenses cross examination, Dr. Palmer said she is not a forensic examiner nor does she have the credibility to testify as that. But she said she went off her medical expertise just as Dr. Baden did. Reporter Dave Baxter, referring to protests by truckers in Canada, claimed disturbing images began surfacing of some protesters carrying signs with Nazi swastikas and imagery (Winnipeg Sun, Feb 1, 2022). No pics were included. Omar Mosleh, of the Edmonton Bureau of the Toronto Star, described how banning hateful symbols like the swastika is almost impossible (Feb 8, 2022). His lengthy post about how seeing swastikas affected Holocaust victims was supposed to be about the Canadian truckers but he didnt include pics either. Instead he added a reference to a lone wolf standing at a protest holding a Nazi flag. He also cited the removal of the book Maus in Tennessee trying to spin it all into some right-wing conspiracy. Neither reporter was present in Ontario to observe the truckers protest. Instead he added a reference to a lone wolf standing at a protest holding a Nazi flag. He also cited the removal of the book Maus in Tennessee trying to spin it all into some right-wing conspiracy. Neither reporter was present in Ontario to observe the truckers protest. Unable to find any photos of Canadian truckers displaying Nazi flags, I found two news services pics of the same person carrying a Confederate flag with a truck imprinted on it. One service was NPR who used it to decree the protest as rooted in extremism and hate (Nell Clark, NPR, Feb 10, 2022). The other was Peoples World (C J Atkins, Feb 8, 2022) the successor to the 1924 Daily Worker, both Communist news sources. Need I say more? Other than these harbingers of the progressive line, references to Nazi and Confederate symbols fill social media and include quotes from people claiming to have seen them, but, again, with no pics. If there were numerous photos, CNN and MSNBC would undoubtedly be running them 24/7. Absent of such confirmation, it raises the question of who this lone wolf, if there was one, could be? Since the Lincoln Project sponsored a phony tiki torch protest - purportedly fascists trying to link Governor Glenn Youngkin, R-VA, to white supremacists turned out to be paid actors, perhaps the flags and swastikas are plants as well. Many in the left were willingly duped by the tiki torch stunt and the hint of hate symbols ties into the progressive narrative so well. Bidens spokesperson announced 500 Homeland Security employees were assigned to see that no trucker protests disrupt the Super Bowl. Thats quite a contrast to progressive mayors ordering police to stand down in earlier civil unrest in Baltimore (Dailymail, Apr 29,2015), Minneapolis (Lakeland PBS, July 15, 2020) and other cities that were looted and burned. In reality, there were more Nazis in Argentina after WWII and Confederates in Brazil after the Civil War than you will find in the truckers stoppage in Canada. This is a real workers protest and not a fabrication by the left. They dont represent workers (aka contributors and taxpayers) any more. Ralph Miller 2012s Django Unchained brings Quentin Tarantinos signature style to the western film genre. His hyperviolent, yet highly-witty aesthetic supercharges the movie. However, Django Unchained star Jamie Foxx once recalled some rather ruthless direction from Tarantino. Nevertheless, Foxx is proud that he signed on for the project. Jamie Foxx stars in the title role in Django Unchained L-R: Jamie Foxx and Quentin Tarantino | Sean Gallup/Getty Images for Sony Pictures Django Unchained follows Django (Foxx) as a slave. A German bounty hunter named Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) frees him 2 years before the Civil War would take place. Together, they hunt the Souths most vicious criminals. Their adventures take them to a plantation owner named Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio). Foxx stars in the lead role of Tarantinos western drama that also has a romantic element to it. Django is intent on facing Calvin because hes holding his wife, Broomhilda von Shaft (Kerry Washington), as a slave. He wont rest until he frees her from the brutal Mississippi plantation owner. Jamie Foxx recalls Quentin Tarantinos ruthless direction 'Django Unchained' was released 8 years ago today pic.twitter.com/sGGebcJO59 Culture Crave (@CultureCrave) December 25, 2020 The Howard Stern Show talked with Foxx about his experience filming Django Unchained with Tarantino. However, the story isnt quite what host Howard Stern expected to hear. Foxx described Tarantino as, a tyrant, like: Do not f*** my film up.' But thats what you want, Foxx said. You want a director who, even if youre going off the cliff, you know that youre going off the f***ing cliff. Foxx continued with a particular experience reading lines for the Django Unchained filmmaker. The first day of rehearsal Im reading my lines like [says gibberish] and he said Cut, can I talk to you for a second?,' Foxx recalled. Closes the door: Uhhh, what the f*** is that?! I said, What you mean? [He said] I knew I was going to have this problem. Foxx continued: Listen, all of this shit you have to be a f***ing slave! OK? Hes a slave! Hes not cool, hes a f***ing slave! He doesnt know how to read, you come in with your f***ing Louis bag and your f***ing Range Rover and youre just Im so f***ing youre not Jim Brown! Hes a f***ing slave! And then, and then, he becomes the hero. But lose that s***! Door swings open, he walks out. Stern was taken off guard, to which he asked if Foxx would ever work with Tarantino again. He responded, A thousand times. Django Unchained wins 2 Oscars Critics and audiences praised Django Unchained for its bold style, violence, and well-written storytelling. This ultimately carried the film into the awards season. The film earned 5 Oscar nominations. It ultimately took home the Oscars for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for Waltz and Best Writing, Original Screenplay. Django Unchained didnt receive a nomination for Foxxs performance. However, it did earn nominations for Best Picture, Best Cinematography, and Best Sound Editing. As a result, Django Unchained goes down as another massive critical success for Tarantino. RELATED: Will Smith Turned Down Quentin Tarantinos Django Unchained Because He Wanted to Change What Kind of Story It Is It took over 20 years from the release of Halo on the Xbox for a live-action adaptation. An attempted movie stalled out, but Halo is coming to Paramount+. Executive producers confirm they hope to do many more seasons of Halo should Paramount+ order more, but one creator is bowing out. L-R: Pablo Schreiber, Kate Kennedy, Bentley Kalu, and Natasha Culzac | Paramount+ Paramount+ presented a Halo panel for the Television Critics Association on Feb. 1. Producers spoke about their future plans and who wasnt returning. Halo premieres March 24 on Paramount+. How many seasons will the Halo TV series be? Executive producer Justin Falvey did not set a number of seasons for the Halo TV Series, but indicated they have many more planned. They are actively hiring a new showrunner, and Dave Weiner is in the running. Our intention is to produce several seasons of the show, Falvey said. Theres a lot of story to tell. We have so many buckets we can dip into with these pre-existing characters and these new characters and these worlds, literally the universe. Talk about a world-appealing show. It speaks on every level to execute that wonderfully with the people that we have in place. So hopefully well be doing this for some time now. Steven Kane will not return to showrun the Halo TV series The Halo TV series was in development for years, too. It began as a Showtime series, and Kyle Killen first developed the show with director/executive producer Rupert Wyatt in 2018. Wyatt left over scheduling conflicts and Killen left in 2021. Steven Kane was on board to help Killen, but hes not staying either. EPs Kiki Wolfhall, Darryl Frank and Falvey will remain. They figured out stuff before I even got there, Kane said. Then Kyle came in there and carved out of this massive canyon some amazing story. So, I came in rather late and I benefited from all the work that came before me. And I never really thought it would be a more than a one season thing, just because of the amount of work it takes. Its a very challenging show to write and produce. And, so, I came in and sort of redeveloped and fleshed out and did my work. Steven Kane cant stay on location The Halo TV series films in Hungary, and Kane points out you cant showrun remotely. So he is returning to his family while a new team picks up the baton on Halo Season 2. I was in Hungary for close to two years out of the three I was working on it, Kane said. As much as I enjoyed every minute of it, its a long time to be away from my family. And my kids were in their final years of high school, so I didnt want to leave again. So, while making Halo will go down for me as a career highlight, I knew I could really only do it for one season. Prepare for mission briefing.#HaloTheSeries stars @schreiber_pablo, @nataschaandsons, Yerin Ha, Bokeem Woodbine, and @charliebmurphy with Executive Producers @k_wolfkill, Steven Kane, Justin Falvey, and Darryl Frank are live at the #TCA22 panel. Follow this thread for updates. pic.twitter.com/C6iOtVRM9h Halo on Paramount+ (@HaloTheSeries) February 1, 2022 Kane may keep a hand in the Halo TV series, but only from a distance. If and when theres a second season, Im going to take a step back and consult and be available for the new people, Kane said. Well have a new team come in with some fresh eyes to pick up where I left off, which I think is kind of great for the show, just to keep bringing in new people. Its such a big world that it takes ten times more work and energy than any normal show. So bringing in fresh eyes to go from there is going to be exciting for the show. And Im excited to see what comes next. RELATED: South Park Movies Could Still Appear on Paramount+ Under Trey Parker and Matt Stones Deal Julia Garner stars in the new true crime series, Inventing Anna, premiering on February 11, 2022, but one intriguing fact is how much Netflix paid Anna Sorokin for the story. Its typically illegal in New York state for criminals to profit from their crimes. However, in Sorokins case, a judge allowed her to take the payment from Netflix for the right to tell her story. Find out how much they paid and why the court allowed it. Inventing Anna: Julia Garner | Nicole Rivelli/Netflix Is Inventing Anna a true story? Yes, Inventing Anna on Netflix is the true story of Anna Sorokin, portrayed by Julia Garner. In 2013, the 22-year-old Russian-born German visited New York City for Fashion Week. However, she loved the city so much that she decided to stay. Between 2013 and 2017, Sorokin pretended to be a wealthy German heiress, Anna Delvey. She used the fake name and her fake foundation to defraud banks, hotels, and the citys high society. In 2019, a grand jury convicted her of multiple counts of grand larceny and theft of services. RELATED: Ozarks Julia Garner Reveals the 1 Clothing Item She Would Borrow From Ruth Langmore How much did Netflix pay Anna Delvey? Netflix paid Anna Sorokin who posed as Anna Delvey $320,000 for the rights to create a TV series about her life story. Insider reported the news on Jan. 29, 2021. In 2019, New York State filed a lawsuit against Netflix to stop the payment to Sorokin. However, Albany County Judge Richard Platkin allowed Sorokin to accept the payment to use the funds to pay her debts. Sorokin used $199,000 of the Netflix payment to pay restitution to her defrauded banks. She paid another $24,000 in state fines and then $75,000 for attorney fees. The remaining payout goes to other attorney fees she accrues. Since Netflix pays millions of dollars to produce original content on its platform, the payout to Sorokin is a minuscule fraction of what it costs to produce Inventing Anna. Where is Anna Sorokin (Delvey) today? According to an ABC News 20/20 report on Oct. 1, Anna Sorokin served four years for her crimes. The court released her from prison in February 2021. In the program, Deborah Roberts interviewed her. She asked Sorokin what it felt like to be out of jail. It felt great, its exciting to be out, and Im really happy, Sorokin responded. In March 2021, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Sorokin into custody for overstaying her visa in the United States. As of the airing of the 20/20 episode, ICE still held her as she awaited a decision about her deportation back to Germany. On Feb. 2, 2022, Insider published an article on behalf of Sorokin. She wrote about what it was like, stuck in prison for a second time, although she had already served her sentence. This time, she is detained by ICE but sitting in a jail cell in Orange County in upstate New York. Inventing Anna drops on Netflix on Feb. 11, 2022. RELATED: Ozarks Julia Garner Reveals the 2 Items She Will Never Take For Granted After the Quarantine Viewers binge-watching the latest true crime series, Inventing Anna, on Netflix might be wondering where Anna Sorokin (Delvey) is today in 2022. The nine-episode dramatization features Ozark star Julia Garner as the 22-year-old Russian-born German woman who defrauded banks, hotels, and the New York City social elites from 2013 to 2017. Below is an update on where Anna Sorokin is at the time of the Netflix and Shondaland Inventing Anna release on Feb. 11, 2022. Inventing Anna: Julia Garner | Nicole Rivelli/Netflix Is Inventing Anna a true story? Yes, Netflixs Inventing Anna tells the true story of Anna Sorokin. She came to the United States in 2013 for Fashion Week, loved New York, and decided to stay. Sorokin created a fictional name Anna Delvey and a new life. She pretended to be a German heiress worth $60 million. The Shonda Rhimes Netflix drama is based on the New York Magazine article by Jessica Pressler, How Anna Delvey Tricked New Yorks Party People. The Inventing Anna trailer shows journalist, Vivian Kent (portrayed by Anna Chlumsky), visiting Anna Sorokin in prison to hear her story. Is Anna Sorokin still in jail? Yes, Anna Sorokin is still in jail in 2022; however, her current incarceration is not part of her grand larceny sentencing. On April 19, 2019, a grand jury found Sorokin guilty of grand larceny in the second degree, attempted grand larceny, and theft of services. At the time, Sorokin had already served two years of her four to 12 year prison sentence for the offenses. The state of New York released Sorokin on good merit from prison on Feb. 11, 2021, after serving nearly four years. She immediately began posting on social media to followers on Twitter and Instagram. Sorokin shared photos of a documentary she began working on about her life. The posts included proof that the paparazzi followed her through New York, taking pictures and asking her plans. Anna Sorokin (also known as Anna Delvey) | Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images However, only six weeks later, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) took Sorokin back into custody for overstaying her visa in the United States. She remained there while awaiting deportation back to Germany. Julia Garner visited Anna Sorokin in prison to prepare herself for Netflixs Inventing Anna role. Was Anna Sorokin deported? No, the United States government did not deport Anna Sorokin yet. She shared an update with her followers on Feb. 2, 2022. As of that date, Insider reports that Sorokin is still in ICE custody. She is currently in Orange Countys jail in upstate New York. According to Sorokin, ICE insisted she is a continuous danger to the community. The fake heiress added that the Department of Homeland Security believed she was getting her hair done instead of looking for a job. In the statement from Sorokin she explained that the visa overstay was unintentional and largely out of my control. She plans to appeal her criminal conviction to clear her name. The 31-year-old added that she paid off her debts (thanks to the payout from the Netflix show) while incarcerated. I did not break a single one of New York states or ICEs parole rules, Sorokin wrote. Despite all that, Ive yet to be given a clear and fair path to compliance. As of the publishing of this article, Anna Sorokin remains in ICE custody in Orange County jail in New York. All nine Inventing Anna episodes are currently available for streaming on Netflix. RELATED: Inventing Anna: Julia Garner Started Feeling Annas Delveys Anxiety While Filming and It Got out of Control A royals main job is to work for the people. They often attend events to support charities and the government of their country. Meghan Markle did these things as well when she was a working royal from 2018 to 2020. However, during one royal event, a body language expert noted that Meghan reportedly gave out signs of not being interested. Meghan Markle | Mark Large Pool/Getty Images Meghan Markle attended many events as a working royal Meghan joined the royal family in May 2018 after marrying Prince Harry. As the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan acted as a patron for many charity organizations, such as those that support womens empowerment, animals, and mental health. For example, she helped publish a charity cookbook with women who were affected by the 2017 Grenfell Tower fire. Meghan also joined the Royal Foundations Heads Together initiative to promote mental health conversations around the United Kingdom. Additionally, Meghan traveled to other countries as a representative of the British royal family. She went to places such as Australia, Morocco, and South Africa, where she met with humanitarians and government leaders. Meghan Markle showed signs of not wanting to be there during an event, according to a body language guru RELATED: Queen Elizabeth Reportedly Had Concerns About Meghan Markles Behavior and Attitude Before the Royal Wedding In October 2019, Meghan and Harry attended the WellChild Awards, which help support children with long-term illnesses. According to body language expert Jesus Enrique Rosas (also known as The Body Language Guy), in a video clip of Meghan talking to the award recipients, she displayed uncomfortable body language. Rosas noted in a YouTube video that, at one point, Meghan showed smiles with wildly different intensities. He commented, Thats a sign that the person is trying to come out as nice and engaging. Sadly, the execution is all over the place and just raises suspicions. In another part of the video, Meghan was in the middle of eye contact with another person when she tried to fix her hair. According to Rosas, Meghan almost blocked her whole face with her hand, which could be a sign that she was not comfortable and wanted to be anywhere else. Finally, another signal Meghan gave out was her long blink. Rosas explained, Long blinks are really easy to spot and they tell you that either youre becoming boring to the person or they are not paying much attention to you or they want to be anywhere else. Prince Harry was more engaged in the conversation During the same conversation that Meghan was reportedly bored with, Rosas noted that Harrys body language showed more engagement. When Meghan tried to signal to him that it was time to leave, according to Rosas, the Duke of Sussex seemed to acknowledge Meghan, but he also displayed signs that he was still interested in talking with the award recipient. Rosas also alleged that this moment showed power asymmetry in their relationship. We have just witnessed that Harry picks up the body language signals of Meghan, but Meghan either doesnt pick up Harrys signals or she just doesnt care about them, Rosas said. RELATED: Prince Harry Reportedly Tried to Distance Himself From Meghan Markle in 1 Video: Painful to Watch, Says Body Language Expert The first round of episodes from Love Is Blind Season 2 dropped Feb. 11 on Netflix. In the first five episodes of season 2, six couples got engaged and were whisked off to Mexico to see how their emotional connection in the pod transferred over to the real world. Love Is Blind Season 2 Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson The first and seemingly most compatible couple of Love Is Blind Season 2 is Danielle and Nick. Both Nick and Danielle quickly became exclusive and spent most of their time in the pods getting to know each other deeply. The two fell for each other quickly in the pods, with a bond that has the potential to last a lifetime. Danielle Ruhl and Nick Thompson on Love Is Blind Season 2 | Netflix They were engaged on episode 1 of Love Is Blind Season 2. Once in Mexico, their emotional connection carried over to the physical. However, things took a turn from the worst when Danielles insecurities regarding trust reared their ugly head. Will Danielle and Nick overcome their trust issues and get back to the communication style they had in the pod? Deepti Vempati and Abhishek Shake Chatterjee In episode 2 of the new season, Abhishek Shake decided to make things official with Deepti in the pods. The pair bonded over their shared Indian background and soon were engaged. However, after their first meeting, their strong emotional connection didnt quite carry over to the physical. While Shake cares about Deepti on an emotional level, he was having hesitations about their physical connection. Abhishek Shake Chatterjee and Deepti Vempati, Love Is Blind Season 2 | Netflix During the week in Mexico, Shake admitted to his other costars that he didnt feel the animalistic type of attraction towards Deepti that he expected. However, as the trip winds down, Shake is beginning to understand that there is more to relationships than sexual attraction. While Shake and Deepti connect on an emotional level, its yet to carry over to the physical. Will the couple overcome their Iyanna McNeely and Jarrette Jones In episode 3, after Jarrette was turned down by his first choice, Mallory, he asked his other pod connection, Iyanna, to be his wife. After some hesitation on Iyannas part about being Jarrettes second choice, she agrees to marry him. Iyanna Mcneely and Jarrette Jones, Love Is Blind Season 2 | Netflix Upon meeting, the couple was immediately attracted to each other, physically. Once in Mexico, Iyanna and Jarrette became closer, but she decided that they will wait until marriage to be intimate. Things get messy when Jarrette sees his first choice, Mallory, with her fiance, Salvador. Will Jarrettes lingering feelings for Mallory ruin his chances at marriage with Iyanna? Shaina Hurley and Kyle Abrams In episode 2 of Love Is Blind, Kyle decides to ask Shaina to be his wife despite their conflicting religious views. Shaina, whose Christian faith is a huge part of her life, wants to find a man who has the same belief system as her. Right before their engagement, Shaina finds out that Kyle is actually an atheist and has no interest in religion. Despite this, he got down on one knee and proposed to Shaina with his mothers engagement ring. Shaina Hurley and Kyle Abrams Love Is Blind Season 2 | Netflix On their first meeting, Shaina and Kyle embrace, but she immediately lets him know her hesitation to get married to someone who isnt part of the same faith. On their first day in Mexico, all seems to be going well until Shaina tells Kyle she wanted to stay the night in separate rooms. To Kyles surprise, he finds out that Shaina had left the retreat in the middle of the night. Despite this, Kyle continues to fight for his love with Shaina. They meet up in the real world, where Shaina admits that she cant be with Kyle because of her love still for her first choice in the pods, Shayne. Natalie Lee and Shayne Jansen Building strong connections with two different women, Shayne accidentally called Natalie by Shainas name. This led to him having to do some serious damage control with Natalie. Despite Shaina professing her feelings for Shayne, he had already decided he would propose to Natalie. In episode 3, Shayne asks Natalie to be his wife. Natalie Lee and Shayne Jansen, Love Is Blind Season 2 | Netflix Once in Mexico, their emotional connection flawlessly carries over to their physical and sexual connection. While they are complete opposites, they seem to bring out the best in each other. Will they be able to take their passion from the pods and Mexico to the real world? Mallory Zapata and Salvador Perez After breaking Jarrettes heart, Mallory chose to marry Salvador Sal instead, as their connection was stronger. Mallory had hesitations about Sals appearance once out of the pods. Things became even more complicated when Mallory met Jarrette for the first time outside of the pods in Mexico. Mallory Zapata and Salvador Perez, Love Is Blind Season 2 | Netflix Sal overheard Mallory and Jarrettes conversation, which made him feel insecure about his relationship with Mallory. Does Mallory still have feelings for Jarrette? Will Mallory and Sal get married? Fans will have to tune into Love Is Blind Season 2 to find out what happens next with the newly engaged couples. The second week of Love Is Blind will include episodes 6 through 9 on Friday, Feb. 18 on Netflix. RELATED: Love Is Blind Season 2: Where To Follow the Cast on Instagram Despite the popularity of Netflixs Singles Inferno, there have been many controversies and issues raised by international viewers. One topic of discussion is the supposed colorism seen on Singles Inferno and its preferred beauty standards. The show was under fire for promoting that pale or white skin was deemed beautiful by some of the main cast. In a video by AsianBoss, South Korean citizens explain the pale skin comments on the show are the norm in the country. Shin Ji-yeon in Singles Inferno Episode 1 | via Netflix Moon Se-hoon remarked that Shin Ji-yeons light skin enamored him on the show. In a voice-over, he said, She seemed so white and pure. Thats my first impression of her. Contestant Choi Si-hun also commented on Ji-yeons complexion and explained he preferred a light skin tone when it comes to women. The comments angered international viewers and felt the show promoted the beauty standard. According to Koreaboo, Vice President Kang Dong-han commented on the allegation by netizens about Singles Inferno colorist remarks. If you think about it, it hasnt been too long since Netflix began streaming worldwide. Something may be okay in South Korea, but not okay in other countries. And of course, there are countless instances where its the opposite as well, said Kang. South Koreas beauty market actively sells sunscreen products and whitening creams to achieve a flawless and light skin tone look. While international fans see light skin comments as an issue, South Koreans say its part of the countrys beauty standards that tie to history. AsianBoss asked citizens what they thought of Singles Inferno RELATED: Singles Inferno: Song Ji-a Issues a Public Apology to Fans for Wearing Fake Chanel and Luxury Brands Youtube channel AsianBoss asked South Korean citizens how they felt about Singles Inferno and if stigmas from the show are a common occurrence. When asked about the light skin comments, the citizens set the record straight. Saying something like that in Korea wouldnt be that controversial. But in multiracial countries, I think complimenting someone based on their skin color definitely could be taken the wrong way, said one female citizen. Another citizen wonders if international audiences saw the comments in relation to white supremacy. She explains the beauty standard of fair skin has nothing to do with it and tied to fashion. A male citizen explains a lighter skin tone is the norm in Korea. One female citizen takes it a step further and explains fair skin is correlates to Korean facial features. In Western culture, I heard having tanned skin is the beauty standard. So I think its just a matter of cultural preference, she said. Having an interest in makeup, she once tried a tan look. She came to a realization, that because Korean peoples facial structure tends to be softer and flatter than the typical Western facial structure, quite a few Koreans cant pull of the tanned look. Pale skin meant wealth and social class Preference Or Colorist? Netflix Korea Addresses Singles Inferno Skin Color Controversyhttps://t.co/AStCHXNRyc Koreaboo (@Koreaboo) January 20, 2022 RELATED: Singles Inferno: Kim Hyeon-joong Is Displeased After Shows Editing Led to Malicious Comments About Him While some citizens equate pale skin as a preferred beauty standard in South Korea based on facial features and fashion, one female citizen explains its historical context. But throughout Korean history, if you have tanned or dark skin, people might perceive you as a manual laborer. Even if you look at the beauty standard during the Joseon Dynasty, they all had lighter skin. Even back then, having lighter skin meant you were from a wealthy family, said the female citizen. Jung Ho-jai, an author and researcher in Comparative Asia Studies at the National University of Singapore, spoke with JoongAng Daily. He explains, But because Korea has had practically only one ethnicity, skin color does not indicate social class besides a slight distinction between white-collar workers and manual laborers. So expressing a preference for light skin is largely not deemed problematic. Experts agree pale or fair skin is common in South Korea but does not gloss over the racial issues that can come from it. The contestants of Singles Inferno were surprised by Oh Jin-taeks tan skin. Some commented he did not look Korean. The contestant was also under scrutiny for using questionable dark-skinned emojis. When the Star Wars prequel trilogy began, Queen Padme Amidala, played by 16-year-old Natalie Portman, shook the world. The trilogys marketing campaign included striking images of the exalted Queen Amidala wearing the royal regalia and a porcelain painted face. To this day, Padme remains a powerful force across the Star Wars universe. But did you know a real-life murdered Mongolian queen inspired Padmes costumes? In Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, Padme addresses the Senate, appealing to them to save her people. Portman wore a thick, red velvet gown with embossed roses and a triple-braided soutache on the dress collars and cuffs. The headdress binds her hair in an aggressive updo with golden hair bands adorned with hair tip ornaments. When Padme stands in front of the Senate, she wears a large black cloak over the red gown. According to Rebels Haven, costume designers wanted her costumes to imply her queen status. The red symbolic dress took time to make and was incredibly expensive with three complex layers. Star Wars costume design team made the underdress from a 70-year-old vintage gold skill target. They also strategically placed the sunray pleats to catch the light anytime Padme moved. Red and green silk velvet with bronze embroidery helped form the middle red velvet robe and outfits visible layer. They also added a unique technique to the helm and yolk panels, adding depth and texture to the overall finish. The team stitched small tubes into a design and injected them to create the padded effect on the robe. The outer layer of the robe was made with faux fur to build the pyramid-shaped padded shoulders lined with red silk. The dress was fictional. But it represented her culture and Naboo tradition. Mongolias Queen Genepil likely served as the inspiration for Padmes costumes A 2009 Star Wars costume exhibition featuring Queen Padme Amidalas looks | Brian Rasic/Getty Images The Phantom Menaces costume department sourced inspiration for Padmes statement outfit from a 20th-century queen named Genepil. She was the last wife of Bogd Khan, the final Mongol Khan. After his first wife died, Bogd was shattered and didnt want another wife, reports Jetset Times. However, his court insisted, citing that the monarchy must be maintained. Guardians of the court went out in search of a befitting wife. They happened upon a 19-year-old Genepil who hailed from a noble family. The young woman was already married. But the guardians of the court captured her and took her to the Khan, disregarding her original marriage. The assumption was that Bogd was already old and almost blind. Presumably, their marriage would be short, and she could return to her family after his death. Genepil struggled with the transition and insisted she return to her parents, which the Khan accepted under Mongolian law. However, the courtiers appealed for Genepil to return to the palace. They said her country needed her, which she hesitantly agreed to. Genepil fulfilled her duty until Bogds death. Queen Genepils brutal and unnecessary murder Genepil, the last queen consort of Mongolia, was executed in 1938. https://t.co/KsheDeXlx5 snopes.com (@snopes) January 25, 2022 Relieved to be done with her duties, Genepil returned home eager to live her life surrounded by her loved ones. Sadly, this would never be, reports the Mongolian Institute. With Bogd dead, the communist instilled an abolition of reminders of the old regime. Genepil was no longer a part of the monarchy. But she remained a symbol of the Mongolian empire, making her a person of interest. In 1937, Genepil was arrested and killed at age 33 alongside her father. While her story is tragic, Genepils legacy lives on through the surprising legacy of the Star Wars franchise. RELATED: Star Wars Star Natalie Portman Explains the Surprising Reason No One Recognizes Her From the Prequel Trilogy Ree Drummond first appeared on The Pioneer Woman in 2011. The Food Network star made a hearty meal for the ranch workers and her family. Heres a look at the first meal Drummond made on her show. Ree Drummonds cowboy breakfast sandwiches The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond | Monica Schipper/Getty Images for The Pioneer Woman Magazine Drummond says nothing does the trick better than these cowboy breakfast sandwiches after a long day of ranch work. She makes her breakfast sandwiches with Texas toast. Drummond cooks the toast in a skillet until its golden brown. I use lots and lots of butter, she says during The Pioneer Woman show. Next, Drummond fries breakfast sausage patties. While the sausage is cooking, she makes scrambled eggs. When the patties are cooked, she places them on top of the toast. Then she places the eggs and cheese on top of the patties. She says her father-in-law taught her how to make these sandwiches. You can find the complete ingredients and directions here. Ree Drummonds chicken fried steak Drummond pairs her chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and gravy. Despite the name, chicken fried steak doesnt contain chicken. Drummond explains what chicken fried steak is. Dont be confusedtheres no chicken in this recipe, writes Drummond on her website. The reason its called chicken fried steak is because it has a breading on it that resembles fried chicken. You can find the full ingredients list and directions here. Ree Drummonds marinated tomato salad Drummond doesnt think chicken fried steak is pretty to look at, so she usually includes sliced tomatoes to add a pop of color to the meal. Drummond makes a marinated tomato salad, which she describes as colorful and gorgeous. The Accidental Country Girl starts by cutting up onions. While she cuts the onions, she explains that her family is a meat and potatoes family. Chicken fried steak is absolutely [Ladds] favorite meal, says Drummond. After cutting the onions, she mixes them with the tomatoes. She says she knows the tomato salad wont be the most popular meal of the night because her family prefers meat. Ladd isnt a fan of vegetables. Next, Drummond makes a vinaigrette. Instead of whisking her vinaigrettes, she places them in mason jars and shakes them. She mixes balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, a pinch of brown sugar, and a dash of salt and pepper. Ree Drummonds family pitched in during the pandemic When the coronavirus pandemic hit, Rees family came to the rescue. She received production help from Paige, Alex, Mauricio (her son-in-law), and Stuart (her nephew). Alex says she was a bit confused when The Pioneer Woman first asked her to help produce the show. My mom texted us and was like, Can you guys help me film the show? says Alex during her #AskAlex Instagram video. And we were like, What do you mean? We were very confused. After Ree explained her production crew wouldnt be able to fly out to Oklahoma because of the pandemic, Alex and the rest of the family was more than happy to help. The Drummond team pitched in by filming episodes on their iPhones. Paige says they thought filming The Pioneer Woman was going to be short-term, but they have filmed more than 50 episodes so far. RELATED: The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond Tried In Vain to Make This Recipe for Years Follow Sheiresa Ngo on Twitter. Woburn, MA (01801) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. High 56F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Occasional rain showers later at night. Low 46F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. People walk at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) by Alessandra Cardone ROME, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Central Piazza della Repubblica on Friday was filled with the usual bustle of people going to work or heading to their own activities. From this key junction located behind the central train station, a network of large streets leads to Rome's historic center and to its complex of historical monuments, ministries, offices and shops. Many passers-by, but not all, were not wearing face masks, as it will be allowed outdoor from now on in Italy, according to recent provisions that eased some anti-COVID restrictions. Key pandemic statistics have been improving across the country, and the new wave of infections brought about by the Omicron virus variant in winter seems to be weakening. Yet, some people would not feel at ease, nor relieved, to walk without face protection. "I am a bit puzzled, to be honest," Antonella Marchina, 52, told Xinhua while wearing a mask. She said that despite the positive signals registered lately, the number of daily infections and fatalities was still high to let people walk and mix without face masks. "Only 45 days ago, between Christmas and New Year Eve, we were registering staggering figures of some 100,000 new cases per day or above... to let people walk without face masks now seems still imprudent to me," she explained. She did not seem to be alone in thinking this way. Many other people on Friday could be seen walking around with either a surgical or an FFP2 mask on, as if this rule had not changed. Introduced with a specific decree signed by Health Minister Roberto Speranza on Feb. 8, the measure would now allow staying outdoor without masks anytime but in case of gatherings. This means people are still required to always bring their masks along with them. And masks remain necessary in any place indoor (in some of them, such as theatres, only FFP2 masks are allowed) up to March 31 at least, according to current rules. As part of a new phase of gradual reopening -- which included reopening discos, dance clubs, and nightclubs from Friday -- lifting the mandatory use of masks outside also held a strong symbolic value, according to health authorities and citizens. "Indeed, it seems to me a signal of hope that things are gradually getting better, after another winter under the pandemic," Gianluca, a 24-year-old student, told Xinhua. The man wore no mask, but kept it at ready in one of his jacket's pockets. "It is always with me... even if I welcome the decision to lift its use outdoor, the pandemic is still ongoing. Sometimes, I even wonder if we will ever feel comfortable to abandon face masks completely, after having used them for so long," he noted. On Friday, Italy's National Health Institute (ISS) unveiled its usual weekly epidemiological report, which confirmed pandemic trends were improving. The 7-day incidence stood at 962 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the week Feb. 4-Feb. 10 against 1,362 cases in the previous week, according to the report. This benchmark has halved in some 21 days, after reaching a new peak of 2,011 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the week ending on Jan. 21. The latest ISS report also showed the country's average reproduction number (RT) between Jan. 19 and Feb. 1 fell to 0.89, which was below the pandemic threshold of 1. It meant a positive person would averagely transmit the virus to less than one other individual, a signal that the spreading of the coronavirus was slowing down. The rate of bed occupancy by COVID-19 patients also dropped to 26.5 percent in ordinary wards on Feb. 10 against 29.5 percent registered on Feb. 3, and that of intensive care units fell to 13.4 percent against 14.8 percent on the same dates. People are seen at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) People are seen at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) People walk on a street in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) People wait in line to enter the Pantheon in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) People enjoy leisure time at Spanish Steps in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) People walk at Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni) Its Valentines Day weekend, and Hallmark Channel has a brand-new rom-com on the schedule that sure to appeal to viewers who love all things love. The Wedding Veil Unveiled is the second film in The Wedding Veil trilogy. It stars Autumn Reeser as a woman who takes a supposedly magical veil with her on a trip to Venice, where she falls for a dashing Italian man named Paolo (Paolo Bernardini). What is The Wedding Veil Unveiled about? RELATED: Kevin McGarry Reveals How His Character in The Wedding Veil Is Different From Nathan on When Calls the Heart The Wedding Veil Unveiled takes place a few months after Averys (Lacey Chabert) wedding at the end of the first Wedding Veil movie. Averys friend Emma (Reeser), a professor who is still processing the end of a long-distance relationship, is traveling to Italy to teach a course on American art. She brings the magical veil with her on her trip, planning to research its origins in her free time. Emmas research leads her to the island town of Burano, which is known for its handcrafted lace. On her way there, she meets Paolo, the grandson of the owner of the older shop on the island. It turns out that the veil has a special connection to his family. Together, she and Paolo work to find out how the veil made its way from Italy to an antique store in San Francisco. As Emma and Paolo spend more time together, she starts to fall for him. Shes not sure shes ready for another long-distance romance, but the veil may have other plans. Autumn Reeser says filming in Venice was magical Autumn Reeser in The Wedding Veil Unveiled | 2022 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy Andrea Pattaro/Vision The Wedding Veil Unveiled was filmed on location in Italy. For Reeser, getting to make a movie in Venice was a one-of-a-kind experience. In Facebook Live chat (via YouTube) with her Wedding Veil Trilogy co-stars Chabert and Allison Sweeney, she recalled her most magical moment while filming. You get these moments so rarely where youre like, Oh my gosh, Im in a movie. I feel all of the magic, she recalled. I was filming in St. Marks Square in Venice I had this beautiful hat on and a dress and theres pigeons flying and it felt like I was a 1940s movie star. It was so exciting to be there and so beautiful, Sweeney echoed. It was really such a joy. Lacey Chabert says audiences will feel like theyre on a journey with Reesers character Autumn Reeser and Paolo Bernardini in The Wedding Veil Unveiled | 2022 Crown Media United States LLC/Photographer: Courtesy Andrea Pattaro/Vision Chabert, who starred in the first movie in The Wedding Veil trilogy, said viewers are in for a treat when they watch The Wedding Veil Unveiled. I think what the audience is going to love is you really feel like youre going on the journey with your character, she said to Reeser. And you really feel like youre taking this trip also. Its so beautiful. For Reeser, making the new Hallmark movie was her first chance to visit Italy. The O.C. alum said she was like many other tourists visiting a foreign country for the first time, and that her mix-ups and mistakes became part of the story. So much of the trip [was] me making a lot of mistakes and not knowing how to pronounce the words. Thats all real, she said. Bernardini, her co-star, tried to give her language lessons, without much success. He loves to correct my Italian, she said. I never did figure out how to pronounce certain words. The Wedding Veil Unveiled airs Saturday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on Hallmark Channel. Check out Showbiz Cheat Sheet on Facebook! RELATED: Betty White Once Starred in a Hallmark TV Movie, and Its Streaming on Hallmark Movies Now ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS Gabriel Gator Guilbeau is not just the chef for the Dutton family on Yellowstone. He actually feeds the entire cast and crew and has worked on some other pretty huge Hollywood projects. Gator admits that he never knows when Taylor Sheridan is going to put him in a scene. Gabriel Gator Guilbeau | Yellowstone Official Instagram Yellowstone has introduced a number of memorable characters during its first four seasons. Even the ones who dont get a ton of screen time have become fan favorites. Case in point, the man who feeds the Dutton family chef Gator. But as it turns out, Gator has a much bigger job on the ranch than viewers know. Gabriel Gator Guilbeau is the Yellowstone full-time chef The man who Yellowstone fans know as Gator is a real-life chef named Gabriel Guilbeau. The Louisiana native goes by Gator in real life. And during his career, hes worked on 39 Hollywood projects. Including The Maze Runner, Jurassic World, Terminator Genisys, and Bad Moms. In the first four seasons of Yellowstone, Guilbeau has made several special appearances. One of the most memorable being his first, when he served up a plate of grilled octopus to Kevin Costners John Dutton. Hes not just the chef for the Duttons Guilbeaus IMDB resume is lengthy, but hes not credited as an actor. Instead, hes listed as part of the additional crew because Guilbeau works in craft services. In fact, in addition to being an actor on Yellowstone, hes also the head of the shows craft services department. Every day, Guilbeau cooks hundreds of pounds of food for the cast and crew. Which has made him one of the most popular people on the set. He describes his job as being in charge of craft services, moral support, shoulders to cry on, and snackies. Anybody on the crew, anybody in the cast, cant talk about this show for five minutes without mentioning Gator, Jefferson White (Jimmy Hurdstrom) said in a November 2020 bonus clip of Stories From the Bunkhouse. Theres nothing the Yellowstone chef cant do As Ian Bohen (Ryan) explained in the clip, Gator is a California boy by way of Louisiana, Baton Rouge who learned to cook. Now, he essentially is a restaurant open from crew call to wrap. According to White, Gator can do it all. No matter where we are, well be in the middle of nowhere, no cell service, freezing cold and Gator will pull up with a big tub of gumbo and etouffeeIt gets us through those really long nights, White added. What is Gator-ing? Yellowstone gave fans an inside look into Gators job on the set during season 4 with a special video titled Gator-ing. Thats the name the Yellowstone cast and crew uses to describe what Gator does hes Gator-ing not catering. In the five-minute clip, Gator explains that his main job is to feed cowboys both on and off camera. Its a big job with a ton of work. And the cast says hes really, really good at what he does. Gator is like a culinary Picasso, star Jen Landon (Teeter) explains. Nobody cooks like Gator. Gator never knows when Taylor Sheridan will put him in front of Yellowstone cameras Guilbeau says that the very first time he was on camera ever was in the famous grilled octopus scene. He described the experience as baptism by fire because they just threw him into it. Of course, my first scene ever was serving Kevin Costner something he doesnt wanna eat. I usually dont get a lot of notice. Taylor [Sheridan] usually just makes it up. I think he thinks its funny. Which it is, Guilbeau said. Hell come up with the idea, and then theyll ask me what sorts of foods I would have. Or what my reaction would be to that. And, of course, the running joke is I make all this awesome food and I work super hard to do it. Then, they want to eat freakin cereal for breakfast. Seasons 1 through 3 of Yellowstone are now playing on Peacock. Season 4 is expected to hit the streamer this spring. RELATED: Yellowstone Fans Know Exactly Which Character They Do Not Want to Return for Season 5 Back in April, when armed men began attacking his village in the middle of the night, a pastor of a local church in northern Mozambique woke his family to flee. He took his two older sons and his wife took their two younger sons. In the midst of chaos and confusion, shouting and shooting, they escaped in two different directions. The pastor and his sons hid in the surrounding bush all night before returning to the village, near the town of Palma, to look for the rest of their family. The next morning, he found their hut caved in and the remains of his four-year-old son, who had been beheaded by the attackers. All he and his sons could do was dig a hole in the ground to bury the young boys body and weep together. To this day, his wife and second-youngest son are still missing. This pastor shared his story with CT through English-speaking ministry partners in Mozambique. He asked that he and his village remain unnamed for security reasons, but his story is not unique as conflict escalates in the northern province of Cabo Delgado. Countless innocent civilians are fleeing the area where insurgents have been burning entire villages to the ground and brutalizing their inhabitantsincluding beheading, recruiting, capturing, enslaving, and committing sexual crimes against them. The violence has killed thousands of people and displaced upward of 800,000, a number that is growing rapidly and may soon reach one million, United Nations officials warn. The north of Mozambique, especially Cabo Delgado province is being affected by Islamic insurgents, who at some stage claim to be linked with Islamic State, said Mauricio Magunhe, faith and development coordinator for World Vision Mozambique. For the Christians living in that area, its very important to have the word of God so that it can renew their faith and hope in such a time of turbulence. The word of God can be used in efforts for peacebuilding in that area, as well as in the country as a whole, he said. If we work together as Mozambican citizens and as leaders from different religions, it is possible to educate our people not to adapt that kind of situations that bring a lot of destruction and pain for our people. The atrocities of the past four years hearken to the 80s and 90s, a tumultuous period in which a series of sociopolitical conflicts shook the African continent, including the Rwandan genocide and Mozambiques own 16-year civil war from 1977 to 1992. Over the last two and a half decades, however, Mozambique enjoyed relative peace and stability apart from suffering natural disasters in recent years, such as Cyclone Idai in 2019. Christians make up more than half the population in the country as a whole but are less prevalent in the northern provinces where the insurgency has gained a foothold. Instead of leaving the area and prioritizing their own safety, many local pastors and national believers are staying in the province to serve among their fellow survivors. In nearby villages and makeshift camps set up throughout the region, these faith leaders are partnering with a handful of ministries, missionaries, and Christian humanitarian organizations to distribute food, supplies, and farming kits, as well as pray with people, preach the gospel, and hand out thousands of solar-powered audio Bibles to all who ask. And in the midst of an unthinkable crisis, they report that thousands are coming to faith in Christ. When we first arrived, our arms were crossedwe were sad and angry, said another pastor whose family is still missing. He also asked that CT not print his name out of fear of further attacks. But because we serve, were strong. Because we serve, were happy. In a time of difficulty or in a time of ease, we will serve the Lord. Image: Courtesy photo From within these camps and villages, pastor after pastor shared their testimonies. One quoted Psalm 23, saying as he and his family walked past dead bodies on either side of them, they found comfort in the line, Even though I walked through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil (ESV). Yet another pastor, who has lost everything, said, They can burn our houses, they can burn our foodbut they cannot burn Jesus out of me. Antonio Matimbe, a native of the country who has worked for World Vision Mozambique for over ten years, recently visited a camp for people displaced by the violence. He said that at first he thought everyone seemed to be doing fine. But when I started to hear the stories, thats when I had a real sense of the dimension of the disaster and the situation that people have been through in Cabo Delgado, he told CT. It was kind of eye-opening to the real things they have been through, especially when we talk about the childrenthey have witnessed things that they should not witness as children. Matimbe, who manages communications at World Vision Mozambiques national office, still has vivid memories from the civil war when he lived in a rural village with his grandmother. As a child, he was awakened in the middle of the night, alerted to the approach of military men nearbyand recalls running in the dark to hide and sleep in the bush until morning. But all of this is nothing, he says, to what the children in Cabo Delgado are facing. Kids as young as four will forever carry the memories of family members, neighbors, and friends killed in front of them, or of the physical or sexual violence they have experienced. A particular emphasis in World Visions effort is to provide counseling in the camps, since the majority of survivors have endured unimaginable trauma. The organization is partnering with the religious council of Mozambique and working with local officials to train and equip camp workers to recognize and respond to trauma-related symptoms. In these cases, Matimbe says, Psychological support is as important as providing them with food and water, because these traumasif they are not well managed, if the children cannot recover from thatwe dont know what kind of adults you can expect. Mozambique recently jumped to 45 on the World Watch List of nations with persecuted Christiansafter at least 300 believers have been killed for their faith and 100 attacks on local churches, ministry bases and other Christian establishments such as medical missions clinics. These statistics were validated in the latest reporting period and gathered directly by survey teams from multiple sources on the ground. This isnt one or two different attacksthis is a series of attacks, and its all around. ISIS is trying to get a foothold in this northern region of Mozambique, says David Curry of Open Doors USA. Its complicated, of course, by all of the different political stuff but the gist of it is that Christians are really in the danger zone because the Islamic State group there has an ideology which justifies these attacks. The insurgency in Mozambique is targeting not only believers but countless innocent civilians of all ages and religions. Despite the population being divided between Muslims and Christians, the country has enjoyed a long history of religious harmony due to the uniquely influential role of its faith leaders in society. World Vision, an evangelical humanitarian organization that has established a strong presence in Mozambique since 1983, began facilitating interfaith gatherings a year ago to pray for peace and political stability. The latest event was held in person last month at Peace Square in the capital city of Maputoa couple miles away from World Visions national headquartersand was recorded live and broadcast online. Among the high-profile figures in attendance at the event were the former president of Mozambique, Joaquim Alberto Chissano, and retired Anglican bishop Dinis Sengulane. The latter is a well-known national faith figure who made first contact with the Renamo rebel group back in 1989an act that began peace negotiations and eventually led to the official treaty signed by both parties in 1992, thus ending communism, declaring religious freedom for all, and initiating twenty-some years of peace in the nation. These same leaders also played a role in stemming the return of targeted armed conflict in 2013 by the opposition party, Renamo toward the current party, Frelimo. Today, the Christian Council of Mozambiquewhich includes Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant leadersare once again banding together on a national level to lead the country in a renewed fight for peace and political stability. Beyond holding prayer events throughout the region, many are also serving on the front lines of the conflict to minister among those fleeing and forcibly displaced. These Christian leaders are partnering with other religious and government officials to set up peace clubs in the northern regions to counter potential radicalisation of youth and promote dialogue and alternative pathways to protest, according to Alex Vines, who heads up the Africa program at the London-based think tank Chatham House. What is unique about the interfaith relationships in Mozambique is we understand that in order for us together to grow as a nation, we need to collaborate with one another, said World Reliefs Magunhe, who is also an ordained member of the Anglican clergy and the key facilitator behind these national prayer meetings. In some regions, like in the north, half of the population are Muslims. If that conflict grows, then that will become a very serious issue for our people So I believe church leaders have an important role to play in the current situation. Image: Courtesy photo However, experts warn that such efforts may be putting these religious leaders and faith groups in danger. Recent intelligence reports point to a growing security threat for high-profile figures engaged in faith-based ministries and nonprofits as well as foreigners and expats. And there are fears of a rising threat for hostage and ransom situations. Last September, when two nuns were captured by the extremists, Catholic bishop Luis Fernando Lisboa of the diocese in Pemba, the city center nearest to the conflict, successfully negotiated their release. After Bishop Lisboa became more outspoken about the conflict in the following months, he was suddenly reassigned to Brazil in Februarylikely for security reasonsafter serving in the Pemba region for almost 20 years. The risk is escalating. Its not getting better for NGOsand the insurgents know it, said Jasmine Opperman, a private risk analyst who is based in neighboring South Africa and specializes in terrorism in the continent. The fledgling insurgency launched its first attack on three police stations back in October 2017, and in the first year, it looked like something small that could be crushed by the government, said Angelo Pontes, a veteran leader in disaster response for World Vision Mozambique, as well as a native Mozambican. But that wasnt the casebecause three years on, things have escalated and are probably very far from ending. The group appears to be well-funded, with more advanced training and weaponry, and its attack tactics seem to be increasing in both their strategy and sophistication. Their method of killing is primarily by beheading, and there are rumors of far worse forms of mutilation being used. The groups often announce their presence by calling out the battle cry of Islamic extremism, Allahu Akbar, and there are reports of Muslims killed because they could not recite the Quran in Arabic. Starting in 2019, the global Islamic State announced its involvement in the insurrection in their propaganda, explicitly claiming credit for the attack in Palma, which attracted worldwide notice. According to Vines, however, it is a misconception to say a firm connection exists between the two. In fact, he says it was a surprise to many international observers, especially those in the diplomatic community, when the US State Department designated ISIS-Mozambique a Foreign Terrorist Organization back in March. Because while there is indeed a small hard core of radicalized individuals, some of them foreign fighters (mostly from Tanzania) leading the charge, Vines says most regional experts and analysts would agree that the conflict in Cabo Delgado remains more a rejection of mainstream elite politics than a deeply radicalized religious one. Though a number of churches and missions have also been targeted, Vines says, the insurgencys primary focus is on attacking organs and facilities of the state, since their chief grievances lie with Frelimo, the political party of the incumbent government. He says that a core driver was a purist Muslim cult that regarded mainstream Islam as compromised due to its connections with the government and its affiliation with outsiders and interreligious relationshipsespecially with Christians, who they call Crusaders. The anti-government sentiment is linked to religious extremism in Cabo Delgadothey do cross to a certain extent, says Opperman. But as to the insurgencys ultimate goal or plans, there is much speculation and very little that is known for certain. Mozambique, which lies on the southeastern coast of Africa, between Tanzania and South Africa, is currently the eighth poorest country in the continent. The nations highest poverty rates are in the rural northern provinceswhere the population has yet to reap any economic benefit from the natural resources being mined in their region, which are funnelling instead towards a wealthy elite in government and corporations. Thus, apart from deploying targeted military strategy to weaken the insurgencys core, Vines maintains that the violence can be curbed in other ways. He believes that the majority of the uprisings local supporters, some of whom have been offered a daily sum to join the insurgency and their campaigns, would peel away if there were alternatives offeredwhich, in the long run, would include sustainable solutions for economic development to improve the overall livelihood of the regions population. The official name of Mozambiques insurgency is Ansar al-Sunna, but its known locally as al-Shabab, meaning the youth, which is their most targeted demographic. In many villages, boys as young as 10 are made to enlist as child soldiers and girls as young as 12 are forced into marriage as child bridesand anyone who does not comply is killed. There are also reports of sexual assault incidents involving women as old as 60. These bands of militants often arrive in the middle of the night, causing heightened panic in the darkness, and then issue a warning to those they spare that they will come back and kill anyone who tries to return to the village. Those who manage to escape will hide in the outlying bush until daylight, with only the clothes on their backs, until they begin their perilous journey. Often walking for days with no food or water, survivors will first make their way to the homes of their extended families who live in Pemba and nearby villages. From there, a number of them will make their way to makeshift camps that have been set up throughout the province. Only then do some of them make it to camps for internally displaced people (IDP), which are officially run by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Unlike its contemporary equivalents in other parts of Africasuch as al-Shabaab in Somalia, Boko Haram in Nigeria, or the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congothe Ansar al-Sunna insurgency in Mozambique has garnered little media attention since it began. Not many people out there know whats happening in Mozambique, says Pontes, who has worked in crisis response for years. On a daily basis, we see the news about issues in some corners of the world, and from time to time I keep asking, Why arent they also bringing stories about Mozambique? The issue in Cabo Delgado is a serious onewhy arent they doing something? Many Mozambicans do not have access to reliable reporting, and often the news outlets outside the country include more accurate information and updates than those within. Internally, the pro-government news outlets do not actually share much about what's happening in Cabo Delgado, Pontes says. Most of us actually end up learning a lot about whats happening there through other news media groups, as well as through social media posts and updates from analysts and regional experts. After more than 15 years of field work, Pontes leads the Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs team at World Vision, which is partnering with UNICEF and a handful of other Christian humanitarian organizations to implement basic necessities in local villages and IDP campssuch as clean water, waste management, and safe sanitation. As new families are being resettled by the thousands every day, the number of public-health concerns are further compounded by COVID-19, which continues to ravage the country. Pontes was on site back in November 2020 when one of the first official camps opened in the neighboring Nampula province. As of May, the Corrane camp has become home to nearly 65,000 peoplearound 85 percent of whom are women and children, according to World Vision. And although the needs of survivors seeking refuge in the camps have increased exponentially, donor support for World Vision and other nonprofit organizations has steadily decreased. Since 2020, its been challenging, Pontes says. But we keep trying and knocking on the doors. Their current goal is to raise $5 million to meet the rising demands. Pontes lived in the city as a child, but he can still remember praying for God to protect his parents when they left home to work in the rural provinces for days at a time. Now 46 and with two young children of his own, Pontes wishes they wouldnt have to go through the same experience. Its terrible that kids today need to hear about this. And sometimes its something so bad happening that everyone is talking about itand even if you want to protect them, they end up hearing about these things, he says. But my kids are small, Pontes said, and I just hope and pray that this will end one day, and they wont have to hear about itor they will end up hearing something written in books or the sort, not in news that they have to deal with on a day-to-day basis. Another major Christian NGO in northern Mozambique, whose name is withheld for security reasons, has been working closest to the conflict. They are caring for and ministering to the hundreds of thousands of men, women, and children who have yet to reach the safety of camps. Most of them are lodging in Pemba and surrounding villages, often with extended family and friends and many are hosted in homes of believers. This organization is facilitating widespread, prayer-led trauma counselinga ministry conducted by national believers who are fluent in four of the regions primary dialects. And in the past few months, the organization reports that thousands of people are not only coming to faith in Christ but also receiving deep spiritual and emotional healing. It is a tremendous privilege to be partnering in Mozambique for such a time as this, said one of the organizations founders, whose name is also withheld. The body of Christ in northern Mozambique is not discouraged. No matter how dark things get, were called to shine in the midst of it. Love wins, and it always triumphs over hate, the leader said. And everybodyabsolutely everybodyis saying yes to Jesus. Eritrean Orthodox patriarch dies after 15 years under house arrest Abune Antonios, the former head of Eritreas Orthodox church, has died at the age of 94 after spending 15 years in detention as a prisoner of conscience for resisting the Eritrean governments interference in church affairs. Patriarch Antonios, who was removed from administrative control of the Patriarchate in 2005 and put under house arrest in 2007, died Wednesday morning, the U.K.-based Christian Solidarity Worldwide reported. The patriarchs body was taken to the Abune Andreas monastery, to which he belonged, for the burial on Thursday morning, the group said, adding that a large crowd gathered at his burial site, many of whom had traveled long distances on foot. Antonios was removed for reasons including refusing to expel 3,000 members of the Orthodox renewal movement, Medhane Alem, for speaking out against the detention of three priests from the movement, and for objecting to the imposition of Yoftahe Demitros, a pro-government lay person, as its general secretary, CSW said. He was deposed in January 2006 following secret meetings of the Holy Synod that were convened in contravention of the church canon. Antonios was first put under de facto arrest in his official residence until May 7, 2007, when his personal pontifical insignia and clothing were seized, and he was officially placed under house arrest in an undisclosed location in the Eritrean capital, Asmara. A few months later, he was illegally replaced by Bishop Dioscoros, a clergyman approved of by the Eritrean government, but who remained unrecognized by the Orthodox papacy in Egypt until his death in 2015. Since 2017, the patriarch was only seen in smuggled videos in which he continued to fearlessly criticize the conditions and grounds of his detention. In 2019, five pro-government bishops signed a statement accusing the patriarch of having committed heresy, stripping him of all official authority and effectively excommunicating him. Abune Antonios was a deeply principled man who prioritized his calling over the politicization of the Church by a regime deemed to have committed crimes against humanity since 1991, CSWs founder and President Mervyn Thomas said. Despite 16 years of unremitting pressure, mistreatment and defamation, the patriarch never compromised, even when it could have led to his reinstatement. He chose instead to protect the integrity and doctrine of the Church with which he had been entrusted, at the cost of freedom and comfort in his twilight years, Thomas added. Eritreas President Isaias Afewerki is a member of the Eritrean Orthodox Church in Asmara belonging to the largest among the only three Christian denominations allowed to function in the country: the Eritrean Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Lutheran churches. Afewerki, 75, whos the leader of the ruling Peoples Front for Democracy and Justice Party, also has a reputation of being an alcoholic and a ruthless autocrat. Afewerkis policy of restrictions is more about his fear that religion will mobilize people as a political force than religion itself. When arrested, Eritreas persecuted Christians often disappear without a trace, leaving their loved ones with no information on their whereabouts or safety. Prison conditions are some of the harshest in the world, with inmates kept in shipping containers and believers often tortured in an attempt to get them to renounce their faith. Taliban detaining Westerners in Afghanistan, including 1 American: reports The Taliban controlled-government of Afghanistan is holding at least nine foreign nationals in custody, including one United States citizen, according to various reports released Friday. United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees took to Twitter on Friday to announce that two reporters working with their organization were being detained in that nation's capital. Two journalists on assignment with UNHCR and Afghan nationals working with them have been detained in Kabul. We are doing our utmost to resolve the situation, in coordination with others. We will make no further comment given the nature of the situation, the UNHCR tweeted. Steven Butler, Asia program coordinator for the Committee to Protect Journalists, said in a statement that he considered the detaining of the journalists a sad reflection of the overall decline of press freedom and increasing attacks on journalists under Taliban rule. Andrew North and the other, unidentified journalist should be freed immediately and allowed to continue their work, and the Taliban must halt its repeated attacks on and harassment of journalists, Butler said. The Wall Street Journal reported that around nine people were being detained, which included the UNHCR workers, as well as seven westerners who had been in Afghanistan since last December. The Wall Street Journal reported that around nine people were being detained, including the UNHCR workers and seven westerners who had been in Afghanistan since last December. Most of them had worked in the security sector, according to people with knowledge of their activities in Afghanistan, the Journal reported on Friday. Before their arrests, most were working openly in Afghanistan, with frequent official contact with the Taliban leadership, these people said. Some were helping facilitate the evacuation of at-risk Afghans from the country. The Washington Post cited a member of a Taliban intelligence unit in Kabul who said that several foreign nationals had been arrested on charges of working for Western intelligence agencies. The person familiar with the arrest said the two journalists and the Afghan nationals were detained earlier this week and days of negotiations have failed to secure their release, The Washington Post reported. Over the past several years, the United States has gradually lowered its troop numbers in Afghanistan after removing the Taliban regime in 2001 after the 9/11 terror attacks. In February 2020, then-President Donald Trump announced that he had made a deal with Taliban insurgents to end the war and withdraw the remaining U.S. troops in the Central Asian nation. Last year, President Joe Biden withdrew the remaining troops without first evacuating military equipment and U.S. civilians who were in the country. In August, the Taliban retook most of the country with unexpected speed, prompting a major evacuation crisis. Several Americans reported being attacked and beaten by the Taliban as they attempted to reach Kabul airport. In response to the crisis, the Biden administration sent approximately 6,000 troops to help evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghans. However, many Americans and Afghan allies were not evacuated and left behind. Earlier this month, U.S. Senate Republicans released a report that said the Biden administration left hundreds or possibly thousands of Americans behind in Afghanistan, in contrast to the official statistics compiled by the U.S. State Department. The failure of senior Biden Administration leadership to plan for this fateful day resulted in a rushed evacuation of hundreds of thousands of Americans, third-country nationals, and Afghans, the report said. It left behind hundreds, possibly thousands, of American citizens, tens of thousands of Afghan partners, and a legacy of betrayal of American allies. After the evacuation, Biden said the U.S. would "ensure that we will maintain the capability and the vigilance to address future terrorist threats from Afghanistan." "America went to Afghanistan 20 years ago to defeat the forces that attacked this country on September 11th. That mission resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden over a decade ago and the degradation of al Qaeda," said Biden in an Aug. 14 statement. "I was the fourth President to preside over an American troop presence in Afghanistan two Republicans, two Democrats. I would not, and will not, pass this war onto a fifth." Pope Benedict XVI requests forgiveness after release of clergy sexual abuse report Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has issued a heartfelt request for forgiveness to survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic priests in response to a recent report chronicling hundreds of victims of abuse in the archdiocese he used to lead. In a statement released on Sunday, the former pontiff responded to a recently released report exhaustively detailing the abuse of nearly 500 victims by church figures in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, which Benedict XVI briefly oversaw from 1977 to 1982. In all my meetings, especially during my many Apostolic Journeys, with victims of sexual abuse by priests, I have seen at first hand the effects of a most grievous fault, stated Benedict XVI, as rendered by an official English translation. I have come to understand that we ourselves are drawn into this grievous fault whenever we neglect it or fail to confront it with the necessary decisiveness and responsibility, as too often happened and continues to happen. Benedict XVI went on to state that, as with those past meetings, I can only express to all the victims of sexual abuse my profound shame, my deep sorrow and my heartfelt request for forgiveness. I have had great responsibilities in the Catholic Church. All the greater is my pain for the abuses and the errors that occurred in those different places during the time of my mandate, he continued. Each individual case of sexual abuse is appalling and irreparable. The victims of sexual abuse have my deepest sympathy and I feel great sorrow for each individual case. The retired pope, who was in office from 2005 to 2013, spoke about his involvement in the report. He provided an 82-page testimony to the investigators. At one point, he claimed to have not been present for a meeting about a priest with credible allegations of abuse, only to correct himself later. Quite soon, I shall find myself before the final judge of my life, the 94-year-old pontiff emeritus added. In light of the hour of judgement, the grace of being a Christian becomes all the more clear to me. It grants me knowledge, and indeed friendship, with the judge of my life, and thus allows me to pass confidently through the dark door of death. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests was critical of the papal statement, saying that the retired pontiffs apology was faint and repeating words of apology that have fallen on deaf ears for decades. The group claims Benedict admitted to one thing to cover up a thousand. In a statement Tuesday, SNAP claimed that [i]t is the same pattern of abuse, institutional knowledge, and concealment." To no surprise, Benedict and his advisors wish to recreate a narrative in their favor. True apologies are followed by true amends, a concept the church does not seem to be able to grasp, the statement argued. Despite evidence from secular authorities that Pope Benedict shuffled pedophiles, the former pope cannot do the simple thing and offer full accounting and apology. The opportunity for cleansing the report out of Munich offered has been squandered. SNAP said that the group seeks to honor the abuse survivors in Germany and everywhere for continuing to speak truth to power against such great odds and in the face of such powerful denial. Despite Pope Emeritus lack of candor, our truths cannot be denied, the group concluded. Last month, the Munich law firm Westpfahl Spilker Wastl released a 1,000-page report finding almost 500 people were abused by church figures in the Munich archdiocese from 1945 to 2019. Benedict XVI, then known as Joseph Ratzinger, was present for a meeting focused on transferring a priest with several abuse allegations to his diocese. German Bishop Stefan Oster defended Ratzinger, saying the meeting involved referring the priest to the diocese for mental treatment and that Ratzinger had entrusted himself to collaborators who committed a capital error on a decisive point. We were and are all too much a part of a system and so was Archbishop Ratzinger at the time, explained Oster, as quoted by the Catholic News Agency earlier this month. And in this system, for too long, there was indeed almost no interest in the concrete fate of people affected by abuse and hardly any knowledge of their stories. 'I have set your Jesus ablaze': 2 pastors beaten by radical Hindus who set fire to Bible in attack A dozen Hindu nationalists harassed and beat up two pastors and set fire to a Bible one was carrying after accusing them of converting people to Christianity by offering money, according to a report. The pastors, identified as Sanjay Kumar and Inderjit, were in the northern Indian state of Haryana returning home after visiting a Christian family for prayers on the roof of their home in the Anand Nagar area of Ambala Cantonment when the mob, which included women, attacked them, Morning Star News reported about the Jan. 28 attack. The pastors were accused of receiving foreign funds and offering money to people in an attempt to get them to convert. Visibly hostile, some people in the mob filmed the pastors while questioning them in coarse language without letting them answer, Pastor Kumar was quoted as saying. Sanjay Rana, a neighbor and member of the Hindu extremist Bajrang Dal, was leading the mob, he said. Rana seized Pastor Inderjits drivers license and Pastor Kumars ID card, and then the mob began punching and slapping them. They also snatched the Bible from Kumars hand. Their beating did not pain me as much as the snatching of my Bible did, Pastor Kumar said. I began to weep. I said, This is my Bible ... this is my Jesus. Please give my Bible back to me. A woman and a man from the crowd using a matchbox burned my Bible, and she sarcastically exclaimed, See, I have set your Jesus ablaze. The mob then tried to force the pastors to recite a devotional hymn in praise of the Hindu god Hanuman and attempted to abduct the pastors and take them to a Hindu temple to force them to bow before idols, Pastor Kumar said. They began to force us to enter their car. When we resisted firmly, they said, Lets call the police. Pastor Inderjit said he was glad at the possibility of police arriving and ending the 90 minutes of physical and mental abuse. As Pastor Kumar was dizzy due to the beating, one of the assailants said they should let them go, and the two pastors fled. Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in 2014, attacks on Christians have increased and intensified. While Christians make up only 2.3% of Indias population and Hindus comprise about 80%, there has been an uptick in radical Hindu nationalist attacks on religious minorities. With 486 incidents of violence against the Christian community in India, 2021 was the most violent year for Christians in the countrys history, according to the United Christian Front. In its report, the United Christian Front noted that in nearly all cases reported nationwide, vigilante mobs composed of religious extremists have been seen to either barge into a prayer gathering or round up individuals that they believe are involved in forcible religious conversions. The watchdog group Open Doors USA, which monitors persecution in over 60 countries, reports that Hindu radicals often attack Christians with little to no consequences. Hindu extremists believe that all Indians should be Hindus and that the country should be rid of Christianity and Islam, an Open Doors fact sheet on India explains. They use extensive violence to achieve this goal, particularly targeting Christians from a Hindu background. Christians are accused of following a foreign faith and blamed for bad luck in their communities. A staff member works on the production line of COVID-19 vaccine at VACSERA factory in Giza, Egypt, Feb. 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) by Mahmoud Fouly CAIRO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The fully-automated vaccine cold storage facility provided by China's biopharmaceutical company Sinovac will be "a qualitative leap" in Egypt's vaccine preservation technique, said chief of an Egyptian vaccine producer in a recent interview with Xinhua. In an agreement signed in January, Sinovac will establish and equip a cooling facility at a new factory complex of Egypt's Holding Company for Biological Products and Vaccines (VACSERA) in 6th of October city of Giza province near Egypt's capital Cairo. "The advantages of the new refrigeration facility is that it is fully-automated and run by high-tech electronic control systems without human intervention," VACSERA's Chairperson Heba Wali told Xinhua. "The facility is also equipped with automatic loading and unloading docks, so the stored products are automatically loaded and unloaded without any human intervention, which will be a qualitative leap in our cooling systems for vaccine preservation," she pointed out. Wali noted that the facility will be built on an area of 3,200 square meters, with a storage capacity of 150 million doses of the final product, adding that it is planned to be completed and ready for operation by June 2022. Sinovac will be responsible for the interior finishing and equipment of the new cold storage facility while the the Egyptian side will be responsible for providing the land, the concrete structure of the building and the necessary licenses, according to the chairperson. The agreement to establish the cold storage facility came within the framework signed between Sinovac and VACSERA in April 2021. In the framework, the two sides will jointly produce Sinovac COVID-19 vaccines at VACSERA's factory in Agouza, Giza, with a final product carrying the names of both companies. The two sides celebrated in August last year the production of the first one million doses of Sinovac-VACSERA vaccines. Wali said VACSERA is about to conclude an agreement with Sinovac regarding full transfer of vaccine manufacturing technology. "Our production capacity is 320,000 doses per day, and since August 2021 we have produced 30 million doses, most of which have been used in the country's COVID-19 vaccination program," Wali pointed out. "We currently have raw material to manufacture 15 million doses and their production is planned to be completed in March," she added. VACSERA currently preserves its vaccines in a cooling facility at its company in Agouza, which is adequate but manually run with 100-percent human intervention. With its full automation and large capacity, the new cold storage facility to be provided by Sinovac will serve VACSERA's future plans to become a regional center for vaccine production, storage and export in Africa. She referred to an initiative by Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that targets to locally produce 60 percent of the continent's needs of vaccines by 2040. Established over 100 years ago, state-owned VACSERA is one of the oldest manufacturers of vaccines and sera in Africa and the Middle East. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Egypt and China have been cooperating closely in fighting the pandemic through exchanging medical aid and expertise as well as jointly producing its vaccines. Wali hailed cooperation with the Chinese side as "very positive." "We started discussions with Sinovac in June 2020 and we found great cooperation from the Chinese side in transferring manufacturing technology to us," VACSERA chief told Xinhua. VACSERA's Chairperson Heba Wali reacts in an interview with Xinhua about the COVID-19 vaccine cooperation between Egypt and China in Giza, Egypt, Feb. 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) A staff member shows packed COVID-19 vaccines at VACSERA factory in Giza, Egypt, Feb. 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) A staff member shows a vial of COVID-19 vaccine at VACSERA factory in Giza, Egypt, Feb. 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Photo shows vials of COVID-19 vaccine at VACSERA factory in Giza, Egypt, Feb. 3, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) School district apologizes for assignment asking students to list preferred sexual activities The leadership of a Connecticut school district has issued an apology after parents expressed outrage over an assignment that asked students about their likes and dislikes when it comes to sexual activity. Christopher Drezek, the superintendent of Enfield Public Schools in Enfield, Connecticut, apologized to parents at a school board meeting Tuesday night after eighth-grade students were asked to complete an activity called Pizza & Consent. The first page of the assignment, obtained by the advocacy group Parents Defending Education, explains the concept of consent, noting that We can use pizza as a metaphor for sex! According to the document, When you order pizza with your friends, everyone checks in about each others preferences, right? Some people might be vegan, some might be gluten-free. Others might love pineapple, while others prefer pepperoni. Some might not like pizza at all. If youre a vegetarian, but your friend is a meat-lover, sharing a pizza is going to bring up a lot of issues. You dont know who you can share a pizza with unless you ask! The same goes with sex! the worksheet adds. You have to check in with your partner(s) and ask for their preferences. Your partner(s) might be comfortable with one sexual activity, but not another. Maybe your partner(s) only want to be touched a certain way, or maybe your partner(s) prefer to use certain language. Or maybe they dont like or want sex at all. Youll never know if your wants, desires, and boundaries are compatible with theirs unless you ask. The first page of the worksheet concludes by calling on students to start a conversation, contending that Its the only way sex (and pizza) can be comfortable and enjoyable for everyone. The second page of the worksheet caused particular concern for instructing students to explore their sexual preferences. Draw and color your favorite type of pizza. Whats your favorite style of pizza? Your favorite toppings? What are your pizza no-nos? Now mirror these preferences in relation to sex! In an example provided, a preference for cheese was used as a metaphor for kissing, while a dislike of olives was used as a metaphor for an aversion to oral sex. The worksheet included a blank circle where students were asked to color a pizza based on their favorite types of pizza and their preferred sexual activities. Twenty-two lines were drawn on the worksheet where students were to list their likes and dislikes. At the Feb. 8 school board meeting, Drezek described the Pizza & Consent assignment as a mistake and inappropriate. He added: I know there are some who may not believe that, I know there are some who dont necessarily maybe want that answer. Normally, I would take responsibility and I still do when one of our staff members [makes] an inadvertent mistake, Drezek asserted. In this particular case, I didnt even get a chance to because the person who made the mistake jumped ahead of it before I was even notified that it had happened. After reiterating that this was simply an error and defending the staff member responsible for the mistake, Drezek assured parents that there was no hidden agenda, there was no secret cabal to indoctrinate kids on something. Drezeks remarks come after parents addressed their concerns about the assignment at a Jan. 27 school board meeting. Since when has it become acceptable for a teacher to ask a student what their sexual wants, desires and boundaries are? asked one parent, identified as Amanda. She took issue with the districts previous explanation that the incorrect version of this assignment was posted in the curriculum by mistake and inadvertently used for instruction in the classroom. Why didnt the teachers that taught this assignment catch it and question it? Do they just teach the curriculum blindly, not questioning the morality of assignments required for the unit? Why didnt our curriculum committee catch this? What is their role, if not to oversee the curriculum and make sure that these types of mistakes dont end up as homework for our children? The apology Amanda paraphrased was written by Brie Quartin, Enfield Public Schools Health and Physical Education Coordinator, in an email to parents obtained by Parents Defending Education. I caught the error after curriculum revision in June, but failed to post the intended version. I own that, and apologize for the error, she wrote. The outrage over the distribution of the Pizza & Consent assignment comes at a time when parents across the U.S. are confronting their local school boards to express displeasure about the inclusion of sexually explicit material in school curriculums and in school libraries. The books Gender Queer and Lawn Boy, available in high school libraries in Fairfax County, Virginia, and other school districts, have caused particular concern for parents. As Fairfax County parent Stacy Langton explained at a school board meeting last year, Both books describe different sex acts. Additionally, she lamented, both of these books include pedophilia, [and] sex between men and boys. One book describes a fourth-grade boy performing oral sex on an adult male. The other book has detailed illustrations of a man having sex with a boy, Langton said. She elaborated on the contents of the graphic illustrations, which include fellatio, sex toys, masturbation and violent nudity. While the books were removed from Fairfax County Public Schools high school libraries for a brief period of time, they were reinstated after an investigation. At around the same time that Langton was raising concerns about Gender Queer and Lawn Boy, the Mayor of Hudson, Ohio, appeared at a school board meeting in his city and called on the members of the school board to resign for allowing the use of a book with sexually explicit writing prompts in a college-level English class offered at the districts high school. Fauci, NIAID spent millions on research using aborted babies' tissue, organs: report Millions of dollars in taxpayers' money funded research using aborted babies body parts, according to a new report. The White Coat Waste Project, which released the report, describes itself as a taxpayer watchdog group representing more than 2 million liberty-lovers and animal-lovers who all agree: taxpayers shouldnt be forced to pay over $20 billion every year for wasteful and cruel experiments on dogs, cats, monkeys, and other animals. In a blog published Friday, the group unveiled the findings of an investigation probing experiments conducted by the National Institutes of Health. A new White Coat Waste Project (WCW) investigation has uncovered that the NIH is actively funding over $27 million of research approved to use Human Fetal Tissue, also known as HFT. That $27 million is just the beginning the NIH expects to spend over $88 million total on HFT this year, the group said. White Coat Waste Project noted that the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) has spent the largest share of the $27 million awarded to NIH to study human fetal tissue research so far. NIAID is headed by Dr. Anthony Fauci, who has become the face of the federal governments efforts to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Faucis agency has spent $21.6 million on fetal tissue research, accounting for 80% of the award granted to the NIH to conduct such experiments. NIAID then distributed these grants to academic institutions to perform the research. One experiment was conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a public university, using $727,806 in taxpayers' dollars. The experiment involved the implantation of fetal bone marrows, liver and thymus into mice, who were subsequently infected with HIV to examine the human gut microbiome and its role in HIV infection. The White Coat Waste Project reported that researchers later decapitated the mice and removed their brains. Another experiment, conducted at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, involved the creation of double humanized mice by feeding the animals human donor fecal samples. Like the experiment at UNC Chapel Hill, the stated purpose of the experiment was to test the impact of the gut microbiome on treatments for various human diseases like HIV-1 and cancer. The mice in this experiment were given a functional human immune system and a stable human-like gut microbiome to study human health and disease. The White Coat Waste Project denounced the University of Nebraska-Lincoln experiment as one of the crappiest Fauci-funded experiments weve ever discovered and lamented that it came with a $2.8 million price tag. The watchdog group is not the only organization expressing concern over how NIAID uses some of its tax dollars. Last year, the pro-life group Students for Life of America held a rally outside the NIH headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, to demand Faucis firing over his agencys role in funding testing at the University of Pittsburgh, where researchers implant the scalps of aborted babies onto the backs of mice. Pro-life activist David Daleiden called on Fauci to testify before Congress about any knowledge he might have of potentially illegal action taken by the University of Pittsburgh as it conducted the controversial humanized mice experiments. The outrage over NIAIDs use of taxpayers' dollars to bankroll controversial research comes as the NIH continues to face scrutiny over its role in the coronavirus pandemic. Some scientists and politicians have alleged that the NIH funded gain-of-function research, described by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., as juicing up naturally occurring animal viruses to infect humans. Fauci vigorously denied the allegation that the NIH funded gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, where the coronavirus is believed to have escaped from, in a testy exchange with Paul last spring. Later, the NIH appeared to admit that it did fund gain-of-function research, although it denied doing so deliberately. Almost immediately after the admission became public, the organization that conducted the study in Wuhan, EcoHealth Alliance, was accused of orchestrating a cover up. The White Coat Waste Project is advocating for the passage of the Cost Openness and Spending Transparency (COST) Act, which would strengthen a federal law requiring those using taxpayer dollars to conduct medical experiments to disclose how much they spent. Introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, The COST Act has secured the support of four additional senators, all Republicans. Companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives, introduced by Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., has received support from 12 additional House Republicans. So far, the legislation has not been brought up for a vote in either chamber. Air Force ordered to pay $230M to Texas church shooting survivors and families A federal judge has ruled that the U.S. government must pay around $230 million to the survivors of the 2017 deadly mass shooting at a Texas church and family members of the victims. U.S. District Court Judge Xavier Rodriguez ruled Monday that the government owed around 80 claimants a little over $230 million after having previously concluded that the Air Force was partially responsible for the shooting by failing to properly act on Kelleys history of mental health issues. On Nov. 5, 2017, a former U.S. Air Force airman Devin Patrick Kelley entered First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs and killed 26 people, including the pastors daughter. The losses and pain these families have experienced is immeasurable, concluded Rodriguez, as quoted by Reuters. Last July, Rodriguez ruled that he considered the Air Force 60% responsible for the shooting, concluding that the military branch failed to submit Kelleys domestic violence charges in a federal database, an oversight that allowed him to purchase firearms that he would have been otherwise prohibited from owning. Had the Government done its job and properly reported Kelleys information into the background check system it is more likely than not that Kelley would have been deterred from carrying out the Church shooting, ruled Rodriguez. For these reasons, the Government bears significant responsibility for the Plaintiffs harm. In addition to the 26 people killed at the church, Kelley also wounded around 20 others before he was shot by neighbor and NRA instructor Stephen Willeford. Kelley fled the church, being pursued by Willieford in his vehicle, with Kelley eventually crashing his car into a ditch. Kelley died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Although Kelley had a history of anti-religious posts on social media, authorities suggest that his main motive was to kill his ex-wifes family, who regularly attended the church. The Associated Press reports that the Air Force offered a proposed payment of $31.8 million while attorneys for the survivors and family members asked for $418 million. These families are the heroes here, the lead attorney for the plaintiffs said in a statement. While no amount can bring back the many lives lost or destroyed at the hands of the governments negligence, their bravery in obtaining this verdict will make this country safer by helping ensure that this type of governmental failure does not happen in our country again. In 2018, the congregation began constructing a new worship space and held their first worship services in the new building on May 19, 2019. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other elected officials were present. This is a tangible sign as people drive through Sutherland Springs in the future they will know that this is a place where goodness triumphed over evil, Abbott told those gathered. Last August, the Sutherland Springs congregation voted to demolish the building where the shooting occurred, in part because the old church was considered structurally unsafe. A welcome defeat of assisted suicide in Virginia The Virginia Senate Education and Health Committee considered legislation legalizing assisted suicide, SB 688, earlier in February. Thankfully, with a vote of 7-7-1, this legislation failed. Modeled after similar bills across the country, SB 688 would have allowed a patient with a six-month terminal diagnosis to request and ingest medication for the explicit purpose of ending their own life. Oregon was the first state to legalize assisted suicide in 1997. Since that time, nine other states and the District of Columba have also legalized it. Although proponents of assisted suicide argue it empowers everyone to dictate their end of life, this misguided desire for complete control has the unintended consequence of creating a culture in which certain lives are deemed unworthy of living. According to the Oregon Health Authority, which has compiled over 20 years of data on assisted suicide, excruciating pain is not the reason most people choose assisted suicide. The top five reasons for choosing assisted suicide are the inability to engage in activities that make life enjoyable; the loss of autonomy; the loss of dignity; the feeling of being a burden on family, friends, or caregivers; and loss of control of bodily functions. These struggles are incredibly challenging, but they by no means devalue a persons life. People facing struggles such as these need true compassion based on the willingness to share their suffering. People with disabilities are some of assisted suicides strongest opponents. They recognize that every person has dignity and that many of the reasons deemed valid for ending a life are challenges people with disabilities overcome every day. Certainly, not everyone who lives with a disability has a terminal illness, but at some point, everyone who has a terminal illness will experience some form of disability. People arent choosing to end their lives because of their terminal illness but because of the disabilities caused by their terminal illness. Legalizing assisted suicide sends the message that a life with disabilities is not a life worth living. In a profit-driven health care system, the odds are already stacked against people with disabilities. So states need to pass legislation protecting people with disabilities from discrimination not legislation that allows insurance companies to choose to cover the cheapest option, lethal drugs, instead of actual care. People with disabilities are not the only ones negatively impacted by this discriminatory practice. All people especially minorities who have disparate access to health care feel its effects. As Anita Cameron, minority outreach director for Not Dead Yet, said, As long as racial disparities and disability discrimination exist in health care, assisted suicide cannot be the answer. Sadly, in both Oregon and California, patients who would not have been terminal had they received medical care have been refused treatment and instead offered assisted suicide drugs. Moreover, the option of assisted suicide prevents people with terminal illnesses from getting the mental health support they desperately need. Medical literature suggests that 25 to 77% of patients with terminal illnesses suffer from major depression. Yet, since its legalization in 1998, only 4% of patients who died through assisted suicide were referred for psychiatric evaluation. Tragically, instead of receiving the help they need, patients are offered the option to kill themselves. The assisted suicide legislation does not require family notification or the presence of a witness at the time of death. And so, those struggling with the desire to end their lives by taking the lethal drugs may simply suffer in silence until their death, with heartbroken loved ones left wondering if they could have done more. The legalization of assisted suicide attempts to normalize and affirm the suicide of patients with terminal illnesses; however, it has the unintended consequence of normalizing and affirming suicide itself. For those suffering from suicide ideation, this has tragic consequences. The Centers for Disease Control reported a 49% increase in the suicide rate in Oregon from 1999-2010, as opposed to a 28% increase nationally. The assisted suicide legislation proposed in Virginia disregards the value of human life and opens the door for exploitation and coercion. Pray that assisted suicide legislation would fail and for a renewed respect for the dignity of the human person not only in Virginia but in all 50 states. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Originally published at the Family Research Council. 'Political messianism:' Whats behind Christian persecution in Nicaragua? An ideological umbrella, which portrays President Daniel Ortega as being anointed by God for sacred Nicaragua, is behind the persecution of Catholic and Protestant institutions and individuals in the Central American country, an adviser for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has said. Dwight Bashir, the director of outreach and policy at the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, hosted Christopher Ljungquist, an adviser for Latin America at the USCCBs Office of International Justice and Peace, to spotlight Nicaraguas assault on religious freedom in the bipartisan panels latest podcast last Friday. A trend of persecution started in Nicaragua after protests against reforms to the public pension system in April 2018. The protests came after about a decade of deteriorating economic conditions in the country. Protesters, mostly students, demanded democratic reforms and that President Ortega and his wife, Vice President Rosario Murillo, step down as they allegedly established a dictatorship marked by nepotism and repression. Hundreds of people died in the protests in 2018. In 2021, the backdrop for the religious freedom violations was not the ongoing protests but rather the lead-up to the November general election in which Ortega won for a fourth consecutive term, Bashir said. USCCBs Ljungquist said that Ortegas government operates under political messianism, a movement that sees itself as the national savior, the national liberator. During the initial days of the 2018 protests, Ortega requested the Catholic Church to act as a mediator. But his administration also began to use brutal force against the protesters and later also on Catholic clergy. Bashir said Catholic clergy aided and provided sanctuary to protesters and voiced support for the right to protest peacefully. But as a result, Ortega used his government and supporters to persecute clergy members, worshipers and various Catholic organizations. Ljungquist said he visited Nicaragua in 2018 at the height of the protests. He reflected on Murillos rhetoric in her speeches, saying many believe she is the real power behind the throne. Her speeches are a theatrical and flamboyant brand of political preaching, he said, adding that she combines Christian symbology with New Age occultism. She claims Nicaraguas allegiance to God and Daniel, he added. They even dress statues of Mary in Sandinista colors. Like most totalitarian ideologies, "Sandinismo is hegemonic," he explained. It seeks to bring the entire Nicaraguan society, especially religion, under the ideological control of its movement, Ljungquist said. Against this backdrop, the conflict is inevitable when an institution like the Catholic Church calls the government to account, he warned, saying political messiahs do not like to be questioned. The apparent reason behind the targeting of the Christians is to gain silence through intimidation, according to Ljungquist. He said that 60% of the countrys population is Catholic, and the rest look up to the Protestant ministers who are in line with the Catholic Church on this. Here, we have a full Christian front advocating for civil liberties, for plurality and democratic process, he added. They want silence from the national conscience silence from the message of reconciliation that the Church is preaching even now. The Church is the only institution with legitimacy, credibility and the independence to challenge human rights abuses and the political abuses of the regime, according to the USCCB adviser. In 2020, Ljungquist said a cathedral was attacked in what the cardinal of Managua called a "terrorist attack," A 400-year-old crucifix brought over from Spain was severely damaged," he said. While physical attacks mainly occurred between 2018 and 2020, coded verbal attacks continue, he added. Last October, Ortega called Catholic bishops in Nicaragua terrorists, alleging that the 2018 widespread protests were a coup with foreign influence. Given that Nicaragua has very specific anti-terrorism legislation, Ljungquist said such a declaration sounds like a threat. It seems like the first couple continues to call bishops terrorists. This could be a prelude to some sort of farcical prosecution effort. I cant even repeat online [some of the things they have called the bishops]. The U.S. State Department placed Nicaragua on its special watchlist for severe religious freedom violations since 2019. In its 2021 annual report, USCIRF, a bipartisan commission tasked with advising the federal government on religious freedom matters, warned that Nicaragua maintained its campaign against the Catholic Church and continued a pattern of harassment. Members of the Catholic Church acted upon their religious convictions by providing sanctuary to and voicing support for the protesters, the report reads. Following the Churchs support of the protesters, President Daniel Ortega used his government and his supporters to persecute members of the clergy, worshippers, and Catholic organizations. USCIRF reported that there were violent attacks on churches, intimidation of worshippers, threats and hate speech, and harassment of Catholic institutions in 2020 that emulate those committed by the Ortega regime since the civil uprising. The Ortega government harassed Catholic officials and institutions in ways that disrupted the normal functions of the Church, the report adds. In September, the Diocese of Esteli announced that one of its priests had his visa canceled. According to the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua, several other foreign-born priests who have worked in Nicaragua for decades face deportation. Additionally, the government repeatedly hampered the operations of the Churchs primary charitable organization, Caritas. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, USCIRF reports that Caritas had its tax-exempt status denied in April 2020, making it unable to withdraw foreign donations from customs. A 30-day legislative session currently underway in New Mexico is offering insight into the complexities of balancing the environment, energy needs and state budgets. Participating in the monthly Oilfield Strong webinar presented by OTA Environmental Services, Stephen Robertson, executive vice president of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association, discussed bills being considered by the New Mexico legislature and how they could impact the regions oil and gas industry. Currently, the PBPA is tracking 20 bills in the session, which primarily focuses on the states budget, Robertson said. He said the industry supports one bill in particular, which would fund improvements to Highway 380, which runs from Tatum, New Mexico, to the Texas state line. Everyone knows its dangerous and were enthusiastic to see this push to get funding to improve that roadway, said Robertson. Another bill supported by New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham would establish a hydrogen energy development hub. Which is interesting because its gotten pushback from the left because it relies too much, in their eyes, on hydrogen produced through development of hydrocarbons, he said. He explained that some on the left dont want anything that supports the oil and gas industry and they see the reliance on hydrogen from hydrocarbons as supportive of oil and gas. As New Mexico moves toward zero emissions and clean energy, anything that doesnt severe the state from the oil and gas industry is not supported, he added. The challenge is that New Mexico, where the southeast corner makes up part of the Permian Basin, is heavily reliant on revenues from the oil and gas industry, he said. The state is reliant on the energy industry not just to provide energy but for its economy. So state officials can very much perceive the reality that, if youre going to end your reliance on hydrocarbons as an energy source, that doesnt just impact your energy provider, it impacts your budget. If you end your reliance on hydrocarbons, you need to fill that void with an industry that will provide revenues and create jobs. Also part of the session is a constitutional amendment known as the green amendment that would guarantee every New Mexico resident the right to a clean environment. The difficulty with that, on its face, is that theres no definition as to what any of that really means, said Robertson. Even simple things like, is the amendment guaranteeing everyone has pure H2O when it comes to clean water? Thats not what comes out of the ground from water wells and it definitely not what comes out of the ground when the oil and gas industry drills. The response from those supporting the amendment to such questions was to let the courts figure out the answers, he said. Thats helping educate folks how worrisome and dangers that could be, not only to industry and business but to citizens, he said. He reported that it looks like the amendment will not move forward but cautioned that there is still time to move the bill forward, whether by amending the language to another bill or other vehicle to push it forward. New Mexico has become a state with some of the most stringent regulations regarding methane emissions, something Robertson warned could present challenges for operators. He explained that the state took a two-pronged approach to the issue, involving the states environmental agency and oil conservation department. Both agencies started out working together to develop what was hoed to be a singular framework, he said, but as work progressed the two agencies went indifferent directions. The result is two distinct rules, one from the environmental regulators and one from the Oil Conservation Division and Robertson said the PBPA has pointed out several instances where they dont work well together. Still, he said, operators have to abide by both. Methane emissions on a federal level is also a focus for the PBPA, which has been drafting comments on proposals for the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA has issued a document saying this is what it wants to accomplish and is seeking comment. The problem is its difficult to provide meaningful comments when you dont have the true details of the regulation. We dont know how it will impact the industry, said Robertson. He said the biggest concern is the broad approach whereas anyone who knows anything bout the oil and gas industry knows "one size fits all" does not work. Regulations need to be tailored for upstream, midstream and downstream operations, for private entities versus public companies and even operators active in the Midland Basin compared to the Central Basin Platform compared to the Delaware Basin, he said. An example is proposed regulations would require operators of optical gas imaging cameras take breaks during specified periods. That doesnt take into consideration how the equipment is operated, how the operators work, he said. One thing our industry is known for is innovation, not for innovations sake but for actual improvement of operations. These rules would require handheld OGI inspections. What about the companies that use multi-faced approaches to emission detection? Those that use aerial, or ground sensors, or satellite imagery to prove emissions. The EPA would limit what is acceptable to make observations. What about the technology of tomorrow or the day after? What will be developed down the road that wont be useful because the regulations say we have to do it a certain way? The worry, he continued, is that though the end goal is improving emissions capture, the actual implementation would result in a reduction of domestic operations. As anyone paying attention to what happened during the pandemic, at the worst of things, as the world shut down and economies were not moving, oil and gas demand around the world, oil specifically, dropped by 10 percent and that was it, he said. Demand has recovered to pre-pandemic levels and will continue to climb, he said. US oil producers can produce that demand efficiently and in a more-environmentally friendly way. But if operations are pushed out of the US, that production will occur somewhere else and most likely somewhere without the environmental focus of the US. Youre not improving emissions for the world, youre harming emissions, youre harming the environment. Its one thing to want to improve, its another thing to want to have an end goal thats not justified by the process youre using, he said. Have a brawl at Paper Tiger I'm not going to talk about my love life. I don't know most of y'all enough to open up about those experiences. Find my Finsta or, if you're lucky enough, you can try and tie a story on r/DatingHell back to me. I'm still a romantic at heart and I have had moments in my life where I have been somewhere with friends that transported me away to an idealized version of the world, one where everything else going on at the time didn't matter. That most often happens when I'm going to a good live show and dancing. There's been several times with my friends, whether it was at the Paper Tiger or the now-defunct Alamo City Music Hall & Club, I've had some of my most romantic moments. I remember one show in particular at the Paper Tiger: Kero Kero Bonito in October 2018. I was there with two good friends let's call them James and Alyssa for this story jamming out to "Flamingo" (at least I think it was) and a group of guys in front of us were getting a little too rowdy. One of the guys in front of us swung his arm around hitting me in the face, sending my glasses flying. I turned on my phone flashlight and proceeded to scan the ground amid a fury of shoes soaked with beer. The glasses were gone for the moment. James saw the incident and gave the guy a light shove followed by a, "What the f**k, man?" The rowdy dude did not enjoy it. Maybe he was a little drunk. We all were. He turned around and immediately started wailing on James. I tried to pull them apart but Alyssa pulled me away and told me to find my glasses first. So we looked while my friend was throwing down. The skirmish lasted maybe 30 seconds before Kero Kero Bonito stopped the song, Paper Tiger's crew turned on the lights and my friend and the rowdy guy were pulled apart. "Security" with Paper Tiger came into the crowd while the band admonished the crowd. "Who the hell fights at a Kero Kero Bonito show?" someone said. Thankfully, only the rowdy dude and his friend were thrown out of the show, and we were able to stay. Some very helpful random found my glasses. I lifted them up above the crowd like a trophy to cheers. Kero Kero Bonito restarted the song and I danced my ass off. That's romantic. - Steven Santana, reporter Ben Lambert / Hearst Connecticut Media NEW HARTFORD Aquarion Water Company has signed an Asset Purchase Agreement with the Town of New Hartford, starting the process of Aquarions acquisition of the towns municipal water and wastewater systems, according to a company statement. The sale to Aquarion was approved by New Hartford voters in 2021. Aquarions purchase is subject to the approval of Connecticuts Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, and Department of Public Health, according to the statement. A judge sanctioned the city Friday for its completely inexcusable idleness in a mammoth Manhattan Federal Court lawsuit related to the NYPDs use of force against protesters in summer 2020 after the police killing of George Floyd. The city has repeatedly failed to meet deadlines and in some instances, has refused to cooperate at all in the complex case alleging the NYPD violated protesters civil rights, plaintiff lawyers say. Advertisement At a hearing, Magistrate Judge Gabriel Gorenstein lambasted city Law Department attorney Dara Weiss for ignoring a whole litany of orders in the case, which consolidates 10 lawsuits stemming from the Floyd protests. If I order something and you cant do it, you cant just blow it off. Do you understand that Ms. Weiss? said Gorenstein. Advertisement We cant function if you dont read and comply with court orders. Thats just basic. Im just flabbergasted, the jurist later remarked. Protest for George in Foley Square in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) J. Remy Green, one of the civil rights lawyers involved in the litigation, told Gorenstein that getting basic info from the city was like pulling teeth. They get away with things that no other litigant would ever get away with, Green said after the hearing. Among the evidence the city has declined to share are audit trails for police body-cam footage taken during the protests, lawyers said Friday. The city has also failed to answer to how NYPD brass responded to an email circulated by ex-Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins in August 2019. The email incuded a 15-minute video clip of a police shooting, which Mullins captioned the best video Ive ever seen. It depicted unnamed officers calling Black people monsters, public housing a war zone, and Black people who live in public housing Section 8 scam artists and welfare queens (who) have mastered the art of gaming the taxpayer. Ex-Sergeants Benevolent Association President Ed Mullins is pictured last September. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News) We know for a fact that [ex-Police Commissioner] Dermot Shea weighed in on the sanctions on Mr. Mullins, one of the plaintiff attorneys, Rob Rickner, said in court. I suspect there were also a lot of high-level people involved in this decision. Advertisement Gorenstein ordered the city to pay attorneys fees for violating two court rulings ordering it to comply with evidence requests. He held off on deciding whether he would reprimand city lawyers for their inaction leading up to the violations. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > We take our court obligations seriously and are working hard to meet the voluminous discovery demands for these 10 consolidated cases, said city Law Department spokesman Nicholas Paolucci said in a statement. Nevertheless, we should have notified the Court sooner about our production status. Thousands of Black Lives Matters activists are seen marching on downtown Broadway Tuesday afternoon to protest the NYPD past history of violence against minorities and lack of transparency. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News) The judge also told Weiss to find the person who knows where the NYPD stores archived records that Green has requested in the lawsuit. They relate to the origins of police policies on dealing with large protests. Advertisement I dont understand why you dont know the answer to that right now, the judge said to Weiss. The lawsuits in the consolidated case run the gamut from claims by people who say cops assaulted them during the protests to a suit brought by state Attorney General Letitia James to a class-action covering every protest held in NYC in 2020 from the start of summer through the end of November. There are also lawsuits brought by legal observers and journalists who were arrested during the protests. A federal judge consolidated the cases and put them on whats known as a rocket docket in February 2021 to expedite proceedings and ensure the matter would be ready for trial early this year. The FDNY is leasing space in a closed Queens Catholic school, as the city expands its Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division, the Daily News has learned. The B-HEARD program, which pairs FDNY EMS emergency medical technicians and paramedics with NYC Health + Hospitals social workers to answer mental health emergency calls is geared at cutting down police response to those types of emergencies. Advertisement The closed Our Lady of Grace Catholic School on 101st St. in Queens. The FDNY is renting the Howard Beach building to train emergency medical technicians and paramedics for its Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) The department began training operations at the shuttered Our Lady of Grace School in Howard Beach in January. With the success of the pilot we are now working to expand this program citywide, Fabrico Caro, the FDNYs director of community affairs announced in a letter to Queens Community Board 10, acquired by The News. Advertisement As part of this effort EMS members will be trained in the assessment and recognition of patients experiencing a mental health crisis, de-escalation training, operational issues regarding mental health concerns, and alternate transportation options for people experiencing a mental health crisis, the note reads. Members of FDNY EMS outside the new training facility at the closed Our Lady of Grace Catholic School on 101st St. in Howard Beach, Queens. (Theodore Parisienne/for New York Daily News) Up to 140 FDNY members, including staff and trainees, will be using the school between 7 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with the goal of training the agencys 4,300 EMTs, Paramedics, and EMS Officers over the next several months, Caro wrote. The B-HEARD program began on June 6 in three Harlem police precincts. Within six months it was expanded to two other precincts in upper Manhattan with plans to go citywide. The program was created as the city struggled to reform NYPD practices after years of headlines of police responding to mental health crises with deadly force. When the teams are dispatched, mental health patients are treated on the spot and can be connected or reconnected to local clinics for further care. They can also be taken to a residential counseling and care center or be hospitalized, if necessary. As of Nov. 30, the most recent data publicly available, B-HEARD teams responded to 564 mental health 911 calls. In those cases, 92% of patients accepted assistance, which was higher than the traditional response done by the NYPD. When police respond to a mental health emergency, help is accepted 87% of the time, according to the Mayors Office of Community Mental Health. An FDNY leaves the training facility at the now-closed Our Lady of Grace Catholic School in Queens on Friday, February 11. (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. > During the first six months of the program, the NYPD requested assistance from B-HEARD teams 72 times to help them de-escalate a situation with someone suffering from a mental health crisis, city community mental health officials said. In turn, B-HEARD teams have requested help from the NYPD 34 times, mostly to help them transport a patient to a hospital. Advertisement Only twice did a B-HEARD team call for police backup over a safety concern, city officials said. Both Community Board 10 and the Brooklyn/Queens Diocese hailed the FDNYs use of the empty school building. This training program will better equip FDNY personnel to assist New Yorkers facing mental health issues, diocese spokesman John Quaglione said. As our Christian faith teaches us, the Diocese of Brooklyn remains committed to doing our part to help our fellow New Yorkers in need. Community Board 10 Chair Betty Barton called the move a win win. Its a great use for that building, Barton said. The diocese, school construction authority and department of education were not ready to do anything with the building and its got a huge parking lot, so its a good deal for everyone involved. RIDGEFIELD The town has enlisted the attorneys of Pullman & Comely, LLC, to represent it in federal court after a lawsuit accused the municipality of violating state and federal laws relative to properly keeping track of its stormwater systems. The lawsuit was one of four filed by the environmental advocacy group Save the Sound in December. The group alleges that the towns of Ridgefield, Redding, Middletown and Burlington failed to file required paperwork regarding their stormwater systems with state regulators over the past three years. Those reports which require municipal officials to map and inventory stormwater systems, identify sources of harmful discharges and detail for regulators how they are working to implement best practices are vital to efforts to reduce stormwater pollution and improve water quality, the lawsuits state. The towns contacted by the group, in part, were chosen because their stormwater systems affected rivers and streams on the states list of impaired bodies of water, according to Bill Lucey, the Long Island Soundkeeper at Save the Sound. The lawsuits mention nearly a dozen bodies of water affected by the towns stormwater systems, including the Norwalk River, which runs through Ridgefield and eventually into the Long Island Sound. First Selectman Rudy Marconi said he was absolutely shocked when the lawsuit came out considering the countless efforts the town has taken over the years to address water quality and environmental issues locally. The most recent example is a $55 million investment to upgrade sewer lines and a treatment plant, which was met with financial support from the state Department of Environmental Energy and Protection not too long after the Save the Sound lawsuits were filed. In an earlier interview, Marconi said the town engineer who had been in charge of filing annual stormwater reports retired in 2018. The position, while advertised, has still not been filled. Ridgefield has contracted Tighe & Bond in the interim to manage some of the paperwork. The firm will also conduct a drainage study of the town, Marconi said. He also pointed to dedicated efforts to mitigate nutrient loading at Mamanasco Lake and new zoning regulations relative to stormwater. We didnt file paperwork, (but) did you look at what were doing for the environment?, Marconi posed. I agree that anyone in violation should be reviewed (but) there should be an effort to work together. Although Chris Kelly, an attorney for Save the Sound, could not comment on the status of ongoing negotiations, he said the group intends to resolve the lawsuit collaboratively. Ridgefield must provide an answer to the complaint by March 11, he added. The lawsuits, which seek to force the municipalities into compliance with the Clean Water Act and state permitting regulations, were each filed with the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. A teen almost ran over two migrants when speeding away from authorities, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Eduardo Rodriguez, 18, was arrested and charged with evading arrest with a vehicle, reckless driving, possession of a controlled substance, four counts of smuggling of persons for pecuniary benefit and two counts of smuggling of persons with likelihood of serious bodily or death. A vaccination drive-thru will be held Saturday, Feb. 12 by a local organization in an effort to help vaccinate Latinos who may be looking for their first, second or third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. The event is spearheaded by the League of United Latin American Citizens Council #7 and is part of the national LULAC campaign Vacunate Hoy (which translates into Get Vaccinated Today in English). The event will also feature other local municipal organizations contributing to the efforts as partners, which include the City of Laredo Fire Department, Laredo Police Department, the National Guard and Gregorys Driving School, which will be the host of the vaccination drive. Gregorys Driving School is located at 4217 Marcella Ave. The vaccine drive-thru will be held at the location from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. or until supplies last. We got a LULAC national office campaign going on for vaccinations called Vacunate Hoy and all the local councils have been asked to participate, and we decided that we can participate, said Jose Gonzalez, vice president of LULAC Council #7. This is just for having a safer community as we want our goal to be to have a 100% vaccination rate, and this is how we help out the community. According to Gonzalez, the national LULAC office chose various councils including LULAC Council #7 to take on this initiative, which they hope helps get more people vaccinated and also controls for any more spreading of the virus. It is important to get (vaccinated) because we want to control COVID-19 and all the other variants that might be coming up in the future, so this is a way in which we can help control it and stop the virus from spreading, and the best way to do it is through vaccination, Gonzalez said. Hopefully we do get good weather to do it, and it is not windy. According to Gonzalez, the drive-thru will have about 300 vaccines available for the public, and all of the three main providers of vaccines will be there such as the Johnson & Johnson one dose vaccine and the two-dose Pfizer and Moderna for those seeking their first or second shot. Booster shots will also be available. Gonzalez says anyone needing a vaccine is welcome to attend the event and get the shot. Anybody can go, just 12 years and up, Gonzalez said. And of all those who may need the second vaccine or the booster, please take their vaccination cards so we can note it down. According to Gonzalez, the pandemic has severely affected LULAC in general, as Latinos have been infected at a high rate around the country and the pandemic has caused several events to be postponed or canceled in the past because of it. He also notes Latinos and minorities in general across the country have been some of the most affected by the virus. It is due to this that he expects the situation to get better by people getting more vaccinated and helping control the spread of the virus. I dont want to force anybody against their will, but it is important to get vaccinated as we need to stop the spread of the virus, especially in our community where we have a really good rate of vaccination, Gonzalez said. It is for the safety of the community, for the safety of the citizens, so we can enjoy ourselves, especially now during the George Washingtons Birthday Celebration, and just being able to have more comfort and safety. jorge.vela@lmtonline.com A Brooklyn federal court judge slammed state jurists for not setting bail in cases where people get shot, and suggested criminals know that and are emboldened. Judge Dora Irizarry made the comments Wednesday during the sentencing of serial bank robber Gerod Woodberry, whose repeat crimes in late 2019 and early 2020 caused quick backlash to the states bail reform rules. Advertisement Irizarry sentenced Woodberry, 44, to 10 years in prison, even though prosecutors only asked for six and a half years behind bars. Serial bank robber Gerod Woodberry's repeat crimes in late 2019 and early 2020 caused quick backlash to the newly enacted bail reform statute. The federal jurist said Woodberry likely gave himself up to police on Jan. 17, 2020 because he expected to be turned loose. Advertisement I think in the back of his mind, he probably figured, well, theres this new bail law and so what if I turn myself in, theyre just going to release me right away, Irizarry said, according to transcript obtained by the Daily News. Woodberrys lawyer noted that state judges could have set bail in his case because he was arrested numerous times for similar conduct. But they havent been doing it [setting bail], not even where theres been violence, I mean, active violence, people getting shot. Criminals hear the news too, you know, Irizarry said. Serial bank robber Gerod Woodberry on camera during one of his heists. A spokesman for the states Office of Court Administration shot back at Irizarry, inviting the federal judge to take a seat in the gallery of a city courtroom. The Judge would be a welcome guest at Schemerhorn St. to see how New York City Criminal Court Judges arraign defendants, said Lucian Chalfen, referring to the Brooklyn Criminal Court building. State judges set bail in more than 80 % of shootings, Chalfen noted. Brooklyn Federal Judge Dora Irizarry in 2002. (RICHARD DREW/AP) Woodberry was charged with committing six robberies or attempted robberies in 16 days starting on Dec. 30, 2019. He committed five more in the first two weeks of 2020. He was arrested after one of the hold-ups on on Jan. 8, 2020 and charged in state court, but was released without bail in the case on Jan. 10, 2020. Advertisement Just hours after his release, Woodberry struck again. THIS IS A ROBBERY BIG BILLS ONLY, read the note he handed to a teller at a Chase Bank on Flatbush Ave. One week and another heist later, Brooklyn federal prosecutors stepped in, specifically citing state bail reform as they charged Woodberry. Prolific bank robber Gerod Woodberry will spend 10 years behind bars for his crimes. Handout (HANDOUT) Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Before New Yorks state bail reforms took effect, then-Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue said judges could consider the flight risk, but not the dangerousness, posed by a charged defendant. That was bad enough, Donoghue said. By requiring criminal court and Supreme Court judges to release bank robbery suspects, he said, New Yorks reforms made a bad situation worse. No sound, rational and fair criminal justice system requires the pre-trial release of criminal defendants who demonstrate such determination to continuously commit serious crimes, said then-Brooklyn U.S. Attorney Richard Donoghue. Advertisement Woodberry has been held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn since his arrest in the federal case. His lawyer, Samuel Jacobson, declined to comment. 3 1 of 3 Provided by WBU Show More Show Less 2 of 3 BGriggs Show More Show Less 3 of 3 PLAINVIEW Wayland Baptist University will break ground on an addition to the Moody Science Building at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18. The event is part of Waylands homecoming schedule and a celebration of the Impact2020 campaign through which money was raised to fund the new laboratory wing. The event is open to the public. The groundbreaking ceremony will include ceremony, naming the School of Mathematics and Sciences for Dr. Kenneth Mattox, a 1960 graduate who had a storied career in surgery and healthcare. Mattox and his wife, June, provided the lead gift for the new addition. The couple will be in attendance for the ceremony. Is it your expectation that Midland County will have to hold a bond election to build a new jail, a law enforcement complex or have another election to raise the sales tax to raise more revenue for county government? How big must county government get to operate effectively? Would you commit to not holding an election that raises taxes for the next four years? Currently, we are simply studying the current and future needs for law enforcement facilities. If that study and the facts provided require us to take some action, then the issue should go to the voters to assess whether they agree and the need exists for the county to build new facilities or pursue alternatives. The fiscal case would have to be made to the voters. In this study, we are looking at a Justice of the Peace courthouse, the sheriffs office, a mental health diversion center and the jail. The judges in the Juvenile Board are looking at a new juvenile probation facility and a juvenile detention facility. The Texas Juvenile Justice Commission will have to approve this after the study is complete. Looking at the overall requests, and as a fiscal conservative, I would not ask for something unless it is an imminent or foreseeable need. Then I would have to be persuaded that the county could handle it financially. We need to take into account the total tax and debt burden and determine if the county can get its duties with the current ad valorem and sales taxes. I do see bond elections coming from the county, the city, the hospital district and the schools. As a county commissioner, I realize the county is at the mercy of the Texas Jail Standards Commission in Austin which can dictate how our jail operates and thereby dictate the facility requirements. However, as a property owner, I know voters would be weighing the needs of the county versus the needs of the community at large. My hope is that the study will have recommendations on how we can better utilize existing resources, as opposed to just constructing new facilities. In regard to raising taxes in the future, I am committed to maintaining the no new revenue tax rate that we have maintained so far. It is my belief that the Legislature is aiming to further restrict or change the ad valorem/ property tax in the next session. The size of county government is determined by what services are required or expected by the citizens and voters of the county. We have had a large increase in personnel because the other elected officials have requested additional people to maintain the current level of service or to improve them. I have tried to exercise some restraint on the number of county employees but have not had the full backing of the court. We have replaced consultants with full-time employees in some instances. In other instances, there are a number of open positions funded in the budget but not filled. Our focus as a county needs to be more about the quality of staff than just the quantity. Is it your expectation that Midland County will have to hold a bond election to build a new jail, a law enforcement complex or have another election to raise the sales tax to raise more revenue for county government? How big must county government get to operate effectively? Would you commit to not holding an election that raises taxes for the next four years? The recent Census revealed that Midland has grown dramatically over the last 10 years. The increase in traffic congestion, traffic accidents and the inability to get the service we were accustomed to in restaurants and more makes this very apparent. The fact is Midland County grew by 50,000 people between 2010 and 2020. With an increase in population that substantial comes a natural increase in crime, and criminals. When the 2010 census, results were announced, the division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice that oversees jail standards, recommended Midland County have a jail with 500 beds. Prior to the COVID outbreak, the number of inmates housed in the Midland County Jail was near capacity most days, but the last two years have changed a lot of things. The pandemic created state restrictions regarding those who remained locked up versus those who let out on bond. The courts were shut down so only the most violent of the violent were being dealt with and jailed. Today, as we get back to a more normal system of justice, where all jail-able offenses are being jailed, the number of prisoners we house is going up. We are hopeful the rising rates of incarceration we are seeing wont exceed our current capacity. I have spent a good part of my current term supporting the Sheriffs department because the safety of our residents and businesses has been one of my highest priorities. Based on our growth, the new recommendation for number of beds needed from the TDJ is 750 with possible increase to 1000 beds. Whether we remodel our current facility, add on to what already exists or completely start over in a new location is still being determined, one way or another, Midland County will have to add new beds. Like any business, to make the smartest decision possible, we have engaged architects and engineers to lay out every scenario, including cost. As soon as they complete their work, we will make those public. The public will then have an opportunity to decide what they want, need and how to pay for it. The jail, its size and our growth are a part of a broader issue that neither my opponent nor some on the Commissioners Court seem to understand. Government is the size it is due to the fiscal policies of the Commissioners Court. While its politically expeditious for a candidate to say theyll never raise taxes, the candidates should have the business experience to show you, or at least tell you how theyll provide services while keeping taxes low. What will they cut? Will they let more prisoners out of jail, so they dont have to build a new one? Will they stop building roads? The reason Ive been able to keep our tax rate one of the lowest in the state is because as a fiscal conservative, lifelong Midlander and business owner, I view county management through that lens. For example, in our recent budget, I voted against across-the-board salary increases of $2.6 million because a merit-based system for making salary adjustments and a market-based system for public safety personnel makes great business sense. The harder you work, the greater your pay should be. This approach would help us keep taxes low and or make a dent in the costs of building additional beds. Moreover, think about this. When a candidate for public office also says they wont let the voters decide when to raise sales taxes and for what priorities, theyre saying two things. One, theyre saying voters arent smart enough to make decisions. And two, the candidate is saying they would rather make those decisions themselves -- sometimes behind closed doors and often without voter approval. For example, my predecessor who encouraged my opponent to run, spent over $30 million on the county courthouse without asking the voters. They might do things like that in California, but thats not how we operate in Midland. I prefer to let voters decide what voters want. My opponent prefers the opposite. The contrast couldnt be starker. Im asking for your vote. Hundreds of masked locals packed the inside of Paper Tiger for the voting rally held by U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to support two Texas candidates running for congress, Jessica Cisneros and Greg Casar, on Saturday, February 12. The trio stressed the importance of turning out to vote ahead of the March 1 primary. Cisneros, an immigration attorney from Laredo, is running against Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, who's been the U.S. representative for Texas's 28th congressional district since 2005. The district covers a strip in deep South Texas starting in the eastern outskirts of San Antonio and ending at the U.S.-Mexico border. Meanwhile, Casar, a former Austin city council member, is one of four Democrats running in Texas' 35th district, which stretches along Interstate 35 from San Antonio to Austin. Texas' 35th has been long held by U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, who is now running for reelection in a newly formed district centered around Austin. Ocasio-Cortez said she supports the two for Congress due to their shared interests for Texas and the U.S., including Medicare for all, good-paying union jobs, and reproductive freedom. Here are some major takeaways from the rally: Priscilla Aguirre, MySA.com AOC believes Texas will turn blue During the rally, Ocasio-Cortez said she believes Texas will turn blue soon. Touting it's only a matter of time before the state turns blue, she threw in her support of Cisneros and Casar calling them progressive leaders who are here to fight for Texas families. "Here's what's exciting about Jessica's race and Greg's race, is that if we flip Texas, we flip the country," Ocasio-Cortez said. "...Texas turning blue is inevitable. The only question is when. We are going to fight for a living wage, we are going to make sure we unionize the hell out of this state... and we're going to make sure that not one dime is made exploitatively across any worker, especially the undocumented." Abigail Bianca-Im, Multimedia Producer What are Casar and Cisneros fighting for? Both are working towards fighting to bring Medicare for all, union jobs, a Green New Deal, ending student debt, comprehensive immigration form and reproductive justice. Cisneros said citizens deserve someone who fights for their rights. She noted her upbringing and the sacrifices her parents made during that time as the reason she became an immigration attorney. "I knew that I wanted to help families like my parents have their shot as well," Cisneros said. "It was because of a pro bono attorney that helped my parents navigate that abhorrence of an immigration system. And is the reason why I'm in front of you all today." Casar said Texas deserves progressive leaders who fight for them. "What I found was that our greatest opposition wasn't always the other candidates or their corporate backers, that our greatest opposition was talking to people who had lost faith that this democracy would ever deliver for them," Casar said. Abigail Bianca-Im, Multimedia Producer AOC National Spotlight Having a star political leader like Ocasio-Cortez come to San Antonio brought in hundreds of millennials who showed up to hear her speak. Cat Lerma, 27, told MySA having Ocasio-Cortez back these Texas candidates shows her that they must have really good character and good moral values. She said she really respects Ocasio-Cortez and her passion in politics. "I see how passionate she speaks about issues, and I think that's something so new to not just congressmen or senators or anybody in office, but it's just like a new movement," Lerma said. "It's going to be a catalyst for something better and for the young people. We're going to be the ones to change things." The event also meant a national spotlight for San Antonio with CBS News in attendance to cover the rally that featured mariachi music and bilingual speeches. Priscilla Aguirre, MySA.com Anti AOC protest The event also drew in a protest across the street from the Paper Tiger, where about 30 to 50 people chanted for others to "take their masks off" and "F**k Biden." Regardless of which side you're on, the event brought awareness to early voting, which begins on March 1. Erica Davis, a Democrat running for Harris County judge and current department of education trustee, was called out for anti-Semitic remarks she made in a tweet which she later deleted. Davis took to Twitter over the last week to express her disappointment with the Houston Chronicle's editorial board, accusing the members of bias after they endorsed incumbent county judge Lina Hidalgo in the Democratic primary this March. Chron and the Houston Chronicle are both owned by Hearst but operate independently of one another. Davis, also chief of staff for Harris County Precinct 1 Constable Alan Rosen, is running as a liberal with a pro-police, tough-on-crime platform. She's gained endorsements from the Houston Police Officers Association, Harris County Deputy Constables Association and other law enforcement unions in and around Houston. A Twitter user on Friday, who also later deleted their tweet, backed Davis' accusations against the editorial board. That's when Daniel Cohen, progressive activist and co-founder of Indivisible Houston, responded. "I called her a police union stooge," Cohen said in a phone call Friday. "I don't really care about her take on whether the Chronicle does biased reporting. She's fending for her own interests. I was criticizing her on Twitter. I'm not afraid of that." Davis responded, turning the squabble over media and politics into something completely different. In a reply, Davis tweeted: "You must be related to the Cohen who use to work at the Chronicle. You contributed to the bias reporting, thanks." Davis was ostensibly referring to Jeff Cohen, the award-winning former editor of the Houston Chronicle who's now executive vice president of communications for Arnold Ventures. Davis deleted her tweet, but several Twitter users posted screenshots and condemned her words including Houston city council member Abbie Kamin. "Anti-Semitism, or any type of hate for that matter, has no place in campaigns," Kamin later said in a text message. "Unfortunately, we are seeing it far too often at every level. We all make mistakes but its important to learn from those missteps and do better." Davis did not respond to a request for comment from Chron. Friday afternoon, she doubled down on Twitter and chalked up the outrage over her words to "politics." "It's hard to understand what other rationale there would be to make the claim publicly that there's some connection between the 'Cohens' and media bias because of this ongoing horrible accusation against Jews that stems from thousands of years ago," said Rabbi Scott Hausman-Weiss of Houston-based Congregation Shma Koleinu. Hausman-Weiss pointed to the recent hostage incident at a synagogue in Colleyville as an example of why spreading such rhetoric, whether intentionally or not, can be dangerous. At the time, Davis tweeted "thoughts and prayers" for those involved. "I do not want to suggest that Erica Davis is anything like that guy," Hausman-Weiss said. "I'm not trying to draw similarity, but I am trying to highlight that that's why these comments made in a nuanced way or in a soft way cause Jewish people's heads to rear up." Hidalgo faces three challengers in the race for the Democratic nomination for county judge, including Davis, real estate broker AR Hassan and photographer Georgia Provost. There are nine others seeking the Republican nomination. The winners of the two primaries will be pitted against each other in November. In this weeks air travel developments, Hawaii is planning for the end of COVID-19-related entry requirements for mainland visitors by this spring; Frontier and Spirit Airlines announce plans to merge, pending a review by the Justice Departments antitrust team; Australia pushes up reopening for foreign visitors to Feb. 21; some popular island destinations ease up on COVID restrictions; Morocco allows international flights to resume; travelers to Europe must now consider the date of their last COVID vaccination before setting their trip schedule; CDC adds Japan, Israel to its do not travel list; United extends Cape Town service to year-round operations; Delta and Air France beef up summer trans-Atlantic schedules; American finalizes deal for a stake in Brazils GOL; new El Salvador carrier plans to begin flying to the U.S., including LAX; Frontier pulls out of Fresno; Seattle-Tacoma prepares for opening of billion-dollar international arrivals facility; and Alaska Airlines plans to overhaul its lounges at Seattle and Portland. The state of Hawaii is moving toward the elimination of all COVID-related entry restrictions for mainland visitors as soon as this spring, Lt. Gov. Josh Green said this week in an interview with the Washington Post. Green, who has been the state governments point man on COVID rules, said that talks are already underway about how and when to lift the restrictions, which currently require visitors to show a completed vaccination card or a negative COVID test if they want to avoid a five-day quarantine upon arrival. Green told the newspaper that he expects the restrictions would begin to fall away in the spring, as long as the virus continues to diminish in the islands. One thing weve learned about COVID is it does sometimes throw one a curveball, he said in the interview. People didnt really predict a highly, highly contagious omicron variant; otherwise, we would have already been there. Earlier this week, Hawaii Gov. David Ige said visitors to the state will not need a COVID booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated, amid declining case rates on the mainland and in Hawaii. The biggest airline news this week was the announced merger plan of Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines the nations two largest ultra-low-cost carriers. However, the $6.6 billion deal which would give Frontier shareholders 51.5% of the combined company and Spirit shareholders the rest still has to pass muster with antitrust regulators at the Biden administrations Justice Department since it would create the nations fifth-largest airline. Will Waldron/Albany Times Union Spirit CEO Ted Christie said the planned merger is centered around creating an aggressive low-fare competitor to serve our guests even better, expand career opportunities for our team members and increase competitive pressure, resulting in more consumer-friendly fares for the flying public. The two airlines predicted their merger would bring $1 billion in consumer savings annually as they operate more than 1,000 daily flights to 145 destinations in the U.S., Caribbean and Latin America. They noted that together, they have more than 350 aircraft on order and expect to add new routes to underserved communities. Both airlines fleets use aircraft in the Airbus A320 family, making integration relatively simple. The airlines would continue to operate separately until the merger is completed. Officials didnt indicate how the combined carrier would be branded. Of course, airline executives who announce merger plans always claim that their combined companies will bring big savings and expanded service to consumers. Thats what JetBlue and American said about their big Northeast Alliance, and that isnt even a merger. But that didnt stop the Justice Department from filing a civil antitrust suit against it last fall, claiming that the Northeast Alliance would eliminate important competition in the New York and Boston markets, and will also harm air travelers across the country by significantly diminishing JetBlues incentive to compete with American elsewhere, further consolidating an already highly concentrated industry. RICARDO ARDUENGO / AFP via Getty Images DOJ regulators will be examining where the Frontier and Spirit route networks overlap and what other competition may exist on those routes. Both Frontier and Spirit concentrate on serving secondary and tertiary markets, often offering less-than-daily frequencies to attract ultra-price-sensitive passengers who are more concerned with paying the lowest base fare than with convenient schedules or service levels. Both carriers often finish near the bottom of airline service rankings and high on the list of customer complaints. What Frontier and Spirit give up on fare revenues they usually make back with the wide range of extra fees they charge passengers for ancillary services. In other airline mergers during recent decades, DOJ has often required companies to give up airport takeoff and landing slots on routes where they would control too large a market share although the government usually demanded those slots be turned over to low-cost competitors. DOJ hasnt previously dealt with a merger of two ultra-low-cost carriers. According to one analysis, Frontier and Spirit currently compete on just 519 of their combined 2,832 routes. Together, they would control about 5% of the total U.S. air travel market. Last week, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he hoped his country would reopen to foreign visitors by Easter. But this week, he moved that timetable forward, setting Feb. 21 as Australias reopening date for tourists from around the world provided they have completed their COVID vaccinations and can prove it. Noting that the omicron variant is already widespread in the country, Morrison said that for those who are coming in who are double-vaccinated, they dont present any greater risk than those who are already here echoing the justification cited by several other countries that have recently loosened their entry restrictions. With a couple of exceptions like New Zealand and Singapore, Australia has been virtually locked down to travelers from the rest of the world for almost two years. It started reopening in November, but only to Australian citizens coming back from overseas and to foreign students. And Australian state governments still have the authority to set their own limits e.g., western Australia remains closed to visitors as it tries to increase the level of booster shots among its residents. Major airlines have been holding back or rescheduling some international flights to Australia as they waited for clarification on the entry restrictions so now they might have to rethink their plans again. The website Simple Flying noted that in the days just before the reopening announcement, Qantas decided to delay the resumption of San Francisco-Sydney service from mid-February to late July, while there is no word on bringing back its SFO-Brisbane and SFO-Melbourne flights, but those plans are now subject to change. Since the reopening announcement, Qantas already decided to bring back Los Angeles-Brisbane flights April 1 and to resume Dallas/Fort Worth-Sydney service Feb. 16. United currently has SFO-Sydney and LAX-Los Angeles service, while American flies from LAX to Sydney, although it suspended that route for May. Delta also flies from LAX to Sydney, while Qantas operates LAX-Sydney and LAX-Melbourne flights. In December, United announced it is forming a partnership with Virgin Australia, putting an end to that carriers similar deal with Delta. Some popular island destinations are also easing up on entry rules. Fijis government said this week that visitors over age 12 can now use a rapid antigen test rather than the more expensive PCR test to meet the countrys requirement of a negative test result no more than 24 hours before departure from their home country. Fiji has also ended its COVID-related curfew and said buses, vans and taxis can now operate at full capacity. It is still enforcing a mask rule, however. Bermuda on March 7 will end its current requirement that vaccinated visitors submit to a COVID test after arrival and quarantine until the test results come in, although they will still have to get a negative pre-departure test result. The Dutch Caribbean destination of Aruba this week dropped its requirement that vaccinated travelers must get a pre-departure COVID test before boarding their flight to the island, although their proof of vaccination must include a booster shot. Across the Atlantic, Morocco has reopened to international leisure travelers after closing its borders and shutting down all airline service in late November amid a COVID surge. Travelers must show proof of vaccination, get a negative PCR test result less than 48 hours before boarding their inbound flight and take a rapid antigen test after arrival in Morocco. Although some European nations have started to ease up on COVID-related entry restrictions for vaccinated foreign visitors (e.g., last month, the U.K. ended its requirement that inbound travelers get a negative result on a COVID test before departing from home, and this week it dropped its rule that international visitors must take a test within two days of arrival), Americans planning to go there should double-check the rules for their destination. Those rules are now changing frequently, and one of the newer amendments involves the timing of your most recent COVID vaccination. At the urging of the European Commission, some nations now require that the vaccinated visitors most recent COVID shot must have been received no more than 270 days (i.e. 9 months) before arrival. That could apply to the last in a regular series of two shots, or to a booster shot. Persons vaccinated more than nine months ago will be considered unvaccinated and might be subject to more stringent requirements such as a post-arrival test and/or quarantine. Example: As of this month, France now requires visitors vaccination certificates to show the most recent dose is less than 9 months old. Chris McGinnis The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to add more countries to its Level 4 do not travel list based on their very high COVID risk. The largest nation to be added this week is Japan although Americans, along with residents of most other countries, are already banned from entry by the Japanese government. Also added to the list this week were Israel, Armenia, Libya, Cuba, Oman and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The list which now numbers 133 nations is intended as a public health advisory only, since the CDC has no authority to ban Americans from traveling. Capetown.travel Bay Area travelers will be able to get year-round one-stop connecting service to Cape Town, South Africa, starting June 5, when United Airlines plans to transition its Newark-Cape Town seasonal service to 12 months a year. The airline said it will operate three flights a week to Cape Town with a 787-9 Dreamliner. It will be the only nonstop service between the U.S. and Cape Town. United has been building up its Africa network in recent years; it currently flies to Johannesburg, South Africa, from Newark and to Accra, Ghana, and Lagos, Nigeria, from its Washington Dulles hub. Delta is planning to ramp up service across the Atlantic this summer, especially to the hubs of its joint venture partners KLM, Air France and Virgin Atlantic, anticipating a boom in travel as reduced entry restrictions unleash a wave of pent-up demand from vacationers. Delta plans to boost frequencies to Amsterdam (for connections on its joint venture partner KLM) from Boston and Minneapolis-St. Paul during May and to increase its Salt Lake City-Paris schedule from four flights a week to daily service April 10. Seattle-London Heathrow service is due to resume May 5, while Deltas Detroit-LHR schedule increases from four flights a week to seven on April 1 and to 12 on May 2. The carrier expects to ramp up to daily Boston-London service April 10 and add a second daily Atlanta-LHR departure May 5. At New York JFK, Delta plans to boost its Lisbon schedule to daily service on April 10 and add a second daily departure to Rome Fiumicino on May 5. Delta also plans to increase Detroit-Munich and DTW-Frankfurt schedules to daily departures during the first week of May. Meanwhile, Air Frances summer schedule revives suspended service on three U.S. routes, including seasonal service three times a week from Denver to Paris CDG starting May 4; up to five weekly flights between Dallas/Fort Worth-CDG beginning March 27; and the revival of daily New York JFK-Paris Orly flights, also on March 27. Overall, Air France is slated to operate to 14 U.S. destinations this summer with almost 200 flights a week, up 20% from the pre-pandemic summer of 2019. American Airlines said this week it has finalized a previously announced plan to invest $200 million for a 5.2% stake in GOL, Brazils largest airline, as the two carriers strengthen their partnership. The combined networks will provide customers with more than 30 destinations in the U.S. served by American and more than 34 new destinations in South America served by GOL, American said. The two networks will connect through GOLs bases at Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo and Americans hubs at Miami and Dallas/Fort Worth. Coming soon, Americans AAdvantage and GOLs SMILES loyalty programs will create the largest joint frequent flyer program in the Americas with enhanced benefits for customers, American said. In other Latin America news, the 5-month-old airline Volaris El Salvador a subsidiary of Mexican ultra-low-cost carrier Volaris has won Transportation Department approval to start flying to the U.S. The airline plans to begin daily flights from San Salvador to Los Angeles International on April 1, three flights a week to Washington Dulles as of March 25 and four a week to New York JFK starting March 16. Fresno Yosemite International Airport will lose some service in March when Frontier Airlines stops flying there. Frontiers only Fresno service is to Denver, a route that is also served by Southwest and United. In other domestic news, American Airlines is bringing hot meals back for some passengers. Starting Feb. 16, American plans to revive hot meal service for first class customers on domestic routes of 3.5 hours or more. Seattle-Tacoma Airport Seattle-Tacoma International Airport said this week it will begin operational readiness testing in the weeks ahead as it prepares its big new $986 million International Arrivals Facility (IAF) for a grand opening this year. The highlight of the IAF is a 450,000-square-foot Grand Hall to process arriving passengers, but the project also includes an extension of the A Concourse and construction of an aerial walkway that allows for international arrivals from SEAs S Concourse. That walkway will soar 85 feet above an active aircraft taxiway. The IAF project will increase the number of SEA gates capable of handling international flights from 12 to 20 an important expansion as Alaska Airlines new membership in Americans Oneworld alliance will mean more international service into SEA. Airport officials said the opening of the IAF will more than double the airports processing capacity for international travelers to 2,600 per hour and will reduce minimum connection times from 90 minutes to 75. The number of baggage claim carousels will increase from four to seven, and the IAF will incorporate enhanced technologies for faster passport check clearance, SEA said. Alaska Airlines, which opened a new passenger lounge at San Francisco International last summer, said it will start work this spring on upgrades to its lounges at the Seattle-Tacoma and Portland airports. At SEA, plans include a 3,000-square-foot expansion of its lounge on the C Concourse (which will remain open during the work), followed by a 6-month closure of its D Concourse lounge. The latter facility will get 30% more seating and enhancements like a bistro bar near the entrance, making it easier for guests to grab a hand-crafted espresso drink when theyre in a hurry, Alaska said. The D Concourse lounge is expected to reopen in summer of 2023. Longer term, Alaska said it plans to build a new 20,000-square-foot lounge as part of SEAs C Concourse expansion, opening in 2026. The airlines lounge at Portland International will remain open as it gets a 1,000-square-foot expansion by this summer, with an enclosed patio extending into Concourse C. Alaska will also open a temporary express lounge at PDXs Concourse B this summer near Gate B2 as it works to build an all-new 10,000-square-foot lounge by 2025-2026. We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. Marion, IN (46952) Today Heavy rain early will transition to showers and thunderstorms for in the afternoon. High 69F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Rain showers early with overcast skies late. Low 46F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Rising traffic deaths, a faltering start to a dangerous-driver crackdown and a botched reopening to cars of a Brooklyn street has plagued the first 40 days of Mayor Adams oversight of the city Transportation Department. The NYPD reported 26 people killed in vehicle crashes this year as of Friday, a 63% increase over the same period of 2021, when the city recorded 16 traffic deaths. Advertisement The victims include a 99-year-old Holocaust survivor run over last Saturday by a BMW driver while crossing the street in his wheelchair in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, and a 10-year-old girl who was killed on a sidewalk Wednesday by a runaway SUV in Far Rockaway, Queens. NYPD Highway Patrol Collision Investigation Squad officers examine the scene at the corner of Oriental Blvd. and Coleridge St. in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn where a 99-year-old Holocaust driver was fatally struck Saturday while riding his motorized wheelchair. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez on Friday visited the site where the young girl was killed in Queens, saying he seeks to stem traffic violence that killed 273 people in 2021, the most in a calendar year since 2013. Advertisement At DOT the team is working 24/7 to come out with a different way of how we redesign the streets, reorganize the signal system, everything we have in our agency to address this epidemic, Rodriguez said. Rodriguez since December has announced plans to implement those street changes by reinforcing 50% of the citys protected bike lanes and redesigning 1,000 intersections but DOT representatives on Friday declined to provide updates on those initiatives progress. Adams and Rodriguez last month announced that cops would issue more failure to yield tickets to drivers who endanger pedestrians in intersections. But NYPD data shows cops actually issued 86 fewer of those tickets in January 2022 than the 2,856 issued during the same month of 2021. DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez at the podium in January as he, NYPD Commissioner Keechant Sewell and Mayor Adams announce measures to increase pedestrian safety on city streets. (Michael Appleton/Mayoral Photography Office) The DOT is also in charge of the citys new Dangerous Vehicle Abatement Program, which was mandated by the City Council and launched late last year after months of delays. The program requires drivers whose cars record at least five red light tickets or 15 speed camera tickets in a 12-month period to take a safe driving course or have their car impounded. DOT spokesman Vin Barone said the program has so far resulted in just 97 driving class participants, and 30 more scheduled to take a class far off from the 3,000 to 6,000 cars city officials in 2020 said would be eligible. A folly by the DOT on Thursday highlighted disorganization within the agency. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > DOT crews dismantled an open street on Willoughby Ave. in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, which officials under former Mayor de Blasio had closed off to most car traffic, Streetsblog reported. The barriers that keep out cars were re-erected hours later in the incident DOT spokesman Barone said was caused by miscommunication. Advertisement During a news conference Friday Adams blamed the mishap on a City Hall staffer who overstepped. People did not elect a staff member, said Adams. If I felt that street should have been open I would have made a public announcement to do so. Jon Orcutt, policy director of the advocacy group Bike New York and a city DOT official under former Mayor Michael Bloomberg, said he expected it would take some time for the citys new transportation team to settle in. Its fair for a new team to take a little while to marshal its information, said Orcutt. We think theyre working on some bike lane design stuff and were waiting to see. With Liam Quigley Local House backs bill on school books, term limits TALLAHASSEE The Florida House on Thursday passed a measure aimed at increasing scrutiny of school library books and instructional materials, while also backing eight-year term limits on school board members. The Republican-controlled House voted 78-40 along almost straight party lines to approve the bill (HB 1467). It is among the most-controversial education proposals of the 2022 legislative session, with Democrats framing it as advancing a culture war issue. Under the measure, parents of students in school districts would have to be included in committees that make recommendations to school boards about the ranking, eliminating or selecting of instructional materials. School districts also would have to adopt procedures that would allow for the regular removal or discontinuance of books in school libraries based on factors such as the books relevance to curriculum and alignment to state academic standards. Florida House of Representatives - Robert Hunter Garrison Bill sponsor Sam Garrison, R-Fleming Island, defended the bill against Democrats attacks during a floor debate Thursday. What this bill is seeking to do is provide transparency to reinforce for parents the security and the confidence that comes with knowing that they can drop their kids off at the local library and be comfortable. They want to encourage their kids to go to the library, Garrison said. But Rep. Joe Geller, D-Aventura, criticized the measure as top heavy because of policies it would force local education officials to adopt. Florida House of Representatives Geller I think its a lot of bureaucracy. I think every responsible school board out there takes parent input. I dont think we need every one of these school districts to work on having another policy thats going to get debated and edited and adopted, Geller said. While Republicans say the measure is geared toward amplifying the voices of parents in their childrens education, the bill also would give the public increased access to review books and other reading materials. For instance, the bill would require school districts to post lists of all instructional materials on websites searchable by the public. Elementary schools would have to publish lists of all books and materials in school media centers. Rep. Mike Gottlieb, D-Davie, pushed back on the part of the bill that would give any person the ability to inspect schools book lists. Giving a racist who lives anywhere in the world the opportunity to infiltrate our communities and to spread their hatred by banning a book that my child might read, that might redirect them, is wrong, Gottlieb said. Democrats also targeted part of the bill that would cap school board members terms at eight years. Rep. Susan Valdes, a Tampa Democrat who is a former Hillsborough County School Board member, argued that the public already can vote out board members in elections. Do we need to get rid of the bad players? Absolutely. Thats why we have elections, Valdes said. My friends, lets think about the educational system in place for our children. And lets not make it more difficult and more bureaucratic to get that done. Democrats also have questioned why term limits wouldnt be addressed through a proposed constitutional amendment. But Rep. Joe Harding, R-Williston, argued that school board members should have term limits just like state lawmakers. I believe in term limits. If theyre good enough for this body, theyre good enough for the president of the United States, they should be good enough across the board in all elected positions, Harding said. Rep. Andrew Learned, D-Brandon, was the only House member to cross party lines, joining Republicans in voting for the bill. A similar Senate bill (SB 1300) needs approval by the Rules Committee before it could be considered on the floor. Florida, US (34429) Today Cloudy skies early. A few showers developing later in the day. Thunder possible. High 88F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Rain showers early with clearing later at night. Thunder possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 50%. Sorry, no valid subscriptions were found for this Publication. Please select from an option below to start a subscription. SUBSCRIBE TODAY! 24 Hour Access Oklahoma City, OK (73106) Today Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 68F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy with late night showers or thunderstorms. Low near 55F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%. An elite Brooklyn prep school backed down from plans to abandon the states mask mandate after getting clarity on the issue from health officials, according to school administrators. Poly Prep Country Day School, an expensive Brooklyn institution, caused a stir with an email to parents that masks would be optional for its 1,100-plus students, a policy that is in conflict with state requirements. Advertisement Under the school plan, as outlined in the email that went out Wednesday, the school would continue to require weekly testing. The Poly Prep Country Day School on 7th Ave. in Dyker Heights, Brooklyn. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) State officials called that decision a violation. Advertisement But in a Friday update distributed to the school community, administrators reversed course, and said the school would comply with state guidelines for now. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Earlier this week, we notified you that we would be moving to a mask-optional policy beginning this Monday, Feb. 14, the updated letter said. However we received clarity today from the NY State Department of Health and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene that such a measure is not permissible under current state- and city-wide restrictions. Accordingly we are going to delay our implementation of this mask-optional policy until it is permissible within state and city regulations. Please continue to send students to school with masks on Monday as has been the policy throughout this year. The letter also urged parents to talk to their children who may be disappointed or confused over the about-face. The community letter was signed by the schools health director, Sarah Zuercher. The back and forth comes days after Gov. Hochul announced plans to lift the states indoor mask mandate in most places but schools, healthcare setting and transportation. That left school administrators having to enforce rules that did not apply to most other venues. School officials said parents had been lobbying for the new policy, putting their money where their masks are. Parents pay up to $32,000 in tuition for their nursery-school students and up to $58,000 for 12th graders. Cerere pentru Depunerea Scrisorii de Intentie (extindere termen limita) - Consolidarea interconexiunilor dintre programele de prevenire HIV si serviciile de sanatate sexual-reproductiva A visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at the MMS- Payne Funeral Home Chapel from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Family will greet friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Grace Ann Harrison passed away on April 26, 2022 at the age of 76 years old. Grace Ann was born to Dryden and Joan Carman Beachwood, OH (44122) Today Periods of rain. High 67F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 48F. SSW winds shifting to NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. The brother of a gunman who shot a city sanitation worker sparked the wild confrontation by threatening to shoot the apartment windows of the victims teenage daughter, prosecutors have charged. Andrew Tracey, 20, was arraigned late Friday on attempted murder and other charges for his role in the Hells Kitchen shooting and was ordered held on $100,000 bail. Traceys brother, Elijah, remains at large. Advertisement The bloody Thursday episode started in the apartment of Traceys teen girlfriend, prosecutors said. NYPD officers and detectives investigate a shooting outside 515 W. 52nd St. Thursday. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) He pulled out a gun, threatened to shoot out the windows, then shouted, You thinking Im joking? Im going to light this s--- up! according to a criminal complaint. Advertisement The teen pleaded with him to put the gun away, and he stormed into a bedroom, where she could hear him say, Its jammed, according to the complaint: cops later found a bullet on the floor. The teen called her father who headed over to W. 52nd St. near 10th Ave., bringing another sanitation worker with him, police sources said. Tracey, meanwhile, called his brother Elijah and asked to be picked up all the while arguing with his girlfriend on the street, according to assistant district attorney Sidney Balman III. When Elijah Tracey arrived, he started to punch the teen, Balman said. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Her dad showed up to confront Andrew Tracey, and they fought, with the girls father quickly getting the better of him, prosecutors charged. Investigators gathered outside 515 W. 52nd St. on Thursday after an off-duty sanitation worker was shot and injured. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) Video shows the sanitation worker dad throwing Andrew Tracey to the ground and repeatedly kicking him, while screaming Dont do that! Dont do that! to Traceys brother Elijah. Andrew Tracey grabbed a gun and some other items from his gun and chambered a round, Balman said at his arraignment. Elijah Tracey then took the gun from his brother and fired three times, striking the girls dad in the pelvis and leg, Balman said. The shooting is captured on cell phone video, recorded from a nearby apartment. NYPD officers are seen outside 515 W. 52nd St. on Thursday after the shooting of an off-duty sanitation worker. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) Andrew Tracey hopped into the dads car and drove off, then crashed it around the corner, Balman said. He got into his brothers car, and the two sped off. At some point, he threw the gun into a river, Balman said. Advertisement Afterward, the teen got threatening messages, warning her about snitching, while she was at the hospital, prosecutors said. Tracey remains held on Rikers Island, and is due back in court Wednesday. Clinton, IA (52732) Today Cloudy and windy at times with occasional rain...mainly in the morning. High around 50F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 36F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph. Less than two months after Coloradans suffered the states most destructive wildfire in history, lawmakers are trying to change the way insurance companies handle wildfire losses. If passed, House Bill 1111 would increase the amount of lost property insurance providers have to cover upfront and extend the timeframe victims have to rebuild their homes. The proposed changes would only apply to future declared fire disasters, which would not help the victims of the Marshall fire that destroyed more than 1,000 Boulder County homes in December. Sponsor Rep. Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, said the bill was inspired by the East Troublesome fire, the second-largest wildfire in state history which burned 193,812 acres in Grand County in October 2020. Colorados first- and third-largest wildfires also burned across the state that same year. We heard from a lot of people that they suffered a second trauma after losing their homes. That trauma was figuring out how to get their claims processed and how to get paid what they felt they were owed, Amabile said. This bill wont help the people in the Marshall fire and it wont help the people in the East Troublesome fire, but it will help people in the next fire. During the bills first committee hearing Thursday, dozens of wildfire victims said increasing lost property coverage would be especially helpful. Under the bill, insurance providers would be required to cover at least 65% of the value of lost property upfront. Current law only requires 30% to be covered without the victims creating an inventory of their lost property, a process victims called unnecessarily difficult and traumatizing. Jon Pratt lost his home in Grand Lake during the East Troublesome fire. A State Farm customer for 45 years, Pratt was forced to document every item in his home in order to receive more than 30% of the value including every items age, condition, cost, where they were purchased and proof of purchase. Weve been put through hell. It took us eight months my wife crying again and again and again to document everything, Pratt said. 4-ounce mustard, one full in the cabinet, one half-full in the refrigerator. Salt. Pepper. $1 items all the way up to $80,000 items. Then you submit it, and they dont pay you. Pratt said it took over a year for him to settle his claim with State Farm after the company offered him a payment that was 50% of what they ended up settling on. He said the company ignored photos of the house, official quotes and plans for rebuilding and they are still in dispute over additional payments. We had to fight tooth and nail for every single nickel that we received, Pratt said. I talked to four lawyers over a one-year period and, along the way, everyone said the same thing: Their goal is to pay as little, as slow as possible. I can attest to that. This bill does not fix everything, but it goes a long way to moving things forward in the right direction. Other victims of the East Troublesome fire spoke of similar issues. One victim said their inventory totaled over $500,000, but 16 months later, they have only received $209,000. Another victim said his insurance company ignored photos and blueprints of his house and, two months after the fire, he had received no support or answers, despite others with different insurance providers having already been paid out and living in a rental home. Mark Reinowski, who lost his home in the Marshall fire, said these insurance issues have not changed since the East Troublesome fire. Reinowski said his insurance company, Amica, only offered him 30% of content coverage without an inventory, while his neighbors insurance companies offered between 75% and 100% upfront without an inventory. (Those who lost their homes) didnt know theyd have to fight for this, Reinowski said. It really is about bringing the bar up to the best practices that are already happening with some insurers in the industry and taking that anxiety off of the homeowners. The bill would also require insurance companies to provide additional time for wildfire victims to rebuild their homes, covering victims living expenses and offering a primary point of contact. Currently, insurance companies only give victims 12 months to rebuild. Under the bill, victims would get a minimum of 24 months with two six-month extension opportunities. Victims could also rebuild in a different location or buy a new home instead. Bob Hughes, a consultant of the Grand County Builders Association, called the current 12-month time limit virtually impossible due to shortages of housing, contractors and building materials in areas devastated by wildfires. Hughes, who lost his own home in the East Troublesome fire, came out of retirement to assist in rebuilding after the fire. Not one home in Grand County was rebuilt in that (12-month) time period. Out of 366, not one person was able to meet that criteria, Hughes said. Fewer than 10 homes will actually be completed in the 24-month limit. After more than three hours of testimony from wildfire victims and industry experts, the House business committee advanced the bill in a 10 to 2 vote, with Rep. Shane Sandridge, R-Colorado Springs, and Rep. Kevin Van Winkle, R-Highlands Ranch, voting no. Van Winkle said he was not sure the bill will properly address the issues that wildfire victims face regarding insurance. Many of the victims noted theyre happy to take any step towards creating a better system. Craig Swift, who lost his home in the Marshall fire, called the current system a nightmare. Insurance is supposed to be there to help us rebuild our lives when the unthinkable happens, Swift said through tears, not to make the process as painful and as difficult as possible. Colorado Politics is published both in print and online. Our website features subscriber-only news stories daily, designed for public policy arena professionals. Member subscribers also receive the weekly print edition of our award-winning newspaper, containing outstanding features and news stories, in their mailboxes every Saturday. A hit-and-run motorist blamed for the death of a 16-year-old cyclist on a Queens street last year has been arrested and jailed, authorities said Friday. Christian Soriano, 27, was driving a rented 2019 Toyota Camry last June 4 when he tried to pass another car by crossing double yellow lines on College Point Blvd. near 18th Ave. in College Point, police said. Advertisement As Soriano pulled the dangerous maneuver, he crashed head-on into cyclist Darwin Durazno, who was riding on College Point Blvd., said police. Hit-run crash victim Darwin Durazno After the collision, Soriano kept going east across nearby 15th Ave., said cops. Advertisement Shortly after the crash, police found the ditched Enterprise Rent-A-Car vehicle several blocks from the scene, near 120th St. Medics rushed Durazno to Jacobi Hospital, where he was declared brain dead. Durazno was kept on life support for three days so doctors could harvest his organs, the teens stepfather told the Daily News at the time. The doctor said that the organs could save eight lives, Jose Bernal said in June. My son cant make it but he can save eight lives. The organs are in perfect condition because he is a young kid. The deadly crash June 4 in College Point, Queens broke Darwin Durazzo's bike into two pieces. Durazzo was rushed to a hospital, but could not be saved. (Gardiner Anderson/for New York Daily News) Police arrested Soriano Wednesday on charges including second-degree manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. Following an arraignment at Queens Criminal Court, Soriano, a resident of Corona, was ordered held on bail of $500,000 cash or $500,000 bond. He is being held at Rikers Island pending his next court appearance. The Missourians Opinion section is a public forum for the discussion of ideas. The views presented in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Missourian or the University of Missouri. If you would like to contribute to the Opinion page with a response or an original topic of your own, visit our submission form As the Cubs were beating the Braves 6-3 Wednesday night Steve left to see the game with his mom and dad, Reva and Harold, brother Ron and baby niece Elizabeth Henney. He left behind to run the store his wife Kathleen (Knight), Amelia (27), Nathan (24) and his beloved cat Lewis Black. His sis Dean of Institutional Equity and Inclusion Rodmon Cedric King has been named the next dean of institutional equity and inclusion at Connecticut College. Rodmon Cedric King, currently the chief diversity and inclusion officer at the State University of New York at Oswego, has been named the next dean of institutional equity and inclusion at Connecticut College. He will begin his new role Jan. 31. As Conns new dean of institutional equity and inclusion, King will be responsible for advancing full participation as a strategic priority. This includes implementing the next phase of the Colleges Equity and Inclusion Action Plan; overseeing the ongoing strength of Unity House, the LGBTQIA Center, the Womens Center, Hillel House and the Chapel; and supporting a strong team of professional staff in their work on equity and compliance, race and ethnicity, gender and sexuality, religion and spirituality, accessibility services, bias education and response, sexual violence prevention, and intergroup dialogue. Trained as a philosopher, King earned a bachelors degree from Roberts Wesleyan College, and a master of arts and doctorate in ancient philosophy from the University of Rochester. As a member of the philosophy department at Hobart and William Smith Colleges from 20052015, he won awards for his teaching, mentoring and community service while also establishing his leadership in equity and inclusion. He served as an adviser to the Black Student Union; represented the Consortium for Faculty Diversity; and co-founded Tools for Social Change, a dialogue-driven initiative to advance equity in the Finger Lakes regiona program that continues to this day. King moved to Centre College in 2015, transitioning fully into administration as associate vice president for academic affairs and diversity initiatives. From there, he was recruited to SUNY, where he was tasked with creating the first division of diversity, equity and inclusion at Oswego while taking on roles of increasing responsibility for the SUNY system as a whole. At Oswego, King has been responsible for elevating the Colleges strategic efforts around equity, including the launch of a three-year Grand Challenge on race, racism, and social justice and the design of a new Institute for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Transformative Practice. He has worked with student government and countless student leaders on equity initiatives; directed the universitys DEI Advisory Council; chaired the BIPOC faculty and staff coalition; and made efforts to improve city-campus relations with leaders in the city of Oswego. As deputy chief diversity officer for the SUNY system, he has helped design and assess DEI plans; chaired the systems Diversity Advisory Council; and launched a new Native American Initiative. He has also served in a leadership capacity on other SUNY campuses when circumstances have required it. Chakena D. Perry 16 Appointed Commissioner Conn grad has been appointed to the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District in Chicago. Chakena D. Perry 16 has been fighting for voting rights since before she was old enough to vote. Now, as the newly appointed commissioner on the Board of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD), shell be fighting to protect the health and safety of citizens and waterways in the greater Chicago area. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker appointed Perry in early January, stating that her commitment to equity, environmental justice and fighting climate change will help lift up communities across Chicago and have a positive impact across Cook County. Pritzker added that he is delighted that the MWRD board will be able to count on Chakenas professional expertise and lived experience as a young, dynamic, Black woman as they work to serve the diverse communities of Cook County. At the age of 28, Perry, who previously served as an aide to MWRD Commissioner Josina Morita, is the youngest member of the Board. Over the past three years, Ive worked every day to advance green infrastructure, better land use management and clean energy initiatives at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District, and Im honored that I will be continuing that work as a commissioner, Perry said. As a resident of the south suburbs, Im proud to stand up for my community and all Cook County residents as we safeguard their health and safety and our waterways, Perry added. MWRD President Kari K. Steele welcomed Perrys appointment, focusing on her experience and leadership skills. We welcome Chakena D. Perry to the MWRD Board of Commissioners and thank Gov. Pritzker for appointing a qualified and deserving candidate whose knowledge of the MWRD runs deep, Steele said. As we transition to a new year with new challenges amid a pandemic, it is encouraging to have a leader we can count on in protecting our water environment. Perry earned a bachelors degree in history from Connecticut College and is currently pursuing a master of arts in public policy at the University of Chicagos Harris School of Public Policy. Before joining the MWRD, Perry held an array of professional positions, including deputy press secretary for the Chicago Public Schools. Her passion for civic engagement and voting rights advocacy previously led her to serve as president of Chicago Votes Action Fund and chair of the Cook County Young Democrats. Additionally, she has received many honors, including The Posse Foundations Ainslie Alumni Achievement Award and the WE Will Young Woman of the Year award. She has also been recognized as a Chicago Scholars 35 Under 35 honoree and a Quad City Urban Leagues Womens Empowerment honoree. Corsicana, TX (75110) Today Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. High 79F. S winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 66F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Weather Alert ...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 1230 AM CDT FOR SEARCY...EASTERN NEWTON...MARION...NORTHWESTERN VAN BUREN... SOUTHEASTERN BOONE AND NORTHEASTERN POPE COUNTIES... At 1207 AM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Pyatt to near Maumee to near Woolum, moving east at 55 mph. HAZARD...60 mph wind gusts. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees. Locations impacted include... Bull Shoals... Marshall... Yellville... Flippin... Bergman... Western Grove... Pyatt... Valley Springs... Dugger... Olvey... Marsena... Witts Spring... Rocky Hill... Duff... Moore... Lakeway... Dabney... Clark Hill... Point Peter... Maumee... PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 100 AM CDT for central Arkansas. For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. && HAIL THREAT...RADAR INDICATED; MAX HAIL SIZE... Weather Alert ...A strong thunderstorm will impact portions of eastern Perry, southeastern Van Buren, southern Cleburne, northwestern Lonoke, Conway, Faulkner, western White, central Saline, east central Yell, northern Pulaski and southeastern Pope Counties through 130 AM CDT... At 1240 AM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking a strong thunderstorm over Wooster, or 8 miles north of Conway, moving east at 45 mph. HAZARD...Winds in excess of 40 mph. SOURCE...Radar indicated. IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Little Rock... North Little Rock... Conway... Benton... Sherwood... Cabot... West Little Rock... Maumelle... Bryant... Morrilton... Perryville... Southwest Little Rock... North Little Rock Airport... Greenbrier... Haskell... Vilonia... Atkins... Pottsville... Mayflower... Wooster... This includes the following highways... Interstate 30 between mile markers 108 and 123. Interstate 40 between mile markers 88 and 150. Interstate 430 between mile markers 3 and 12. Interstate 630 between mile markers 6 and 7. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a building. A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 400 AM CDT for central, southwestern and north central Arkansas. && MAX HAIL SIZE...0.00 IN; MAX WIND GUST...40 MPH Supporting his brother in a quarrel with his ex-teen girlfriends sanitation worker father led Andrew Tracey to be arrested Friday on attempted murder and other charges, police said. Tracey, 20, was nabbed at his Manhattan home in the Thursday shooting of the sanitation worker in Hells Kitchen, which was captured in video viewed by the Daily News. Advertisement The shooting occurred as the sanitation worker showed up to W. 52nd St. near 10th Ave. after receiving a call from his 15-year-old daughter that she was arguing with her ex-boyfriend, sources said. With the worker was a fellow Sanitation Department employee. NYPD officers and detectives at the scene of the shooting Thursday outside 515 W. 52nd St. in Manhattan. (Barry Williams/for New York Daily News) The girls father threw to the ground a person sources identified as the ex-boyfriend, and then kicked him repeatedly, the video shows. Advertisement When Tracey came to his brothers aid, the colleague of the teen girls father screamed at him: Dont do that! Dont do that! The colleague of the girls father pushed Tracey up against a car while the father continued to kick his daughters old flame, the video shows. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > The ex-boyfriend got up from the pavement and ran down the block. Then, he returned to the car and grabbed something from its trunk, the video shows. Tracey ran to his beaten brother and pushed him back as the sanitation worker walked toward them. Tracey then grabbed the item from his brothers hand, which appears to be a gun. He then turned toward the sanitation worker and fired off three shots, striking him once in the thigh, the video shows. When the wounded mans daughter ran toward him screaming, Tracey raised the gun toward her, prompting her to step back. Medics took the wounded sanitation worker to Mount Sinai Morningside hospital in stable condition. Besides attempted murder, Tracey was charged with assault, grand larceny, and criminal possession of a weapon, cops said. He has no criminal record. Advertisement Traceys arraignment was pending Friday in Manhattan Criminal Court. A 15-year-old boy has been arrested and charged with hate crimes in two separate Brooklyn assaults just minutes apart, police said Friday. The teen, whose name is being withheld by police due to his age, was arrested Thursday in connection to a back-to-back punching spree Feb. 4. Advertisement In one assault, the boy was caught on camera sneaking up behind a Hasidic man walking with another person on Stockton St. near Marcy Ave. in Bedford-Stuyvesant just after 10:25 p.m., cops said. The teen sucker-punched the 24-year-old man and took off, officials said. Advertisement Medics treated the man on the scene. About ten minutes earlier, the teen had socked another victim in the head just a block away, at the corner of Myrtle Ave. and Marcy Ave., cops said. A police spokesperson could not provide details on the victim in the earlier assault, but the NYPDs Hate Crimes Task Force described both incidents as anti-Jewish hate crimes. The teen was hit with assault and hate crime charges. An effort to provide a five-day waiver on the 180-day school-year requirement intended to help districts that canceled classes due to COVID-related staffing shortages and to garner Democratic votes for continuing a limited set of COVID orders first issued by Gov. Ned Lamont failed largely over opposition from the governors administration. The waiver was one of the notable changes lawmakers proposed for the 11 orders that Lamont requested be continued. But it was struck from the final bill the House passed late Thursday by a vote of 86-62, with nine Democrats voting with Republicans. It was something that I felt was important to some colleagues, House Speaker Matt Ritter, D-Hartford, said Friday. But it shows what adult legislators do. You dont vote no because you dont get everything you want. Ritter had fervently defended the proposal following 11th-hour opposition from the state Department of Education ahead of the House vote. The state education department argued students have already lost enough time in the classroom. The department is deeply concerned about any proposal that would deprive students of the learning opportunities to which they are entitled; such a proposal is not in the best educational interests of our students and is simply not equitable, Eric Scoville, spokesperson for the department, said in a written statement. Ritter said the proposal could come up as an individual bill later in the session, which ends May 4. The reaction is not that people arent willing to entertain it. The feeling is to see how many districts want to avail themselves of it and see where we are in April, Ritter said. Local school boards wouldve had the option to decide if they want to waive up to five days, and it would not have been mandated. The waiver was supported by school officials who welcomed the added flexibility as they figure out how to make up lost days due to COVID. The change wouldve only applied to the 2021-22 school year. Districts, historically, sometimes make up days during April vacation. They try not to have school too late in June because many of their buildings are not air conditioned and its not a productive learning environment, said Patrice McCarthy, deputy director and general counsel for the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education, which was in favor of the waiver. The concern for most school officials now is how to handle masks in schools since that decision is expected to be up to them starting at the end of this month, McCarthy said. Were hopeful as we move to perhaps not having masks in school that we dont have more closures in the coming weeks, she added. Ansonia Public Schools were among the hardest hit by staffing shortages during the omicron surge, canceling classes for almost a full week of school. I didnt say we have four days and were going to Turks and Caicos, Superintendent Joseph DiBacco said in an interview Friday. We got hit disproportionately hard. DiBacco, who said he asked lawmakers for the waiver, said it was a tough decision. He said he didnt want kids to have less time in the classroom, but hes also worried about their mental health given how taxing the pandemic has been on them, and wanted them to have time to spend with their families before summer programs and other activities start. The last day of school was supposed to be June 6, but is now June 14 given the four missed days due COVID staffing shortages and two snow days, he said. Connecticut law allows districts to request permission from the state Board of Education to shorten the school year due to an unavoidable emergency. Ritter said the thinking is to allow impacted districts like Ansonia to try that avenue first and then come back to the legislature to reintroduce the waiver proposal, if needed. The feeling was it was too broad when maybe only very few districts actually need it, Ritter said But DiBacco said its highly unlikely such a request would be granted by the state. I wouldnt waste my time, he said. Theres never going to be a time when the state Department of Education says kids can go to school less and were OK with that. I would love to know the pass rate on that waiver process. According to data from the state department of education, the average length of a closure in Connecticut was less than two days, and the last day of school for most districts ranges from May 26 to June 21. julia.bergman@hearstmediact.com Connecticuts Department of Consumer Protection began accepting applications for micro-cultivator cannabis licenses Thursday, the start of a 90-day window for submissions. The licenses will be awarded through a lottery process. The application window for micro-cultivators closes May 11. Micro-cultivators can grow cannabis for recreational and medicinal use. Their facilities are smaller than other cultivators, at 2,000 to 10,000 square feet of grow space. READ MORE: What you need to know about Connecticuts recreational pot licensing process READ MORE: These Connecticut towns are banning recreational marijuana sales, use The state plans to license two general micro-cultivators and two social equity applicants in the first lottery round. More licenses will be awarded through further lottery rounds on a rolling basis, depending on market needs. Social equity status is determined through income and residency. Half of licenses through the lottery system are set aside for social equity applicants to ensure the new market benefits those who were disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. READ MORE: Legal weed in CT: Your questions answered Applications are available online. Those with questions can email dcp.cannabis@ct.gov, according to a Thursday news release. The Department of Consumer Protection has already opened the application periods for non-lottery applications for cultivators in disproportionately impacted areas and lottery applications for recreational retailers. Curious about cannabis in Connecticut? Sign up for a weeklong email series to learn more. Applications for medical producers and dispensaries that want to expand into the recreational markets are also open, as are applications for joint equity ventures. Recreational cannabis in Connecticut was legalized in June 2021. Retail sales are expected to begin by the end of this year, according to the states news release. Its brick and limestone facade and sprawling grounds invoke the features of a castle. While the home on 544 Oenoke Ridge in New Canaan might not be royal structure, it did have some notable residents and a room inspired by a real-life castle. Listed for $16.9 million, the New Canaan home was designed by New York architect William B. Tubby, the architect behind the towns Waveny House, as well as Dunnellen Hall in Greenwich and the William H. Childs House in Brooklyns Prospect Park. According to managing broker Danielle Malloy, Tubby built the Oenoke Ridge property for the Taggart family, the chief counsel for the Rockefellers. The Taggarts were the first of four families to own the property. The second family in the 70s was the mayor of Mexico City, billionaire Carlos Hank [Gonzalez], who bought the house to raise his two kids in New Canaan she said. Theres this big beautiful stone wall around the property that he built in the 80s that you could never build again today. Its about 9 feet high and 1,500 feet wide, which he did for privacy and security at the time. By the late 1990s, Malloy said another owner purchased the home and brought in New Canaan-based architect Dinyar Wadia to lead an $8 million renovation and addition project, which added another 9,000 square feet to the home. The current owners purchased the property in 2014 and enlisted Wadia again. They wanted to preserve the integrity of the house, she said. They spent three years and $6.5 million extensively renovating and reconstructing and almost rebuilding some parts. Its a Tudor-style home, but they wanted to have more of an Elizabethan era-type home, where its more cultural and artistic with an English Renaissance architectural vibe to it. Nest Seekers International Greenwich / Contributed Photo One of the features that stands out to Malloy is the great room, which was inspired by a real-life Scottish castle. The owner loved the design of Duart Castle in Scotland, which is featured in the movie, Entrapment, she said. So they designed it based off that room in the castle, but it has these gorgeous 35-foot ceilings and this very rare Tunisian marble flooring thats all heated. The great room is one part of the 35-room estate, which has 25,000 square feet of living space, 12 bedrooms and 12 full bathrooms. Theres also a four-bedroom guest house on the over 6-acre property. According to Malloy, each room in the home has its own little personality and history, due to the attention to detail throughout. All of the woodwork was all hand-carved in most of the rooms, she said. The molding and ornamental plaster work was all imported from the same plaster house that designed the Windsor Castle. Nest Seekers International Greenwich / Contributed Photo Nest Seekers International Greenwich / Contributed Photo Nest Seekers International Greenwich / Contributed Photo Details part of the home on 544 Oenoke Ridge in New Canaan. Nest Seekers International Greenwich / Contributed Photos With all of these unique features part of the property, Malloy said the home is getting both local and far-flung attention. A lot of buyers from China are really coming into the area, which has been a trend Ive seen, she said. Im also seeing a lot of families from down south, like Del Ray or Boca Raton. For Malloy, the interest in the house matches both its history and its grandeur. Its such an iconic property, she said. Its the crown jewel of New Canaan. With its unique details attracting attention from near and far, Malloy said they make the home hard to replicate elsewhere. Dinyar Wadia had said that couldnt even rebuild this house, Malloy recalled. The house alone would cost you $25 million just to rebuild, but you cant even get some of these things that were imported anymore. Theres a French Renaissance fireplace mantel, and you just cant get these things again. Another unique feature part of the property: the 5,000 square-foot wellness center that houses a yoga studio, gym, massage therapy rooms and sauna, along with a pool house and kitchen. Theres also a cottage that contains a full bar, living room and bathroom. Malloy said the current owners use all of these spaces for hosting private events and fundraisers, with the terrace holding 100 people at once for one of these events. There is also a movie theater room, observation deck, billiard room and a library inside the main house. NEW LONDON A Groton man was charged Friday in connection with two incidents where police say he rammed a cop car and was found in possession of more than 17 grams of crack cocaine. Members of the New London Police Departments Vice and Narcotic Unit and the Statewide Narcotics Task Force served two outstanding arrest warrants to Hassan Ibrahim, 30, on Friday at his Groton home. The arrest warrants stemmed from two incidents one in August and another from last month, police said. The first incident occurred Aug. 26. Officers stopped a car that Ibrahim was driving for a violation. Police said Ibrahim ran away and officers found 17.6 grams of crack cocaine packaged for sale in the car. Last month, police saw Ibrahim driving a car and knew an active warrant was out for his arrest. Ibrahim parked alongside a gas pump at a convenience store on Broad Street and officers pulled into the lot in marked cruisers, according to police. Ibrahim rammed into one of the police cruisers and then drove off, police said. The officer in the cruiser was not injured. Police engaged in a brief pursuit before it was called off, police said. Police said they later received a report of a vehicle involved in a crash near Wall and West High streets. Police said the vehicle matched the description of the car Ibrahim was driving and the driver reportedly ran off following the incident. There were two additional crashes involving the same car after Ibrahim rammed into the police cruiser, police said. Police determined that the car Ibrahim drove was stolen from Ledyard. Police said they also found a facsimile firearm on the drivers side. For the August incident, Ibrahim was charged with possession of narcotics, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, interfering with a police officer and operating a motor vehicle without headlamps. For the January incident, Ibrahim was charged with first-degree reckless endangerment, interfering with a police officer, first-degree criminal mischief, third-degree criminal mischief, weapon in a motor vehicle, first-degree larceny, engaging an officer in a pursuit, reckless driving, three counts of evading responsibility, operating under suspension, operating without a license, misuse of marker plates, failure to obey a stop sign and failure to maintain the established lane. He was held on a $535,000 bond for both of the incidents, police said. 99 cent introductory offer Includes everything we offer online for 24-7 news. This option allows you to read unlimited stories at ctnewsonline.com, and access our e-Edition (digital replicate of the daily newspaper). $7.99 per month after the introductory offer. This service comes with a complimentary CT Select Card allowing for local discounts. Rates are subject to change. BRIDGEPORT Fire departments around the country are struggling to attract new hires. But not Bridgeport it seems. When Fire Chief Lance Edwards announced he was looking to fill 50 open positions in the Bridgeport Fire Department at a Feb. 9 press conference, he was expecting to get a few hundred people to sign up for a physical fitness exam over the next few days, called the Candidate Physical Ability Test, or CPAT. It turned out that a lot of people are interested in becoming a Bridgeport firefighter. As of three hours ago, over 500 people have signed up to take this exam, Edwards said. The department is set to start accepting applications on Monday to fill open positions throughout the department, which is also making a push at increasing diversity within the ranks. And people have questions about pay, training and even grooming standards, all of which Edwards readily explained to Hearst Connecticut Media. If someone wants to be a Bridgeport firefighter, all they need is a valid drivers license, and at least a high school diploma or GED, Edwards said. Pay starts at $53,698 with health insurance and benefits. Firefighter training lasts 16 weeks, he said. In order to become a firefighter, an applicant has to pass the CPAT exam. It consists of wearing a 50 pound vest and 25 pound weights approximating the feel of a 75 pound loadout. Because the test is physically demanding, applicants are not allowed to run. Applicants have 10 minutes and 20 seconds to complete several tasks, including stair climbing, handling a fire hose, using equipment, including ladders, and search and rescue. Edwards said the CPAT is a tough test but the department has a training facility open to the public. People interested in joining can train there with instructors before taking the test. But Edwards said the CPAT isnt designed to be hard for its own sake. The training, he said, is supposed to push people to their limits. We want people to be challenged and really pushed to the brink of them even considering giving up because we dont want anyone who is going to give up. We want people who are going to be able to push through perseverance, he said. Applicants might think that being a firefighter means that theyre constantly battling blazes, but Lt. Monique Moore, who also spoke at the conference, said the reality is different but no less crucial. Seventy percent of what we do are medical calls. One of the greatest things I found is a woman saw me on the street, she goes, Oh my God, you saved my life. And I'm looking at her like, I dont remember carrying her out of a building. And you know what was saving her life, we got her keys out of the elevator shaft. That was saving her life for her because everything she had was on those set of keys, Moore said. The fire department has recently released a YouTube video featuring Moore who explained her career and its impact on her as part of their outreach efforts. Becoming a firefighter is hard on the muscles, but not on the wallet, Edwards said. We absorb 100 percent of the cost of the academy. They also get paid when they go to school. This is paid training, Edwards said. He recommends that potential applicants practice at the public facility, free of charge, before they take the CPAT test. This also goes for otherwise physically fit individuals. Just because someone is in good shape doesnt mean theyre able to pass easily, he said. What does matter more, is someones endurance level, he said. The facility is also open to non-Bridgeport residents. Applicants dont have a hard time passing the physical exam as long as they adequately prepare, he said. During a previous hiring push, 600 applicants took the physical exam and 400 passed. But after that, its a full time commitment, he said. People who attend the fire academy must stay at the fire academy Monday through Friday. But applicants dont get a do-over if they fail the written exam. It's one shot, he said. Do applicants have to cut all their hair off in order to attend the fire academy? Edwards reassured people they can still keep their hair, but beards arent allowed. You cannot go through it with a beard. But you don't have to shave your head. You certainly want to be presentable, Edwards said. While Bridgeport is looking to hire more firefighters, Edwards said the department is not suffering from an employee exodus. As of now, there are 13 vacancies but the number is expected to grow over the next year as more employees are up for retirement. The reason behind the retirements has little to do with COVID. Edwards said it has to do with hiring practices. Typically, in the past, historically Bridgeport and a lot of large municipalities hire in large blocks. So usually people retire in large blocks. That's the only reason, he said. But Edwards said that the department also wants a diverse workforce. He explained that a team made up of people who dont look alike or think alike tends to perform better. Now the department is making a concentrated push to hire more people of color. It just makes sense, especially when it comes to communication, Edwards said, noting that its good to have members who speak different languages. Above all, Edwards said the department wants firefighters with heart and integrity. We're looking for people with high integrity and want to work in a diverse workforce and serve the residents here, he said. Two teenage brothers were charged with attempted murder in the stray-bullet shooting of an off-duty cop at a Harlem public housing complex, police said Saturday. Paris Francis, 17, and Prince Francis, 16, were arrested Friday night and charged in the Feb. 5 shooting of Officer Robert Manley, 47, outside the Manhattanville Houses community center on Broadway near W. 130th St., officials said. Advertisement The teens are being charged as adults in Manhattan Supreme Court. Manley, a 15-year NYPD veteran assigned to a public housing patrol unit in the Bronx, was attending a memorial service in the community center, located in a building where the brothers mother and younger siblings live, officials said. Advertisement A surveillance camera caught the boys entering the building and spending about an hour inside. As they scoped out the memorial service, they left and returned several times, according to a criminal complaint. The teen boys, ages 17 and 16, were arrested Friday night and charged in the Feb. 5 shooting of Robert Manley, 47, outside the Manhattanville Houses community center on Broadway near W. 130th St. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) When the boys ducked into the service, attendees observed that they acted strangely, prosecutors said. Back in the front of the community center, the younger Francis was caught on camera pointing a gun at people inside the building lobby. Within a minute, Paris Francis fired off three shots outside the community center, sending Manley and others nearby fleeing for cover. One man broke his elbow as he dove out of the line of fire, prosecutors said. The brothers returned to their mothers building and disappeared in a stairwell. Police are still investigating if the shooting stemmed from an earlier dispute. Manley at first didnt realize hed been shot, but as he described what he saw to responding officers, he started to feel pain in his left foot, cops said. The wound was minor, and he left Mount Sinai/Morningside Hospital hours later. The teen boys, ages 17 and 16, were arrested Friday night and charged in the Feb. 5 shooting of Robert Manley, 47, outside the Manhattanville Houses community center on Broadway near W. 130th St. (Jeff Bachner/for New York Daily News) The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > Police charged Paris Francis with attempted murder, assault on a police officer with a deadly weapon and criminal possession of a weapon. Prince Francis is charged with attempted murder. Advertisement Both boys have previous arrests and ties to gang violence, prosecutors allege. Paris Francis has been identified by the NYPD as one of the Top 10 shooters in all of NYC, having been present in at least three shootings in the past year. Prince Francis is out on bail for an attempted murder charge for allegedly shooting a group of kids on a busy sidewalk while he was with his mother and siblings. His gunfire hit one person and narrowly missed a crowded bus. While he has been out on bail, Prince Francis has been charged with robbery, gang assault and the shooting of Officer Manley, prosecutors said. Both brothers were held without bail following their arraignments. Manley was the seventh NYPD officer shot this year. The others include officers Jason Rivera, 22, and Wilbert Mora, 27, who were slain as they as they responded to a domestic disturbance call in a Harlem apartment Jan. 21. BRIDGEPORT Miguel Betancur Lenis is learning to listen. Lenis, 33, is in his third year as a seminarian for the Diocese of Bridgeport. He is currently studying at St. Josephs Seminary in Yonkers, N.Y., and plans to be ordained as a transitional deacon this spring. That is the last step before joining the priesthood. As part of his education, Lenis who is originally from Colombia has spent one day a week at St. Vincents Medical Center in Bridgeport, doing pastoral care training. For four hours each Wednesday, he meets with patients, prays with them, and is generally present for their spiritual needs. Not all the patients he visits with are Catholic, or have any faith at all. Some are people who, despite their illness, want a sounding board for their complaints with the church. One of the encounters I had was with a person who wasnt a believer and used to be Catholic, Lenis said. She was completely against the Catholic faith, but we had a nice conversation. She had wanted, for a long time, to express how she felt. I wasnt debating. I was just listening. The latter situation took place during a recent shift, Lenis said, and, for him, it was a lesson in the importance of being there for people. Lenis is one of three men receiving pastoral care training at St. Vincents Medical Center. The hospital started the program at least six years ago through a collaboration with the Diocese of Bridgeport, said Deacon Tim Bolton, manager of the pastoral care department at St. Vincents. The training was suspended for roughly a year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, but, in September, the latest crop of seminarians started receiving training at the hospital. Their training includes learning about such topics as infection prevention and ethical and religious directives for health care. But the major piece of the training, Bolton said, is spending time with the patients all kinds of patients. Theyre visiting patients from various denominations, Bolton said. Theyre not just visiting Catholic patients. They get exposed to a pretty broad variety of folks. In addition to Lenis, the seminarians getting trained at St. Vincents are Ferry Galbert, 36, and Andrew LaFleur, 24. For Galbert, the hospital setting is at least somewhat familiar, as he is a registered nurse and spent five years working at Stamford Hospital. But offering pastoral care is different from offering medical care, Galbert said. Its really been a blessing for myself and the other men, too, just to be an instrument the lord can use and to use us just by being present, said Galbert, who is originally from Haiti. LaFleur, a Bridgeport native, said hes not had a lot of opportunities to visit with patients so far. He said many of the times hes been scheduled to be with a patient, hes not been able to get in the room, either because that patient has been put in isolation, or for some other reason. Sometimes theres a sign on the door that says Please do not disturb and you have to respect that, LaFleur said. However, he said the lack of access doesnt mean he isnt learning about how to exercise his faith in the healthcare setting. This type of work has encouraged me or almost pushed me into not being afraid of certain things, LaFleur said. You cant be stuck in your head. You have to be with people. LaFleur said the frequency with which clergy visit the hospital depends on where theyre assigned. If their church is in a big city, its more likely for them to visit the hospital. Bolton said many denominations require pastoral education as part of their training to become clergy, but Catholicism doesnt. However, some places offer it, including the Diocese of Bridgeport. The first seminarian to do pastoral training at St. Vincents through this current arrangement was Fr. Christopher Ford, now vocations director for the diocese. He said he largely ended up training at St. Vincents because Bolton was a family friend. However, the experience offered him perspective and empathy that he carries with him to this day. First two or three months of training, (Bolton) didnt let me see any Catholic patients, Ford said. He put me with patients where going to the book was not an option. Thats how Ford learned how to relate to people on a deeper level not just as a patient or as a member of a specific religion. Theres a person in front of you and theyre going through something, he said. After the seminarians complete their training and move on to the transitional deaconate and, presumably, the priesthood, its likely theyll use the skills theyve learned during their pastoral training. Ministering to the sick thats one of the most common calls we get, Ford said. MYSTIC A second beluga whale from Mystic Aquarium has died, and another remains in intensive care, the aquarium announced on Facebook Friday afternoon. The female whale was undergoing treatment in the aquariums intensive care facility when it died. It received around-the-clock intensive care over the past several months for multiple health issues. Her cause of death will not be known until a full necropsy is completed, the aquarium said. Our team provided a continuum of world-class care to this whale for many months, said Mystic Aquariums Chief Zoological Officer, Allison Tuttle. When an animal passes in the wild, it is the circle of life. When it happens at an aquarium, with an animal you have grown to know, care for 24/7 and adore, it is devastating. The whale was one of five belugas that were imported from Canadian facility Marineland in May under a research permit. The move prompted outcry from animal conservation groups, and one animal rights group filed a lawsuit that delayed the import. One of those whales, a 6-year-old male named Havok, died in August. Mystic Aquarium currently has six beluga whales. One is in the intensive care unit while the other five are healthy and residing in the Arctic Coast habitat, the aquarium said. The Cetacean Society International, a nonprofit organization that supports the conservation, education and research of whales, dolphins and porpoises, said it was heartbroken and remains concerned about the health of the whales brought to the aquarium. Mystic tried to portray its import of five whales as a rescue effort given the poor conditions at the Marineland facility, the organization said in a statement Friday. Yet now two of these belugas, purportedly being saved, have now died at Mystic and a third is critically ill. Serious unanswered questions remain about this import, and Cetacean Society International demands a thorough inquiry, and answers from not only the aquarium, but also government authorities in the U.S and Canada as to why animals with apparent pre-existing health conditions were allowed to be exposed to the stress of international transport, the organization said. The aquarium said these belugas contribute to vital research that will help critically endangered beluga populations in the wild and preserve the species. I want to thank our veterinary care staff, the many consulting veterinarians from around the world, our animal care team, and so many in our community who work so hard to care for our animals, Coan said. The loss of an animal is devastating to our team personally, and indicative of the challenges that we face in advancing research for the well-being and survival of beluga whales in the wild. Two contested county school board seats are on the ballot this year, with incumbents representing District 6 (Vinemont) and District 4 (Hanceville and Welti) defending their elected positions against challenges from newcomers. If You Go Forum schedule: county commission candidates will be on March 10th and 31st, district attorney on April 14, and state senate and state representative on May 12. If a single candidate does not have an opponent, there will be no forum. If You Go Forum schedule: county commission candidates will be on March 10th and 31st, district attorney on April 14, and state senate and state representative on May 12. If a single candidate does not have an opponent, there will be no forum. Funeral Service for William George Lanningham Sr., 78, of Cullman, will be at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, at Cullman Heritage Funeral Home; interment in Enon Baptist Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1-3 p.m. prior to the service. Cullman Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangement Instant unlimited access to all of our content on currypilot.com. The Curry Coastal Pilot's E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) A Florida mayoral candidate and Karen Hall of Famer Cindy Falco DiCorrado was found guilty on two misdemeanor counts by a jury that reportedly deliberated for less than an hour. Outrageous video of the 63-year-old Boynton Beach woman throwing an epic temper tantrum after being told to mask-up at a suburban Boca Raton bagel shop went viral in 2021. In that clip, DiCorrado, wearing a leopard-skin-patterned outfit and bright red lipstick, belted out all the classics when police came to remove her from the eatery she refused to leave. Advertisement Cindy Falco DiCorrado (Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office) In addition to telling cops the Constitution gives her the right to sit in a Florida bagel store unmasked during a pandemic, she shouted police officers trying to remove her from the premises were kidnapping her and violating my personhood. [ SEE IT: Enraged anti-masker arrested at Einstein Bros. Bagels ] She also told police I am not a criminal, shrieked maniacally, then once put in handcuffs while leaned over the front of squad car, declared, I am not under arrest. Advertisement According to the Palm Beach Post, DiCorrado will be sentenced on Feb. 28 and could miss the March 8 mayoral election in which shes a candidate on account of being in jail. She was convicted of resisting an officer without violence and trespassing. Both counts carry a maximum sentence of one year behind bars. Boynton Beachs current mayor is term-limited and can not run again. DiCorrado is on the ballot with three other candidates. One of those runner-ups is community activist Bernard Wright, who according to the Palm Beach Post, accused fellow candidate, City Commissioner Ty Penserga, of wanting to turn Boynton Beach into a gay city. DiCorrado unsuccessfully served as her own defense attorney, refusing a plea deal that would have required that she completes 50 hours community service. She reportedly attempted to have charges against her dropped on the grounds Florida is a fictional entity that lacks territorial jurisdiction. DiCorrado is not a lawyer. [ Officer Karen taped crying at McDonalds drive-thru wanted to share that I hurt, too' ] Local featured ECSU prof: Student activism has evolved over the years rponder / Reggie Ponder/The Daily Advance In this screenshot, Elizabeth City State University professor Glen Bowman (left) discusses the history of student activism at ECSU with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Kenneth Janken. cday / Photo courtesy ECSU Robert L. Bobby Vaughan, head coach of the mens basketball team at what was then Elizabeth City State Teachers College, is shown during a protest of W.T. Grants policy of not serving African-Americans at the lunch counter of its store in downtown Elizabeth City in February 1960. cday / The Daily Advance Protesters demanding justice in the shooting death of Andrew Brown Jr. by Pasquotank sheriffs deputies march along Perry Street in Elizabeth City in June. Student activism at Elizabeth City State University has a long history and has taken on a unique character over time, a university history professor said this week. ECSU professor Glen Bowman discussed the history of student activism during an online Flyleaf series discussion Wednesday with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Kenneth R. Janken. Bowman told Janken that ECSUs rural, conservative surroundings are an important factor to consider when comparing student activism in Elizabeth City with similar movements on more urban campuses. Bowman traced the history of ECSU student activism from a 1948 controversy over strict grading by a newly hired faculty member through protests in the aftermath of Andrew Brown Jr.s fatal shooting last April by deputies with the Pasquotank County Sheriffs Office. Bowman said that before World War II students generally accepted whatever decisions were made by the university administration even if some of the rules were not popular. Bu the student body started to change by the end of World War II as soldiers returning home from military service began enrolling at the campus and students began insisting on the right to express their opinions. In 1948 students became angry over a faculty member they believed was grading too strictly, Bowman said. The faculty member actually lived in a dormitory alongside students, as did many faculty in that era who had difficulty finding housing elsewhere in the community, he said. Students confronted the unpopular faculty member at his dorm room, and he ended up leaving campus because of the protest, Bowman said. Bowman said the incident was not a point of pride since faculty should be able to set high standards for students without fear of losing their jobs. But he said the controversy also shows how students were beginning to assert their rights in disagreements with school administrators. Students began demanding their rights as students and as members of the community, Bowman said. A second incident that also was about students rights the right to due process in student disciplinary matters happened in 1953 and led to the formation of the first Student Government Association. Unlike the incident in 1948, however, the one in 1953 involved a dramatic response by administrators. Students wanted representation on committees that dealt with student disciplinary matters. When administrators didnt agree to their demand, students went on strike and refused to come to class. Administrators responded by shutting down the school cafeteria. Fortunately, local residents who supported the students brought food to campus for them, Bowman said. The confrontation eventually worked out for students, as ECSU would create what is now the Student Government Association. Things have now progressed to a point where in 2022 the student government president is a member of the ECSU Board of Trustees, Bowman noted. Janken asked Bowman about the role of President Walter Ridley, who led the institution during the 1960s. Bowman called Ridley a transformational leader. Ridley tried to keep the support of the local business community. But students protested at a downtown business, W.T. Grants store, pushing to desegregate its lunch counter. Ridley was in a tough position, Bowman said. Ridley respected students and did not expel them when controversy erupted over student activism in the community, Bowman said. Janken asked Bowman how Ridley managed that delicate balance. Bowman cited as an example the way Ridley reacted when Gov. Luther Hodges sent letters to all college presidents asking what they were doing to stop the demonstrations. Ridleys response exhibits the nuanced approach, that he wasnt going on one side or the other, Bowman said. And you see the differences between how some of the other presidents reacted. But Ridley was certainly an advocate for students, according to Bowman. Ridleys support throughout the 1960s I would say helped galvanize the community especially in 1963, Bowman said. Because 1963 was much more of a challenge. The W.T. Grant operators did not have students arrested during the 1960 protest, he noted. In 1963, that was much more confrontational, more of a legal battle, Bowman said. And during that battle Ridley stood by his students. Ridley stood by students rights, and arguably the student body stood by them as well. Ridley to me had a strong role, because students respected Walter Ridley because Walter Ridley respected them. Janken asked Bowman to describe in greater detail the 1963 protests, arrests of students, and the ensuing court cases. The protests started with just a handful of students who had been contacted by student activists from other colleges, Bowman said. In 1963, this was a much, much larger demonstration, Bowman said. Most downtown businesses in Elizabeth City were still segregated in 1963, he said. And the students had been inspired by Dr. Martin Luther Kings August 1963 I Have A Dream speech, Bowman said. Some students were actually in Washington, D.C., heard that address, and it inspired them to go back. In the wake of that speech, hundreds of students returning for the fall semester in 1963 went into downtown businesses in Elizabeth City, and this time there were arrests, Bowman said. Well over 100 students were arrested, he said. When other students heard about the arrests they gathered after their afternoon classes and marched down Southern Avenue into downtown and to the jail, where they stood outside and sang songs of support for their fellow students, Bowman said. Ultimately, the authorities prosecuted only those they saw as the ringleaders, Bowman said. Norris Earl Francis Jr. was a quarterback on the football team and also a key campus leader, Bowman said. Francis was actually put on trial, Bowman said. So was his brother. So were a couple of others. They were arrested and put on trial for trespassing, he said. Bowman added that the N.C. General Assembly only a month or so earlier had increased the penalty for trespassing to up to a year in prison, which could include imprisonment at hard labor on a chain gang. Bowman said the case shouldnt even have gone to trial because the students had asked to be tried in federal court and the federal law would not have viewed their actions as trespassing. The N.C. Supreme Court actually overturned their conviction because of the federal law, he said. Students took the high road and they continued the non-violence, Bowman said. Compared to 1948, the campus had just grown so much, and really you see the influence of Ridley in that, Bowman said. The students never served their sentences but they did spend time in jail until they were bailed out, Bowman explained. Some faculty members went downtown and bailed students out of jail using their own money, Bowman said. That was them making a statement, Bowman said of the faculty actions. The Daily Advance at the time supported the district courts decision to convict the students and sentence them to hard labor, Bowman said. But by the late 1960s, the newspapers coverage had shifted to a more respectful and supportive approach of students. Janken asked Bowman whether he thought the N.C. Supreme Courts decision overturning the conviction had chastened both the (local) government and the press. Bowman said that Elizabeth City at that time was served both by the Daily Advance and also the Norfolk Journal and Guide, a Black-owned newspaper published in Virginia. In many ways the town at that time had two newspapers, one white and one Black, Bowman said. Bowman said that in 1966 and 1967 The Daily Advance began criticizing the KKK and white backlash against the Civil Rights Movement, and then by 1968 the newspaper was fully supportive of civil rights and of student activism at what was then Elizabeth City State College. Its a pleasant transformation to me, Bowman said. Bowman said he believes The Daily Advance began to recognize the nonviolence of the student activists and the violent backlash by whites. And they began to realize, there is a right side here, and the right side is the right side of the Civil Rights Movement, Bowman said. To me its great to see how the newspaper was willing to change and willing to evolve. Janken asked about student protests over the killing of Andrew Brown Jr. There is some continuity but there is also some definite disconnect, Bowman said. One difference is that the Andrew Brown protests took place largely without Elizabeth City State student involvement, Bowman said. A main reason for that was that the shooting took place near the end of the semester and the university had shifted to online-only instruction at that point, he said. So the student body for the most part had left, Bowman said. The news coverage was completely different than it was during 60 and 63, Bowman said. Press came from all over the country and they were interested in the fight for justice, he said. To me one point of continuity is that the demonstrations, like they were in 60, like they were in 63, like they were after the King assassination, were peaceful, Bowman said. There were some outside groups that didnt frame the message quite the way he would have preferred, he said, but the reality is that these demonstrations were nonviolent. Bowman noted that a small group of protesters continue to demonstrate daily. Bowman said he personally still has unanswered questions about the shooting. It breaks my heart, in many ways, Bowman said. He also noted that recently three people were murdered near where Brown was killed. One of them was a toddler, and it just breaks my heart, he said, noting he has come to think of Elizabeth City as his home. Bowman said he cant really look at the Andrew Brown case right now as a historian because it is still so close in time. It isnt over yet, Bowman said. We dont have the answers. Hopefully one day we will know more of a complete story. At that point, he said, someone else might write an article similar to what he has written about the incidents from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Corinth, MS (38834) Today Cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 83F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms in the evening, with mostly cloudy skies overnight. Low around 60F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. The Wisconsin man accused of plowing his vehicle through a Christmas parade winding its way through Waukesha last year has pleaded not guilty to 77 charges in connection with the deadly incident. Darrell Brooks Jr. entered pleas during a brief court appearance on Friday to six counts of homicide and multiple counts of reckless endangerment. His attorneys also filed for a change of venue for the highly-anticipated trial, though its unclear where exactly the proceedings will occur. Advertisement Darrell Brooks Jr. appears in court on Friday in Waukesha, Wis. (Derek Johnson/AP) Hundreds of revelers were milling about in downtown Waukesha on Nov. 21, when Brooks allegedly drove a vehicle through the parade route. Disturbing footage from the scene later posted on the City of Waukesha Facebook page shows a red SUV speeding down the roadway while a marching band passes and plays Jingle Bells. Six people were killed in the crash and have been identified as Virginia Sorenson, 79; LeAnna Owen, 71; Tamara Durand, 52; Jackson Sparks, 8; Jane Kulich, 52; and Wilhelm Hospel, 81. Advertisement A family visits a memorial at Veteran's Park for the victims of a deadly Christmas parade crash in Waukesha, Wis. on Nov. 23, 2021. (Jeffrey Phelps/AP) During Brooks preliminary hearing, police detective Thomas Casey testified that he and other officers yelled at Brooks to stop as his vehicle approached the holiday parade. He recalled how the SUV cut back and forth along the street for blocks on end, slamming into marchers and running over others. In total, 61 people were hurt, including those killed. Brooks attorney, public defender Anna Kees, said it was never his intention to kill people and that he was unable to change routes because the streets were closed off and packed with participants. She noted that he could not even look at photos of the carnage in the aftermath. With News Wire Services Ashland, KY (41101) Today Cloudy skies during the morning hours followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High around 85F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms. Low 58F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. So much of the littering I encounter is completely avoidable and that makes me so angry. I can't bear to see rubbish along the verges that people have thoughtlessly chucked out of their car windows. It's disgusting. I don't understand how anyone could throw their rubbish on the ground like that. And it breaks my heart to see the face masks people have dropped how many of those will end up in the sea? Is no one thinking about the consequences? I'm very lucky that the people who live in the villages close to my home in Bath are conscientious. Sharron Davies says: 'Taking pride in our surroundings surely starts with the young' It's inspiring to witness a community work together to combat litter. Thanks to the volunteers who go out regularly to pick up rubbish, we are winning the battle. Whenever I'm out for a walk with my dogs, a basset hound called Flash and a dachshund called Eddie, I'll take a bag with me so I can do my bit. Whatever I find, I take with me to put in my bin at home. Taking pride in our surroundings surely starts with the young and I hammered the 'don't you dare drop litter' message into my three children Elliott, Grace and Finley from an early age. They would never have contemplated even dropping so much as a sweet wrapper. I'd have stopped the car, forced them to get out to pick it up and there would have been a punishment. My granddaughter Ariya, who isn't even two years old, is already proud to be doing her bit by putting rubbish in the bin. It's depressing to visit places where the littering seems out of control and studies have shown that when nobody cares, more litter follows. Whenever I visit Grace, who lives in east London, I've found there's nowhere safe for me to walk the dogs because the pavements are so often scattered with broken glass which cuts their feet and I struggle to stop them scavenging for discarded takeaway food I've lost count of the number of times I've had to wrestle a chicken bone out of one of the dogs' mouths.' Litter is a global problem. Back in 2017 I travelled to Panama to appear on the Bear Grylls outdoor survival show Celebrity Island and I was horrified by the piles of rubbish washing up on those beautiful sandy beaches. Pick up the pace: Sharron shows how to shape up and clean up. She adds: 'We often underestimate the impact physical activity can have on our wellbeing' Tangled up with the fishing nets were abandoned flip flops, plastic bottles, discarded swimsuits. I even saw rusting washing machines. The filth and rubbish on those beaches was horrifying. There's also the worry that all this discarded plastic will end up in the sea and ultimately in the food chain and we will eat microscopic particles of the litter that someone threw into a hedgerow. But it doesn't have to be this way. If we all pick up a little bit of litter whenever we are out and about we could soon make a big difference. Better still, I'm convinced litter picking can boost our mental and physical health, which is why I have devised a 'clean-up Britain workout' for the Daily Mail to launch this year's Great British Spring Clean. The last two years have seen an alarming rise in mental health issues, and obesity rates are still rocketing. It is clear that inactivity is a major factor. We all need to take responsibility for our own mental and physical health. I'm a big believer in getting out in the fresh air. We often underestimate the impact physical activity can have on our wellbeing, and I'm really proud to have set up a new online training platform Sharron Davies Training (Sharrondavies.com) which offers an at-home exercise programme designed to be done by anyone, anywhere and anytime in a bid to encourage people to get into the habit of regular exercise. At the end of your litter pick, slide your back down a wall until you are in a sitting position with thighs parallel with the floor and your feet directly under your knees There's no doubt exercise has helped me get out of some sticky situations in life. Of course I don't do anything like the amount I did when I was competing I used to train for six hours a day. Now I'm happy with three or four hours a week. Litter picking is a great way to be active. It gets the young and old away from gadgets, it creates opportunities to spend time in green spaces connecting with nature. It's also a brilliant way to stimulate 'happy hormones': you get a burst of dopamine after completing a task and a shot of oxytocin (the cuddle hormone) from connecting with family and friends who might join you on your litter-picking adventures. There's the rush of endorphins from raising your heart rate and waves of serotonin from being out in the daylight, surrounded by nature. ...and you can get fit while doing it! These simple exercises can be incorporated into any litter pick to raise your heart rate and self-esteem, while helping to clear public spaces of discarded rubbish. Jumping squat rubbish grab AS you bend your knees to squat down and grab a piece of rubbish, push yourself upright and take a little jump into the air. The explosive nature of the jump is great for your leg muscles. Speed skater pick-up Lean forwards putting your weight on your left leg and slide your right leg behind you and as far to the left as you can, then twist your body so you are reaching down with your left hand to pick up the rubbish. A co-ordination challenge thats good for the buttock muscles. The litter lunge When you spot a bit of litter just out of reach, pull in your tummy to engage the core, then take a large step with your right leg, shifting your weight so the heel hits the ground first. Now lower your body so your right thigh is parallel to the floor and the right shin is vertical. Aim to lightly tap the left knee on the ground behind you. Grab the litter, then press into the right heel to drive yourself back into the starting position. Alternate sides. Works all the muscles in the lower body. Park bench press-ups Start with hands on the highest point of the bench, your body in a straight line, feet firmly on the ground, shoulder width apart, then dip your chest and push your arms straight to work the upper body. Finish off with a wall squat At the end of your litter pick, slide your back down a wall until you are in a sitting position with thighs parallel with the floor and your feet directly under your knees, then hold this seated position for as long as you can to strengthen thigh muscles. Last Tuesday the British Army halted 'all non-essential and non-operational activity' for the six hours between 10am and 4pm. This was 'to consider and reflect on the British Army's current culture and approach to inclusion and to set out how it will seek to improve both'. Thinking this might be a spoof, I checked with the Defence Ministry who readily confirmed it. I have not yet been able to get much information on how this went, though I am told that a fair few serving solders of the more old-fashioned type were more than a little embarrassed. Likewise, you may have thought of Nato, as I once did, as a stern conservative military alliance, guarding the world against armed Communism. Did you know that Nato now has an 'Office of the Gender Advisor', just as MI6 flies the Rainbow Flag (above) of the LGBTQ movement? Nato is, in fact, the army of the sexual revolution, as it showed in its failed mission in Afghanistan. (Above, German soldiers march with Nato's flag on February 9) So it was, and I recall very well the bleak barracks and bases on the German plain which kept us safe from the USSR. But did you know that Nato now has an 'Office of the Gender Advisor', just as MI6 flies the Rainbow Flag of the LGBTQ movement? Current efforts to get us all to like Ukraine (in reality a fiercely nationalist country with a macho culture not unlike Russia's) involve staged pictures of female soldiers in snowy trenches. Nato is, in fact, the army of the sexual revolution, as it showed in its failed mission in Afghanistan. Ever since the Blair creature ushered a fake crowd into Downing Street in 1997, Labour activists waving Union Jacks they despised, people have been manipulating genuine patriots into accepting or even supporting changes they would once have loathed. The amazing thing is that it has worked. Almost nothing is now what you think it is, or what it used to be. The school to which you happily send your children is in many cases a propaganda college, in which they are taught the new creed of equality and diversity. Sometimes it goes further. I wonder just how exceptional Welbeck Primary School in Nottinghamshire actually is. The most senior officer in the country, the wildly woke Commissioner Cressida Dick, has finally gone after a long catalogue of failure and worse. But she has gone not because she was useless, but because she was not woke enough There, teachers have been accused of pushing anti-Tory propaganda down the throats of ten-year-olds. The police enforce the desires of feminism and political correctness, responding ineffectively to crime and disorder only when they absolutely have to. The most senior officer in the country, the wildly woke Commissioner Cressida Dick, has finally gone after a long catalogue of failure and worse. But she has gone not because she was useless, but because she was not woke enough. In the prisons, the law is openly broken and punishment is dealt out by the inmates to each other. The Labour Party is the party of the radical middle class. So is the Tory Party. So are the Liberal Democrats. And the BBC is rapidly becoming a form of thought police (though, for the moment, it seems to have suspended its investigation of me). Yet all these things continue to look much as they did. Union Jacks are displayed, the Crown of St Edward, symbol of Royal authority, appears on cap badges and coats of arms. The uniforms and the buildings look roughly the same. But what goes on inside and behind them is utterly different. A furry hat in the middle of a thaw? How little Truss grasps about Russia When Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stepped out in Red Square in a furry hat and coat, left, her clothes summed up just how little she grasps about modern realities in Russia. She must have been sweltering. Local media mocked her for being wildly overdressed in the middle of a thaw. Though one theory says that Ms Truss will wear almost anything to get herself photographed in a Thatcherish pose, and of course the Iron Lady famously wore a fur hat when she went to Moscow. The weather is just one of many things which have changed since then. When I lived there in the early 1990s, winters were ferociously cold. The river froze hard enough to walk on. You had to use vodka to de-ice your windscreen. Climate change has made it much warmer. When Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stepped out in Red Square in a furry hat and coat, left, her clothes summed up just how little she grasps about modern realities in Russia. She must have been sweltering Likewise, modern Russia is a medium-sized oil power, not a global giant, and it is absolutely not Communist. Whether President Putin is clinically insane enough to invade Ukraine we shall shortly learn. But I doubt that Ms Truss's brief visit to the Russian capital will have made much difference. For in an incident which British media have been coy about reporting, she showed a terrible ignorance of Russia. Ms Truss was holding forth fiercely to the grumpy, sweary old crocodile Sergei Lavrov, the Kremlin's veteran foreign minister. According to one of the better Moscow newspapers, Kommersant, Ms Truss told Lavrov that Russia should pull back its troops from the Ukraine border. Lavrov said the troops had a perfect right to be there, then (perhaps sarcastically) asked: 'Do you recognise the sovereignty of Russia over the Rostov and Voronezh regions?' Both areas are firmly inside Russia. But Ms Truss retorted: 'Great Britain will never recognise Russian sovereignty over these regions.' British Ambassador Deborah Bronnert then had to 'tactfully explain' to Ms Truss that they were Russian territory. I put this account to Whitehall sources and they responded with a 'non-denial denial' in which nobody would actually say Ms Truss had not uttered the words attributed to her. Such is the force and mind of British diplomacy in these times. I have long pointed out that it has been a positive disadvantage, in any British debate on Russia, to know anything about the subject. Similarly, knowledge of Iraq was a handicap in influencing the debate on invading that country in 2003. But if the heir of Lord Palmerston does not even know where Russia ends and where Ukraine begins, would she (and we) not be wiser to keep out of any quarrels on the subject? First, the Islington people started calling Peking 'Beijing'. Then Bombay was changed to 'Mumbai'. Now Kiev is called 'Kyiv' by all the media who, new to that region, think that Ukrainian nationalism is woke. Let them look up its unlovable hero, Stepan Bandera. Likewise let them look up the nasty Bal Thackeray, the man behind the change to Mumbai. I can understand Left-wing people wanting to kowtow to the Chinese Communists, but why do they do so to Right-wing nationalists? Donald Trump's former White House communications director Alyssa Farah has revealed her conservative father boycotted her wedding over 'political differences' after she spoke out against the ex-president. The CNN political commentator was a guest host on The View on Friday when she opened up about the family tensions that arose ahead of her wedding to her long-time partner Justin Griffin on November 6. Farah, 32, said her father, conservative author and journalist Joseph Farah, and her stepmother, Elizabeth Graham, 'didn't want to attend' her nuptials after she publicly criticized Trump. 'I recently got married back in November, and this is such a tough topic, so keep in mind two things: COVID has made people shrink their friend groups, their family groups. People arent being around each other if they are not open to getting vaccinated. Add to that, political polarization,' she said. Alyssa Farah, 32, was a guest host on The View on Friday when she revealed her father and stepmother boycotted her wedding because she criticized former President Donald Trump Farah, who served for as Trump's White House communications director, wed her long-time partner Justin Griffin on November 6 'In my situation, personally, I had to deal with two people very close to me, my father and stepmother, who didnt want to attend my wedding.' When co-host Joy Behar asked Farah why they skipped the event, blamed it on 'political differences after I spoke out against President Trump.' Farah and Griffin tied the know at Windsor Properties, a private sporting club in Vero Beach, Florida. She noted that the family feud was one-sided and not something she was willing to ruin her wedding day over. 'The answer was simple. Like, I love them. They were welcome to be there on my end,' she explained. 'But if they didnt want to be there, why would I interrupt my special day by trying to have them there.' Farah's father, Joseph, is the founder of the conservative news and conspiracy website WorldNetDaily, which he launched in 1997, serving as both the editor-in-chief and CEO. Farah said her father, conservative author and journalist Joseph Farah, and her stepmother, Elizabeth Graham, 'didn't want to attend' When Joy Behar (far left) asked why they chose to skip the wedding, Farah blamed it on 'political differences,' saying it was because she 'spoke out against President Trump' Farah's father, Joseph, is the founder of the conservative news and conspiracy website WorldNetDaily, which he launched in 1997, serving as both the editor-in-chief and CEO Under his leadership, the site has a number of falsehoods and conspiracy theories, including the birther conspiracy, which claims former President Barack Obama was not born in the U.S. and was thus an illegitimate president. In April 2019, the website announced he had suffered a severe stroke and would no longer have a hands-on role in the site's operations. Farah had served as the White House director of communications for eight months under Trump when she resigned in December 2020, a month before he vacated office. She had also served in several other administration roles before that, including then-Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary and the Pentagon press secretary before coming back to the White House. 'Its been the honor of a lifetime to serve in the Trump Administration over the last 3 and a half years, first as Press Secretary to @VP Pence, then as Press Secretary for the @DeptofDefense, & most recently as White House Communications Director,' she tweeted on December 3, 2020. Farah and Griffin tied the know at Windsor Properties, a private sporting club in Vero Beach, Florida She noted that the family feud was one-sided and not something she was willing to ruin her wedding day over 'Like, I love them. They were welcome to be there on my end,' she explained. 'But if they didnt want to be there, why would I interrupt my special day by trying to have them there' At the time, the president along with his lawyer Rudy Giuliani had launched several legal challenges over the outcome of the presidential election. A month after she quit, Trump held his infamous rally in front of the White House on January 6, 2020 the day Congress moved to certify the election for Joe Biden and a trove of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol to stop them from doing so. Farah was quick to denounce the attack after having publicly condemned Trump supporters for harassing Mitt Romney the day before. On January 8, 2021, she blamed Trump for inciting the insurrection and suggested that he should resign as the House moved to impeach the outgoing president for the second time of his administration. Farah didn't specify what she said about Trump that angered her father and stepmother enough to skip her wedding. Farah and Griffin were all smiles on their wedding day, despite her father and stepmother skipping the milestone event When she posted her wedding photos on Instagram, she said it was the 'best day of my life' Farah's wedding came 11 months after she resigned as Trump's communications director While Farah's father and stepmother chose not to attend her wedding, her mother, Judy, (far right) was there However, in October, weeks before her nuptials, she criticized Trump for lying about the election being stolen during an appearance on The View, saying she wouldn't support him again. 'The election had been called. It had been a couple of weeks, and I started to see tick up in rhetoric around the election was stolen, seeing some of my colleagues go on TV and say as much,' she recalled. 'I fundamentally knew that wasn't true and it could have dangerous consequences.' She added: 'I thought I had a duty first and foremost to the country to tell the truth.' Farah said she was devastated by the insurrection as she recalled how Air Force veteran Ashli Babbitt was fatally shot while breaching the U.S. Capitol building. 'My heart breaks that an Air Force veteran was so warped by lies to her sold by the American president that she lost her life,' she said. Farah insisted she 'wouldn't support Donald Trump again.' In October, weeks before her nuptials, she publicly criticized Trump for lying about the election being stolen, saying she wouldn't support him again Farah served as the White House director of communications for eight months under Trump before she resigned in December 2020 Farah (pictured in October 2020) quit a month before the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2020, which she blamed on Trump 'Our country needs to go to a different direction,' she added. 'There are some good things policy wise...but we gotta move on from this era.' A few weeks after her wedding, Farah told CNN that Trump had previously admitted to her that he knew he had lost the 2020 presidential election, but his aides and allies were able to change his mind. When CNN anchor Pamela Brown asked her if Trump believes he lost the election to Joe Biden, she said: 'Honestly, I'm not sure.' 'I know he wants to protect his ego at all costs,' Brown said. 'But Trump has to know he lost because I remember at the time reporting, talking to folks in the White House saying, "Yeah, he knows he lost, he's just coming around to it."' 'He knew,' Farah said. 'He told me shortly after that he knew he lost.' She worked in Trump's administration for more than three years and described it as 'the honor of a lifetime' when announcing her resignation She added: 'But then, you know, folks got around him, they got information in front of him and I think his mind genuinely might have been changed about that and that's scary because he did lose.' 'And the facts are out there and they've lost every court case, they've had countless times to prove any sort of fraud and haven't been able to. So, it is actually kind of more scary that he believes it.' Following her appearance on CNN, Trump released a statement calling her a 'backbencher' who was 'terrible' when she recently guest-hosted The View. 'Heard that Alyssa Farah was terrible on The View they could have asked the people who know her and saved a lot of time,' Trump said. 'She was a "backbencher" in the White House and is now a nobody again. 'We put her out there to face the public as little as possible,' he added. Farah served as then-Vice President Mike Pence's press secretary before becoming the White House communications director Farah (pictured in March 2020) also served as the Pentagon press secretary before coming back to the White House Trump's statement was seemingly prompted by Farah telling Brown on CNN that he had previously admitted to her that he lost the 2020 presidential election. 'By the way, as soon as the Crime of the Century happened on November 3rd, I knew the Election was Rigged and Stolen, and never changed my view on that one bit. I did not go soft on the "Real" Big Lie, the Election Scam, and never will,' Trump said. 'Backbencher said I told her I lost the Election never did,' the former president continued. 'I virtually never even spoke to Farah (it's like she didnt even exist in the White House).' 'Anybody who ever says that I thought the Election was legit, even for a moment, is wrong. All you have to do is look at the thousands of pages of documents and evidence which continues to mount,' Trump falsely claimed. Trump pushed that Farah was lying about their conversation for money. .@Alyssafarah to @PamelaBrownCNN: "(Trump) knew, he told me shortly after that he knew he lost. But then folks got around him, they got information in front of him and I think his mind genuinely might have been changed about that and that's scary because he did lose." pic.twitter.com/Zk0K2MAKpI Caroline Kenny (@carolinerkenny) November 14, 2021 In November, Farah told CNN that Trump had previously admitted to her that he knew he had lost the 2020 presidential election, but his aides and allies were able to change his mind 'Its amazing how these people leave with respect and adoration for me and others in the White House, but as soon as CNN or other cameras get shoved in their face, or the losers from The View ask a question, or money gets thrown at them, or someone writes a fake book, inglorious lightweights like Farah change so quickly,' Trump said. 'I watched this clown on television saying exactly what they wanted her to say and I watched the lies. Was she paid by low-ratings CNN?' he mused. To conclude the statement, Trump said that Farah sent him a 'very nice letter' once he told her to 'hit the road' at the tail end of his administration. According to him, she wrote in the letter that working for him was 'the honor of a lifetime' and she was 'deeply proud of the incredible things [they] were able to accomplish to make our country stronger, safe and more secure."' 'Show the rest of the letter Alyssa, and explain why you wrote it!' the ex-president demanded. Since leaving the White House, Farah has made a number of television appearances and joined CNN as a political commentator in December. Walmart has started securing high-priced steaks inside locked metal cages amid rising crime rates across the U.S., a new viral video has revealed. Michael Fromhold, from Florida, was stunned when he noticed that the meat at his local Walmart had been locked up in what appears to be a rather dramatic attempt to prevent people from stealing it. Michael took a video of it and shared it to TikTok where it quickly went viral - gaining more than four million views in a matter of days - and the clip lead some viewers to lament the fact that such measures have become necessary. The video, which showed the Angus beef wrapped in chains with an electronic security tag, comes amid growing concern about the rising crime rates across the country - something that Michael quickly lamented in his post. 'You gotta be kidding me,' Michael began in the video, as he held up the protected meat. 'Walmart now has the steak locked up. Holy s**t it's come to this. This is getting bad.' Taking extra precautions: Walmart has begun stashing its $20 ribeye steaks behind metal cages amid rising crime rates across the U.S. Michael Fromhold (pictured), from Florida, was stunned when he noticed that the meat at his local Walmart had been locked up to seemingly prevent people from stealing it Michael took a video of it and shared it to TikTok - and the clip lead some viewers to lament the fact that such measures have become necessary at Walmart (stock photo) It is unclear whether or not the cages are being used in all Walmart stores across the country, or whether the company is implementing the safety measures in stores that are located in areas of high crime. DailyMail.com has reached out to a Walmart spokesperson for comment. Many people shared their dismay over Walmart's new protective measures in the comment section, with one calling the world we live in 'sad.' The video, which showed the Angus beef wrapped in chains with an electronic security tag, comes amid growing concern about the rising crime rates across the country Another slammed all the 'low lives' that are 'out there robbing the store.' 'Sorry to say, it'll only get worse as inflammation continues to rise and food shortages start to impact us,' read a third comment. Someone else suggested that the cages were installed to stop people from changing the prices stickers, not to prevent theft. 'How are we supposed to get that thing off?' asked a different TikTok user. 'They only have two employees in the whole store and we have to check out ourselves.' 'People have to steal to afford to eat... It's a shame!' wrote another. 'I don't know which is worse - the fact that it's locked up or that it's almost $21,' chimed in another user. Others, who said they were former grocery store employees themselves, shared their own experiences with robbery. Many people shared their dismay over Walmart's new protective measures in the comment section, with one calling the world we live in 'sad' Others, who said they were former grocery store employees themselves, shared their own experiences with robbery 'I'm not surprised,' one person wrote. 'I worked retail for many years and had regular thieves just as much as customers.' 'You would be surprised how many people try to walk out with meat,' added another. 'Yes, people put it down their pants and everything,' agreed a different commenter. 'It's nuts but it's necessary.' Some people on Twitter also claimed that Walmart has been locking up their crab meat. 'The Walmart by us is so ghetto they lock up the crab legs,' a man named Charlie tweeted last January. 'This is so f**king ghetto because why the Walmart near me lock up the canned crab? Because its expensive and people be stealing?' wrote another user last month. 'I guess crab meat is a hot commodity out here in Richmond, Virginia. They have it under lock and key at the Walmart neighborhood market,' a third message read. 'I couldnt bring myself to buying this last container of protected crab meat.' According to FBI data, there were a total of 1.3 million violent offenses reported in America during 2020, or 388 for every 100,000 people - a five per cent increase from 2019. Some people on Twitter also claimed that Walmart has been locking up their crab meat In Florida - where Michael lives - there is a violent crime rate of 384 incidents for every 100,000 people. The non-partisan Council on Criminal Justice released a study last month that confirmed homicide rates to be climbing throughout major U.S. cities. It found through a sampling of 22 cities that the number of slayings last year was five per cent higher than 2020 and 44 per cent greater than in 2019. In Chicago, murder is at its highest in nearly 30 years - recording 836 homicides in 2021, up from 770 in 2020. There were 492 people killed in the Windy City in 2019. Aggravated assault and gun assault rates increased by six per cent and eight per cent, respectively in 2020, compared to the previous year. Nearly every single police precinct in New York City has seen spikes in crime so far this year - including five in which the rate has doubled, data from the NYPD shows. Overall crime has gone up by nearly 39 per cent in the city, with 7,230 incidents this year as compared to last years 5,211. The Queen's Covid scare has shown a 'glaring issue' at the heart of the monarchy because all of her 'Counsellors of State' are currently unavailable, a royal insider has claimed. Buckingham Palace has refused to confirm whether the 95-year-old monarch had tested positive or negative for Covid after it was revealed that she met Prince Charles just two days before he tested positive for the virus. Now a source has claimed to The Mirror the health scare has worried palace insiders as none of the Queen's stand-ins are available if she became incapacitated. In the event that The Queen cannot undertake her official duties as Sovereign on a temporary basis due to illness or absence abroad, two or more Counsellors of State are appointed to act in her place. The Queen's Covid scare has shown a 'glaring issue' at the heart of the monarchy because all of her 'Counsellors of State' are currently unavailable, a royal insider has claimed Historically there have been five Counsellors of the State, but following Prince Philip's death the number dropped to four. One of the positions is held by Prince Harry - who stepped down from royal duty in January 2020 and moved to the US. Another is held by Prince Andrew who resigned from public roles in May 2020 after following intense negative reaction to his connections to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. The remaining two roles are held by Prince Charles and Prince William. However, this week Prince Charles is in isolation after testing positive for Covid-19 while William has been abroad on an official trip to the UAE. 'It might be considered unlikely, but it's certainly something that needs urgent attention,' the source told the Mirror. Insiders suggested an Act of Parliament could be requested to remove Andrew and Harry as Counsellors - while the Duchess of Cornwall could be in the frame for a promotion when Charles takes the throne. Buckingham Palace has refused to confirm whether the 95-year-old monarch had tested positive or negative for Covid, fuelling fears for her health. Historically there have been five Counsellors of the State, but following Prince Philip's death the number dropped to four. One of the positions is held by Prince Harry - who stepped down from royal duty in January 2020 and moved to the US. Another is held by Prince Andrew who resigned from public roles in May 2020 after following intense negative reaction to his connections to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Palace sources insisted that she was not displaying symptoms, however these usually show a few days after close contact with a Covid positive person- and usually first on tests. Current government guidelines say you have to isolate for five days after contact with a Covid positive person, with symptoms typically appearing three to five days after contact. However, the Queen is understood to be triple vaccinated so will not need to self-isolate unless she tests positive. The head of state is thought to have received her first jab in January 2021 and her second jab that March, while sources say it is believed she got her booster in October. This is the second time Charles, who is also triple jabbed, has tested positive for coronavirus after contracting the disease in March 2020. The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating, Clarence House said. The news came hours after Charles gave a speech at a British Asian Trust event attended by Home Secretary Priti Patel and Chancellor Rishi Sunak Insiders insisted the 73-year-old was found to be positive during a test taken this morning as routine before any public engagements which suggested he was experiencing no strong symptoms but they declined to go into further details on his medical condition. Both he and the Duchess of Cornwall have been taking regular tests before engagements and Clarence House said Camilla, 74, had a negative test on Thursday. Under current Covid rules, although she lives with Charles, Camilla is not required to self-isolate as she is also fully vaccinated. While in the past, Covid rules would have dictated that all those who had come into contact with Charles must self-isolate, it is no longer a requirement. Boris Johnson announced he plans to scrap all remaining virus restrictions in England by the end of the month, which would mean even those who have tested positive for the virus will not be required to self-isolate, provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue. Downing Street said the Prime Minister hopes the Prince of Wales will make a swift recovery after testing positive. As well as meeting with his mother, Charles also awarded OBEs to chefs Fergus Henderson, who has Parkinsons Disease, and his wife Margot as well as an MBE to Dr Nisreen Alwan, who is known for campaigning for more awareness around long Covid. Kodak Black and two other people were injured early Saturday morning in a shooting outside a venue hosting an afterparty for a Justin Bieber concert in Los Angeles, authorities said. The Florida rapper, whose name is Bill Kapri, as well as two other victims, ages 19 and 60, were transported to a local hospital, NBC News reported. Advertisement The rapper was reportedly shot in the leg. All victims are said to be in stable condition. Kodak Black arrives at the MTV Video Music Awards in Inglewood, Calif on Aug. 27, 2017. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) According to TMZ, the rapper was leaving the event with a group when one of his friends got jumped by an unidentified assailant after leaving the party. Black stepped in to help his friend, and a fight broke out. Thats when a person opened fire. Advertisement NBC News has identified Blacks friend as fellow rapper Gunna. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > The incident happened around 2:45 a.m. Multiple rounds were fired, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Another person, a 22-year-old man who left the scene, was also possibly injured in the incident, LAPD spokesperson Drake Madison told CBS Los Angeles. No information on suspects has been released. Investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Bieber, who had performed at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood on Friday night, was hosting an afterparty at the nearby The Nice Guy restaurant. Justin Bieber performs during a concert on Feb. 11, 2022 in Los Angeles, Calif. (Vivien Killilea/Getty Images) The guest list reportedly included several A-list celebrities, including Kendall Jenner, Khloe Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire. Its unclear if they were still at the venue when the shooting took place. Black was arrested in 2019 for weapons possession. He was convicted to 46 months in federal prison, but pardoned in 2021 by former President Donald Trump. Screening is currently offered to all women in the UK aged between 50 and 70 Follows concerns that current system is prone to false alarms and misses cases Top cancer doctors are carrying out research that may lead to the most radical shake-up of the NHS breast screening programme since its launch more than 30 years ago. Trials have been launched in a bid to remedy long-running concerns that the system is prone to false alarms and misses cases in some women. Although more research would be needed before NHS screening chiefs would consider issuing new advice, if studies prove successful, women could be invited for their first mammogram at the age of 40 a decade earlier than they are now. Instead of a single scan they would be offered a battery of tests to determine a personalised breast cancer risk score, with the results used to decide when they next attend a screening. In trials currently underway, those identified as low risk an estimated one in five women are being told they don't need to come back for another four years. Women at higher risk are invited for more frequent scans. LISTEN TO THE DEBATE NOW ON MEDICAL MINEFIELD CANCER EXPERT WHO PIONEERED BREAST SCREENING NOW SAYS IT'S FAILING WOMEN How the UKs programme of regular breast scans means some women are undergoing cancer treatment when they don't even need it The news comes after the outcry when health chiefs in Wales announced a big change to their cervical cancer screening programme that women would get a smear test every five years, instead of every three. Despite studies proving new testing methods are more accurate, meaning that a greater number of cancers will be detected even with less frequent tests, Public Health Wales was criticised for not explaining the move properly. As revealed by this newspaper, NHS England quietly paused plans to follow suit, with insiders admitting they would 'have to think carefully about how to present the decision in a more positive light'. Breast cancer screening is currently offered to all women in the UK aged between 50 and 70 every three years. Top cancer doctors are carrying out research that may lead to the most radical shake-up of the NHS breast screening programme since its launch more than 30 years ago. Pictured: An infrared camera scan of a woman with breast cancer The programme aims to pick up the cancer at the earliest stages before lumps can be felt and when a cure is more likely. Yet experts have long criticised the methods used. Mammograms a type of X-ray throw up false positives in roughly three in 100 women, causing unnecessary worry. Breast density the term used to describe the ratio of fat, glandular and fibrous tissues within the breast also represents a problem. Young women tend to have dense breasts, with higher amounts of glandular and fibrous tissue, and lower amounts of fat. Dense breast tissue appears white on X-rays just like tumours making the mammogram harder to interpret. I have no doubt that screening is beneficial, but its not perfect Research suggests the scans can miss up to 40 per cent of tumours in dense breasts, giving a false-negative result. Doctors also say that breast screening leads to the discovery of tiny, early-stage tumours that may never go on to grow or cause problems. The difficulty facing medical teams is that it is impossible to tell which of these will progress and which won't, so they all get treated. This means surgery and possibly radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other drug treatments. In some cases, these life-changing interventions may have been given unnecessarily. Speaking on The Mail on Sunday's Medical Minefield podcast this week, University of Cambridge radiologist Professor Fiona Gilbert, who is spearheading the new research in the UK, argued that regular mammograms were 'proven to be a life-saver' but accepted the criticisms. 'We can do better,' she said, adding that under the current system, 'there will be some women who are labelled as having cancer which might never have harmed them'. Marcia Kenny (pictured centre), 68, from Newport in South Wales, said: 'I haven't attended a scan for years. I check myself regularly and I know my breasts are often lumpy. My big fear is that I'll go for a mammogram and they'll end up trying to investigate one of these lumps' News reports earlier this month suggested some low-risk women may not need to 'face the anxiety' of regular screening at all, although the plans outlined to The Mail on Sunday prove doctors are taking a more cautious approach, with the potential to catch more cancers and tackle the downsides of screening. In light of the earlier reports, last week The Mail on Sunday's GP columnist Dr Ellie Cannon asked readers how they felt about their three-yearly mammograms and she was flooded with responses. The verdict was near-unanimous: women felt regular mammograms were essential. Many told stories of being diagnosed with breast cancer, thanks to the screening, which had been otherwise symptomless. 'I would be dead and buried if it wasn't for that scan,' wrote Margaret Brown, 72, from Greater Manchester, summing up the general theme. Sue Brown, from Sheringham, Norfolk, whose scan in 2020 picked up a breast tumour that she'd not been able to feel, wrote: 'As a 62-year-old who doesn't smoke and rarely drinks, I am low risk. Without regular screening this would have been missed.' Hampshire-based Dinah Perkins, 59, said she had been diagnosed with breast cancer after a mammogram in early January. IT'S A FACT Women with mental health problems are 23 per cent more likely to ignore an invitation to breast cancer screening, a study has found. Advertisement 'It's been caught early and is very small, but I'm still going to need surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. It's deep within my breast, so it might well be that, before I became aware of it, it could have already spread, with a much worse outcome.' But not everyone felt this way. Marcia Kenny, 68, from Newport in South Wales, said: 'I haven't attended a scan for years.' The retired Passport Office worker said she had given the matter a lot of thought: 'I check myself regularly and I know my breasts are often lumpy. My big fear is that I'll go for a mammogram and they'll end up trying to investigate one of these lumps. 'I had a friend this happened to. She spent a month thinking she was going to die before being told it was nothing. 'If something appeared in my breast that wasn't supposed to be there, I'd know, and I'd go to the doctor straight away. I have done, in the past, just to be sure. If one day it's cancer, then so be it.' Marcia said her GP is aware she doesn't attend her screening appointments. 'I told her, I'm not on HRT [hormone replacement therapy, medication known to slightly increase the risk of breast cancer], I'm not a smoker or a big drinker, and I keep a healthy weight. I don't have breast cancer in my family. 'She agreed that I'm probably low risk and said she wouldn't tell me what to do. In a couple of years, I'll turn 70 and I'll no longer be invited to have mammograms. Does that mean I'm suddenly safe from breast cancer? No. But I'll keep checking myself, like I'm used to.' At present, just over 70 per cent of eligible women more than two million a year attend breast screening, and there are no plans to halt the programme. To the contrary, doctors are hard at work looking for ways to improve the system, and potentially better accommodate women like Marcia. In a Cancer Research UK backed trial, being run by Prof Gilbert in Cambridge and at other sites across the UK, 8,000 women with dense breast tissue are being offered a range of scans. Some will get ultrasounds similar to those used in pregnancy while others are having magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which can produce detailed images of soft tissues inside the body. Another group are being offered mammograms, but first being injected with a harmless contrast dye that helps differentiate tumours from other breast tissues in X-rays. 'We hope this will tell us which types of scan work best for women with dense breasts, so we will pick up cancer earlier with screening,' said Prof Gilbert. In another trial, thousands of women all over Europe are being offered tests from as young as 40 to determine their personal breast cancer risk score. IT'S A FACT In the North East, about 70 per cent of women attend breast cancer screening, compared with just 59 per cent in London. Advertisement At Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, and in Manchester and Leeds, 10,000 women are being recruited. Half will have standard three-yearly mammograms, while the other half will be given an initial set of tests, including a mammogram and other scans, to assess breast density, a saliva test determine whether they carry little pieces of genetic material that put them at increased risk, and a detailed health questionnaire. Low-risk women will be recalled for reassessment once every four years, while higher-risk women will be called back as often as once a year. Prof Gilbert said: 'We're much more likely to find breast cancer when women are in their 60s or 70s age is the biggest risk factor but younger women do get breast cancer too. And at the moment, we don't offer younger women anything, unless they have a strong family history. 'Instead of having a screening programme that starts at 50 for everybody, we need to be thinking more smartly.' Breast cancer will affect one in eight women in their lifetime more than 150 are diagnosed every day. Huge leaps forward in detection and treatment over the past 50 years mean eight in ten survive it, but the disease still kills more than 11,500 a year in the UK. Breast screening was introduced in the UK in 1988 after large trials suggested that women who had regular mammograms were far less likely to die of breast cancer. Similar programmes are carried out across the world, although details differ. In America, where healthcare is private, women are advised to book in for screening every year from the age of 40, with no upper age limit. In many European countries, women are invited for a mammogram every two years. There have also been plans to expand the programme in the UK, offering scans to all women between the aged of 47 and 73 although trials of this were paused at the start of the Covid pandemic and have not resumed. Measuring the long-term success of breast screening has also proved complex. A number of major reviews in recent years have come to conflicting conclusions, causing heated debate among cancer experts. In 2012, a Government commissioned report suggested the programme was responsible for a 20 per drop in breast cancer deaths. But critics claim many of the studies have been poorly conducted, and ignore the downsides of screening, including over-diagnosis and over-treatment. Treatment delays fuel painkiller addiction in over-60s By Eve Simmons Long NHS delays for knee and hip replacement surgery could be fuelling a rise in prescription painkiller addiction in the over-60s, an expert has warned. Latest data reveals that one in ten of the 700,000 patients needing orthopedic treatment the vast majority of whom suffer with arthritis has been on the waiting list for more than two years. While most can be treated with paracetamol and physiotherapy to ease pain and improve the mobility of damaged joints, the extreme delays means more patients most of whom are aged 65 to 75 are left in agony and forced to go back to their GP for stronger treatment. Experts say this may be one reason why prescriptions for highly addictive opioids have more than doubled in the past six years. The only thing GPs can offer are stronger painkillers, says Professor John Skinner, President of the British Orthopaedic Association. Patients are only supposed to be taking these drugs for very, very short periods in the weeks before an operation, for instance. 'But because of the delays, its possible they could be taking highly addictive drugs like tramadol and morphine for over a year. Last year health chiefs issued new guidance to doctors, advising them to refrain from prescribing opioid painkillers to treat chronic pain, and use other medicines and lifestyle treatments instead. Not only are these drugs highly addictive, they can also increase the risk of surgical complications. Prof Skinner is also concerned about the number of arthritis sufferers losing independence as they await surgery. The longer patients wait, the more they are forced to adapt their life to their level of pain, he says. So perhaps they stop using the stairs, stop driving or working. All of a sudden their life shrinks and, once thats happened, its very difficult to go back to the life they had before. We see patients become incredibly depressed because they arent seeing anyone, and everything they do causes them pain. Tracey Loftis, head of policy at charity Versus Arthritis, says: Every day of waiting [for treatment] takes patients further away from a life free from pain, being able to work, and having some semblance of independence. 'This will not be a quick fix any credible plan to tackle waiting times needs to make treatment and support accessible to all. Last week, Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced measures that he vowed will mean that no patient waits longer than 18 months for a non-urgent operation by 2024. Advertisement Another report, carried out in 2013 by medical research body Cochrane, found that screening 2,000 women led to one fewer death, resulted in ten healthy women with 'harmless' cancers being treated unnecessarily, and led to 200 women experiencing 'distress and anxiety' due to false positive findings. This, too, was criticised with some experts suggesting the reviewers were biased, and did not look at the benefits over a long enough time period. Patient leaflets were subsequently rewritten to fully explain that the tests had both benefits and potential harms. However, there are cancer specialists who feel this is not enough. One of them is University College London's Professor Michael Baum, who is responsible for setting up the UK screening programme. 'Breast cancer is a complex problem,' he said. 'I wanted screening to work. I was one of the pioneers. But it didn't. 'The drop we have seen in breast cancer mortality is due to better treatment. The mantra "catch it early, save a life" sounds convincing, but it simply doesn't work.' Prof Baum points out that the drug tamoxifen, for instance, which reduces deaths from breast cancer by at least a third, was launched at around the same time as screening. Some screening trials allegedly ignore the positive impact of drugs like this, and attribute these benefits to regular mammograms. Professor Peter Schmid, clinical director of the Barts Breast Cancer Centre, St Bartholomew's Hospital, worries that the debate has caused confusion. 'I have no doubt that screening is beneficial, but it's not perfect,' he said. 'We can now cure many breast cancers, even if they're found at a later stage. This means it's difficult to prove screening itself, and catching early cancer, is responsible for saving lives. 'But it's not just about survival. If you catch an early-stage cancer, less treatment may be needed, which is a good thing.' Prof Baum and others say that the major problem is that the programme, in its current form, is too blunt but even he seems to welcome the idea of improvements. He said: 'As the science gets better and better we may be able to narrow down the minority of women at high risk of dying of breast cancer and offer them screening, rather than simply inviting everybody.' There is one other aspect of screening that doctors and patients all agree could be improved: the comfort, or rather discomfort, caused by the procedure. Some research suggests up to half of women who skip regular mammograms do so due to being afraid of the pain. Mail on Sunday reader Marcia Kenny recalled: 'In my 20s, I remember women who were my age now chatting about how having a mammogram was like medieval torture. They said, don't worry Marcy, by the time you're our age they'll have found some way of doing it that isn't so painful. But they haven't. 'I stopped having mammograms because it felt like they were putting my very small breasts in the fridge door and slamming it. 'With all the pulling, stretching and squashing, I was tender and sore for days, and I'm sure this did more harm than good. I know women with large boobs, and they say it's painful for them too.' Thermal imaging and other kinds of scans are offered by private clinics, but as yet mammography is the only proven test. Prof Gilbert agreed another option would be 'fantastic' and that scientists are hard at work coming up with 'smarter' methods and in the meantime said: 'Come for your screening when you're invited.' Now treatment is believed to be beneficial to thousands of sufferers But NHS spending watchdog NICE said 37,000 per patient cost was too much A cutting-edge prostate cancer drug which was rejected by the NHS spending watchdog could extend the lives of many more men than first thought. The drug, olaparib, had been shown to be highly effective in treating a specific genetic type of the disease, but it's now thought the tablets could work for a much wider group of patients. This means it could be used to help thousands of cancer victims each year in the UK, rather than just a few hundred. Although olaparib has been given the green light for prostate cancer patients by the Scottish Medicines Consortium, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), which has to approve NHS drugs in England and Wales, last month deemed the drug too expensive. The drug, olaparib, had been shown to be highly effective in treating a specific genetic type of prostate cancer, but it's now thought the tablets could work for a much wider group of patients It said existing evidence wasn't strong enough to justify the annual 37,000 per patient cost. But experts hope new data, which will be presented this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium, will help to change its decision. IT'S A FACT The number of British men surviving prostate cancer has tripled in the past 40 years, thanks mainly to earlier diagnosis. Advertisement 'Early studies suggested the drug was beneficial, so it was disappointing when NICE chose not to recommend it,' says Dr Hendrik-Tobias Arkenau, medical director of research organisation Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK. Archibald Muir, 68, was one of the first Britons to receive olaparib on the NHS in Scotland. The butcher from Glasgow found out six months ago that his prostate cancer, which developed three years ago, had returned and spread to the bones in his back. He says: 'I was in so much pain at the time that I was in hospital constantly. I couldn't get out of bed.' Mr Muir's cancer carried a BRCA genetic mutation the same faulty gene that can raise the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in women and also causes some pancreatic cancers. Olaparib has shown to be highly effective in treating all kinds of BRCA tumours. Doctors started Mr Muir on the medication after his relapse, and within a month he was out of hospital. 'It's a really remarkable change,' he says. 'I don't have pain any more and I'm back at work part-time. Most importantly, the doctors say blood tests show less and less cancer, meaning the disease is slowing.' Olaparib, first discovered in the UK, is a revolutionary drug known as a poly adenosine diphosphate-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor. It interferes with an enzyme that helps cancer cells repair themselves, causing them to die. Former BBC presenter Bill Turnbull revealed in March 2018 that he'd been diagnosed with prostate cancer which had spread to another area of the body. Recent studies in other forms of BRCA cancer, including breast and ovarian, have shown that olaparib can reduce the risk of death and prevent the disease from returning in certain patients. While eight in ten men will survive prostate cancer thanks to chemotherapy and surgery, for a minority it can be difficult to treat because of how quickly it spreads to other parts of the body. And four in ten are diagnosed at a later stage when treatment options are more limited. Former BBC presenter Bill Turnbull revealed in March 2018 that he'd been diagnosed with prostate cancer which had spread to another area of the body. Every year, 11,000 men in Britain die from the disease. One in eight men with advanced prostate cancer carry a BRCA mutation, and it is hoped the new study will show that those on olaparib stay well for longer compared with men on standard treatments. The trial also looked at whether combining olaparib with the hormone therapy abiraterone could delay the progression of advanced prostate cancer in patients who did not carry a BRCA mutation. Experts are extremely hopeful there would be some effect in this group, which would be a significant development because it would make olaparib the first PARP inhibitor to work in non-BRCA patients for any form of cancer. New chemo drug to tackle fast-moving tumours A new drug which could halt the spread of multiple aggressive cancers is also expected to reveal exciting study data this week. Known as DS-7300, it targets a protein found in hard-to-treat forms of the disease called B7-H3, delivering a dose of chemotherapy directly into cancer cells. The treatment, the result of a collaboration between Japanese pharmaceutical firm Daiichi Sankyo and Sarah Cannon Research Institute, is the first to target B7-H3. Early trial data showed promising results in patients with aggressive forms of the disease which spread quickly throughout the body, including prostate cancer, head and neck cancer and lung cancer. Of the 70 patients recruited to the trial in the US and Japan, all of whom had failed to respond to previous treatments, more than 30 saw their cancer stop growing and remain stable over a year later. Further data from the trial will be presented this week at the American Society of Clinical Oncology Genitourinary Cancers Symposium being held in San Francisco. Dr Hendrik-Tobias Arkenau, medical director of Sarah Cannon Research Institute UK, said the treatment had already shown amazing responses. Advertisement Professor Kristian Helin, chief executive of The Institute of Cancer Research, said the decision not to offer olaparib to English and Welsh NHS patients was disappointing and urged NICE and the drug's manufacturer, AstraZeneca, to come back to the table to make it available 'at an agreeable price'. Previous research found that olaparib could double the time men with the BRCA mutation survived without their cancer getting worse from 3.6 months to 7.4 months. Doctors in Scotland say it is already benefiting patients there. 'Olaparib works,' says Professor Rob Jones, consultant oncologist at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre. 'We've given it to a number of patients and the results are clear to see. I'm glad that my patients can get hold of it. If it is cost-effective in Scotland, why isn't it cost-effective in England?' Doctors have suspected for several years that PARP inhibitors could benefit non-BRCA patients, but the new data would represent the clearest evidence yet. One theory is that the drugs are effective in patients who carry what is known as a DNA-damaging repair gene. There are thought to be 26 of these genes, and studies suggest up to 15 per cent of Britons carry one. In comparison, less than one per cent has a BRCA mutation. Dr Arkenau says: 'Until now, most of our research has been focused on BRCA. Now we are looking at whether PARP inhibitors work for patients with other types of these genes, and early data has shown some exciting signs of promise.' Mr Muir says he was surprised to hear that olaparib wasn't currently available for patients in England and Wales, adding: 'It's strange that someone else who gets the same cancer as me wouldn't be able to get the drug in another part of the UK. 'Surely that's why we pay our taxes, so that when we get ill the NHS will treat us with the best possible drugs.' Last week I walked into my local Sainsbury's maskless. It wasn't a statement. Masks aren't mandatory in shops any more, only advisory, and I was too busy listening to a particularly riveting episode of Woman's Hour to think about it. But it began to dawn on me that I was the odd one out. Somewhere between breakfast cereals and baked goods, two older women, both in masks, seemed to be giving me a look. Without thinking, I cleared my throat. A youngish bloke in a flowery cloth mask glared, before hurrying off. Was my mask-free presence making people uncomfortable? Was I being judged? Suddenly I felt oddly self-conscious. I checked my pockets rooted around in my handbag, finding wedged near the bottom an old blue disposable mask covered in lipstick. Not great but it will have to do, I thought. It seemed to satisfy the other shoppers. There were no more death-stares. I grabbed what I needed, paid and left. Last week I walked into my local Sainsbury's maskless. It wasn't a statement. Masks aren't mandatory in shops any more, only advisory. But it began to dawn on me that I was the odd one out, writes Eve Simmons Afterwards, I kicked myself. I'd known full well I wasn't breaking any rules, so why had I felt this odd sort of peer pressure to put on a (frankly filthy) mask, just to appease a bunch of strangers? I could have just ignored the busybodies and got on with my day. But friends have mentioned being in similar situations on trains, in shops and even at work where they've felt they had to put on a mask, not because they were required to, or wanted to, but just because other people were. Last summer, Government Covid adviser Professor Susan Michie raised eyebrows when she said mask-wearing should become a permanent habit in the UK. It is in many Asian countries, where it's seen as good manners. She suggested not wearing a mask in many situations would become as socially unacceptable as not picking up after your dog. So is that where we are now? After my experience, I'd say we could be headed there. I'm no mask-sceptic far from it. Like most health reporters who understood the research, I backed mask-wearing even before health chiefs made it mandatory. But now the rules have eased, and some studies say the majority of us still wear masks regularly out of choice. And I don't welcome this development I'm no mask-sceptic far from it. Like most health reporters who understood the research, I backed mask-wearing even before health chiefs made it mandatory. But now the rules have eased, and some studies say the majority of us still wear masks regularly out of choice. And I don't welcome this development. It won't make me popular, but I think it's time people took off their masks. I'll explain why. Masks do work, and they've been an important part of our pandemic response. Studies clearly show when roughly 80 per cent of the population are wearing masks in crowded places with little fresh air, they reduce levels of Covid transmission. We know they are effective for blocking both viral particles and droplets and protect the wearer and those around them by at least 30 per cent. But we don't need them as we used to. Today, roughly 90 per cent of UK adults have some protection against Covid-19 from vaccination or immunity after catching the virus. This means that for the vast majority of people, the threat of Covid is no greater than a bad bout of flu. I wasn't breaking any rules, so why did I feel pressure to put one on? Recent studies suggest the virus is now 30 times less deadly than it was in the second wave. And even with catchy Omicron among us and few Covid restrictions in place, cases, deaths and hospitalisations continue to fall. This is why the Government is no longer enforcing mask-wearing. It even plans to scrap self-isolation for people with the virus by the end of this month. I'd argue that businesses such as Sainsbury's which recommend that customers wear masks are simply causing confusion, and giving people a skewed idea of risk. Even before the vaccination programme, it was very unlikely you'd catch the virus in a shop. Public transport is also thought to be low-risk yet London Mayor Sadiq Khan says passengers who don't wear one on the Tube or buses face either getting kicked off or a 200 fine. It won't make me popular, but I think it's time people took off their masks. I'll explain why (stock photo) There is consensus among scientists that the settings with the highest risk for spreading Covid-19 are poorly ventilated indoor spaces where people are socialising, exercising or singing. But no one seems to think about wearing a mask while working out in the gym or when in bars, pubs and restaurants. Professor Robert Dingwall, sociologist at Nottingham Trent University and a former Government adviser on Covid, believes that self-imposed mask-wearing is a symptom of health anxiety. 'It's people thinking Covid is still very much a threat, when it isn't,' he says. 'As we come out of the emergency, we have to start reducing people's level of fear so that they can go back to normal.' We have to start reducing people's fear and getting back to normal This speaks to a wider problem with the Government's public messaging around Covid. A growing number of scientists are worried that some people have been so scared by the virus thanks to doom-laden television adverts and publication of worst-case-scenario figures that adapting to normal life will be a challenge. Last month, a former member of the Government's behavioural insights team, commonly known as the Nudge Unit, wrote of his regrets about frightening the public with overly gloomy predictions to force them to obey Covid measures. 'The most egregious and far-reaching mistake made in responding to the pandemic has been the level of fear willingly conveyed on the public,' wrote behavioural scientist Simon Ruda. So does wearing a mask benefit anyone any more? Perhaps, for one significant minority. Roughly 500,000 Britons have serious health conditions that mean two Covid vaccines are unlikely to offer adequate protection against the virus. I am all too aware of the threat Covid still poses to these patients last year I reported on it. But today these patients, such as those with blood cancer and organ failure, have access to three antiviral drugs which reduce the risk of hospitalisation by up to 70 per cent. And very few of them are piling on to busy Tube trains. So all the conscientious mask-wearing that's going on is unlikely to be protecting them. 'Doctors have always advised this group of patients to limit social contacts,' says Prof Dingwall. 'They always, sadly, had to live with the fact they were at high risk from common infections like flu.' Thankfully, Prof Dingwall doesn't believe we'll be wearing masks 'for ever', as Prof Michie does. 'Face masks have been customary in China and Japan for more than a century, mainly to protect individuals from pollution, not infectious diseases,' he says. 'It takes years and years to embed a habit like that into the psyche of an entire nation.' So do I have permission to ditch my mask? 'The general rule of thumb should be, if we weren't doing it in November 2019, there's no reason to be doing it now,' he says. I know there will be many who disagree, but I'll take that as a yes. For families, Covid vaccination is now a confusing picture. Kids as young as five are being jabbed in mainland Europe. It's the same across the US, in Australia and other countries from China to South Africa and Chile. But here in the UK we've done things differently. Teenagers aged 12 to 17 have been offered the jab, along with vulnerable younger children with underlying health problems, but experts have been more cautious about whether to roll it out more broadly to healthy children under 12. Studies have shown it's safe in this age group and provides good protection. Vaccine experts on the Government's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are reportedly keen to offer it on an optional 'non-urgent' basis. Their hesitation is based in part on whether it's actually needed, because Covid is so mild in younger children. But behind the scenes at the JCVI, and elsewhere, there is a far more worrying concern. Experts have expressed their fears that scepticism and fake news about the Covid vaccine is having a knock-on effect: triggering doubts about other arguably far more vital childhood jabs Experts have expressed their fears that scepticism and fake news about the Covid vaccine is having a knock-on effect: triggering doubts about other arguably far more vital childhood jabs. Alasdair Munro, an expert in paediatric infectious diseases at University Hospital Southampton, said: 'This is the one thing paediatricians are all very worried about. 'We're all hoping it's not happening in practice, but no one really knows.' Some worry that introducing the vaccine into this younger age group in particular could be seen as an unnecessary intervention that fuels mistrust not only in the drive to vaccinate against Covid but in the entire childhood vaccine schedule. These fears are not unfounded. Since the pandemic started in March 2020, there has been a significant drop in the uptake of routine childhood vaccinations, including the MMR jab and the six-in-one given to babies. Most are given before a child starts school, and some need extra booster doses for full protection. But an analysis of the latest official figures by The Mail on Sunday shows a second dip coinciding with the Covid vaccine rollout which began in December 2020. Some worry that introducing the vaccine into this younger age group in particular could be seen as an unnecessary intervention that fuels mistrust not only in the drive to vaccinate against Covid but in the entire childhood vaccine schedule. Pictured: Protests in London Worryingly, the latest figures suggest rates of certain jabs are lower than they have been for more than ten years. It means thousands more children are unprotected against a litany of serious, life-threatening illnesses such as measles, mumps, tetanus, whooping cough and bacterial infections which can cause pneumonia and meningitis. This is potentially serious. Vaccination has all but eradicated diseases such as measles and polio in the UK, while bringing others under control. As the world re-opens to international travel, they could be brought back across our borders and cause much harm. Measles is like a jam jar full of wasps that are raging to get out As Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, a charitable foundation that funds health research, said: 'Caring and trying to look after a child with encephalitis [brain swelling] following measles infection was one of the most awful and tragic experiences of my professional life. 'Twenty years ago now, I remember the child and their family as if yesterday. Please do ensure your child has access to MMR vaccine.' A member of the JCVI told The Mail on Sunday it remained unclear how much of the drop-off was linked to changes in parents' attitudes to vaccines in general, and how much was related to practical problems getting children vaccinated during the pandemic. Some parents were reluctant to take their children into GP practices, and others did not realise the jabs were still being offered. Today, some are struggling to contact overstretched GPs to reschedule appointments. But Professor Liam Smeeth, Director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said: 'We noticed vaccine coverage was dropping very early in the pandemic, and that wasn't too unexpected. But then it started to fall again. 'There are real worries the campaign of misinformation around the Covid jab stuff like it being invented by Bill Gates to control the population is starting to seep out to influence thoughts on vaccines more generally. IT'S A FACT The US government is to begin giving Covid jabs to children under the age of five as soon as February 21. Advertisement 'We know from all our work on vaccine confidence that it's never one thing it'll be a bit of misinformation, problems getting into a GP surgery, complacency about risk. 'But all of those things together create a perfect storm. And we don't have to see much of a drop in measles vaccine coverage in the UK to get measles outbreaks. 'Measles is like a jam jar full of wasps that are raging to get out. The minute vaccine coverage drops, measles will reappear.' The greatest falls in childhood vaccine uptake are over the MMR vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The triple jab has been the subject of controversy since the now-discredited former doctor, Andrew Wakefield, falsely claimed it was linked to autism in 1998. In 2019, 86.8 per cent of children in England received both MMR jabs. This fell to 85.5 per cent last year although this could be even lower as the latest figures relating to the last quarter of 2021 aren't yet available. It was last at that level in 2009, and well below the World Health Organisation target of 95 per cent coverage. That drop of 1.3 per cent equates to roughly 8,400 children based on 650,000 births a year. And the country-wide figures mask local trends where the drops are more significant. In Middlesbrough, for example, 84.7 per cent of children received both doses of MMR in 2020, compared with 86.7 per cent the year before. Jackie Fletcher, who runs the private vaccine service Jabs, said that a lack of confidence in the Covid vaccine had spilled over into concerns over other routine vaccinations Middlesbrough has a worryingly low Covid vaccine uptake, too: just 51 per cent of residents have had three doses. The difference is even greater in Liverpool, where just 45.8 per cent are fully vaccinated against Covid. There, 79.5 per cent of children had both MMR doses last year, against 85.3 per cent the previous year. There are notable differences too in Birmingham and the London borough of Camden where Covid vaccine uptake generally is low. In Camden, only 59.8 per cent of five-year-olds have had both MMR doses, which is one of the lowest rates in the country. And only 40 per cent of adults have been fully vaccinated against Covid. Uptake of other childhood jabs have fallen too during the pandemic, by between 0.1 and 0.5 per cent. Last year, just 84 per cent of children had taken up the pre-school booster, which protects against diphtheria, polio, tetanus and whooping cough. Helen Donovan, the Royal College of Nursing's professional lead for public health, said: 'We're having the same conversations with people that we were having 15 years ago [over the Wakefield scandal]. 'It's a depressing step backwards because we'd made so much progress in getting vaccination levels up. IT'S A FACT In Hong Kong, everyone who tests positive for Covid is hospitalised whether or not they have symptoms. Advertisement 'While the Covid programme has boosted people's understanding about how they work, it has also boosted some of the propaganda and misinformation which works in the opposite direction. 'We were countering it back then, but the speed that misinformation can travel now because of social media means that's much harder. 'Nurses working in the community tell me they come across families who are concerned about vaccinating their younger children, even though their older ones received the jabs. 'We must remind people these diseases are life-threatening. Children die of measles. Mumps can cause viral meningitis. If pregnant women get rubella it can be catastrophic for the unborn baby. 'Measles sweeping through a primary school would have a far worse outcome than Covid could.' Some of the misinformation includes false claims the vaccine can cause infertility, HIV or alter DNA, or that it hasn't been tested rigorously enough. Unfounded claims that people have started vomiting blood or died suddenly after being vaccinated have been shared millions of times on social media. And outlandish conspiracy theories abound that the jabs contain microchips used to track and control people, and that pharmaceutical companies are covering up side effects to boost profits. US rapper Kanye West, who has millions of social media followers, described the jab as 'the mark of the beast'. While Facebook now filters out such content, it remains easily accessible on WhatsApp, SnapChat and TikTok. One mother-of-two in her 30s said what she had learned online about the Covid vaccine had made her 'more adamant' that she had made the right choice over immunising her children. Her eldest, now seven, has not had any vaccines since before he turned two, while her five-year-old has never been vaccinated. 'I haven't had the Covid vaccine and my children will never have it. I don't believe its effectiveness has been proven and it makes you question it all. 'A lot more people are now questioning whether to vaccinate their children post-Covid. 'The way it's been handled left me with no faith in the Government or the pharma companies.' COVID Q&A - Can we stop self-isolating, and how likely am I to catch Covid again? Q - Is it really true that people who catch Covid wont have to self-isolate any more? A - Yes, if all goes according to the Prime Ministers plan. Last week, Boris Johnson pledged to remove all Covid restrictions in England by the end of this month a month earlier than planned including the duty to self-isolate if you test positive. But some experts are worried. Dr James Gill, of Warwick Medical School, says: I have significant concerns patients will become complacent in the face of infection, resulting in further spread. There is also concern for the fate of 500,000 clinically vulnerable people who may not respond to vaccines, while others have worries that a move away from self-isolation and, ultimately, testing, could mean the UK loses track of new variants. Dr Stephen Griffin, Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Leeds, says: Literally blinding ourselves by removing testing and isolation robs us of the most fundamental means of controlling the spread of this virus. But Professor Paul Hunter, public health expert from the University of East Anglia, says there are grounds for optimism, adding: Case numbers have once again started to fall. Hospital admissions and ITU [intensive therapy unit] bed occupancy continue to fall and deaths are also now falling. Q - How common are Covid reinfections? A - Increasingly common. Earlier this month the Government began incorporating reinfections into its daily data announcement. And the insights from them have been telling. Roughly one in ten of all infections this year up to the first week of February was in someone who had previously had Covid. The most recent data from the Office for National Statistics suggests reinfection is far more likely with Omicron if youve had a different variant previously. The risk of getting Covid for a second time was 16 times higher during the Omicron-dominant period, compared with the last half of 2021, dominated by Delta. But Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, says a combination of previous natural infection and full vaccination will offer high levels of long-lasting protection against severe disease and death. Advertisement Jackie Fletcher, who runs the private vaccine service Jabs, said that a lack of confidence in the Covid vaccine had spilled over into concerns over other routine vaccinations. 'The Government communication around the Covid vaccines has been awful,' she said. 'Parents have heard trials were rushed through, that pharma companies won't be liable if something goes wrong. 'They've seen official reports of suspected vaccine side effects, and yet no one has been reassuring people that they might not be linked and there's been a closing down of debate with anyone who questions it being told they're wrong. These are parents who are simply worried for their child's safety.' Not everyone agrees that vaccine hesitancy is having an impact. Helen Bedford, Professor of Children's Health at University College London, said the success of the childhood vaccination programme in virtually wiping out some diseases can lead to a false sense of confidence, with some parents believing there is no longer a need for the jabs. 'When you don't see any disease around, people forget how serious they can be and vaccine levels can fall,' she added. 'Unfortunately, it often takes an outbreak to remind people.' Research that Prof Bedford carried out last year polled 600 parents of children under five about their views on vaccination. The results were 'very, very clear 96 per cent said they believed it was good for their children's health', she said. Justine Roberts, the founder of parenting forum Mumsnet, has also described how parents on the site mainly middle-class mothers remain overwhelmingly in support of the jabs. Paediatrician Dr Munro said the rise in other respiratory viruses, which began spreading in children after covid restrictions were lifted, have also caused families to struggle to catch up with missed appointments. And GPs have been prioritising Covid vaccines and boosters. One mother told the MoS of her frustration at trying to get routine vaccinations for child. 'My youngest, who's now one, only had his eight-week jabs and hasn't had any since,' she said. 'I didn't want them done in the GP surgery during Covid and now I don't have hours to spare on hold trying to get through to the surgery to make an appointment. It's a ridiculous drama.' Another, who has three children aged seven, two and one, added: 'There have been no check-ups or contact from any services with my younger two, unlike when I had my first, so unless you're chasing it and are on top of things you forget. Support has been shocking, especially for first-time mums.' The UK Health Security Agency has launched a campaign to encourage parents to bring their children forward for vaccination. So what, then, about the JCVI's decision? While some virus experts have been calling on social media for the rollout to begin, it may pay to hold back. Health chiefs were similarly slow to recommend the jab to teenagers, amid concerns the Covid jab could trigger heart inflammation, or myocarditis. The delay meant more data became available, including the fact that delaying the second dose significantly cuts the risk. But in the meantime, the RCN's Helen Donovan has called for services at a local level to be 'empathetic and understanding' of people's views. She said: 'We need local strategies, with expert knowledge of how to deal with local populations. Ultimately, everyone just wants to do the right thing for their children.' A popular NHS treatment for Britains most common sleep disorder does nothing to help older sufferers, a new study has found. Patients over the age of 80 with sleep apnoea, which causes people to stop breathing repeatedly throughout the night, saw no improvement after undergoing continuous positive airway pressure, also known as CPAP. The technique uses a stream of air, delivered through a mask, to keep a persons airway open, allowing them to breathe continuously throughout the night. CPAP, a popular NHS treatment for sleep apnoea, Britains most common sleep disorder, does nothing to help older sufferers, a new study has found Previous studies have shown CPAP can significantly reduce sleepiness, depression, and high blood pressure, all of which are brought on by lack of rest due to sleep apnoea. It is often prescribed on the NHS for the more than 1.5 million Britons who suffer from the condition. But researchers at the University of Missouri in the US, found that, when given to patients over 80, CPAP did not improve any of the above conditions. The studys authors, who observed more than 350 participants over the age of 70, said this was most likely because older adults have a combination of disorders that affect their sleep, which CPAP cannot address. They also noted that those over the age of 80 were less inclined to stick to the therapy long-term. Five prunes a day beat brittle bones Eating prunes could help to prevent brittle-bone disease in older women, new research suggests Eating prunes could help to prevent brittle-bone disease in older women, new research suggests. Osteoporosis, as it is known, occurs when people lose bone density, increasing the risk of breaks. It is more common in post-menopausal women than in any other group. Previous studies suggest this is because low levels of oestrogen can lead to inflammation in the bones. But scientists at Penn State University in the US found that eating about five prunes a day notably reduced the risk of osteoporosis developing in women over 50. While researchers are still unsure why this occurs, one argument is that prunes affect bacteria in the gut, which in turn lowers levels of inflammation in the body. Watching TV before bedtime may lead to a better nights sleep. Previous studies have suggested that activities such as scrolling on a phone before bed can disrupt sleep patterns. But a study carried out by researchers at the University of Delaware in the US, and published in the Journal Of Sleep Research, found that people who looked at a screen for less than a hour before bed were more likely to go to bed earlier than those who did not, and that they also slept for longer. A simple eye test could diagnose Alzheimers years before it develops. Scientists at the University of Otago in New Zealand identified areas of the eye where early signs of damage indicate the onset of the degenerative brain condition. The study, which analysed the eyes of 865 participants, all aged 45, found that those with damaged retinal nerve fibre and ganglion cell layers were more likely to have experienced a decline in their ability to process information from childhood to adulthood, an early sign of Alzheimers. This Is Going To Hurt BBC1, Tuesday Rating: Starstruck BBC3, Monday Rating: This Is Going To Hurt, the adaptation of Adam Kays bestselling memoir, is, in a nutshell, terrific. As is Starstruck, the second series of Rose Matafeos delightful, wholly binge-irresistible romcom. Five stars apiece, for sure, which can only lead to me saying: Oh my heavens, what a week to be alive! (It also meant I didnt have to watch any of the new lame-ass thrillers; I think there were 746.) Kays book rightly went on to sell a trillion copies in a million languages or something. (As you can tell, Im not one for looking actual numbers up.) Whether Id (Deborah Ross) be happy about Paddington Bear (whose film voice is done by Ben Whishaw, above) fiddling around down there, I dont know An account of his time as a junior NHS doctor, it is darkly funny (very), gory, despairing, riveting, tender and insightful, as is the TV version. Adapted by Kay himself, it stars Ben Whishaw as Adam, dealing with the day- to-day of obstetrics and gynaecology (brats and t***s), although whether Id be happy about Paddington Bear (whose film voice is done by Whishaw) fiddling around down there, I dont know. But that aside, you couldnt wish for better casting. To Kays credit, this Adam isnt always that likeable and is sometimes callous. But Whishaw brings such warmth and charisma, you always know that underneath he cares. Possibly too much. It opens with Adam waking in his falling-apart old car, having been too tired to drive home from his shift the night before, and now hes late for work. Before hes even made his way inside, he encounters a doubled-up woman, takes a look I should have said earlier, I am a doctor diagnoses an umbilical cord prolapse (gory), rushes her through the hospitals maintenance entrance, into the paternoster lift, into surgery for a caesarean while still wearing yesterdays jumper. Or casual wear, as his Aston Martin-driving consultant (a wonderful Alex Jennings) disdainfully puts it. This is chaotic and relentless as medical incidents pile up, including a racist mother and daughter (Adam gets his revenge, hilariously) and an old woman who, when hes beeped and says I have to see someone else now, retorts: A hairdresser, I hope. Adam occasionally deadpans to camera, Fleabag-style, often spars with brilliantly acerbic nurse Tracy (Michele Austin), and its all beset by the kind of gallows humour that can only come from real intimacy with a subject. An incident where a swab could have been left inside a patient leads to a swab punning competition. Swabert De Niro OK Swabert Redford! But it is also unflinching in a way most medical dramas are not, particularly in detailing the errors that can, and do, happen. (At the end of the first episode we see one that will continue to haunt Adam.) You certainly understand the toll this work takes on staff. Adam is permanently exhausted. Adam is bullied by the consultant, so bullies his underling this is when he is at his most unlikable as thats how the hierarchy works. And his home life with boyfriend Harry (Rory Fleck Byrne) is always under stress. Doing anything fun tonight? he is asked at one point. I thought Id go home three hours late, get shouted at, then fall asleep on the toilet, he replies. Ive been able to watch four episodes, and as it goes on you become truly invested in whether Adam will process his own trauma and survive or not. Also, you will get to meet his awful mother (played by Harriet Walter), who will not accept that Adam and Harry are in a relationship. He puts it to her straight: Mother, we are gay. What, she says, both of you? I swore Id watch Starstruck weekly, to draw out the pleasure, but all episodes have been made available and, as I am ill-disciplined, it was suddenly midnight and Id watched all six. To keep Jessie (Rose Matafeo) and Toms (Nikesh Patel, above with Matafeo) relationship as an on-off affair, obstacles must be thrown at it, and sometimes this felt a little forced This second series kicks off exactly where the first one left off. Jessie (Matafeo), you remember, meets Tom (Nikesh Patel), sleeps with him, then discovers hes a major movie star, and then its an on-off love story. At the end of the first series she decides to return to New Zealand, but he ambushes her on the bus to the airport and she fails to get off at the stop. Thats where most romcoms would end, but this is where we now start. With Jessie freaking out. What has she done? Her mother had paid her air fare. Shes going to kill her. In her panic theres only one thing for it: she buys a ticket for a live performance of Magic Mike. As you do. This is more contrived than the first series. To keep Jessie and Toms relationship as an on-off affair, obstacles must be thrown at it, and sometimes this felt a little forced. (Particularly in the form of Jessies ex-boyfriend Ben.) But it remains five stars because its still lovely, a scene-stealing Minnie Driver returns as Toms agent, and it has a great script. Tom is making a violent film working for a Guy Ritchie-style director and, as he tells Jessie, he has to go now because these lines wont butcher themselves. Plus, youre still rooting for them to make a go of it. The last two episodes, which have proper emotional heft, are the best, but Ive seen them now. Goddamn it. The Osmonds: A New Musical Curve Theatre, Leicester Touring until December 3 Rating: Simply Red AO Arena, Manchester Touring until February 24 and in June Rating: Its now nearly 50 years since five singing brothers from Utah became the biggest thing since The Beatles. When The Osmonds landed at Heathrow in 1973, so many screaming girls turned out to greet them that a building collapsed. It was thanks to them that the word teenybopper caught on. These days The Osmonds are a period piece, like the flares they once wore. The only song of theirs that looms large on Spotify is Donnys Ill Make A Man Out Of You, because its from the film Mulan. These days The Osmonds are a period piece, like the flares they once wore. But try telling that to the 900 women packed into this world premiere But try telling that to the 900 women packed into this world premiere. They still know the words of all the hits, and even the flops. When it emerges that Jay Osmond (the drummer) is in the stalls, hes engulfed by fellow sixtysomethings asking for selfies. Is there such a thing as a grannybopper? As boy bands go, The Osmonds were pretty good. They all played more than one instrument, they wrote two classic songs (Crazy Horses and Let Me In), and they were brave enough to make a concept album about their Mormon faith (The Plan). They were four phenomena for the price of one Donny was a solo star, Little Jimmy a novelty act, Donny & Marie a durable duo. The only surprise about this musical is that it wasnt made years ago. The story is supplied by Jay Osmond, the theatrical expertise by Julian Bigg and Shaun Kerrison. As drama, its standard stuff: a jukebox musical, just about joining up the songs. As a memoir, though, its unexpectedly moving. Jay is honest enough to disclose the tensions behind the toothy smiles. We see Merrills heartache, Waynes depression, their father Georges overbearing strictness and the whole familys near-bankruptcy. And yet the show is still a blast. The costumes are superb, the jokes good enough. The cast may not look very Osmond-like, but theyre thoroughly endearing. As the screams of old turn to fond chuckles, you can feel an Osmonds reunion approaching. Meanwhile, last Sunday night in Manchester, Simply Red finally started a tour that was scheduled for 2020. Their shows tend to be much of a muchness, but this time theres an extra buzz in the air. At 61, Mick Hucknall (above) still has the voice of an angel and the hair of a cherub, and makes it all look easy like Sunday evening Its the feeling you get when 20,000 people are simply thrilled to be out of the house. At 61, Mick Hucknall still has the voice of an angel and the hair of a cherub. Switching between self-written gems such as Stars and vintage soul covers, he makes it all look easy like Sunday evening. A barrister has waged war on British Airways after an on-board row led to him being escorted from a flight by police. Cabin crew on a BA flight forced Charles Banner QC and his family to leave after a heated argument over his children's nanny being downgraded from business class. Banner said that flight attendants were 'gas lighting' his family and 'incredibly rude' when his nanny was prevented from joining him in business class to help look after his children. Row: Cabin crew on a BA flight forced Charles Banner QC and his family to leave after a heated argument over his children's nanny being downgraded from business class It is claimed the crew did not allow the nanny to use a spare seat next in his row. The spat led to the lawyer informing cabin crew that he had lodged a complaint to BA's hierarchy, following which the pilot was asked not to fly any of Banner's family and police were called. Banner described the situation as a 'gross over-reaction and a 'very upsetting event'. He said he has received an apology and a full refund, although the possibility of further legal action still looms. BA said: 'We do not tolerate disruptive behaviour.' The planned 5.4billion takeover of Inmarsat has been thrown into doubt as its buyer desperately seeks to overcome Government opposition. American group Viasat swooped on the British satellite group last year and has put forward a series of proposals to get the deal over the line. The tie-up is being scrutinised by ministers and both sides have held talks to thrash out an agreement. Viasat's pledges include creating jobs and keeping Inmarsat's headquarters in the UK. But the Government believes these promises are too superficial, a Downing Street source told the Mail. Ministers want firmer commitments including that Viasat will invest in innovative projects. Sources close to the company last night said they believe it has made a breakthrough in recent discussions. One told the Mail that there had been 'endorsement from the Government so far.' But a Whitehall source suggested no such breakthrough had been made and that laws could still be used to call in the deal and investigate whether it is a threat to national security. Inmarsat is the largest provider of in-flight Wi-Fi for airlines and the leading provider of internet connections for ships. It has 14 satellites in orbit and plans to launch another seven in future. Most of its 2,000-strong workforce is based in the UK. It was taken private in 2019 for 4.7billion by foreign private equity groups including Warburg Pincus, but was put up for sale last year. The Inmarsat tie-up is one in a line of controversial aerospace and defence takeovers to rock UK industry in recent years. There are fears Inmarsat could suffer the same fate as aerospace group Cobham, which was carved up 18 months after it was bought by US private equity firm Advent. The Government has been so worried about the string of selloffs it has brought in laws to protect firms in sensitive industries including space which include automatically screening deals. However, the Inmarsat deal was launched before the National Security and Investment Act came into effect in January. This means that all talks between the Government and the company are unofficial. But if ministers believe the deal could pose a threat to national security, they could invoke the law to start an official investigation. Viasat boss Rick Baldridge previously told the Mail his company sees Inmarsat as a long-term investment. He added that Viasat could sell some of Inmarsat's US operations if it does not fit with the company far into the future, but added that the company has been around for 35 years and has not sold anything to date. Viasat invested 300million in a cyber centre in Aldershot, Hampshire, last year, and does other work in the UK. Baldridge has said: 'We've already been making hundreds of millions of dollars in commitment here.' But critics have said any promises made by Viasat must be cast-iron, multi-year legal commitments for Inmarsat to avoid the fate of Cobham. A Viasat spokesman said it is 'grateful for the constructive engagement' with the Government. Rosneft raked in record profits last year as oil prices surged. The BP-backed Russian oil group made 8.8billion despite having to cut production to comply with agreements struck by oil cartel, Opec+. Boost: Rosneft made 8.8billion despite having to cut production to comply with agreements struck by oil cartel, Opec+ Rosneft's production fell 6.6 per cent to 3.9m barrels of oil a day as major crude-rich countries slashed their output in a bid to stimulate prices. Brent oil prices spiralled above $85 in the final quarter of 2021 as the global economy roared back to life. But the six-fold increase in Rosneft's profits may be uncomfortable for BP which owns 20 per cent of the firm as Moscow amasses troops on Ukraine's border. But BP and Shell are among the companies working in Russia that could be affected by sanctions if Russia invades. Rosneft contributed around 21 per cent of the FTSE100-listed company's bumper 9.4billion profit last year. This provoked more angry calls for a windfall tax on oil company earnings as Britons face higher bills. A man from Maine has been found guilty in a cold case killing nearly 30 years after the victim was discovered dead and half-undressed in a womens bathroom at an Alaska university. For decades, the 1993 rape and murder of Sophie Sergie at the University of Alaska Fairbanks remained unsolved. Investigators finally got a break in the case after a DNA match for the assailant was found using genetic genealogy tracing. Advertisement In this Aug. 6, 2019, file photo, Steven Downs is led into a courtroom for arraignment in Anchorage, Alaska. (Mark Thiessen/AP) In 2019, authorities arrested Steven Downs of Auburn in connection with the grisly crime. Downs, now 47, was a freshman at the university in 1993 and a resident of the dorm where 20-year-old Sergie was found dead. While Sergie previously attended UAF, she was not a student at the time of her slaying, but instead staying with a friend in the dorms, according to charging documents filed in the case She was last seen alive as she left to smoke a cigarette. One of her friends suggested that she smoke near exhaust vents in the womens shower room to avoid the chilly weather. Advertisement Janitors discovered her bloody body in a bathtub of the shower room the afternoon of April 26, 1993. Officials said she was sexually assaulted, shot in the back of the head and stabbed numerous times. Sophie Sergie was killed in 1993. Investigator collected DNA evidence from the scene, but DNA technology was not widely in use in Alaska at the time. Following the conviction of the Golden State Killer in 2018, one of the first high profile cases to be resolved with genetic genealogy testing, state troopers submitted the DNA profile they developed for analysis, which ultimately led them to Downs. Jurors in Fairbanks deliberated two days before they found Downs guilty of murder and rape, the Anchorage Daily News reported. He is expected to be sentenced in September. With News Services In this series, we bust the jargon and explain a popular investing term or theme. Here it's the price-to-earnings or P/E ratio. What is a P/E ratio? Investors use the price-to-earnings ratio the P/E ratio as a way of deciding whether a company's shares are cheap or not. It is based on past or future earnings, that is profits. The ratio shows how much you are paying for every pound of those profits. There are two types of P/E: the 'forward' P/E is based on forecast future profits and the historic or 'trailing' P/E which is based on past profits. In the US, P/E ratios are often called 'market multiples'. In the know: Investors use the price-to-earnings ratio the P/E ratio as a way of deciding whether a company's shares are cheap or not Are they used only to assess the value of companies? No, P/E ratios are also calculated for different stock market sectors and for the main stock market indices to which a lot of attention is being paid at present. The American activist investors who are currently targeting UK companies like GSK, Unilever, Shell and Vodafone are said to be mobilising largely because the FTSE 100 has a P/e of 12.5, suggesting that opportunities abound. This compares to 15 for France's CAC40 index, or 20 for the US S&P 500. How are P/E ratios calculated? By dividing a company's current share price by its earnings per share. The earnings per share (EPS) can be worked out by dividing the company's net profits by the number of shares outstanding. If the EPS is 200 and the current share price is 2000p, then the P/E ratio is 10. This means that investors are willing to pay 10 for every 1 of profits generated by the company. Where can I find this information? Although you could calculate a P/E ratio yourself, relying on one of the online calculators, why would you bother since this data is widely available. If you use a platform to buy and sell shares and funds, the P/E ratio will be listed alongside other such vital statistics as the share price performance history, market capitalisation (the value of the company) and the dividend yield. Is a high P/E ratio a signal to buy or to think twice? A high P/E ratio could suggest that a share may be overvalued, while a low P/E could suggest it is a bargain. But this is an oversimplification. A high P/E could be an indication that investors are confident that a business is set for strong growth. A low P/E could indicate that investors suspect a company is in a sector with poor, if any, growth prospects. The White House has urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to use his federal powers to crush the Freedom Convoy, a mass protest against Canada's vaccine mandate for truckers reentering the country from the U.S. The truckers blocked access to a bridge connecting Ontario and Detroit, resulting in big disruptions to the U.S. auto industry. Trudeau appears to be hearing the White House loud and clear. Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end, and it will end,' threatened Trudeau after speaking to Biden on Friday. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said that Trudeau promised 'quick action.' Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a 42-state of emergency over the bridge blockade and is threatening to seize vehicles and throw demonstrators in jail for up to a year. He even compared the peaceful protesters to hostage-takers and 'occupiers.' By Friday evening, a Canadian court issued an injunction to force the protesters to clear the bridge. On Thursday, U.S. secretaries of Homeland Security and Transportation began to push Canada to escalate its response to the nonviolent protest. You read that right: An executive department created to combat terrorism in response to the September 11 attacks is urging Canada to crack down on a labor strike. The White House has urged Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to use his federal powers to crush the Freedom Convoy, a mass protest against Canada's vaccine mandate for truckers reentering the country from the U.S. A president who billed himself as Scranton Joe, a union man, is urging another country to send in the Pinkertons, a private police force of the late 1800's that specialized in vicious strikebreaking. A man whose press secretary pitched the 2020 election as 'Park Avenue vs. Scrantona choice between someone who has always stood up for working people and believes this country was built by unions, and Donald Trump,' has a department devoted to counterterrorism on high alert in case of a 'copycat protest' in the U.S. of truck drivers protesting labor conditions. An 'Internal Use Only' DHS report, prepared by their Office of Intelligence and Analysis's Current and Emerging Threats Center and leaked to the media, warned of potential U.S. trucker protests threatening to disrupt the Super Bowl and the State of the Union. How did we get here? How did we arrive at a situation where members of the working classwho we once lauded as heroes for braving the pandemic and bringing us literally every morsel of food we put in our mouthsorganized a massive, non-violent protest in the name of their right to work and work on their own terms, and the union-backed Democrats are calling in DHS and demanding a federal crackdown in Canada? When did the idea of a labor strike become so threatening to Leftist media outlets and pundits that they began tarring striking workers as fascists? The answer is thick with irony: After decades of abandoning the working class to join hands with free-market Republicans in trade deals that decimated America's working class, the Democrats tarred the first president in recent memory to address workers' concerns as hopelessly racist. As a result, they have continued to hemorrhage working class votersof all races. The Left is increasingly made up of and led by college-educated elites, creating an enormous class chasm in America that has pushed the working class further to the Right. Despite all the messaging of his campaign, Joe Biden didn't win with the support of workers; it was affluent white suburban yuppies who decided the election for Biden, while Trump made huge gains in the working class of every minority group. So it's no surprise that it's the Right that's been supporting the trucker's convoy, while the Left has committed to the narrative pushed by Trudeau, that the truckers are 'a few people shouting and waving swastikas.' Pundits and news reporters across North America have cast the truckers as they did Trump's voters, as unwashed, unlettered masses rife with racist sentiment and conspiracy theories. (Above) A man waves a Canadian and American flag at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, Feb. 11, 2022. What we're seeing in the Freedom Convoy is nothing short of a working class organizing politically without the help of either side. (Above) Protesters blocking the access roads on the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, on Feb. 10, 2022. Pundits and news reporters across North America have cast the truckers as they did Trump's voters, as unwashed, unlettered masses rife with racist sentiment and conspiracy theories. Needless to say, one swastika flag and one Confederate flag in a protest of 100,000 people does not a white supremacist rally make. As far as I can tell, all the other hateful symbols were in the context of people making the odious comparison between COVID restrictions and the Nazis. These people are of course not themselves Nazis but people emphasizing the evils of the Nazis, albeit in a grossly inappropriate way. To be sure, the Right has its share of hypocrisy here; it was less supportive of collective action when the protestors blocking roads were Black Lives Matter protestors. But as shocking is the Left, which worked overtime to erase the minority of BLM protestors who were violent and who managed to do $2 billion in property damagemuch of it to minority-owned businesses. And now they are working equally hard to smear the truckers, whose protest has been completely peaceful. What we're seeing in the Freedom Convoy is nothing short of a working class organizing politically without the help of either side. And this presents a real threat to the Democrats because it exposes the truth, that their base is not made up of the essential workers we once cheered but the pajama set, the email class who relied on essential workers so they could stay home during the plague years, who then cheered when those people got fired if they refused the vaccine. The Freedom Convoy exposes how far Biden has come since his Scranton days. It exposes the elitism of his party, and the contempt they have for working people demanding to have their say on their own terms. So it must be squashed. Biden isn't the only one pushing for aggressive action. 'Slash the tires, empty gas tanks, arrest the drivers, and move the trucks,' tweeted a Harvard professor and CNN contributor. Why is Biden desperate to squash the truckers? Because they reveal the enormous chasm between the working class and the Democrats who used to represent them. (Above) Protestors sit at a blockade at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge on Feb. 10, 2022 in Windsor, Canada 'The scale of the humiliation in Ottawa, and the length it has dragged on, will require a very dramatic state response to reassert control. Not even in Ottawa, necessarily. But Canada will need to remind everyone it's boss. Not necessarily violently. But decisively,' tweeted another journalist. If a truck driver 'wants to block a bridge to the USA and disrupt our auto industry, we should send the Marines to reopen the bridge,' tweeted another. In Windsor, Ontario, Mayor Drew Dilkens is seeking a court order to allow him to remove protesters from the Ambassador Bridge, vowing the truckers 'will be removed to allow for the safe and efficient movement of goods across the border.' There is a shocking arrogance in a liberal political elite and Leftist media outlets, which betray their extreme contempt for workers while relying so entirely upon their labor. And then they go so far as to demand obedience from these people they depend upon yet delight in smearing. And it's this gap that's really being exposed by the Freedom Convey: the despicable lack of humility that elites who work from home in their workout clothes have when it comes to people whose jobs demand physical labor. I have liberal friends who have told me that they would support the truckers if they were demanding better wages, or health care, but why should they support people refusing a life-saving vaccine? Here's the thing: 90% of Canadian truckers are vaccinated. The protest isn't against the vaccine but against the mandate. It's not about their victimization but about their autonomya value that reigns supreme in the working class though not in liberal elites. Moreover, it's not for liberals in knowledge industry jobs to tell working-class people which causes are worthy of protesting and which are not. They shouldn't have to be perfect victims for us to recognize government overreach, recognize that it is we who depend on them and not the other way around, and recognize how far we have fallen if the Left is cheering on a violent response to nonviolent protest. Why is Biden desperate to squash the truckers? Because they reveal the enormous chasm between the working class and the Democrats who used to represent them. They expose the arrogant elitism that reigns supreme behind things like vaccine mandates. And they reveal what's coming down the road from a newly politically active working class that's just not going to take it anymore. If you want to know who the ruling class is, look to who is most threatened by a mass political uprising of workers. They seem to realize that things might be about to change. The body of a former airport boss was found in his garage after he took his own life using monoxide poisoning on the day he was due to report for a 10-year prison sentence on bribery charges. Former Detroit Metropolitan Airport supervisor James Warner's body was found on Friday at his home in Commerce Township, according to a court spokesman. The death was believed to be a suicide as Warner, 55, had been convicted of 10 crimes relating to bribery, theft, money laundering conspiracies and obstruction of justice back in June 2019. According to prosecutors, Warner had steered $43.7 million worth of airport contracts to three co-conspirators including William Pritula, Douglas Earles and Gary Tenaglia in exchange for over $6 million in kickbacks. The amount taken was considered to be the highest total in the history of public corruption cases in Metro Detroit as well as the third largest in the country's history. During the course of the investigation, the government has since taken $11 million from Warner and his fellow accomplices. 'Theres really nothing to say. Its just a real shock, quite frankly,' Warner's lawyer Harold Gurewitz told The Detroit Press. 'I'm sorry that this has happened.' Warner convicted of 10 crimes relating to bribery, theft, money laundering conspiracies and obstruction of justice back in June 2019 Former Detroit airport supervisor James Warner, 55, was said to have killed himself using monoxide poisoning on Friday Warner had been found in the garage of his home in Commerce Township on the day he was supposed to start serving a 10-year sentence on bribery charges Prior to Warner's death, both prosecutors and defense lawyers had sparred over the former airport boss's bail, arguing over whether he would commit suicide or flee while on bond. After being found guilty of the charges, Warner was permitted to remain free on bond as ordered by US District Judge Victoria Roberts. 'I am glad that Mr. Warner was free and spent the remaining years of his life with his family,' Roberts told the outlet. She also said that it was not entirely uncommon for Warner to remain on bond due to the pandemic that has limited prison populations. He was last seen by relatives after grabbing dinner on Wednesday night before his body was found two days later in his garage. However, prosecutors had fought to keep Warner in jail after his sentencing in February 2020 where they noted his lengthy jail sentence and his history with mental health which posed him his as a flight risk. Warner had worked at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport where he was said to have steered $43.7 million worth of airport contracts to three unidentified co-conspirators in exchange for over $6 million in kickbacks Warner was revealed to have struggled with issues such as depression, suicidal thoughts as well as treatment for bipolar and major depressive disorders which prompted prosecutors to ask the judge for jail time prior to an appeal from the court. 'He has struggled with severe depression and suicidal thoughts for the majority of his life,' Assistant US Attorney Eaton Brown said in a 2020 court filing. 'Six months after confessing to FBI agents that he had accepted bribes and kickbacks from airport contractors in this case, his family found him suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning in a shed near his house.' The prosecutors also noted that federal investigators failed to note an addition $1.4 million that Warner had obtained. Gurewitz, however, fought for his client claiming that Warner had been seeking mental health treatment and was following the conditions of his bond. Despite two years of attempting to overturn the conviction, he was later ordered to surrender his case of being freed from bond after the US Supreme Court denied to review it. An arrest warrant was then obtained for Warner prior to the discovery of his body. Warner's bribery scheme had begun in May 2010 when he worked as an airport field inspector where he had access to maintenance and repair contracts. One of his plots involved Romulus businessman William Pritula who held contracts with the airport. According to the government, Warner had drafted inflated invoices for Pritula's work at the airport with payments totaling over $18 million. As a part of this plan, Warner had received about half of these contract profits slated at more than $5 million, according to an indictment. In July 2018, Pritula plead guilty to bribery charges and agreed to paying $5.4 million back to the government. Another contractor, who authorities claim to be identified as Gary Tenaglia, was also involved in Warner's scheme and was accused of defrauding the Wayne County Airport Authority of $1.5 million. One of Warner's co-conspirators Gary Tenaglia was previously accused of defrauding the Wayne County Airport Authority of $1.5 million Warner was reported to have given Tenaglia confidential information about Envision Electric so that they could win contracts with the former airport boss pocketing 10 percent of the profit, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors also alleged the pair had dinner together where Warner had proposed a $5,000 kickback amount on a napkin which he slid over to Tenaglia. Once Tenaglia understood was being asked of him, the napkin was then ate by Warner. The third co-conspirator Douglas Earles, 60, also pleaded guilty to stealing over $100,000 from Wayne County Airport Authority between 2010 to 2013. For his part, Earles, who owned and operated North Star Water Management and North Star Plumbing, also would submit fraudulent inflated invoices. Earles had given Warner a kickback of roughly 40 percent of the profits. For additional support to help prevent suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255. Melissa Caddick's husband has opened up about the moment he was told by police his wife's foot had been found on a beach and revealed he was curious if it was the left or right one because of their matching tattoos. Caddick's foot was found by campers along Bournda Beach, 400km south of Sydney, on February 21, 2021. The 50-year-old had been missing for four months and was wanted by police after she skipped town in November 2020 with $30million of her client's life-savings. When detectives informed her husband Anthony Koletti of the gruesome find, the 39-year-old immediately wondered which foot had been found. Melissa Caddick's husband revealed the moment he was told by police his wife's foot had been found on a beach and why he was curious if it was the left or right one Detectives informed her husband Anthony Koletti of the gruesome find when the 39-year-old admitted he immediately wondered which foot had been found Mr Koletti revealed his wife had a distinguishing tattoo inked on her left foot. The tattoo was written in Chinese characters and depicted the names of Caddick, Mr Koletti and their 15-year-old son. Mr Koletti has the same tattoo, The Australian reported. He said the tattoo had been on 'the other foot that she kept, wherever that is'. Detectives have dismissed wild theories Caddick cut off her own foot to stage her death. Mr Koletti is convinced his wife did not take her own life and suggested there might have been foul play. It comes as Mr Koletti insists ASIC should be the one to compensate the investors who were swindled out of $30million by Caddick. Mr Koletti is facing eviction from his $6.2million Dover Heights mansion, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, within the next two months. The Australian Security and Investments Commission will repossess the home and use the money to help pay off the 74 victims who were defrauded by Caddick. Mr Koletti has denied his wife stole the money and insisted that she did not spend a cent on him - leaving him confused as to why he must sell everything. 'I personally have not spent a cent of investors' money and that cannot be shown,' he said. 'So why is it my fault? Why am I losing everything? Caddick's family was told late last year her cars, luxury properties and jewellery would be sold off to help repay her victims, many of whom were friends and relatives. Mr Koletti revealed his wife had a distinguishing tattoo inked on her left foot (pictured, a foot found on the remote beach south of Sydney) Mr Koletti has denied his wife stole the money and insisted that she did not spend a cent on him - leaving him confused as to why he must sell everything A blue 2016 Audi R8 coupe, worth an estimated $300,000, and a black 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 wagon, worth at least $50,000, have been listed for auction by Pickles. Mr Koletti has been pictured driving the Audi around Sydney and has posted images of himself with the striking vehicle on social media. The 39-year-old has also blamed ASIC for bringing 'an atomic bomb to a fist fight' and pushing Caddick to her death. Mr Koletti has been warned to stop making bizarre rap songs about fraud investigators in the process of liquidating his wife's assets. Mr Koletti was hit with a restraining order from NSW Police on behalf of Isabella Allen, 28, the ASIC officer leading the investigation into Ms Caddick's Ponzi scheme. Legal documents allege the unemployed DJ sent texts to Allen, trolled her on social media and was involved in other behaviours deemed 'threatening' including making several songs that mentioned her and ASIC directly. In one bizarre track, the former hairdresser calls her 'ugly', compares her to a snake and a rat, as well as a personal attack about her 'government job'. The husband of dead conwoman Melissa Caddick (pictured together) has been warned to stop making rap songs about fraud investigators in the process of liquidating his wife's assets Mr Koletti made music about the investigators with several of his songs mentioning Ms Allen and ASIC directly 'You can't hide behind your government job forever,' the lyric says. 'Might get me a snake or a and call it Isabella. I'll buy the ugliest thing I can find.' Mr Koletti told 7News he doesn't think his behaviour crossed any lines. 'She's made my life very uncomfortable and my entire families so can I feel sorry for her? No,' he said. 'I don't feel it went to far. But if she feels threatened I'm sorry for that. I don't mean it as a personal threat against her and I mean her no harm. 'I'm the one that is going to be left with nothing and a dead wife.' Mr Koletti said he received a warning by police in August last year after he sent Ms Allen four texts requesting that she return a computer server seized by regulators - but claims he hasn't contacted her since. Anthony Koletti (pictured) claims he and his fraudster wife are being 'villainised' by authorities 'I have no idea why they would be taking an AVO out, I guess it's ASIC just throwing their weight around to try and make me look like some kind of villain,' he told The Australian. 'They're villainising my wife and now they villainising me, that's what this world's come to. It's just ridiculous.' Mr Koletti was also adamant that he hadn't been in contact with anyone from ASIC for months. 'I haven't contacted them in, my god like, at least six months ago, maybe eight months ago. It's been ages. It's just ridiculous,' he said. There are no conditions listed on the apprehended violence order, but police will apply for conditions before the matter appears in the Sydney Downing Centre Local Court on February 23. AVO conditions can stop defendants from approaching or contacting the protected person and being within a certain distance of their home or workplace. Caddick, 49, (pictured with Koletti) was wanted by police after she skipped town in November 2020 with $30million of her clients' life-savings Mr Koletti has repeatedly claimed his wife is not a conwoman, despite the mountain of evidence stacked against her. Justice Brigitte Markovic ruled on November 22 that Caddick had provided unlicensed financial advice between 2012 and 2020 under the Maliver banner. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission has been trying to recover some of the live savings her clients poured into the scam, which funded her lavish lifestyle. Investors were scammed out of their life savings before ASIC cottoned onto the racket. Justice Markovic ordered Maliver should be wound down, with what is left of the company to be divvied up among those who are owed money. The ruling also meant Mr Koletti would be booted out of his missing wife's $6.2million home. A blue 2016 Audi R8 coupe, worth an estimated $300,000 was listed for auction. Caddick's hairdresser husband Anthony Koletti has been pictured driving the Audi (above) As an ASIC investigation closed in on her $30million scam, Caddick left her luxury $6.2million Dover Heights home in Sydney's eastern suburbs (pictured) for a dawn run and vanished Justice Markovic ruled Caddick bought the property with investors' money in 2014. Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Koletti is in any way responsible for Caddick's fraudulent conduct or had any knowledge of it. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu's social media town hall got highjacked this week by fed-up city residents and labor unions fuming over the new mayor's strident vaccine and mask mandates - even as other cities and states around the US are loosening pandemic restrictions. Wu, who took office just three months ago, upset many of her constituents with her vaccine passports and mandates for indoor dining, bars, businesses, schools, and city workers. She announced she does not plan to lift mask mandates for public schools at the end of February. The mandate, which Wu announced in December and came into effect late last month, has been highly controversial sparking teachers union strikes, complaints from restaurants and local businesses, and unrest among Bostonians. Some of those angry Beantowners expressed their frustrations this week when Wu held an social media town hall on InstagramLive - and welcomed comments from her constituents, telling them 'I will answer any questions that you have.' 'Why do you hate kids? Teachers? Cops? Firemen?' one commenter immediately demanded to know. 'Please stop the indoor vaccine requirement mandate,' wrote another. 'It does nothing but discriminate and rob people of freedom.' Despite her promise to answer questions, negative queries were ignored. Wu instead cooed about a tiger emoji that someone posted in honor of the Chinese Lunar New Year. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, who only took office in November 2021, reversed course on an agreement struck by the previous mayor that would allow the city's municipal workers to get regular testing for Covid-19 in lieu of vaccination. She also instituted a vaccine passport and refused to lift the school mask mandate as other states are loosening pandemic restrictions. Bostonian's responded with anger during an Instagram live session the mayor launched to take voter feedback She also chuckled nervously after it became apparent from the first seconds of the Instagram townhall that she would be pilloried for her pandemic policies. 'Mandates cause division and segregation,' an Instagram commenter posted. Another view wrote, 'Is there an expiration date for the mandates?' 'YOU'RE RUINING BOSTON,' DJ_MCGEE wrote in all caps. 'When will you stop destroying our city with this mandate?' another commenter asked. The public safety unions in Boston recently held rallies in front of city hall protesting the mayor's forced vaccinations. Wu, so far, has stuck to her pro-vax policies, no matter how unpopular they are. 'The data makes clear that Boston's policies to boost vaccination and public health have been working, and we are coming down from the recent Omicron-driven surge,' said Wu. 'The fastest way to help ensure we are relieving pressure on hospital capacity and driving down community positivity is to keep closing gaps with vaccination and boosters.' Boston's police and fire unions have also sued the mayor over the mandate and an appeals court temporarily blocked the measure while the litigation goes forward. The teacher's union hammered out a plan with the city that would allow unvaxxed instructors to work in the classroom when the infection rate has dropped by 46%, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health. The Boston City Council plans to hold a hearing next week to discuss the forced vaccination of city workers, but admitted that the legislative body has little control over negotiations with the unions, according to news state WBUR. Boston appears to be out of step with its other liberal cities and states who have been lifting mask and vaccine mandates this week - despite the Biden administration's reluctance. At least eight blue states either lifted their mandates or set plans to do so in the coming weeks. Even New York Governor Kathy Hochul announced she was lifting mask requirements for indoor venues in an effort to return to 'normalcy' - although she said they would remain in schools - for now. Boston's two police unions and its firefighter union have sued the city to overturn the requirement that all city workers be vaccinated ANOTHER Democratic governor drops mask mandates and leaves Biden behind: Nevada's Sisolak says face coverings can come off everywhere and joins blue states going against a White House that STILL won't budge Nevada became the latest blue state to drop indoor mask mandates on Thursday, leaving President Joe Biden increasingly isolated in insisting that tough COVID-19 restrictions stay in place. The White House says it is following the lead of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). But with cases falling 43 percent across the nation in the past week as the Omicron surge fades, it puts Biden out of step with Americans who say they are ready to try to live with the virus and with allies, such as the United Kingdom, where Prime Minister Boris Johnston on Wednesday announced plans to lift all restrictions. Gov. Steve Sisolak of Nevada became the latest to lift a statewide mask mandate after outlining how the number of hospitalizations had dropped from their peak. 'Given all of these updates, and the tools that we now have, now is the appropriate time for me to announce that Nevada will rescind mask mandates effective immediately,' he told news conference conducted via Zoom. 'Masks will no longer be required in public places.' However, he added that people would still be required to wear masks in certain places, such as healthcare facilities. His announcement came after eight Democrat-run states in recent days either lifted their mandates or set plans to do so in the coming weeks. 'Given all of these updates, and the tools that we now have, now is the appropriate time for me to announce that Nevada will rescind mask mandates effective immediately,' said Gov. Steve Sisolak during news conference conducted via Zoom Covid cases are dropping over the past two weeks in all 50 states, and northeastern states like Connecticut and New York in particular are posting massive falls of around 70% each Gov Ned Lamont (left) is among four northeastern governors that set dates to lift mask mandates in school this week. He said it was a joint decision among a coalition of governors. President Biden is now facing mounting pressure to roll back COVID restrictions with growing support from Americans to learn to live with the virus How school mask mandates vary state-by-state School mask mandates, like other pandemic restrictions, vary by state. School mask mandates are in effect in California, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Washington. Last month, Massachusetts extended its mandate through February. It remains unclear if the mandate will be extended again. New York Gov. Hochul announced February 9 that she will reevaluate the school mask mandate in March. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced February 7 that his state's mandate will be lifted on March 7. Delaware Gov. John Carney made a similar announcement February 7, saying the states school mask mandate will lift March 31. He also said the general statewide indoor masks order will end on February 11. Connecticut is set to end its statewide mask mandate on February 28. Oregon will lift its statewide mask mandate on March 31. Maryland, which still has a school mask mandate in effect, now allows local districts to remove masks if 80 percent of students and staff at a single school are fully vaccinated or 80 percent of the districts community population is fully vaccinated. If neither of the vaccination thresholds are met, a local district can also choose to lift universal masking when the county or jurisdiction has reached 14 days of moderate or low transmission of COVID-19. Louisiana and Pennsylvania have lifted their statewide school mandates. Seven states - Arizona, Florida, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah - currently has legislation in effect banning school mask mandates. Updated: Feb. 9, 2022 Advertisement Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont revealed on Thursday that East Coast governors had decided to act together. 'We worked on this together as governors throughout the region. We thought this is a good time,' Lamont told CNBC's Squawk Box. The nearby states of Delaware, Massachusetts and New Jersey announced they were lifting mask mandates in schools at the same time Connecticut did. Lamont noted that cases were going down in his state - down 70 percent over the past two weeks - and in the states of his peers. Cases in nearby New Jersey, Massachusetts and Delaware also decreased 71 percent. COVID cases are down nationwide as well, with all 50 states recording declining cases over the past two weeks. The U.S. is recording 223,417 infections daily, a 43 percent drop from 394,741 cases per day this time last week. 'Our infection rates are back to low, hospitalizations are way down,' Lamont said. 'Most importantly people have the ability to keep themselves safe now.' He notes that vaccines and booster shots are widely available at this point, and there are little barriers to getting the shot. These northeastern states are among the most vaccinated in the country as well - with more than 70 percent of residents fully vaccinated in each. The moves come as Johnson, in the U.K., piled on pressure by making his nation the first developed country to move towards scrapping all COVID restrictions. 'Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive a full month early,' he said on Wednesday. The restrictions were due to expire on March 24, suggesting they could now end entirely within two weeks. The White House is standing firm for now. On Wednesday, Press Secretary Jen Psaki urged Americans to follow CDC guidelines. 'There are states that have rolled back their mask guidelines, that have given more flexibility to communities theyre different, its not uniform, what every state has done and certainly we continue to advise and recommend abiding by public health guidelines,' she said. And New York is a notable straggler among blue states. While Gov Kathy Hochul allowed for her state's overall mask mandate to expire on Wednesday, she notably kept the mandates in-place in schools, breaking ranks from her peers. It's a controversial move for a governor facing her first election cycle this year, as Hochul readies to defend the seat she ascended to after the fall of disgraces ex-Governor Andrew Cuomo from a competitive crop of Democratic hopefuls. Empire State Republicans at the US Capitol sent Hochul a letter on Tuesday urging her to drop the school mask mandate in keeping with her colleagues in the immediate area. 'We have heard from countless families throughout our districts expressing their concerns with the mandate, and how it has negatively impacted their childs experience in the classroom. The time is now to put an end to this unlawful mandate and to allow our children to get back to being just that, children.' 'In light of the announcements by the Governors of New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware, we write today to urge you to immediately rescind the onerous and unconstitutional mask mandate in New York States schools,' read a letter signed by eight members of the US House of Representatives from New York. It was reported on Wednesday that the White House is meeting with a broad range of health experts both inside and outside the government to revamp the administration's virus playbook. Biden is hoping to transition to a 'new normal' in the next phase where Covid infections are dropping but the threat of a new variant still looms while the country is fresh off the chaos caused by the Omicron strain, the New York Times reported. But the CDC has so far been hesitant the revise guidance. The agency still recommends that all children mask in schools, and still imposes mask mandates on planes and trains. '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,' CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said at a White House Covid team press conference on Wednesday. 'We owe it to our children to make sure that they can safely stay in school. Right now, that includes masking. We've seen outbreaks that have occurred in communities where students were not masked in schools and had to close.' State and county governments still have discretion when it comes to local policy, though. Blue states would usually follow CDC guidance, but the recent lifting in mask mandates in these states - which also include California, Illinois and Oregon - shows that many are starting to break ranks. Lamont said that localities in his state are still free to set mandates at their own discretion. While small, less densely populated, areas of the state will likely lift masks when Connecticut's mandate ends on February 28. Population centers that are more vulnerable to virus transmission can still choose to keep masks in place. While some have blamed the sudden shift in blue states to declining poll numbers ahead of this fall's midterm elections, Lamont says the decision was driven by data, not politics, and called the opinions 'nonsense.' 'With omicron the numbers have come down, the metrics are pretty clear we can get rid of these mask mandates and we can do it safely,' he said. But it's undeniable that as cases drop, Americans' impatience with the pandemic is growing. A recent Yahoo News/YouGov survey had 46 percent of respondents say the U.S. should 'learn to live with' the pandemic, compared to 43 percent who said 'we need to do more to vaccinate, wear masks and test.' The same survey showed 40 percent believe the worst of the pandemic is over while just 27 percent fear the worst is yet to come. A Monmouth University survey taken at the end of January saw a steep 11-point drop in the number of people who were in favor of mask mandates from September, though it remains at 52 percent. Seven out of every 10 American voters surveyed said 'its time we accept Covid is here to stay and we just need to get on with our lives.' And a new Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll shows only 37 per cent of Americans name the coronavirus as one of their top five priorities in 2022. At the same time last year, 53 per cent of respondents named the COVID-19 pandemic in the open-ended question. In total, ten states and Washington D.C. still require masks in school, but there is growing pressure for these final states to lift these mandates. Dr Kavita Patel, an MSNBC contributor who works as a primary care physician and director of policy for the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Engagement in the Obama administration, told Squawk Box Wednesday that experts will soon have to consider lifting them. 'If you told me there's a future where we're wearing masks in perpetuity I'd say that's ridiculous, the science doesn't support that if we see that cases are coming down,' she said. But Republicans who have been against public health mandates -- some from the beginning of the pandemic -- were quick to mock the Democrat leaders suddenly rolling back the rules. 'It's not the science, I promise you. It's the political winds. Democrats are seeing that the American people are fed up, they've been fed up. Now they're starting to see how much damage that's going to cause them, likely, in November,' Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said in an interview with KTSA radio in San Antonio Wednesday morning. 'I'd love to see whatever internal polling went around the Democrat Party last week - it's certainly no coincidence that Democrat-run states are dropping mandates as fast as they can!,' Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Okla., told DailyMail.com. Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., told DailyMail.com: 'The Democrats continually follow the political science instead of the actual science. I'm thrilled many states are now dropping mask mandates, but it's too little too late. We've known for months that masking has been detrimental to our children.' 'We've known for months that masking has been detrimental to our children. The science hasn't changed in the last several months, the only change has been the overwhelming uproar over government mandates,' McClain added. During the daily White House press briefing on Wednesday, Jen Psaki was asked why Biden has made no noise about his fellow Democrats dropping mandates after months of trading barbs with Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis. The Sunshine State's governor has long been a thorn in Biden's side as one of his most vocal critics, particularly on coronavirus measures. DeSantis has resisted implementing state-wide restrictions of any kind throughout the entire pandemic and in recent months has gone on the offensive with legislation seeking to punish localities looking to impose mask or vaccine rules. 'Well, I would say there is a distinct difference between standing in the way, which Ron DeSantis did -- or Governor DeSantis; Ill give him his full title -- of teachers, school administrators, and others taking steps to protect the students in their school communities. Theres a difference between standing in the way of it, threatening to pull back funding; and allowing for local school districts to make choices, which is what a number of these states are doing,' Psaki said. Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., predicted the mandates would still cost Democrats come midterms. 'Democrats forced masks on kids for two years and now they're hoping that the rest of America will suddenly forget. The 'science' is the same as it's always been, mask mandates don't work,' he said. 'Democrats valued their political narrative more than children's wellbeing. Ironically, it will cost Democrats politically now, and they deserve it.' Added pressure is coming from overseas as well. Last month, the UK lifted all pandemic-related restrictions as cases continue to plummet in the nation. America's greatest foreign ally often precedes the U.S. by a few weeks during the pandemic, and it is rare that the European nation has less-strict Covid guidelines than its peer across the pond. In the UK, masks in schools, work from home orders, vaccine passports and requirements to test negative before travelling into the country have been lifted. As cases continue to fall, now under 70,000 per day after peaking at 180,000 early last month, some are even clamoring to stop daily reporting of Covid cases and deaths in the country. Other European countries like Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Switzerland have also either lifted restrictions or laid out plans to do so in recent weeks. Every single state in the U.S. is recording a drop in cases over the past two weeks. The drop offs have been massive as well, with 43 states having had cases slash in half over the past two weeks - and 21 recording a 70 percent fall. Only weeks ago, the massive falls in cases were almost exclusively on the east coast, as those states were slammed first by Omicron. Now, the case declines have finally found their way out west. Oklahoma, which was leading the nation in Covid infection rate at one point last month, is now recording the largest two-week case decline in America. The Sooner state has logged a 79 percent drop in cases over the past 14 days. Washington, like many other states along west coast, was one of the final states to still record an upward trend of cases during the Omicron surge. The state is now also among the leaders in case-decline, recording 75 percent drop over the past two weeks. Every single state has now dropped below 200 daily cases per every 100,000 residents as well. Alaska is the U.S. leader in infection rate still - with 177 of every 100,000 residents testing positive daily. Other southern states, like Mississippi (169 cases per 100,000 residents), Tennessee (136), West Virginia (131) and Kentucky (113) are among the eight state recording more than 100 as well. In the northwest, Montana (128), North Dakota (112) and Idaho (105) are also still recording high infection rates. Virginia is now leading America in Covid deaths despite having a relatively high vaccination rate of 71 percent. The Commonwealth is recording 1.49 deaths per every 100,000 residents daily.All of the other states recording more than one death per 100,000 residents have struggled to vaccinated its residents. Mississippi (1.37 daily deaths per 100,000 residents; 50 percent vaccination rate), Ohio (1.29; 57), Kansas (1.17; 59), South Carolina (1.13; 55), Arkansas (1.11; 53), Nevada (1.02; 59) and West Virginia (1; 56) make up the rest of the states recording high Covid mortality rate. Former Vice President Mike Pence appeared to be on perilous political turf when he declared Donald Trump was 'wrong' to say he could overturn the election but his view is shared by nearly three quarters of Trump voters. A January CBS / YouGov poll found that 75 per cent of voters believe Congress should have to accept the voters certified by states. Even people who say they voted for Donald Trump in 2020 say they back the proposition, as CNN noted in an analysis of the data. Pence dropped a political bombshell last Friday when he said in a Florida speech at the Federalist Society that 'President Trump is wrong' and that 'I had no right to overturn the election.' That came after Trump's own stunning statement that Pence did have the right to 'overturn,' and that Trump might pardon Jan. 6 defendants if he retakes the White House. Former Vice President Mike Pence said last week that Donald Trump was 'wrong' to say he could overturn the election.' A large majority of Trump voters in a recent poll appear to agree Trump said in a statement that Pence 'could have overturned the Election!' It was all the more remarkable because of Pence's long history of praising Trump, even singling out his 'broad shoulders,' before ultimately breaking with him on Jan. 6th amid the president's repeated demands he refuse to accept votes certified by states. The breakdown in the poll shows that 86 per cent of Biden voters believe Congress must accept the results certified by states. That is the process established in the Constitution and the Electoral Count Act. Former President Donald Trump attacked Pence and said he did have the right to 'overturn' the election The political clash came as the Jan. 6th committee continues to probe the Capitol riot Trump said Sunday Pence had the right to 'overturn' the election But the number of Trump voters who register the same view is 73 per cent nearly three quarters of his supporters. And among Republicans generally, the number is 70 per cent. The Republican National Committee last weekend censured GOP Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for their work on the Jan. 6th House select committee. Also breaking from Trump in stark language is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, considered one of the party's more astute strategists. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is meeting to discuss reforms to the Electoral Count Act of 1887, which would clarify the vice president's ill-defined but, according to scholars, ceremonial role, among other matters. Mac users who are using the Zoom video meetings app say the program is keeping their computer mic on even when not specifically using the application. The glitch is relatively recent with users noticing something was amiss after the latest Apple operating system, macOS Monterey, was loaded onto computers. The system now incorporates a visual notification to alert users when their mic or camera is being used. An orange dot appears if the mic is being used while a greet dot will show up in the menu bar if the camera is being accessed Mac owners who are using Zoom meetings say their computer's mic is on even when the app is not being used On December 27, Zoom said they had updated the software to fix the problem stating version 5.9.1 (3506) 'resolved an issue regarding the microphone light indicator being triggered when not in a meeting', reports The Register. But the issue has not been fixed for everyone. People writing in a Zoom community chat thread described how the issue was still occurring even after updating the app. 'Well, that most recent update seems to have made no obvious difference. I've just noticed the orange dot again, and when I quit Zoom, Timing.app told me that I'd apparently been on a 2 hour Zoom call. The company believes the success of videoconferencing during the pandemic will encourage companies to hold more meetings online instead of requiring employees to travel from different locations to convene in one physical location Several Twitter users who use Zoom noted that they were experiencing the problem ZOOM ALTERNATIVES GoToMeeting Google Hangouts Meet Zoho Meetings Join.me Cisco Webex Meetings BlueJeans TeamViewer Riot Jitsi Meet Hibox Discord Advertisement 'At this point, it looks like it's safest to only run Zoom while on active calls and keep it quit otherwise.' Zoom was bedeviled by security issues early in 2020 after stay-at-home orders transformed the companys videoconferencing service from a niche product into a cultural phenomenon. Almost overnight it became the go-to venue for business meetings, schools, social gatherings and, in a deadly global pandemic, funerals. Even with some workers having returned to their offices, many people still use the tool as a videophone app. It means that many users end up leaving the app running in the background even when not actively using it. It is is those users who have complained that Zoom seems to be keeping the microphone on constantly, despite not being on a call. A spokesperson for Zoom commented on the problem which they say has fixed the issue and that there were no privacy concerns: 'The Zoom client for macOS 5.9.3, released on January 25, 2022, fixed a bug involving the failure to properly terminate the microphone use post-meeting. Zoom has determined that this bug did not result in audio data being transmitted back to Zoom's platform. As always, we recommend users make sure their Zoom client is updated to the latest version.' Zoom has been the subject of privacy concerns in the past. During the pandemic the company installed a hidden web server on Macs to allow for automatic call handling. Apple then decided to update their operating system to remove the hidden program. Zoom is counting on many businesses to hold on to their videoconferencing subscriptions even despite offices having reopened so some employees can continue to work remotely part of the time The company believes the success of videoconferencing during the pandemic will encourage companies to hold more meetings online instead of requiring employees to travel from different locations to convene in one physical location. The stock was a pandemic winner, rising to a high of $559. It currently trades at $141 having lost 67% of its value over the past year. The Silicon Valley-based company has previously said it takes its users' security 'extremely seriously' Thousands of Afghans who had worked for the West but were left behind when Kabul fell last summer have been given new hope of rescue. The Taliban have agreed to resume evacuations from Kabul to Qatar for Afghans living in fear of revenge after working with western forces. From there they could fly to Britain. A full flight of 265 people supported by members of the UK Armed Forces on board an evacuation flight out of Kabul airport, Afghanistan Afghans struggle to reach the foreign forces to show their credentials to flee the country outside the Hamid Karzai International Airport, in Kabul, Afghanistan, 26 August 2021 British and US rescue flights ended in August when the Taliban took control of Kabul airport and western forces left after 20 years in the country. In Operation Pitting six months ago the RAF evacuated 15,000 people, but this newspapers Betrayal of the Brave campaign has highlighted how former interpreters and guards for UK forces could not get out even though they were eligible for sanctuary. Many of them are now in hiding. Members of the UK Armed Forces taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan Soldiers provide assistance at an evacuation control checkpoint during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul Rafi Hottak, who supervised translators on the frontline in Helmand, said: There can be no excuse for Britain not being part of this evacuation. It can give real hope of a future to so many of those who risked their lives for Britain. The Government said it was doing all it could to enable eligible Afghans to leave. Few people outside his Brighton and Hove 'manor' would know that Nicholas Hoogstraten, a man once described as 'Britain's most feared landlord', has changed his name by deed poll. He now calls himself, on official paperwork at least, Nicholas Adolf Von Hessen. Yes, Adolf. Some might remember that, back in the Sixties, Hoogstraten began his criminal career by orchestrating a grenade attack on the home of a rabbi. The man once described as 'Britain's most feared landlord', has changed his name by deed poll and now calls himself, on official paperwork at least, Nicholas Adolf Von Hessen (pictured) So you might perhaps assume there was an anti-Semitic or racist motive behind his alter ego. If there is, it is far from straightforward. The rabbi's son owed him money and was his former business partner. And Hoogstraten went on to have six children by four mistresses of African heritage. His reputation and past deeds including a gangland feud which ended in a rival being shot and stabbed to death in 1999 and, most notoriously, his strongarm tactics against tenants whom he regarded as 'scum' precedes him, even though, at 76, he may no longer be in his pomp. So his intention in choosing 'Adolf' as a middle name was almost certainly to cause gratuitous offence the equivalent of making a joke in very bad taste while at the same time serving to mask his modern-day involvement in a complex web of companies. Because if you thought Hoogstraten, once memorably described by a High Court Judge as 'a self-imagined devil who thinks he is an emissary of Beelzebub', had put his property days behind him, you would be wrong. He still owns properties in Brighton, Hove and other South Coast towns and in London, using a web of aliases, associates and family members. Among them are three hotels the Imperial, the Albany and Langfords in a part of Hove characterised by grand Georgian terraces on one side of the seafront road, and the lively tourist attractions of the beach on the other. And as we can reveal today, these hotels are being paid huge sums of taxpayers' money by the Government to house some of the world's most vulnerable people. According to the Land Registry, the freeholds of all three buildings are owned by Tombstone Ltd, which declared assets of 58 million in its latest accounts. Four of Hoogstraten's children are directors of the company. By all appearances, the hotels remain part of his family business. Burly doormen from a private security firm are clearly visible at both Langfords (pictured) and the Imperial, a fine three-star hotel in its heyday but which now has a shabby air Most, if not all, 'guests' at these hotels are migrants, many of them Afghans who were airlifted out of Kabul following the Allied withdrawal last August. There are also Eritreans, Kurds and Iranians. Most alarmingly, there are unaccompanied children and pregnant women among the diaspora being housed in what many have described as squalor. 'It is very clear that Nicholas Hoogstraten owns these hotels through his family,' says Hove MP Peter Kyle, who has been visiting the refugees. 'I'm sure anyone who knows that name will be appalled that he or any private landlord is allowed to take taxpayers' money to house vulnerable children and young people who have fled war and persecution and need proper supported accommodation.' When Mr Kyle, Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary, raised the matter with the Home Office in a parliamentary question in November 2021, he was informed that 'accommodation costs are considered commercially confidential'. But he told us: 'The room rate would be 150 per room per night in usual circumstances.' Even if the hotels, which have more than 150 rooms between them, charged half that and were only half full, they would be getting 5,625 per night which works out at more than 2 million a year of taxpayers' money. If so, it might possibly be the easiest money Hoogstraten and his family have ever made. The Government called its response to the flood of Afghan refugees arriving in Britain including translators, the focus of a long-running Daily Mail campaign Operation Warm Welcome. How ironic that slogan seems here in Hove. Tripadvisor reviews from over a year ago, before more than 100 migrants started arriving, painted a bleak picture of the inside of the seaside hotels. 'Stayed in this godforsaken hole across 13 days, no idea why my employer chose it [Langfords, where unaccompanied children were subsequently housed and are still being housed] as there are cheaper and better all around Brighton,' one guest posted in 2020, adding: 'Dirty towels . . . damp walls and ceilings . . . non-existent hot water, no heating, rattling windows, dubious stains, indifferent staff (mostly), no breakfast (but you would be scared to eat it anyway).' At the Imperial, one couple wrote on Tripadvisor that they were put in a damp room with mould on every wall, only to be woken at '06.30 with water coming through the hatch in the ceiling on our second morning'. It is not clear who is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Hoogstraten hotels, but such reviews make grim reading. Hoogstraten, a one-time associate of the infamous slum landlord Peter Rachman, quite possibly views migrants with the same contempt as tenants ('scum') and the homeless ('filthiest burdens on the public purse') and would probably approve of the conditions. At the Imperial, one couple wrote on Tripadvisor that they were put in a damp room with mould on every wall, only to be woken at '06.30 with water coming through the hatch in the ceiling on our second morning' Burly doormen from a private security firm are clearly visible at both Langfords and the Imperial, a fine three-star hotel in its heyday but which now has a shabby air. There are at least three pregnant women at the Imperial, and families of five or more in one room with no cooking facilities or space for children to study. One migrant staying there, who was too scared to give his name or even say where he was from, admitted he felt unsafe, hungry and miserable. 'The food is not our food and there is not enough. We are hungry. There are many children and they are unhappy.' Last week, the migrants say, they had to stay inside for three days with no explanation from the guards. A volunteer who runs an unofficial service delivering hot food to refugees added: 'We were asked to take food on Christmas Day to nine young Eritreans at the Imperial. We cooked them curry from recipes from their country. When we arrived, about 60 people all poured out, desperate. 'Five security guards appeared, made them go back in and questioned us. We went inside and it was very run-down. 'It was like feeding refugees in a camp, not a hotel in Hove. The children and some adults seemed distressed. 'I hate to think how much the Home Office is giving these hotels and how much they are making.' We do know the overall bill, in fact. The Home Office was forced to admit last week that it is spending 4.7 million every day on housing 25,000 asylum seekers in 'hotels' such as those in Hove. Current rules do not require hotels to prove they meet strict health and safety requirements before children move in. In a letter to the Commons Home Affairs Committee last November, Home Secretary Priti Patel admitted it was simply 'an expectation that hotels meet the statutory health and safety requirements, and the Home Office can request copies of the relevant health and safety certificates'. Isn't this a scandal in itself? The three Hove hotels are the last link in a toxic chain. In 2019, the Home Office awarded contracts worth up to 4 billion to three 'outsourcing' companies, to provide accommodation and transport for asylum seekers. The contract for the South of England (and Wales) went to Essex-based Clearsprings Ready Homes. Langfords, The Imperial and The Albany (pictured) could be receiving as much as 2million a year in Government funding According to filed accounts, the firm generated a 4.4 million profit last year on sales of 163 million, most of which comes from its work for the Home Office. Clearsprings, run by the King brothers Graham, 54; and Jeff, 62 has paid out 10 million in dividends since 2019. 'Our team on the ground works closely with all our stakeholders in a way that is sensitive to community cohesion issues and guided by provable sustainable and ethical trading policy,' it says on the Clearsprings website. Yet standards at some establishments subcontracted to house migrants have been criticised by both the refugee agency UNHCR and the Home Office, with asylum seekers at one London hotel complaining of bed bug infestations, water leaking through the ceiling and electrical faults. So the Imperial, the Albany and Langfords would seem not to be isolated cases. Hoogstraten began signing over his companies to his family nearly 20 years ago, shortly before he was sentenced at the Old Bailey to ten years for setting his heavies on rival landlord Mohammed Raja, who was executed at his South London home in 1999. The manslaughter conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal in 2003. Tombstone Ltd, which now holds the freeholds of the Imperial, Albany and Langfords, was one of the companies put in the names of his children. Among the directors is Hoogstraten's eldest son, 36-year-old Maximilian Rhett Hamilton (whom his father originally liked to call Maxi-million). His siblings and fellow directors the product of Hoogstraten's affairs with four mistresses, two of whom were pregnant at the same time all share the surname Hamilton, after the capital of Bermuda, which Hoogstraten is particularly fond of. It is one of the many places where he has a home (Cap Ferrat, Barbados and Zimbabwe are among the others). In a TV interview with his father after the manslaughter conviction was quashed, Rhett was asked if he had plans to follow his business style. 'I should hope so,' he replied. 'I've got the best teacher, so if I learn his ways I won't go too far wrong.' It is hard to believe that he and his five brothers and sisters are not still busy envoys for their father, who also made headlines over his friendship with the late Zimbabwean dictator Robert Mugabe and the dilapidated state of Hamilton Palace, his vast, copper-domed, neo-classical vanity project near Uckfield, East Sussex, which he began to build in 1985 as Europe's largest private residence but never completed. I and my colleague Justine Smith know Hoogstraten from our days on the Evening Argus newspaper in Brighton and have met him on numerous occasions. He was a man who revelled in his own infamy, real or imagined, ever since swaggering into court all those years ago in a 'dark striped suit with a velvet collar and lapels and diamond and gold rings on his fingers', for causing the explosion at the rabbi's home. It isn't trivialising his long, disturbing list of criminal convictions to say that Nicholas Hoogstraten could have walked off the set of a Guy Ritchie gangster film a 'stage villain', as someone once called him, who can be both charming and menacing, often in the same sentence. Our paper linked Hoogstraten, via a network of companies, to 11 Palmeira Avenue, in Hove, where five people died in a fire in 1992. Three jumped to their deaths because there was no fire escape. Hoogstraten, who was enjoying a sybaritic lifestyle on the French Riviera, eventually agreed to be interviewed over lunch and supper at the five-star Carlton Hotel overlooking the harbour on Boulevard de la Croisette. Hoogstraten holding construction plans for a palace on his estate near Uckfield, East Sussex in 1998 On his right hand he wore a ring worth anything up to 250,000. On his left wrist was a watch given to him by an Arab sheikh. He referred to himself in the third person as 'Mr H' or 'we'. By his side was a 27-year-old Sudanese student he was 47 at the time whom he introduced as his wife in all but name. He admitted his connection to 11 Palmeira Avenue (his property agents acted for the company that owned the building, among other things) but denied any involvement in the fire. 'I'm not going to hold any grudges against you,' he said. 'But let's make something very clear. If I had the needle for you or anyone else, I would let them know. I'd say 'you're a goner'. If that happens . . .' Afterwards, with the tape recorder running, he proceeded to tell us how an accountant, whom he believed had stolen money from him while he was in prison, found himself being bundled into the boot of a car by his henchmen one day and shipped off to France to work off his debt in isolation. But he insisted: 'I don't pick on innocent people.' His tenants would have something to say about that, particularly in Brighton and Hove, where for over three decades, the name Hoogstraten was shorthand for intimidating behaviour. He once admitted removing tenants by setting German Shepherd dogs on them. In the Seventies, he was fined 3,000 for evicting a family from their home and smashing up their furniture in what became known as the 'Battle of Brighton'. Not long afterwards, heavies from a company of which he was a director barricaded 12 elderly people in a nursing home as they attempted to take possession. Hoogstraten, born to working- class Catholic parents, specialised in buying tenanted properties, treating Hove, to quote one report, 'as a real-life Monopoly board, though his tastes were more Old Kent Road than Mayfair'. Hoogstraten would then set about forcing the occupants to leave, reselling the empty houses as vacant possession at a profit. Hoogstraten in 1967. He still owns properties in Brighton, Hove and other South Coast towns and in London, using a web of aliases, associates and family members He acquired the recession-hit Hove hotels cheaply in the 1990s when, it is believed, they went into receivership, helping to build a legacy for his children thought to be worth about 800 million. Some of that fortune, it seems, has come from the taxpayer. 'Under the new contracts, providers will be required to have proactive maintenance plans, to make sure that they regularly inspect properties and report back to the Home Office on the findings of these inspections,' the Home Office said in a statement. 'When issues are identified, providers will be expected to resolve them within set timescales. 'We consulted extensively with local authorities and NGOs to make sure that the contracts not only protect vulnerable asylum seekers but also deliver value for money for the taxpayer.' Clearly, something has gone badly wrong. Neither Hoogstraten nor his sons were prepared to confirm or deny their involvement in the hotels, nor how much money they might be receiving. 'The whole system of using hotels is operating in such a legally and ethically grey area,' says Hove MP Peter Kyle. 'No one should be profiting from this.' Least of all Nicholas Hoogstraten and his alter ego, Nicholas Adolf Von Hessen. Lord Ivar Mountbatten's daughter Alix has taken a while to get used to the idea that her father is gay. 'I'd be lying if I didn't say it was a bit of a shock at first,' she says. 'I was used to my father being with a woman and married to my mother. I never envisaged this outcome. However, as long as he's happy, I don't mind who he loves. That's all you want for your parents, isn't it? Their happiness.' Lord Ivar, the son of the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven and cousin to the Queen, actually married British Airways manager James Coyle three-and-a-half years ago, becoming the first-ever member of the extended Royal Family to be in a same-sex marriage. This is the first interview any of Lord Ivar's daughters has given, and Alix, 23, describes with humour and compelling honesty the moment she learned her father's secret This is the first interview any of Lord Ivar's daughters has given, and Alix, 23, describes with humour and compelling honesty the moment she learned her father's secret. She loves each of her 'three parents' for James is very much a parent dearly. She was 'so proud, so happy' on the day her 'incredibly supportive' mother Penny walked her former husband down the aisle and gave him away to James. The intimate service was held in the chapel at Bridwell Park, their magnificent country estate in Devon, with the blessing of Alix and her sisters Ella, 25, and 19-year-old Luli. There were, Alix says, a few tears (Lord Ivar's brother, the 4th Marquess of Milford Haven, welled up in the front pew) and lots of laughter. 'We were teasing our Uncle George because he never normally cries. I know it meant so much to my dad having his big brother at his wedding with happy tears in his eyes. 'It was such a special, cohesive day. I was so proud of my dad and of my mum. It was her idea to give him away and she even helped organise the wedding. I know she did it all for our sake. When they were married and kissed, Ella and I said, 'Close your eyes' and put our hands over our younger sister Luli's face. It was quite funny.' A sense of humour runs through this family like . . . well, the blue blood through their veins, as those who saw Lord Ivar and James's banter on ITV's reality television series Keeping Up With The Aristocrats know only too well. Alix is a chip off the old block. Take when I ask how Lord Ivar's 82-year-old mother Janet, the formidable Dowager Marchioness of Milford Haven, has taken to her new son-in-law. 'Gama [a traditional name for Mountbatten grannies] is from a different time,' says Alix. 'She's got early-onset dementia and goes through patches of great clarity and then forgetting everything. I was with her the other day when she read an article about Papa and James. She said, 'I didn't realise Ivar was gay. I thought James was a friend.' Gama forgets about it every few months so my dad has to re-come out to her.' She collapses in giggles. Lord Ivar, the son of the 3rd Marquess of Milford Haven and cousin to the Queen, actually married British Airways manager James Coyle three-and-a-half years ago. Pictured with his husband and former wife Lady Penny Mountbatten Alix, a lovely, sparky woman and goddaughter of the Countess of Wessex, first learned her father was gay at the age of 15 after reading about his 'toxic secret' (her words) in her sister Ella's diary. She remembers being 'shocked and upset', especially as she feels she was 'one of the last to know' in the family. Her father, she says, was 'my rock' and someone she felt 'I could fully rely on' following her parents' divorce in 2011. She was truly hurt to discover he had been keeping such a momentous secret from her. 'My sister had recounted in her diary the time he sat her down when she was 14 or 15 and told her he was attracted to men as much as he was to women. 'When I read that I was really hurt.I was so shocked. I couldn't believe how I hadn't picked up on it. It was such a big secret. I think finding out that way and my father not being the person I thought he was was very unsettling. All my cousins knew my dad was gay before I did. 'The more I thought about it, the more everything suddenly made sense the divorce, everything but I was sad my dad hadn't told me but told other people. 'I remember deciding I wasn't going to tell my parents I knew. I just blocked things out and didn't talk to my family about it for a few years.' Alix says 'lots of therapy', eventually sharing her feelings with her hugely supportive parents, as well as James, and time has helped them all come to terms with it. It has been a process and not always easy. Alix, a freelance television producer, is now making a documentary exploring how it feels when one of your parents comes out as gay Alix, a freelance television producer, is now making a documentary exploring how it feels when one of your parents comes out as gay. She speaks now with a compelling honesty because she wants others who have been in similar situations to share their experiences on her programme, My Parent's Secret Sexuality. 'I want to create something that's really honest and gives a voice to the children of a parent who's come out,' she says. 'They've all had to deal with similar challenges, and I hope by sharing the feelings and experiences it will help heal the hurt. 'My family story is really, really positive but my sisters and I are only able to have dinner and share our home with my three parents [they all spent lockdown together at Bridwell] because we have very open communication. 'I want other children, from diverse backgrounds, to get in touch with me if they would like to interview their parents. We can explore the differences and similarities and recognise that, wherever you're from and whoever you are, we still go through similar issues and feelings.' Alix is blessed with a particularly loving and large family. She was born at Bridwell in 1998 shortly after her parents moved there and enjoyed, she says, the 'happiest' childhood in 'the most amazing fairy-tale house'. 'I have a tattoo with the longitude and latitude of Bridwell because it's always been my happy place,' she says. 'We used to have a lot of parties. My dad inherited this wind-up carousel and my fondest memory is going round on it with our local friends from the village, my dad in the middle winding it up and my mum going, 'Slower, slower, Alix, please hold on tight.' 'I was always the token boy of the family because my dad didn't have a son and he really wanted one. We were really, really close. I used to help him close up the chicken huts at night and was always outside on the tractor or making a den. I thought my parents' marriage was very happy but you're oblivious when you're young, aren't you?' Alix was 16-and-a-half when she finally spoke to her father, pictured here with his husband Alix was 12 when her parents told her and her sisters that they were getting divorced. 'I thought the whole world was over,' she says. 'I remember them sitting us down and my mum saying, 'Your father and I still love each other like a brother and sister but we don't love each other like a man and wife any more. I'm going to move out and we're getting a divorce.' 'I remember being so confused and asking, 'Why? If you love Papa, why are you moving out? I don't understand.' You don't as a child, do you? If they'd told us the real reason why, I think we'd have all understood it so much better but we were young and they wanted to protect us. 'My mum desperately wanted to be truthful but my dad was the one who wasn't ready. She was respectful of him not wanting to come out, which is another reason why I respect her so much. She could have turned round and told us so many times when we kept asking her why she'd left our father, but she never did. I can't believe she went through what she did but still held her head high and got on with it.' After reading about her father's secret in her sister's diary everything began to 'really click into place' for Alix. 'I remember wondering how I didn't guess. I think I kicked myself a bit. 'I understand why he felt he had to hide that side of himself. When he was growing up it was a different time but him not telling me had an impact on my relationship with my dad. 'It made me feel I could be less open with him. I felt quite alone and my whole attitude changed. It became hard to trust people.' Alix was 16-and-a-half when she finally spoke to her father. 'Mum had pre-warned me he was going to try to talk to me about it. We were in the car. I remember doing my make-up with him driving on the way to the cinema and him saying, 'So you know my secret.' 'I kept doing my make-up and said, 'I'm going to save you the hassle of having to do this because I completely get it. I'm fine with it. Everything makes sense.' 'I told him I was hurt that I was one of the last to know and that he thought I wouldn't understand. He said he was the most nervous about telling me because I was the most closed one of the three, who internalised stuff. We said all we needed to say.' Lord Ivar Mountbatten with his husband James Coyle at their home Bridwell House in Devon Within a few months, Lord Ivar met James in the swish Swiss ski resort of Verbier, where Ella was working as a chalet girl during her gap year. His daughters adored this funny, engaging man from the moment they were introduced to him. 'Papa brought James to the house and took us all out to the pub when my little sister and I were home from school. We thought he was so kind and generous and he made us laugh. 'Luli, who didn't know about my dad at this point, really, really liked him. She said she thought he'd be perfect for Mum. 'I told Papa he ought to have a chat with her. I listened outside the door. 'When he told her there was something he needed to tell her, she was like . . . [Alix puts on a younger, higher-pitched voice, aping her little sister, who was then just 12]. 'Am I not going on my France trip?' I found it so funny. Papa started laughing. He said, 'I've been hinting and I thought you would have kind of . . .' 'Suddenly, Lu went, 'Oh my god, are you gay?' because my dad had been making quite a few jokes about that. He said, 'No, well, I wouldn't say that not necessarily in that way. I'm not gay as such. I like men as well as women.' Lu was like, 'Oh that's so fine.' A few hours later I found her a little bit teary in the dressing room, so we had a massive chat. I explained that I'd gone through all the emotions she was feeling and was cool now. I said, 'We'll call Mum. Let's all have a chat.' 'She didn't want Papa to think she was crying because he's gay, because that wasn't what she was sad about. I explained it was just shock and being the one who wasn't told.' James has been part of the girls' life now for seven years. 'He was always so funny because he was such a city boy coming to live in the countryside and my dad was getting him to do all this manual labour, and he'd be fussing about breaking a nail. We'd tell him to man up. 'My dad decided to marry James to give their relationship validation. It was nice for James. He felt truly a part of our family and my dad's so much more relaxed now. You can tell he doesn't have as much stress any more, which is really lovely.' The fondness with which each and every member of this unconventional family hold one another is a palpable thing. It has, as Alix says, 'all worked out really well'. 'My mum's got a new boyfriend who's just as big-hearted and dynamic as she is. I respect her so much. I can see how much she's overcome for us. I feel so lucky. I had two parents who really cared about me now I've got three. 'Last night when we had dinner my mum and James were whispering in each other's ears really close together, giggling. My dad's there on the other side of the table taking pictures because he loves it when they're like that. He was going to post it on Instagram saying, 'I wonder what they're talking about probably me.' 'We all said in unison, 'Actually, no. Not everything's about you.' 'But he's done something brave, which has, in turn, made him happy. We are too.' Alix Mountbatten is casting for her documentary. Young adults who would like to participate please email alimdoc@yahoo.com. A Purdue University police officer accused of punching and nearly choking a Black student has been placed on leave. Adonis Tuggle, a 24-year-old psychology student, was shoved into a snowpile by an officer on Feb. 4 on the universitys campus in West Lafayette, Ind. He shared video of the incident Thursday on Instagram and identified the cop as Jon Selke. Advertisement He was smothering me, almost as if you were trying to drown somebody underwater, Tuggle said. General view of the campus of Purdue University in 2018 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images) Selke was placed on administrative leave Thursday, apparently shortly after Tuggle shared the video. Purdue police chief John Cox said the officer and the department were receiving death threats, implying that the leave was for Selkes own safety and not related to his conduct while arresting Tuggle. Advertisement According to Purdue police, a third-party called the cops around 8 p.m. on Feb. 4 and reported a woman being held against her will. Tuggle said he and his girlfriend were having an argument, the Purdue Exponent reported. Tuggle said that Selke came in screaming at him. I tried to explain to him, Nothings going on, Tuggle told the Purdue campus newspaper. Im not attacking her. This is my girlfriend. Were having an argument. But Tuggle said that while he tried to deescalate the situation, Selke went on the attack, telling him after a short exchange of words between the trio, OK buddy, youre going down and throwing him against a car. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > At that point, Tuggle said Selke began punching him and dropping the armbar. Basically, what happened to George Floyd almost happened to me, except I had an elbow not a knee, and fortunately, Im still breathing instead of being in a casket, he said. During the arrest, Tuggle asked his girlfriend to record what was happening, which allowed him to share the video on social media. At one point, the woman asked Selke to get off Tuggle, who said Selke responded by threatening to tase her. Police have not released any body-camera video despite demands from Selke and others across the Purdue community. Tuggle was charged with resisting arrest and posted $250 bail shortly after he was detained, the Lafayette Journal & Courier reported. Advertisement Purdue police promised an internal investigation and an inquiry from state police. The charges against Tuggle have not been dropped. With News Wire Services The former CEO of Girl Guides WA has spoken out after she was sacked for a controversial tweet on allowing transgender membership. Karyn Lisignoli asked whether it was possible to change the rules to allow only biological females to become guides. The Girl Guides WA constitution allows 'any person under the age of 18 years who lives their life as female' to join the organisation. Ms Lisignoli had tweeted at women's rights lawyer Katherine Deves, who is the head of Save Women's Sport Australia, to ask whether it was legal to change the ruling. 'I've noticed our constitution panders to this ideology,' Ms Lisignoli wrote, in responded to post about the UK Supreme Court ruling against gender-neutral passports. Karyn Lisignoli, the former CEO of Girl Guides WA, asked whether it was possible to change the rules to allow only 'biological girls' to become guides 'Can I DM (direct message) you to find the legal standing on this? If we change it back to biological female are we breaking the law?' The tweet quickly gained attention and prompted the decision of Girl Guides WA chairwoman Yvonne Power to terminate her role. In a letter Ms Lisignoli was told she had 'caused a serious and imminent risk to the reputation of the organisation'. But the former CEO has claimed she was a victim of 'cancel culture' and was concerned about older biological boys sharing tents with young girls. 'Inclusion has been taken too far,' she told The Australian. 'If we include trans girls who are biological males, they can go to mixed-sex school camps. The tweet quickly gained attention and prompted the decision of Girl Guides WA chairwoman Yvonne Power to terminate her role 'There is a reason why there are certain situations in which we say men can't be present. Do parents know when they send their nervous and shy 12-year-old girl to Girl Guides that she might be camping in a tent with a biological boy of the age of 15? They might identify as a girl but they are a biological boy.' Under the Girl Guides rules, girls that transition to boys are not allowed to participate. Girl Guides Australia chief commissioner Rosemary Derwin told the publication girls and women who identify as female are welcome in the organisation. Ms Derwin said all girls and women would be treated 'equally and with mutual respect regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity'. Free Covid testing could be scrapped by the Treasury as soon as next month to save money, according to reports. Sources told The Guardian that Chancellor Rishi Sunak's department wants to end most PCR testing for people with coronavirus symptoms, possibly by the end of March. The only people who would still qualify for free tests would be those in hospitals and high-risk settings and vulnerable people who are eligible for antiviral medication if they contract Covid. However, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has been urging caution and wants to keep the current testing arrangements until at least April 1. Sage scientists warned this week that removing access to free testing would make it harder for people to take precautions against Covid-19. It comes after Boris Johnson this week announced plans for 'living with Covid' as he said he intended to axe all virus restrictions in England by the end of the month. Free Covid testing could be scrapped by the Treasury as soon as next month to save money, according to reports. Pictured: Free lateral flow tests being handed out in Walthamstow, north London, last December. Sources said that Chancellor Rishi Sunak's department wants to end most PCR testing for people with coronavirus symptoms, possibly by the end of March If the plans to scrap free tests are implemented, anyone else with symptoms would either be given some free lateral tests, or have no tests at all. Another option being considered by officials would involve restricting free lateral flow tests to people with symptoms over the age of 50, along with the clinically vulnerable. Advice for people without symptoms to take regular lateral flow tests is expected to be scrapped. The move is reportedly being considered due to concern about the enormous cost of mass community testing, which has run into billions. The only people who would still qualify for free tests would be those in hospitals and high-risk settings and vulnerable people who are eligible for antiviral medication if they contract Covid However, as well as the urging of caution from Sage scientists and the UKHSA, scientists are also said to be concerned that a reduction in PCR testing will harm efforts to detect new variants. A Government spokesman insisted that there are 'no plans' to stop free tests when the remaining Covid-19 regulations expire later this year. It comes after reports last month that free lateral flow tests will be scrapped except in high-risk settings such as care homes, hospitals and schools. It also emerged that contact tracing by NHS Test and Trace could also be scaled back. More than 6billion has been spent on mass testing using lateral flow devices. A senior Whitehall source said at the time: 'I don't think we are in a world where we can continue to hand out free lateral flow tests to everybody for evermore. 'It's likely we will move to a scenario where there is less testing but where we have a capacity to ramp it up if necessary, such as in the winter.' A row has broken out between Dame Cressida Dick and Sadiq Khan over the out-going Metropolitan Police Chief's exit payoff, according to reports. After her dramatic resignation on Thursday, Dame Cressida is in line for a payout of more than 500,000 on top of a 160,000-a-year gold-plated pension in what has been described as a 'dreadful reward for failure'. Under the terms of her two-year extended contract, signed in September, Dame Cressida, 61, can expect to receive her 246,109 annual salary with 3,074 benefits for the remaining 25 months she had left to serve until April 2024. She will also receive a bumper pension payout because it is effectively the second time that she has 'retired' from the Metropolitan Police after clocking up nearly 37 years' service. According to The Times, both the Met and City Hall refused to comment on whether Dame Cressida would receive the full amount, but Mr Khan is said to be resisting handing over the huge severance package. Furthermore, the newspaper reported that MPs and relatives of the victims affected by scandals Dame Cressida was involved in have called on Mr Khan to either refuse to offer her a pay off or fund the amount it himself. A row has broken out between Dame Cressida Dick (left) and Sadiq Khan (right) over the out-going Metropolitan Police Chief's exit payoff, according to reports News of her payoff came amid an already raging row about Khan's shock move to force out the Scotland Yard commissioner. It emerged last night that her deputy Sir Stephen House is also likely to leave at the same time, leaving Britain's biggest force rudderless with vacancies in four of the most important jobs in policing. National Crime Agency boss Dame Lynne Owens retired on the grounds of ill health last year, and Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary Sir Tom Winsor is expected to announce his retirement shortly. Dame Cressida said she had 'no choice' but to quit on Thursday night after a bust-up with Mr Khan, who withdrew his support after a series of scandals surrounding the misogynistic and racist conduct of her officers. On top of her potential payoff and pension, she can look forward to possibly earning a small fortune from lucrative consultancy work, or even taking on a new high-profile public role. There is also a chance that she may join her predecessor Bernard Hogan-Howe in the House of Lords where she could qualify for a daily 323 attendance allowance. Hogan-Howe left the Met in 2016 with a 9million gold-plated pension giving him an annual taxpayer-funded income of 181,500 a year. Alternatively, she may now choose to put her feet up at her 1million village home which she shares with her partner Helen, who is a retired Metropolitan Police inspector. Dame Cressida Dick arriving at New Scotland Yard, central London, on Friday - the day after she resigned as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police after losing the backing of the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan How to hire and fire a Yard boss Who has the power to appoint the commissioner? Home Secretary Priti Patel will appoint the new Metropolitan Police commissioner. She has the final say, although the process requires her to consult London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has said that he will be working closely with her to find a successor to Dame Cressida. Mr Khan has an effective veto on the decision, because Miss Patel could not in practice appoint a Met chief with whom the mayor refused to work. The final choice will be subject to approval by the Queen. Who has the power to fire a commissioner? The Metropolitan Police commissioner is in the unique position for a senior police officer of being answerable to two political masters: the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London, who also holds the position of police and crime commissioner (PPC) for the capital. Dame Cressida had to report to Mr Khan on day-to-day policing matters and budget, while on national issues such as counter-terrorism she deferred to Miss Patel. In the rest of the country, PPCs hold the power to hire and fire chief constables. But in the capital, the commissioner must have the confidence of both Home Secretary and Mayor or the position becomes untenable. Advertisement Home Secretary Priti Patel was said to be fuming that Mr Khan did not consult her before leaving a gaping 'void' for her to fill. They were still not speaking about the situation yesterday, it is understood. Senior police figures also questioned the 'fishy' timing of the Labour Mayor's decision amid claims of a 'stitch-up' over the Partygate scandal, in which the Prime Minister could be implicated. Confirming the pension Dame Dick will receive, Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said: 'When she has left she will receive an annual pension that amounts to two-thirds of her final salary, so it'll be around 160,000.' A City Hall source said: 'There will be a due process and details about remuneration will be agreed in due course.' Yesterday Susan Hall, Tory chairman of the London Assembly's police and crime committee, said: 'Cressida has been treated appallingly by Sadiq. She has been thrown under a bus. Of course she is entitled to a payoff. She has been effectively dismissed by the Mayor. 'It will leave a void at the top as opposed to a properly managed handover, which is no way to run Britain's biggest police service.' But former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, who was falsely accused during the Met's botched VIP sex abuse investigation Operation Midland, argued she should be denied the cash: 'This is a dreadful reward for failure. It's appalling that the public purse should have to foot the bill to the tune of over 500,000.' Yesterday sources said Dame Cressida was heartbroken by the loss of her dream job and could still refuse the payoff because she is 'not motivated by money'. A senior police source suggested the timing of her departure could be linked to Partygate. He said: 'The pre-emptive move discredits her and the force, which gives Labour an opportunity to question the findings when the Partygate report comes out and claim it is a whitewash if Boris isn't forced to quit.' A Whitehall source added: 'There's something fishy going on. We are trying to work out what happened between Sadiq and Cressida. 'Earlier this week he'd been saying she had 'days and weeks' to come up with a reform plan, and then barely a day later he cans her. It's all very odd.' But, referring to a report on the conduct of officers at Charing Cross police station released this month, a City Hall source said: 'It has nothing to do with the investigation into Downing Street. 'Sadiq was disgusted and angry that the Independent Office for Police Conduct report took him back to the dark days of policing in the 1970s and 1980s. Change had been promised. It hadn't been delivered.' Dame Cressida's departure follows a barrage of criticism of the force including over its handling of the case of Sarah Everard who was murdered by a serving Met officer. Home Secretary Priti Patel was caught off guard by the decision, learning of it only when Dame Cressida rang her to say she had stood down - sparking a bitter row between City Hall and the Home Office. The force has also been criticised for being slow to investigate reports of parties in Downing Street and Whitehall in breach of Covid restrictions. The final straw, however, was a report by the police watchdog which exposed violently racist, misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers based at Charing Cross police station. Home Secretary Priti Patel has warned the new Met chief must be prepared to tackle the 'policing culture' which has left the country's biggest force reeling from a series of scandals. Ms Patel, who is beginning the search for a successor to Dame Cressida, said it would require 'strong and decisive leadership' to rebuild public confidence in the force's 'integrity and professionalism'. In a statement, said she would be looking for someone who could deliver results for the public. 'Following a series of appalling incidents and too many historical cases involving serving Met Police officers, it is clear that strong and decisive new leadership will be required to restore public confidence in our largest police force,' she said. 'The public in London and across the entire country must once again have confidence in the integrity and professionalism of the police officers who serve them. 'Policing culture and conduct have rightly come under scrutiny. Be in no doubt that a new leader must tackle these institutional issues.' She added: 'I will appoint a Commissioner who will deliver for the public whom our police serve and represent. Beating crime, preventing crime, protecting our citizens, our streets and communities at a time when this Government is investing record sums into the police, is paramount. 'And above all that's what I - and the public across the country - will want from the country's most senior police officer: someone focused on the basics of reducing violence in the city, tackling the abuse of women and girls, ridding our streets of drugs, knives and weapons, saving lives and protecting the public from the those who wish to do them harm.' Home Office sources said Ms Patel was angered by Mr Khan's failure to inform her that he had called Dame Cressida to a meeting on Thursday afternoon which she considered 'rude and unprofessional'. Despite his shortcomings at the Met, Bernard Hogan-Howe enjoys a 9million pension pot and owns two lavish homes. Pictured: Hogan-Howe walks his dog near his home in Dorset Dame Cressida, however, chose not attend after reportedly being informed that Mr Khan had no confidence in her plans for reform. Sources close to the mayor said that it had been a regular bilateral meeting and that it was up to Dame Cressida to inform Ms Patel of her decision herself. Rank and file officers expressed dismay at Dame Cressida's departure, with the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, Ken Marsh, saying she had been treated unfairly. Mr Marsh told the PA news agency: 'She was much loved across the rank and file of the Metropolitan Police Service. 'We feel the way she has been treated is wholly unfair and we did believe that she was the person who could take us through this and bring us out the other side.' But former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor, whose house was raided by officers from the Met's failed Operation Midland, launched in reaction to false allegations by jailed fantasist Carl Beech about a murderous VIP paedophile ring, said he was delighted by the news. 'It is now time to clean the Augean stables so that a full inquiry can be conducted on all her personal mistakes,' he said. Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) charity, said: 'There were far too many stories of officers accused of violence and abuse still in their jobs, and of whistleblowers victimised instead of listened to. 'Cressida Dick's response to these series of stories has been wholly inadequate, and her description of Wayne Couzens as a 'wrong un' meaningless, next to the mounting evidence of multiple allegations of abuse and policing failures to tackle violence against women and racism.' Covid vaccines are set to be offered to children aged five to 11, it was reported last night. The government's scientific advisers are said to have agreed that the jabs should be made available to youngsters on a 'non-urgent' basis. This means parents would be given the option to have their young children vaccinated, a move that could 'prevent a small number of hospitalisations'. This optional offer is seen as a preferable approach to a firm recommendation. It is claimed the guidance is likely to suggest the matter is not pressing, but something that families may wish to consider in order to protect against 'a potential future wave'. Families planning half-term holidays next week have complained that the lack of jabs for under-12s in this country has limited their options for flying to certain other countries in Europe. Covid vaccines are set to be offered to children aged five to 11, it was reported last night. Pictured: 11-year-old Xavier Aquilina receives a Covid-19 vaccination at the Emberbrook Community Health Centre in Surrey Rather than making such a move a firm recommendation, parents are expected to be offered the shots on a 'non-urgent' basis should they wish to take it up Rather than making such a move a firm recommendation, parents are expected to be offered the shots on a 'non-urgent' basis should they wish to take it up. Families will be told they may wish to consider inoculating their children so they could better protect them 'against a potential future wave'. Earlier this week, Paul Hunter, a leading professor of medicine at the University of East Anglia, suggested any decision would now been too late to influence the current wave of Covid. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think in many ways we're past the point where vaccines are actually going to make much difference.' Prof Hunter said jabs were given to older children to protect them from disruptions to schooling, but added: 'We haven't seen that vaccines have actually done a huge amount to stop these interruptions, so I think the benefits are marginal and it's probably too late because most kids have already had omicron.' The UK's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation had been divided on whether or not youngsters should be offered the jab in recent months. The JCVI are understood to have recommended vaccines should at least be offered to children under-12 - but it not yet clear if that advice had been formalised with ministers and health chiefs. Vaccines Minister Maggie Throup said: 'I would like parents and guardians to be reassured that no new vaccine for children would have been approved unless the expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness had been met. 'I encourage as many as possible to make sure they get their child the jab when contacted the paediatric vaccine will offer the best possible protection for your child'. A paediatric formula of the Pfizer/BioNTech shot had already been approved for use in children aged five to 11 if they were clinically vulnerable or shared a household with someone who was immunosuppressed. Around 500,000 children are understood to fall within that category in the UK. GP and deputy lead for NHS vaccination programme Dr Nikki Kanani, said: 'We know vaccines give significant protection against severe illness from COVID including the omicron variant, so it is important that our youngest and most at-risk get protected. 'The NHS is now vaccinating the most at risk 5-11 year olds ensuring they get their vital dose of protection. 'Thousands of young people are still getting protected every day with millions vaccinated so far and we are asking parents not to delay coming forward as soon as the NHS contacts you, please come forward so the NHS can protect their youngest against the virus'. It comes as No10's scientific advisers condemned Boris Johnson's plans start living with Covid like it is the flu by lifting all restrictions in a fortnight, warning it could create 'anxiety' and disproportionately affect poor people. A SAGE subcommittee told the Government to consider the 'unintended consequences' before taking the unprecedented decision to scrap compulsory self-isolation, masks, mass-testing and other remaining curbs in England. The experts claim abandoning free lateral flows which have cost the UK taxpayer billions so far will lead to Covid becoming hidden and mask any future outbreaks. Ditching the policy could create 'ambiguity' about the seriousness of the pandemic and make the public less likely to take personal precautions. They argue that scrapping the compulsory isolation period without improving sick pay may force poorer people to go to work even if they are ill and risk spreading the virus to vulnerable. The warnings were raised at a meeting of the Spi-B behavioural expert committee that feeds into SAGE on Thursday, a day after the Prime Minister revealed he intends to drop remaining curbs in England within weeks. The PM's announcement was widely seen as a ploy to appease hardline anti-lockdown backbenchers and fend off a flurry of no-confidence letters following a spate of allegations about illegal lockdown parties in Downing Street. A document detailing the concerns was made public tonight despite minutes from SAGE meetings often taking weeks to be published online. Spi-B is made up of almost 50 of the UK's top behavioural scientists, including former Communist Party member Professor Susan Michie, and Professor Stephen Reicher, a social psychologist and vocal critic of Mr Johnson. They also called for Covid messaging to be taken from central government and given to public health and NHS agencies, in the wake of the 'partygate' scandal that has engulfed Westminster over the last few weeks. 'Cross-national studies have shown that people have higher confidence in health advice from health professionals and scientists compared to politicians,' they write, adding 'this is particularly the case when trust in government is low'. A private NYC school reversed their decision to make masks optional, after state health officials warned they were in violation of Governor Kathy Hochul's mandate. The $57,000-a-year Poly Prep Country Day School in Brooklyn had announced on Thursday that students would be allowed to chose whether or not to wear a mask. But just one day later, it emailed students' parents saying that the school had been forced to change their optional mask policy because it did not follow state or city mandates. Parents were asked to ensure that their children were sent to school wearing a mask on Monday. The optional masking policy had been originally announced amid a decline of cases in NYC and at the school as well as Hochul's decision to end the statewide indoor mask mandate. The policy continued to apply for schoolchildren. An official from the New York State Health Department had also communicated with the school over the concerns in the former change in policy. 'We worked with the school and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and the school agreed to delay its plan to no longer require masks until such a policy is permitted,' spokesperson Jill Montag said. 'We are glad they decided to do the right thing.' New York private academy Poly Prep Country Day School has reversed their decision to apply a mask-optional order after being slammed by health officials New York Governor Kathy Hochul lifted the statewide indoor mask mandate for indoor businesses on Wednesday but still required schoolchildren to wear them In response to the policy removal, families expressed disappointment in the decision. 'I think it's absolutely ridiculous,' one of the mothers told the New York Post. 'The administration had universal support to do what they did. 'Parents are tired of this. We should have some say, the school should have some say, she added. 'To be honest I could see this coming,' another parent added. 'They werent going to let this happen. Simple as that.' Despite the negative reception, Hochul has said she plans to review future decisions for the mask mandate in March. 'We know some of our youngest learners may be disappointed or confused regarding this change in plans,' school health director Sarah Zuercher wrote in the email. 'When speaking with your children, we recommend discussing the need to be flexible in life.' 'We look forward to a return to normalcy as soon as is permissible,' she added in the email. School health director Sarah Zuercher said that students will have to begin wearing masks again on Monday Zuercher had sent a previous email to parents regarding the previous decision to make the mask mandate optional on Thursday. 'In the past few weeks we have seen sharp declines in COVID cases at Poly and in NYC,' the email, which was posted online, reads. 'In addition, we have had minimal in-school transmission of the highly contagious Omicron variant. 'In light of these sharp declines in case counts, and our most up-to-date evidence, wearing masks will be optional beginning on February 14 for all students and employees.' In its decision to lift the school's mask mandate, officials at Poly Prep said there have been no COVID-related hospitalizations or serious cases at the school, and that all documented cases have been 'mild to asymptomatic,' according to the Post. As Zuercher explained to the school's newspaper, the Polygon: 'We've seen a very sharp decline in COVID cases here at school and in the community. 'As we look at the layers of our COVID safety strategy, we don't need to keep all the layers as we always have as COVID cases go down. 'While [masking] can be very effective, with Omicron being highly contagious, we think it's one of the less effective mitigation strategies when you look at everything we're doing - testing, vaccination, boosters [and] air filtration.' She added that studies have shown that for children, masks 'might inhibit language acquisition, social and emotional development [and] their ability to read facial cues.' 'We will support each individual's choice,' Zuercher said, 'and will follow up immediately if our mask-optional policy must change.' On Wednesday, Hochul announced the end of the state's indoor mask mandate, although it remains in effect at state-regulated facilities including schools, health care facilities, adult care facilities and nursing homes, correctional facilities, childcare centers, homeless shelters, domestic violence shelters and on public transit. She said in her announcement that New York was 'trending in a very, very good direction' - citing case and hospitalization rates - and is 'now approaching a new phase in this pandemic.' 'We are not where we were in early December. New Yorkers did the right thing to get through the winter surge, and we can now lift the statewide mask-or-vaccine requirement for indoor businesses starting tomorrow,' Hochul said, adding: 'Counties, cities and businesses can still choose to require masks.' The state's mask mandate for students, however, will remain in effect state-wide. 'Masks have been a successful part of our toolkit to fight COVID, and New Yorkers must keep wearing them in certain places throughout the state,' Hochul said during Wednesday's press conference. She said she will revisit the school mask mandate come March, but said in the meantime officials are taking steps to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 ahead of midwinter break. In the meantime, all K-12 students and their families will be provided a state issued 'winter tool kit' that involves sending children home with COVID testing kits ahead of the school recess. They will then be tested again upon return from break. Hochul said officials will use this data to make further decisions about masking in classrooms. A #MandateFreedom rally was organized by the People's Coalition for New York on Friday to protest mask mandates Parents and children gathered at the Westchester County courthouse to protest masks in classrooms On Friday, the state of New York reported 4,873,548 cases and 66, 276 deaths. The statewide positivity rate is now 4.92 percent with 98,520,534 tests administered. In terms of vaccination status, 37,211,046 doses have been administered with 74.36 percent of the state population fully jabbed. For the US, 77,428,574 cases have been confirmed with 915,434 deaths recorded. Additionally, 545,981,537 doses have been administered with 65.06 percent fully vaccinated. Officials in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey and Oregon have now announced plans to lift their mandates as they seek a return to 'normalcy.' But when one man attended a school board meeting in upstate New York on Tuesday he was forcibly dragged out of the room by a security guard. Dave Calus told Kimberly's Revolution he proceeded to the board room where the Webster School Board meeting was taking place, but was met by staff who told him that if he didn't wear a mask, he would be placed in isolation during the meeting. 'They were segregating masked and unmasked parents,' he explained. 'The unmasked parents were going to have to sit in a classroom with a video monitoring watching and listening to the board meeting.' He said he was placed in the classroom and decided 'this isn't going to work for me.' Calus then walked down to the main board room and was once again instructed to wear a mask. 'I took a mask from the person who handed it to me, looped it around my ear, walked into the room, and sat down and put the mask in my pocket,' he recalled. He said he remained seated for 15 to 20 minutes before being approached by a security guard who demanded he put the mask on. Webster Police Department, issuing a statement on Facebook, said their officers were not involved in the incident but they are conducting an investigation. After the investigation is complete, the department will determine whether 'charges are appropriate'. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has also said it continues to stand by its mask-wearing guidelines for schools, saying COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are still 'too high' to consider dropping restrictions despite daily infections having declined by 47 percent over the past seven days. 'Right now our CDC guidance has not changed. We continue to endorse universal masking in schools,' CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said during a radio interview with WYPR on Tuesday. 'We owe it to our children to make sure that they can safely stay in school. Right now, that includes masking. We've seen outbreaks that have occurred in communities where students were not masked in schools and had to close.' The Biden administration doubled down on wearing face masks - even though eight Democratic governors have rolled back COVID restrictions, cases and hospitalizations have plummeted and one of America's closest allies England has completely scrapped all rules. Our guidance is consistently has consistently been this: when you are in a high transmission area, which is everywhere in the country, you should wear a mask and indoor settings, including schools, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at her press briefing on Wednesday. When asked if people should follow the current Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which are to wear a face covering, instead of listening to their governor, Psaki responded: Yes. She conceded some people are tired of wearing masks but added there are many who still want to have one on. People are tired of masks, Psaki said, adding, however, there were also a huge chunk of people who still want masks. A radical plan to help young people get into Australia's most expensive property market would see them give up equity in their major asset. The scheme would see the government contribute to a first home buyer's deposit, which is often 20 per cent of the sale price. In return the government would legally own a percentage of the value of that property. The plan is in development by Dominic Perrottet's NSW government as a possible solution to Sydney's housing affordability crisis. The median house price in Sydney in early 2022 is $1.6million, while the median unit price is $802,000 - enough to buy a house in most major Australian cities. A radical plan to help young people get into Australia's most expensive property market would see them give up equity in their major asset The scheme would see the government contribute to a first home buyer's deposit, which is often 20 per cent of the sale price (pictured, 7 Lemongrove Avenue, Carlingford, for sale for between $1.6-$1.7million) 'Increasingly younger generations think being able to buy their first home is unachievable, and for me, that's unacceptable,' Mr Perrottet said in speech ahead of voting in four NSW byelections. The proposed scheme has been cautiously welcomed by both housing advocates and mortgage brokers - though both groups have concerns. Under the proposal parents could give up equity in their homes to get government help for their children to buy homes. The median house price in Sydney in early 2022 is $1.6million, while the median unit price is $802,000 - enough to buy a house in most major Australian cities (pictured, 7 Olympic Drive, Lidcombe, which is listed at $1.6million) The proposed scheme has been cautiously welcomed by both housing advocates and mortgage brokers - though both groups have concerns (pictured, 14 Plymouth Avenue, North Rocks, which has a price guide of $1.4million) The new plan is expected to form a key part of the premier's commitment to address home ownership and affordability ahead of the 2023 NSW state election. Buyers surrendering equity in a home when they are signing up to a contract for hundreds of huge repayments would be considered a difficult decision for many a potential risk for investors. Early details suggest the equity held in a property by the government would need to be repaid in instalments or handed over when the property is sold. Details to be ironed out include how much equity the government would take, the amount the government would contribute would be capped, or whether it could even be the price of property or land. The ability to increase equity in home ownership and especially property investing is widely regarded as a key strategy in growing personal wealth. Mortgage brokers said 'shared equity' schemes are not new and have run into problems around what happens during home ownership. 'They haven't always worked because they are hard for people to get their heads around,' Hamish Ferguson, of Vision Property and Finance told Daily Mail Australia. An example is what can happen if someone wants to improve a property while they're in it. In return for helping first-home buyers get a deposit together, the government would legally own a percentage of the value of that property(pictured, 4 Montague Street, Greystanes, which is listed at $1.7million) The plan is in development by Dominic Perrottet's NSW government as a possible solution to Sydney's housing affordability crisis (pictured, 7 Noble Place, Telopea, which is listed for $1.6million) 'What if I want to put in a $20,000 deck, does the government have a say about it? Do they need to put money into it?' 'I think anything to help first home buyers getting without inflating property prices is a good idea, but it's fair to say we need to understand what the workings of this plan are before we get too excited.' Housing advocates cautiously welcomed the proposal but said it needs to be tailored to help families desperate for homes, not investors or even those who were going to buy anyway. Cathy Callaghan of Shelter NSW told Daily Mail Australia all help for people trying to get somewhere to live is positive, but that 'the devil is in detail'. 'Any efforts by the NSW government to make it easier for people to buy their own home is welcome but we'd be very interested to see to what extent it helps low income people.' She said Shelter NSW is more interested in detail about adding to affordable housing stock to cut back wait times for new homes, which are currently 'up to 10 years'. 'In NSW there is a waiting list of over 50,000 approved applications to get a home. Behind every application is a family.' A gutsy human rights activist took down a Chinese flag that was flying over a Tasmanian mine to protest against 'genocidal dictatorships'. Anti-China Communist Party campaigner Drew Pavlow made the daring stunt at the MMG mine at Rosebery on Thursday. The organisation, of which 67.8 per cent is owned by Beijing, intends to clear 285 hectares of rainforest and greenery to make way for a 140-hectare tailings dam. The company has come under fire over fears the project will destroy the scenery while its connection to the CCP has angered human rights activists as China is accused of systemic incarceration and mistreatment against the Uighur population. Anti-China Communist Party campaigner Drew Pavlow made the daring stunt at the MMG mine at Rosebery on Thursday A bystander filmed Mr Pavlow approach the flag pole outside the site before he lowered the flag, furled it up in his hands and ran away, laughing. The video was then uploaded to TikTok with the caption: 'I don't believe we should let genocidal dictatorships take over Australian land and resources.' The project has come under fire by human rights activists who fear the CCP-backed organisation will wreak havoc on the environment as seen in Tibet. Mining companies have been accused of failing to provide adequate resources to protect the ecosystem and unique biome of the country. They have also been accused of dumping toxic waste in an unsafe manner as the companies mine for lithium and nuclear minerals. Tibetan rights campaigner and NSW Senate candidate Kyinzom Dhongdue believes the mine in Tasmania will endanger the wildlife. 'To see how the Chinese government is coming here to mine the Tasmanian wilderness is absolutely heartbreaking,' Ms Dhongdue told The Australian. 'I'm coming here with a warning to the people of Tasmania that we need to stop this, to get the Chinese mining company out of the Tarkine (region of western Tasmania). 'This is the CCP's infiltration of our forests. China has infiltrated into our politics, our universities, even our sports. I call this a Chinese invasion of our forests.' The company has come under fire over fears the project will destroy the scenery while its connection to the CCP has angered human rights activists as China is accused of systemic incarceration and mistreatment against the Uighur population Some two million Uighurs are believed to be living in one of the 1,400 concentration camps set up across Xinjiang, in the north west of the country MMG has dismissed the criticism and labelled it 'xenophobic'. 'MMG Rosebery is managed by a local management team and over 98 per cent of our employees are Tasmanian, with a significant number living on the west coast,' a spokeswoman said. 'The company's ownership has no bearing on its responsibility to operate in accordance with Australian regulations and laws. 'MMG's environmental record is sound and we take our social and environmental responsibilities very seriously. Negative connotations on MMG's ownership are irrelevant, offensive and xenophobic.' Daily Mail Australia contacted MMG for comment. Mr Pavlow and other human rights activists have also raised issues with supporting the CCP despite its treatment of the Uighur population. Some two million Uighurs are believed to be living in one of the 1,400 concentration camps set up across Xinjiang, in the north west of the country. China called it a 're-education' camp but reports claim detainees are subjected to torture, sexual abuse, and systemic sterilisation. Hollywood Democratic heavyweights have thrown their weight behind a campaign to recall the 'woke' district attorney of Los Angeles, with Joe Biden's nominee to be ambassador to Norway and George Clooney's producing partner among those demanding George Gascon step down. Gascon, a 67-year-old former assistant chief of Los Angeles Police Department, took over as district attorney in the heavily-Democrat city in December 2020 and immediately embarked on a progressive justice reform agenda - eliminating the use of sentencing enhancements for gang membership, certain uses of guns, and for prior convictions. As LA battles rising crime, critics are blaming Gascon's 'soft' policies, and an effort to recall him is underway - which on Friday saw a former LAPD chief who previously endorsed him rescind his support. Last week Los Angeles Magazine reported that a surprising number of Hollywood grandees, usually more affiliated with Democrat causes than with efforts to oust a Democrat, had donated to the recall effort. They include Grant Heslov, who works frequently with Clooney - including on 2011 political drama The Ides of March, Iranian thriller Argo, and CIA comedy The Men Who Stare At Goats. George Gascon was elected district attorney of Los Angeles in December 2020, but is now facing a campaign to have him recalled - with Democrat donors also contributing funds Grant Heslov is seen with George Clooney in May 2019. The pair collaborate on many film projects Jonathan Sheinberg, a renown film producer, has also backed efforts to get rid of Gascon Mike Medavoy, a 'Democrat power broker' is helping efforts to get rid of Gascon Marc Nathanson, a media billionaire and prominent LA real estate investor who has been nominated by Joe Biden as ambassador to Norway, is also backing attempts to get rid of the Democrat DA Jonathan Sheinberg, a former 20th Century Fox executive, was among the donors, as was Mike Medavoy, co-founder of Orion Pictures, which produced such classics as Platoon, Terminator, RoboCop and The Silence of the Lambs. Variety magazine in 2011 described Medavoy as a 'Democrat power broker'. The list also includes Marc Nathanson, a media billionaire and prominent LA real estate investor, who in November was nominated by President Joe Biden to be ambassador to Norway. Another high-profile Democrat to fund the removal of Gascon is Jordan Kaplan, a LA real estate titan and 'mega bundler' for Hillary Clinton. The Hollywood Democrats made their donations in early 2022, LA Magazine reported, which meant they have not yet shown on county records. The campaign to recall Cuban-born Gascon, who was San Francisco's district attorney from 2011-19, has raised $1.8 million in the final three months of 2021. Desiree Andrade, left, whose son Julien Andrade was murdered in 2018 is joined by other crime victims as the signature gathering effort to recall Gascon is launched in May 2021 Much of that, the magazine said, came from 'reliably right-wing mega donors' such as Beverly Hills real-estate baron Geoffrey Palmer and Palos Verdes Estates investor Gerald Marcil. But the inclusion of high-profile Democrats will alarm Gascon's team. On Friday, another blow was dealt when former LAPD chief Charlie Beck rescinded his support for Gascon. Beck, who spent four decades with the LAPD, retired in 2019 after leading the agency for nearly nine years. He acknowledged knowing Gascon, a former LAPD officer, for 30 years and supporting his bid to become the county's top prosecutor in 2020, but said he could no longer back him. 'I based my support for the election of District Attorney George Gascon on the hope he would advance public safety in Los Angeles and because of our close personal relationship of over 30 years,' Beck said. 'After observing the negative effects of his policies and practices on public safety, I am compelled to rescind that endorsement.' A makeshift shrine is set up in Inglewood on January 24 after a shooting at a birthday party left four dead LAPD investigators are seen at work on January 23 in Inglewood Elise Moore, a spokesperson for Gascon's campaign, told Fox News that it was 'disappointing that Chief Beck has changed his position but we are respectful of his opinion and the many years of service that he has provided to the people of Los Angeles.' Los Angeles has seen a 54 percent increase in murders since 2019, a rise in the number of street shootings since 2020, and an increase in the number of armed holdups. The city has also been shocked by the broad daylight murder of Brianna Kupfer on January 13 by a mentally ill man who stabbed her at random while she worked in an upscale furniture store. Desiree Andrade, whose son Julian was beaten to death and thrown into a canyon in 2018, co-founded the campaign to recall Gascon and said she was encouraged by the growing support for the campaign. 'People are seeing firsthand now, how public safety has changed since Gascon,' said Andrade. 'I think that people now who were on his side are kind of putting their foot in their mouth at this point because crime has spiked in such a way that nobody can turn their heads anymore, and be blind to the fact that we're all in harms way and he's playing Russian roulette with our lives.' To qualify for the November 2022 ballot the recall's backers must collect 566,857 signatures, to reflect 10% of total registered voters in LA County. Petitions can be downloaded online by any activist who wants to back the cause, and it is unclear how many signatures have been received to date. The deadline to submit the required signatures is July 6. A child who received a 'life-changing' cystic fibrosis drug has told how she felt better in just three hours and can finally breathe without coughing. Kate Farrer, seven, is one of the first children in England to be given the 'transformational' drug Kaftrio on the NHS. Previously the drug was only available to patients over the age of 12. However, it has now been extended to the younger age group thanks to a landmark deal completed by the NHS in during the pandemic. Kate Farrer, seven, is one of the first children in England to be given the 'transformational' cystic fibrosis drug Kaftrio on the NHS Kate (right) said she felt better within just three hours and hailed the drug as 'life-changing' (Pictured with her sister Orla) The 'modulator' drug helps patients' lungs function, allowing patients to breathe easily and have a better quality of life. Kate started taking the drug on Sunday, and began to feel an improvement just three hours later, her family said. She is one of about 1,300 children aged six to 11 who will now be able to access the drug thanks to the deal the NHS did in June 2020. As well as helping Kate, the drug is set to benefit thousands more patients in England. The cystic fibrosis treatment is a 'triple combination therapy' containing three drugs - ivacaftor, tezacaftor and elexacaftor. It has revolutionised treatment for those with cystic fibrosis, which disrupts the body's ability to regulate salt and water transport in the body, causing damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs. Doctors believe the drug will help around 60 per cent of the 10,000 people in England who suffer from cystic fibrosis, which mostly affects the lungs. Kate said she was 'really happy' with the new drug. 'I am really happy because it is a life-changing drug and it is going to help me a lot when I am older.' She said: 'I am really happy because it is a life-changing drug and it is going to help me a lot when I am older' She added: 'It is really exciting that I got it, because now life will hopefully be a bit fairer with me, because sometimes it is not as fair because of all of my treatment and medications' She added that she was feeling 'a lot better' and can exhale without coughing. 'Now with this new medication - I have only been on it a few days but I am feeling a lot better now. 'It is really exciting that I got it, because now life will hopefully be a bit fairer with me, because sometimes it is not as fair because of all of my treatment and medications. 'I am actually quite happy as I can now exhale all the way and not cough at all, not one bit.' U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert was awarded the 'Hottest Woman in Congress Award' by conservative talk show host Jesse Kelly on Friday. The award misspelled Boebert's last name as 'Boebart,' and the Colorado Republican also received a partially-used Red Lobster gift card worth $27.43. Kelly called it a 'high achievement' as Boebert showed off the award, with Kelly adding that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat, was the runner up. U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert received the 'Hottest Woman in Congress Award' Boebert is popular among conservative circles for her outspoken defense of gun rights and calling the January 6 riot committee a 'witch hunt' Jesse Kelley (left) called the award a 'high achievement.' Boebert (right) also received a used Red Lobster gift card worth $27.43 that she may have to return to Kelly as part of the House ethic rules prohibiting the acceptance of gift cards Boebert thanked Kelly for the award and joked that, '$27.43 is under the gift limit [allowed to Congress members], but if we check with ethics that it's over, this is coming right back to you.' Kelly replied: 'Yes ma'am, I understand that. We're gonna do the best we can to up that to $30 next year, depending on how the show does.' He said on Twitter that the gift card was 'partially used.' He also claimed that Ocasio-Cortez complained about the award on Twitter, but the congresswoman has not made a statement about Kelly's contest. House ethics rules state that gifts under $50 from non-lobbyists groups are generally ok for House members to accept, but cash or gift cards are prohibited from being accepted. Boebert is popular among conservative circles for her outspoken defense of gun rights and calling the January 6 riot committee a 'witch hunt.' The award certificate misspelled her last name as 'Boebart' Kelly said the gift card awarded to Boebert was partially-used Protesters opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions withdrew their vehicles from a key U.S.-Canadian border bridge Saturday but ramped up demonstrations in cities across Canada, including the capital, where police said they were awaiting more officers before ending what they described as an illegal occupation. The tense standoff at the Ambassador Bridge linking Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, eased somewhat early in the day when Canadian police persuaded demonstrators to move the trucks they had used to barricade the entrance to the busy international crossing. Advertisement But protesters reconvened nearby with reinforcements and were still choking off access from the Canadian side at night, snarling traffic and commerce for a sixth day. In Ottawa, the ranks of protesters swelled to the thousands as they have on past weekends, and loud music played as people milled about downtown where anti-vaccine demonstrators have been encamped since late January. Advertisement The protests at the bridge, in Ottawa and elsewhere have reverberated outside the country, with similarly inspired convoys in France, New Zealand and the Netherlands, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned that truck convoys may be in the works in the United States. An ex-cabinet minister in Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus government took the unusual step of calling out her former federal colleagues as well as the province and city for not putting an end to the protests. Amazingly, this isnt just Ottawa. Its the nations capital, Catherine McKenna tweeted. But no one not the city, the province or the federal government can seem to get their act together to end this illegal occupation. Its appalling. ... Just get your act together. Now. Trudeau has called the protesters a fringe of Canadian society, and both federal and provincial leaders say they cant order police what to do. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency last week for the capital, where hundreds of trucks remained in front of the Parliament Buildings and demonstrators have set up portable toilets outside the prime ministers office where Trudeaus motorcade usually parks. Police arrive to clear protestors and their vehicles from a blockade at the entrance to the Ambassador Bridge, that was sealing off the flow of commercial traffic over the bridge into Canada from Detroit, on Friday in Windsor, Canada. (COLE BURSTON/Getty Images) Police issued a statement calling the protest an unlawful occupation and saying they were waiting for police reinforcements before implementing a plan to end the demonstrations. Surrounded by dozens of officers in Windsor, a man with Mandate Freedom and Trump 2024 spray-painted on his vehicle left the bridge entrance early in the day as others began dismantling a small, tarp-covered encampment. A trucker honked his horn as he, too, drove off, to cheers and chants of Freedom! But hundreds more arrived to bolster the crowd and settled into a faceoff with police about two blocks away, waving flags and yelling. While there were no visible physical confrontations, the crowd still controlled the road to the bridge, and traffic had not resumed as of the evening. Advertisement Windsor police tweeted that no one had been arrested but urged people to stay away from the bridge: We appreciate the cooperation of the demonstrators at this time and we will continue to focus on resolving the demonstration peacefully. Avoid area! A protester yells at Canadian police as they deploy on Saturday to move demonstrators blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. (GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images) Protester Daniel Koss said shortly before police advanced that the demonstration had succeeded in bringing attention to demands to lift COVID-19 mandates and he was happy it remained peaceful. Its a win-win, Koss said. The pandemic is rolling down right now, they can remove the mandates, all the mandates, and everyones happy. The government does the right thing, and the protesters are all happy. The previous day, a judge ordered an end to the blockade of mostly pickup trucks and cars, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency allowing for fines of 100,000 Canadian dollars and up to one year in jail for anyone illegally blocking roads, bridges, walkways and other critical infrastructure. Police clear protestors and their vehicles from a blockade at the entrance to the Ambassador Bridge, that was sealing off the flow of commercial traffic over the bridge into Canada from Detroit, on Saturday in Windsor, Canada. (COLE BURSTON/Getty Images) The illegal blockades are impacting trade, supply chains & manufacturing. Theyre hurting Canadian families, workers & businesses. Glad to see the Windsor Police & its policing partners commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge, Federal Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne tweeted Saturday. These blockades must stop. The Ambassador Bridge is the busiest U.S.-Canadian border crossing, carrying 25% of all trade between the two countries, and auto plants on both sides have been forced to shut down or reduce production this week. The standoff came at a time when the industry is already struggling to maintain production in the face of pandemic-induced shortages of computer chips and other supply-chain disruptions. Advertisement Protesters wave flags toward the Peace Bridge during a rally against COVID-19 restrictions Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, in Buffalo, N.Y. (Joshua Bessex/AP) In Ottawa, 31-year-old Stephanie Ravensbergen said she turned out to support her aunt and uncle who have parked their semi in the streets since the beginning of the protest. She opposes vaccine and mask requirements, and said its important for schoolchildren to be able see their friends faces and emotions. We want the right to choose, Ravensbergen said. We want the right to be able to do what everybody else can do. Protesters on Saturday tore down a fence that authorities put up around the capitals National War Memorial two weeks ago after demonstrators urinated on it. Some later chanted liberte, French for freedom. Completely unacceptable, Lawrence MacAulay, Canadas veterans affairs minister, tweeted. This behavior is disappointing and Im calling on protesters to respect our monuments. On the other side of the country, protesters disrupted operations at another border crossing between Surrey, British Columbia, and Blaine, Washington, but officials said it was not blocked. Two border crossings, in Alberta and in Manitoba, remained shut down as well. Canadian police deploy on Friday at the Ambassador Bridge. (GEOFF ROBINS/AFP via Getty Images) But in Toronto, police again prevented protests from getting out of control there by blocking off roads and a major highway to prevent any potential convoy from getting downtown. Advertisement While the protesters are decrying vaccine mandates for truckers and other COVID-19 restrictions, many of Canadas public health measures, such as mask rules and vaccine passports for getting into restaurants and theaters, are already falling away as the omicron surge levels off. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Pandemic restrictions have been far stricter there than in the U.S., but Canadians have largely supported them. The vast majority of Canadians are vaccinated, and the COVID-19 death rate is one-third that of the United States. Inspired by the Canadian demonstrations, protests against pandemic restrictions were seen in parts of Europe on Saturday. At least 500 vehicles in several convoys attempted to enter Paris at key arteries but were intercepted by police. Over 200 motorists were ticketed, and elsewhere at least two people were detained amid a seizure of knives, hammers and other objects in a central square. People walk between trucks as they take part in a protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Ottawa on Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. (PATRICK DOYLE/AP) Police fired tear gas against a handful of people who demonstrated on the Champs Elysees Avenue in defiance of a police order. An Associated Press photographer was hit in the head with a gas canister as police struggled to control the crowd. In the Netherlands, meanwhile, dozens of trucks and other vehicles ranging from tractors to a car towing a camper arrived in The Hague, blocking an entrance to the historic parliamentary complex. Protesters on foot joined them, carrying a banner emblazoned with Love & freedom, no dictatorship in Dutch. Advertisement Earlier this week in New Zealand, protesters rolled up to Parliament grounds in a convoy of cars and trucks and set up camp. Police have taken a hands-off approach after initial attempts to remove them resulted in physical confrontations. Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard on Friday ordered his staff to turn on the lawns sprinklers to douse them and to play Barry Manilow tunes and the 1990s hit Macarena over loudspeakers to annoy them. Protesters responded by playing their own songs, including Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It. A record crowd has marched on Australia's main government buildings in the nation's capital as 'freedom' protestors called on leaders to end vaccine mandates. Up to 20,000 demonstrators, united in their opposition to any compulsory vaccination, streamed through Canberra to assemble across several huge lawns at Parliament house. At least three people have been arrested amid wild scenes, with one protester allegedly driving a truck through a barrier. 'One man was charged with multiple offences after he drove his truck through a roadblock and two men were taken into custody for breaching the peace,' ACT said. Pauline Hanson joined the thousands for the Canada-inspired 'Convoy to Canberra' rally, who appeared to represent many different causes and carried a wide array of anti-authority signs, messages and flags. The One Nation leader made an appearance in the Australian Capital Territory on Saturday after Scott Morrison warned marchers to be 'peaceful and respectful'. A record crowd has marched on Australia's main government buildings in the nation's capital as 'freedom' protestors called on leaders to end vaccine mandates Many families were present at the anti-vaccine mandate protests in Canberra on Saturday Protestors in the huge crowd that gathered in Canberra had a diverse range of views but were united under a banner of 'freedom' from vaccine mandates Protestors organised using social media but arrived in person in their tens of thousands in the nation's capital The Prime Minister explained his government supports compulsory vaccines only for people working in high risk situations and for vulnerable people. It is understood ACT police made three arrests from the huge crowd that was estimated at between as high as 20,000 demonstrators and was understood to have been the largest public demonstration seen in Canberra. The huge rally forced the cancellation of a major Canberra fundraiser for suicide prevention hotline Lifeline, whose organisers were concerned about safety. It is the second week anti-vaccine protestors have staged rallies in the capital city as part of the 'Convoy to Canberra'. Up to 20,000 demonstrators, united in their opposition to any compulsory vaccination, streamed through Canberra to assemble across several huge lawns at Parliament house Pauline Hanson joined thousands of anti-vaccine mandate protestors rallying outside Parliament House (pictured, Ms Hanson on Saturday outside Parliament House) Canberra, Australia.. this is absolutely epic, facebook has shut down all convoy to Canberra groups, Government has shut down all livestreams.. but you cant stop the revolution.. RESIST pic.twitter.com/lQRQ2KeV2n Pelham (@Resist_05) February 12, 2022 It is nearly the second week anti-vaccine protestors have staged rallies in the capital city as part of the 'Convoy to Canberra (pictured, a protestor raises a child in the air during Saturday's demonstration) Fears were raised protestors could target a vaccine hub at the Australian Institute of Sport Arena, but that had not eventuated by late afternoon on Saturday. The venue had planned to host a dress-up event to encourage children aged between five and 11 to wear their favourite superhero costumes as they lined up for their first jab. The Capital Regional Farmers Market also delayed its event over safety concerns. ACT police issued a statement on Friday ordering thousands of protesters based at Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC) to leave 'peacefully' on Sunday to allow for preparations for the Royal Canberra Show. 'People who remain in EPIC after this time may be considered trespassing,' a police statement said. The Convoy to Canberra crowd included a hugely diverse range of views but were generally united a banner of opposition to vaccine mandates and any pandemic-related government orders. It's getting too big to ignore now. pic.twitter.com/bNKRCd3f6J Daniel James Dulhunty (@dulhunty) February 12, 2022 Social media accounts including anti-vax media sources were active on Saturday posting clips and images showing the huge crowd marching towards Parliament House in Canberra Among the crowd were men who appeared to be former Australian soldiers, tradies, truckers, motorcyclists, evangelical religious groups, a smattering of Indigenous protestors and some current politicians. Many flew alternative Australian flags including the Eureka stockade flag, considered a general symbol of rebellion against authority, the Aboriginal flag and the red maritime ensign. The red ensign has been adopted during anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine protests by the so-called 'sovereign citizen' movement, a fringe group who believe government laws do not apply to them. Convoy to Canberra protests: Multiple arrests at Parliament House https://t.co/OhVEXByFLg via @newscomauHQ Oz Trooper (@TrooperOz) February 12, 2022 'We've been controlled by the politicians ... I'm here as an Australian fighting for my rights and my freedoms,' Ms Hanson told 7News. She had earlier taken to Facebook to urge protestors to join the rally. 'I hope you're all behind this Convoy to Canberra,' she wrote. Some businesses have already closed for the day with Lifeline Canberra closing its book fair to keep staff safe and Capital farmers market delaying its event over safety concerns Many flew alternative Australian flags including the Eureka stockade flag, considered a general symbol of rebellion against authority, the Aboriginal flag and the red ensign Fears have been raised a vaccine hub could be targeted at the Australian Institute of Sport Arena (pictured, anti-vaccine mandate demonstrators on Saturday in Canberra) 'Convoy to Canberra has arrived. Say 'hi' if you're here and see me.' Speaking in Sydney, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged protestors to carry out the rally in a respectful manner. 'I want to be very clear when it comes to the issue of acting mandates, the Commonwealth government have only ever supported mandates that relate to aged care workers, disability workers and that those that are working in high-risk situations in health system,' he said. 'My government has only ever supported mandates that have been recommended right across the country by the medical expert panel and our chief medical officers. 'All other mandates that relate to vaccines have been imposed unilaterally by state governments.' ACT Police Commander of Operations Linda Champion said on Friday officers were preparing for more demonstrations at the AISA. 'We don't want to be too present in the face of children but we'll certainly be there behind the scenes if we need to,' she said. 'We don't anticipate anything unlawful going on but we (will be) there in sufficient numbers to ensure the safety of all parents and children turning up to the clinic. It is nearly the second week anti-vaccine protestors have staged rallies in Australia's capital as part of the 'Convoy to Canberra' (pictured, protestors at Parliament House) Speaking in Sydney, Prime Minister Scott Morrison urged protestors to carry out the rally in a respectful manner (pictured, anti-vaccine mandate protestors in Canberra) Anti-vaccine protestors are pictured waving an upside down Australian flag to protest against mandates Motorcyclists roll into the centre of Canberra to join anti-vaccine protestors on Saturday as demonstrators wave an upside-down flat 'What we don't want to do is interrupt the safety or security of our children, nor intimidate them with large numbers. We'll do it peacefully.' Rogue MP Craig Kelly, who is leader of the United Australia Party, tweeted in support of the protests. 'Tens of thousands of Freedom Fighters in Canberra saying no to human rights abuses,' he wrote. Great Australia party founder Rod Culleton was also at the march. A man who went on hunger strike for almost three days as he waited release from New Zealand's strict hotel quarantine was able to hug his father one last time before he died. Kurt Lehndorf shared an emotional photo of his final embrace with his dad Des Lehndorf who died on Tuesday after a battle with cancer. Kurt had been released from the country's managed isolation and quarantine hotel on Monday to be with his ill father he hadn't seen since July. The Kiwi had flew into Auckland Airport from Australia on February 2 and following days of no answers to his requests to self-isolate at home to be with his father, Kurt went more than 60 hours without food or drink. Kurt Lehndorf (left) shared an emotional photo of his final embrace with his dad Des Lehndorf who died on Tuesday after a battle with cancer He was eventually released after a negative day three Covid test and after signing an agreement with the authorities to be provided with an exemption and self-isolate with his father at his home. 'It means everything to be here with my family, we all need each other at this time, and dad needed me to be there for his last hours,' Kurt told Stuff. 'My faith in humanity has been well and truly restored. People have been leaving food at the gate, and we have been inundated with support. 'I don't even like to think about what it would have been like if I was still in MIQ and having to endure that in isolation, and then remain in isolation that would have been completely horrific and inhumane.' Kurt had earlier been told by authorities he could visit his father while supervised but would then have to return to isolation. Kurt Lehndorf (left with his father) flew into Sudima Auckland Airport from Australia on February 2 to be with his dying father Des Lehndorf. He was able to be released from managed isolation to self-isolate at home with his family He was then allowed to enter a family bubble with his relatives to farewell Des and isolate together. Travellers are usually required to stay in an isolation hotel for a minimum of 10 days and cannot leave unless they provide a negative Covid test on day 8 or 9 and confirmation from a medic that they are at low risk of having or transmitting Covid. However, applications for exceptional circumstances exemptions can be made under clause 14 of the Covid-19 Public Health Response (Isolation and Quarantine) Order 2020. If the circumstances are deemed 'exceptional', the authorities can release travellers from isolation earlier but very few applications are approved. The Kiwi, who now lives in Australia, waited in New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine facility in Auckland While in isolation Mr Lehndorf, who last saw his father in July, shared images from inside the facility On Monday night the Ministry of Business, Immigration and Employment said that arrangements would be made for Kurt to see his father. A spokesperson for the MBIE told 1News: 'This morning Mr Lehndorf's exemption from managed isolation application was approved, and he is now able to self-isolate in the community we are pleased this means he will be able to spend time with his father at this difficult time. 'A returnee is not eligible to be considered for exemption from managed isolation until they receive a negative day three Covid-19 test. 'Mr Lehndorf's negative day three test result was received yesterday evening, Sunday 6 February. 'Supporting information is also required in relation to who else will be at the location of self-isolation and confirmation that they too will self-isolate. 'Information confirming that others at the location will self-isolate was provided to MIQ by Mr Lehndorf early yesterday evening, Sunday 6 February. 'Mr Lehndorf has been advised that his exemption application was approved this morning, subject to him receiving a negative Rapid Antigen Test prior to his departure from MIQ, and transport to his place of self-isolation is now being organised.' Mr Lehndorf had complained about the strict rules he was given in quarantine including being given just 45 minutes of walking time each day While waiting for the authorities to approve his exemption, Mr Lehndorf said: 'I have tested negative twice in three days' A timeline of Kurt Lehndorf's managed isolation and quarantine saga February 2 - Kurt Lehndorf is placed into managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) after flying into Sudima Auckland Airport. February 4 - Mr Lehndorf says he has tested negative twice in 3 days but is still unable to gain exemption to leave quarantine. February 4 - The Kiwi enters a hunger strike in protest. February 6 - By 8am on Sunday, Mr Lehndorf has gone past 61 hours of no eating or drinking and describes feeling dizzy with a headache On the same day MIQ officials claim they are awaiting information from him but Mr Lehndorf says he has already provided them with all the paperwork. February 7 - At 11.20am Mr Lehndorf says he has signed an agreement with the authorities and will be able to self-isolate with his father. The Ministry of Business, Immigration and Employment confirms that the Kiwi will be able to go home to see his father. Advertisement Kurt received news of his father's diagnosis shortly after the Delta outbreak hit and borders were slammed shut. Last week he was able to fly into Sudima Auckland Airport from Australia where he was immediately placed into New Zealand's managed isolation and quarantine hotel. While in isolation he wrote on Facebook: 'This is isolation in NZ. This is how @jacindaardern treats NZ citizens. I'm allowed to walk, not run, in a clockwise direction for 45 minutes per day. 'I have returned to NZ to see my terminally Ill father. This is now how we treat each other in NZ. Despite my fathers worsening condition I am not allowed to see him. 'I have tested negative twice in 3 days, am double vaxxed and recently recovered from Covid. 'After being prevented from visiting my father for Christmas and other potentially last events, my own country now prevents me from being by his side. 'My father's own country is preventing his son being beside him. For the first time in my life I'm embarrassed to be a Kiwi. Now back to walking, not running in a clockwise direction.' In a letter to the Isolation Exemptions Team, the father-of-two said he provided all the information required, including proof of his double vaccination status, medically approved information about his father's diagnosis and information about turning his father's household into an isolation bubble for himself. However he said he was told by the MIQ Isolation Exemptions Team that they needed more information in order to grant a temporary visit. Earlier this week Kurt slammed officials after they claimed they were still waiting for him to supply them with all the required information. It comes after New Zealand journalist Charlotte Bellis, who was forced to turn to the Taliban for help after she was stranded in Afghanistan by Jacinda Ardern's draconian Covid border rules, was finally told she could return home. Ms Bellis, 35, a journalist who worked in Qatar, had been stuck in Afghanistan since last year with Belgian partner Jim Huylebroek because it was the only place they had visas to live after she was turned away by the country of her birth. She previously told how the Taliban offered to help after hearing of her plight, but added that she was still desperate to return to New Zealand because of the lack of medical care in Afghanistan. After global outcry at her treatment, New Zealand's deputy prime minister Grant Robertson said last week that she had now been granted a place in the country's border quarantine system. 'I urge her to take it up,' he added. Actress Goldie Hawn spoke out about how the COVID pandemic is affecting the mental health of children and what can be done to better manage the nationwide impact. Hawn, 76, noted that the pandemic was hurting the 'mental health' of children who have no control over what is going on in the world. The Oscar-winning actress's statements come amid rising arguments over mask mandates for children as 15 states have still imposed it in US schools. 'We're dealing right now with a mental illness pandemic,' Hawn told Fox & Friends hosts Brian Kilmeade, Will Cain and Carley Shimkus on Friday. 'Mental illness is something that can actually last...it's very, very dangerous. If we dont look at it and know what and how to handle it, then were not going to win this battle with kids.' Hawn helps run the non-profit organization MindUp, which was started in 2003, as a means to adhere to the mental health needs of children. Oscar-winning actress Goldie Hawn, 76, spoke out about the effects of the pandemic on children and the mental health trauma they are facing Hawn has long been a mental health advocate for children and helped to create MindUp in 2003 Hawn also emphasized the importance of implementing mental health programs for children. She is pictured here in November 2021 with daughter Kate Hudson (right). Hawn also noted children's the difficulty ability to manage children's stress during the pandemic. She is seen here with husband Kurt Russell (right) at 2020 Christmas Chronicles, Part Two premiere. Hawn's statements comes amid the ongoing argument of mask mandates in schools as 15 states still require students to wear them In order to help children navigate the pandemic era, Hawn advised on how to manage their stress and emotions during this difficult time. 'We can start looking at how we are putting preventative social and emotional programs,' she said. 'We are dealing with a mental illness pandemic.' She also noted how children's mental health had been affected by a lack of control over a situation they may not know how to manage. 'If we don't know how to handle it we are not going to win this battle for children.' Hawn, who is neutral on the subject of mask mandates, said that even parents are having difficulty navigating the situation as well. 'Whether it's masks, whether it's any of the various things that are going on today in the world, it's very, very scary,' Hawn also told the network. 'I think that what we've got to do is start focusing in on our next generation," she urged. 'We have to make our future and have to make our children strong and fit and be able to connect to each other,' she added. Hawn spoke to Fox and Friends hosts Brian Kilmeade, Will Cain and Carley Shimkus on Friday 'We're dealing right now with a mental illness pandemic,' Hawn told the network In order to properly address the subjects of mask to children, Hawn also offered advice on how to relay COVID-based information to them. 'I think there is a way of conscious shifting in the way we report, the way we talk and the way we share.' She continued to urge the need for mental health programs to be implemented in schools to help children better understand and acclimate to the ways of a world driven by an 'invisible enemy.' In addition to the effects of the pandemic, she also noted the importance of the effects of social media on a child's brain as the attempted suicide for young females has increased by 50 percent. 'The bottom line is MindUP or any of these programs that are mental health are preventative programs should be in schools, not one day a week, every day -- should be part of their classroom, part of their learning,' she said. 'Why do we ask kids to learn and don't teach them about their brain?' MindUp was created in 2003 to help with the mental health needs of children Hawn's televised appearance comes after she published a USA Today article on her personal experiences with mental health as a child and how other generations have navigated traumatic historical events. 'We all know how magical a childs imagination can be the wonderful worlds they create in their minds,' she wrote in the January op-ed. 'But there's a flip side to the joyful creativity that can turn a big cardboard box into a spaceship. 'A child's mind exposed to real-world fear, without the ability to properly process it, can go down dark passages leading to nothing less than existential dread.' A man who was arrested for dismembering his girlfriend's body with a machete killed her because she was a 'threat to his masculinity,' prosecutors say. Nicholas Scurria, 32, was taken into custody by police early Friday morning in Clifton Heights, Pennsylvania, five miles west of Philadelphia. Police are now saying that Scurria killed his unidentified girlfriend 'in response to what the defendant perceived as a threat to his masculinity.' 'His actions were cowardly as well as evil, and he will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law,' Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said on Friday. 'This mornings horrific murder is a sad reminder of the threat that many women face on a daily basis.' Police rushed to the scene after being called in the middle of the night by Scurria's next-door neighbor at 4:40 a.m. after heading screaming and loud bangs coming through the walls. A police report details how after a huge amount of noise between the couple, the place suddenly 'became quiet' before 'sawing-like sounds' and 'the gathering or shifting of plastic material' could then be heard. Nicholas Scurria, 32, allegedly killed his girlfriend by beheading her with a machete before attempting to dismember the rest of her body because she was a 'threat to his masculinity,' prosecutors said on Friday Scurria was arrested by police near Philadelphia early on Friday morning after neighbors called cops following loud noises coming from their apartment Police found rolls of plastic and bags inside the home which police believe were going to be used to hide his girlfriend's body The police affidavit shows a neighbor 'woke up to loud screaming in the neighboring apartment.' Police arrived on the scene to find Scurria allegedly using a machete to saw off the left leg of his girlfriend's body, who had already been decapitated. 'Furthermore, the female victim was decapitated while lying on her back on the floor,' the affidavit stated. Scurria was found sitting on a mattress as he carried out the bloody act as officers burst in with their weapons drawn. A roll of plastic wrap was found next to her body. 'Police witnessed the suspect attempting to decapitate the already-deceased victim using a machete,' the report states. Clifton Heights Police Chief Tim Rockenbach said the victim had suffered 'severe trauma to the head and neck.' 'I believe the intent was obviously to hide the crime,' Chief Rockenbach said to CBS3 of the plastic and the attempt to dismember the rest of her body. When police showed up they found Scurria sitting on a mattress sawing the left leg of his girlfriend's corpse. He is pictured here in a photo from Facebook with a skateboard 'I've been an officer for 32 years, this is absolutely horrible,' Rockenbach added. 'I don't even know what words I could describe to you how actually incredibly insane this is, especially in my town. 'I believe his intent was obviously to hide the crime. And we were able to get there before he was able to flee as a result of that 911 call,' Rockenbach said. 'Domestic violence is a major crime everywhere,' Rockenbach added. 'Sometimes a neighbor interceding allows us to solve a crime, stop a crime or prevent a crime from happening.' Police took Scurria into custody at gunpoint. 'She tried to cut my balls off,' Scurria shouted at officers as he was being placed in handcuffs. Scurria has been charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon and abuse of a corpse Police say no drugs were found in the apartment and Scurria has no known history with police. Several weapons were found inside the apartment, pictured above Later, Scurria told police that the couple, who shared the apartment together had got into a fight after their relationship had ended. Scurria then allegedly brutally beat his girlfriend until she was unconscious. 'During the argument he knocked the victim unconscious after repeatedly striking her in the face/head areas,' before trying to hide and dismember her corpse, a police report states. Once authorities were able to gain entry, they witnessed the suspect attempting to decapitate the already-deceased victim using a machete, according to the report. Police say no drugs were found in the apartment. Scurria has had previous run-ins with law, having served 58 days in county jail for burglary in 2011, the Daily Beast reported. Scurria has been charged with first-degree murder, third-degree murder, criminal possession of a weapon, and abuse of a corpse. The Delaware County District Attorney's Office is continuing to investigate. Advertisement The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kiev as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. U.S. officials told AP the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that all American staff at the Kiev embassy will be required to leave the country ahead of a feared Russian invasion. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kiev to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The United States will evacuate its embassy, it was reported on Friday night, ahead of a possible invasion by Russia The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The officials said a limited number of U.S. diplomats may be relocated to Ukraine's far west, near the border with Poland, a NATO ally, so the U.S. could retain a diplomatic presence in the country. Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine as early as next Wednesday, February 16 according to respected German publication, Der Spiegel. American intelligence services briefed NATO allies of a possible impending Russian invasion against its western neighbor in a series of secret briefings. The Secret Service, CIA and the Pentagon are said to have received credible information that was passed along to the federal government, reports the German newspaper. The data was said to be exceptionally detailed with information stating specific routes that might be taken by individual Russian units and what roles they might play in any conflict. Despite the detail contained in the plans, it is impossible to know for sure whether an attack is indeed imminent. Der Speigel suggests that one possible U.S. tactic to scupper Russian plans is to make them public, including the invasion date. The White House has publicly underscored that the U.S. does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to an invasion. However, U.S. officials said anew that Russia's buildup of offensive air, land and sea firepower near Ukraine has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. A Russian tank takes part in drills in a photograph released by the Russian Defense Ministry US military belonging to the Task Force Cougar detachment stand in formation for the visit of the NATO Secretary General at the military airbase of Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania, near the Black Sea A Ukrainian soldier trains during military drills close to Kharkiv, Ukraine. Thousands of Russian troops are engaged in sweeping maneuvers in Belarus as part of a military buildup near Ukraine President Joe Biden is due to speak to President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Saturday from his Camp David presidential retreat On Friday, the White House told Americans to leave Ukraine immediately with officials warning Russia could launch an attack at any time, beginning with air strikes followed by what they said would be an 'onslaught' on the capital. Several NATO allies including Britain, Canada, Norway and Denmark also are asking their citizens to leave Ukraine, as is non-NATO ally New Zealand. As diplomatic options for averting war in Ukraine appeared to narrow, the White House said President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin would discuss the crisis by phone on Saturday from his Camp David presidential retreat. He flew out of Washington on Friday afternoon, after his officials spent the day stepping up their warnings and more troops were dispatched the region. He did not stop to respond to shouted questions from reporters about the unfolding crisis as he left the Oval Office. Instead he posed for photographs and selfies with staff in the unseasonably warm sunshine before boarding Marine One. He left it to his national security adviser to deliver the administration's dire warning to Americans: Get out immediately because the U.S. will not be coming back to rescue anyone. 'If a Russian attack on Ukraine precedes it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians now with regard to their nationality,' he said. 'A subsequent ground invasion would involve the onslaught of a massive force with virtually no notice communications to arrange a departure could be severed and commercial transit halted. 'No one would be able to count on air or rail or road departures once military action got under way.' He said the attack could come 'any day now' The region has been on edge for months as Russia sent more than 120,000 troops to the border with Ukraine. Moscow denies that it is planning to invade its neighbor and instead said it wants Western guarantees that NATO will not encroach closer to its territory. The latest escalation came after Biden met with security officials in the White House situation room on Thursday evening and as more Russian troops arrived in the area. President Joe Biden chatted to staff and posed for photos before leaving Washington for a weekend at Camp David, after officials told Americans to leave Ukraine immediately A satellite image taken by Maxar Technologies shows a Russian deployment at Zyabrovka airfield in Gomel, Belarus, less than 15 miles from the border with Ukraine A Russian video of air defence crews taking up position during joint military exercises with Belarus that began on Thursday, further raising the stakes In this photo taken from video provided by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on Thursday, ombat crews of the S-400 air defense system drive to take up combat duty at the training ground in the Brest region during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus Another 130 tons of U.S. weapons - including Javelin anti-tank missiles - arrived in Ukraine on Thursday night in response to the 120,000 Russian troops amassed along the country's border Putin is planning a 'NUCLEAR strategic exercise', Britain warns as Russia begins military drills with Belarus Russia is planning to hold a nuclear strategic exercise, UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said on Thursday, despite extreme tensions surrounding Ukraine. Wallace warned that the Kremlin's actions were heading in the wrong direction despite efforts to find a diplomatic solution, declaring intelligence suggested that Russia that Russia was engaging in plans for so-called 'false flag' operations as a pre-text for invading Ukraine, as well as carrying out cyber attacks and other destabilising activity. 'Despite the talking, the direction of travel is in the wrong way,' Wallace told BBC Radio. 'The Russians are still growing their battalion tactical groups... They are planning to start a nuclear strategic exercise soon, and indeed we see more activity elsewhere.' A Russian defence source also told news agency TASS earlier this year that the nuclear exercise, known as 'Thunder', would involve all three prongs of Russia's strategic nuclear forces, testing firing procedures from land, sea and air. Nuclear drills are held frequently in Russia, but the decision to proceed with such exercises in the face of the tension circling Ukraine will give world powers more cause for concern. Advertisement On Friday the Biden administration stepped up its warnings and surged another 3,000 troops to Poland in support of NATO forces, on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden would remain closely engaged with his national security team and foreign partners. 'The president will be at Camp David, which is fully equipped to have engagements of all sorts, including with his national security team or European counterparts,' she said. The latest U.S. deployments follow the 8,500 troops already on alert and the nearly 3,000 American troops the administration said earlier this month it would send to Poland and Romania. Together they form an infantry brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division. The U.S. Army also is shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Sullivan did not mince words for those who choose to remain: 'The president will not be putting the lives of our men and women in uniform at risk by sending them into a war zone to rescue people who could have left now but chose not to.' About 30,000 Americans are thought to be in Ukraine - although officials say the picture is complicated by the fact that many do not register with the embassy Sullivan said that the invasion could come before the end of the Beijing Olympics, which conclude next week on February 20. But he said that the U.S. is still not sure whether Putin has put in action a plan to invade. 'We cant pinpoint the day at this point, and we can't pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility,' Sullivan said. 'We believe he very well may give the final go order,' Sullivan said. 'It may well happen soon.' Asked if Putin risks upsetting Chinese President Xi by moving during the Olympics, Sullivan said: 'Putin will obviously have to decide.' 'As we've said before, we are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it.' 'We are not saying that a final decision has been taken by Putin,' he added. Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. 'Yes, it is an urgent message because we are in an urgent situation,' he told reporters at the White House. 'Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action,' Sullivan said, adding, 'Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine.' He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Still, the national security adviser said Washington 'can't pinpoint the day, can't pinpoint the hour' when the Russians could invade Ukraine. He also said he did not know how many Americans remained in Ukraine. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin conferred by phone with several of his NATO counterparts. Echoing Sullivan's public remarks, Austin told them a Russian invasion of Ukraine 'could begin at any time,' Kirby said. Russia scoffed at the U.S. talk of urgency. 'The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever,' said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. 'The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems.' President Joe Biden on Friday met virtually with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Britain's Boris Johnson and other world leaders on Friday morning to brief them on developments. Soon after the meeting finished it emerged that U.S. and Western officials now think that Russia will invade next week, according to PBS reporter Nick Schifrin. 'US officials anticipate a horrific, bloody campaign that begins with two days or aerial bombardment and electronic warfare, followed by an invasion, with the possible goal of regime change,' he tweeted. But Sullivan denied the report. 'We are not saying I think the way that you've just characterized that I have not seen this PBS report yet but as you've characterized it, that does not capture the communication that we are making to our NATO allies nor what we understand internally.' A diplomatic source said the strategy now was to intensify efforts to spell out the cost to Putin of invasion. 'The message has to be that he cannot win,' the source told DailyMail.com. The Ukraine crisis escalated as Biden continues to be battered by polls. The latest, for CNN, found that more than half of respondents thought his first year in office had been a failure A Ukrainian service member unpacks Javelin anti-tank missiles, delivered by plane as part of the U.S. military support package for Ukraine, at the Boryspil International Airport outside Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 10 It comes as allies step up efforts to get their nationals to safety. Britain on Friday advised citizens to leave immediately while commercial flights were available. And the frantic activity triggered a spike in oil prices. At one point U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures hit $94.66 per barrel - its highest price since 2014, but it fell back to close at $93.10, representing a 4.58 percent rise on the day. The developments come after a series of warnings for Americans to get out of Ukraine immediately. Earlier the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken outlined what he said were 'very troubling signs of Russian escalation. 'We're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,' he said. Biden had earlier echoed the same call for Americans to get out now, saying the situation 'could go crazy quickly' and US troops will not be sent to help because that risks triggering a world war. 'It's not like we're dealing with a terrorist organization. We're dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. 'That's a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another. His comments come as another 130 tons of U.S. weapons - including Javelin anti-tank missiles - arrived in Ukraine on Thursday night in response to the 120,000 Russian troops amassed along the country's eastern and southern borders. This handout video grab released by the Russian Defence Ministry on February 11, 2022 shows a paratrooper during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus as part of an inspection of the Union State's Response Force, at a firing range in Belarus The Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Belarus on February 11 Biden meets with NATO allies to discuss the issue of Ukraine on Friday The Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Russia opened massive war games in Belarus on Thursday that are due to run through next weekend but says it has no plans to invade Ukraine. The Russians are insisting that the West keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe - demands flatly rejected by the West. Tensions ramped up further on Thursday as Russia held military exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea, prompting Britain to declare it as the 'most dangerous moment.' Russia's troop concentration includes forces deployed on the territory of its ally Belarus for massive joint drills involving firing live ammunition. Those exercises entered a decisive phase Thursday and will run through February 20. Ukraine also staged war games and a senior U.S. official warned that 'bodybags will come back to Moscow' if Russian troops crossed the border. President Joe Biden again urged Americans to leave Ukraine on Thursday, this time warning them that American troops won't come to the rescue if Russia launches an invasion Analysts say the huge build-up of Russian troops offers Putin multiple military options It leaves world leaders hoping diplomacy can still win the day and prompt President Vladimir Putin to back down. However, a foreign diplomatic source told DailyMail.com it was difficult to see how Putin could now step back without losing face after assembling 130,000 troops close to the Ukrainian border. Meanwhile, in Europe, the latest shipment of weapons from the U.S. arrived at Boryspil International Airport near Kiev, Ukraine, on Thursday night, with about 130 tons worth of ammunition delivered. It is believed to be the 14th part of a $200 million shipment of American military aid that is being sent to help its ally. The shipment included Javelin anti-tank missiles, grenades and other defensive ammunition, said the Ukrainian defense minister Oleksii Reznikov. He tweeted: 'Two more birds in Kyiv! Javelins, grenades & other defensive ammunition for the Ukrainian military. The weight of military aid from our partners, which was delivered today-about 130 tons.' The US embassy in Ukraine confirmed the news of the shipment and said that Washington has provided 1,200 tons of equipment so far. 'Tonight, the 14th flight arrived in Boryspil with American security assistance, including Javelin systems,' the embassy tweeted on Thursday night. 'The United States has provided nearly 1,200 tons of equipment approved by President Biden in January, which Ukraine needs to protect against ongoing Russian aggression.' Meanwhile, six Russian landing ships filled with tanks and troops yesterday assembled in the Black Sea to back up the land forces, heightening concerns. Moscow's forces are also beginning joint military exercises with ally Belarus. An estimated 30,000 troops are taking part in the 10-day war games. 'Our intelligence, I'm afraid to say, remains grim. We're seeing the massing of huge numbers of tactical battalion groups on the border with Ukraine,' said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson during a joint news conference with NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg in Brussels 'This is probably the most dangerous moment in the course of the next few days in what is the biggest security crisis Europe has faced for decades.' As part of U.S. efforts to 'reduce chances of miscalculation,' the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Mark Milley, spoke on Thursday with his Belarusian counterpart, a Pentagon spokesman said. And U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman spelled out the high stakes if Putin made the wrong choice. If he chose war he 'should understand that body bags will come back to Moscow.., that the citizens of Russia will suffer because their economy will be completely devastated,' she told broadcaster MSNBC. Ukrainian service members unpack Javelin anti-tank missiles, delivered by plane as part of the U.S. military support package at Boryspil International Airport outside Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 10 Lifelong sailor no more: Ex-USS Sioux City commander Bradford Tonder was booted from the ship that he skippered for a little over a year after a sexual harassment claim against him was validated The commander of a U.S. Navy ship that once intercepted $20 million worth of cocaine in the Caribbean was relieved of duty because of 'substantiated sexual harassment.' Self-described life-long sailor Commander Bradford Tonder, 49, who took command of the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City in December 2020, was removed from the ship on Friday. An official Navy source told USNI News that the sex pest claims were validated. Capt. Amy Graham, commodore of Surface Division 21 stripped Tonder of his duties to due to a 'loss of confidence in his ability to perform his duties,' according to an statement from the Navy. Details of the harassment were not available. A graduate of the storied Citadel military college with a post-graduate degree from Cornell University, Tonder worked his way up through the ranks from a submarine machinist mate to a commander, according to his LinkedIn profile. He spent a year and a half as the executive officer of the Sioux City, before taking the helm in 2020. Former Commander Bradford Tonder was transferred off the the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Sioux City on Friday after a sexual harassment claim against him was substantiated Ex-Commander Bradford Tonder, seen here holding the microphone, skippered the USS Sioux City as it intercepted a $20 million drug boat in the Caribbean Sea. He was relieved of duties after the Navy lost confidence in his ability to command the ship after a sexual harassment claim In September 2021, as part of a drug interdiction program in the Caribbean Sea, sailors on the Sioux City intercepted a drug boat off the coast of the Dominican Republic carrying more than half a ton of cocaine. 'Any time we can prevent this stuff from getting to our communities and affecting our families makes these experiences more rewarding. We want to be out here executing these missions,' Tonder said in an official Navy press release. Commander Joseph Caldwell will take control of the ship while Tonder will be temporarily assigned to Naval Surface Squadron. He could not be reached for comment. An American travelling in Australia has revealed how tampons in Australia are different to those in the US. Gabrielle Uhrig travelled from Arkansas to Adelaide in December 2021 and shared her confusion in a video last week. Ms Uhrig said tampons in the US typically come with single use plastic applicators and are bigger in size. Gabrielle Uhrig who recently travelled from the US to Adelaide has revealed tampons are very different in the two countries She had bought a pack of $4.25 mini tampons from U By Kotex and was amazed by the difference. 'Why has no one mentioned this?' she said. 'This isn't even as big as my pinky. 'Someone commented I would be shocked at how little the feminine options were here but this is not what I was expecting when they said little.' Ms Uhrig said she was extremely confused when she opened the package and found no plastic applicator and a much smaller tampon than she was used to Ms Uhrig also said she struggled to open the tampon because she'd never used one similar before and didn't know how to use it without 'the plastic insertion piece'. Her video only created more confusion as Aussies in the comments were baffled by the thought of a tampon applicator noting it would be trickier to use. 'I'm the opposite lol, I've never used an applicator and think it's way more complicated than the one you have there,' one person wrote. Ms Uhrig travelled from Arkansas to Adelaide in mid December of 2019 during the Omicron outbreak 'I always thought applicator tampons were for learning how to use tampons,' another said. Several commenters noted that most European countries also don't use applicators. In a follow-up video Ms Uhrig explained how tampons in the US worked. In the clip she showed a photo of the plastic applicator and said she actually opened up several Aussie tampons at first thinking the piece had accidently been left out. 'You can only imagine when I open something up that had no plastic (applicator) piece over it, I was super confused to the point that I opened up several more to make sure it wasn't just broken or missing a piece,' she said. 'I truly had no idea that there was tampons without applicators it's just crazy how different the world is.' Tampons with applicators are available in Australia but are far less common than those without. The NYPD are on the hunt for a man who was caught on camera after he had ripped a woman's sneaker off her foot while she was exiting a subway station in Brooklyn. The 47-year-old woman was heading up the stairs at Grand Army Plaza at about 11am on Wednesday when her shoe was snatched from her. The suspect then jumped the turnstile while still carrying the purple sneaker, before getting onto a train. Clear surveillance video captured images of the man who did not appear to know what to do with himself after jumping onto the platform. A woman in Brooklyn was left with only one shoe after a man ripped her sneaker off her foot as she walked out of a subway station on Wednesday The thief then ran into the station, jumping over the turnstile before getting on train The 47-year-old woman was walking up the stairs at the Grand Army Plaza station in Park Slope at around 11am Suspect ripped the left sneaker from her foot as she headed out of the station At one stage, he could be seen turning to walk back out through the exit gate but appeared to have trouble opening it. It gave cameras located inside the station plenty of time to get a good shot of him from various angles. The suspect was described as a male, black, 20 to 30 years old, 5'10" tall and about 220lbs. In photos he was seen wearing a gray knit cap, a gray vest, blue sweater, blue jeans and white sneakers. The man did not seem to know what to do with himself and attempted to open the emergency exit gate but it appeared stuck Victim was not physically injured during the incident but surveillance footage caught several clear images of the suspect the NYPD would like to speak with The brazen theft is the latest in a string of subway violence that led new Mayor Eric Adams to declare he doesn't feel 'safe' in the city's transit system. Crime in New York is up over 41 percent compared to last year, with transit incidents up 74 percent compared to this time in 2021. There have been 227 transit crime incidents citywide since the beginning of the year, according to the latest figures from the New York Police Department. That's up from 130 such incidents at this time last year. Meanwhile, an NYPD union leader slammed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg this week, claiming criminals throughout New York City have become 'emboldened' by a soft-on-crime memo he authored last month. Last week, Paul DiGiacomo, president of New York City's Detectives' Endowment Association, said Bragg's memo, which was sent to assistant prosecutors on January 3 shortly after he took office, has since led to a series of violent crimes and murders. 'I believe they feel 100 percent emboldened,' DiGiacomo told Fox News of criminals' response to Bragg's soft-on-crime policy. Crimes within the city's subway and transit system have not been spared by the recent citywide spike in crime. The most notable incident involved Michelle Alyssa Go, 40, a senior manager at consulting conglomerate Deloitte. She died on January 15 died after Simon Martial allegedly shoved her off the platform at West 42nd Street and Broadway at around 9:40 am. When Martial, who has a lengthy criminal history, was asked by a reporter if he had been the one to push Go, he seemingly admitted to killing the subway rider and said: 'Yes, because I'm God. Yes, I did it. I'm God. I can do it.' Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks during Thursday's event by New York University School of Law, in which he defended his office's policies Speaking to the New York Post last month, Martial's older sister, Josette Simon, from Georgia, argued that her brother belonged in a mental health facility and should have been kept off the streets. Last month, police released surveillance footage of a suspect accused of shoving a 62-year-old man onto the subway tracks on Sunday, January 23, just weeks after Go's death. The New York Police Departments Crime Stoppers unit released surveillance footage of a man in a black hoodie leaving a subway station shortly after the assault at the A/C platform at Fulton Street Station. The unidentified man allegedly approached a 62-year-old man from behind on Sunday, January 23 and pushed him onto the tracks as a train was entering the station. The victim luckily knew to hide in a space under the platform to avoid being hit, but wasn't quick enough and was slammed by part of the train. He suffered a laceration and bruising to his left leg before he escaped the tracks and treated his wounds at New York Downtown Hospital. The assault came just weeks after Michelle Go (above) died on January 15 after she was shoved off the subway platform at West 42nd Street and Broadway Meanwhile, the news of Wednesday morning's attempted rape came hours after another woman was robbed at knifepoint as she waited for the train at an Uptown Manhattan subway stop during rush hour on Thursday. The woman, 43, was talking on the phone and waiting for the C train at the West 163rd Street station in Washington Heights at around 6:10 pm when a man approached her, according to the New York Police Department. The unidentified attacker flashed a knife and tried to grab her phone as they struggled. The woman kept her phone, but he made off with her purse. Surveillance video shows the woman chasing her assailant through a turnstile. She was uninjured and officers later found the purse emptied out. New York City Mayor Eric Adams, pictured Friday, said that Twitter and Instagram should banish violent videos by drill rappers which he blamed for promoting the kind of violence that killed 18-year-old Jayquan McKenley New York City Mayor Eric Adams called on Twitter and Instagram to dump 'drill' - meaning to fight or retaliate - rap videos which he says promote gun violence. 'We pulled Trump off Twitter, because of what he was spewing,' he said Friday at a press conference. 'Yet we're allowing music, displaying of guns, violence. We're allowing it to stay on these sites.' He was alerted to the drill rap videos which he says glorify killing after his son, Jordan Coleman, who works for Jay-Z, told him about it. Drill rapping tends to have heavily Autotuned vocals and themes of violence, killing and death. It was the death of Jayquan McKenley, 18, a drill rapper who goes by the name Chii Wvttz, who was killed outside a Brooklyn recording studio last week that struck a chord with the mayor. Adams said he wants to meet with high profile rappers and executives of the social media companies in a push to have the videos removed. The mayor blamed the music and the videos for 'causing the loss of lives of young people like them.' 'You have a civic and corporate responsibility,' he said. 'We are alarmed by the use of social media to really over-proliferate this violence in our communities. This is contributing to the violence that we are seeing all over the country. It one of the rivers we have to dam.' Growing up, McKenley went to five different high schools and programs as a teenager missed hundreds of days of school Mayor Adams said more needs to be done to stop more children from falling through the cracks. Jayquan McKenley is pictured McKenley who went by the name Chii Wvttz, was shot dead outside a recording studio in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood on Sunday Adams was brought to tears on Thursday during a speech about the young man who was killed on Sunday, blaming the shooting on a 'broken system that 'continually fails black and brown New Yorkers.' McKenley drifted in and out of homeless shelters while growing up in the South Bronx, according to the New York Post. He had a learning disability and often skipped school without assistance from the Department of Education. 'I didn't know Jayquan, but his death hit me hard because the more I found out about Jayquan's story, the more I saw how many times he had been failed by a system that is supposed to help boys like him,' Adams said. McKenley was killed in an ambush while sitting in a parked car at the corner of Greene and Lewis Avenues in Brooklyn after finishing a recording session at a studio nearby studio. Mayor Adams grew up poor in Queens and Brooklyn and raised by a single mother. He has spoken in the past of how at the age of 15 he was beaten by police officers who arrested him for burglary. The ordeal stayed with him and gave him the motivation to join the NYPD with a view to stamping out some of the NYPD's racist practices. What is drill rap music? Drill music is a sub-genre of hip-hop that is characterized by a dark, slow tempo, straightforward lyrics that focus on the dangers of criminal activity and an emotionless delivery. The nihilistic rap style began in Chicago in the 2010s but has since expanded across the world. The style of hip-hop has accumulated a strong following in Brooklyn and is accused to be a driving factor in the recent rise of gun violence targeting up-and-coming rappers. Advertisement As he paid tribute on Thursday, Adams said that his similar background made him feel kinship with the 18-year-old. Adams didn't not go into any policy issues during his address from City Hall but suggested gun violence was symptomatic of entrenched social and economic issues. 'This isn't a speech about a policy or a single young life,' Adam's said. 'It's a case study of how a young man became a potential trigger puller. It's the anatomy of a failure not of Jayquan's failure, but ours, as a society.' Adams has made stopping gun violence a priority amid the rising crime rate in the city. The Big Apple mayor will head to the state capitol of Albany next week to lobby Gov. Kathy Hochul and state legislators to get on board with his plan to stop the violence by reforming bail laws and lowering the age for gun prosecutions. He's met with strong resistance so far from civil rights advocates. He will also confer with NAACP president Hazel Dukes and Rev. Al Sharpton to talk about his plan. The Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a small group of New York City school teachers who were hoping to block a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The group of 15 Department of Education workers had argued in an emergency appeal that it violated their religious freedom but Justice Sonia Sotomayor rejected the appeal. The group claimed that the city was violating their religious freedoms because it refused to accept their claims for exemption. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor (pictured) denied a challenge from a small group of NYC public school teachers to block the city's vaccine mandate through religious exemption The small group of 15 teachers had argued the mandate violated their religious freedom. Pictured, NYC teachers protesting against COVID-19 vaccine mandates in New York in August Sotomayor, who is the justice for the second circuit including New York, Connecticut and Vermont and so rules on emergency matters in the Big Apple, rejected the teachers' last-ditch effort to block the mandate without giving any explanation, which is normal for cases of emergency appeals. This was the second time the teachers' request was rejected. A similar request filed by the same group last year was also denied without comment by Sotomayor. The liberal justice's decision followed a similar ruling from conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett back in August. Coney Barrett denied a bid from a group of students at Indiana University to block the school's vaccine mandate - also providing no comment and no referral. Teachers protest the mandate in August. A group of four teachers sent an emergency petition to Sotomayor Thursday asking her to halt it The teachers claimed the requirement to be vaccinated was tantamount to religious discrimination because it unfairly denied applications and did not offer exemptions for employees with unorthodox religious beliefs. The judgment came on the same day as a deadline passed for New York City employees to comply with the vaccine mandate or risk losing their jobs. It means that unless the group now rethink over the weekend and drop their objection to getting vaccinated, all 15 will be terminated on Monday, or agree to remain on leave without pay and drop their objection to the policy. That deadline was announced less than two weeks ago. The city's health commissioner issued an order that all municipal employees must receive their vaccination series in order to work. New York City public school teachers were required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 from October, when the controversial mandate went into effect. This was the second time the teachers' request was rejected. A similar request filed by the same group last year was also denied without comment by Sotomayor. Pictured, a rally protesting the vaccine organized by teachers in September 2021 Since then, the city also issued a mandate for all non-public school employees to provide proof of first dose of a COVID-19 vaccination as of December. The city does allow exemptions for medical or religious reasons but those religious exemptions must also be the position of religious leaders according to NBC News. Catholics were unable to file for a vaccine exemption after Pope Francis urged followers to get vaccinated. It means nearly 4,000 out of New York City's 400,000 municipal employees will have their positions terminated after failing to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Earlier this week, Mayor Eric Adams said he intended to push ahead with the terminations despite the rules being put together under former Mayor Bill de Blasio's administration. About 9,000 other municipal employees are still seeking exemptions or dealing with their unions in an attempt to avoid being fired. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, seen bottom right, who reviews emergency appeals from the New York region denied the application for an emergency injunction without commenting. This followed a similar ruling from conservative Amy Coney Barrett (top right) last August The city administration is said to be working out how many will lose their jobs with updated figures to be released over the weekend, according to the New York Times. Although the Supreme Court rejected the New York City teachers' case, last month the high court ruled against Joe Biden's vaccine-or-test mandate for businesses with at least 100 employees. The court described it as an overreach. 'The Secretary has ordered 84 million Americans to either obtain a COVID19 vaccine or undergo weekly medical testing at their own expense,' the justices wrote last month. 'It is instead a significant encroachment into the Livesand healthof a vast number of employees. ... There can be little doubt that OSHA's mandate qualifies as an exercise of such authority.' 'We are pleased the U.S. Supreme Court has again denied an attempt to block the mandate,' Nick Paolucci, a spokesman for the city's Law Department, said in a statement. 'The city's goal has always been to vaccinate, not terminate,' he added. 'The vast majority of city workers have stepped up to protect themselves and their communities, and the city is grateful to them.' Barry Black, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, declined to comment on the decision. President Biden told Russias Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would cause widespread human suffering and that the West was committed to diplomacy to end the crisis but equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House said Saturday. It offered no suggestion that the hourlong call diminished the threat of an imminent war in Europe. Advertisement Biden also said the United States and its allies would respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs if the Kremlin attacked its neighbor, according to the White House. The two presidents spoke a day after Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned that U.S. intelligence shows a Russian invasion could begin within days and before the Winter Olympics in Beijing end on Feb. 20. Advertisement Russia denies it intends to invade but has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, encircling Ukraine on three sides. U.S. officials say Russias buildup of firepower has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. The conversation came at a critical moment for what has become the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. U.S. officials believe they have mere days to prevent an invasion and enormous bloodshed in Ukraine. And while the U.S. and its NATO allies have no plans to send troops to Ukraine to fight Russia, an invasion and resulting punishing sanctions could reverberate far beyond the former Soviet republic, affecting energy supplies, global markets and the power balance in Europe. President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House statement said. Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Biden arrive at a meet on June 16, 2021, in Geneva, Switzerland. (Patrick Semansky/AP) The call was professional and substantive but produced no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters following the call on condition of anonymity. The official added that it remains unclear whether Putin has made a final decision to move forward with military action. Yuri Ushakov, Putins top foreign policy aide, said that while tensions have been escalating for months, in recent days the situation has simply been brought to the point of absurdity. He said Biden mentioned the possible sanctions that could be imposed on Russia, but this issue was not the focus during a fairly long conversation with the Russian leader. Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made toward cooling down the tensions. Advertisement Putin complained in the call that the United States and NATO have not responded satisfactorily to Russian demands that Ukraine be prohibited from joining the military alliance and that NATO pull back forces from Eastern Europe. This image provided by The White House via Twitter shows President Joe Biden at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. (AP) In a sign that American officials are getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate most of its staff from the embassy in the Ukrainian capital, and Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine. The timing of any possible Russian military action remained a key question. The U.S. picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a U.S. official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he told his Russian counterpart Saturday that further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive and united trans-Atlantic response. Ukrainians show their spirit at a rally in Kyiv on Saturday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to project calm as he observed military exercises Saturday near Crimea, the peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. Advertisement We are not afraid, were without panic, all is under control, he said. Ukrainian armed forces chief commander Lt. Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny and Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov issued a more defiant joint statement. We are ready to meet the enemy, and not with flowers, but with Stingers, Javelins and NLAWs anti-tank and -aircraft weapons, they said. Welcome to hell! Ukrainians attend a rally in Kyiv on Saturday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, also held telephone discussions on Saturday. Further U.S.-Russia tensions arose on Saturday when the Defense Ministry summoned the U.S. embassys military attache after it said the navy detected an American submarine in Russian waters near the Kuril Islands in the Pacific. The submarine declined orders to leave, but departed after the navy used unspecified appropriate means, the ministry said. Breaking News As it happens Get updates on the coronavirus pandemic and other news as it happens with our free breaking news email alerts. > Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 U.S. troops to Poland to reassure allies. Advertisement The U.S. has urged all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately, and Sullivan said those who remain should not expect the U.S. military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Ukrainians attend a rally in Kyiv on Saturday. (Efrem Lukatsky/AP) The Biden administration has been warning for weeks that Russia could invade Ukraine soon, but U.S. officials had previously said the Kremlin would likely wait until after the Winter Games ended so as not to antagonize China. Sullivan told reporters on Friday that U.S. intelligence shows that Russia could take invade during the Olympics. He said military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action, Sullivan said, adding that Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine. He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the U.S. talk of urgency. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems. Secret symbols including flags associated with far-right fascist movements and conspiracy theories have been spotted scattered throughout anti-vaccination protests in Canberra. A record 20,00 people on Saturday marched through the nation's capital to Parliament House and among the crowd were World War Two-era Croatian flags, Australia's Red Ensign and upside down Australian flags. The old Croatian flag is often associated with the the Ustase - an ultra-fascist political movement between 1929 and 1945 whose members murdered hundreds of thousands of Jewish people and ethnic minorities. The Ustase were heavily influenced by Italian fascism and German Nazis and even built their own concentration camps to carry out their abhorrent crimes. Various extremist groups now adopt the WWII-era flag to show their support for far-right causes. The old Croatian flag - related to Nazi support - has been spotted throughout Canberra's anti-vaccination mandate protests among other conspiracy-related flags Protesters have used the Australian Red Ensign flag to demonstrated they are 'sovereign citizens' and do not abide by the Australian government's laws WHAT DO THE FLAGS MEAN? Why are some Australian's flying an old Croatian flag? The WWII-era Croatian flag was used by the Ustase - an ultra-fascist political movement between 1929 and 1945 whose members murdered hundreds of thousands of Jewish people and ethnic minorities. Extremists groups have now adopted the WWII flag to show their support for far-right causes. What is the Red Ensign? Australia's maritime flag is used by the nation's merchant ships but has recently been adopted by Australia's 'Sovereign Citizen'. The conspiracy movement rejects the enforcement of all laws and taxation, considering them to be illegitimate - even on dry land. What is the upside down flag? Across the globe and upside down flag is internationally recognised as a sign of distress. Demonstrators have been using to the symbol as way to claim they are in distress over mandatory vaccination requirements in some workplaces and venues. Advertisement The Red Ensign flag was also on display at the protest. Australia's maritime flag is used by the nation's merchant ships but has recently been adopted by Australia's 'Sovereign Citizen' - or SovCit - movement. The bizarre conspiracy movement rejects the enforcement of all laws and taxation, considering them to be illegitimate - even on dry land. Instead, members believe only maritime laws apply to them. Another secret symbol at the demonstration was the upside down Australian flag. Among the crowd were men who appeared to be former Australian soldiers, tradies, truckers, motorcyclists, evangelical religious groups, a smattering of Indigenous protestors The upside down Australian flag has also been used by protesters and is a commonly used symbol to show the country is in distress Across the globe and upside down flag is internationally recognised as a sign of distress. Demonstrators have been using to the symbol as way to claim they are in distress over mandatory vaccination requirements in some workplaces and venues. Protesters in Canberra have been gathering for the last two weeks against mandated vaccination in Australia. On Saturday three people were arrested including one man who allegedly drove his truck through a roadblock. Several of the flags were spotted on Saturday's rally of some 15,000 as they marched through Canberra to parliament House The old Croatian flag (circled) was Ustase fascist party between 1929 and 1945 who ran concentration camps to murder Jewish people and other ethnic minorities 'One man was charged with multiple offences after he drove his truck through a roadblock and two men were taken into custody for breaching the peace,' ACT said. Pauline Hanson from the One Nation party joined the 'Convoy to Canberra' rally on Saturday after Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned marchers to be 'peaceful and respectful'. Mr Morrison had said his government only supported mandated vaccination for those working in high risk settings such as hospitals and aged care facilities. Saturday's rally of up to 20,000 people is understood to be the biggest public demonstration ever held in Canberra. Protesters in Canberra have been gathering for the last two weeks against mandated vaccination in Australia Pauline Hanson from the One Nation party joined the 'Convoy to Canberra' rally on Saturday following Prime Minister Scott Morrison's warnings Among the crowd were men who appeared to be former Australian soldiers, tradies, truckers, motorcyclists, evangelical religious groups, a smattering of Indigenous protestors and some current politicians. The protester have been host to a range of people with differing views that have united against vaccine mandates and government-related pandemic orders. Several also flew the Eureka stockade flag which is considered a generic symbol of rebellion against authority. Saturday's rally of up to 20,000 people is understood to be the biggest public demonstration ever held in Canberra The protester have been host to a range of people with differing views that have united against vaccine mandates and government-related pandemic orders The large protest forced the cancellation of a major Canberra fundraiser for suicide prevention hotline Lifeline, whose organisers were concerned about safety. There were concerns protesters would target a vaccination hub hosting a dress-up event to encourage children aged between five and 11 to receive their vaccine. However as of Saturday afternoon the hub had not been troubled. Several also flew the Eureka stockade flag (blue with a white cross) which is considered a generic symbol of rebellion against authority New research has solved the mysterious history surrounding an eerie granite mountain dubbed the 'Bermuda Triangle' of Australia's Far North. Black Mountain, known by traditional Indigenous owners as Kalkajaka, has been the centre of unexplained disappearances dating back to the 1800s. Located 25 kilometres from Cooktown, Kalkajaka - which translates to 'spear' - was once a scared battlefield between warring ancestral clans, according to ancient Aboriginal Dreamtime stories. Black Mountain, known by traditional indigenous owners as Kalkajaka, (pictured) has been the centre of unexplained disappearances dating back to the 1800s The eerie granite mountain has been dubbed the 'Bermuda Triangle' of Australia's Far North The imposing mountain range consists of massive granite boulders stacked precariously on one another with stories involving early explorers, horses and cattle vanishing into the boulders without a trace. But recent research uncovered by Cooktown-based historian Bev Shay reveals a more plausible explanation to the stories surrounding the mysterious landmark. 'We started debunking the myths and researching to find out what the actual truth was about these stores (around Cooktown) and we reached the point we had to do Black Mountain as well,' she told the Cairns Post. Ms Shay said a lack of swimming skills, alcohol, crocodiles, foul play, the vast area of Cape York and poor communication made disappearances far more common. She believes speculation, creative imagination and the press helped fuel wild stories throughout the years. 'And it got to a point where all these people and cows and horses have disappeared but when you start to look at it none of it is true,' she said. Located in North Queensland (pictured on map) Kalkajaka - which translates to 'spear' - was once a scared battlefield between warring ancestral clans, according to ancient Aboriginal Dreamtime stories The imposing mountain range consists of massive granite boulders stacked precariously on one another (pictured) Harold Ludwick, a descendant from the Western Yalinji and Gugu Yimmithir clans with traditional ownership to Kalkajaka, said the site was a sacred battlefield. The last spear fight between the black and white cockatoo saw inland and coastal clans clash over hunting grounds. 'They came to blows and many people died and their bones also remained in those mountains, they were put in there,' Mr Ludwick previously told The ABC. Mr Ludwick said another story tells of a war waged at Kalkajaka between two brothers who were giants and in love with the same woman. 'They made piles out of stones, those granite boulders that are there today,' Mr Ludwick told the news outlet. 'And when they each threw a rock they killed each other but their pile of stones remains there.' The Bermuda Triangle lies between Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico (pictured above) where dozens of ships and airplanes have gone missing Dominic Perrottet's Liberal government is expected to lose the seat of Bega to Labor in one of four NSW by-elections held on Saturday. Mr Perrottet's minority government's grip on power was to be further loosened by the loss of the south coast seat, while holding on in Willoughby and Monaro, while Labor was set to retain Strathfield. ABC chief election analyst Antony Green called the seat of Bega for Michael Holland with a swing of more than 13 per cent, delivering it to Labor for the first time in more than three decades. The loss of popular MP Andrew Constance, who had stood down, and lingering anger over the handling of the 2019 bushfires were regarded as key factors in the vote against the government. Mr Holland has claimed victory but his Liberal opponent, Fiona Kotvojs, is refusing to concede. But despite the defeat on the south coast, Mr Perrottet said he's proud of the party's efforts, claiming the polls are a 'phenomenal result' for the Coalition. Dominic Perrottet's government is expected to be dealt a devastating blow as Labor claims victory in the seat of Bega in one of four NSW by-elections held on Saturday Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs (pictured, right) has refused to concede despite Labor's Michael Holland recording a swing of more than 13 per cent Liberal candidate Fiona Kotvojs refuses to concede the hotly-contested seat until all postal votes are counted, with results expected to be delayed up until next week. Currently only less than half the vote has been counted for the seat of Bega. The seat, held by former Liberal MP Andrew Constance who resigned from NSW parliament last year, has not held a Labor candidate since its inception in 1988. If the coalition loses the seat of Bega, it will be reduced to 45 seats in the 93-seat parliament, make it even more dependent upon support from the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party and three independents to get any legislation passed. It appears the Liberal Party will hold on to Gladys Berejiklian's former seat of Willoughby but there has a been a significant swing against the Coalition But despite the bitter slap-down from voters, Premier Perrottet said he's proud of the party's efforts, claiming tonight was a 'phenomenal result' for Liberals. Pictured: Bridget Sakr for Strathfield In Willoughby, Liberal candidate Tim James, of the party's right faction, claimed victory as he takes over the seat from former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian. However, there was an 18 per cent swing against the Liberals in the formerly safe electorate, and the party's vote fell below the 50 per cent mark for the first time in 30 years. In Monaro, Nationals candidate Nichole Overall fended off Labor's Bryce Wilson with a buffer of 3.9 per cent, despite a swing of more than 7 per cent to Labor. Despite the bitter slap-down from voters, Premier Perrottet said he's proud of the party's efforts, claiming tonight was a 'phenomenal result' for Liberals Former United Nations lawyer turned investment firm chairman Jason Yat-sen Li (pictured) won against Liberal opponent Bridget Sakr, retaining the Labor held seat of Strathfield Mr Green called the seat of Monaro, formerly held by the Nationals MP and former Deputy Premier John Barilaro, at 8.45pm with over 26 per cent of the vote counted. In Strathfield, former United Nations lawyer turned investment firm chairman Jason Yat-sen Li won against Liberal opponent Bridget Sakr, with Labor to retain the seat on a narrow margin. Dominic Perrottet said he was proud the Liberal's were able to secure votes from Labor and was confident Ms Sakr will still win next year's state election. 'Bridget Sakr ... she will win the election next year. Bridget Sakr will be the member for Strathfield,' he said on Saturday. The under-fire Premier then tried to put a positive spin on the night claiming it was a 'phenomenal result' for the Liberals Party, despite its historic loss in Bega. Labor's Opposition Leader Chris Minns said the results are a sign the government are 'not listening' and that voters want a change. Opposition Leader Chris Minns (pictured) was ecstatic with the huge swing towards Labor 'Many people in New South Wales sent the Premier of New South Wales a message on their behalf at the ballot box today,' he said. 'The Premier of New South Wales needs to listen to that message. The government needs to change direction.' Thousands of voters across the four electorates cast their ballots via pre polling or postal vote with 50 per cent of polling cast early in the seat of Bega. A surge in early voting has prompted the NSW Electoral Commission to extend the deadline for postal voting to February 25 and warned results could take longer than usual. Currently 21 per cent of the vote has been counted for the of Bega with Labor's Michael Holland (pictured) tipped to take over the Liberal held seat The by-elections were prompted by the high-profile resignations of former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian (Willoughby), former Nationals leader John Barilaro (Monaro) former transport minister Andrew Constance (Bega) and former Labor leader Jodi McKay (Strathfield). The polls set up a key test for Premier Dominic Perrottet as he faces a number of stumbling blocks on his path to retain the coalition's three seats. There is the usual swing against the government in by-elections, the loss of popular and senior MPs, as well as scrutiny of his handling of the surging Omicron wave that hit just as Covid-weary people took their summer break. The government is already in minority after two of its MPs were forced to the cross bench by allegations, leaving the coalition with 46 of 93 seats in the Legislative Assembly. A loss of any further seats would force it to rely more heavily on the votes of more independent or minor party MPs. Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce sidestepped questions about his description of Scott Morrison as a 'hypocrite and liar' as he had a tense standoff with a TV presenter during by-election coverage on Saturday night. Mr Joyce was celebrating with NSW Nationals candidate Nichole Overall after she won the seat of Monaro in a by-election, despite a strong swing against the Coalition. Mr Joyce crossed to the ABC election desk from a busy venue in Queanbeyan to talk about his party's win but ABC Insiders host David Speers had another agenda. Mr Speers asked the Nationals leader why he thought the Prime Minister was a 'hypocrite and a liar' - referring to the leaked March 2021 text he sent which came to light last week amid a string of embarrassments for Scott Morrison. At the time of the interview Joyce had been out celebrating Nichole Overall winning the seat of Monaro for the National Party Mr Joyce did his best to dodge the question several times, even waving to people off camera instead of answering. Eventually he gave a rambling response, blaming 'the media' for the controversy and likening the scandal to boarding school gossip. 'You're smarter than that, Speersy. You're getting carried away with the peculiarities of what happens in the boarding school,' Mr Joyce said. When the veteran news anchor followed up, the deputy prime minister became increasingly frustrated while leaning into the camera as bystanders cheered, saying: 'That's for me, Speersy, that's how much they care about it. 'Oh mate, you gonna bang on about that. No one cares about it. It just goes to show the media is just losing people. They are dropping off to social media, you know.' Mr Joyce (right) was not happy when asked by ABC Insiders host David Speers (left) about his texting scandal that saw him label Scott Morrison a hypocrite One Twitter user called Joyce 'disgraceful' and 'incompetent' after watching the Nationals leader mid-celebration after Saturday's NSW by-elections Twitter users predictably roasted the Deputy Prime Minister over his behaviour. 'A disgraceful and incompetent individual who is irrelevant in our current situation,' one Twitter user said. 'Barney do us a favour mate. Return to your home and just shut up!' Another said: 'Good grief! @Barnaby_Joyce just appeared on #ABCNews and like a petulant child did everything he could to avoid David Speers' questions about his text message about #Morrison pretending he suddenly couldn't hear. This is your DEPUTY PM. Australia!' A third joked: 'The look on Barnaby's face tonight when he realised he hadn't been able to avoid Speers asking him about that liar text message. Priceless.' A bumbling, red-faced Barnaby Joyce sidestepped questions about his recent texting scandal during a live interview from the pub While the Nationals held on in Monaro, the Liberal Party were slapped down by voters in the first test of Premier Dominic Perrottet's leadership on Saturday. The Liberals are almost certain to lose the seat of Bega on the NSW south coast for the first time in 33 years with Labor's Michael Holland ahead by a large margin as postal votes continue to be counted. Liberal candidate Tim James is ahead in the former NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's seat of Willoughby - but there had been a significant swing against the Liberal Party. Meanwhile, Labor's Jason Yat-Sen Li has claimed victory in the safe Labor seat of Strathfield in western Sydney. A racist Grenfell volunteer who claimed the 72 tower fire victims were 'burnt alive in a Jewish sacrifice' has been jailed for 11 months. Tahra Ahmed, 51, posted 'virulently' antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media days after the fire in west London. Following a trial at the Old Bailey, she was found guilty of two counts of stirring up racial hatred by publishing written material. On Friday Ahmed, who had volnteered to help survivors of tghe fire and grieving families in the days after the blaze, was jailed for 11 months. Previously, prosecutor Hugh French told jurors that an examination of her account revealed two posts in January and June 2017 that 'crossed the line as to what is acceptable in a liberal society'. On June 18, 2017 four days after the Grenfell Tower fire Muslim Ahmed posted a video on Facebook of the blaze and referred to it being a 'Jewish sacrifice', the Old Bailey heard. Tahra Ahmed, 51, posted 'virulently' antisemitic conspiracy theories on social media, with one sent just days after the fire in West London that claimed the lives of 72 people She stated: 'I've been at the scene, at the protest and at the community meetings and have met many of the victims... some who were still in the same clothes they escaped in. 'They are very real and genuine, their pain and suffering is raw and deep and their disgusting neglect by authorities continues. 'Watch the footage of people trapped in the inferno with flames behind them. They were burnt alive in a Jewish sacrifice.' The post went on to link Grenfell to an antisemitic conspiracy around the Twin Towers destruction in New York. An earlier post, on January 26 2017, also set out an antisemitic conspiracy theory, jurors heard. It said: 'Jews have always been the ones behind ritual torture, crucifixion and murder of children, especially young boys, as a way of atoning for their sins in order to be allowed back into Palestine. 'Here is a very brief history of these crimes they committed in Britain over the centuries.' The devastating Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 killed 72 people when flames spread through the 24-storey tower via combustible cladding The post contains a link to an article called Jewish Settlement, Ritual Murder by Geoffrey H Smith. Prosecutor Hugh French said the posts Ahmed published were 'virulently anti-Semitic and significantly crossed the line as to what is acceptable in a liberal democracy'. He said: 'Looking at the language of the posts, the crude racial stereotyping and the insulting tone, the Crown say that you can infer that she posted them intending to stir up racial hatred and that racial hatred was likely to be stirred up.' Detective sergeant Ross Burrell said police conducted an 'open source review' of Ahmed's Facebook in November 2018 which gave them access to her account's activity. The officer read aloud posts and comments, attributed to Ahmed's Facebook account, broadly agreeing that the 9/11 disaster was a Jewish 'ruse'. One post said: '9/11 was not an inside job. It was a Mossad job and the dirty, lying and devious... blamed it on the Muslims. 'They subject their evil on me and my people and when we criticise and point out facts, they cry antisemitism.' Ahmed, who ran workshops for those affected by the Grenfell tragedy, appeared at the Old Bailey Another post read: 'Hate speech is so blatantly just a ruse to cover up the exposure of their crimes. Just like 9/11 was a ruse to get into illegal invasions...of the Arab nations.' Judge Mark Dennis said that the author of a pre-sentence report found that Ahmed continued to 'minimise and justify her offending'. He told Ahmed: 'The stirring up of racial hatred against any person or group of persons in a civilised and democratic society is an abhorrent act and there is a need to protect everyone in our society against such discrimination and division and to deter such offending. 'You are an educated, widely-read and articulate individual but also a person who expresses views about a range of matters in a passionate and apparently committed way which can influence and attract others as was apparent when listening to various character witnesses called on your behalf during the trial. 'When your views are born out of racial hatred towards others in society then your words can serve only to distort the thinking of others and to stir up hatred where none existed before or else entrench or worsen views already held by those who shared with you such a dreadful mindset. Tahra Ahmed (pictured), 51, from Tottenham, London, who ran a volunteer network for Grenfell Tower survivors, has been jailed with stirring up racial hatred on Facebook 'I have no doubt that when you wrote and published your assertions with regard to the Grenfell Tower tragedy you knew full well what you were doing and that by posting such venom you intended to stir up hatred towards Jews in general. 'Having listened with care to the evidence you gave over several days on the trial, and the manner in which you gave such evidence, I have no reason to conclude that you have any true or genuine remorse of your offending conduct.' Ahmed appeared shocked when she heard she was going to prison, and said 'I love you' to supporters in the public gallery before being taken to the cells. Jurors also heard replies from Ahmed to other people's Facebook posts related to World Trade Center conspiracies. '9/11 is the single most significant event,' Ahmed's comment read, 'It really was the day the world changed. 'A government to murder its own people in order to have an excuse to invade.....the Middle East.' In his closing speech, Benjamin Newton, defending, said the prosecution 'muddied the waters' in terms of what Ahmed was actually on trial for. Ahmed, from Tottenham, North London, denied wrongdoing, arguing her posts were political rather than antisemitic (stock image) 'We do not prosecute everybody who writes something offensive on social media because there is a line. She is not on trial for being anti semitic. 'Even if she was, if she came before you and said, 'Actually I am predisposed against Jewish people,' it is not a crime. 'The prosecution have to prove to you that she is guilty of stirring up racial hatred. 'And I suggest she absolutely did not, and the evidence makes it clear that was not her intention. 'Freedom of speech is people being allowed to say things that you do not approve of. Our law recognises that. 'This is why Tahra Ahmed is not guilty of a crime simply for posting material that is abusive or insulting... provided it does not intend to provoke violence.' Giving evidence Ahmed told the court: 'When you take things out of context, like you are with this, it totally bastardises it. 'This whole thing is a sham what is happening to me. For basically two Facebook posts I'm being hung drawn and quartered in a place where murderers are tried. 'This is six days of taxpayers' money being spent on 12 jurors and all these barristers and judges and for what? 'For something that was stated five years ago. It is absolutely preposterous that you are taking something completely out of context and crucifying me for it.' Ahmed told the court the 'Jews' she referred to in the posts were those who belonged to a criminal 'cabal' of 'the evil elite who are orchestrating everything in order to divide and conquer the world'. She said she was not referring to the 'common Jew' and said: 'I have Jewish friends. Nobody ever said 'Tahra that didn't come across well'. 'Because they know me; they know I'm not racist. They know that I love all people except the criminal elements.' She added that she has made the distinction between the 'common' and 'cabal' Jew 'hundreds of times'. 'The one or two occasions where I haven't qualified it, you have literally picked those two occasions where I have done that.' A police investigation into Ahmed's activities arose as a result of a story published in The Times newspaper on December 11 2017 which focused on some of the people who attended public meetings after the Grenfell fire. Ahmed, from Tottenham, north London, denied wrong-doing, telling jurors that her posts were political rather than antisemitic. Detective Sergeant Ross Burrell said: 'The comments posted by Ahmed were grossly offensive, abusive and insulting. Her comments showed a clear intent to stir up racial hatred and such vile remarks will not be tolerated. 'Those who seek to deliberately drive our communities apart by spreading such spite can expect to be brought to account. We're here and ready to help anyone who has been affected by someone else's prejudice, ignorance or violence.' A 'spiritual mentor' has lost his bid to claim the multimillion-dollar estate of a deceased doctor who believed aliens were controlling her thoughts. Leonardo Michael failed to get a court to recognise one of two informal wills he said were left by Gold Coast-based Doctor Zung Rosita Vu which entitled him to all or part of her estate. The 53-year-old former GP and naturopath died from a drug overdose on December 5, 2020, leaving behind a $1.16 million property in Mudgeeraba. Gold Coast-based doctor Zung Rosita Vu died in December 2020 and her 'spiritual mentor' claimed she left two wills that entitled him to all or half of her estate Mrs Vu is also believed to have had $3.8million worth of cryptocurrency and other assets. Mr Michael, whom she called her 'spiritual mentor', has been residing in her home since her death and claims she left a printed will and a handwritten will. But Justice David Boddice rejected the application as 'hopeless' and said Mr Michael could not provide evidence Dr Vu had the mental capacity to make either will, according to the Gold Coast Bulletin. The court heard Mr Michael had a business and sexual relationship with Dr Vu before her death. Dr Vu thought Leonardo Michael (right) was an alien and believed he and other 'higher beings' were entitled to her possessions, the court heard In one document, Mr Michael is left her entire estate while in another he is left half with the remainder left to her former colleague, Valeria Astorga Perez. Ms Vu's mother, Kim Giao Vu, argued her daughter did not have 'testamentary capacity' and did not understand the value of her property. Rituals involving the psychedelic and hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca were performed on the property, the court heard. The defence said Dr Vu believed she no longer owned her possessions and that they belonged to higher beings or aliens known as 'greys' or 'grays' - one of which was Mr Michael. She also believed the aliens were inside her and had gained control of her thoughts and body. The court heard Mr Michael has been living in Dr Vu's $1.16million Gold Coast property since her death from a drug overdose In an email sent to a friend, Dr Vu spoke of aliens being connected to Mr Michael, which were 'directing him'. The case was expected to head to the Supreme Court four-day trial in April but Mr Michael was unable to provide the sufficient funds. Justice Boddice deemed the case 'hopeless' after Mr Michael failed to follow court orders. A friend of a former Australian soldier who died wearing an explosive vest has revealed he was allegedly raped during his time in the armed forces. Clent Wilson, 43, blew himself up on a Melbourne street on January 22 following struggles with mental health and drug addiction after serving in the Australian Army. Mr Wilson, a father of three, had served in 2nd Cavalry Regiment based at Darwin's Robertson barracks and was known as a 'crazy f**ker' before being dishonourably discharged from the military 20 years ago. A friend of a former Australian soldier who died wearing an explosive vest (Clent Wilson, 43, pictured) has revealed he was allegedly raped during his service Mr Wilson blew himself up on a Melbourne street on January 22 (pictured) following struggles with mental health and drug addiction after serving in the Australian Army He told a close friend that he had beaten an army colleague who raped him and was discharged as a result. The unidentified mate said Mr Wilson told him the story while 'crying in his shed' and believes the alleged sexual assault was a turning point that sent him down a dark path. In 2009 Mr Wilson separated from his wife and began his struggle with mental illness and drug addiction. His friend said Mr Wilson mainly used ice but would 'take anything'. As his situation escalated the military veteran had several run-ins with the law in recent years and it is alleged he even attempted to shoot his estranged father, Tony Wilson. However, Mr Wilson's friend said the ex-soldier had been a happy man before joining the ADF and believes it was his time in the army that sent him spiralling. Mr Wilson (pictured) allegedly told a close friend that he had beaten an army colleague that raped him and was discharged as punishment 'With the right things in place and the right systems in place, he probably would never have ended up the way he was,' he told the Herald Sun. Mr Wilson was known by friends as a miracle mechanic who could fix anything and make complicated inventions out of scraps. 'If he couldn't fix it, nobody could,' his friend said. On Saturday January 22 at 11.40am a car driving down Nettle Drive in Hallam, east Melbourne, exploded and killed Mr Wilson as he drove. He had been wearing an explosive vest he made out of vehicle airbags which blew up as he drove over a speed bump. Mr Wilson (pictured) in 2009 separated from his wife and began his struggle with mental illness and drug addiction The blast blew out the car's sunroof and windscreen but didn't cause any major structural damage. Shortly before the incident Mr Wilson had visited his on-off girlfriend in neighbouring Dandenong. Mr Wilson's friend said that despite his struggles in life, he was 'one of the best people you'd ever meet'. It is not known whether Mr Wilson ever reported his rape to the Australian Army. The ADF has not confirmed if he was a member. His death is now being investigated by the Victorian Coroner and the Royal Commission into Defence and Veterans' Suicide. The Australian Defence Force has not confirmed if Mr Wilson (pictured) was a member Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au Defence All-Hours Support Line provides support for ADF personnel on 1800 628 036 or defence.gov.au/health/healthportal. Defence Member and Family Helpline provides support for Defence families on 1800 624 608. HBO Real Time host Bill Maher said the Freedom Convoy has the right to be 'pissed off' at elitists who are 'staying home in their Lululemon's' before comparing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to Hitler for questioning if the unvaccinated should be 'tolerated.' Maher, 66, admitted he 'wasn't that into the first couple weeks' of the Canadian protests and he questioned 'why truckers' were the ones protesting when '90 percent of them are vaccinated.' 'What's happening this week, it looks like, is people are understanding this is about something more than just the vaccine mandate,' he said during his show on Friday. 'It's becoming a big thing. It's happening all over the world now. They're thinking it might happen here in Washington on Super Bowl Sunday.' Maher also bought up the 'elitist' culture - those who are 'staying home in their Lululemon's' and who can afford to 'wait out for a free vacation and money from the government' - and how they do not understand why 'those who can't' are angry. 'They're pissed off - the people who can't,' Maher said. Many more protesters are expected to show up in Ottawa this weekend, and several convoys from the U.S. are heading toward the Canadian border as the protest enters its 16th day. Protests have spread to three border points, including the Ambassador Bridge, North America's busiest land border crossing, where dozens of vehicles had crowded the area since Monday, choking the supply chain for Detroit's carmakers. On Saturday morning, police started to clear out the blockade, and protesters were seen starting to leave. HBO Real Time host Bill Maher, 66, said the Freedom Convoy truckers have a right to be 'pissed off' at the elitists - who are 'staying home in their Lululemon's' and who can afford to 'wait out for a free vacation and money from the government' - while they cannot afford to work a remote job. 'They're pissed off - the people who can't,' Maher said The Freedom Convoy (pictured) is protesting the mandate for truckers to be vaccinated when they enter Canada from the US. Trudeau made controversial comments in September asking the public is they should 'tolerate' the unvaccinated and calling them 'racist,' 'misogynistic,' and 'don't believe in science.' Maher slammed the PM and compared him to Hitler for questioning tolerance of others Trudeau ordered the protesters to evacuate the bridge or face a potential year in jail Trudeau also claimed that the protest is being fueled by political activists in the United States, and said that more than 50 percent of donations to campaigns to support the protesters came from the US Several convoys were assembling in the United States on Friday evening, preparing to drive towards the Canadian border in support of the truckers in Ontario and elsewhere When Maher questioned panelists about whether they thought this was something bigger than just vaccine mandates, Woke Inc author Vivek Ramaswamy agreed that this was an 'uprising of everyday citizens' and the 'unelected class of leaders.' 'These are the unelected class leaders that ultimately, I think, are using the bureaucratic power to supplant the will of every day,' Ramaswamy said. 'Not only Americans but Canadians and Western Europeans too. And that's why we're seeing a fusion of both the left and the right here saying that: "Actually we want our voices heard. We want to be able to speak without fear of putting food on the dinner table." 'And the beautiful thing about democracy, so far this has been a peaceful set of protests, [and] I hope it stays that way. That's part of the messiest of democracy and that's part of what makes it beautiful.' The second panelist, spiritual guru and political activist Marianne Williamson, who vied for the Democratic presidential bid in 2020, also agreed that 'democracy is messy,' and that's the 'price you pay for a free society.' The former presidential candidate, however, had a more negative view of protesting. 'As long as you honor expression, protest is important, but also protest is inherently disruptive,' she told Maher. 'So, the line we have to find for ourselves is where does disruption become harm?' Williamson also mentioned that the Freedom Convoy is a way 'that we get to see that this can be done in a way that does not bring violence - which I think for Americans, there's actually something to look at there.' Panelists Woke Inc author Vivek Ramaswamy (left) and former Democratic presidential candidate Marianne Williamson (right) also agreed that the 'system is corrupt' and 'uprising of everyday citizens' that wanted to be heard Maher admitted that he used to think that Trudeau was a 'cool guy' but now questions his judgement after making the controversial comments about the unvaccinated She also referenced the January 6 Capitol riot, where protesters stormed the government building to overturn an election. Ramaswamy agreed that 'those who can't' - such as the truckers delivering Amazon packages - are 'excluded in the name of capital inclusion' by the elitists. Maher also brought up later in the segment how the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans - or stimulus checks - largely went out to families 'in the top 20 percent of the country,' citing The New York Times. Ramaswamy, who was a biotech CEO during the time of the George Floyd protests, said during that time, every 'institutional leader' was saying: 'What we need to do is listen and open our hearts and minds.' He continued: 'I think those same institutional leaders would now do well to take a page from that playbook and listen to these truckers too. Actually listen to what they have to say.' 'The system is so corrupt,' Williamson agreed. 'This is what people are angry at. 'It's not just the corporate elites,' she said. 'This corruption is so baked into the cake. Of course people are angry, people are enraged and they are legitimately enraged.' Williamson said the 'people are getting the receipts' after loan records are being revealed and showing where the money was distributed to 'take care of the people who already have.' 'This kind of economic injustice, this kind of structural rigging, so that whenever there's a problem, they take care of the people that already have and then the rest of the people who don't have - well, good luck, we'll drop a few crumbs to you. It's been going on for decades.' Ramaswamy even admitted that his family sent their stimulus back, saying: 'This is not meant for people like us.' Pivoting to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 50, Maher said: 'Justin Trudeau, I used to think he was a really cool guy, but then I started to read what he said.' Maher highlighted quotes from September where the PM called the unvaccinated population 'misogynistic' and that they 'don't believe in science.' 'They don't believe in science, they're often misogynistic, often racist,' the Canadian PM said in September. 'They take up space, and with that we have to make a choice - in terms of a leader in a country - do we tolerate these people?' 'No, they're not,' Maher said on Friday. 'Tolerate these people? Now you do sound like Hitler.' When Williamson said she was 'surprised Trudeau said those things,' Maher paused before stammering out: 'You didn't - You didn't see the blackface? That was not a good look for him.' Flag-waving Canadians show their support for the protest in Ottawa, as at least three bridges between Canada and the US were blocked on Friday night A 'F**k Trudeau' ran is parked outside the bridge to the US on Saturday and the area gears up to see more protesters U.S. President Joe Biden, 79, recently told the Canadian PM to toughen up against the protesters and 'drive them out.' 'Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end, and it will end,' threatened Trudeau on Friday after he spoke to Biden. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a 42-state of emergency over the bridge blockade and threatened to seize vehicles and throw demonstrators in jail for up to a year. However, both Canadian and American truckers - who had been ordered off the bridge by midnight - have continued to protest being required to be vaccinated when entering Canada from the U.S. Earlier on Friday, a Canadian court issued the injunction to end the blockade at the key bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, with Detroit, Michigan. Ontario Superior Court Chief Justice Geoffrey Morawetz granted the injunction on Friday evening, which will last for 10 days and means that blocking the bridge is unlawful. Trudeau claimed that the protest is being fueled by political activists in the United States, and said that more than 50 percent of donations to campaigns to support the protesters came from the U.S., which he referred to as 'foreign financing' of the protests. In the U.S., several convoys were gathering in multiple cities on Friday, ahead of a planned journey to the Canadian border in support of their fellow truckers. Fears are high that some may try to disrupt Sunday's Super Bowl, or Biden's March 1 State of the Union address. An organization dubbed 'Convoy to Save America' said on its website that two separate vehicle convoys will converge this weekend at the Peace Bridge, a U.S.-Canadian border crossing in Buffalo, New York. One of the convoys will leave New York City on Friday and the second from Mount Juliet, Tennessee, on Saturday. A sheriff's deputy in California was shot by 'unprovoked gunfire' on his way to work in Ceres on Friday in what police believe was an unintentional firing. The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office said the unnamed deputy was driving to work in a marked K-9 patrol vehicle near Central Avenue and Service Road around 7 p.m. on Friday when the gunfire broke out. Jesus Cortes, 38, was arrested for felony negligent discharge of a firearm, Sgt. Luke Schwartz confirmed to DailyMail.com. The suspect told police he did not intentionally fire at the officer but was arrested and charged with dangerously and recklessly firing a firearm. Police said that 'alcohol was believed to be a factor.' No injuries or damage to the deputy's car were reported. Eight people have been detained and one person was arrested in connection to the shooting. Cortes was booked into the Stanislaus County Public Safety Center but has since been released after making his $25,000 bail. Police refused to confirm or deny if Cortes has a previous criminal history. Seven other men were questioned by the police but no one else was charged. A firearm was recovered. The deputy never discharged his own weapon. The Sheriff's Office told CBS Sacramento that the office jumped out of his 'patrol car and took cover in a nearby orchard.' Jesus Cortes, 38, was arrested for felony negligent discharge of a firearm, Sgt. Luke Schwartz confirmed to DailyMail.com A sheriff's deputy in central California was met with 'unprovoked gunfire' while driving to work on Friday around 7pm (Pictured: The scene near Central Avenue and Service Road in Ceres, California) This comes after gunman shot and killed his ex-girlfriend and injured nine officers after using his baby daughter to lure police and ambush them early Friday morning, Arizona police said. Police responded to calls that Morris Jones, 36, had shot and killed his ex-girlfriend, who police have yet to identify. When they arrived, they found Jones inside. As police surrounded the Phoenix, Arizona, home, another man was seen walking outside with Jones and his ex-girlfriend's baby and leaving it on the porch, before surrendering to police. As officers approached the porch to rescue the infant, Jones opened fire. A total of nine officers were injured. Police said there is nothing to suggest that the man who carried out the baby was part of the ambush - he may have been following instructions from Jones. Cops later found Jones dead inside the home, from what appears to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams confirmed that four officers were hospitalized and treated for gunshot wounds, with one of the cops undergoing surgery. Williams said she was 'upset' at the senseless violence in the community and said the video captured the incident 'still gives me chills.' 'But as gunfire was raging out, our officers went in,' she said, praising the heroic cops. 'As a baby was left on the door steps, our officers went to rescue her.' Sheriffs deputy shot at while driving to work in #ceres @StanSheriff tells me the deputy jumped out of his patrol car and took cover in a nearby orchard. Eight people have been detained. Right now officers are outside of one suspects home on Central ave. @CBSSacramento pic.twitter.com/Wsj1HuUmEs Laura Haefeli (@LauraHaefeli) February 12, 2022 Phoenix police officers are seen running for their lives after being fired upon by Morris Jones inside a home during a tense five-hour standoff with a gunman on Friday Jones opened fire after a man placed Jones' baby on the porch, along with a pink bag The officer shooting come after the FBI recorded a 26-year high for on-duty police officers intentionally killed across the United States last year, as overall crime and murder rates hit record highs, falling just one short of the all-time grim mark of 74. There were 73 cops who died in the line of duty from a 'felonious killing' last year, according to data provided by the FBI and first shared with CNN, a 59% increase from 2020's total of 46. A 'felonious killing' is defined by the FBI as an instance when an officer is 'fatally injured as a direct result of a willful and intentional act by an offender.' The grim mark excludes the police death toll in 2001, when 72 officers lost their lives in the 9/11 terror attacks - on top of the 70 officers who were killed by domestic criminals. While COVID has remained the leading cause of police deaths in recent years, there has been an increase in 'unprovoked' attacks on officers. Twenty-five of last year's felonious killings were 'unprovoked' attacks through December 27 of last year, according to the FBI. This is a sharp spike in attacks on officers, which are normally reported in the single digits. An 'unprovoked' attack is defined as a situation 'not prompted by official contact at the time of the incident,' according to the FBI. The FBI told CNN that it has opened an investigation into this drastic increase, which is spread throughout the country. The number of accidental on-duty police deaths increased, as well, with 56 officers accidentally killed in the line of duty last year, up from 46 in 2020. While the official 2021 Law Enforcement Officers Killed and Assaulted report has been published, the FBI reported that 55 officers were killed by gunfire in 2021 through the end of November, a jump from 39 for the same time period in both 2020 and 2019. Homicides and gun violence has been rising across the country in recent years, spiking after the highly publicized killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor in 2020 and the start of the COVID pandemic. 'When homicides go up, more shootings go up, and it contributes to an overall increase in violence and police officers find themselves in the middle of that environment,' said Chuck Wexler, the executive director of the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF). Last year, 13 cities in the United States shattered their annual homicide records - all Democrat-run bastions that have pushed progressive policies, including Oakland, Philadelphia and Portland, Oregon. A study found 2020 recorded the country's highest rate of anti-police sentiment in history The Black Lives Matter movement, which reached an all-time level of support in 2020 after a multitude of high-profile police killings of black Americans, pushed the anti-police sentiment and defund the police movement into the mainstream. 'For the first time, the percentage of Americans who say they have a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the police has dipped below 50 percent. Its now at 48 percent, and over the 20 years weve been tracking this, its never been below 50 percent,' Steve Crabtree of Gallup noted when commenting on a 2020 Gallup poll. Those numbers have seen a slight rebound since the poll was conducted in the summer of 2020 but strong anti-police sentiments still linger throughout the country. Advertisement Tensions between the US and Russia worsened further on Sunday night after the Pentagon accused the Kremlin of lying about chasing an American sub out of its waters. The terse American statement, issued to Reuters correspondent Indrees Ali on Saturday, said: 'There is no truth to the Russian claims of our operations in their territorial waters.' Russia claimed to have shooed the US submarine out of its waters off the Kuril Islands, in the Pacific Ocean, earlier on Saturday. The US refused to comment further on where exactly the incident had taken place, citing national security reasons, but Reuters said it had unfolded just off the coast of Urup. It is unclear exactly when the incident is said to have taken place, with Russia claiming its Marshal Shaposhnikov anti-submarine destroyer had detected the US Navy's Virginia-class submarine in its territory. According to the disputed account from the Kremlin, the US sub ignored Russian demands to surface, with the Shaposhnikov then used 'appropriate means' to drive the submarine out of its waters at full speed. A Russian defense ministry spokesperson said: 'In connection with the violation by the US Navy submarine of the state border of the Russian Federation, the defense attache at the US embassy in Moscow was summoned to the Russian defense ministry.' The islands where the incident took place sit north of Japan's Hokkaido island, and have been under Russian control since they were seized by Kremlin troops during the final days of World War Two. Meanwhile, President Joe Biden told Vladimir Putin on Saturday morning that Russia would face 'swift and severe' economic and political costs if it invaded Ukraine, amid frantic efforts to persuade Moscow to pull back from the brink. The two leaders held an hour-long conversation a day after US officials said they believed Putin could launch an invasion at any time, and as American diplomats began leaving the embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kiev. 'President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia,' said the White House after the call finished. The US Navy has denied claims one of its Virginia-class nuclear submarines (left) was chased out of Russian waters by the Kremlin's Marshal Shaposhnikov (pictured right) The US has accused Russia of lying about claims that it chased a Virginia-class nuclear submarine out of its waters off Urup, one of the Kuril Islands which sits in the Pacific Ocean, west of Russia and north of Japan 'President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia's standing.' A senior administration official characterized their conversation as 'professional,' but said it had not fundamentally changed the 'dynamic.' The call came 24 hours after the US told Americans to get out of Ukraine and offered its bleakest warning yet that an invasion was coming. Meanwhile, the Pentagon on Saturday officially announced that another 3,000 US soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division would join some 1,700 already deployed to Poland, where they are expected to assist in preparing border stations to receive potential evacuees. As well, the Pentagon said it was withdrawing 160 American military trainers from Ukraine. The messaging spooked the Ukrainian government, which demanded to see intelligence that Russia is planning to invade on Wednesday. Diplomatic sources told DailyMail.com it was part of a strategy designed to deny Moscow any attempt to launch a 'false flag' operation as justification for attacking Ukraine. At the same time, a senior administration official said Putin still had the choice to back down from 'an action that we believe would be catastrophic.' He said Russia was already having to play defense on the world stage, and that financial sanctions and export controls would follow invasion. 'If Russia invades this list will also include a severe economic costs - as I've already described - and irrevocable reputational damage caused by taking innocent lives for a bloody war of choice,' he told reporters after the call. The official also spelled out how military assistance continued to flow to Ukraine - seen as a tacit warning that invading forces could get bogged down in a messy, drawn-out conflict. For its part, the Kremlin said Putin told Biden he had not taken account of Russia's security concerns. Kremlin official Yuri Ushakov said the call was 'businesslike' but accused the West of spreading 'hysteria' about an invasion, according to Reuters. Earlier Ukraine's president demanded the US share intelligence which suggests Russia is planning to invade his country on Wednesday after America claimed an assault was imminent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a live broadcast on Saturday told the US: 'If you have 100 percent-certain information about a Russian invasion of Ukraine, please share it with us'. President Joe Biden told Russia's President Vladimir Putin he would face 'swift and severe economic and political costs if he pushed ahead with plan to invade Ukraine. Biden made the call from Camp David where he is spending the weekend The Kremlin said Putin told Biden that he had not taken into account Russian concerns about NATO approaching its territory Uragan rocket launchers are fired during joint Russian-Belarusian military drills on Saturday, as tensions escalate U.S. troops of the 82nd Airborne Division recently deployed to Poland set up camp at a military airport in Mielec, southeastern Poland, on Saturday. Meanwhile the Pentagon is withdrawing 160 military trainers from Ukraine People take part in the Unity March, which is a procession to demonstrate Ukrainians' patriotic spirit and intention to resist any Russian aggression amid growing tensions, in Kiev on Saturday Demonstrators shout slogans as they stand with lit flares on a bridge adorned with a banner 'Ukranians will resist - Say No to Putin' during a rally in Kiev on Saturday, held to show unity amid US warnings of an imminent Russian invasion A Russian helicopter fires during during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus at the Gozhsky firing range in the Grodno region, near the Ukrainian border on Saturday Russian armored vehicles move at the Gozhsky training ground near the border with Ukraine on Saturday during Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus. Russia has massed troops near the Ukraine border but denies invasion plans All American citizens still in Ukraine are now advised to leave immediately, and on Saturday morning the Pentagon ordered the evacuation of 160 Florida National Guardsmen, who had been training Ukrainian forces and represented the final US troop presence in the country. In an alert, the State Department said that the US Embassy in Kiev would suspend all consular services starting on Sunday as diplomatic staff evacuate, in a sign that the US fears a Russian assault could reach the Ukrainian capital. 'Prudence requires us to assume, to plan for and prepare for a worst-case scenario,' a US official told reporters on a call. 'And the worst-case scenario would obviously involve substantial Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital.' A small skeleton crew of US diplomats will fall back to a consulate in Lviv in far western Ukraine to handle emergencies. The fallback position is close to the border with Poland, allowing for easier extraction of the staff if the situation deteriorates. US and Polish officials are now said to be scouting for locations to establish fortified border control points along the Poland-Ukraine frontier to process Americans fleeing by land, in the event an attack halts commercial air flights. Biden spoke to Putin for an hour and two minutes on Saturday The Pentagon has deployed an additional 3,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to Poland, bolstering the force of 1,700 already there, and the US forces are expected to assist with border control and evacuee processing. However, the State Department warns that the US government will not send any troops into Ukraine to extract Americans in the event of a Russian military incursion, and says any citizens still in the country need to leave now. 'Military action may commence at any time and without warning,' the State Department said in a flash bulletin. 'US citizens should not travel to Ukraine, and those in Ukraine should depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options.' It comes as alleged invasion plans, reported by German newspaper Der Spiegel and reviewed by the Pentagon, are said to detail specific routes that might be taken by individual Russian units in an imminent invasion scheduled for Wednesday. Russia has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, but denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. Russia's Foreign Ministry in a post on Telegram accused Western governments and press outlets of conspiring in a 'large-scale disinformation campaign against Russia'. 'We regard this as collusion between the Western governments and media aimed at fanning tensions over Ukraine by means of a massive and coordinated fake news campaign designed to serve their geopolitical interests, in particular, to divert attention from their own aggressive actions,' the ministry said. Russia on Saturday accused a US Navy submarine of violating Russian waters in the Pacific, saying that Russian forces chased the Virginia-class submarine away 'at maximum speed' after it ignored demands to surface. But the Pentagon denied the claim. U.S. Navy Capt. Kyle Raines, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command spokesman said: 'There is no truth to the Russian claims of our operations in their territorial waters. I will not comment on the precise location of our submarines but we do fly, sail, and operate safely in international waters.' Russia is also drawing down its embassy staffing in Kiev in another troubling sign that war is imminent. In an alert, the State Department said that all consular services would be suspended the U.S. Embassy in Kiev (above) starting on Sunday, warning any American still in Ukraine to leave the country immediately Putin has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, but Russia insistently denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service on in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, a tank takes part in a military exercise, in Russia A satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies shows alleged new Russian deployments at Slavne, Crimea, earlier this week. More than 550 troop tents and hundreds of vehicles have arrived at the Oktyabrskoye airfield north of Simferopol A satellite image shows a close-up of troops and equipment at Oktyabrskoye air base, Crimea on Thursday People take part in the Unity March, which is a procession to demonstrate their patriotic spirit amid growing tensions with Russia, in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday Workers unload a Boeing 747-412 plane with the FGM-148 Javelin, American man-portable anti-tank missile provided by US to Ukraine as part of a military support to Ukraine, at Kyiv's airport Boryspil on Friday Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday that the country has 'optimized' staffing at its embassy in Kiev, but said the move was in response to concerns about possible military actions from the Ukrainian side. 'We conclude that our American and British colleagues apparently know about some military actions being prepared in Ukraine that could significantly complicate the situation in the security sphere,' she said. 'In this situation, fearing possible provocations by the Kiev regime or third countries, we actually decided to somewhat optimize the staffing of Russian foreign missions in Ukraine.' Early on Saturday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a call with Russian diplomat Sergey Lavrov to discuss the crisis, after the US alleged that 'extremely detailed' Russian invasion plans, seen by the Secret Service, CIA and the Pentagon, showed that a war was imminent in eastern Europe. On the call, Lavrov accused accused Washington of waging a 'propaganda campaign' about possible Russian aggression, and said the US had ignored key Russian security demands, according to a readout of the call from the Russian foreign ministry. Blinken responded by vowing that 'further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response' according to the State Department's readout. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also had a call with his Russian counterpart on Saturday, in which they discussed 'Russia's force build-up in Crimea and around Ukraine' according to the Pentagon. Britain on Saturday also told its citizens to leave Ukraine. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told the BBC that U.K. troops that have been training the Ukrainian army also would leave the country. Germany and the Netherlands also called on their citizens to leave as soon as possible. Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 U.S. troops to Poland to reassure allies. Biden has said the U.S. military will not enter a war in Ukraine, but he has promised severe economic sanctions against Moscow, in concert with international allies. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Saturday said 'it is critically important to remain calm, to consolidate within the country, and to avoid actions that undermine stability and sow panic.' It added that the armed forces 'are constantly monitoring developments and are ready to rebuff any infringement on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine.' Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Americans should not expect the U.S. military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Thousands of British, American and other European citizens - including many embassy staff - have now been told to get out of Ukraine while they still can, as they were warned there would be no military evacuation in the wake of a Russian attack. (Pictured: Hurricane rocket launcher during Russian-Belarusian drill on Saturday) Smoke fills the air during a military drill between Russia and Belarus in the Grodno region of Ukraine's neighbour on Saturday Several NATO allies including Britain, Canada, Norway and Denmark also are asking their citizens to leave Ukraine, as is non-NATO ally New Zealand. Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. 'Yes, it is an urgent message because we are in an urgent situation,' he told reporters at the White House. 'Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action,' Sullivan said, adding, 'Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine.' He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kiev, the capital. Russia scoffed at the warning, blaming fears of a Ukraine invasion on American 'hysteria' and the 'Anglo-Saxon need for war'. The country's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram: 'The White House's hysteria is more revealing than ever. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At all cost. 'The provocations, disinformation and the threats are their favourite method for resolving their own problems.' However in the same breath, she revealed Russia was reducing diplomatic staff in Ukraine because it feared 'provocations' from the Kiev authorities or 'third countries' - in another alarming sign that an invasion is edging closer. It has long been suspected that Russia could use the cloak of an 'attack' in rebel-held, pro-Russian areas as an excuse to send in troops. Zakharova added: 'In the wake of possible provocations by the Kiev regime or third countries, we have, indeed, made a decision on some optimisation of the staff of Russian overseas missions in Ukraine. 'We want to highlight that our embassy and consulates will keep performing their basic functions.' Britain made clear today that its embassy in Kiev would remain open despite a reduction in staff, and travel advice for all UK citizens to leave ahead of a feared Russian attack. Snow camouflaged Tornado rocket launcher systems are put to the test in sub-zero Belarus on Saturday amid mounting fears of Ukraine invasion An intelligence report has suggest Putin wants to invade Ukraine on Wednesday (Pictured: A serviceman takes aim during the Allied Resolve 2022 joint military drills by Belarusian and Russian troops) Brits, Americans and other Europeans living in Ukraine have been told to get out while they still can amid rising tensions (Pictured: Servicemen operate 9K57 Uragan multiple rocket launchers during Russian-Belarusian military drill on Saturday) Pictured: The Russian and Belarusian armed forces take part in Allied Determination-2022 military drill in Belarus on February 10, 2022. Thousands of Britons were tonight told to leave Ukraine immediately over fears of an imminent invasion by Russian forces that Washington spy chiefs warned could be ordered in a matter of days Ambassador Melinda Simmons said: 'I am staying in Kiev and continue to work there with a core team. The embassy remains operational.' The US embassy will also run on a skeleton crew after it ordered all non-emergency Kiev embassy staff to leave Saturday 'due to the continued threat of Russian military action'. Despite mounting fears, Russia's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told Newsweek magazine that warnings of an invasion were 'alarmist' and repeated that his country was 'not going to attack anyone.' But according to German newspaper Der Spiegel, the 'February 16 invasion' plans were deemed credible enough to be passed on to Biden's government, before being discussed in a series of secret briefings with NATO allies. They are said to contain specific routes that might be taken by individual Russian units and detail what roles they might play in the conflict. Der Speigel suggests the US is mulling whether to make the plans public in a bid to undermine them. Images released Saturday showed Russian and Belarusian forces testing snow-camouflaged 'hurricane' and 'tornado' rocket launcher systems, while a major Russian sea drill, featuring deadly warships, was launched in the Black Sea. Americans were warned to get out of Ukraine while they still can, as tensions reached boiling point amid fears that Putin could launch an 'aerial bombardment' of Kiev, risking a high civilian death toll. The UK, Spain, The Netherlands, Kuwait, Germany and several other countries have also told their citizens to leave, including Belgium, who on Saturday warned there would be 'no guarantee of evacuation' following a 'sudden deterioration', as 'communication links including internet and telephone lines could be seriously affected' and air travel hampered. The European Union also told non-essential staff from its diplomatic mission in Ukraine that they should leave the country, but stopped short of issuing a full evacuation order. Videos purportedly showing atomic canons being moved towards Ukraine sparked fears Putin may be sending nuclear armed military hardware within striking distance of major cities. The video - showing huge 2S7 Pion guns (file photo) - was captured in Vesela Lopan, Bolgorod in Western Russia and just 10 miles from the Ukrainian border Pictured: Still grabs from video purportedly showing atomic canons, sparking fears Putin may be sending nuclear armed military hardware to its borders with Ukraine Meanwhile, videos purportedly showing atomic canons being moved towards Ukraine sparked fears Putin may be sending nuclear armed military hardware within striking distance of major cities. The video - showing huge 2S7 Pion guns - was captured in Vesela Lopan, Bolgorod in Western Russia and just 10 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to The Sun. Known as the 'Soviet atomic cannon', the devastating weapon is one of the most powerful artillery cannons ever built. It can carry up to four 203 mm nuclear shells, which have the potential to annihilate large areas. In a chilling press conference earlier this week, Putin warned that were Ukraine to join NATO, the risk of nuclear war would increase. Russia has demanded that the alliance completely rules out Ukraine from ever joining. The White House said Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could come within the week, possibly within the next two days, and urged Americans to leave the country now. A call between Biden and Putin will take place on Saturday, a US official said Friday night, as top US General Mark Milley spoke by telephone with his Russian counterpart General Valery Gerasimo. The pair 'discussed several security-related issues of concern,' an official said. Meanwhile, a senior official said that the US is sending 3,000 more troops to Poland, as President Biden met with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other world leaders on Friday to brief them on developments. The new wave of US troops join 1,700 who already are assembling there to support NATO allies. The official, who provided the information on condition of anonymity before an official announcement, said the additional soldiers will depart their post at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over the next couple of days and should be in Poland by early next week. They are the remaining elements of an infantry brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division. A further 8,500 U.S. troops are already on alert. This handout video grab released by the Russian Defence Ministry on February 11, 2022 shows tanks during joint exercises of the armed forces of Russia and Belarus A Ukrainian tank moves during military drills close to Kharkiv, Ukraine, Thursday, February 10, 2022 It also emerged on Friday that U.S. and European officials are finalising an extensive package of sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine that targets major Russian banks, but does not include banning Russia from the SWIFT financial system, according to U.S. and European officials. A diplomatic source said the strategy now was to intensify efforts to spell out the cost to Putin of invasion. 'The message has to be that he cannot win,' the source told DailyMail.com. US and EU finalizing sanctions package should Russia invade Ukraine U.S. and European officials are finalizing an extensive package of sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine that targets major Russian banks, but does not include banning Russia from the SWIFT financial system, according to U.S. and European officials. The sanctions on the table also include export controls on components produced by Russia for the tech and weapons sectors, and sanctions against specific Russian oligarchs, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. One U.S. official said the Russian banks targeted with sanctions could include state-backed VTB and Sberbank, the largest financial institutions in Russia. Both institutions are already subject to sectoral sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region that limit their ability to raise capital in the United States, but the full blocking sanctions in sight now would have far more significant consequences, said one sanctions expert. They would likely be accompanied by certain waivers and wind-down periods to limit harm to U.S. companies and those of allies. Three sources familiar with the talks said banning Russia entirely from the SWIFT financial transaction system was not under active consideration after running into major objections from European countries. European lenders have expressed concern that banning Russia from SWIFT would mean that billions of dollars of outstanding loans they have in Russia would not be repaid. Sanctions against major Russian banks would still have a significant impact on the Russian financial sector and economy, one of the sources said. VTB and Sberbank's share prices have been volatile in recent weeks, as investors worry Washington could ban Americans from holding debt or equity in the institutions. 'The goal is to design sanctions that would really hit the Russians while keeping an eye on the collateral damage to those imposing them, recognizing that sanctions would clearly hit Europe harder,' said one of the sources. U.S. officials said strong progress was made on the sanctions package during meetings with their counterparts in Germany, France and Britain this week. The U.S. and European allies have focused on sanctions that would be imposed in the event of a physical Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to U.S. and European officials. They would need to coordinate further on any sanctions response short of a full military invasion, such as big cyber attack. 'A lot of the issues have been resolved,' said one U.S. official familiar with the talks, adding, 'I wouldn't say there's 100% agreement, but most of the concerns raised' by Germany in particular have been addressed. Visiting German chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Washington Monday he was aligned with the United States on actions on Russia, but did not mention the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline that the U.S. has vowed to shut of Russia invades. Reporting by Reuters Advertisement US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States did not have definitive information that an invasion has been ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin. But he said all the pieces were in place for a major military operation that could start 'rapidly'. 'The risk is high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that prudence demands that it is the time to leave now,' Mr Sullivan said. 'We are not saying that a decision has been taken by President Putin,' Mr Sullivan added. 'What we are saying is that we have a sufficient level of concern based on what we are seeing on the ground, and what our intelligence analysts have picked up, that we are sending this clear message.' He added that the possibility of an invasion taking place before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 is a 'credible prospect' and a 'very, very distinct possibility'. He said new Russian forces were arriving at the border and they are in a position to 'mount a major military operation in Ukraine any day now', which could include a 'rapid assault on the city of Kiev' or on other parts of the country. Speaking from the White House, Mr Sullivan said Russia could choose 'in very short order to commence a major military action against Ukraine', but stressed the US does not know whether Mr Putin has made a final decision. Mr Sullivan said the 'threat is now immediate enough' to urge Americans to leave Ukraine 'as soon as possible and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours'. He did not mince words for those who choose to remain: 'The president will not be putting the lives of our men and women in uniform at risk by sending them into a war zone to rescue people who could have left now but chose not to.' Sullivan spoke shortly after Biden and six European leaders, the heads of NATO and the European Union held talks on the worst crisis between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War. In a call lasting around 80 minutes, Downing Street said Mr Johnson urged Nato allies to make it clear to Moscow there is a 'heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go'. 'The Prime Minister told the group that he feared for the security of Europe in the current circumstances,' a No 10 spokeswoman said, in an account of the call that included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, as well as EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel. Mr Johnson warned that the penalties would be 'extremely damaging' to Russia's economy and urged that allies must reinforce Nato's eastern frontiers. Russia is holding massive war games in neighbouring Belarus and insisting that the highly strained relations is not its fault. Moscow denies planning to invade Ukraine, but says it could take unspecified 'military-technical' action unless a series of demands are met, including promises from NATO never to admit Ukraine and to withdraw forces from Eastern Europe. The West has said those main demands are non-starters. The EU and NATO alliance delivered responses this week on behalf of their member states. Russia's Foreign Ministry said it wanted individual answers from each country, and called the collective response 'a sign of diplomatic impoliteness and disrespect'. The U.S. is set to send 3,000 more troops to Poland in the coming days to try to reassure NATO allies, U.S. officials told Reuters news agency on Friday. Earlier, Mr Blinken outlined what he said were 'very troubling signs of Russian escalation. 'We're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,' he said. A day after the grief-stricken father of slain drill rapper Jayquan McKenley called out the mayor for depicting his son in a negative light, Mayor Adams said Friday hes since spoken with the dad and that he plans to keep in touch. We spoke after someone from the Daily News questioned me on this. We spoke again today. Were going to speak again tonight, he said. What I believe the outcome of this is that he and I are going to be partners to stop seeing our young men become victims of this level of violence. Advertisement Jayquan McKenley (Obtained by Daily News) McKenley, who performed under the name Chii Wvttz, was shot dead on Sunday after being ambushed outside a Bedford-Stuyvesant recording studio. On Thursday, Adams gave an emotional speech about the teen in which he apologized for a broken system that continually fails Black and brown New Yorkers, but he also angered McKenleys father, Perry Williams, when he talked about the youths life. New York City Mayor Eric Adams (Office of the Mayor) Adams described how McKenleys family lived in several different homeless shelters, how he suffered from severe cognitive disabilities, and how he was not thriving in elementary school in the Bronx. Advertisement But Williams countered that his son lived with him and his wife in North Carolina from 2013 to 2018 before attending high school in New York. [ Mayor Adams blames Bronx teens death on NYCs broken system, but victims dad disputes comments ] He was actually on the A, B honor roll down here. He was a good student, Williams said Thursday. I dont know why he would play with somebodys family death like that. He made a bad enemy with that. You talk down on my son, and he was just killed. After Adams remarks, Williams said that he reached out to the mayors cell phone three times about what he described as slander. Adams told The News Thursday night that all his information about McKenley came from city agencies. On Friday, Adams said his follow-up talk with Williams went well. I believe hes going to be a symbol of the dads all over this country that are concerned about their families, he said. Im looking forward to that, and Im looking forward to continuing the conversation. Mock the Week star Ed Byrne has been left devastated after his comedy director brother Paul died at the age of 45. Paul Byrne had battled Hodgkin's lymphoma a type of cancer that attacks the body's lymph nodes since 2013. Comedians John Bishop, Jason Byrne and Phill Jupitus all fundraised for the former director after he was diagnosed at the Edinburgh Fringe. Today his brother Ed paid tribute to his little brother, saying he will 'miss him so much'. Mock the Week star Ed Byrne (right) has been left devastated after his comedy director brother Paul (left) died at the age of 45 Writing on social media today, he said: 'Paul Byrne was a lot of things to a lot of people. 'A talented comedy director and stand up fixer, he was loved by so many. But to me, he was my pain-in-the-arse little brother and I will miss him so much. 'RIP Paul Byrne 1977-2022.' Other comics also paid tribute to the award-winning director, who was 'nearly always the funniest person in the room at shows'. Omid Djalili said: 'Very sorry to hear of the passing of comedy director Paul Byrne and younger brother of Ed Byrne a very dear soul with whom I had many laughs at various Edinburgh festivals.' Ben Target wrote: 'Feeling incredibly grateful I got to know and work with him. He always gave generous and honest advice, he knew funny better than anyone. 'He was beloved by everyone. I will miss him.' And Tiernan Douieb said: 'This is really really sad news. Paul directed three of my shows and can honestly say I havent had that much fun working on anything since. 'Truly lovely, brilliant man that was nearly always the funniest person in the room at shows, despite being the one backstage.' Mr Byrne worked on comedy shows in Edinburgh and abroad, as well as on TV, including talent wrangler on ITV's Show Me the Funny. Detectives in Murfreesboro are investigating a shooting that left one man dead and four others injured after an argument at a hookah bar turned violent on Saturday. Two people began arguing in the Habibi Hookah Cafe's parking lot on the 1600 block of Middle Tennessee Boulevard at 2:00 a.m. Saturday morning, with a fight ensuing before a gunman opened fire, according to a preliminary police investigation. Officers responded to the hookah bar after a sergeant patrolling the area heard gunshots. While on the scene, the sergeant used a tourniquet on a male victim in an effort to save the man's life, however he later died at a nearby hospital. Meanwhile, the condition of the four survivors is still unclear as of Saturday. Investigators are trying to identify a suspect and motive for the fatal shooting. Police said the shooter has yet to be arrested and an investigation into the shooting is ongoing. Pictured: Habibi Hookah Cafe, where gunshots rang out in the parking lot earlier Saturday morning, with the shooter still on the loose The shooting, which left one dead and four injured, happened at the parking lot of the Habibi Hookah Cafe, pictured Police investigate Saturday's shooting in Murfreesboro, Tennessee Saturday morning On the Habibi Hookah Cafe's Restaurant Guru page, which is a restaurant rating site, the establishment has a rating 4.8 out of 149 reviews and five stars out of 13 votes on Facebook. No other information was immediately released. Anyone with information should contact Detective Cody Thomas at 629-201-5537 or call CrimeStoppers at 615-893-STOP. Elsewhere in the state, two Tennessee fugitives who crawled through an air vent to escape from jail have died crashing their stolen truck after a police chase a day after their escape. Timothy Sarver, 45, and Tobias Carr, 38, escaped from jail in Tennessee on Friday along with a third inmate. The pair died on Saturday, 400 miles away, while fleeing police in a stolen truck after robbing a convenience store at gunpoint The two fugitives who died made it 400 miles from the jail they escaped from before they died in a police chase Surveillance footage shows Carr and Sarver robbing a convenience store in North Carolina hours after breaking free from jail. It's unclear where they got the guns they used to hold up the store Tobias Carr, 38; Johnny Brown 50, and Timothy Sarver, 45, were all in the Sullivan County Jail in Blountville, Tennessee, last week on charges that varied from murder to tampering with evidence, domestic violence and identity theft. It's unclear if they knew each other before they found themselves locked up together, but on February 4, the three men escaped from the jail through one of the air vents in the ceiling of the jail. They crawled through the vent from their cell. They fled the state of Tennessee, traveling first to Virginia and then to North Carolina, where Carr and Sarver robbed a grocery store at gunpoint at 4:30 a.m. last Saturday. Advertisement A ghost village that was abandoned by families 30 years ago has become an unlikely tourist attraction after it reappeared from a Spanish reservoir after the water levels plummeted. The Aceredo village in Spain's northwestern Galicia region was abandoned in 1992 when a Portuguese hydroelectric plant closed its floodgates, causing the river Limea to flood the lands and buildings in the surrounding area, creating the Alto Lindoso reservoir. But the ghostly ruins of houses have reemerged as water levels at the reservoir are at just 15 per cent of its capacity amid a drought, with eerie photographs showing partially collapsed roofs reappearing from the depths of the lake. As the skeletal ruins continue to capture people's attention, the location has become an unexpected tourist attraction, with holidaymakers arriving to see the leftover aspects of the former village. Walking on the muddy ground cracked by the drought in some spots, visitors found partially collapsed roofs, bricks and wooden debris that once made up doors or beams, and even a drinking fountain with water still streaming from a rusty pipe. The Aceredo village in Spain's northwestern Galicia region was abandoned in 1992 when a Portuguese hydroelectric plant closed its floodgates, causing the river Limea to flood, but the ruins (pictured) have now started to reemerge The ghostly ruins of houses have reemerged as water levels at the reservoir are at just 15 per cent of its capacity amid a drought, with eerie photographs showing partially collapsed roofs reappearing from the depths of the lake As the skeletal ruins continue to capture people's attention, the location has become an unexpected tourist attraction, with holidaymakers arriving to see the leftover aspects of the former village The ancient village of Aceredo that had been submerged by Limia river in the 1990s after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios, Spain Pictured: A map showing the location of the lost village of Aceredo, which was flooded in 1992 when the floodgates of the Alto lindoso dam were closed, forming the Lindoso reservoir Walking on the muddy ground cracked by the drought in some spots, visitors found partially collapsed roofs, bricks and wooden debris that once made up doors or beams, and even a drinking fountain with water still streaming from a rusty pipe A number of the village's 70 houses made from stone and wood are still partially standing, and while many have caved in or washed away, parts of their roofs have survived decades of submersion Incredible photographs show crates with empty beer bottles were stacked by what used to be a cafe, and a semi-destroyed old car was rusting away by a stone wall, while incredible drone footage showed the derelict buildings, some of which remained surprisingly intact. Speaking about the drought, pensioner Maximino Perez Romero, 65, from A Coruna, said: 'It's as if I'm watching a movie. I have a feeling of sadness. 'My feeling is that this is what will happen over the years due to drought and all that, with climate change.' Maria del Carmen Yanez, mayor of the larger Lobios council, of which Aceredo is part, blamed the unusual situation on the lack of rain in recent months, particularly in January. But she also placed some of the blame on 'quite aggressive exploitation' by Portugal's power utility EDP, which manages the reservoir. On February 1, Portugal's government ordered six dams, including Alto Lindoso, to nearly halt water use for electricity production and irrigation, due to the worsening drought. EDP had no immediate comment when contacted by Reuters. Last year, several Spanish villages complained about how power utilities used them after a rapid draw-down from a lake by Iberdrola in western Spain. The company said it was following the rules. Incredible photographs show crates with empty beer bottles were stacked by what used to be a cafe, and a semi-destroyed old car was rusting away by a stone wall, and derelict buildings (pictured), some of which remained surprisingly intact Maria del Carmen Yanez, mayor of the larger Lobios council, of which Aceredo is part, blamed the unusual situation on the lack of rain in recent months, particularly in January. Pictured: View from inside a house at the abandoned village of Aceredo A roof of an abandoned building at the village of Aceredo has reemerged, after the village was submerged by Limia river in 1992 after the dam was built in Concello de Lobios On February 1, Portugal's government ordered six dams, including Alto Lindoso, to nearly halt water use for electricity production and irrigation, due to the worsening drought. Pictured: Cracked floor inside a ruin amid water levels dropping The muddied ground inside many of the abandoned buildings had been cracked due to the drought Environment Ministry data shows Spain's reservoirs are at 44 per cent of their capacity, well below the average of about 61 per cent over the last decade. Pictured: The village of Aceredo on February 10 The abandoned village has become an unexpected tourist attraction, with holidaymakers and locals coming to see the reemerging ruins Among the buildings and ruins that reappeared, capturing the attention of tourists, was a tomb (pictured on February 10) The tragedy of Aceredo started when an agreement was struck in 1968 between the heads of state from Spain and Portugal to use their shared border rivers to construct the Lindoso dam. Pictured: The ruins of the village in February 10 Environment Ministry data shows Spain's reservoirs are at 44 per cent of their capacity, well below the average of about 61 per cent over the last decade, but still above levels registered in a 2018 drought. A ministry source said drought indicators showed a potential worsening in the coming weeks, but did not yet detect a generalised problem throughout the country. Jose Alvarez, a former construction worker from Lobios, felt a mix of nostalgia and fatalism at he remembered his working days in Aceredo. 'It's terrible, but it is what it is. That's life. Some die and others live,' he said. A number of the village's 70 houses made from stone and wood are still partially standing, and while many have caved in or washed away, parts of their roofs have survived decades of submersion. The outlines of farmland marked by stone walls have also been uncovered, along with old roads and pathways that run through the small village that was once home to around 120 residents. The outlines of farmland marked by stone walls have also been uncovered (pictured on February 10), along with old roads and pathways that run through the small village that was once home to around 120 residents Usually submerged ruins of the former village of Aceredo, appear from the Lindoso reservoir hydroelectric plant due to low water level, near Lobios, Ourense province, northwestern Spain, on November 22, 2021 In a national tragedy, the village of Aceredo was flooded in 1992 when a Portuguese hydroelectric plant closed its floodgates, causing the river Limea to flood the lands and houses in the surrounding area. Now, the village is only visible with low water A man walks in the usually submerged ruins of the former village of Aceredo, appear from the Lindoso reservoir hydroelectric plant due to low water level, near Lobios, Ourense province, northwestern Spain, on November 22, 2021 Pictured: A rare glimpse of a building from the submerged village of Aceredo is seen poking out from the Lindoso reservoir On many of the buildings, water marks can be seen on the walls showing the different water levels over time. Those that were painted have long been stripped of their colour. Old vehicles and other personal belongings are strewn amongst the ruins, and while anything metal has rusted over time, other items - like glass bottles - remain hauntingly in-place on tables and shelves. Logs and other lake debris also rest against the structures, while many piles of rubble show nothing but the remnants of buildings that once stood. Pictured: The wreckage of a rusted old vehicle is seen, perhaps where it was last parked up against a wall of a building before the village of Aceredo was flooded in 1992. People living in the village were ejected from their homes for the construction of the reservoir, that is currently experiencing low water levels A barrel and makeshift tables is shown half-buried in mud, with a pot and two glass bottles on top of the table, hauntingly in place after being submerged for the best part of three decades on November 22, 2021 The wreckage of a truck is seen next to usually submerged ruins of the former village of Aceredo, appear from the Lindoso reservoir hydroelectric plant due to low water level, near Lobios, Ourense province, Spain, on November 22, 2021 Pictured: With the water in the reservoir almost completely receded, the layout of the village and the outlines of farmyards marked by low brick walls can be seen on November 22, 2021 The tragedy of Aceredo started when an agreement was struck in 1968 between the heads of state from Spain and Portugal - Francisco Franco and Antonio de Oliveira Salazar Salazar respectively - to use their shared border rivers to construct the Lindoso dam. But the deal and subsequent engineering work came at a price - the expropriation of land and houses belonging to a number of villages and their inhabitants in the region. In order to remove the residents of the local villages, the Portuguese hydroelectric company EDP began to negotiate. But initially the majority of people living in Aceredo had no interest in leaving their homes. While some gave in to the amounts offered to them by the company, others held firm, refusing the cave to the intense pressure they said they came under. However, as soon as the company had 'convinced' 51 per cent of the people, a forced expropriation was published and there was no turning back - despite demonstrations, hunger strikes and confrontations with the police. In addition to Aceredo, four other villages - O Bao, Buscalque, A Reloeira and Lantemil - disappeared under the waters when the dam closed, forcing their residents to leave in 1992. Picured: Only one wall of this building from the former village of Aceredo remains standing after it was flooded in 1992 Pictured: A drinking fountain, that is now normally submerged by the reservoir, still flows despite the residents of the village being ejected from their homes in 1992 for the construction of the reservoir An agreement was struck in 1968 between the heads of state from Spain and Portugal - Francisco Franco and Antonio de Oliveira Salazar Salazar respectively - to use their shared border rivers to construct the Lindoso dam. Despite the local residents fighting to stay, the dam closed its floodgates in 1992 and flooded the region Pictured: Inside one of the homes of the former village of Aceredo. A fire kiln can be seen in-tact, along with the walls of the building. The floor, however, is covered in mud from the lakebed Pictured: The rusted frame of a metal fence is shown, uncovered due to the low water levels of the Lindoso reservoir Residents of other town higher up had more time to prepare for the flooding. In one case, the people of the village dismantled their church brick-by-brick to re-build it elsewhere, and even had time to exhume their relatives. But others were not so lucky, with those in towns like Buscalque and O Bao having to swim to safety with nothing but the clothes on their backs, unable to safe their animals which drowned in the rising waters. It was later discovered that people were lucky to survive, as the EDP did not disconnect power cables, according to Spanish news website Quinemil. Pictured: A view of the low level of water in the River Lima by the Lindoso reservoir hydroelectric plant on October 27, 2021 in Lobios, Ourense, Spain (file photo). The dam closed its walls in 1992, causing some of the local area home to small villages to flood, with the villages lost below the water for decades Almost three decades later, Aceredo stands out from the other villages, as it is the only one that is still visible on rare occasion when the water levels drop low enough. Many of the people who once inhabited the town live nearby, and can visit their old homes, but are often joined by tourists who want to witness the rare phenomenon. Those who do visit will see the ruined houses of a long-lost town, some personal belongings floating in the water and a fountain that still has flowing water. In the past, the EDP electricity company has blamed the drop in water levels on low rainfall, according to The Guardian. Lovers in Thailand have been urged to wear face masks during sex amid a surge in Covid infections - which authorities fear could worsen in the run up to Valentine's Day. Daily case numbers in the Southeast Asian tourism hub have climbed from about 8,000 at the start of the month to almost double in the past fortnight. Thai health authorities have expressed concerns this February 14 could exacerbate the trend, as the annual day of love is hugely popular in the country. 'Covid isn't a sexually transmitted disease, but catching Covid is possible through close-contact breathing and exchanging of saliva,' Bureau of Reproductive Health director Bunyarit Sukrat said on Friday. He recommended couples perform antigen tests before their date night to prevent passing on the virus to their partner. Thai health authorities have expressed concerns this February 14 could exacerbate a recent rise in Covid cases, as the annual day of love is hugely popular in the country. (Stock image) Lovers are urged to 'avoid face-to-face sex positions and deep kissing' and use contraceptives if they wish to avert unwanted pregnancies, he said. 'If possible, wearing face masks while having sex can help reduce Covid risks,' Mr Bunyarit said. The holiday is popular across the kingdom and is considered an auspicious day for couples to tie the knot. There are often long queues at marriage registration offices, especially in the Bangkok district of Bang Rak, which translates to 'love district' in the Thai language. One British ex-pat in Ukraine said he was prepared to pick up a gun himself to resist a Russian invasion. Stuart McKenzie, 51, who has undergone firearms training on a shooting range in Kiev, said: 'My priority is to protect my family. 'But I also plan to get my kids to safety then come back to help the Ukrainians in any way I can. 'That may mean organising or working with them but it might also mean picking up a gun - I'm prepared to do that because it's the Russians who are the aggressors.' The healthcare firm boss from Edinburgh, has lived in Ukraine for 28 years, is married to Ukrainian Lena, 49, and they have three children. Stuart McKenzie (pictured above), 51, from Edinburgh, who has undergone firearms training on a shooting range in Kiev, Ukraine, said: 'My priority is to protect my family' He said he expected tensions if the country's airspace is shut down. 'There won't be flights, the roads will be blocked, are you going to be able to get fuel for your car? Is there going to be cash in the banking machines? 'These things can go out of control very fast so we've got to be on the right side of the chaos.' Mr McKenzie is one of an estimated 6,000 Britons considering whether to flee the Ukraine in the face of a Russian invasion now believed to be imminent. The Foreign Office has told Britons they should leave while commercial flights are still available, and they have also been told their will be no RAF rescue flights, should Russia invade. Magazine publisher Peter Dickinson, 45, wife Susanna, 39, and children Nina, 11, and 14-year-old Elizabeth were on standby to escape the Ukrainian capital last night. Peter, from Buckinghamshire - who settled in Kiev 20 years ago - said: 'The evacuation advice from the embassy has sparked a lot of concern but few of the Brits I have spoken to are going anywhere just yet. 'Many, like me, have made their lives here and it would not be like leaving a place where we live - it would be leaving our homes and livelihoods. Members of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, train close to Kiev, Ukraine, on January 29 Dozens of civilians have been joining Ukraine's army reserves in recent weeks amid fears about Russian invasion. Pictured: Members of Ukraine's Territorial Forces on January 29 Members of Ukraine's Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, train close to Kyiv, Ukraine, on February 5 'The embassy would not be asking us to get out unless they had seen compelling evidence that something very bad is about to happen - that's what concerns us. 'We might get the children home to stay with my parents in the UK or just take a two week break somewhere to what happens but will not be dashing to the airport just yet. 'If bombs start falling on Kiev I may well regret my decision but that's a risk Putin is making us all take.' Ken Stewart, from Edinburgh and his Ukrainian wife Tania are stranded by red tape because they don't have a passport for their newborn son Douglas. Douglas was born on Monday, weighing 9lbs, by Caesarian, and Tania is still in hospital recovering. Ken, 54, and Tania, 36, live 50 miles west of Kiev with daughter Yaryna, three. He said: 'Our plan was to leave but we are in a difficult situation since we do not yet have Douglas' birth certificate. 'That can take one or two weeks here - and that's without there being a war so who knows how long it will take? The Foreign Office has told Britons they should leave while commercial flights are available. Pictured: Paul Meakin, his wife Svetlana and their daughter arrive at Gatwick from Kiev Haider Ali, 21, from Birmingham, is all smiles as he arrives safe and sound at Gatwick from Ukraine, where he studies at a medical university 'So I am waiting until they come home and then I think we may leave and head west, where Tania has relatives. 'I will stay here for a day or so and see what happens and then try and get away just to be safe. 'I am being practical. This is a bizarre situation. It's strange because they have been telegraphing an invasion for such a long time. Who does that?' He added: 'I am keeping a close eye on the situation.' Sean Kelly - a 53-year-old dad-of-two from Oxford living in Ukraine for 26 years - said: 'I'm disgusted by what Putin is doing to our friends in Ukraine and will do everything in my power to support them. 'He has painted himself into a corner to the point where everyone here is expecting an attack at any moment. Thousands of British, American and other European citizens - including many embassy staff - have now been told to get out of Ukraine while they still can. Pictured: Hurricane rocket launcher during Russian-Belarusian drill on Saturday Russian Air Force takes part in military drill above skies of Belarus - Ukraine's neighbour - on Saturday A helicopter fires missiles beneath clear blue skies during a Russian-Belarusian joint military drill on Saturday 'And if that happens I would be willing to take up arms and fight for Ukraine - I would do anything I can to help them.' Logistics firm boss Sean, who lives in Kiev with Ukrainian wife Natalia and their children Oliver, two, and Elizabeth, seven, added: 'I will evacuate my family first by driving them to Odessa then put them on a ferry across the Black Sea to Turkey. 'Lots of other Brits are planning to take the shorter overland route west to Poland but I'm sure there will be chaos at that border if bombs start falling and flights out are stopped. Ben Garratt, 40, and his wife, Alice, from north London, had baby Raphael using an IVF surrogate after moving to Kiev in December. But they have now been summoned to an embassy interview to apply for the mite's emergency travel document on Wednesday - the day Putin's forces are expected to invade. Mr Garratt said: 'They want to do a two-hour phone interview with me, but that's not until Wednesday - it is bizarre.' A drug runner who claimed he was on a day trip to Dunkirk when he was really picking up 800,000 heroin in Amsterdam to smuggle in his fuel tank has been jailed for six years. Daniel Whereatt, 48, of Seymour Road, Bristol, was stopped at Dover's Eastern Docks on March 18, 2019 when he was returning to the UK. His car was searched by Border Force officers after they noticed a strong smell of fuel inside the car. The lining and cushions of the back seats were removed, revealing 18 tape-wrapped packages filled with a brown powder submerged inside the fuel sender tanks. Officers tested the powder and 6kg was found to be heroin with an estimated street value of 800,000. according to the National Crime Agency (NCA). And another 2kg contained paracetamol and caffeine, which the NCA said are common cutting agents for heroin. Daniel Whereatt, 48, of Seymour Road, Bristol, was stopped at Dover's Eastern Docks on March 18 2019 when he was returning to the UK. Pictured: Whereatt's car with the lining and cushions of the back seats removed Pictured: The heroin found inside Whereatt's car at Dover's Eastern Docks by border officers Whereatt told officers that he was in Dunkirk on a day trip, sleeping in his car before coming back to the UK. But officers analysed his phone and discovered he had been in Amsterdam at the time he claimed to have been in Dunkirk. The 48-year-old's DNA was also found on a screwdriver and metal file next to the fuel sender unit where the drugs were found. He pleaded guilty to importing 6kg of heroin on January 4 and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday. Whereatt pleaded guilty to importing 6kg of heroin on January 4 and was sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday. Pictured: The packages found inside the car at Dover Mark Howes, branch commander at the NCA, said: 'This was an attempt to bring potentially lethal drugs into the UK and generate hundreds of thousands of pounds from their supply to vulnerable people. 'Whereatt had only insured the vehicle for two days and we believe this was solely for the purpose of picking up the heroin in Amsterdam and bringing it back to his contacts at home. 'Heroin is a very dangerous drug and brings with it exploitation and violence. 'We will continue our work with Border Force and other partners to target smugglers like Whereatt and bring them to justice.' Advertisement Vladimir Putin's superyacht has been pictured in all its glory, featuring the stunning finely furnished interiors, a spiral staircase and a swimming pool after being spotted 'fleeing' from a shipyard in Germany earlier this week, sparking speculation that it was trying to avoid being impounded by tough sanctions that would be imposed if Moscow invaded Ukraine. The 73.2 million pleasure craft, named Graceful, was originally built by Sevmash in Russia - with interiors and exteriors envisioned by H2 Yacht Design - was moved to Germany for modifications. The interiors include glossy sleek surfaces, soft cushioned sofas and deck chairs, and a posh white marble-styled bathroom. What appears to be an office room contains multitudes of shelves for books and a desk fronted with a stunning painting of a sailing boat. Exercise equipment can also be seen out on the deck, which is also lined with lounge-style seating and barstools. Vladimir Putin's superyacht has been pictured in all its glory, featuring the stunning finely furnished interiors, a spiral staircase and a swimming pool after being spotted 'fleeing' from a shipyard in Germany earlier this week The superyacht features a indoor pool that can be transformed into a dance floor as well as a helipad, reported superyacht magazine Boote Exclusiv. The 73.2 million pleasure craft, named Graceful, was originally built by Sevmash in Russia was moved to Germany for modifications But reports from German newspaper Bild suggest the superyacht escaped before repairs, which it said had been going on for months and included two new balconies, could be finished. It added Putin's 270ft vessel was 'fleeing' Germany amid the Ukraine crisis, with the newspaper claiming that the move 'was obviously an escape for fear of being arrested'. They referenced UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who has threatened to introduce tough sanctions and told Putin and his allies they will 'have nowhere to hide' if Russia invades Kiev. Putin's vessel had been at the Blohm+Voss shipyard since 2021 to be cleaned and refurbished, with two new large balconies being fitted, reported German newspaper Kieler Nachrichten. The newspaper published a photograph showing Graceful docked alongside the German Navy Corvette Emden at the shipyard before it set sail. The superyacht features a indoor pool that can be transformed into a dance floor as well as a helipad, reported superyacht magazine Boote Exclusiv. The Russian President's yacht set sail from the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg on Monday and had arrived in the Russian enclave Kaliningrad by midday on Wednesday, according to the ship tracking website Marine Traffic. The 73.2 million pleasure craft, named Graceful, was originally built by Sevmash in Russia was moved to Germany for modifications Putin's vessel had been at the Blohm+Voss shipyard since 2021 to be cleaned and refurbished, with two new large balconies being fitted, reported German newspaper Kieler Nachrichten The 73.2 million yacht, called 'Graceful', was seen sailing through the Kiel Canal a few hours after leaving the Port of Hamburg before heading out to the Baltic Sea. Ukrainian paper DialogUA reported the yacht left the port in a haste, and had already passed the canal 13 hours after the news came out. The decision to move Graceful towards Russia comes as tensions continue to escalate between the West and Moscow over Ukraine. It was today reported that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine on Wednesday, according to a credible intelligence report, as US President Joe Biden urgently arranged a telephone call with Vladimir Putin in a bid to prevent war. According to German newspaper Der Spiegel, the US Secret Service, CIA and the Pentagon are said to have received intel of an 'exceptionally detailed' invasion plan, scheduled for February 16. The plans were passed on to Biden's government and discussed in a series of secret briefings with NATO allies. They are said to contain specific routes that might be taken by individual Russian units and detail what roles they might play in the conflict. Der Speigel suggests the US is mulling whether to make the plans public in a bid to undermine them. But the West's fears of a war were today branded 'alarmist' and a symptom of American 'hysteria.' Kieler Nachrichten published a photograph showing Graceful docked alongside the German Navy Corvette Emden at the shipyard before it set sail The Russian President's yacht set sail from the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg on Monday and had arrived in the Russian enclave Kaliningrad by midday on Wednesday, according to the ship tracking website Marine Traffic The stunning interiors of Putin's superyacht, called Grateful, which earlier this week was reported to be 'fleeing' a German shipyard ahead of possible sanctions Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram: 'The White House's hysteria is more revealing than ever. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At all cost. 'The provocations, disinformation and the threats are their favourite method for resolving their own problems.' The White House confirmed that Biden and Putin would discuss the crisis by phone today - just hours after thousands of Brits and Americans were warned to get out of Ukraine while they still can, as tensions reached boiling point. The warning came amid fears that Putin could launch an 'aerial bombardment' of Kiev, risking a high civilian death toll. Several other countries have now told their citizens to leave the country, including Belgium, who on Saturday warned there would be 'no guarantee of evacuation' following a 'sudden deterioration', as 'communication links including internet and telephone lines could be seriously affected' and air travel hampered. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken today warned that the crisis had reached a 'pivotal moment', adding that there continues to be 'very troubling signs of Russian escalation', including new forces arriving around Ukraine's borders. Washington and its NATO allies have said they will not send troops to protect Ukraine from a Russian attack, but would send arms to help Ukrainians defend themselves and respond with financial sanctions against Moscow. A spiral staircase wraps around a lift in Putin's superyacht, which was seen sailing away from a German shipyard on Monday following escalating tensions over Ukraine But reports from German newspaper Bild suggest the superyacht escaped before repairs, which it said had been going on for months and included two new balconies, could be finished The yacht, with interior and exterior design by H2 Yacht Design, was originally built by Sevmash in Russia and later moved to Germany for modifications But financial insiders fear that Putin may strike first and target European and US banks with a coordinated cyber attack to inflict economic chaos worldwide. The European Central Bank has already told banks to conduct cyber war games to test their ability to fend off a potential attack, with financial regulators on high alert for a new strike. The ECB, led by former French minister Christine Lagarde and which has oversight of Europe's biggest lenders, has diverted its attention from regular scams to cyber attacks launched from Russia, an insider revealed. They added security chiefs have told European and US banks to shore up their defences in preparation for a potential hack. The New York Department of Financial Services also issued an alert to financial institutions in late January warning of cyber attacks, according to Thomson Reuters' Regulatory Intelligence. The decision to move Graceful towards Russia comes as tensions continue to escalate as it was today reported that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine on Wednesday, according to a credible intelligence report Gym gear out on Putin's superyacht, Graceful, which was this week spotted reportedly 'fleeing' from a German port as tensions between over Ukraine continue to mount in the West A spiral staircase in Putin's yacht, Graceful. The Russian president's 270ft vessel was said to be 'fleeing' Germany earlier this week amid the Ukraine crisis, with German newspaper Bild saying the move 'was obviously an escape for fear of being arrested' Earlier this year, multiple Ukrainian websites were hit by a cyber strike that left a warning to 'be afraid and expect the worst', as Russia amassed more than 100,000 troops near their borders. Ukraine's state security service SBU said it saw signs the attack was linked to hacker groups associated with Russian intelligence services. The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the Russian state has anything to do with hacking around the world and said it is ready to cooperate with the United States and others to crack down on cyber crime. Nonetheless, regulators in Europe are on high alert. It comes as Germany's gas stocks have fallen to a 'worrying' level, an economy ministry spokeswoman said Wednesday, as fears over a possible invasion of Ukraine by Russia put further pressure on energy supplies. 'Of course we are monitoring the situation of the storage levels and that is certainly worrying,' said the spokeswoman during a regular government press conference, noting that stocks were now at 35-36 percent. A year ago, storage levels were at 82 percent of capacity. Vladimir Putin waits on the deck of a yacht to welcome Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko on the Black Sea in May 29, 2021 in Sochi, Russia The decision to move Graceful towards Russia comes as tensions continue to escalate between the West and Moscow over Ukraine The heightened fears come as Russia holds drills for landing troops and armoured vehicles in combat formation on annexed Crimea near mainland Ukraine. The exercises involve the Orsk and Novocherkassk large amphibious assault ships. Six additional landing ships are arriving in the Black Sea ostensibly for drills amid fears of a Russian invasion. 'The exercise involved embarking the hardware and landing an amphibious assault on an unequipped coast,' said a Black Sea source. Crews of BTR-82A and BTR-82A armoured personnel carriers went into 'combat formation' after landing in an operation involving hundreds of troops at Kazachya Bay in Sevastopol. The continued war games will do little to dampen the fears of an impending invasion, despite Emmanuel Macron saying on Tuesday he believed steps can be taken to de-escalate the crisis after meeting with Putin in the Kremlin. And to make matters worse, the Kremlin has ridiculed Macron's claims he struck a deal with Putin for a de-escalation of tensions. The French president has positioned himself as a potential peacemaker and proudly boasted he had made 'private promises' with the Russian leader, which had not been sanctioned by NATO, after their meeting in Moscow on Monday. Ukrainian paper DialogUA reported the yacht left the port in a haste, and had already passed the canal 13 hours after the news came out Macron said Putin had assured him he 'won't be initiating an escalation', before jetting off to Ukraine for a meeting with president Volodymyr Zelensky on the next leg of his diplomatic tour. But Russia has now slapped Macron down, saying he does not have enough influence or authority to negotiate any deals unilaterally. Britain is also said to be concerned about the Frenchman's intervention, with government sources telling the Mail he 'hasn't consulted with anyone' about his peace bid. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rejected that Putin had made any promises, saying: 'This is wrong in its essence. Moscow and Paris couldn't do any deals. It's simply impossible. 'France is a leading country in the EU, France is a member of NATO, but Paris is not the leader there. In this bloc, a very different country is in charge. So what deals can we talk about?' Ghislaine Maxwell was once described as Prince Andrew's 'ex-girlfriend' during a private tour of Buckingham Palace the Duke gave to VIPs including former US President Bill Clinton. Newly emerged photographs of the 2002 trip show Mr Clinton examining artefacts in the ballroom of the Queen's official residence alongside Ms Maxwell, who faces up to 40 years in prison after she was convicted of a string of sex offences in New York. Mr Clinton had been given a tour of the palace alongside Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey, who has faced his own allegations of sexual harassment in recent years. Meanwhile, Prince Andrew is pictured pointing at something outside of the shot as a young woman, thought to be part of the entourage, smiles for the camera. Staff were informed Ms Maxwell was joining the tour because she was the Duke of York's 'ex-girlfriend', reports The Telegraph. A source who was part of the party told the Telegraph: 'Ghislaine Maxwell was the one who led us into Buckingham Palace - she knew her way around this area of the palace. 'She was described to me [as] an ex-girlfriend of Prince Andrew's.' During that same trip, Ms Maxwell and Mr Spacey sat on the Chairs of Estate - used during the Queen's 1953 coronation - as they posed as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Ghislaine Maxwell (pictured left) was once described as Prince Andrew's 'ex-girlfriend' during a 2002 private tour of Buckingham Palace the Duke gave to VIPs including former US President Bill Clinton (pictured centre) The photograph was reportedly taken on September 30, 2002 - 18 months after the Duke (left) is alleged to have had sexual intercourse with Virginia Roberts, who was 17 at the time Those who were part of the entourage explained the trip around Buckingham Palace was organised for Clinton and Spacey as guests of Prince Andrew. The photograph was reportedly taken on September 30, 2002 - 18 months after the Duke is alleged to have had sexual intercourse with Virginia Giuffre, who was 17 at the time. Ms Giuffre, now 38, is suing the Duke of York for unlimited civil damages in her home country of the US, claiming she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein, Andrew's friend, to have sex with the royal when she was 17, a minor under US law. The royal vehemently denies her claim and is demanding a jury trial later this year to fight her sexual assault case. The decision is said to have horrified senior members of the royal family - and led to the Queen stripping him of his military titles and royal patronages so he can face the lawsuit as a 'private citizen'. During that same 2002 trip, Maxwell and Kevin Spacey sat on the Chairs of Estate (pictured) - used during the Queen's 1953 coronation - as they posed as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh Staff were informed Ms Maxwell was joining Prince Andrew's private tour because she was the Duke of York's 'ex-girlfriend' Records from the court circular show Prince Andrew had arrived in London the day before the tour, on September 29, after an official visit to the US as a trade envoy. Mr Clinton had spent the previous week touring Africa and was accompanied by Ms Maxwell, Mr Spacey and comedian Chris Tucker. One source told the Telegraph: 'That tour was for Clinton and Spacey, they were Prince Andrews guests. But Ghislaine seemed to be leading the charge. 'The impression we all had was that there was some relationship there between Prince Andrew and Ghislaine Maxwell - they clearly knew each other very well. She was very friendly and cheery.' Sources close to the Duke had previously said he had 'no recollection' of the tour. However, in the picture, Mr Clinton stands in the background in front of the thrones as Maxwell watches on and Prince Andrew is seen pointing to the distance. At the time the picture was taken Maxwell remained close to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, who had sent her 3.7million via wire transfer that month. Epstein was not on the Buckingham Palace trip, but loaned Mr Clinton his private plane nicknamed 'Lolita Express'. Prince Andrew is preparing to give evidence under oath for the Giuffre trial on March 10 in London, in what has been described as a neutral location. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute has called an Alabama school system's response to complaints from a Jewish student that a teacher had classmates perform a Nazi salute 'disconcerting' and that it shows a lack of commitment to diversity. While Mountain Brooks Schools issued a statement saying it was 'deeply apologetic for the pain' caused by a lesson that 'lacked sensitivity,' the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute questioned actions taken by the system. In a story first reported by the Birmingham-based Southern Jewish Life, a Jewish student said he was shocked last month when a history teacher at Mountain Brook High School had classmates stand and give a stiff-armed Nazi salute during a lesson on the way symbols change. The teacher has not been identified. The student, Ephraim Tytell, said school officials reprimanded him and told him to apologize to the teacher after he shared a video and photos of the incident on social media. Tytell said he refused. Tytell, the only Jewish student in the 11th-grade history class, and several of his classmates refused to stand. 'I felt upset, unsure of what's going on. Just kind of shocked,' Tytell told CBS 42. The school system, which is right outside Birmingham and includes four elementary schools, a junior high school and a high school, was previously criticized by civil rights groups and activists after it ditched an anti-bias and diversity program produced by an organization that combats antisemitism after several anti-Semitic events. 'It is in this light that we find a more recent incident involving the Nazi salute displayed by students in a Mountain Brook classroom particularly disconcerting, as it shows a conspicuous lack of preparation on the part of administrators to discuss, teach and lead in this area,' the city-owned educational institute said in a statement issued on Friday. Mountain Brooks Schools has been accused of showing 'a conspicuous lack of preparation on the part of administrators to discuss, teach and lead' after an unnamed teacher (pictured) instructed students to stand and give a Nazi salute during a history lesson Mountain Brooks Schools was previously criticized by civil rights groups and activists after it ditched an anti-bias and diversity program produced by an organization that combats antisemitism after several anti-Semitic events Pictured: A shot from the video Ephraim Tytell, the only Jewish student in the 11th-grade history class, (pictured) was reprimanded by the school after he shared a video of the inappropriate assignment The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (pictured) claimed the schools 'disconcerting' response to the Nazi salute shows a lack of commitment to diversity 'They proceeded to tell me that I'm making Mountain Brook look bad for uploading the video and sharing it and asked me to apologize to my teacher, which I refused to,' he said. 'The day after, he made our class, and our class only, put up our phones and he moved me from sitting in the back of the class to right next to him.' The lesson was said to be intended to show how symbols change by demonstrating that something very similar to what's now widely known as a Nazi salute was used before World War II to salute the U.S. flag. The 'Bellamy Salute' was ditched in 1942 for the right-hand-over-the-heart gesture following the United States' entry into the second world war. The population of Mountain Brooks is 97 percent white with a median household income of $152,355, making it the state's wealthiest suburb, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Mountain Brooks school system was previously ruled one of the top three most segregated school systems in the country, according to the nonprofit EdBuild. On Tuesday, the school system issued a statement saying the video and photos shared online 'are not representative of the lesson' and that no one tried to teach students how to do a Nazi salute. With blowback continuing, the system followed up with a more conciliatory statement on Thursday, that said in part: 'There are more effective ways to teach this subject without recreating painful, emotional responses to history's atrocities.' 'To improve our instructional strategies, we will continue to work with the Alabama Holocaust Education Center to advance training for our teachers surrounding Antisemitism, the Holocaust and its symbols,' the statement said. The school system said it stands 'absolutely and unequivocally' against antisemitism. The Birmingham Jewish Federation said the district's follow-up statement was a 'direct result' of conversations it had with leaders of the school system. School officials 'fully recognize and understand the insensitivity of the instruction in the classroom that day and the absence of a safe space for learning for the students,' the Jewish organization said. William Galloway, a spokesman for Mountain Brooks Schools, said it was against system policy to comment on whether the teacher remained in the classroom. 'Understanding the sensitive nature of this subject, Mountain Brook Schools has addressed the instructional strategy used with the teacher and does not condone the modeling of this salute when a picture or video could accurately convey the same message,' the school system's statement said. The population of Mountain Brooks is 97% white with a median household income of $152,355, making it the state's wealthiest suburb, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Mountain Brook Listens, a group that works to promote diversity in the virtually all-white city of 22,000, issued a statement saying the incident showed the need for more resources, education and training on understanding implicit biases, building empathy and acting with more compassion. 'And our entire community, including our school system, must foster an environment where people feel safe to report behavior that they are concerned about and certainly not create an environment that cultivates any ''fear of reprisal,''' it said. Last year, Mountain Brook's school system responded to community complaints about a diversity program produced by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) by dropping the lessons. Schools had begun using the material after anti-Semitic events, including a video of a student with swastikas drawn on his body. Opponents claimed the lessons focused too much on race and gender and criticized the ADL as being too political. Multiple people have been left injured and search and rescue crews were called in after the second floor of a popular bar reportedly collapsed with punters inside this afternoon. Seven people have been rescued from the Two More Years bar in Hackney Wick, east London, and a number of people have been treated at the scene and taken to hospital. The group were left trapped on the remaining area of the mezzanine floor after it had collapsed, and were rescued by firefighters. Pictures taken at the scene show dozens of police officers and paramedics in attendance, who treated patients on the pavement in Roach Road just outside the bar. It is not yet clear how many people have been injured during the incident. Multiple people have been left injured and search and rescue crews were called in after the second floor of a popular bar reportedly collapsed with punters inside this afternoon The remains of Two More Years bar and restaurant at Hackey Wick, east London after a mezzanine floor collapsed on Saturday Eight people have been rescued from the Two More Years bar in Hackney Wick, east London, and a number of people have been treated at the scene and taken to hospital Multiple people have been left injured and a search is still underway after the second floor of a popular bar in Hackney Wick, east London, reportedly collapsed this afternoon The emergency services rushed to Two More Years in Hackney Wick, east London at around 4.50pm on Saturday, February 12 London Fire Brigade's Station Commander Sacha Clement, who is at the scene, said: 'Firefighters have carried out a systematic search of the building and rescued eight people from inside. 'They were trapped on the remaining part of the mezzanine floor and crews used a ladder to bridge between the floor and the internal staircase to get them safely out of the building. 'We are working with our emergency services partners, and a number of people have been treated at the scene and taken to hospital.' Pictures taken at the scene in Roach Road show dozens of police officers and paramedics in attendance, who treated patients on the pavement just outside the bar A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade confirmed a mezzanine floor at the bar had collapsed as search and rescue crews were called in A spokesperson for London Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 4:44pm today (12 February) to Roach Road, Hackney Wick, to reports that part of a building had collapsed. We have sent a number of resources to the scene. 'Crews are treating patients at the scene and are working closely with emergency services colleagues.' A spokesperson for the London Fire Brigade confirmed a mezzanine floor at the bar had collapsed as search and rescue crews were called in. Three fire engines from Homerton, Bethnal Green and Leyton fire stations and two rescue units from East Ham and Edmonton stations are at the scene, alongside ambulances and resources from the Metropolitan police. Rushanara Ali, Labour MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, tweeted: 'Very concerned about the collapse of part of a building at Roach Road, Fish Island. 'My thoughts are with all those affected and their loved ones. Grateful to @Ldn-Ambulance and @TowerHamletsNow emergency response services for their support at this time.' A statement on the venue's Instagram page said: 'At around 5pm today, the mezzanine in our venue collapsed. 'Thankfully no one has sustained any critical injuries. This does mean the venue will remain closed for now and all dinner reservations and party bookings are cancelled. 'Our thoughts are with everyone that has been affected. We will provide more information as we have it.' A few thousand truckers in Ontario and a few thousand city workers in New York have the freedom to complain that government is overstepping its bounds by requiring them to get vaccinated against COVID-19. They have the freedom to be raucous and angry and even somewhat disruptive in the process. What they dont have the freedom to do is keep their jobs while ignoring mandates that courts have blessed as legally permissible actions designed to stop a pandemic thats been raging for two years from overwhelming hospitals and killing Americans and Canadians. Truckers and police officers and firefighters are known as tough guys, but it seems to us to be both tougher and smarter to roll up ones sleeve, feel the little pinprick and stave off a potentially deadly pathogen rather than risk ones life in the name of freedom. Advertisement A group of New York City workers marched from Metro Tech in Downtown Brooklyn, over the Brooklyn Bridge, and then made their way over to City Hall to protest ahead of their possible termination this Friday due to their vaccination status. (Luiz C. Ribeiro/for New York Daily News) Even a U.S. Supreme Court arguably as protective of individual rights and religious freedom as this one still permits employers to make their workers get the jab; Friday, the court denied an emergency appeal from school teachers to block the city mandate. The worker has a right to refuse, but then the employer has a right to sever their employment. New York Citys rule for its municipal workforce, announced by Mayor de Blasio last October, has been wildly successful, driving vax rates from 84% to about 95%, and leaving a straggling 3,000 dead-enders among a workforce of 370,000. They are entitled to ask for medical or religious exceptions, which the city had and has an obligation to consider in good faith. But if and when those exemption requests fail, a rules a rule. Advertisement We think the broader city mandate requiring just about all private employers to make just about all their workers get shots is much more of a legal and moral reach, just as President Bidens mandate on large employers, based on very different federal authority, proved to be. Thats not this. It wouldve been good if push had never come to shove; it did. The city will live without these few thousand workers. The question is will they live without their shots? Fraud is costing the taxpayer up to 1 billion every week more than four times the amount expected to be raised by the looming national insurance hike. When Treasury Minister Lord Agnew dramatically quit last month, he cited the Government's abject failure to prevent criminals from stealing 29 billion each year. Staggeringly, a newly unearthed official report reveals the true cost may be as much as 52 billion the equivalent of more than 1,600 a second and more than the budget of the Ministry of Defence. Lord Agnew in the House of Lords last month. In January he dramatically quit as Treasury Minister and cited the Government's abject failure to prevent criminals from stealing 29 billion each year Critics said the increase in NI which will raise 12 billion a year to help hospitals clear waiting lists and support social care would not be required if Ministers got a grip on the fraud epidemic. The revelation comes days after Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng appeared to downplay the impact of fraud by suggesting it was not a 'crime that people experience in their day-to-day lives'. Labour peer Lord Sikka, an accountancy expert who unearthed the report, said last night: 'This is horrendous given that even the poorest people are being asked to pay more in tax and national insurance and given the vast queues we have for the NHS. It is utter negligence.' The projected fraud losses are detailed in the Cross-Government Fraud Landscape Bulletin, a report disclosed by Cabinet Office Minister Lord True following a question by Lord Sikka. The Christine Brown ward at King's College Hospital in London last month. Labour peer Lord Sikka said last night: 'This is horrendous given that even the poorest people are being asked to pay more in tax and national insurance and given the vast queues we have for the NHS' 'The estimated fraud cost to the Government outside of the tax and welfare system is 2.5 billion to 25 billion per year,' it says. 'This increases to 29.3 billion to 52 billion when fraud against the tax and welfare system is included.' Astonishingly, the estimate was made before the pandemic and so does not take into account the eye-watering sums lost to criminals who fraudulently obtained Covid grants and loans. Meg Hillier MP, chairwoman of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, accused Ministers of having a 'laissez faire' attitude towards fraud, adding: 'This is taxpayers' money, they work hard to earn it and they give it over rather reluctantly but in the hope that it is spent properly. There needs to be a much more serious attitude from the Government.' Tory MPs also voiced their anger, particularly given the 1.25 per cent rise in NI contributions for employers and employees from April. The rise will cost a worker on a 30,000 salary around 255 a year. Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith said: 'I don't believe in tax hikes. The Government has got to redouble its efforts to get the fraud losses back.' Ward D1 at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital in Blackburn in May 2020. The NHS claims that it loses more than a billion pounds to fraud each year MPs on the Treasury Committee have urged Ministers to consider setting up a single law enforcement agency to investigate fraud amid concerns over the 'bewildering' number of bodies charged with policing economic crime. Analysis by The Mail on Sunday shows that 28 organisations are responsible for tackling fraud, including the National Crime Agency, the City of London Police and the Serious Fraud Office. According to the Office for National Statistics, fraud and computer misuse costs more than all other types of crime put together, yet only around 1 per cent of police resources and personnel are devoted to tackling it. Lord Sikka said: 'My suspicion is that the total losses are probably even bigger because they don't seem to have any comprehensive system for assessing it.' The NHS claims that it loses more than a billion pounds to fraud each year, but the Centre for Counter Fraud Studies at the University of Portsmouth estimated in 2017 that the real figure was 3.4 billion. A Government spokesman said last night: 'Fraud is totally unacceptable. We are taking firm and coordinated action across Government to crack down on it.' New Zealand authorities blasted Barry Manilow and turned on water sprinklers in an attempt to to disperse coronavirus vaccine protesters camped outside parliament. Initial moves to try and flush out several hundred protesters who have been camped on the grounds in Wellington since Tuesday had little effect. The protesters, who have been voicing their opposition to coronavirus vaccine requirements, responded to the soaking from the sprinklers by digging trenches and installing makeshift drainpipes to divert the water. When a downpour struck on Saturday, their numbers only grew. Protesters brought in bales of straw, which they scattered on the increasingly sodden grounds at parliament. Some shouted, others danced and one group performed an Indigenous Maori haka. By evening, parliament speaker Trevor Mallard had come up with a new plan to make the protesters uncomfortable: using a sound system to blast out vaccine messages, Barry Manilow songs and the 1990s hit Macarena on a repeat loop. New Zealand authorities blasted Barry Manilow and turned on water sprinklers in an attempt to to disperse coronavirus vaccine protesters camped outside parliament (pictured) Parliament speaker Trevor Mallard came up with a plan to make the protesters uncomfortable: using a sound system to blast out vaccine messages, Barry Manilow (pictured in 1976) songs and the 1990s hit Macarena on a repeat loop Protesters responded by playing their own tunes, including Twister Sister's We're Not Gonna Take It. The protest began when a convoy of trucks and cars drove to parliament from around the nation, inspired by similar demonstrations in Canada. At first there were more than 1,000 protesters but that number dwindled as the week wore on before growing again on Saturday. Police have been taking a more hands-off approach since Thursday, when they arrested 122 people and charged many of them with trespassing or obstruction. Officers who have been wearing protective vests but have not been using riot gear or carrying guns, had tried to slowly advance on the protesters. That tactic resulted in a number of physical confrontations. A video of two female officers briefly dragging a naked woman by her hair from a scuffle went viral. In a response to questions from The Associated Press, New Zealand police said they did not remove the woman's clothing as some people had claimed online, and that she had been naked for 'some time' before her arrest. Police also said the images and videos did not provide the full context of the protest activity or the situation that police faced. However, the scuffles seemed to prompt a strategic rethink by police, who appeared more content to wait it out as the week wore on. By Friday, Mr Mallard, the parliament speaker, had seen enough, and told staff to turn on the sprinklers overnight. 'I ordered them on,' he confirmed to the AP. People take part in a so-called 'Convoy to Canberra' protest outside Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, 12 February 2022 convoy of vehicles block an intersection near New Zealand's Parliament in Wellington on Feb. 8 Police stand in the rain as they guard Parliament on the fifth day of demonstrations against Covid-19 restrictions in Wellington on February 12, 2022 'No-one who is here is here legally, and if they're getting wet from below as well as above, they're likely to be a little bit less comfortable and more likely to go home,' Mr Mallard said, according to news organisation Stuff. 'Some people have suggested we add the vaccine in the water, but I don't think it works that way,' he joked. Mr Mallard told media he was also responsible for the sound system loop. Some of the protesters' vehicles have remained parked in the middle of streets around parliament, forcing some street closures. The National Library and many cafes and bars in the area have closed their doors while the protest plays out. Police said one protester suffered a medical event on Friday evening and an ambulance was unable to reach him because of the vehicles blocking the streets, resulting in a delay before he was treated. Among the protesters' grievances is the requirement in New Zealand that certain workers get vaccinated against Covid-19, including teachers, doctors, nurses, police and military personnel. Protesters watch as a man spins the tire on his motorcycle in wet conditions as they demonstrate their opposition to coronavirus vaccine mandates at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022 Police arrest people protesting against coronavirus mandates at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand, on Feb. 10, 2022 Many protesters also oppose mask mandates - such as those in shops and among children over the age of eight in classrooms - and champion the ideal of more 'freedom'. Parliament's grounds have often been the site of peaceful protests, although mass campouts are unusual. New Zealand was spared the worst of the pandemic after it closed its borders and implemented strict lockdowns, limiting the spread of the virus. The nation has reported just 53 virus deaths among its population of five million. But some have grown weary of the restrictions. Prime minister Jacinda Ardern last week said the country would end its quarantine requirements for incoming travellers in stages as it reopened its borders. With about 77 percent of New Zealanders vaccinated, Ms Ardern has also promised she will not impose more lockdowns. An outbreak of the Omicron variant has been growing, with New Zealand reporting a record 454 new community cases Saturday. But none of the 27 people taken to hospital during the outbreak needed to be in intensive care beds. Meanwhile, a tense standoff at a U.S.-Canadian border crossing that inspired copycat protests such as the one in New Zealand appeared to be dissolving peacefully on Saturday. A line of police pushes back protestors and their vehicles on Saturday as they clear a blockade at the entrance to the Ambassador Bridge, that was sealing off the flow of commercial traffic over the bridge into Canada from Detroit Canadian police moved in to disperse the nearly weeklong blockade and protesters began leaving the crossing crucial to both countries' economies without resistance Many demonstrators drove away from the Ambassador Bridge spanning the river between Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, as scores of police approached shortly after dawn. They had spent the night there in defiance of new warnings to end the blockade, which disrupted the flow of traffic and goods and forced the auto industry on both sides to roll back production. Surrounded by dozens of officers, a man with 'Mandate Freedom' and 'Trump 2024' spray-painted on his vehicle left as other protesters began dismantling a small tarp-covered encampment. A trucker honked his horn as he, too, drove off, to cheers and chants of 'Freedom!' More protesters arrived to the area by late morning, though, carrying flags and yelling. Police continued to back people away from the bridge, and there were no visible physical confrontations. The demonstrations at the Ambassador Bridge, downtown Ottawa and elsewhere have targeted vaccine mandates and other coronavirus restrictions and vented fury toward Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has called the protesters a 'fringe' of Canadian society. Spanish police have arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of shooting dead his parents and brother after he was banned from using the internet because of bad school marks. The teenager spent three days living with their bodies at the family home near Elche, a city close to Alicante, before allegedly admitting his crime. He is understood to have used a hunting rifle to shoot his mother and brother on Tuesday before killing his father when he arrived home later that day. Spanish police have arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of shooting dead his parents and brother after he was banned from using the internet because of bad school marks. Pictured: The family's home in Elche The teenager spent three days living with their bodies at the family home near Elche, a city close to Alicante, before allegedly admitting his crime Police sources on the Costa Blanca said they believed the murders could have been sparked by the boy's parents stopping him from accessing the internet as a punishment for poor school grades and not helping with chores Police sources on the Costa Blanca said they believed the murders could have been sparked by the boy's parents stopping him from accessing the internet as a punishment for poor school grades and not helping with chores. Local reports claimed he had confessed to a neighbour when he was asked about his family. Police sources have been quoted as saying that the boy admitted shooting his father in the chest 'because he wouldn't shut up' after finding his wife and younger son dead. The country's National Police has yet to comment officially. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he will oppose any new commissioner of the Metropolitan Police if they do not accept the 'deep cultural issues' within the force. He added that he had a 'duty to act decisively' in forcing Dame Cressida Dick to resign as commissioner earlier this week. His comments tee up a standoff with Home Secretary Priti Patel, who has emphasised that it is she who will be making the final decision on a replacement. It comes as Ms Patel's preferred choice, Dame Lynne Owens, is understood to be back in the running for the top cop job after a battle with breast cancer last year. While Ms Patel will the final say, the process requires her to consult Mr Khan who has said he will work closely with her on any decision. The pair's idea of an ideal candidate for the job is expected to differ. Writing in the Observer, the mayor of London said: 'It has become crystal-clear that there are deep cultural issues within the Met. 'It's my job as mayor to hold the police to account on behalf of Londoners, so it was my duty to act decisively as soon as I concluded that the only way we were going to start seeing the level of change urgently required was with new leadership right at the top of the Met.' London Mayor Sadiq Khan has said he will oppose any new commissioner of the Metropolitan Police if they do not accept 'deep cultural issues' within the force. He added that he had a 'duty to act decisively' in forcing Dame Cressida Dick to resign as commissioner earlier this week Khan's comments tee up a standoff with Home Secretary Priti Patel (pictured last month), who has emphasised that it is she who will be making the final decision on a replacement Ms Patel's preferred choice, Dame Lynne Owens (pictured), is understood to be back in the running for Britain's top cop job after a battle with breast cancer Mr Khan added that Dame Cressida's successor would need to be prepared to tackle the cultural problems he said had 'shattered' public trust. 'And as we start this important process, I make this commitment to Londoners - I will not support the appointment of a new commissioner unless they can clearly demonstrate that they understand the scale of the cultural problems within the Met and the urgency with which they must be addressed. 'In short, they need to get it, and they need to have a proper and robust plan to deal with it,' he said. Dame Owens, a former chief constable of Surrey Police who joined the Metropolitan Police service in 1989, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021. She most recently served as head of the National Crime Agency for five years. The comments could foment tensions that arose between the Mayor and Ms Patel over the manner of Dame Cressida's departure, just months after the Home Secretary agreed a two-year extension to her contract. It was revealed yesterday that a row had broken out between Dame Cressida and Mr Khan over the out-going Metropolitan Police Chief's exit payoff. After her dramatic resignation on Thursday, Dame Cressida is in line for a payout of more than 500,000 on top of a 160,000-a-year gold-plated pension in what has been described as a 'dreadful reward for failure'. But despite the reported on-going dispute, the mayor thanked her for her service. 'I'd like to thank Dame Cressida Dick again for her years of dedicated service and her role in helping to reduce crime in London over recent years. I will now work closely with the Home Secretary as we select a new commissioner,' he said. Under the terms of her two-year extended contract, signed in September, Dame Cressida, 61, can expect to receive her 246,109 annual salary with 3,074 benefits for the remaining 25 months she had left to serve until April 2024. Mr Khan added that he had a 'duty to act decisively' in forcing Dame Cressida Dick (pictured Friday) to resign as commissioner earlier this week Sadiq Khan was briefed on damning report that revealed the Met were FAILING rape victims Sadiq Khan was made aware that the Met were failing a number of its rape victims before Dame Cressida Dick's stunning resignation. Khan had been told of a damning inquiry, dubbed Operation Soteria, into the force's handling of rape and sexual assault cases which found officers lacked specialist training and were routinely failing to monitor known sex offenders, reports the Telegraph. The findings of the report - which had been passed to Khan on February 1 - also raised concerns about staff believing rape allegations were false and accused some officers of failing to probe the criminal backgrounds of men accused of sexual offences. That same day the calls for Cressida Dicks' resignation grew after her force apologised when Met Police officers were caught joking on WhatsApp about 'raping' and 'hate-f**king' female colleagues. London's Mayor was set to raise the findings of Operation Soteria at a meeting with the Commissioner's office last week - before news of Dame Cressida's bombshell resignation broke. Last week, Dame Cressida said that 'tackling violence in all its forms has been my number one priority.' Sources close to Mr Khan say it was clear that he had 'lost confidence' in Britain's top cop before she publicly stepped down last week. The joint report, held between police force and Crime Prosecution Service, intends to channel officers' efforts into their suspects during rape enquiries rather than investigate the credibility of a claimant. Operation Soteria's findings are understood to have drawn close parallels to conclusions drawn into the handling of sex crimes within Avon and Somerset Police, which were made public last June. One source who has knowledge of the Metropolitan police's results within the report said it damningly revealed how 'officers were not routinely monitoring known offenders of sexual crimes.' The source alleged key findings also included 'a serious lack of specialist training of officers' which led to a 'lack of morale' and 'complete and utter burnout' within the force. A Met spokesman said: 'We are committed to tackling violence in all its forms including crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls. 'As part of this commitment, we put ourselves forward as one of five forces to take part in a national programme aimed at transforming the way that police respond to and investigate rape and serious sexual offences in England and Wales. 'We await the outcome of the report and will respond to its findings in due course.' 'We have already made significant steps to ensure we are providing the best possible service to victims of rape and sexual offences.' Advertisement She will also receive a bumper pension payout because it is effectively the second time that she has 'retired' from the Metropolitan Police after clocking up nearly 37 years' service. According to The Times, both the Met and City Hall refused to comment on whether Dame Cressida would receive the full amount, but Mr Khan is said to be resisting handing over the huge severance package. Furthermore, the newspaper reported that MPs and relatives of the victims affected by scandals Dame Cressida was involved in have called on Mr Khan to either refuse to offer her a pay off or fund the amount it himself. Mr Khan's comments and news of Dame Cressida's payoff came amid an already raging row about Khan's shock move to force out the Scotland Yard commissioner. It emerged last night that her deputy Sir Stephen House is also likely to leave at the same time, leaving Britain's biggest force rudderless with vacancies in four of the most important jobs in policing. Former National Crime Agency boss Dame Lynne Owens retired on the grounds of ill health last year, and Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary Sir Tom Winsor is expected to announce his retirement shortly. Ms Patel has also warned the new Met chief must be prepared to tackle the 'policing culture' which has left the country's biggest force reeling from a series of scandals. The developments came as it emerged Sadiq Khan had been made aware that the Met were failing a number of its rape victims before Dame Cressida Dick's stunning resignation. Khan had been told of a damning inquiry, dubbed Operation Soteria, into the force's handling of rape and sexual assault cases which found officers lacked specialist training and were routinely failing to monitor known sex offenders, reports the Telegraph. The findings of the report - which had been passed to Khan on February 1 - also raised concerns about staff believing rape allegations were false and accused some officers of failing to probe the criminal backgrounds of men accused of sexual offences. London's Mayor was set to raise the findings of Operation Soteria at a meeting with the Commissioner's office last week - before news of Dame Cressida's bombshell resignation broke. Last week, Dame Cressida said that 'tackling violence in all its forms has been my number one priority.' Sources close to Mr Khan say it was clear that he had 'lost confidence' in Britain's top cop before she publicly stepped down last week. The joint report, held between police force and Crime Prosecution Service, intends to channel officers' efforts into their suspects during rape enquiries rather than investigate the credibility of a claimant. MailOnline understands Mr Khan was briefed on Operation Soteria's findings on February 1. That same day the calls for Cressida Dick's resignation grew after her force apologised when Met Police officers were caught joking on WhatsApp about 'raping' and 'hate-f**king' female colleagues. One source who has knowledge of the Metropolitan police's results within the report said it damningly revealed how 'officers were not routinely monitoring known offenders of sexual crimes.' The source alleged key findings also included 'a serious lack of specialist training of officers' which led to a 'lack of morale' and 'complete and utter burnout' within the force. A Met spokesman said: 'We are committed to tackling violence in all its forms including crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls. 'As part of this commitment, we put ourselves forward as one of five forces to take part in a national programme aimed at transforming the way that police respond to and investigate rape and serious sexual offences in England and Wales. We await the outcome of the report and will respond to its findings in due course.' 'We have already made significant steps to ensure we are providing the best possible service to victims of rape and sexual offences.' Home Secretary Priti Patel was caught off guard by the decision, learning of it only when Dame Cressida rang her to say she had stood down - sparking a bitter row between City Hall and the Home Office. Ms Patel, who is beginning the search for a successor to Dame Cressida, said following the resignation it would require 'strong and decisive leadership' to rebuild public confidence in the force's 'integrity and professionalism'. In a statement, said she would be looking for someone who could deliver results for the public. 'Following a series of appalling incidents and too many historical cases involving serving Met Police officers, it is clear that strong and decisive new leadership will be required to restore public confidence in our largest police force,' she said. 'The public in London and across the entire country must once again have confidence in the integrity and professionalism of the police officers who serve them. 'Policing culture and conduct have rightly come under scrutiny. Be in no doubt that a new leader must tackle these institutional issues.' She added: 'I will appoint a Commissioner who will deliver for the public whom our police serve and represent. Beating crime, preventing crime, protecting our citizens, our streets and communities at a time when this Government is investing record sums into the police, is paramount. 'And above all that's what I - and the public across the country - will want from the country's most senior police officer: someone focused on the basics of reducing violence in the city, tackling the abuse of women and girls, ridding our streets of drugs, knives and weapons, saving lives and protecting the public from the those who wish to do them harm.' Home Office sources said Ms Patel was angered by Mr Khan's failure to inform her that he had called Dame Cressida to a meeting on Thursday afternoon which she considered 'rude and unprofessional'. Dame Cressida, however, chose not attend after reportedly being informed that Mr Khan had no confidence in her plans for reform. Sources close to the mayor said that it had been a regular bilateral meeting and that it was up to Dame Cressida to inform Ms Patel of her decision herself. A row has broken out between Dame Cressida Dick (left) and Sadiq Khan (right) over the out-going Metropolitan Police Chief's exit payoff, according to reports Dame Cressida Dick arriving at New Scotland Yard, central London, on Friday - the day after she resigned as Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police after losing the backing of the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan How to hire and fire a Yard boss Who has the power to appoint the commissioner? Home Secretary Priti Patel will appoint the new Metropolitan Police commissioner. She has the final say, although the process requires her to consult London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who has said that he will be 'working closely' with her to find a successor to Dame Cressida. Mr Khan has an 'effective veto' on the decision, because Miss Patel could not in practice appoint a Met chief with whom the mayor refused to work. The final choice will be subject to approval by the Queen. Who has the power to fire a commissioner? The Metropolitan Police commissioner is in the unique position for a senior police officer of being answerable to two political masters: the Home Secretary and the Mayor of London, who also holds the position of police and crime commissioner (PPC) for the capital. Dame Cressida had to report to Mr Khan on day-to-day policing matters and budget, while on national issues such as counter-terrorism she deferred to Miss Patel. In the rest of the country, PPCs hold the power to hire and fire chief constables. But in the capital, the commissioner must have the confidence of both Home Secretary and Mayor or the position becomes untenable. Advertisement Dame Cressida said she had 'no choice' but to quit on Thursday night after a bust-up with Mr Khan, who withdrew his support after a series of scandals surrounding the misogynistic and racist conduct of her officers. On top of her potential payoff and pension, she can look forward to possibly earning a small fortune from lucrative consultancy work, or even taking on a new high-profile public role. There is also a chance that she may join her predecessor Bernard Hogan-Howe in the House of Lords where she could qualify for a daily 323 attendance allowance. Hogan-Howe left the Met in 2016 with a 9million gold-plated pension giving him an annual taxpayer-funded income of 181,500 a year. Alternatively, she may now choose to put her feet up at her 1million village home which she shares with her partner Helen, who is a retired Metropolitan Police inspector. Ms Patel was said to be fuming that Mr Khan did not consult her before leaving a gaping 'void' for her to fill. They were still not speaking about the situation yesterday, it is understood. Senior police figures also questioned the 'fishy' timing of the Labour Mayor's decision amid claims of a 'stitch-up' over the Partygate scandal, in which the Prime Minister could be implicated. Confirming the pension Dame Dick will receive, Metropolitan Police Federation chairman Ken Marsh said: 'When she has left she will receive an annual pension that amounts to two-thirds of her final salary, so it'll be around 160,000.' A City Hall source said: 'There will be a due process and details about remuneration will be agreed in due course.' Yesterday Susan Hall, Tory chairman of the London Assembly's police and crime committee, said: 'Cressida has been treated appallingly by Sadiq. She has been thrown under a bus. Of course she is entitled to a payoff. She has been effectively dismissed by the Mayor. 'It will leave a void at the top as opposed to a properly managed handover, which is no way to run Britain's biggest police service.' But former Tory MP Harvey Proctor, who was falsely accused during the Met's botched VIP sex abuse investigation Operation Midland, argued she should be denied the cash: 'This is a dreadful reward for failure. It's appalling that the public purse should have to foot the bill to the tune of over 500,000.' Yesterday sources said Dame Cressida was heartbroken by the loss of her dream job and could still refuse the payoff because she is 'not motivated by money'. A senior police source suggested the timing of her departure could be linked to Partygate. He said: 'The pre-emptive move discredits her and the force, which gives Labour an opportunity to question the findings when the Partygate report comes out and claim it is a whitewash if Boris isn't forced to quit.' A Whitehall source added: 'There's something fishy going on. We are trying to work out what happened between Sadiq and Cressida. 'Earlier this week he'd been saying she had 'days and weeks' to come up with a reform plan, and then barely a day later he cans her. It's all very odd.' But, referring to a report on the conduct of officers at Charing Cross police station released this month, a City Hall source said: 'It has nothing to do with the investigation into Downing Street. 'Sadiq was disgusted and angry that the Independent Office for Police Conduct report took him back to the dark days of policing in the 1970s and 1980s. Change had been promised. It hadn't been delivered.' Dame Cressida's departure follows a barrage of criticism of the force including over its handling of the case of Sarah Everard who was murdered by a serving Met officer. The force has also been criticised for being slow to investigate reports of parties in Downing Street and Whitehall in breach of Covid restrictions. The final straw, however, was a report by the police watchdog which exposed violently racist, misogynist and homophobic messages exchanged by officers based at Charing Cross police station. Despite his shortcomings at the Met, Bernard Hogan-Howe enjoys a 9million pension pot and owns two lavish homes. Pictured: Hogan-Howe walks his dog near his home in Dorset Rank and file officers expressed dismay at Dame Cressida's departure, with the chairman of the Metropolitan Police Federation, Ken Marsh, saying she had been treated unfairly. Mr Marsh told the PA news agency: 'She was much loved across the rank and file of the Metropolitan Police Service. 'We feel the way she has been treated is wholly unfair and we did believe that she was the person who could take us through this and bring us out the other side.' But former Conservative MP Harvey Proctor, whose house was raided by officers from the Met's failed Operation Midland, launched in reaction to false allegations by jailed fantasist Carl Beech about a murderous VIP paedophile ring, said he was delighted by the news. 'It is now time to clean the Augean stables so that a full inquiry can be conducted on all her personal mistakes,' he said. Harriet Wistrich, director of the Centre for Women's Justice (CWJ) charity, said: 'There were far too many stories of officers accused of violence and abuse still in their jobs, and of whistleblowers victimised instead of listened to. 'Cressida Dick's response to these series of stories has been wholly inadequate, and her description of Wayne Couzens as a 'wrong un' meaningless, next to the mounting evidence of multiple allegations of abuse and policing failures to tackle violence against women and racism.' Britain should unite with America to combat the 'pernicious new ideology' of wokery that is distracting the West from battles with external foes such as Russia and China, a senior Conservative will declare in a landmark speech in Washington tomorrow. Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden is expected to tell the audience that the intellectual forces of the Right should unite against woke warriors who want to trash the reputation of Sir Winston Churchill and deface monuments to him. Mr Dowden who will become the first Tory chairman to deliver a speech in Washington for more than two decades is making his intervention at a time when Downing Street has been criticised by Tory MPs for soft-pedalling in the war on woke and not taking a strong enough line against cancel culture and the toppling of statues of controversial historical figures. Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden is expected to tell the audience that the intellectual forces of the Right should unite against woke warriors who want to trash the reputation of Sir Winston Churchill and deface monuments to him The chairman, who will also use his visit to meet Republican election strategists as he ramps up preparations for the next General Election, is expected to tell the Heritage Foundation that 'the enemies of the West ... are finding fresh confidence in their eternal battle against liberty' because 'a social media mob can cancel you... merely because you have dared to challenge ... one of the Left's fashionable nostrums'. Mr Dowden plans to urge American conservatives to 'find the confidence' to defend 'the values of a free society', arguing that 'the idea that Beijing's partial embrace of free markets ... would automatically lead to greater personal and political freedoms' has 'proved to be breathtakingly naive'. The speech follows growing calls within the party for a clear attack line in the 'culture wars'. Defaced: Protesters on the graffiti-covered statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square Last month, former Minister Lord Frost, who resigned in December over the political direction of the administration, urged the Prime Minister to axe 'all the neo-socialists, green fanatics and pro-woke crowd' in Downing Street. The Prime Minister has faced criticism from Tory MPs over his green policies, which they believe unfairly, say No 10 sources are being pushed by his wife, Carrie. Mr Dowden is expected to refer to the need for America and its allies to stand together as 'rogue states are seeking to challenge the international order', because 'at the precise point when our resolve ought to be strongest ... a pernicious new ideology is sweeping our societies' which 'threatens to rob us of the self confidence we need to uphold our values'. The Cabinet Minister is also planning to argue that the 'woke warriors' are 'engaged in a form of Maoism' which is 'determined to expunge large parts of our past'. Pictured: Protesters at Parliament Square The Cabinet Minister is also planning to argue that the 'woke warriors' are 'engaged in a form of Maoism' which is 'determined to expunge large parts of our past'. He will say: 'For them, nothing is sacred. Winston Churchill was central to the Allied victory ... in a fight for survival against Nazi tyranny. Yet some seek to trash his whole reputation and deface monuments to him ... Just when our attention should be fixed on external foes, we seem to have entered a period of extreme introspection and self-criticism that threatens to sap our societies of their self-confidence'. Mr Dowden is expected to condemn international companies that 'keep a profitable silence while flogging their products to authoritarian regimes'. A reformed criminal who tackled a terrorist during the Fishmongers Hall attack in 2019 has launched legal action against MI5, police and the Government, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. John Crilly, 50, is alleging safety and intelligence failures by the authorities after two people died when released terrorist Usman Khan embarked on a murderous knife rampage. Mr Crilly smashed a chair over Khans back and chased him with a fire extinguisher before he and two other men wrestled the knifeman to the ground on London Bridge. Khan was then shot dead by armed police. A group of ex-cons chased a knife-wielding terrorist before bringing him to the ground John Crilly, 50, is alleging safety and intelligence failures by the authorities after two people died when released terrorist Usman Khan embarked on a murderous knife rampage The terrorist killed graduates Jack Merritt (pictured left) and Saskia Jones (pictured right) at the event in Fishmonger's Hall before running out on to London Bridge It is understood that Mr Crillys case is one of several that will be brought against the Government by a number of attendees at the conference on rehabilitating offenders, including some of those who tackled Khan. An inquest last year found there were multiple failures by police, the probation service and MI5 which contributed to the deaths of Jack Merritt, 25, and Saskia Jones, 23, who were stabbed to death by Khan. Judge Mark Lucraft QC made 22 recommendations after the inquest and said the failure to share intelligence that Khan was likely to carry out an attack was very unsatisfactory. The 28-year-old terrorist from Staffordshire had been released from Belmarsh prison in South-East London on licence in December 2018 after he was convicted in 2012 over a plot to bomb the London Stock Exchange. In November 2019, he attended the rehabilitation conference at Fishmongers Hall with volunteers from Cambridge University. The inquest heard he had strapped knives to his hands before launching his deadly attack. Mr Crilly tackled Khan with Ministry of Justice official Darryn Frost, who had armed himself with a narwhal tusk he had grabbed from the wall in Fishmongers Hall, and convicted murderer Steve Gallant. At a rehabilitation event for ex-convicts, participant Usman Khan (pictured) launched his attack The narwhal tusk used by members of the public as they tackled terrorist Usman Khan Khan is confronted by armed police on London Bridge following attack at Fishmongers' Hall The legal case brought by Mr Crilly, a reformed career criminal who had a murder conviction quashed, is for personal injury which is thought to relate to the mental trauma from the attack. It has been brought in the High Court against the Home Office, MI5, the Chief Constables of Staffordshire and the West Midlands and the Attorney General. In the past Mr Crilly has said: MI5 knew this guy was dangerous. Cat-A high risk, you cant get any higher than that. All the intelligence was there, he was still at it. Theyve all got blood on their hands. Last night he told The Mail on Sunday: Im one of a few of us who are bringing claims over the trauma we suffered. There were huge intelligence failures. Id hope to use any money for good. A Ministry of Justice spokesman said: We cannot comment on ongoing legal action. Convicted child sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell has launched her bid for a retrial. Lawyers for the disgraced socialite filed a 37-page appeal at a New York court on Friday evening claiming 'erroneous' jury instructions made her conviction unfair. Maxwell, 60, faces up to 65 years in jail when she is sentenced on June 28 after being found guilty in December on five charges. Maxwell, 60, faces up to 65 years in jail when she is sentenced on June 28 after being found guilty in December on five charges She was charged with recruiting and trafficking underage girls for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for at least a decade. Jurors seemingly believed one victim who gave her name only as Jane who said she was abused by Epstein and Maxwell at his ranch in New Mexico when she was 16. The appeal documents say: 'A jury note sent during deliberations indicted that the jurors were considering convicting Ms Maxwellbased solely on the New Mexico conduct.' Maxwell, pictured, was charged with recruiting and trafficking underage girls for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for at least a decade Maxwell's lawyers argue that the judge should have explained to jurors that under New Mexico law 'Jane' was not underage and should have instructed them to focus only on alleged sex assaults in New York where the age of consent is 18. Maxwell remains in solitary confinement in New York. A millionaire who turned a massive foreign lottery win into a business empire wants his ex-wife's parents evicted from his huge mansion. David Railton Kennedy, 50, is divorcing his wife Sasha, 48, whose mother and stepfather live in a $3 million mansion in Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast. New Zealand-born Mr Kennedy said he let Joanne, 68, and Michael Podmore, 62, live rent-free in the property, which has panoramic views of the coast, since 2016. The reclusive millionaire who lives in a $30 million Mermaid Beach compound also bough a Mercedes C200 as a gift for Mrs Podmore in 2012, court documents claim. David Railton Kennedy (pictured right) with his wife Sasha (pictured left) from whom he is getting divorced Mr Kennedy filed a claim in Queensland's Supreme Court seeking to evict his in-laws, the Courier Mail reported. His lawyers wrote to the Podmores last July saying that unless they paid $2.1 million, he would sell the four-bedroom home. The Podmores then lodged a caveat over the house in Gabrielle Grove in August, and Mr Kennedy now wants that removed and vacant possession to sell it. The in-laws claimed in oral agreements they spent money renovating the property and the caveat protected their stake they earned from the improvements. In response, Mr Kennedy said the Podmores were never the owners and any upgrades they did were for lifestyle reasons and not to increase the home's worth. The Burleigh home, which boasts panoramic views of the coastline, is owned by Mr Kennedy's company Railton Holdings Pty Ltd, as trustee for the Burleigh Property Trust. The claim also said the property is owned by Mr Kennedy's company Railton Holdings Pty Ltd, as trustee for Burleigh Property Trust. David Railton Kennedy wants his in-laws out of a property in Gabrielle Grove, Burleigh Heads. Picture from realestate.com.au The claim also said the Podmores 'enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle' and 'generated wealth' through his business success. Mr Kennedy claimed they previously lived rent-free in a $5 million beachfront apartment he owned on Albatross Avenue in Mermaid Beach for two years, ending in December 2011. He also claims that around that time an employee told him Mr Podmore was struck off the solicitor's roll for professional misconduct. Mr Kennedy claimed that in June 2011 he told Mr Podmore he would no longer lend him money to run his sushi restaurant. 'Mike, the more money I lend you, the faster these phone calls come. I'll give you this loan, but I am not loaning you any more money for the business,' Mr Kennedy claimed he said after agreeing to pay a $38,000 tax and superannuation debt for the business. David Railton Kennedy (pictured top) with his wife Sasha (pictured bottom) from whom he is separated 'Don't tell Joanne, Sasha or anyone else about these requests,' Mr Podmore allegedly replied. Mr Kennedy's documents also claimed he did not get his loans repaid when the sushi business was sold. The Podmores are defending the claim and applied to have the case stayed pending related proceedings. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned the Kremlin that invading Ukraine would lead to 'a protracted conflict with an appalling human toll', as tensions continue to mount in the region. In a letter to all MPs, which has been seen by The Mail on Sunday, Ms Truss said that she had told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov during her diplomatic shuttle to Moscow on Thursday that the UK 'stands fully behind Ukraine and its right to self-determination'. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned last week that a potential nuclear war could break out if Ukraine is allowed to join Nato. But Ms Truss who was mocked by Russian media for apeing Margaret Thatcher's fur-hatted appearance in the Russian capital in 1987 said she did 'not accept the zero sum argument that improving the security of one country harms the security of another, as Russia is claiming'. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has warned the Kremlin that invading Ukraine would lead to 'a protracted conflict with an appalling human toll' The Foreign Secretary wrote of her four hours of talks: 'I urged Russia to desist from its brazen aggression towards Ukraine, withdraw its troops massing on the Ukrainian border and engage in meaningful talks based on the proposals put forward by Nato. Russia is self-evidently not under a security threat.' In a stark warning of the potential consequences of military action, Ms Truss said: 'Ukraine would fight, resulting in a protracted conflict with an appalling human toll. It is understood Parliament will be recalled if there is an invasion next week, while MPs are on recess. Last night, her words were echoed by US President Joe Biden, who in a phone call to Mr Putin warned that the consequences of a full-scale invasion of Ukraine would be 'swift and severe', and that America and its allies 'will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs'. A spokesman for the White House said Mr Biden was 'clear with President Putin that while the US remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios'. Ms Truss's comments were revealed as the first British families began to arrive back in the UK. Thousands of British, American and other European citizens have been told to get out of Ukraine while they still can because there will be no military evacuation in the wake of a Russian attack. It is understood Parliament will be recalled if there is an invasion next week, while MPs are on recess. Pictured: A Russian helicopter on a drill in western Belarus yesterday However, Melinda Simmons, the British Ambassador to Ukraine, made clear that the embassy would remain open and that she would be staying in the capital, Kiev. Yesterday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky also called on Washington to share publicly intelligence which suggests Russia is planning to invade his country on Wednesday. He told the US: 'If you have 100 per cent-certain information about a Russian invasion of Ukraine, please share it with us.' The intelligence being studied by Mr Biden is said to include the specific routes which might be taken by Russian units. But claims of an imminent Russian invasion were dismissed as an 'alarmist' symptom of US 'hysteria' by Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. 'The White House's hysteria is more revealing than ever,' she said. 'The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At all cost. The provocations, disinformation and threats are their favourite method for resolving their own problems.' Ms Zakharova also revealed that Russia was reducing diplomatic staff in Ukraine because it feared 'provocations' from the Kiev authorities or 'third countries'. Defence experts suspect Russia could use the excuse of an 'attack' on a pro-Russian area of Ukraine as an excuse to send in troops. Tobias Ellwood, the chairman of the Defence Select Committee, branded the crisis 'our Cuban missile crisis moment' as he called for British-led Nato divisions to be in the country. The Conservative MP said: 'An invasion is imminent. Once that happens, because of the grain the comes out of Ukraine for the world, that will affect food prices. 'Oil and gas prices will be affected, and European security will then be threatened further, so we have to ask, what should we do instead? 'What are the calculations, and yes, there is this looking Putin in the eye wondering what would happen. This is our Cuban missile crisis moment.' Last night, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace dismissed last-minute Western diplomatic efforts to stop Russian aggression as effective appeasement, saying there was a 'whiff of Munich in the air'. Warning that Russia could 'launch an offensive at any time', Mr Wallace said: 'It may be that he [Putin] just switches off his tanks and we all go home but there is a whiff of Munich in the air from some in the West.' Ms Truss also spoke to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken yesterday to say it was 'vital allies are united in our response to Russia' and that Britain plays a leading role. A Foreign Office source said Ms Truss's talks with Mr Lavrov 'were robust, but Liz delivered her messages and didn't pull any punches'. 'She left Lavrov in no doubt of Britain's position,' they added. 'An invasion would have catastrophic consequences for Russia and backfire on the Kremlin.' Priti Patel has vowed to tackle the toxic Line of Duty police culture that she believes has led to a dearth of quality candidates to lead Britains biggest force. The Home Secretary has told friends that when she meets senior officers they all seem to have known each other for about 30 years since they were all at training college together, and the country needs a wider range of backgrounds and talents being recruited into the forces. Dubbing it the Line of Duty syndrome after the hit BBC1 drama about corrupt police officers, one friend said: Priti has noted that even in 2022, the police all seem to look the same, have the same background and know each other. The Home Secretary was furious at being blindsided by London Mayor Sadiq Khans ousting of Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick last week, but shares his concerns about her abilities. In the short term, however, Ms Patel felt there was no viable replacement, explaining why Dame Cressida had been given a two-year contract extension. Priti Patel has vowed to tackle the toxic Line of Duty police culture that she believes has led to a dearth of quality candidates to lead Britains biggest force. A 'toxic' atmosphere developed at Charing Cross station from as early as 2006, as officers joked in text messages about rape, domestic violence and killing black children The commissioners resignation on Thursday came after Mr Khan expressed his dissatisfaction with her plan to clean up the forcess toxic culture, exemplified by officers at Charing Cross station, who joked in text messages about rape, domestic violence and killing black children. A damning report into their behaviour followed scandals including the murder last year of Sarah Everard by Wayne Couzens, a serving officer. On BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Wednesday, Mr Khan said Dame Cressida had only days and weeks to get a grip. The Met chief defiantly told LBC Radio at 11am the following day that she had absolutely no intention of standing down, only to announce her resignation just five and a-half hours later. Last night Mr Khan suggested that he had intended for Dame Cressida to resign and had felt a duty to act decisively. Commissioner Cressida Dick's resignation on Thursday came after London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his dissatisfaction with her plan to clean up the forcess toxic culture The Home Secretary has dubbed the 'toxic' boys club culture that exists within police forces across the UK as 'Line of Duty syndrome' after the hit BBC1 drama about corrupt cops. Writing in the Observer, the Mayor said: It has become crystal-clear that there are deep cultural issues within the Met. 'Its my job as Mayor to hold the police to account on behalf of Londoners, so it was my duty to act decisively as soon as I concluded that the only way we were going to start seeing the level of change urgently required was with new leadership right at the top of the Met. He added that Dame Cressidas successor would have to tackle cultural problems that had shattered public trust in the force. She is expected to remain commissioner while her successor is sought and the sensitive police investigation into lockdown parties at Downing Street is concluded. But the terms of her severance deal are under scrutiny. Her two-year extension was due to begin in April and would have earned her a salary totalling almost 500,000. Mr Khan is understood to want to avoid paying that. There is much in the news today about the Ukraine crisis, and while Im glad to see that this major threat to the world order is finally worthy of attention, the naming gets it wrong. Ukraine doesnt have a civil war, an insurgency or a separatist movement. Ukraines crisis is also Europes and Americas and now the worlds. It is a Russia crisis, or, more accurately, a Vladimir Putin crisis. The United States and the rest of the world must get this right, because you cannot treat a disease if you start from the wrong diagnosis. You end up only treating the symptoms as they worsen, a downward spiral of reaction while the patient declines. What we need instead is a cure, a vaccine if you will. Advertisement President Biden and his predecessors have varied in rhetoric on Putin, but have had a pathetically similar track record when it comes to action, or inaction. Instead of addressing the bear in the room, Putins rogue mafia state, U.S. presidents and their peers in Europe prefer to fend off the worsening symptoms year after year. Since I have been warning about the danger of allowing Putins cancer to spread for two decades, allow me a few I told you sos before getting to his latest appearance in the headlines. It was obvious to me that Putin would turn his aggression abroad as soon as he finished destroying Russian democracy and civil society. Its the path of every dictator who runs out of scapegoats inside the country to blame for declining freedom and standard of living. Advertisement Putins invasions of neighboring Georgia in 2008 and Ukraine in 2014 were attacks on their nascent democracies, which he correctly saw as bad examples for the people of Russia. From assassinations in Europe with nuclear isotopes and nerve agents to election interference backing Brexit, Trump and extremist candidates across Europe, Putin has not stuck with his supposed ex-Soviet sphere of influence. This is what I meant when I wrote in 2007 that Putin is our problem to solve, yes, but if he is unopposed, he will soon be a regional problem and then everyones problem. That was back when the leaders of the free world were still happy to pose in photos with President Putin, a few years before acknowledging he no longer deserved that democratic title. After rewarding his invasion of Georgia with Obamas reset in 2008, it took another six long years and his attack on Ukraine and illegal annexation of Crimea to rouse the world to the fact he had become Dictator Putin and that there was no turning back. Then came Trump, whose envy of and admiration for authoritarians was possibly his only sincere and consistent sentiment. Bidens victory was supposed to herald a return to more traditional American foreign policy values after four years of Trump trying to drag the U.S. down to the amoral quid pro quo level of autocratic regimes. Instead, Biden repeated his former boss Obamas attempts to unilaterally declare peace with the man Biden accurately called a killer in March 2021. Instead of forceful deterrence, he elevated Putin with an early in-person summit, never explaining what exactly the U.S. needed from Russia other than to stop its campaign of aggression. Then the Biden administration came out on Putins side in the Nord Stream 2 pipeline deal between Russia and Germany, a lifeline for Putin and an energy garotte around Europes neck. Biden is supposedly more concerned about China, an actual superpower competitor, but Putin has proved again he will stamp about until he receives the attention he craves. Now he is preparing a blow that has forced Europe and the U.S. to cease their policy of We dont talk about Vladimir. He has amassed a huge invasion force on all sides of Ukraine, a sovereign democratic nation, geographically the largest country in Europe (discounting Russia), parts of which have been occupied by Russia since it first invaded in 2014. Ukraine also contains 44 million Ukrainians, who are often forgotten during all these talks, exactly as Putin intends. He wants to be seen as the big boss making threats and deals, while Ukraine, which he doesnt even acknowledge as an independent country, is little more than a buffer, a poker chip on the geopolitical table. That Russia has to resort to brute force to buy a place at the table indicates how far the country has fallen under Putins misrule. Russia has become a gas station with nukes, with record numbers of the young and educated population running for the exits. Its disastrous COVID-19 response, arguably the worst in the world yes, even worse than Americas has crushed the population from the other demographic end thanks to an understandable lack of trust in the government and a lack of concern for human life by the regime. (Its no small irony that Putins disinformation army spreads anti-vaccine propaganda in the U.S. and all over the world to stir up strife while being unable to convince Russians to get vaccinated.) Advertisement Putins threat isnt just to Ukraine, although he still has his defenders abroad. He has even succeeded in uniting Tucker Carlson and Bernie Sanders, who both want Russias fictional security concerns to be addressed. Instead of negotiating over what Putin wants, the free world must unite and fight hard to make sure he doesnt get anything he wants. Do not wait to retaliate for his next invasion; go after him and his oligarch mafia hard now to show him that this time he wont be able to evade, weaken and wait out sanctions. Reduce Putins leverage by substituting the energy he uses for blackmail. Kick Putins mafia state out of the international institutions it uses and abuses to spread corruption. Seize the hundreds of billions in assets he and his cronies hide in the West and kick out the oligarchs and their families. They use their looted money to buy friends and influence in the West, but it also gives these havens, especially the United Kingdom, tremendous leverage should they have the courage to use it. Putin, always the gambler and bluffer, is betting they dont. Hes been right so many times in the past, after all. This isnt to say Putin is some master strategist. Hes no chess player, as Im qualified to say with confidence. He reads people, not the board, and he wont move until hes sure he will be able to claim victory thanks to his feckless opponents folding their superior hands. Putin relies on Europe and the U.S., despite their overwhelming military, financial and legal advantages, continuing their policy of do nothing until you can say theres nothing you can do. Thats why Putin is still occupying Crimea and Eastern Ukraine, not to mention parts of Georgia. Instead of acting quickly to defend his victims, the West dithered and blathered until they could say it was impossible to change things on the ground. Putin uses force first, then switches to calls for diplomacy and negotiation to solidify his gains. You could call it a piece, then peace, a tactic of 20th-century dictators. The Daily News Flash Weekdays Catch up on the days top five stories every weekday afternoon. > But eventually the dictator goes too far. His finely tuned animal instincts of self-preservation and danger become blunted by too much success and he oversteps, leading to catastrophe. You never know when that moment may come, which is why the concept of deterrence during the Cold War was based on standing up to every small advance, so that little conflicts did not turn into big wars. And it worked. Advertisement More Russian forces are arriving from all sides every day. Putin has even brandished the unthinkable specter of nuclear weapons, the ultimate ploy to convince everyone hes mad, and to just give him whatever he wants. His success with these tactics is how we got to this perilous point. But Putin is a KGB man, a bully and a spy who traffics in shadows and doubt, not open war. As he has in Syria, Moldova and so many other places, he wants influence and chaos, not an open conflict he may lose. For as he well knows, that is how dictatorships fall, by looking fallible, vulnerable. If Putin plays it safe, he will look for deniability, to claim victory without risk to his power and status. The modern hybrid war model his Russia invented will expand, with cyber-attacks, disinformation, and the weaponization of refugees and energy supplies. Belarus may lose the little independence it had while eyes are elsewhere. That will also allow cowardly Western leaders to claim that their tough talk did the job while Ukraine still suffers under debilitating occupation. They will all declare victory from well-appointed tables and at well-attended press conferences, while the real losers are those living under Putins violence and repression. Meanwhile, Russian gas and oil will continue to flow out and the rivers of cash will continue to swirl, filling the pockets of Putins oligarchs, their corrupt enablers in the West, and loading the guns of Russias security and military forces so theyll be better prepared next time. And there will be a next time, and a next, until Putin goes too far or until the world decides he has gone far enough. Ukraine has already suffered a high price and anything is possible in the coming days. The only thing we can be sure of is that if we fail to stand up to Putin now, the price will keep going up. Kasparov is chairman of the Renew Democracy Initiative. A key member of the so-called Carrie clique has been unfairly blamed for the Government's woes, friends claimed last night. Henry Newman, a long-standing friend of the Prime Minister's wife, Carrie, was last weekend moved from No 10 to return to work for his former boss Michael Gove in the Levelling Up department. This followed pressure from Conservative MPs to disband the clique which has allegedly formed in No 10 around Mrs Johnson. It came hours after The Daily Mail had revealed the first details of a bombshell new biography portraying Mr Johnson as a weak Prime Minister who is so 'mesmerised' by his 33-year-old wife that he allows her to influence policies and appointments. Henry Newman (pictured) , a long-standing friend of the Prime Minister's wife, Carrie, was last weekend moved from No 10 to return to work for his former boss Michael Gove in the Levelling Up department The book, which is being serialised in today's Mail on Sunday, has fanned concerns within the party about the power wielded by Mrs Johnson and the No 10 advisers to whom she is close. But last night a friend of Mr Newman leapt to his defence, saying that he had been unfairly criticised for losing the support of Red Wall MPs by advancing unpopular policies such as green levies and transgender rights. The friend said: 'The stuff Henry gets blamed for is crackers ... Now he's being told he's bad for the Red Wall. Honestly it's mad and totally unfair.' The book, which is being serialised in today's Mail on Sunday, has fanned concerns within the party about the power wielded by Carrie Johnson (pictured) and the No 10 advisers to whom she is close Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges reports today that 'Newman's move and the infighting attending it has highlighted a conflict at the heart of Johnson's Government. 'Should it pursue the liberal, One Nation agenda favoured by his influential wife and her allies? Or should it return to the true-blue Tory messages that saw Boris break the Brexit logjam and deliver Election triumph?' Hodges reports that Mrs Johnson would affectionately refer to the team of young, diverse advisers inside No 10 as 'The Gays'. One Downing Street staffer said. 'She'd say: 'I'm with The Gays up in the flat. Can you come up?' ' Last night, a source close to Mrs Johnson said it was 'nonsense' that she ever referred to the clique as 'the gays'. More than half a million Afghan migrants have crossed the border since the fall of Kabul last year and are heading for Europe and the Channel coast, intelligence experts have warned Ministers. Priti Patel last week held an emergency summit with her counterparts in the international Five Eyes intelligence alliance to discuss how to track the exodus. The Home Secretary is also seeking to toughen the UK's response to migrants who cross the Channel, with Border Force teams moving between hotels in Britain to round up migrants and move them to holding centres on military bases. Last year saw the record number of migrant crossings as more than 28,000 people made the journey across the Channel A record 28,395 migrants reached the UK illegally last year by taking small boats across the Channel, a 200 per cent increase on 2020's tally The Five Eyes group comprising the US, UK, Australia, Canada and New Zealand combines the resources of MI6, GCHQ, the CIA and the other nations' domestic intelligence agencies, and can be traced back to the informal meetings between American and UK code-breakers during the Second World War. The 500,000 migrants displaced by political turmoil arising from the Taliban takeover and a famine in Afghanistan this winter is in addition to the 2.6 million existing Afghan refugees around the world. Of those, around 2.2 million are in Iran and Pakistan with a further 3.5 million people displaced within Afghanistan itself. Skipper beaches YACHT in East Sussex before 20 flee About 20 suspected migrants came ashore at Rye in East Sussex yesterday 30 miles west of Dover. Video footage, left, filmed by onlookers showed the skipper of the ten-metre yacht deliberately running aground at the town's harbour just after midday. Witnesses said those on board leapt off the vessel and swam to the shore before running away. Border Force officers appeared around two hours later to begin looking for the migrants, claimed sources in the town, which dates back to medieval times. One said: 'It was very strange. We thought it was just a yacht coming in as normal and then it twice rammed into the shore to run aground. 'The captain jumped out and rowed ashore. He looked like he knew what he was doing as he just ran away and left the others, who had to swim.' Advertisement One area of concern is the potential weaponisation of Afghan refugees by Belarus, which is said to actively 'importing' migrants and encouraging them to cross into the EU via Poland and Lithuania. 'The Afghan situation is going to cause serious problems over the coming months if we do not get a grip now,' said a Government source. 'A big part of the problem is the Schengen open borders system which allows them to pass freely across the EU until they reach Calais. 'MI6 and GCHQ are at the forefront of international efforts to keep on top of it.' The United Nations last year said a worst-case scenario was that 500,000 refugees could flee Afghanistan following the US-led withdrawal from the country. Around 12,000 Afghan refugees are currently living in UK hotels, with permanent homes so far found for more than 4,000. The Government has faced acute embarrassment over its failure to stem illegal migration on small boats across the Channel. Migrants peer through the misted-up windows of a bus after arriving in Dover, Kent, after a gruelling journey across the Channel More than 28,000 migrants used the route last year triple the number recorded in 2020. A further 1,341 successfully made the journey last month, and it was recently reported that the Army is to begin building camps on Ministry of Defence land to house up to 30,000 Channel migrants. The Government has been criticised over conditions at the Napier barracks in Folkestone, where up to 350 asylum seekers have been housed since September 2020. How many migrants reached Britain in 2021, by month? January 223 February 308 March 831 April 751 May 1,619 June 2,179 July 3,510 August 3,012 September 4,652 October 2,671 November 6,869 December 1,770 Total 28,395 Officials hope the new but more spartan accommodation on MoD premises rather than the comforts of hotels will act as a disincentive to migrants to travel to the UK. But Enver Solomon, chief executive of the Refugee Council, said: 'People have always been given a fair hearing on British soil to ensure those who need protection are given it and those who don't are returned. 'We must do the same today and have an asylum system that is both orderly and fair, treating people with respect and compassion rather than seeking to criminalise or hold people, often already very traumatised, in military-style camps.' Australia's embassy in Ukraine is being evacuated amid fears Russian troops are preparing to invade within days. Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the government directed staff to leave the embassy in Kiev as soon as possible. 'Given the deteriorating security situation caused by the build-up of Russian troops on Ukraine's border, the government has directed the departure of staff at the Australian Embassy in Kiev and temporarily suspended operations at our embassy,' she said on Sunday. 'We will be moving our operations to a temporary office in Lviv (in western Ukraine).' The heightened situation follows intelligence that suggested Russia is to launch an attack on Ukraine as early as Wednesday. Pro-Russian militants ride a T-34 Soviet-made tank (pictured) during a military parade in Luhansk, Ukraine The government had already warned that Australians in Ukraine should leave immediately as conditions could change at short notice. 'Russian military action in Ukraine will severely limit our ability to provide consular assistance to Australians,' Ms Payne said. 'Australia continues to support Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity. We remain in close contact with our Five Eyes (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, UK and US) and other like-minded partners on the ground.' Prime Minister Scott Morrison condemned Russia's threats of invading Ukraine as 'utterly unacceptable'. 'I want to send a very clear message on behalf of Australia a liberal democracy who believes in freedom and the sovereignty of states, not just in Europe but in our own region as well that the autocratic, unilateral actions of Russia to be threatening and bullying Ukraine is something that is completely and utterly unacceptable,' he said. 'The situation, as you are all hearing as well, is deteriorating and reaching a very dangerous stage.' Mr Morrison a day earlier described the situation as 'very serious' and told Australian citizens living in the eastern European country they could get caught up in fighting. Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne (pictured) said the government had directed staff to leave the embassy in Kiev, Ukraine This could included a deadly 'aerial bombardment of Kiev' - should Russian President Vladimir Putin give the go-ahead to his 130,000 troops massed near Ukraine's borders. 'We respect their decisions, but our advice to them is very clear this is a very dangerous situation and for your own safety you should seek to make your way out of Ukraine,' he said. 'It will be a very volatile situation if there is conflict there. We hope and pray will not occur.' Mr Morrison added it was a 'very urgent and serious situation'. 'We hope for peace, but in the event of conflict, we want to ensure that Australians have had the opportunity to remove themselves from Ukraine to a place of safety and we have been saying they consistently now for many, many weeks,' he said. Australians have been urged by Scott Morrison to leave Ukraine immediately over fears of an imminent invasion by Russian forces that Washington spy chiefs warned could be ordered in a matter of days Videos purportedly showing atomic canons being moved towards Ukraine sparked fears Mr Putin may be sending nuclear-armed military hardware within striking distance of major cities. The video - showing huge 2S7 Pion guns - was captured in Vesela Lopan, Bolgorod in Western Russia and just 10 miles from the Ukrainian border, according to The Sun. Known as the 'Soviet atomic cannon', the devastating weapon is one of the most powerful artillery cannons ever built. It can carry up to four 203mm nuclear shells, which have the potential to annihilate large areas. In a chilling press conference earlier this week, Mr Putin warned that if Ukraine joined NATO, the risk of nuclear war would increase. Russia demanded the alliance completely rules out Ukraine ever joining. Map of Ukraine and its borders with Russia and Belarus, military targets and possible invasion options (pictured) Russian and Belarusian troops taking part in a military exercise in Belarus on February 11, 2022 Labor leader Anthony Albanese called for Russia to withdraw from the region. 'Russia should back off,' he told Sky News. 'The threats and intimidation that's occurring to a sovereign state like the Ukraine are entirely inappropriate in 2022, and we respect Ukraine sovereignty and that should be respected by all including by Russia.' Australians who need consular assistance regarding Ukraine can call the Australian government 24-hour Consular Emergency Centre on 1300 555 135 or +61 2 6261 3305 from outside Australia. Thousands of British and American citizens were also urged to leave Ukraine as tensions escalate, after western analysts raised the alarm that Vladimir Putin was about to send in his forces. Ukrainian soldiers (picturedI) near the border with Crimea, as Russia also amasses troops Ukrainian servicemen (pictured) take part in drills held in the settlement of Kalanchak near the border with Crimea The European Union told non-essential staff from its diplomatic mission in Ukraine that they should leave the country, but stopped short of issuing a full evacuation order. The heightened US rhetoric followed new intelligence that suggested Russia is to launch an attack on Ukraine on Wednesday - according to German newspaper Der Speigel. Information received by the Secret Service, CIA and other intelligence services uncovered detailed plans and went as far as to outline routes that will likely be taken by individual Russian units and the roles they might play. A person walks during a snowfall by a WWII memorial, in Sievierodonetsk, the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine on Saturday, February 12, 2022 On Friday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Washington believed Russia could invade any day and issued a warning to Americans in the country: Get out immediately because the US will not be coming back to rescue anyone. 'We encourage all American citizens who remain in Ukraine to depart immediately,' Mr Sullivan said. 'We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours. 'The risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands. 'If you stay you are assuming risk, with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and there is no prospect of a US military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion.' Youri Tielemans has left Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal on alert by reportedly turning down a new contract at Leicester. Tielemans, 24, has spent the last two-and-a-half years with the Foxes after completing a 40million move from Monaco, registering 23 goals and 22 assists in 135 appearances for the Foxes. The Belgian is now considered one of the best midfielders in the Premier League, meaning he has been attracting attention from a host of clubs over the past year. Youri Tielemans has alerted Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal by rejecting a new Leicester deal And with potential suitors queuing up to prise him away from Leicester, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano is reporting that he has recently turned down a new contract. Tielemans has less than 18 months to run on his current deal, which gives the Foxes just one more transfer window to cash in before he can sign a pre-contract agreement with a foreign club in January. According to Het Nieuwsblad, he is prepared to leave this summer for a club who have ambitions of winning their respective league title. Leicester are reportedly open to dropping their asking price to 35m after failing to tie him down to an extension, having previously slapped a 60m valuation on their star midfielder. Tielemans has less than 18 months on his current deal at the King Power left to run News of the Belgian's rejection will come as a major blow to Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers Juventus and Real Madrid are understood to be circling, but Premier League trio United, Liverpool and Arsenal are also keen and could offer him the chance to remain in England. United desperately need to strengthen their midfield this summer, especially given Paul Pogba looks set to depart Old Trafford on a free transfer in July. Pogba's departure will leave the Red Devils short of options in the middle of the park, with Scott McTominay, Fred and Nemanja Matic their only natural central midfielders. Liverpool are still yet to replace Georginio Wijnaldum following his move to PSG last summer, while Arsenal have their eye on a new midfield recruit ahead of Mohamed Elneny's expected departure in the summer. In Tielemans, all three teams would be adding a talented young player with sufficient Premier League experience to their ranks. The former Anderlecht and Monaco star helped Leicester keep pace in the race for Champions League qualification in his first two seasons at the club. He also scored the winning goal in last year's FA Cup final, firing a sensational long-range effort home to secure a 1-0 win over eventual European champions Chelsea. Travel restrictions around the world continue to change quickly. Here's our lowdown, with country-by-country quirks explained, for totally test-free travel for those who are double-jabbed. MEXICO Glorious freedom: There are no entry restrictions in Mexico. Pictured is a tourist in the Mexican city of San Miguel de Allende No test required... but you must pre-register at vuelaseguro.com. Good to know: Even if you are unvaccinated, you do not need to take a test. AUSTRIA No test required... but only if youve had a booster 120 days or more after your second dose (and not more than 270 days before travel) or if you have proof of recovery in past 180 days alongside proof of being double-jabbed. Pre-departure form required (entry.ptc.gv.at). Good to know: FFP2 masks compulsory in all enclosed spaces. Some regions require proof of vaccionation/recovery to enter bars and restaurants (austria.info). COSTA RICA No test required... but you must fill in a health pass before going (salud.go.cr). Good to know: Need to be vaccinated to enter most restaurants and bars. Curfew from midnight to 5am. Unvaccinated travellers may visit Costa Rica but require special insurance (visitcostarica.com). CROATIA No test required... but last jab needed within 270 days (unless you have a booster). Fill in form (entercroatia.mup.hr). Good to know: Masks mandatory in shops, taxis and on public transport. GERMANY No test required... but last jab cannot be more than 270 days old (unless you have a booster). Fill in digital registration before arrival (einreiseanmeldung.de). Good to know: Vaccination proof needed for bars/restaurants. Masks are mandatory in shops and on public transport. GREECE Greece has scrapped pre-departure Covid tests for vaccinated travellers. Pictured is the Greek isle of Santorini No test required... but last jab cannot be more than seven months old, though no time restriction on boosters. Complete entry form at travel.gov.gr. Good to know: Proof of vaccination for bars, restaurants, museums and shops. Masks in indoor/outdoor public places. MONTENEGRO No test required... but your last vaccine dose/booster must not be more than six months ago. Good to know: Wearing masks mandatory in indoor public places, where proof of vaccines/recovery/recent test required. PORTUGAL No test required... but last jab needed within 270 days (unless you have a booster) and must complete passenger locator card at portugalcleanandsafe.pt. Good to know: Masks in enclosed spaces. Proof of vaccine/recovery/recent test required for bars/restaurants (visitportugal.com). SPAIN No test required... but pre-departure form (spth.gob.es), and last jab cannot be more than 270 days old unless its a booster. Good to know: Regional rules vary. TURKEY No test required... but fill form at register.health.gov.tr and booster required if last dose more than 270 days ago. Good to know: Masks mandatory outside. SWEDEN No test required... but your second dose cannot have been more than 270 days unless you have had a booster since then. Good to know: Masks recommended on public transport. SWITZERLAND No test required... but final vaccine dose/booster must have been within 270 days. Entry form required (swissplf.admin.ch/formular). Good to know: Proof of vaccination required for bars/restaurants. Neighbours actress Annie Jones first appeared on the beloved soap in 1986. And the 55-year-old star has admitted she's 'in a bit of shock' at the prospect that the series might film its final scenes in June. 'I pray the show will be saved somehow,' the veteran actress, who plays Jane Harris on the show, told the Herald Sun. Veteran: Neighbours actress Annie Jones, who first appeared on the beloved soap in 1986, has admitted she's 'in a bit of shock' at the prospect that the series might film its final scenes in June. Seen here in 2018 Jones played Harris between 1986 and 1989, before leaving the series for nearly three decades. She reprised her role in 2018 and has been a regular fixture on the show ever since. 'We need Neighbours to continue for the sake of our upcoming film and television makers,' said the actress, whose character famously dated Mike Young (Guy Pearce) on the star making series. Welcome back: Jones played Harris between 1986 and 1989, before leaving the series for nearly three decades. Seen here circa 1989 with co-star Guy Pearce Jones' comment come after Natalie Bassingthwaighte has shared her heartache that long-running soap Neighbours could potentially be coming to an end after 37 years. The show's future hangs in the balance after UK broadcaster Channel 5 confirmed its decision not to renew their contract to air the Aussie soap with producers Fremantle Australia last week. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday, the 46-year-old - who played Izzy Hoyland from 2003 to 2006 before making several guest appearances years later - said she was devastated. Heartbroken: Neighbours legend Natalie Bassingthwaighte has said she's 'devastated' that long-running soap could potentially be coming to an end after 37 years. Pictured while appearing on the soap 'It's devastating for everyone that's been involved in the past almost 40 years, but mainly the people who are there now - it's their livelihood,' she said. Although the show is filmed in Australia, Channel 5 bankrolls most of the production. According to industry site TV Blackbox, 'it's unlikely [Channel] 10 can keep producing [the show]' without financial backing from an international broadcaster. Natalie added: 'I'm only hoping that someone will come in and save the day. I think there's still hope, but my heart goes out to everyone that's there.' When asked if she'd spoken to any of the cast members about the soap's end, she replied: 'I have... it's a hard time for everyone.' Hope: Natalie added: 'I'm only hoping that someone will come in and save the day. I think there's still hope, but my heart goes out to everyone that's there' Natalie starred as the soap's most love-to-hate character Izzy who famously had an affair with Dr Karl Kennedy, played by Alan Fletcher. In real life, she is happily married to her Rogue Traders bandmate Cameron McGlinchey and they share two children, daughter Harper, 11, and son Hendrix, seven. In a statement released on Sunday, Channel Five confirmed their decision not to renew their contract to air Neighbours soap with producers Fremantle Australia. Fremantle later emailed staff saying filming would end on June 10, and absent any new broadcaster emerging to provide the funds to resume production, the show looked to be at an end. Character: Natalie starred on the soap as the most love-to-hate character Izzy who had an affair with Dr Karl Kennedy, played by Alan Fletcher (both pictured) Channel 5's statement read: 'It's been a much-loved part of our schedule for more than a decade, and we'd like to thank the cast, Fremantle and all of the production team for their fantastic work on this iconic series. 'We'd also of course like to thank the fans for their loyal support of Neighbours across the years. 'We recognise that there will be disappointment about this decision, however our current focus is on increasing our investment in original UK drama, which has strong appeal for our viewers.' In an email to cast seen by The Herald Sun, the shows executive producer Jason Herbison confirmed the soap's run as an institution of Australian and British television was all but over. 'As you know the future of the show has been uncertain for some time,' it read. 'Our audience remains steady and Channel 10 would love the show to continue if we could find another broadcast partner to replace C5. Gone: Neighbours has been dropped by its UK broadcaster, Channel 5. In a statement, the network confirmed their decision not to renew their contract to air the Aussie soap with producers Fremantle Australia. Pictured: the show's 2021 cast 'These discussions are ongoing however there is no new broadcaster at the moment and production must end, effectively resting the show. 'We are so proud of the show, you all and everything that youve achieved. But for now, this chapter is closing and we want to work together to give Neighbours the amazing send-off it deserves.' Channel 10 released a statement to Daily Mail Australia on Sunday, confirming they have every intention of finding a new broadcast partner. The statement read: 'As outlined in the email to cast and crew, it is our intention to continue our association with Neighbours if another broadcast partner comes forward. 'Network 10 has an ongoing commitment to the show, the cast and crew and is hopeful that Fremantle will find a new production partner. We will provide further updates as they become available.' Spencer Pratt will play mediator in a new court-style online reality show on Looped called Judge Me with Spencer Pratt. The 10-episode PPV series, which premieres on February 17, sees Spencer issuing his verdict for the winner of online disputes with the help of a virtual audience of fans, who will tune in live as it airs. 'This is where Ive always dreamed of being, in the chair, that gets to look at the wildest stories and submissions from our audience community,' Spencer, 38, told Daily Mail. He's back! Spencer Pratt will play mediator in a new court-style online reality show for Looped Live called Judge Me with Spencer Pratt 'But this will be a feel-good judgement show and if youve been wrongly judged, we will give you a chance to free yourself from that.' Looped said in a statement: 'Judge Me allows for real life outrageous disputes to be settled outside the courtroom and encourages the general public to get involved by voting on who is right and who is wrong. 'Each week fans are encouraged to submit unfiltered stories, dramas, and disputes with their friends, family, co-workersor even strangers on the internetto have their disputes settled by Pratt and the viewers. 'On the air, Spencer will ask questions of the duelling parties, and call relevant witnesses and audience members to our virtual stage to double down on those claims. Outspoken: 'This is where Ive always dreamed of being, in the chair, that gets to look at the wildest stories and submissions from our audience community,' Spencer, 38, told Daily Mail At the end of each episode, the live virtual audience will vote on whether or not the claimant is vindicated. Fans can submit disputes or purchase tickets to watch the show at Looped Live. Spencer's new gig comes just weeks after MTV announced that they had cancelled The Hills: New Beginnings after two seasons. According to TMZ, it was alleged that the original stars of The Hills had 'major issues' with the reboot, including the recent exploration by producers to bring on 'younger cast members.' It's over: Spencer's new gig comes just weeks after MTV announced that they had cancelled The Hills: New Beginnings after two seasons The outlet's sources claimed that producers thought the inclusion of 'younger' members would 'diversify' the cast but the notion was shot down by some of the original stars. It was also alleged that 'some' of the original stars believed that The Hills: New Beginnings 'wasn't the show MTV promised them' and that it sometimes felt 'forced with fake storylines and confessionals.' Aside from alleged friction, it was also claimed that COVID-19 was to blame for the show's untimely cancelation since the strict protocols it made it increasingly harder to shoot and coordinate schedules for a large ensemble cast. Spencer and wife Heidi Montag had been outspoken critics of some of their cast members in press interviews, claiming that many of them didn't want to reveal their real lives on camera and were too focused on trying to look perfect. Tom Cruise is reportedly in crisis talks with Mission Impossible bosses after splashing 290million during the production of the anticipated seventh and eighth instalments of Mission Impossible. The features have not yet hit the big screen, as the MI:7 release date of September 2022 has shifted to July 2023 - with a bill for excess costs said to be in the region of 50million. And the 59-year-old actor and filmmaker has shown no signs of slowing down, with The Sun reporting that he jetted to South Africa this week - kit and entourage in tow - to continue MI:8 filming, which has been impacted by the foregoing delay. 'People are starting to sweat on the costs now': Tom Cruise is reportedly in crisis talks with Mission Impossible bosses after splashing 290million (pictured July 2021) Sources disclosed to the publication: 'People are starting to sweat on the costs now. 'Nobody could have predicted what has happened but the fact is those delays and extra costs are stacking up now and its starting to get noticed. 'Even with someone as big as Tom and these films, its the sort of money that has leveraged the studio heavily and bosses are desperate to start seeing things hit the screen.' Top Gun 2 has also been postponed, with the source adding that it's the 'first in the pipeline for release' - two years after it was supposed to premiere. Big spender: The MI:7 release date of September 2022 has shifted to July 2023 - with a bill for excess costs said to be in the region of 50million (Hayley Atwell and Tom filming Mission Impossible in Rome, Italy in November 2020) Problems: Top Gun 2 has also been postponed, with the source adding that it's the 'first in the pipeline for release' - two years after it was supposed to premiere (Tom in the original, 1986) MailOnline has contacted Tom's representatives for comment. After several delays, one very public meltdown and countless attempts to work across multiple countries during a global pandemic the seventh instalment in the Mission: Impossible franchise may well be the most costly in its 26-year history. The film will hit cinemas in July 2023 following a turbulent production, during which the returning Ethan Hunt - played by a seemingly relentless Tom - and an inflated studio budget both appeared to drive off a cliff. For Cruise - who regularly performs his own daredevil stunts as Hunt - the opportunity to ride a motorcycle off a Norwegian rockface during one of the film's more pivotal scenes was 'something he wanted to do' since childhood. Coming soon: After several delays, one very public meltdown and countless attempts to work across multiple countries during a global pandemic, the latest Mission: Impossible film has been hit with spiralling costs (pictured: Tom on set in Venice) But for concerned Paramount and Skydance Media bosses pulling off the tricky stunt meant digging even deeper into increasingly threadbare pockets after the ongoing pandemic resulted in spiraling costs, Variety reports. While 2018 release Mission: Impossible - Fallout cost $190million to produce, taking in location shoots across France, England, Norway and New Zealand, the new production has demanded an unprecedented $290million outlay. One notable factor in the film's enormous budget has been the global pandemic, which swept across mainland Europe shortly after principal photography got underway in Venice in February 2020. Action man: Cruise pulled of his most ambitious feat yet in November as he was seen hanging upside down from the wing of a World War II biplane while preparing for scenes for Mission Impossible 8 at Duxford airfield in Cambridgeshire Lockdown and a desperate attempt to work around COVID-19 resulted in the production enduring an inauspicious start - with cast and crew forced to stop work after Northern Italy closed its doors. The first day of principal photography was supposed to be filmed with the annual Carnival Venice serving as an elaborate backdrop, but after the event was cancelled director Christopher McQuarrie and his team relocated to Rome - only to be shut down once again when COVID cases in the Italian capital started to rise. Sources claim constant infections, coupled with national health restrictions and the pandemic's refusal to die down resulted in more costs, because crew members needed to be paid, given expenses and offered hotel accommodation during extended quarantine and lockdown periods. The relentless pressure to finish the film may well have been the catalyst for Cruise's high-profile meltdown on set in December 2020 after a crew-member breached COVID protocol - putting the production in further jeopardy. Train wreck: In April 2021 Tom and co-star British actress Hayley Atwell were pictured filming on top of a moving train while shooting scenes in Yorkshire Making a run for it: Tom dashed about on top of the train as it sped along at speed along the Yorkshire railway Huge production: That single stunt involved hundreds of crew members and days of filming for Tom and his co-stars 'We are the gold standard!' A frazzled Cruise is heard yelling in a recording of the incident. 'Theyre back there in Hollywood making movies right now because of us! 'Im on the phone with every f***ing studio at night, insurance companies, producers, and theyre looking at us and using us to make their movies. We are creating thousands of jobs... we are not shutting this motherf***ing movie down. Is that understood?' Sources claim there were further issues in 2021, when Paramount were confronted with a bill for $50million in overages, caused by co-producer Skydance declining to exceed their pre-agreed contractual requirement regarding financial contributions. Meanwhile the film's release date has been subject to change, with its original September 2021 launch pushed back to July 2022, with Paramount citing delays due to the ongoing pandemic. The wait adds interest to an already overblown budget while having a domino effect on work-in-progress Mission: Impossible 8, which is now expected to launch on July 24 2024 instead of its intended release date, July 7 2023. That'll be expensive! A dramatic scene featuring another steam train falling off a cliff was filmed in Derbyshire in August Daredevil: In September 2021 Tom parachuted from a helicopter in the Lake District for another set of high-adrenaline scenes Getting involved: The actor is famed for performing his own stunts. Here he is racing a motorcycle through Venice in Mission: Impossible 7 Work on the eighth instalment began last year, with the production so far experiencing few difficulties during location shoots across England. In November Cruise appeared to pull off his most ambitious feat yet as he was seen hanging upside down from the wing of a World War II biplane while filming scenes as Ethan Hunt. The actor was seen filming the death-defying stunt at Duxford Airfield in Cambridge, with the 1941 Boeing B75N1 Stearman biplane performing a stomach-churching loop-the-loop and nose-dive with the actor onboard. Shut down in Europe: Lockdown and a desperate attempt to work around COVID-19 resulted in the production enduring an inauspicious start - with cast and crew forced to stop work after Northern Italy closed its doors Head for height: Tom has also been seen multiple times during filming flying helicopters around London and York Cruise, dressed in a brown jumpsuit and helmet, clung onto the wing of the 80-year-old aircraft as it performed a nosedive and an array of aerobatics in a jaw-dropping stunt. Other stunts performed by the veteran actor included a 25,000 foot jump out of a plane as it flies above Paris in Mission: Impossible - Fallout. He also climbed an astonishing 1,700 feet in the air for a high-flying stunt on Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building at more than 2,700 feet. The stunt, filmed for 2011 release Mission: Impossible -Ghost Protocol, sees Hunt attempting to reach the building's 130th floor with the aid of suction gloves, before rappelling back the way he came. Tough at the top: One of his more iconic scenes involved climbing Dubai's Burj Khalifa - the world's tallest building at more than 2,700 feet - in Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol Here we go: In 2000 blockbuster Mission: Impossible 2 Cruise climbed a 2,000-foot cliff in Utah to film a scene in which Hunt leaps from one rockface to another, but it's the Mission: Impossible finances that have jumped from a cliff in his latest film Rather you than me: The stunt sees Hunt attempting to reach the building's 130th floor with the aid of suction gloves, before rappelling back the way he came A head for heights: Cruise films another thrilling scene for 1996 film Mission: Impossible Speed demon: The actor showed off his process on a motorcycle while filming 2015 release Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation In 2000 blockbuster Mission: Impossible 2 he climbed a 2,000-foot cliff in Utah, with little more than a safety rope in order to film a scene in which Hunt leaps from one cliff to another. And then there is the divisive motorcycle sequence in Mission: Impossible 7, filmed on a clifftop in Norway - a scene that even Cruise admitted was riskier than anything else he's managed to pull off. 'This is far and away the most dangerous thing Ive attempted,' he told Variety at the time. 'I wanted to do it since I was a little kid.' Mission: Impossible 7 will be released in the United Kingdom and United States on July 14, 2023. Don't look down: Cruise had no problem scaling a cliff-face for a scene in 2000 film Mission: Impossible 2 Denise Richards has shared that her relationship with her oldest daughter Sami, whom she shares with ex-husband Charlie Sheen is 'strained.' The actress, 50, appeared on SiriusXM's Jeff Lewis Live on Friday and revealed that things have been 'difficult' since the 17-year-old moved in with her father, 56, and dropped out of school. Richards, who also shares daughter Lola, 16, with Sheen, said, 'Honestly, I have a strained relationship with her. It's very difficult. I know we'll get back to where we were eventually but right now, it is strained.' Strained: Denise Richards has shared that her relationship with her oldest daughter Sami is 'strained' in a new interview with Jeff Lewis; Richards pictured with Lewis Difficult: The actress, 50, revealed that things have been 'difficult' since the 17-year-old moved in with her father Charlie Sheen, 56, and dropped out of school, saying, 'Honestly, I have a strained relationship with her. It's very difficult' The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star touched on the teenager's living situation, saying, 'Obviously I would love for her to live with me. She lived with me all these years.' She went on to say, 'But I think it's very difficult raising teenagers now and especially in Los Angeles when there's access to everything. We didn't grow up with Postmates and Uber where you have everything that you want.' 'There are certain rules and I enforce them. And [at Sheen's], there's different rules at that house and that's okay,' she said. Richards revealed that Sami is 'not in school' right now and that she does not 'agree with certain things' that Sheen does. 'But that's okay. We can agree to disagree.' The ex: The star, who also shares daughter Lola, 16, with her ex-husband, added that she does not 'agree with certain things' that Sheen does; Richards and Sheen pictured on Jan 16, 2005 in Beverly Hills She also specified that she is 'not a strict mom,' but she does have 'rules and boundaries.' Last September Sami shocked her TikTok fans by posting a video in which she labelled her mother's home an 'abusive household' and a 'hell house.' Sami, who prior to moving in with her father had been living with her mother and stepfather Aaron Phypers, 49, showed emotional footage of herself crying while describing her dire circumstances. '1 year ago today: trapped in an abusive household, hated myself, would go days without eating or sleeping, insanely depressed, hated school, etc.' Hell house: Last September Sami shocked her TikTok fans by posting a video in which she labelled her mother's home an 'abusive household' and a 'hell house' Sad: The teen described her circumstances writing, '1 year ago today: trapped in an abusive household, hated myself, would go days without eating or sleeping, insanely depressed, hated school, etc.' Happy: The footage then cut to her at her dad's house, with the caption: 'Now: finally moved out of the hell house, had a spiritual awakening, own 2 cats, happy single, full of self love, and dropped out of high school :).' The footage then cut to the teenager smiling alongside the caption: 'Now: finally moved out of the hell house, had a spiritual awakening, own 2 cats, happy single, full of self love, and dropped out of high school :).' Although the teen didn't specify any particular issues with her previous home, a source claimed that the root of the problem were her mother's rules. 'Denise set normal rules that any parent would be setting. She's a mom and a parent and there are rules. Sami didn't want to follow the rules.' Meanwhile, Charlie's more laid-back parenting style seems to work much better for his daughter. 'Charlie didn't support implementing Denise's rules. He has a different way of parenting and Sami decided to live with her dad.' Strict parent: Although the teen didn't specify any particular issues with her previous home, a source claimed that the root of the problem were her mother's rules: Richards pictured with husband Aaron Phypers, 49, Sami (left) and Lola Happy: Denise married Aaron Phypers in 2018. Together, they share 10-year-old adopted daughter Eloise Joni (center) In October 2021 a source told PEOPLE that 'everything is a big party' at Sheen's house. 'She [Richards] would love for the kids, when she has to film, to stay in her nice house but they go to "Wonderland" where they can get anything they want.' The insider went on to say, 'There's no homework it's ice cream and movies and staying up late. There isn't the same structure going on over there. It's a lot more fun than staying at home and finishing school and doing normal activities with your friends.' However, another source gave a different angle of the situation saying, 'Charlie is a terrific dad and his daughters adore him. They enjoy being with him.' The insider added, 'Charlie is a strict father but fair. The girls have rules at Charlie's house, which includes homework and curfew. The girls are polite and smart and funny and a joy to be with.' Rules: 'Denise set normal rules that any parent would be setting. She's a mom and a parent and there are rules. Sami didn't want to follow the rules,' a source revealed; Richards pictured with the girls on June 8, 2008 in Westwood, California Fun dad: Last year a source told PEOPLE that 'everything is a big party' at Sheen's house. 'There's no homework it's ice cream and movies and staying up late. There isn't the same structure going on over there'; Sheen, Richards and their daughters pictured on June 23, 2012 in NY Sami's shocking allegations didn't come out of nowhere. In July, the teen posted a video claiming that her mom tried to kick her out of the house. Denise also touched on the subject of her parenting struggles, and her rebellious teenage daughter, during one of the episodes on the Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills. She said: 'I'm struggling with parenting right now with my teenagers. Sami, I think sometimes she does things hoping to get a reaction out of me. It's not easy.' Charlie told Us Weekly magazine via his representative Jeff Ballard: 'Sam's amazing. I love her and all my children unconditionally. We're having a ball. GED here we come.' Sheen and Richards split in 2005 when she was pregnant with Lola and finalized their divorce in 2006. Denise married Aaron Phypers in 2018. Together, they share 10-year-old adopted daughter Eloise Joni. Kingsley Ben-Adir is stepping into his newest role as Reggae legend Bob Marley. The 35-year-old will be cast to play the iconic musician, according to Deadline. The British actor has portrayed a number of legendary figures, including President Barack Obama on Showtime's The Comedy Rule and Malcom X in One Night in Miami. New role: Kingsley Ben-Adir is stepping into his newest role as Reggae legend Bob Marley The movie will reportedly be directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who made is directorial debut in the 2021 film King Richard. The film, which highlighted Venus and Serena's father, Richard Williams, went on to receive six Oscar Nominations, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Will Smith. The musical legend died of cancer in 1981 at age 36, but his wife Rita Marley, daughter Cedella Marley and son Ziggy Marley will serve as producers on set, according to Deadline. The music legend: Bob Marley died of cancer in 1981 at age 36 Legendary roles: The British actor has portrayed a number of legendary figures, including President Barack Obama on Showtime's The Comedy Rule and Malcom X in One Night in Miami 'Sources say Paramount execs and Green saw endless tests and met with dozens of actors vying for the role, but in recent weeks Ben-Adir began putting himself in pole position before ultimately winning the role,' Deadline reported. Kingsley will also be on the big screen for another role in 2022. He was cast to star alongside Samuel L. Jackson and is making his debut in the Marvel Universe. He will star as the villain in Secret Invasion, which is a limited series said to come to Disney+ later this year. On the Marvel set: He will star as the villain in Secret Invasion, which is a limited series said to come to Disney+ later this year The show will act as a direct sequel to the 2019 film Captain Marvel, which also starred Samuel as a younger version of the S.H.I.E.L.D. agent. Secret Invasion follows shapeshifting aliens known as the Skrulls who have infiltrated all aspects of life on earth. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show will use Captain Marvel as a launch pad and focus on Fury's relationship with Talos. Kyle Bradstreet, who helmed the acclaimed Mr. Robot, will act as writer and executive producer. Like the great flu in the spring of 1918, the COVID-19 virus is evolving into homeostasis and the endemic end game is at hand. And while it can still kill, omicrons real danger may lie less in the people it infects and more in the shockwaves it propagates through societies ill-equipped for change. Pandemics affect the social constructs that govern our behaviors. These constructs are like operating systems, simultaneously subject to forces of modernity and those of, well being human. This dissonance has been captured in the COVID culture wars and it impedes our ability communicate. Creating dialogue, even at the edge of what is acceptable, by figures like Joe Rogan, chisels away at this great impediment. Advertisement Jesse Pelletier is a private-practice physician in Miami. - Original Credit: Courtesy photo (Courtesy photo) Like it or not, a dominant culture can have an outsized influence on our politics and institutions. When subjected to a shapeshifting virus like omicron, our health-care institutions need to be flexible. In an ideal world, the policy they create would be based purely on objective science. The stark reality is that policy is infused with both science and politics. As the gulf between left and right widens, so does absolutism of what we declare to be true and in the best interest of others. Our time with COVID-19 has yielded very specific policies with respect to quarantine, isolation, masks and vaccination. Omicron threatens these policies if we cannot change with the times. It forces us to grapple with policy questions whose answers to this point have been unassailable, but are now in need of an update. Advertisement The job of artists, intellectuals and comedians is to open up dialogue and challenge us to think about a changing world. The best understand flashpoints of society and lean in to conversations that need to be had. They pierce the irreverent and unspeakable while simultaneously tilting a mirror towards society for self-reflection. Rogan is one of the best. He also happens to be at the vanguard of the American conversation. If we want to better understand who has the ear of our citizenry, then look no further. His viewers encompass a broad swath of the political spectrum. Whats clear from listening to Rogan is that hes smart, well-intentioned and genuinely curious. His ideology is down the line liberal, but culturally he remains distinct from the elite. His methodology in the pursuit of truth is on display in every interview. Some of Rogans guests may be bad actors, but most are not. None should be easily censored. The best antidote to bad speech is more speech. Even his COVID skeptics are experienced professionals and, in many ways, just like the rest of us. They are biased, prone to hyperbole, perhaps misunderstood and may even propagate misinformation. But some of what they say holds truth. Rogan can also do better. The most polarizing figures should be more rigorously fact-checked or interviewed in point, counterpoint format. Those needing more unbiased refereeing can listen to other trusted resources. But if what Rogans guests communicate forces us to take a second look at our blind spots, those areas which perhaps we overlooked because we were so confident in our convictions then we become more relatable and trustworthy. Our ability to cross-pollinate and expand other points of view is amplified and just maybe we can better tackle the rapidly changing COVID landscape. While omicron continues to spread, a few of our European counterparts have begun to dismantle many of their anti-COVID measures. Denmark no longer considers it to be a socially critical disease. England lifted almost all domestic restrictions and Ireland is rapidly doing the same. At home, New York and California are rescinding indoor mask mandates. Omicron, in a clean break from its predecessors, shows us that the link between cases and bad outcomes no longer holds. You dont have to listen to Rogan to understand that the totality of immunity, when coupled with a virus finally more akin to influenza, means that there will be serious calls for a return to normal. This will make many people uncomfortable, especially those who have not been exposed to more expansive and challenging dialogue. Whether we determine that heeding these calls is ultimately wise or foolish we should at least be having the conversations to prepare us for what lies ahead. Jesse Pelletier is a private-practice physician in Miami. He's the hunky tattooed P.E. teacher who failed to find love with Brooke Blurton on last year's season of The Bachelorette. But it appears as if Luca Fraraccio hasn't given up on his quest to find romance on a reality show. Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal that the 26-year-old Gold Coast-based hunk is set to appear on the upcoming reboot of Heartbreak Island. Second time lucky? The Bachelorette's Luca Fraraccio, 26, is set to appear on the upcoming season of Heartbreak Island - after he was brutally dumped by Brooke Blurton last year Currently being filmed in Fiji at Plantation Island, Luca will be one of the show's 20 singletons hoping to find a match. A well-known tattooed fitness model is also tipped to appear on the show. Daily Mail Australia can reveal the revamped series commenced filming last week. Confirmed! Daily Mail Australia can exclusively reveal that the 26-year-old Gold Coast-based hunk is set to appear on the upcoming reboot of Heartbreak Island Heartbreak Island revolves around a group of single guys and girls going all out on a picturesque island searching for the perfect match that would also give them the chance to win $100,000. These twenty-something Australian and New Zealanders with flamboyant personalities bring a lot of novelty and excitement to the table. The show will air in 2022. Remember me? Luca appeared on Brooke's season of The Bachelorette but was sent packing just three episodes before she chose Darvid Garayeli It comes just days after Luca confirmed he would be taking a break from Instagram. 'I have been presented with an opportunity for the next couple of months, which I can't say too much about,' he wrote. 'But it's very exciting and I can't wait to share it with you all.' Karlie Kloss put her catwalk skills on display as she stepped out in New York City on Friday night. The supermodel made her way down the street in a gorgeous black dress that hugged her statuesque figure. With a chill in the brisk winter air, the Illinois native matched the stylish number with a gorgeous black overcoat that she draped over her shoulders. Catwalk queen: Karlie Kloss put her catwalk skills on display as she stepped out in New York City on Friday night The 29-year-old pounded the pavement in a pair of classic black heels and the boning on her dress highlighted her enviably trim midsection. Her flowing dark brown tresses styled long, straight, and sleek with a part in the middle. Letting her natural beauty shine, Kloss appeared to be completely devoid of makeup. Statuesque stunner: The supermodel made her way down the street in a gorgeous black dress that hugged her statuesque figure Lovely: Along with her stylish ensemble, Kloss also wore a pair of gorgeous black heels, and had her dark brown tresses styled long, straight, and sleek, with a part in the middle Before heading out to the artsy SoHo neighborhood, Kloss stepped into promo mode as a spokesperson for Estee Lauder. The runway maven shared a few makeup tips on her Instagram page featuring the iconic makeup brand's products. 'FEELING THE LOVE Dolled up (a few days early) for Valentine's using @esteelauder Pure Color Envy Luxe Eyeshadow quads & new Pure Color Crystal Balm,' she captioned a slide show of herself applying eyeshadow and lipstick. The Victoria's Secret veteran realized one of her childhood dreams when she was named one of Estee Lauder's newest global spokesmodels back in April 2018. Face of cosmetics giant: Before heading out on Friday, Kloss slipped into promo mode as a spokesperson for Estee Lauder and shared a few makeup tips on her Instagram page The supermodel shared a slide show of herself applying makeup Kloss confessed 'it was a dream come true' when she got a beauty contract as one of the global ambassadors forEstee Lauder in April 2018 'It's a dream come true. It really is. My entire career, having a beauty contract has been at the top of my bucket list,' Kloss confessed to Allure in 2018. 'From the very start, my list of career dreams always included Cover of American Vogue and Estee Lauder beauty contract.' She added, 'It's surreal, and I'm really grateful and excited. I'm so honored to be a part of a brand with such a rich legacy.' Just six months after announcing her deal to be one of the faces of the cosmetics giant, Kloss tied-the-knot with businessman and investor Joshua Kushner. The couple, who held a second wedding in Wyoming in 2019, welcomed their son Levi, who celebrates his first birth in March 2022. The Illinois native got flirty with the camer Get creative: Kloss revealed she likes to 'mix and match' her makeup Elsa Pataky recently flew back to Australia after spending the last two months travelling across Europe and Africa. And on Friday, the actress looked well and truly back in her element as she ran some errands in Byron Bay. The 45-year-old was hard to miss in a pair of cowboy boots and tiny khaki shorts. Stepping out! Elsa Pataky put on a show stopping display in a pair of cowboy boots as she strolled through Byron Bay on Friday She also wore a dark blue T-shirt and a pair of aviator sunglasses, and further accessorised with some rings on her fingers. Elsa looked incredibly fit and her legs were noticeably tanned and toned. She appeared to be in a hurry and was walking briskly across the street to pick up some items from a store. Speaking to Vogue Australia about her personal style journey in 2016, Elsa said moving to Byron Bay inspired her to embrace her inner 'hippy'. Leggy lady: The 45-year-old's long legs looked sensational in the brown boots Shady: She also wore a dark blue T-shirt and a pair of aviator sunglasses, and further accessorised with some rings on her fingers 'I love a mix of hippy, but [my style] touches on rock 'n' roll, with colours and prints,' the Fast And The Furious star proclaimed. 'I always had it there, but coming here to Byron, it did come out a bit more to work with this lifestyle.' The mother of three, who originally hails from Madrid, flew back to Australia earlier this month after spending December and January overseas. Rushing around! She appeared to be in a hurry and was walking briskly across the street to pick up some items from a store She had jetted to Europe at the end of 2021 to accompany her husband Chris, 38, while he filmed Netflix sequel Extraction 2 in the Czech Republic. With the Thor star busy shooting in Prague, Elsa hit the slopes in Austria, explored Venice with her sister-in-law, and even went on safari in Africa. She and Chris were also able to spend a few days in London together during a break from filming. Family: Elsa was joined by one of her boys, who was barefoot on the street Helping hand: The youngster helped his famous mum carry a few boxes across the street Production on Extraction 2 is expected to last until March. The film was originally supposed to be filmed in New South Wales, but moved to the Czech Republic due to fears of Covid shutdowns. The first Extraction once held the record for being Netflix's most-watched film ever. It's been nearly five months since T.I. and his wife Tiny Harris learned they wouldn't be charged for allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2005 in Los Angeles. And while the couple initially kept a low public profile, in more recent times the legendary rapper has been seen out giving it a go as a stand-up comedian. Just this week, he made an appearance at Shaquille O'Neal's All Star Comedy Jam at the Microsoft Theater, and then afterwards was seen with his wife outside the popular Italian restaurant, The Nice Guy, in West Hollywood. Out and about: Rapper T.I. and his wife Tiny Harris made a rare public appearance together, in the five months since they learned they would not face charges for sexually assaulting a woman in Los Angeles in 2005 The couple were seen chatting with some fans outside the eatery after enjoying a meal and drinks. T.I. (born Clifford Joseph Harris Jr.), 41, was the picture of casual-cool dressed in blue jeans with a green and black-patterned vest and matching tie over a blue and white striped dress shirt. He also donned a pair of white sneakers and had his short raven hair in short braids. Tiny (born Tameka Dianne Harris), 46, stood by his side in skin-tight black leather pants, a matching 'old school' sweatshirt, and black and white high-top sneakers. She pulled her long dyed burgundy tresses back off her face into a ponytail. Public appearance: The couple were seen chatting with some people after exiting The Nice Guy Italian restaurant in West Hollywood Comedic touch: T.I. was seen wearing his very same outfit when he performed his stand-up act at Shaquille O'Neal's All Star Comedy Jame at the Microsoft Theater on Thursday night After spending a few minutes outside talking with a few other of the restaurant patrons, T.I. wrapped his left arm around his wife and they made their way back to their parked car. By Thursday night, the About The Money star's Instagram page had a few video posted of his time on on stage delivering his brand of comedy. He could be seen in the various clips and photos wearing that very same clothing ensemble. 'Only doing comedy for four weeks and killing it,' it read in the caption of a clip showing him on stage at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. There have also been videos floating around of T.I. doing stand-up at other venues over the course of the new year. New gig: By Thursday night, the About The Money star's Instagram page had a few video posted of his time on on stage delivering his brand of comedy Giving it a go: The legendary rapper has been doing comedy over the last few weeks Besides the recent postings of his comedy appearances in recent weeks, T.I. and Tiny had not been seen out in public much since they were cleared of sexual assault charges in September 2021. Earlier on in 2021, a woman came forward and alleged the rapper and his wife drugged and assaulted her 16 years earlier after meeting in a nightclub. She claimed in court documents that she was first introduced to the couple by a man handing out flyers at a local mall, and she was invited to a club where they would be the following night. In an Instagram video, the rapper was adamant and denied 'all these disgusting, anonymous allegations.' Curtain call: The Georgia native posed with the other comedians at the end of the show On the down low: Besides the recent postings of his comedy appearances in recent weeks, T.I. and Tiny had not been seen out in public much since they were cleared of those sexual assault charges in September 2021 Just this past September, prosecutors decided not to move forward with the case because it fell outside the 10-year statute of limitations, which was initially reported by TMZ. The outcome was similar to another case, where another woman accused T.I. and Tiny of drugging and sexually assaulted her in Las Vegas back in 2010. The Las Vegas case also fell outside the statute of limitations, so there were ultimately no charges. While addressing various allegations, T.I. suggested he and his wife had consensual sex with other people within their relationship but that no one was ever forced to do anything they did not want to do. 'Whatever we have done, has been done with consensual adults who into what we into and like what we like,' he said in the video posted on January 29, 2021, adding, 'Ain't never raped nobody, never raped nobody.' His latest stage musical, The Music Man, debuted to critical acclaim this week. And Hugh Jackman celebrated the occasion by taking a romantic stroll through New York City with wife Deborra-Lee Furness on Friday. The long-term couple, who married in 1996, walked arm-in-arm during the outing. Winner: Hugh Jackman celebrated his latest theatrical success by taking a romantic stroll through New York City with wife Deborra-Lee Furness on Friday Both were rugged-up in heavy jackets to keep them insulated against the arctic East Coast chill. While Hugh covered up with a face mask, Deborra-Lee shielded her gaze behind a pair of round-framed, purple-tined sunglasses. At one point Jackman threw up a peace sign for photographers. Plunging temperatures: Both were rugged-up in heavy jackets to keep them insulated against the arctic East Coast chill The sighting comes after Hugh apparently turned back the clock this week. The Aussie hunk looked nowhere near his age at the opening night of his new Broadway show, The Music Man, in New York on Thursday evening. Jackman showed off his fresh haircut and incredibly youthful visage as he cuddled up to his co-star, Younger star Sutton Foster. He looks YOUNGER! Jackman, 53, looked nowhere near his age as he cuddled up to actress Sutton Foster at opening night of their new Broadway show The Music Man in New York on Thursday evening The father-of-two was dapper in a three piece suit and an open-neck white shirt underneath. Meanwhile Sutton stunned in a burnt orange plunging silk gown accessorised with pearl jewels. Hugh plays the role of Harold Hill in the famed musical, which tells the tale of a con man who poses as a band organiser and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk. Handsome: The Aussie actor flaunted his fresh haircut and incredibly youthful visage as he cuddled up to his co-star, Younger star Sutton Foster Looking good! The father-of-two was dapper in a navy three piece suit and an open-neck white shirt underneath However, Harold has no music experience, and no plans to teach the locals, and librarian and piano teacher Marian, played by Sutton, quickly begins to see through his act. When Harold helps Marian's younger brother overcome his lisp, she begins to fall for him, and the rebel risks revealing his true identity to win her heart. The musical first premiered on Broadway in 1957, and won five Tony Awards, before opening on the West End in 1961, and was later made into a film starring Robert Preston as Harold and Shirley Jones as Marian. He was sidelined for more than a week in January after testing positive for Covid-19 at the end of last year. Upon his return to the show, he shared a positive message with fans on Instagram. 'All right, I cant tell you how good this moment feels - yes, were back, were back,' said Hugh. 'It is Thursday, January 6th and we are back, going to work,' he added. Gorgeous: Sutton stunned in a burnt orange plunging silk gown accessorised with pearl jewels The Music Man: Review 'Jackman is like a coiled spring, effortlessly leaping onto desks, two-stepping with kids, tossing books into the air and pounding out a rhythm on his thighs. He's even magnetic in a romantic clinch. 'There's a winking knowingness to the show, a quiet awareness that the tomfoolery is just that and the folks up there are killing it. 'It starts on a train and feels like a ride you never want to stop. As the conductor says at the beginning: 'All aboard!' Mark Kennedy - Associated Press Advertisement The Aussie hunk, who tested positive for Covid-19 on December 28, apologised to fans who had tickets to see the show when he was sidelined. 'To all those people who had tickets for the last 10 days Im so sorry, I hope and pray that you have a chance to reschedule,' he said. 'Im so excited to be back and to bring the show - which is pure joy and full of hope and belief and faith - back to Broadway.' The Greatest Showman actor also had kind words for his colleagues as the Broadway community suffers during the Omicron wave. He said: 'To all the shows on Broadway, Im thinking of you all, and everybody stay safe, be kind to each other and Im looking forward to seeing you soon.' The Music Man was among the shows that had to cancel performances due to the spike in Covid-19 cases as previews kicked off. Katie Holmes cut a preppy figure on Friday afternoon as she ran errands in New York City. The 43-year-old actress rocked a beige sweater layered over a white dress shirt and a pair of light wash jeans. Katie pounded the pavement in a pair of black loafers and white socks. Preppy: Katie Holmes cut a preppy figure on Friday afternoon as she ran errands in New York City The former wife of Tom Cruise wore her brunette hair down and kept her eyes shielded behind a pair of shades. She had a brown leather purse slung across her body and she carried a paper shopping bag in her hands. A bright pink face ask was wrapped around her wrist. Layered look: The 43-year-old actress rocked a beige sweater layered over a white dress shirt and a pair of light wash jeans Essentials only: She had a brown leather purse slung across her body and she carried a paper shopping bag in her hands On Thursday, Katie was caught at a Chloe event in the Soho neighborhood of New York City ahead of New York Fashion Week. She donned a knitted top with trousers, adding a chic coat to round out her look. Katie donned a knitted top that flashed a hint of cleavage on display, adding black trousers. The mother of one stayed warm in a black duster coat with a textured detail on top. Striking: She's always fashionable, no matter the occasion. And on Thursday, Katie Holmes did not disappoint as she posed up a storm at a Chloe event in the Soho neighborhood of New York City Looking gorgeous: Katie, 43, donned a knitted top with trousers, adding a chic coat to round out her look Gorgeous: Katie donned a knitted top that flashed a hint of cleavage on display, adding black trousers Beaming beauty: The mother of one added a duster coat with a textured detail on top - in black The pretty brunette sported black boots, adding an orange statement handbag for a pop of color. Katie added silver earrings and layers of necklaces with her hair pulled back and a touch of makeup, highlighting her natural beauty. Bailee Madison also cut a chic figure for the Big Apple event. The actress, 22, donned a black jacket with textured brown fabric along the edges, adding a gray top and jeans. Catching up: The pretty brunette sported black boots, adding an orange statement handbag for a pop of color; pictured with Bailee Madison Smiling stars: Bailee Madison also cut a chic figure for the Big Apple event It's a vibe: The actress, 22, donned a black jacket with textured brown fabric along the edges, adding a gray top and jeans Bailee sported pointed black boots with a small clutch; she wore coral lipstick for a statement lip color. Zazie Beetz looks gorgeous in a colorful knitted crop top with a matching maxi skirt and textured jacket in the same print. The 30-year-old actress added a black bag and colorful sneakers as well as hoop earrings and a belly chain. She wore her hair center parted and opted for a minimal makeup look to highlight her stunning natural beauty. Looking gorgeous: Zazie Beetz looks gorgeous in a colorful knitted crop top with a matching maxi skirt and textured jacket in the same print. Dorinda Medley led the star-studded arrivals at the Christian Cowan runway show during the first day of New York Fashion Week on Friday. The RHONY alum, 57, viewed the designer's Fall 2022 ready-to-wear collection from the front row, alongside the likes of Queer Eye's Tan France and drag performer CT Hedden. For the show, Medley put on a busty display in a plunging black bodysuit with a rhinestone mesh top layered over it. Arrivals: Dorinda Medley led the star-studded arrivals at the Christian Cowan runway show during the first day of New York Fashion Week on Friday She highlighted her shapely legs in a pair of skintight silver sequin pants and some sky-high black pumps. Medley's platinum blonde hair was softly swept out of her face and a pair of chunky silver earrings hung from her ears. She further accessorized with a silver statement rings on her left hand. As for makeup, the socialite drew attention to her eyes with a pair of dramatic faux lashes and plumped up her pout with some clear lip gloss. Busty: For the show, Medley put on a busty display in a plunging black bodysuit with a rhinestone mesh top layered over it In good company: The RHONY alum, 57, viewed the designer's Fall 2022 ready-to-wear collection from the front row, alongside the likes of Queer Eye's Tan France and drag performer CT Hedden (pictured) Sparkling: She highlighted her shapely legs in a pair of skintight silver sequin pants and some sky-high black pumps; pictured with CT Hedden Medley arrived to the shindig with a black feather coat draped over her shoulders, which she later removed to show off her risque top in all its glory. She was captured posing for snaps beside Hedden, who looked incredible in a mesh animal print top and vinyl trousers. France was seated just to the left of Hedden and looked ultra stylish in a black denim jacket layered over a bright orange turtleneck. Platinum perfection: Medley's platinum blonde hair was softly swept out of her face and a pair of chunky silver earrings hung from her ears; Dorinda pictured with CT Hedden and Coi Leray Layers: Medley arrived to the shindig with a black feather coat draped over her shoulders, which she later removed to show off her risque top in all its glory; Dorinda pictured with CT Hedden, Designer Christian Cowan, and Bevy Smith Icon: Tan France was seated just to the left of Hedden and looked ultra stylish in a black denim jacket layered over a bright orange turtleneck The TV personality completed the look with pink trousers and a pair of snakeskin boots. Coi Leray put her exceptionally toned figure on display in a glitzy pale blue and a skimpy glitter patchwork mini skirt. The rapper's brunette hair was styled in lengthy braids and she toted her belongings in a koi fish-shaped purse. Toned: Coi Leray put her exceptionally toned figure on display in a glitzy pale blue and a skimpy glitter patchwork mini skirt Personal: Faouzia and Alexa Swinton rocked some of their personal favorite Cowan getups as they took their seats front row Cozy: CT Hedden and Bevy Smith were spotted mingling front row, with Smith looking effortlessly elegant in a sparkly black sweater dress Faouzia and Alexa Swinton rocked some of their personal favorite Cowan getups as they took their seats front row. Faouzia looked edgy in head-to-toe leather, which she broke up with a stunning animal print-lined jacket. Swinton wowed in a bubblegum pink cropped hoodie with a bedazzled hem and a pair of matching sweatpants. Glamour girls: Emma Brooks McAllister, Batsheva Haart and Olivia Ponton brought the glamour to the Cowan show as they each posed in rivaling bedazzled gowns Man of the hour: The likes of Medley, Hedden, and France all took the opportunity to pose for photos with the man of the hour: Christian Cowan CT Hedden and Bevy Smith were spotted mingling front row, with Smith looking effortlessly elegant in a sparkly black sweater dress. Emma Brooks McAllister, Batsheva Haart and Olivia Ponton brought the glamour to the Cowan show as they each posed in rivaling bedazzled gowns. The likes of Medley, Hedden, and France all took the opportunity to pose for photos with the man of the hour: Christian Cowan. Experience: The beloved British designer aimed to put on the 'highest high-fashion show ever' by unveiling his Fall collection at the One World Observatory Maturity: Cowan told Vogue that this season's collection was crafted with his maturer clients in mind The beloved British designer aimed to put on the 'highest high-fashion show ever' by unveiling his Fall collection at the One World Observatory. Cowan told Vogue that this season's collection was crafted with his maturer clients in mind. 'Last season was very much the party girl, this season is the gala girl,' he explained, adding that he wanted to mesh Old Hollywood glam with 'Gen-Z attitude.' Elevated: 'Last season was very much the party girl, this season is the gala girl,' he explained Emily Weir will soon be embroiled in some dramatic scenes on Home and Away. The actress hit Sydney's Palm Beach to film a new episode of the soap on Tuesday, and required a body double to take on some of the stunts. The 30-year-old showed off her toned figured as she slipped into a brown bikini and headed into the surf alongside co-star Patrick O'Connor. Wet and wild: Emily Weir (pictured) will soon be embroiled in some dramatic scenes on Home and Away Emily was bundled into a surf rescue raft as she filmed the scenes, alongside some lifesavers in uniform. Afterwards, she was wrapped in a warm towel and headed off the beach as her stunt double took over. Emily laughed as she was led away from the water while snuggled in the blue towel, and appeared to have washed off her makeup in the ocean. Water babies: The actress hit Sydney's Palm Beach to film a new episode of the soap on Tuesday, and required a body double to take on some of the stunts Fit: The 30-year-old showed off her toned figured as she slipped into a brown bikini and headed into the surf alongside co-star Patrick O'Connor Safe and sound: Emily was bundled into a surf rescue raft as she filmed the scenes, alongside some lifesavers in uniform Experts: Afterwards, she was wrapped in a warm towel and headed off the beach as her stunt double took over There was big surf on the day and a water cameraman followed the buxom double into the waves. The stunt performer was wearing the same bikini as Emily had on, and expertly tackled the waves. Emily landed her breakthrough role as restaurateur Mackenzie on Home and Away in 2019. Prior to that, she appeared in TV series The Sleepover Club in 2003. Double trouble: There was big surf on the day and a water cameraman followed the buxom double (left) into the waves Lookalike: The stunt performer expertly tackled the waves Likewise: She was wearing the same bikini as Emily had on Emily described her casting on Home and Away as like a dream come true in an interview with Stuff New Zealand in 2019. 'It was like winning the Lotto for myself and for all my extended family members,' she said. 'My family still watches Home and Away. They call it Homie. When Homie is on... everything just shuts down. You are not allowed to make calls or anything.' Home and Away had some unfamiliar faces on set on Tuesday. The long-running soap opera, which recently lost two of its biggest stars - Harley Bonner and Sam Frost - was back to filming with new actors. An unnamed actress was busy shooting on Sydney's Palm Beach, with the young beauty sporting a large snake tattoo on one arm. Famous faces: Home and Away had some unfamiliar faces on set on Tuesday. An unnamed actress was busy shooting on Sydney's Palm Beach, with the young beauty sporting a large snake tattoo on one arm She was dressed in a punky look with a studded white belt, black denim skirt and a number of necklaces. Also on set was an unidentified actress shooting scenes alongside a male actor who donned a hipster look with a black hat, shorts and a tank top. The actress, who laughed with her co-star between takes, had on a yellow onesie and white sneakers. Edge: She was dressed in a punky look with a studded white belt, black denim skirt and a number of necklaces Filming: Also on set was an unidentified actress shooting scenes alongside a male actor who donned a hipster look with a black hat, shorts and a tank top A look: The actress, who laughed with her co-star between takes, had on a yellow onesie and white sneakers Scene stealers: The man held a flyer as the pair discussed something alongside a cafe Some familiar faces were on set too, with Jacqui Purvis and Nick Cartwright filming several scenes together. They appeared embroiled in a tense storyline, walking along together having an animated conversation, with Jacqui looking very serious indeed. However, in between takes, the beauty, who looked sensational in denim shorts and cowboy boots, doubled over laughing. Work: Some familiar faces were on set too, with Jacqui Purvis (right) and Nick Cartwright (left) filming several scenes together Tense: They appeared embroiled in a tense storyline, walking along together having an animated conversation What's wrong? Jacqui loked very serious indeed as she filmed Stunner: She looked sensational in denim shorts and cowboy boots So funny! In between takes, the beauty doubled over laughing Series icon Ray Meagher, who plays Alf Stewart, was likewise on set, sitting on a bench for his scenes. He looked busy on a phone, however it was unclear if this was part of the storyline or just the actor killing time. Emily Symons meanwhile was down on the beach for her takes, and was shielded by umbrellas against the sunshine while she waited. Busy: Series icon Ray Meagher, who plays Alf Stewart (right), was likewise on set Reading up: Ray had a look at his script while he was waiting for action Time killer: He looked busy on a phone, however it was unclear if this was part of the storyline or just the actor killing time Harley Bonner quit Home and Away last month after Channel Seven enforced a mandate requiring all cast and crew to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19. Following his departure from the soap, the 30-year-old actor shared a lengthy Instagram post seemingly referring to his exit. 'Cancel culture is the lamest of the lame,' he began. 'Why would you waste time wishing someone didn't exist purely because they said something that made you feel something you perceived as a negative?' Her too: Emily Symons (pictured) meanwhile was down on the beach for her takes Shade: She was shielded by umbrellas against the sunshine while she waited Last month, Channel Seven announced Harley Bonner was departing Home and Away after less than a year on the soap. His exit occurred about the same time Seven Productions implemented a policy requiring all cast and crew be vaccinated against Covid-19. Neither Bonner nor Seven has confirmed or denied his departure was related to the vaccine mandate. Left: Last month, Channel Seven announced Harley Bonner was departing Home and Away after less than a year on the soap The actor posted to Instagram last month to share a few words about his exit, saying he was 'very happy' as he thanked fans for their support. 'Thanks and love to you all,' he wrote. 'I'm very happy. Life's good. Keep spreading kindness.' That marked the first time Bonner had spoken out since the network confirmed he wouldn't be returning to Home and Away. A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Channel Seven can confirm Harley will not return to Home and Away when filming resumes in the coming weeks.' Left: His exit occurred about the same time Seven Productions implemented a policy requiring all cast and crew be vaccinated against Covid-19 Bonner made his debut in August as handsome trauma surgeon Dr Logan Bennett, after having previously appeared on rival Channel 10 soap Neighbours. Sam Frost has also departed the Channel Seven soap, and spoken candidly about her decision to quit last month. The 32-year-old, who joined the cast as Jasmine Delaney in 2017, reflected on her departure from the coveted gig in a lengthy Instagram post. A Seven spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia: 'Channel Seven can confirm Harley will not return to Home and Away when filming resumes in the coming weeks' 'I quit my dream job at Home And Away to look after my mental health,' Sam wrote on mental health awareness Instagram page, Believe by Sam Frost. 'I needed to take a step back, go home and be with my family. And most importantly take good care of my health and wellbeing. 'I now spend the days with the people I love, doing the things I've always wanted to do but couldn't because I was too busy working.' Gone: Sam Frost (pictured) has also departed the Channel Seven soap, and spoken candidly about her decision to quit last month Sam also admitted she's felt anxious about her finances after quitting the lucrative role, writing: 'Sometimes I wake up and panic about money, work and being able to afford my mortgage. 'But then I remind myself the importance of putting our mental health first, and taking time out to heal our mind, body & soul. The rest will fall into place.' The former Bachelorette filmed her final scenes for Home and Away last month at Sydney's Eveleigh Studios. 'I quit my dream job at Home And Away to look after my mental health,' Sam wrote on mental health awareness Instagram page, Believe by Sam Frost Sam had earlier returned to work after her vaccine drama hit the headlines. She backflipped on her previous anti-vax stance, revealing she will get vaccinated against Covid-19 but not until after Channel Seven's 'no jab, no job' deadline. The actress said she will be fully vaccinated by late February - about seven weeks after the network's vaccine mandate for all presenters, cast and crew comes into effect on January 10. Deadline: Sam had earlier returned to work after her vaccine drama hit the headlines. She backflipped on her previous anti-vax stance, revealing she will get vaccinated against Covid-19 but not until after Channel Seven's 'no jab, no job' deadline Because Sam was not allowed on the Palm Beach set until she's double vaxxed, her character Jasmine Delaney was be 'written out temporarily'. The former reality star explained she wasn't able to get the jab sooner because of an unspecified 'medical procedure booked in for January'. It comes after the Director of Production at Seven West Media, Andrew Backwell, sent an email to staff informing them the network 'will only engage fully vaccinated presenters, cast and crew' from January 10. She was in tears upon hearing the news of her Oscar nomination for portrayal of Lucille Ball in in Being the Ricardos. But Nicole Kidman has revealed that not all of her family members were impressed by the news, during an interview on the US talk show The View on Friday. The Australian actress recalled the moment she began crying after getting a Facetime call informing her of the award nomination before her daughters Sunday Rose, 13, and Faith Margaret, 11, gave a less enthusiastic response to the news. Reaction: Nicole Kidman has shared her kids' amusing reaction to her tearing up after finding out about her Oscar nomination. Pictured on the US talk show The View on Friday 'I'm like, whaaaat? I mean it's like there was so much emotion attached to it that I didn't realise I was carrying, and I just looked around, tears are coming down,' Nicole, 54, began. 'And my kids looked at me like, 'Wow, congrats mum, anyway we're going to be late, we gotta get going'.' Nicole was nominated for best actress for her performance as Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos - her fifth Oscar nomination overall and her first since 2016 when she was nominated for best supporting actress in Lion. Family moment: The actress recalled the moment she began crying after getting thecall about the nomination before her daughters gave a less enthusiastic response to the news. Pictured with husband Keith Urban and daughters Sunday Rose, 13, and Faith Margaret, 11, at the Golden Globes She told The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday that she broke down in tears after receiving the news. 'I literally cried. I just can't believe it,' she said. 'This was the hardest thing I have ever done and so I didn't realise how much emotion I was holding on to.' She added that: 'The older you get, the sweeter and the more intense it is I don't know about getting more mellow because that is so not the case. I am elated.' 'I just can't believe it': Nicole revealed on Wednesday she 'literally cried' after being nominated for an Oscar for her portrayal of Lucille Ball in Being the Ricardos Earlier on Wednesday, Nicole shared a lengthy Instagram post thanking the Academy for recognising her hard work. Uploading a series of photos of herself in character as Lucille, Nicole wrote: 'WOW! I'm so overwhelmed... What a beautiful way to find out. 'This was the hardest role I've ever done and to be honoured this way is deeply appreciated. Biopic: Being the Ricardos depicts the complicated relationship between real-life Hollywood power couple Lucille Ball, portrayed by Kidman (right), and Desi Arnaz, played by Javier Bardem (left), as they filmed their hit 1950s sitcom I Love Lucy 'Lucille Ball is one of Hollywood's greatest icons. She was ahead of her time. From actress to producer to studio head, mother and wife, she's an extraordinary inspiration! Thank you Lucille Ball.' Nicole thanked the cast and crew on the film, as well as director Aaron Sorkin, and said they all deserve the Oscars recognition. Nicole has previously won Best Actress for The Hours at the 2003 Academy Awards. Rylan Clark has shared a fun throwback stating he's hopes to have a 'lovely day' after he was rushed to hospital with a mystery illness on Friday. Taking to Twitter the presenter, 33, shared the message alongside a sweet throwback clip from his stint on Celebrity Big Brother in 2013. He previously told fans that he is on the mend but will once again be forced to miss out on his BBC Radio 2 show on Saturday. Current Mood: Rylan Clark, 33, is staying positive as he posted a sweet throwback about having a 'lovely day'...after he was rushed to hospital with a mystery illness on Friday In the clip Rylan is seen in the Diary Room as Big Brother asks him: 'What are you hopes for tomorrow, Rylan?' Sat with a yellow flower in his hair, he answers: 'Just have a lovely day. If I have a row, I have a row. But just have a lovely day.' Rylan captioned his latest update: 'Current mood' as fan rushed to support the radio host with gushing comments and sweet messages. Thumbs up: Rylan captioned his latest update: 'Current mood' as fan rushed to support the radio host with gushing comments and sweet messages Resting up! In the clip, he answers to Big Brother: 'Just have a lovely day. If I have a row, I have a row. But just have a lovely day' as he is forced to miss out on another radio show on Saturday One fan commented: ' Keep that beautiful smile on your face and just know how much positivity you bring. To quote you 'You stay safe and You Stay Well'" Another added: 'Aww I hope you have a lovely day too gorgeous, sending you the biggest hug!' Other followers admitted that they would miss Rylan's usual radio show as they sent their well wishes. Well wishes! Fans rushed to support him as one joked: 'Get well soon. Love your radio show. What am I going to do on Saturday when I'm doing some Destroy It Yourself in the garage' A third fan penned: 'Get well soon. Will miss you on the wireless tomoz.' Whilst another playfully said: 'Get well soon. Love your radio show. What am I going to do on Saturday when I'm doing some Destroy It Yourself in the garage.' The post comes as Rylan revealed that he was rushed to hospital where he stayed for an 'extended time' with a mystery illness. Rylan took to social media on Friday morning where he posted a snap of himself with an IV in his arm, after being bedridden with the flu. Worrying! Rylan revealed on social media on Friday morning that he was rushed to hospital for an 'extended time' with a mystery illness Rylan wrote alongside the worrying photograph: 'Finally home after an extended trip to Costa del hospital. 'Slowly on the mend. Won't be on the wireless tomorrow. Resting up. Be back soon.' The Supermarket Sweep host has not confirmed why he was in hospital. MailOnline has contacted Rylan's representatives for comment. Home and resting: He also revealed that he is finally home, and although on the mend, is resting up and will once again miss his BBC Radio 2 show on Saturday (Pictured in 2020) Last Saturday, Rylan was forced to pull out of hosting his Radio 2 show after falling ill with the flu. The presenter usually hosts Rylan On Saturday every week from 3 to 6pm, but was too poorly last week. He was replaced on Saturday evening's show by Gary Davies. The TV star took to Twitter the day before to make the announcement to his followers, writing: 'Gone and got the flu (not surprised) been in bed for a couple of days. 'Have lat tested and not Covid thankfully but won't be able to go on the wireless tomorrow. Be back soon x' Hugh Jackman and his good friend Ryan Reynolds have long had a very public, but very friendly 'feud'. And it appears that Hugh's wife Deborra-Lee Furness has picked sides, as she posed alongside Ryan and his wife Blake Lively at the opening of The Music Man in New York on Thursday. The Music Man is Hugh's latest Broadway starring role, and his friends and family turned out to support him. Looking good: Deborra-Lee Furness (right) posed alongside Ryan Reynolds (left) at the opening of The Music Man in New York on Thursday Deb, 66, looked radiant in a black and white satin top with dramatic white panels on the shoulder and throughout. The abstract fashion piece cascaded down her figure in waterfall ruffles, reaching her knee. The actress, who has been married to Jackman since 1996, paired it with black, flared trousers, and dark heels, while adding a pair of statement earrings. Friendly faces: She also cosied up with Ryan's wife Blake Lively (right) Chic: Free Guy actor Ryan looked smart in a navy blue suit with a check pattern, with a dark shirt underneath that was open to show off a glimpse of his chest, and brown suede boots Gossip Girl actress Blake, 34, also turned heads in a purple suit with wide-legged trousers and a fitted blazer. Underneath, she opted to go braless in a silk shirt in a complimentary tone, which featured a plunging neckline. She added a pair of heels and wore her blonde hair down in curls, while adding a pair of green rhinestone earrings. A look: Deb, 66, looked radiant in a black and white satin top with dramatic white panels on the shoulder and throughout Cool pair: Gossip Girl actress Blake, 34, also turned heads in a purple suit with wide-legged trousers and a fitted blazer Free Guy actor Ryan looked smart in a navy blue suit with a check pattern, with a dark shirt underneath that was open to show off a glimpse of his chest. A-list duo Hugh, 53, and Ryan, 45, have long shared a tongue-in-cheek war of words, poking fun at one another through viral videos and pranks. The men have trolled one another for many years and each gives as good as they get. Artsy: Deb's abstract fashion piece cascaded down her figure in waterfall ruffles, reaching her knee Details: The actress, who has been married to Jackman since 1996, paired it with black, flared trousers, and dark heels, while adding a pair of statement earrings Hugh has said he struggled to remember the specifics, but it did start over Ryan's ex-wife, Scarlett Johansson, who he was married to from 2008 until 2011. 'It's gone back so long now God, this is a classic sign where your feud has gone too long, where you don't even know why or how it started!' he told The Daily Beast. 'I met him back on Wolverine, and I used to ream him because I was very close friends with Scarlett. Jokers! A-list duo Hugh and Ryan have long shared a tongue-in-cheek war of words, poking fun at one another through viral videos and pranks. Pictured together 'Scarlett had just married Ryan, so when he came on set I was like, "Hey, you better be on your best behaviour here, pal, because I'm watching", and we started ribbing each other that way.' Hugh said things 'escalated' after Ryan took on the role of Deadpool, proving to be a rival to his portrayal of Wolverine. He claimed Ryan had used social media to 'manipulate' him in recent years, with the two men regularly poking fun at each other on Instagram. Kate Beckinsale put on a very leggy display on Saturday as she posed up a storm perched on a washing machine in her utility room. The 48-year-old actress showcased her toned legs in a mesh long sleeve mini dress featuring black and white animal prints and a plunging black tulle train. Taking to Instagram, the Underworld star penned: 'Always good to complete at least a woollen cycle before leaving the house.' Stunning: Kate Beckinsale, 48, put on a very leggy display on Saturday as she posed up a storm perched on a washing machine in her utility room Influencer: Taking to Instagram, the Underworld star penned: 'Always good to complete at least a woolen cycle before leaving the house' Kate teamed her jaw-dropping number with a pair of shiny black platform heels and added white drop earrings. Sweeping back her brunette tresses into a curled ponytail, the actress opted for a full palette of makeup. Beckinsale is currently prepping for the release of the forthcoming family drama feature Prisoner's Daughter. Staying occupied: The actress is currently prepping for the release of the forthcoming family drama feature Prisoner's Daughter The news about Beckinsale's involvement with the project was initially reported by Deadline this past June. The film is centered on a former convict whose violent past catches up with him while attempting to reconcile with his family. Also set to appear in the upcoming movie are Brian Cox and Ernie Hudson. Director Catherine Hardwicke noted that the project's screenplay was familiar territory for her. 'Mark Bacci's script is a raw, personal look at a deeply fractured family, similar to my first film Thirteen,' she said. The Twilight director then expressed that Beckinsale would play a pivotal role in the forthcoming project. Not her first rodeo: Director Catherine Hardwicke gave a statement to the media outlet where she expressed that the project's screenplay was familiar territory for her (pictured in 2020) 'With Prisoner's Daughter, I want to fully immerse the viewer in Kate's character's intense world as she, her father and her young son try to heal generational family trauma and find a new way forward,' she stated. Producer Marina Grasic then noted that she and her collaborators were excited to be able to work with both Hardwicke and Beckinsale. 'We are committed to making films that reflect the struggles and issues faced by not only Americans but worldwide audiences. We are honored to be working with Catherine and Kate artists that can bring this important and inspiring story to life.' High praise: Producer Marina Grasic then noted that she and her collaborators were excited to be able to work with both Hardwicke and Beckinsale (pictured in 2020) Beckinsale previously made headlines after TMZ reported that she had injured her back while working on the movie in Las Vegas this past September. She later recovered from her injuries and shared an update about her health on her Instagram account. Prisoner's Daughter currently does not have a scheduled release date. Sean Lock fans were left heartbroken on Friday night as 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown paid tribute to the late comedian at the end of the episode. The comedian, known for his surreal content and deadpan style, teamed up with guest Harry Hill against Jon Richardson and Rosie Jones. It will be one of his last appearances on the show after the much-loved star died of cancer aged 58 surrounded by his family at home in August 2021. Emotional: Sean Lock fans were left heartbroken on Friday night as 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown paid tribute to the late comedian at the end of the episode Team captain Jimmy Carr hosted with Rachel Riley and Susie Dent taking up their usual duties. Before the episode aired, Channel 4 announced in a Twitter post that it would be 'one of his last appearances on the show'. A tribute to Sean appeared at the end of the episode with a picture of him and the words: 'In loving memory of comedy legend Sean Lock, 1963 2021. Tribute: A tribute to Sean appeared at the end of the episode with a picture of him and the words: 'In loving memory of comedy legend Sean Lock, 1963 2021 Last show: Before the episode aired, Channel 4 announced in a Twitter post that it would be 'one of his last appearances on the show' In an emotional tribute, co-star Jon Richardson took to Twitter to write: 'Watching Sean's last ep of Countdown I can see how upset I was knowing he was ill and how much that affected my performance, while Sean himself continued to be effortlessly hilarious. 'A true comic to the end. That's why he's trending on twitter and why he's so missed.' And viewers were quick to comment on the heartbreaking tribute with one saying they had 'never been more emotional while watching a funny panel show'. Another fan said: 'Finally caught up with last nights #CatsCountdown and its so emotional knowing its #SeanLock last episode!! Such a funny man!!' Final act: It will be one of his last appearances on the show after the much-loved star died of cancer aged 58 surrounded by his family at home Co-star: In an emotional tribute, co-star Jon Richardson took to Twitter to write: 'Watching Sean's last ep of Countdown I can see how upset I was knowing he was ill Thanks for the laughs: And viewers were quick to comment on the heartbreaking tribute with one saying they had 'never been more emotional while watching a funny panel show' The much-loved 8 Out Of 10 Cats star died of cancer aged 58 surrounded by his family at home. Carr led the tributes, saying it was 'brutal news' and that he was 'laughing and crying' while watching clips of Lock - while his friend Lee Mack, who called him a 'true original both in comedy and life'. Father-of-three Lock, who had two daughters and one son with his wife Anoushka, appeared on Have I Got News for You, QI, and They Think It's All Over - and also wrote and starred in the popular BBC sitcom 15 Storeys High. RIP: Sean is pictured performing a stand-up routine for the Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall in London in March 2006 Jon Richardson, Lock's fellow captain on 8 Out Of Ten Cats, praised his 'incredible comic brain'; Susie Dent from the Countdown version described him as an 'exceptional man'; Ricky Gervais said he was 'one of the funniest, most influential comedians of a generation'; and Alan Davies said Lock was 'funny on stage, hilarious off'. Lock's agent labelled the Woking-born star as 'one of Britain's finest comedians', saying his 'boundless creativity, lightning wit and the absurdist brilliance of his work, marked him out as a unique voice in British comedy'. It is not known what form of a cancer Lock had battled, but he previously made a full recovery from skin cancer which he blamed on over-exposure to the sun while working on building sites before he became a comedian. Sad news: Sean appeared on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown with Jimmy Carr, Jon Richardson, Rachel Riley and Susie Dent He previously credited a one-night stand in the 1990s with saving his life, after the woman he was with spotted a black and misshapen patch of skin on his back, which he had removed in hospital and it was diagnosed as cancer. Fellow comedian Harry Hill revealed Lock had spent time in a hospice, telling the Guardian: 'At his best, Sean reminded us all what we loved about a great gag and why we got into comedy in the first place. 'That's why he was so often called 'the comedian's comedian'. He took his illness in typically dry style. I heard he was in a hospice for a bit of a rest. I called him up. 'Wow!' I said. 'A hospice, what's that like?' 'It's OK,' he said ' and the sex is amazing'.' She previously wowed in the number at the opening night of The Music Man on Broadway this week. But Blake Lively gave fans another look at her plunging purple suit as she posed up a storm in new Instagram snaps shared on Friday. The actress, 34, looked amazing in the sizzling outfit, which gave a glimpse of her cleavage with its very daring neckline. Stunner: Blake Lively gave fans another look at her plunging purple suit as she posed up a storm in new Instagram snaps shared on Friday Blake oozed confidence as she posed in the striking flared jumpsuit, which she teamed with a matching blazer. The mother-of-three also gave a close up of her glam, with Blake cascading curls and a dewy make-up palette, with the look finished off with stunning embellished earrings. While in another image, she showed off her assortment of bejewelled rings that adorned her fingers. Purple reign: The actress, 34, looked amazing in the sizzling outfit, which gave a glimpse of her cleavage with its very daring neckline Captioning her sizzling post, she penned: 'back to business.' Blake first showed off the outfit as she and husband Ryan Reynolds, 45, stepped out to support their pal Hugh Jackman, who starred in the revival of The Music Man, which opened on Thursday. Meanwhile, Blake is getting ready to return to the big screen for the first time since 2020's The Rhythm Section with The Making Of. From the back: Blake oozed confidence as she posed in the striking flared jumpsuit, which she teamed with a matching blazer Wow: The mother-of-three also gave a close up of her glam, with Blake cascading curls and a dewy make-up palette, with the look finished off with stunning embellished earrings Hand model: While in another image, she showed off her assortment of bejewelled rings that adorned her fingers She stars alongside Lin-Manuel Miranda, Richard Gere and Diane Keaton, following filmmakers hiring actors to play themselves to tell their own love story... though their marriage starts fading. She is also attached to star in The Husband's Secret, based on the novel of the same name by Lianne Moriarty (Big Little Lies). Blake and Ryan tied the knot in 2012 at a former plantation in South Carolina, a venue they publicly apologized for last year. Since marrying they have become the proud parents of three daughters - six-year-old James, five-year-old Inez and two-year-old Betty. Emily Blunt enjoyed an afternoon stroll with her daughters and their nanny in Dubrovnik's iconic Stradun Street on Saturday. The actress, 38, recently jetted to Croatia with Hazel, seven, and Violet, five, to visit her husband John Krasinski, 42, in time for Valentine's Day, who is in the midst of shooting Amazon Prime's fourth series of Jack Ryan. She looked ever-chic in a cream knitted polo neck sweater, which she combined with a pair of ripped jeans and white trainers. Emily Blunt enjoyed an afternoon stroll with her daughters and their nanny in Dubrovnik's iconic Stradun Street on Saturday Accessorising her look with a trendy brown belt, she framed her face with a pair of tortoise-shell sunglasses and toted her essentials around in a pink rucksack. The streaming service ordered a fourth season of Tom Clancy's drama back in October despite the third series release not having aired yet. The show's second season, which came out on Halloween 2019, saw the titular character, played by John, travel down to Venezuela and uncover a far-reaching conspiracy that took him and his compatriots across the globe. Romantic: The actress, 38, recently jetted to Croatia with Hazel, seven, and Violet, five, to visit her husband John Krasinski, 42, in time for Valentine's Day, who is in the midst of shooting Amazon Prime's fourth series of Jack Ryan. Gorgeous: She looked ever-chic in a cream knitted polo neck sweater, which she combined with a pair of ripped jeans and white trainers Looking good: Emily accessorised her look with a trendy brown belt The third season of the show will follow the secret agent after he becomes a fugitive from the CIA. The organization then follows the spy as he runs all over Europe. Its plot has been kept tightly under wraps, but cast members expected to be back include Abby Cornish as Cathy Mueller, Wendell Pierce as James Greer and Noomi Rapace as Harriet Baumann. It comes after Emily has revealed the first meal she ever cooked for her partner during an interview on the River Cafe Table 4 podcast. They tied the knot in a romantic ceremony in Lake Como, Italy back in 2010. Trendy: She framed her face with a pair of tortoise-shell sunglasses and toted her essentials around in a pink rucksack Team: Their nanny made sure she was on-hand for support And the London native began: 'I guess I just made something that I knew [John] would love. A roast chicken, who doesn't love roast chicken? The roast chicken I love is Ina Gartens roast chicken. 'Its called her ''Engagement Chicken'' because I think when people make it for people they get engaged or something.' She listed off ingredients and cooking instructions for the 'oniony and garlicky' roast chicken and told Ruth, ''And that was it! That's all it took!'. It has been claimed that Shanna Moakler's boyfriend Matthew Rondeau has misgivings about his plans to pop the question. Shanna is currently competing on the US edition of Celebrity Big Brother, and Matthew is said to be watching the public live feed from the house. Now Matthew, 28, is allegedly unhappy with the double entendres she has exchanged with Lamar Odom, insiders told TMZ. Trouble in paradise? It has been claimed that Shanna Moakler's boyfriend Matthew Rondeau has misgivings about his plans to pop the question due to her interactions with Lamar Odom on Celebrity Big Brother, TMZ reported on Saturday The conjecture comes just days after Matt was spotted shopping at a Tiffany's in Thousand Oaks, California outside Los Angeles. Matthew is reportedly particularly miffed because there are some specific turns of phrase that he says around her that she is allegedly deploying in the house. Sources claim that Matthew regards Shanna's behavior as being fueled by the reality TV producers, and he is allegedly of the opinion that she is stepping over the line. One clip cited by TMZ shows Shanna playfully helping Lamar apply a couple of gold treatment masks under his eyes. Bad timing: The conjecture comes just days after Matt was spotted shopping at a Tiffany's in Thousand Oaks, California outside Los Angeles Star turn: Shanna is currently competing on the US edition of Celebrity Big Brother - and Matthew is said to be watching the public live feed from the house Goofing around: Now Matthew, 28, is allegedly unhappy with the double-entendres she has exchanged with Lamar Odom, insiders told TMZ As she pressed one of the masks onto his cheek, she pointed out it was 'wetter' and Lamar said with a chuckle: 'That's always better.' Shanna responded by laughing herself and saying: 'It's always better when it's wetter! That's my motto.' Matthew, a model, began dating Shanna in 2020 and last year he staunchly denied an allegation that he cheated on her. The accusation came from Shanna's own daughter Alabama Barker, whom she shares with her ex-husband Travis Barker of Blink-182 fame. Helping hand: One clip cited by TMZ shows Shanna playfully helping Lamar apply a couple of gold treatment masks under his eyes Having fun: As she pressed one of the masks onto his cheek, she pointed out it was 'wetter' and Lamar said with a chuckle: 'That's always better.' She responded by laughing herself and saying: 'It's always better when it's wetter! That's my motto' Alabama, 16, was at the time waging a public war of words against her mother online and took aim at her boyfriend as well, saying: 'Matthew is nothing but awful to her. Not only that, but he cheats on her.' Matthew responded in Life And Style: 'Our love is real. We had our ups and downs in the past but never have we cheated on one another.' Shanna, who has been both Miss USA and a Playboy Playmate, blamed the trouble with her children on Travis' relationship with Kourtney Kardashian. 'I don't really understand why Kourtney is queen,' she told Life And Style, confessing her children had 'a lot of animosity' to Matthew. Oh, dear: Sources claim that Matthew regards Shanna's behavior as being fueled by the reality TV producers, and he is allegedly of the opinion that she is stepping over the linePlaying along: Shanna responded by laughing herself and saying: 'It's always better when it's wetter! That's my motto' 'They'd been really not nice to him, as well, and he hasnt done anything except be really supportive to me,' Shanna insisted. Although Shanna and Matt briefly broke up last year, it emerged last October that they had decided to give the romance another try. Travis and Kourtney are now engaged and are so famous for their public displays of affection that her sister Kim sent them up for it on Saturday Night Live. In the past Shanna has trafficked in allegations that her marriage to Travis broke up after he had an affair with Kim. Off and on: Although Shanna and Matt briefly broke up last year, it emerged last October that they had decided to give the romance another try Just last year Shanna claimed on social media: 'I divorced Travis because I caught him having an affair with Kim!' prompting a Kim source to insist to Page Six that there was 'zero truth' to the allegation. Meanwhile Kim and Kourtney's younger sister Khloe Kardashian was once married to Lamar, who was serially unfaithful to her. While their marriage was falling apart he infamously overdosed in a Nevada brothel and wound up in a coma which he luckily survived. During his current stint on Celebrity Big Brother he confessed he would not feel complete unless he were given another chance with her. Whoops: Lamar made headlines on this season of Celebrity Big Brother by accidentally defecating in bed and then blaming it on too much milk He shared in a confessional that when one takes 'a vow under the Lord's eye that you expect to honor that vow which I didn't and it kind of haunts me.' Lamar admitted that 'I do miss her and her family dearly,' adding: 'Even just to her family, I am sorry that I let them down.' He said of the Kardashians: 'They had so much faith in me and gave me my own nickname "Lammy." I would do anything to make it up.' Early in the run of this season of Celebrity Big Brother he made headlines by accidentally defecating in bed and then blaming too much milk. The rapper Blueface was reportedly arrested in Hollywood for gun possession in the early morning hours of Saturday. The Thotiana hitmaker, 25, had been driving in a car with several people when he was stopped at the Sunset and Vine intersection around 3:15 a.m. Police told TMZ that the music artist was originally pulled over for driving with an expired registration. Gun charges: Rapper Blueface was arrested in Hollywood for gun possession in the wee hours of Saturday morning After a computer check it was also discovered that Blueface real name Johnathan Jamall Porter was driving with a suspended license. Porter was ordered out of his vehicle by police, who commenced a search. A loaded firearm was allegedly found in the center console, leading to his arrest for possession of a concealed firearm. Location: The Thotiana hitmaker, 25, had been driving in a car with several people when he was stopped at the Sunset and Vine intersection None of the other passengers in the vehicle appear to have been arrested. The rapper last made headlines back in November for beating up a nightclub bouncer in San Fernando Valley. The violence was caught on camera and the entertainer and others with him were charged with two felonies, one for assault and one for robbery. Per TMZ Johnathan and three others 'stomped, kicked, and punched' the doorman, leaving him in need of stitches. Track record: The rapper last made headlines back in November for beating up a nightclub bouncer in San Fernando Valley Back in April of 2021, the rapper attracted controversy from a social media video that he apparently posted himself. In the clip, he could be seen asking several women if they were ready to 'get tattoos or go home,' which appeared to be a requirement to stay at his unorthodox house. However, TMZ later reported the clip was part of a reality show he was working on that he streamed via an OnlyFans account. Kate Garraway says she has found a new way to be in love with husband Derek Draper as he continues his slow recovery from the ravages of coronavirus. In an interview with todays You magazine, the TV star admits her relationship with the political lobbyist turned psychotherapist has changed since he was struck down by the virus in March 2020. Im not sure that weve ever fallen out of love, but I think a new path is emerging, a new way to be in love, says the Good Morning Britain presenter. He puts huge trust in me. He just says, Whatever you think, which is wonderful, but I do get quite tearful about it. I think, God, I hope Im worthy of that trust. But Ive got his back. That is a relationship in itself, isnt it? How many times do couples have doubts about each other? 'Thats a positive thing to come out of this, to have that certainty of each other. He and I are very close. Kate wears: Blazer, Kate Spade New York. Shirt, Winser London. Earrings, Pebble London Kate Garraway says she has found a new way to be in love with husband Derek Draper (pictured together in December 2019) as he continues his slow recovery from the ravages of coronavirus Pictured: Kate Garraway and husband Derek Draper attend the Cinderella pantomime at Richmond Theatre in 2021 Kate, 54, won a National Television Award last year for Finding Derek, a moving documentary that detailed her familys plight during his 13 months in hospital, much of it in an induced coma. It also revealed how Derek, who is still battling serious health problems, sometimes felt suicidal. I still sense that in him, says Kate. But now I think he believes he can get better, but until we know how, its challenging. The presenter, who has been Dereks principal carer since his release from hospital last April, says that although her husband is often lost and confused, she is buoyed by flashes of his former self. Derek Draper was so severely ill he was placed in a medically induced coma for several months, and continues to have extraordinary problems with communication' Ms Garraway, 54, also delivered a touching message about love when she appeared on ITVs Royal Carols: Together At Christmas last year Its an emotional rollercoaster, but if it is gruelling for me, its even more so for him, Im sure, because hes living with it, she says. As much as it impacts on the children and myself, being in his body must be so much worse. A follow-up documentary is planned and, as The Mail on Sunday revealed in December, Derek, 54, summoned the strength to make an emotional trip to the theatre with Kate and their children, Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12. That was wonderful, for Derek to be able to sit there and be with his children, says Kate, who is replacing Piers Morgan as the host of ITVs Life Stories. He would whisper to me in the run-up, Is it pantomime today? So he was definitely aware of it and really determined to do it. It was fortunately not too long a show, but it still wiped him out for Christmas in terms of energy levels, but theres a balance between keeping him healthy and pushing to have new stimulation. She remains positive for the future. Derek is here with us, were still working our way through the process of under-standing how hes doing and what to do about it and where we go next, she says. So it is very difficult, there are very hard days and nights, but, yeah, Ive got a lot of hope. With her husband Derek still seriously ill from the long-term effects of Covid, KATE GARRAWAY admits that life is a constant struggle. But, she tells Cole Moreton, spring and hope are in the air Kate wears dress, The Vampires Wife, from Fenwick Spring is coming and Kate Garraways career is blooming. Its a funny, odd thing, isnt it? The yin and yang of life, says the Good Morning Britain presenter who has never been more in demand professionally, but whose husband Derek is still desperately ill two years after contracting Covid and requires 24-hour care at home. Yet despite all that, she still finds reasons to be grateful. How many nights did I pray: Please let him live? And he did live, and he is home, so from there on anything else is a bonus. Kate, 54, arrived today straight from the breakfast TV studios. She has a sharp beauty and an intensity that is understandable in the circumstances, weighing up every question before answering. When she is not at home caring for Derek or being mum to their two children, Darcey, 15, and Billy, 12, she has a punishing work schedule: up early twice a week to host Good Morning Britain and a daily show on Smooth Radio. She is also about to launch three new TV programmes: an augmented-reality medical series for the BBC, taking over from Piers Morgan on the in-depth, often revealing interview show Life Stories, and, finally, a follow-up documentary on Dereks progress since coming home. Kate was also given an honour in the New Years list for her services to broadcasting and charity. I have strange, bittersweet feelings about the MBE. To have something so lovely and rewarding at a time when things are grim, personally and obviously, what youd like to be doing is going to receive it together. The MBE came after Kate won a National Television Award last year for her astonishingly open and emotional documentary Finding Derek, showing how she and the children were struggling to understand and cope with his plight. As tough a watch as the first documentary was, the positive for myself and for Derek was that we could shine a light on things that other people were going through. I hope it will be the same with the next one. Kate wears Dress, Olivia Rubin, from Fenwick. Earrings, Dinosaur Designs The forthcoming documentary will update all of us who have been so touched by the story of Derek, a political adviser turned psychologist and author who contracted Covid early in the pandemic before doctors knew what they were dealing with and is believed to be the worst affected victim of the virus in Britain. He was in a coma for months, is still largely bedridden and his speech is severely restricted to one or two words in a whisper. Kate said in the first, profoundly moving film that she was trying to see the future as a positive, maybe even beautiful thing that when Derek came home they could fall in love again. Has that happened? I think were there. Im not sure that weve ever fallen out of love, but I think a new path is emerging, a new way to be in love. How does it show itself? He puts huge trust in me. He just says: Whatever you think. Which is wonderful, but I do get quite tearful about it. I think: God, I hope Im worthy of that trust. But Ive got his back. She pauses to think. That is a relationship in itself, isnt it? How many times do couples have doubts about each other? Thats a positive thing to come out of this, to have that certainty of each other. He and I are very close. What are the moments now that make her hopeful? For most of the time we were making the first documentary he had a tracheotomy, he was on ventilation, he was in a coma. He couldnt be roused. Now hes been to a pantomime, he is home, he is aware of where he is and thats amazing. But its still a long way from where we would like to be. KATE AND DEREK ON A THEATRE OUTING LAST DECEMBER Her friend, Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke, arranged for the family to see Cinderella at the Richmond Theatre just before Christmas. That was wonderful, for Derek to be able to sit there and be with his children. He would whisper to me in the run-up: Is it pantomime today? So he was definitely aware of it and really determined to do it. It was fortunately not too long a show but it still wiped him out for Christmas, in terms of energy levels, but theres a balance between keeping him healthy and pushing to have new stimulation. At home builders have fitted a wet room, ramps and a lift and there are now carers present around the clock. Kate says: It isnt just me. Im the principal carer, but I couldnt do it on my own. He needs 24-hour waking care, so it would be utterly impossible without somebody there. The carers are amazing. Being at home means Derek can also be with his children, and that gives him strength. Darcey is doing her GCSE mocks at the moment in economics, which was one of Dereks subjects at university. She mentioned a bit of terminology; I didnt understand it, and she said: Is that right, Dad? And he said: No. And actually he was right, she was wrong! So every day there are moments when you get affirmation that hes very much still in there, then also moments where he seems lost and unable to express anything. So you feel like, But how do we get more of Derek out? Its an emotional rollercoaster. It must all be so gruelling, surely? Yeah. But if it is gruelling for me, its even more so for him, Im sure, because hes living with it. As much as it impacts on the children and myself, being in his body must be so much worse. That did come out in the first documentary when Derek managed to communicate that he was feeling suicidal because he just could not imagine how he would get better. I still sense that in him, she says quietly. But now I think he believes he can get better, but until we know how, its challenging. Shirt, Meadows. Earrings, Pebble London How is he doing in terms of speech? Can they have conversations? Not really. Its hard. I watch him microscopically; I feel like I read every flicker so I get him, but you wouldnt walk into the room and think a conversation was being had. But he understands an enormous amount, he just cant respond. There are still moments of deep connection between them, then? Absolutely. I mean, I dont think things will ever be the same again, because I dont think we as a family and he as a human being could go through something like that and not be impacted by it. Months in a coma and then this. Its going to change him, even if its only emotionally. Weve all been through so much. Im not the same. Presumably in a situation like this you are fuelled by memories of what the other person had before? You are. And exploring what the future might look like at the same time. Some of the practical, physical things of caring are less challenging than the emotional things. Derek puts huge trust in me. Weve found a new way to be in love Does she not get lonely? Its very lonely. Its very lonely in a very crowded space. Its hard to admit that, but its true, Kate reflects. Actually, loneliness isnt the right word. Theres a missing of somebody at the same time as being very present with them, like youre missing the person who is there. But having said that, Im very lucky that Derek is home, it makes [us] complete. I get to see Darcey and Billys reaction to him and his reaction to them. Those are powerful, wonderful things. Derek has had some visitors but thinks more of his friends will be able to come soon. Hopefully that will be springtime and well have a roster of people coming to spend time with him. Her own spring involves a lot of exciting work, including interviewing the singer Charlotte Church, the cook Nadiya Hussain and the footballer John Barnes on the show she has taken over from her controversial friend. Life Stories was created around the Piers Morgan phenomenon, so I dont know whether to be flattered or worried that Im next. Theres the thought: Do they think Im like Piers? She laughs. It will be different but I dont shy away from asking anything; Ill just do it slightly differently. Anyone who has seen her on Good Morning Britain knows she doesnt hesitate to ask tough questions. Piers, I think, revels in riling people up, whereas I think: I cant ask this! Then I ask it anyway. Life Stories is broadcast on ITV, but so in demand is Kate, she also has a new show coming out next month on BBC Two. In Your Body Uncovered with Kate Garraway, doctors take a detailed scan of a patient and create an extraordinary 3D image that can be examined while wearing virtual reality glasses. We can say: This is literally your heart and you can see it moving. That is amazing for the future of medicine. I found it fascinating because of my own medical journey. Cancer, endometriosis and a stroke are among the conditions examined from all angles. In the first episode Kate and Dr Guddi Singh show a young woman the 100 benign tumours that have grown inside her womb. The technology is a revelation, the images are fascinating and the reactions of those seeing inside themselves are compelling. I did have a moment though, watching Kate show empathy for a woman with a frozen shoulder, when I wondered if the presenter was secretly thinking: You think youve got troubles, love? You should see mine! She denies it quickly, of course. I didnt feel that. I know exactly what you mean, but pain is all-consuming whatever youve got. There will be people who look at my situation with Derek and say: Youve not got any troubles. My loved one died. Whatever you are dealing with, if its having a massive impact on your life, its important. Kate has said previously she doesnt have the energy to be angry with those who deny Covids existence or refuse to be vaccinated despite the evidence of what has happened to her husband. But this programme is a clear statement on behalf of accurate medical information, isnt it? There is that element. Its also about understanding your own body. Theres a lot of celebration about the wonder of it. When you see inside the body and realise its a magical thing. Kate wears: Blazer, Kate Spade New York. Shirt, Winser London. Earrings, Pebble London Your Body Uncovered was filmed last year, when she was still not sure whether Derek would ever come home. So I wonder if work has been a distraction from the emotional pain for her, even a kind of anaesthetic? Yeah. Theres a pleasure in it as well. Most of the things Ive been doing have been focused on other people immersing myself in someone elses life and listening to their highs and lows which has been really therapeutic, because when you are effectively a single parent and carer, albeit with support, you become rather self-centred. You become very self-involved with your own woes. So I found it really uplifting to share other peoples stories. Good Morning Britain also brings perspective. This morning on the show we met a Holocaust survivor. Theres always something, whatever job Im doing, that reminds me there are lots of other people who have been through worse and everyone has challenges. Its also lovely to get someone else to do your hair and make-up! During Finding Derek her Good Morning Britain co-presenter Ben Shephard said he was worried Kate was holding it all together for now but would crash one day. Is it coming? How will she cope? There have been moments when Ive been struggling, but I have employers who are incredibly supportive. I know other people who have had to give up work. What about the personal pressure on her? I dont think Ive crashed emotionally yet. I think everybody around me is slightly holding their breath, but because Ive got so much to be grateful for it keeps me going. I read somewhere that she didnt want to do therapy yet because it could open up a can of worms that would be hard to cope with at the moment. Its more that Im still very focused on and busy with the practical, so there isnt time. I say that very carefully, because Derek is a psychologist and a great believer in therapy. Im sure a therapist would say: You have to make time, and then youre more constructive. As our time together draws to a close I ask Kate how on earth she keeps going. There isnt any choice. What else could I do? Put the children into care? Send Derek away? I would never do that, of course. And also there are so many other people who every day get their life changed, by stepping in front of a bus or being diagnosed with a disease. So, actually, its just life and Ive had a very lucky one. Really? She can still say that? Derek is here with us, were still working our way through the process of understanding how hes doing and what to do about it and where we go next. So it is very difficult, there are very hard days and nights, but, yeah, Ive got a lot of hope. Kate Garraways Life Stories is on ITV on Thursdays at 9pm; Caring for Derek will be on ITV on Thursday 24 February at 9pm (both also via ITV hub). Your Body Uncovered will be on BBC Two early next month STYLING: Sasha Barrie. Assisted by Meg Edmond. HAIR: Sven Bayerbach at Carol Hayes Management using Hair Rituel by Sisley. MAKE-UP: Alice Theobald at Arlington Artists using Active Silver skincare and Trish McEvoy make-up. SET DESIGN: Amy Addison at Propped Up. PICTURE EDITOR: Stephanie Belingard Shirt, Meadows. Earrings, Pebble London Dress, Olivia Rubin, from Fenwick. Earrings, Dinosaur Designs Kate wears dress, The Vampires Wife, from Fenwick KATE AND DEREK ON A THEATRE OUTING LAST DECEMBER SPLASHNEWS derek puts huge trust in me. weve found a new way to be in love Advertisement Cate Blanchett and Penelope Cruz led the star-studded arrivals at the 36th annual Goya Cinema Awards in Valencia, Spain, on Saturday evening. The A-listers were among the stars posing on the red carpet at the film awards at the Palau De Les Arts before heading inside to the prestigious event. The Australian-American actress, 52, stole the show in a stunning beaded gown, which was cut from the neckline down to her naval. Wow! Cate Blanchett (left) and Penelope Cruz (right) led the star-studded arrivals at the 36th annual Goya Cinema Awards in Valencia, Spain, on Saturday evening The heavily embellished number featured beaded sleeve detailing across the top, teamed with a matching floor-length skirt. The Blue Jasmin star wore her blonde locks up in a chic do and opted for a subtle yet elegant coat of make-up to finish the showstopping look. During the ceremony Cate received the International Goya Award and took to the stage confidently to give a speech. Meanwhile, Penelope, 47, looked equally sensational in a lilac prom-style gown, which featured polka dot-print embroidery in red and white as she posed with her husband Javier Bardem. Work it! The Australian-American actress, 52, stole the show in a stunning beaded gown, which was cut from the neckline down to her naval She looked stunning in the bright number which featured a puffy skirt and thin straps as well as a corset design on the top to show off her toned figure. Penelope made sure all eyes were on her on the red carpet and accessorised with huge silver sparkly earrings and bracelet while posing up a storm. The brunette beauty wore her medium-length dark tresses in a half-up half-down style and opted for a typically glamorous makeup look complete with a smokey eye. Radiant: The brunette beauty wore her medium-length dark tresses in a half-up half-down style and opted for a typically glamorous makeup look complete with a smokey eye The look: She looked stunning in the bright number which featured a puffy skirt and thin straps as well as a corset design on the top to show off her toned figure Handsome: Javier, 52, looked typically suave in a black suit, black shirt and shiny bow-tie as he made a dapper appearance and posed with his arm around his wife Impressive: During the ceremony Cate receives the International Goya Award and took to the stage confidently to give a speech Incredible: The superstar and mother-of-two looked every inch the movie icon in her dress Javier, 52, looked typically suave in a black suit, black shirt and shiny bow-tie as he made a dapper appearance and posed with his arm around his wife. The Goya Awards are Spain's main national film awards, considered by many in Spain, and internationally, to be the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards. The inaugural ceremony took place on March 17, 1987 at the Lope de Vega theatre in Madrid. Glamorous: The heavily embellished number featured beaded sleeve detailing across the top, teamed with a matching floor-length skirt Glowing: The Blue Jasmin star wore her blonde locks up in a chic do and opted for a subtle yet elegant coat of make-up to finish the showstopping look Main event: The Goya Awards are Spain's main national film awards, considered by many in Spain, and internationally, to be the Spanish equivalent of the American Academy Awards Details: Penelope made sure all eyes were on her on the red carpet and accessorised with huge silver sparkly earrings and bracelet while posing up a storm Adoring: Penelope took the time to speak to her fans and take pictures with them Love: In 2007, Bardem began dating Cruz, his co-star in Vicky Cristina Barcelona and they got married in 2010 Overwhelmed: Cate looked over the moon to receive the accolade as Penelope and Pedro clapped for her on stage Yay! She confidently spoke on stage at the event where she showed off her youthful figure in the stunning silver dress Last week Javier told how he is 'rooting' for both his wife Penelope and his co-star Nicole Kidman at the 2022 Academy Awards. The 52-year-old star - who is also nominated for the Best Actor gong at the March 27 ceremony - insisted it 'makes sense' for him to want both his wife, who is shortlisted for her role in Parallel Mothers, and his Being The Ricardos co-star to take the Best Actress prize. 'I think both did a fantastic job but Penelope did something extraordinary because she's nominated for the second time for a role in Spanishthat's really historic. Of course, I am rooting for her,' the actor told Deadline. 'And I'm also rooting for Nicole, we had an amazing time working together. I'm rooting for Penelopeand then I'm also rooting for Nicole. It makes sense,' added the Spaniard. Historic: The inaugural ceremony took place on March 17, 1987 at the Lope de Vega theatre in Madrid The No Country for Old Men star gushed how he and his 47-year-old wife - who both already have an Oscar under their belts - were 'excited' to hear the nominations together but they could only 'truly celebrate' when they heard they were both shortlisted. He said: 'We were on the sofa, cuddled together waiting to see what was going to happen. When they announced my nomination first, I was very excited but it wasn't a true celebration until we heard she was also nominated. 'We would not be able to truly celebrate together if one of us was disappointed. As soon as her nomination came through, we really felt the emotion of what this all means. This really hit us deep in our hearts to be able to share something so beautiful and so special together. Proud: Last week Javier told how he is 'rooting' for both his wife Penelope and his co-star Nicole Kidman at the 2022 Academy Awards Stars: Spanish actress Aitana Sanchez-Gijon, Penelope, Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar and Spanish actress Milena Smit posed together at the event 'To speak of my nomination, it's truly an honour and a privilege to be recognized. But it's her nomination that brings me the most happiness, as well as us being able to celebrate something so special together. If we were normal people, we would do a party. But we're actually quite boring.' The pair - who have Leo, 11, and Luna, eight, together - are not the only couple with joint nods from the Academy this year as The Power of the Dog co-stars Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons are also up for awards. The 39-year-old actress called sharing the milestone - of being up for up for Best Supporting Actor and Actress - with her 33-year-old fiance and father of her two children Ennis, three, and nine-month-old James as 'beyond our wildest dreams'. Kirsten said: 'To be honoured by the Academy is a truly humbling experience. For both Jesse and I to get our first nominations together is beyond our wildest dreams.' Woah! Milena Smit made sure all eyes were on her in a huge black skirt that she teamed with a black and gold crop top Firm friends: Penelope and Pedro have worked together on dozens of films in the past few decades Dapper: Javier and Penelope have children Leo, 11, and Luna, eight, together Leading ladies: Penelope and Cate were all smiles on the red carpet as they chatted and posed for pictures Detailing: Cate's silver dress was covered in gorgeous shimmering beads that fell over her shoulders flatteringly Stunning: The beauty turned heads in her silver gown Pose: She confidently worked the cameras as she strolled along the red carpet Happy: Both women made stylish arrivals at the 36th Goya awards ceremony at the Palau de les Arts in Valencia Friendly: Javier and Spanish actress Aitana Sanchez-Gijon hugged on the red carpet and looked delighted to be at the star-studded event Out and about: Spanish actress Angela Molina gave a friendly wave as she dazzled on the red carpet in a white sheer dress with a chiffon skirt Close: Milena and Penelope were seen in a close embrace on the red carpet on Saturday night Glowing: Penelope was being photographed by hoards of adoring Spanish fans at the star-studded event Winner: Australian-US actress Cate received an International Goya award from Spanish film director Pedro Almodovar at the 36th Goya awards ceremony Happy: Javier looked grateful as he received the Best Actor award for the film El Buen Patron (The Good Boss) at the event 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 Local News Analysis: Mailers and score card mislead on Clardy votes Clardy Editors note: The following is a new analysis and fact check examining claims made in campaign mailers and an scorecard being circulated online about the public voting record of State Rep. Travis Clardy. A lengthy handout and mailers prepared by a hardline conservative group and distributed by Nacogdoches Conservative Watch wildly misrepresent the voting record of State Rep. Travis Clardy, an analysis of the claims reveals. The six page scorecard and campaign mailings are based on rankings from Empower Texans, an umbrella group thats heavily criticized Clardy as a tepid, weak Republican politician. I believe it is always best to go to the person being accused of something before spreading lies and gossip, Clardy said. Clardy has three opponents Nacogdoches businessmen Greg Caldwell, Rachel Hale from Rusk County and Mark Williams from Panola County in the Republican Primary for House District 11. The Daily Sentinel pored though Clardys voting records in major claims against him between 2013 and 2021, and heres what we found. 83rd Texas Legislature The groups accuse Clardy of voting for a budget that increased state spending by 26% In actuality, the budget increase was around 9.85%. When questioned by The Pointer Institute about the discrepancy, a spokesman for the Empower Texans-backed Texas Public Policy Foundation said different chefs cook differently. This is another example of a lie by Empower Texans, Clardy said. 84th Texas Legislature Claims about Clardys record during the 84th Texas Legislature fire off misrepresentations in rapid succession. He voted to expand SNAP welfare benefits to felons, opposed campus carry by legal gun owners, voted to weaken rollback property tax rate protections and voted for adding $800 million to public education without reform, the scorecard says. Finally, Clardy voted to fund anti-racist Diversity Training (yes, the cultural Marxism was going on even then) with the Center for the Elimination of Disproportionality and Disparities instead of using those funds to increase border security. House Bill 1267 would have expanded SNAP benefits to felons, but an amendment by Rep. Ron Simons stopped that. Republicans saw a glaring concern with the bill and addressed it on third reading, Clardy said. Score card organizations very often dont look into amendments and the exact language that was voted on. Clardy voted in favor of campus carry, which passed the house 98-47 in its final form. The $800 million to fund public eduction without reform never made it to the House floor, meaning that no legislators voted for or against it. Public Education Chairman Jimmie Don Aycock withdrew the measure. I dont think its fair to leave this bill pending with everything else thats up when we know already the Senate is already almost certainly not even considering the measure, Aycock told The Texas Tribune in 2015. Clardy did vote in favor of tabling an amendment that would have taken $51 million from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission and purchased airplanes for border security. The author of the bill, Rep. Dennis Bonnen, said he did not ask for the amendment, and Department of Public Safety Director Steven McGraw said he did not need the planes. Most conservatives agree that we should not spend tax dollars on things that are not requested or vetted, Clardy said. 85th Texas Legislature During the 2017 session, Empower Texans accused Clardy of voting to raise minimum wage against the platform of the Republican Party of Texas. The bill was never formally voted on in the House. Clardy voted yes on a procedural item that would have allowed the bill to be heard in committee without a recorded vote. Because of the topic, the bill would have never passed out of committee or on the floor in the first place, Clardy said. The group also accuses Clardy of failing to protect the Economical Stabilization Fund, commonly called the Rainy Day Fund. However, he voted no on an amendment that would have raided the fund, for which he was lauded by an Empower Texans group. He did support Senate Joint Resolution 1, which diverted half the general revenue from oil and gas taxes from the Rainy Day fund into the State Highway Fund. Texas voters overwhelmingly approved this move as a conditional amendment in 2017. 86th Texas Legislature Clardy was again accused of raiding the Rainy Day Fund and voting in favor of Medicaid expansion. While Clardy has said he is open to the idea of Medicaid expansion, he voted against a budget amendment that would have expanded Medicaid to the fullest extent. Empower Texans is also highly critical of Clardys support for taxpayer funded lobbying. Critics of the practice say taxpayer money shouldnt be spent to work against taxpayers. Clardy and other supporters say banning taxpayer funded lobbying puts rural communities at a disadvantage. 87th Texas Legislature Not only does he NOT advance a conservative agenda, he thwarts others that try, the scorecard says. When Bryan Slaton proposed a House rules amendment at the beginning of the session that would have made sure the most important committees were chaired by members of the majority party, Clardy votes against it, thus giving Democrats the power to kill conservative legislation. The claim lacks context. Slatons amendment was widely opposed, failing on votes of 11-127 and 5-135. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription and are still unable to access our content, please link your digital account to your print subscription If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Mumbai: Veteran industrialist and head of the Bajaj Group, Rahul Bajaj, passed away on Saturday at the age of 83. Bajaj, who had pneumonia and a heart problem, was admitted to the Ruby Hall Clinic a month ago and breathed his last at 2.30 pm on Saturday. The Maharashtra government announced a state funeral for him. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and chief minister Uddhav Thackeray among other prominent figures offered their condolences over the death of Bajaj, who was the chairman of Bajaj Group for four decades. He had resigned from that post in April last year and was appointed the firm's Chairman Emeritus for five years. A statement shared by the Bajaj group read, "It is with deep sorrow that I inform you about the passing away of Shri Rahul Bajaj, husband of the late Rupa Bajaj and father of Rajiv/Deepa, Sanjiv/Shefali and Sunaina/Manish. He passed away on the afternoon of 12th February, 2022, in the presence of his closest family members. The Bajaj group also said that the last rites would be performed on Sunday at Pune's Vaikunth Crematorium. Known to call a spade a spade, Rahul Bajaj, who was a recipient of Padma Bhushan, was one of the most respected businessmen in India. He also served as a Rajya Sabha MP from 2006-10. Rahul Bajaj often spoke out against curbs on freedom and in November 2019, at an event where home minister Amit Shah was present, the veteran industrialist spoke about the government's "stifling of criticism", among other things. "This environment of fear, it's definitely on our minds. You (the government) are doing good work; and despite that, we don't have the confidence that you'll appreciate criticism," he had said. Born on June 10, 1938, he had a BA (Honours) degree in economics from the University of Delhi, a law degree from Mumbai University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Rahul Bajaj took charge of the Bajaj Group in 1965 and it was under his leadership that the company's Bajaj Chetak scooter became an aspirational symbol for the Indian middle class, and the ad jingle "Humara Bajaj" held a happy promise of a better future. New Delhi: The Supreme Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw the recovery notices issued to the alleged anti-CAA protesters in December 2019 while observing that the proceedings were contrary to the law laid down by it. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant gave the final opportunity to the State to withdraw the recovery notices saying otherwise it will quash the proceedings for being in violation of the law. "Withdraw the proceedings or we will quash it for being in violation of the law laid down by this court," the bench told the counsel appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government. During the hearing, the bench observed that the Uttar Pradesh government has acted like a "complainant, adjudicator and prosecutor" by itself in conducting the proceedings to attach the properties of the accused. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking quashing of the recovery notices issued by the Uttar Pradesh administration to recover the damage caused to public properties in connection with protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the state. The petition was filed by advocate Parvez Arif Titu who sought direction for setting up an independent judicial enquiry to probe into the incidents that occurred during the protests against the CAA-NRC in Uttar Pradesh. Appearing for Uttar Pradesh, Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad apprised the top court that 106 FIRs were registered against 833 rioters in the State and 274 recovery notices were issued against them. She added that out of the 274 notices, recovery orders were passed in 236 while 38 cases were closed. Prashad had also revealed that these orders were passed by Additional District Magistrates. She also said that under the new law notified in 2020, claim tribunals have been constituted which is being headed by retired district judges, and earlier it was headed by Additional District Magistrates (ADMs). To this, the bench said that the Supreme Court has passed two judgements in 2009 and 2018, which said that judicial officers should be appointed in claim tribunals but instead State appointed ADMs. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh government had told the apex court that property damage claims tribunals have been set up to adjudicate the claims of private individuals and government authorities for compensation for the destruction of property during anti-CAA protests and riots in the state. The tribunals were constituted under the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damage to Public and Private Property Law, 2020. Last year, the apex court had asked the State government not to take action on earlier notices sent to the alleged protestors by the district administration for recovering losses caused by damage to public property during the anti-CAA agitations in the state. The plea stated that the Uttar Pradesh government has appointed an additional district magistrate to deal with the process of notices for recovering damages for loss of public property during protests against the CAA whereas the guidelines laid down by the top court stipulated that retired judges should deal with the matter. The petition further submitted that notices have been sent in Uttar Pradesh in an "arbitrary manner" against a person, who had died six years ago at the age of 94. The notices were issued to two others who are aged above 90, the plea claimed. Seeking a stay on notices, the petition stated that notices have been sent to persons who have not been booked under any penal provisions and no details of FIR or any criminal offences have been made out against them. It was contended that recovery notices were based on an Allahabad High Court judgement passed in 2010 which is in "violation of the guidelines" passed by the Supreme Court in a 2009 judgment which was later re-affirmed in a 2018 verdict. The plea, filed through advocate Nilofar Khan, stated, "The contradiction is that while the Supreme Court in 2009 put the onus of assessment of damages and recovery from the accused on High Courts of every state, whereas the Allahabad High Court had issued guidelines in 2010 judgement that let the state government to undertake these processes to recover damages, which has serious implications". The petition also sought direction from the Uttar Pradesh government to follow the procedure as per the 2009 and 2018 guidelines of the top court while claiming damages to recover the losses caused to public property during such protests. 925 persons, who have been arrested so far in connection with the violent protests, may not get bail easily in Uttar Pradesh till they pay up for the losses as they have to be given conditional bail only after they deposit the amount, the petitioner had added. Since the petition was filed in July of 2021, Mr Roy's lawyers had contended during the hearings the Krishnagar North MLA has been with the BJP because the party took neither any step nor ordered any whip and suspension against him. Kolkata: Former railway minister Mukul Roy continues to be Krishnanagar North MLA as West Bengal Assembly speaker Biman Banerjee has rejected the disqualification petition of the BJP against him for lack of evidence under the anti-defection law over his switch to the Trinamul Congress in June last year. Mr Banerjee, who conducted 12 hearings on the proceedings, also held that Mr Roy would stay as the BJP legislator which allows him to remain the public accounts committee chairman of the House. Reading out from his judgment over 35 pages, the Assembly Speaker said on Friday, "The petitioner could not submit the nature of evidence, in terms of weight and quality, as expected. In facts and circumstances of the case and in law, I find that the petitioner has not been able to establish the contentions made in the petition vide by the provisions of paragraph 2(I)(a) of the Xth Schedule to the Constitution of India. Accordingly, I dismiss the petition." The major relief came to Mr Roy ahead of a hearing on a similar petition of the BJP against him which is expected to come up at the Supreme Court next week. In both the cases, leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari made the move. The SC earlier directed for the completion of the Assembly proceedings against Mr Roy by the second week of this month. Since the petition was filed in July of 2021, Mr Roy's lawyers had contended during the hearings the Krishnagar North MLA has been with the BJP because the party took neither any step nor ordered any whip and suspension against him. They also argued that Mr Roy was never seen campaigning for TMC while the BJP submitted the media reports and social media posts and status on his return to the TMC. The TMC welcomed the Speaker's verdict. Partha Chatterjee, secretary general of the ruling party who is also the state parliamentary affairs minister, said, "The Speaker's judgment has to be accepted. He gave his verdict judging all the aspects. I support his order." While Mr Adhikari was not available for comments, state BJP spokesperson Shameek Bhattacharya alleged, "During the last Assembly polls, Mr Roy hardly spoke against the TMC. Later he was welcomed by Abhishek Banerjee by a hug in presence of chief minister Mamata Banerjee to their party before the media. But now the Assembly Speaker held that Mr Roy is still in the BJP. His verdict is unheard of in the history of our country." Rubbing salt into the wounds of the BJP, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh tweeted, "CBI & ED should arrest BJP leader Mukul Roy in Saradha and Narada case. I have already sent them letter praying joint interrogation with him. He is an influential conspirator. He has used different parties only for his personal protection. Mukul Roy should not be spared." Ministers K.T. Rama Rao and T. Srinivas Yadav laid foundation stones for several nala development works with an estimated cost of Rs 61 crore at Sanathnagar, Cantonment and Kukatpally constituencies. (Photo: Twitter) HYDERABAD: Municipal administration and urban development minister K.T. Rama Rao on Saturday alleged that the Centre had been creating hurdles in development activities in the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) area by resorting to politics since the formation of Telangana state. Despite repeatedly urging for cooperation with the welfare activities, the Centre had been resorting to politics, he added. The minister, along with animal husbandry minister T. Srinivas Yadav, Cantonment MLA G. Sayanna, mayor G. Vijayalakshmi, deputy mayor Srilatha Shobhan Reddy and GHMC commissioner D.S. Lokesh Kumar, laid foundation stones for several nala development works with an estimated cost of Rs 61 crore at Sanathnagar, Cantonment and Kukatpally constituencies. He said the state government extended free drinking water scheme to the cantonment residents, despite lack of the Centres support. The Centre is not coming forward to exchange the defence lands for housing plots that would benefit 20,000 people. Land for construction of skyways is not being given, leading to inconvenience to the public. There has not been any support in the issue of road extensions, Rama Rao said. As part of the projects under Strategic Nala Development Plan (SNDP) worth a total of Rs 858 crore, the minister laid foundation stone for the modernisation works at the Picket nala near Rasoolpura Junction worth Rs 10 crore and for the Kukatpally nala works from Begumpet to Hussainsagar. Also, foundation stone was laid for a multi-purpose function hall in Patigadda with an estimated cost of Rs 5.90 crore. New Delhi: The foreign ministers of the United States, Australia, India and Japan met in Melbourne on Friday at a session of the four-nation Quad that included discussions on the Russia-Ukraine issue, Myanmar, the South and East China Sea as well as Covid-19 vaccine cooperation, after which US secretary of state Antony J. Blinken breathed fire against Russia on the Ukraine issue, warning it of massive consequences at a common media briefing of all four ministers. But interestingly, there was not a word on Ukraine in the Quad Joint Statement that was later released, sparking speculation on whether India had any role in blocking adverse references to Russia with which it has a time-tested friendship. While officials in New Delhi were tightlipped on the matter, foreign media reports too highlighted how external affairs minister S. Jaishankars views on the Ukraine issue and Russian actions were divergent at the Quad meeting from that of his other three counterparts, especially Mr Blinken and Australian foreign minister Marise Payne, who also openly warned Russia against aggression on Ukraine. Both Australia and Japan -- represented by its foreign minister Yoshimasa Hayashi -- are long-time allies of the US. It was also announced that Japan would host the next Quad Leaders Summit (to be attended by the top leadership) by June this year. In response to a media query at another event, when all four ministers called on Australian PM Scott Morrison, on what Indias views on the Russian actions were and whether it thought Moscow had behaved appropriately, Mr Jaishankar was quoted by the US state department as saying: This meeting (of the Quad foreign ministers) is focused on the Indo-Pacific, so I think you should figure out the geography there. And where we stand, our position on Ukraine, we have laid it out in public at the UN Security Council. The comment was seen as a clear reluctance on the part of India to get involved in anything critical of Russia. At the joint media briefing in Melbourne soon after the Quad meeting, Mr Jaishankar made it clear that the Quad was for something and not against anyone. He added that India does not follow a policy of national sanctions against anyone, a statement seen as significant not only in the context of Myanmar but also in the wake of the West openly threatening sanctions on Russia if it invaded Ukraine. Mr Jaishankar chose among other issues to flag New Delhis concerns on the movement of insurgents in the India-Myanmar border areas, where an Indian Army officer and his family had been killed in an ambush a few months ago, as the Quad expressed grave concern on the developments in Myanmar in the past year after the military junta there had seized power. To Indias satisfaction, the Quad joint statement condemned terrorism, including cross-border attacks and terror attacks in India including the Mumbai 26/11 attack in 2008 and the Pathankot terror attacks. Mr Jaishankar also had a separate bilateral meeting with Mr Blinken. While there was no direct reference to China, the Quad joint statement mentioned challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South and East China Seas, which is being seen as a veiled reference to Beijings increased economic and military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region. The Australian foreign minister said the Quad discussed maritime security support to Indo-Pacific partners to maintain freedom of navigation and also safeguard against illegal fishing. With Japan expressing serious concern over unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East and South China Seas -- seen as a thinly-veiled indication towards China -- the situation in the Taiwan Straits was also discussed at the meeting. Covid-19 vaccine cooperation was also discussed in detail at the meeting including the pledge to donate more than 1.3 billion vaccine doses globally and the vaccine production at the Biological E Ltd facility in Hyderabad, India, of at least one billion vaccines by the end of this year, with the delivery of the first batch of Quad-supported vaccines expected by June. A meeting will also be held on Monday, perhaps at the officials level, to work out a Covid Action Plan. At the common media briefing, Mr Blinken claimed that the Quad principles have been threatened by Russias actions towards Ukraine, further warning Moscow of massive consequences if it chose to invade Ukraine. He said the US has a dual-track approach of both diplomacy and deterrence, adding that it was addressing issues of both Russian concerns and well as those of America and European nations. Noting that Russia had massed troops on its border with Ukraine, Mr Blinken said one country cannot change the borders of another through force. Speaking on Myanmar at the briefing, Mr Jaishankar said: Well, I think we are all agreed on the importance of the democratic transition which was underway in Myanmar. And clearly, the fact that the country has moved in a different direction is something which troubles all of us. We all, I think, also very strongly back the ASEAN position on Myanmar and their efforts to engage. But we are concerned India is concerned as an immediate land border neighbour. We have some very specific concerns on Myanmar which also guides our thinking, concerns about insurgents operating there who some months ago killed a very senior military officer and his family; concerns about the Covid and the lack of vaccination on our common border; concerns about a humanitarian situation which is arising from food shortages. So, I think those are also concerns which we take into account, and where we are concerned, we dont follow a policy of national sanctions. He added: Well, I would just add that as my colleagues have observed, we are for something, not against somebody. Welcome Guest! You Are Here: By Debjit Chakraborty Reliance Industries Limited, helmed by Mukesh Ambani, aims to be among the largest producers of blue hydrogen at a competitive cost in its ambitious green-energy transition plan. The Mumbai-based company will re-purpose a $4-billion (Rs 30,000-crore) plant that currently converts petroleum coke into synthesis gas, to produce blue hydrogen for $1.2-$1.5 (around Rs 90-120) a kilogram, according to a presentation. Blue hydrogen is made using fossil fuels but captures the carbon dioxide formed during its production, and Reliance sees the conversion as a temporary measure until the cost of green hydrogen, produced from the electrolysis of water using renewable energy, becomes competitive. Also Read Ambanis Rs 5L crore plan aims to make India a hydrogen hub In the interim, till cost of green hydrogen comes down, RIL can be the first mover to establish a hydrogen ecosystem, with minimal incremental investment, in India, the company said. Subsequently, as hydrogen from syngas is replaced by green hydrogen, the entire syngas will be converted to chemicals. Ambani, whos built his fortune on fossil fuels, plans to replace sales of road fuels like diesel and gasoline with cleaner alternatives as he seeks to hit a net-zero target for his conglomerate by 2035. The project would compete with international plants such as one proposed in Saudi Arabia, which is also seeking to boost hydrogen production. Ambani has vowed to produce green hydrogen at $1 per kilogram, a more than 60 per cent reduction from todays costs, by the turn of this decade. Last month, he announced plans to invest about $75 billion (Rs 5 lakh crore) in renewables infrastructure, which could transform India into a clean-hydrogen juggernaut thats aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modis mission. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Wall Street stocks tumbled and oil prices surged Friday as White House warnings of a possibly imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine reverberated through financial markets. Markets lurched during a briefing by US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, who said a Russian invasion could "begin at any time," including during the Beijing Winter Olympics. "If a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians," Sullivan said. "Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible, and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours." Investors had become less worried about an imminent invasion of Ukraine in recent days following Western diplomacy with Russian President Vladimir Putin. But stocks tumbled after Sullivan's remarks, with the S&P 500 ultimately losing 1.9 percent. Analysts said the sell-off was likely heightened by the timing just before the weekend, with investors shifting into a "risk-off" mode to reduce their exposure for the two days when there is no trading. "The Russia-Ukraine tensions have hovered over already shaky investor sentiment," said John Lynch, chief investment officer for Comerica Wealth Management. "Investors have been counting on a diplomatic resolution, but recent developments indicate this may be wishful thinking and therefore, not fully priced into the markets." Most industrial sectors finished lower on Wall Street following the midday White House announcement. An exception was energy, with oil giants Chevron and ExxonMobil winning more than two percent as crude prices jumped on worries that stiff sanctions on Russia could prompt the country, a major crude and natural gas exporter, to curtail investment or weaponize their energy assets. Shares of weapons makers also moved higher, including Lockheed Martin, which gained 2.8 percent and Northrop Grumman, which rose 4.5 percent. Earlier in Europe, London equities slid after economic data pointed to a December slowdown amid the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The UK economy grew by a record 7.5 percent last year to rebound from the pandemic crash, but shrank by a modest 0.2 percent in the final month, official data showed. In the eurozone, Frankfurt and Paris stocks banked lower, mirroring Asia after overnight Wall Street losses. Check out DH's latest videos A day after Karnataka High Court interim order restrained students from wearing religious symbols inside the classroom, tension gripped Chandra Layout in South Bengaluru on Saturday morning after authorities at a private school asked a student to remove the hijab. Sources in the West Division of Bengaluru Police told DH that the incident took place at the Vidya Sagar School in Bengaluru when a student of class 7 was asked to remove her hijab by the school teacher. Agitated by the teachers action, parents and relatives of the student stormed the school, accusing the school management of causing a rift among the students. Also Read US says ban on hijab violates religious freedom However, the school authorities said that the girl was briefed about the HC order and there was no other intention behind it. But, the parents also alleged that a teacher at the school wrote an offensive remark about the hijab on the blackboard, and demanded suspension of the teacher. Later as the situation became tense with more and more people descending on the school, Deputy Director of Public Instruction, Bengaluru South visited the school and heard both sides. The officer also appealed to protesters to abide by the HC rule and assured of investigating the incident. However, parents and relatives refused to end their protests. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Election Commission on Saturday further relaxed Covid restrictions on the assembly poll campaign in five states, allowing padayatras with a limited number of people and increasing the number of hours campaigning can take place in a day. According to the poll panel, election campaign can now be conducted between 6 am and 10 pm instead of earlier 8 am to 8 pm. This will give candidates and parties four more hours to campaign in a day. Citing the rise in Covid-19 cases, the poll panel had imposed a ban on physical rallies, roadshows and padayatras when it announced the assembly poll schedule for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, Punjab and Manipur on January 8. The commission has been reviewing the pandemic situation periodically and allowing some relaxations. According to an EC statement, political parties and candidates can campaign outdoor with a maximum of 50 per cent of the capacity of the designated open spaces or the limit prescribed by state disaster management authorities, whichever is less. So far the limit for such outdoor events such as meetings and rallies was 30 per cent of the open space or ground capacity. On padayatra, the EC said such a gathering cannot consist of more people than the number permitted by state disaster management authorities. The assembly polls began on February 10 and will conclude on March 7. The results will be declared on March 10. Check out DH's latest videos: Leaders of major political parties and alliances expressed confidence of forming a government ahead of the February 14 assembly polls, as campaigning wound to a close on Saturday. 40 seats of the state legislative assembly are up for grabs in the forthcoming elections, with the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress emerging as the frontrunners, with the Aam Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress-Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party alliance likely to play a secondary role when votes are eventually counted on March 10. The ruling BJP, which faces severe anti-incumbency, internal rebellion and popular ire on account of corruption, a sex scandal linked to a now former cabinet minister and unemployment has expressed confidence of winning a majority on the upcoming polls, citing the benefits of a double-engine government as its calling card. Also Read | Congress will cross majority mark in Goa, act immediately to form government: Rahul Gandhi People will vote BJP to form a government and not just to elect MLAs. We will form a government with majority, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has said. The Congress on the other hand, which has faced humiliation over the last five years over repeated desertion of its MLAs, has fielded 80 new candidates. State Congress president Girish Chodankar now claims that the outfit heading into the elections is a new Congress, while describing the BJP, TMC and the AAP as the old Congress on account of all the ex party leaders who had found refuge in these outfits. In this election, the old Congress is actually the BJP, TMC and the AAP. They have taken away all the old Congress leaders who have destroyed the party. The new Congress going to the elections has 80 percent new faces. We are confident of winning a majority this time, state Congress president Girish Chodankar said. Also Read | Modi distracting people of Goa from real issues: Rahul While the Congress has promised to extend its Chhattisgarh governments Nyay initiative in Goa, with a promise to provide Rs. 6,000 to economically backward communities, the BJP has promised three free LPG cylinders a year for domestic consumers. Rahul Mahambre, state convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, which started the electoral freebie ball rolling in Goa with promises of unemployment doles, doles for women and free electricity said that the party is committed to coming good on its promises. We forced the government to bring a scheme related to free water. We stand by our commitment related to free electricity, 24x7 water supply and medicines, Mahambre said. Former deputy Chief Minister Sudin Dhavalikar, also said that the TMC-MGP alliance would win the polls, adding that people in Goa are looking for change in the February 14 elections. Change is a must and people are coming forward to seeking change. Corruption is increasing day by day. The reason for that is Congress and now BJP. The BJP has taken corruption to new heights, Dhavalikar said. Check out DH's latest videos: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday said the SAD-BSP alliance is all set to sweep Punjab Assembly polls and it would put the state back on the track of development and restart social welfare initiatives. Addressing election meetings in his constituency Jalalabad, the SAD President said the alliance would win more than 80 seats. The people would punish the Congress party for non-fulfillment of promises made to the people, including failure to waive off farmer loans and provide jobs to youth besides refusal to increase Shagun scheme amount to Rs 51,000. Badal said the Congress had cheated people with tall promises and even by taking a false oath on the holy Gutka Sahib. Even after changing the Chief Minister, the Congress government had failed to deliver on its promises. He said that instead of giving relief to people Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi patronised the sand mafia and looted officers with promises of plum postings and transfers. "The 111-day tenure of Channi will be remembered as most corrupt era in the history of the state." Lashing out at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Badal said its supremo Arvind Kejriwal had already displayed his anti-Punjab intentions by filing a PIL in the Supreme Court demanding closure of thermal plants of Punjab besides transfer of Punjab's river waters to Haryana and Delhi and demanding registration of criminal cases against farmers for burning paddy stubble. "Punjabis cannot afford to waste another five years by giving one chance to Aam Aadmi Party as being demanded by it and would repose faith in the tried and tested pro-development policies of the SAD-BSP combine." Punjab will go to polls for 117 Assembly seats on February 20. Watch latest videos by DH here: Nurturing hopes to dislodge the BJP from power, the Samajwadi Party (SP) will be hoping to improve its tally of seats it had won in the 2017 Assembly polls while the BJP will be banking on polarisation as Dalits and Muslims hold the key in the second phase of polling for 55 Assembly seats in nine districts of western Uttar Pradesh on Monday. The second phase was crucial for the SP as of the 55 seats, it had won as many as 27 seats in the region in the 2017 Assembly elections despite there being a perceptible 'pro-BJP' wave while the saffron party, which had swept the state winning 312 of the 403 seats, managed to win only 11 seats. The BSP had emerged victorious on 13 seats in the region. Some of the districts, including Sambhal, Moradabad, Saharanpur, Bijnor, Rampur, going to the polls in the second phase have a sizable population of Muslim voters and their support will decide the winners on 25 seats. The Dalit voters, who are also in good numbers in the region, will decide the winners on at least 20 Assembly seats. Also Read | BJP, Congress relying on 'borrowed' players for Amethi seat The second phase would decide the fate of four ministers of the Yogi Adityanath cabinet, including Suresh Khanna, Baldev Singh Aulakh, Mahesh Chandra Gupta and Gulab Devi. Senior SP leader and the party's prominent Muslim face Azam Khan's fate will also be decided in this phase. Khan, who was currently lodged in jail after being arrested on charges of land grabbing and others, was in the fray from Rampur seat. The districts going to the polls in the second phase were not very far from Muzaffarnagar, which was rocked by communal riots in 2013 that left 63 dead and thousands of others displaced. The riots had resulted in a sharp polarisation along communal lines and helped the BJP sweep the western region. Also Read | In west UP, chinks in BSP's Dalit base could help SP-RLD Lack of any such wave this time around, the saffron party was hard-pressed to retain the seats it had won in 2017 polls and had gone all out to polarise the polls this time again. Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath raked up the Muzaffarnagar riots in their election rallies and promised to give a riot free state if voted to power again. The region had witnessed strong support for the farmer agitation and at many places, the BJP nominees had to face the protests of the people, mainly the farmers over the state government's failure to hike the MSP for sugarcane and also non-payment of cane arrears by the mills. "There is no wave this time. BJP may find the going tough owing to the anger among the farmers. SP may gain if there is no division in the Muslim votes," said a Bijnor-based scribe. Check out the latest videos from DH: Two months after a dramatic Christmas morning launch and several spine-tingling weeks of gyrations and unfoldings, the James Webb Space Telescope has achieved what astronomers celebrate as first light. Actually, it was first lights. NASA on Friday released 18 images of a star in the constellation Ursa Major known as HD 84406, as seen through each of the 18 segments that make up the telescopes primary mirror and recorded by the Webbs workhorse instrument, the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam). The Webb astronomers will now spend the next few months wiggling each of those mirror segments back and forth and back and forth until that star becomes one. Marcia Rieke, a professor of astronomy at the University of Arizona who led the team that built NIRCam, described the Webb team as ecstatic in a news release from NASA. The Webb telescope is a joint effort of NASA, the European Space Agency and the Canadian Space Agency that has been 25 years and $10 billion in the making. Named after a former NASA administrator who guided the space agency through the early Apollo years, the spacecraft is a successor to the Hubble Space Telescope. It was designed to study the universe when it was only about 200 million years old and the earliest stars and galaxies were just emerging from the foggy remains of the Big Bang. It will also study the secrets of black holes and examine exoplanets around nearby stars for signs of habitability or life. To those ends, its instruments are designed to be sensitive to infrared or heat radiation. Because the light waves from such distant objects have been stretched in an expanding universe, they can be recorded only in longer electromagnetic wavelengths than human eyes or normal sensors can see. The Webb is now parked about 1 million miles from Earth, in an orbit that takes it around the sun behind a silvery foil heat shield that keeps it cold enough for the telescope to feel the distant heat from planets and galaxies. As a first light bonus, a camera on the NIRCam took a picture of the mirror array itself the closest look at the spacecraft that anyone has gotten since shortly after it left Earth. The first science results from the telescope are expected this summer after all the fiddling and focusing is done. The universe should get ready for its close-up. Check out DH's latest videos Myanmar's junta said on Saturday it would release over 800 prisoners in an amnesty to mark the country's Union Day. According to a "pardon order in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee Union Day" which falls on Saturday, 814 prisoners would be released, according to a statement by junta chief Min Aung Hlaing. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Paris police fired teargas and issued hundreds of fines on Saturday to break up a convoy of vehicles that attempted to block traffic in a protest over Covid restrictions and rising living costs. Inspired by the truckers that shut down the Canadian capital Ottawa, thousands of demonstrators from across France made their way to Paris in a self-proclaimed "freedom convoy" of cars, trucks and vans. The police, which had banned the protest, moved quickly to try to clear the cars at entry points to the city, handing out 283 fines for participation in an unauthorised protest. But over 100 vehicles managed to converge on the famous Champs-Elysees avenue, where police used teargas to disperse protesters in scenes reminiscent of the "yellow vest" anti-government riots of 2018-2019. The demonstrators oppose the Covid vaccine pass required to access many public venues but some also took aim at rising energy and food prices, issues which ignited the "yellow vest" protests that shook France in late 2018 and early 2019. Aurelie M., a 42-year-old administrative assistant in a Parisian company, complained that the health pass meant she could no longer take a long-distance TGV train even if she tested negative for Covid in a home test. "There's so much inconsistency and unfairness," she told AFP, noting that commuters could still cram onto a crowded Paris metro without proof of vaccination. Sixty-five-year-old factory worker Jean-Paul Lavigne said he travelled across the country from the southwestern town of Albi to protest fuel, food and electricity price hikes as well as the pressure on people to get vaccinated. The demonstrations come two months ahead of presidential elections, in which President Emmanuel Macron is expected to seek re-election. On Friday, the centrist French leader, who is a figure of hate for the far left, said he understood the "fatigue" linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. "This fatigue also leads to anger. I understand it and I respect it. But I call for the utmost calm," he told the Ouest-France newspaper. Nearly 7,200 officers equipped with armoured vehicles and water cannon were deployed to keep the peace in Paris. Police showed off their arsenal on Twitter, publishing photographs of loader tractors for the removal of barricades. The convoys set out from Nice in the south, Lille and Vimy in the north, Strasbourg in the east and Chateaubourg in the west. They are demanding the withdrawal of the government's vaccine pass and more help with their energy bills. "People need to see us, and to listen to the people who just want to live a normal and free life," said Lisa, a 62-year-old retired health worker travelling in the Chateaubourg convoy, who did not want to give her surname. Paris police banned the gathering saying it posed a threat to public order and said protesters who tried to block roads would face fines or arrest. The order prohibiting the assembly of convoys was upheld on Friday by the courts, which rejected two appeals. "It's a betrayal. The basis of the order is not respectful of the law, of the freedom to demonstrate," anti-vaccine and "yellow vest" activist Sophie Tissier told AFP. The prime minister defended the clampdown. "The right to demonstrate and to have an opinion are a constitutionally guaranteed right in our republic and in our democracy. The right to block others or to prevent coming and going is not," he said. From Paris, some of the protesters plan to travel on to Brussels for a "European convergence" of protesters planned there for Monday. Phil, a 58-year-old on his way by truck from Brittany, said his refusal to get vaccinated had created "upheaval" in his family and work relations. "When you join a demonstration you feel less alone," he told AFP. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Russia has massed enough troops near Ukraine to launch a major invasion, Washington said on Friday, as it urged all US citizens to leave the country within 48 hours after Moscow further stiffened its response to Western diplomacy. A Russian attack could begin any day and would likely start with an air assault, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. He said US intelligence believed a rapid assault on Kyiv was also a possibility, and that Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an invasion before the end of the Winter Olympics in Beijing on Feb. 20. It however remained unclear whether Putin had definitively given that order, Sullivan told a media briefing. Also Read | Russia could invade Ukraine 'any time', including during Olympics: Blinken Putin and US President Joe Biden will speak by phone on Saturday, according to a White House official and Russia's RIA news agency. Russia's TASS news agency said Putin will speak with French President Emmanuel Macron on the same day. Four US officials told Reuters on Friday that Washington will send 3,000 extra troops to Poland in coming days to try and help reassure NATO allies. They are in addition to 8,500 already on alert for deployment to Europe if needed. Earlier, commercial satellite images https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/satellite-images-show-new-russian-military-deployments-near-ukraine-2022-02-11 from a US firm showed new Russian military deployments at several sites near the border. After telling NBC News that things in Ukraine "could go crazy quickly," Biden held a call on the crisis with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Poland and Romania, as well as the heads of NATO and the EU. The leaders raised concerns about Russia's military buildup, expressed a desire for a diplomatic solution, and agreed to make coordinated efforts to deter Russian aggression, including by being ready to impose "massive consequences and severe economic costs" on Moscow if it chose military escalation, the White House said after the call. Russia's foreign ministry said Western countries, with help from the media, were spreading false information to try to distract attention from their own aggressive actions. 'Devastating and destructive' Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, which joined a handful of other nations in urging their citizens to leave Ukraine, told the call hosted by Biden that he feared for the security of Europe. He stressed the need for "a heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go, should Russia make the devastating and destructive decision to invade Ukraine," Johnson's office said. Japan, Latvia, Norway and the Netherlands also told their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. Israel said it was evacuating relatives of embassy staff. Moscow, meanwhile, said answers sent this week by the EU and NATO to its security demands showed "disrespect". Biden met his national security advisers overnight, a source familiar with the meeting said. US officials believed the crisis could be reaching a critical point, with rhetoric from Moscow hardening, six Russian warships reaching the Black Sea, and more Russian military equipment arriving in Belarus, the source said. "We're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time, and to be clear, that includes during the Olympics," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The Beijing Games end on Feb. 20. "We continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border," Blinken said. Stocks extended declines in the late afternoon, with the S&P 500 index recently down around 1.9%. Gold and oil prices rose. Also Read | Satellite images show new Russian military deployments near Ukraine 'Impoliteness and disrsepect' Russia has already massed more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine, and this week launched joint military exercises in neighbouring Belarus and naval drills in the Black Sea. Moscow denies planning to invade Ukraine, but says it could take unspecified "military-technical" action unless a series of demands are met, including promises from NATO never to admit Ukraine and to withdraw forces from Eastern Europe. The West has said those main demands are non-starters. The EU and NATO alliance delivered responses this week on behalf of their member states. Russia's foreign ministry said it wanted individual answers from each country, and called the collective response "a sign of diplomatic impoliteness and disrespect". Several Western countries launched diplomatic pushes this week to persuade Russia to back down, but Moscow brushed them off, yielding no concessions to Macron, who visited on Monday, and openly mocking British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss when she came on Thursday. Four-way talks in Berlin between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France on Thursday also yielded no progress. Check out DH's latest videos Russia is planning to invade Ukraine on February 16, a credible intelligence report has claimed, as US President Joe Biden urgently arranged a telephone call with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Saturday in a bid to prevent war, the Daily Mail reported. According to German newspaper Der Spiegel, the US Secret Service, CIA and the Pentagon are said to have received intel of an "exceptionally detailed" invasion plan, scheduled for February 16. The plans were passed on to Biden's government and discussed in a series of secret briefings with NATO allies, the Daily Mail reported. They are said to contain specific routes that might be taken by individual Russian units and detail what roles they might play in the conflict. Also read: More than 30 Russian ships start drills near Crimea: Report Der Speigel suggests the US is mulling whether to make the plans public in a bid to undermine them. The White House confirmed that Biden and Putin would discuss the crisis by phone today - just hours after thousands of Britons and Americans were warned to get out of Ukraine while they still can, as tensions reached boiling point. The warning came amid fears that Putin could launch an "aerial bombardment" of Kiev, risking a high civilian death toll. Several other countries have now told their citizens to get out of the country, including Belgium, who on Saturday warned there would be "no guarantee of evacuation" following a "sudden deterioration", as "communication links including internet and telephone lines could be seriously affected" and air travel hampered. Watch the latest DH Videos here: The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. US officials say the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave the country ahead of a feared Russian invasion. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of US embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. Also Read New Zealand urges its citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly, said a limited number of US diplomats may be relocated to Ukraine's far west, near the border with Poland, a NATO ally, so the US could retain a diplomatic presence in the country. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Saint Valentine's Day may now be celebrated worldwide but traditions are often very different -- and sometimes have nothing at all to do with romance. While in Europe it's all about couples cosying up, in the United States it is as much about schoolchildren celebrating friendship while in Japan women give chocolates to their bosses. From pagan festival to marketing ploy, we look at the rich Valentine's mix: Valentine's Day was once a rather violent affair. Its origins are thought to go back to the Roman purification festival of Lupercalia when naked young men would whip young ladies to make them more fertile. Read more: Whip up some romance with these Valentines Day treats Down the centuries that evolved into only slightly less raucous lotteries that paired young men off with young women at medieval carnivals. The day is also, of course, associated with the cult of third century Roman Christian martyr Saint Valentine. He literally lost his head over love -- decapitated on the orders of the Emperor Claudius, they say, for secretly performing weddings. According to the legend, Valentine cured his jailer's blind daughter and the day before his death slipped her a note signed "Your Valentine". Unfortunately there was no happy ending. In England the exchange of messages known as "valentines" on February 14 developed with the rise of the postal service in the 19th century, with the sender often signing off "Your Valentine". They did things differently across the border in Wales. Their festival of love is held on January 25 and celebrates a fourth-century Welsh princess called Saint Dwynwen. Unlucky in love, broken-hearted Dwynwen sought solace in religion and became a nun, praying for others to find true love. Among the gifts traditionally exchanged between lovers, and would-be ones, are carved Welsh wooden love spoons. Read more: This Valentine's Day you can name a cockroach after your ex The celebration took a commercial turn in the mid-19th century in the US, with the invention of mass-produced greeting cards. Promoters quickly got the idea to extend the "tradition" beyond lovers, with schoolchildren now expected to bring a Valentine card for every one of their classmates. Today it has become a $20-billion business and has even spawned Galentines Day, when "gals" go out together and eat waffles. The Japanese Valentine tradition began after World War II when confectionery makers thought up the wheeze of having women offer chocolates to their bosses and boyfriends on February 14. A half-century later, the practice has become an annual ritual, with millions of Japanese women giving pralines or ganaches to show affection, friendship or professional respect. But not any chocolate will do. The "giri choco", for example, are standard chocolates reserved for work colleagues while the superior "honmei choco" are the sign of true love. Valentine's Day is less loved in some parts of the world however, with some Muslim countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia taking a dim view. Although the day is very popular in Iran, people have to show their affection modestly. The sale of heart-shaped balloons, for example, is rather frowned upon by traditionalists. Ukrainian captain Oleksandr Surkov looks askance at his patrol boat's machine guns and laments how futile they would be fending off an attack from Russian warships now steaming across the Black Sea. "Our weapons are mostly designed to protect our state borders, not to wage war," the 32-year-old says as his boat bobs through grey mist enveloping the coast of Ukraine's industrial port of Mariupol. "But if they attack, we will defend ourselves with every weapon we have." Read more: Ukraine says 'critically important to remain calm' Surkov's worries reflect that of Ukraine as a whole as it girds for a feared invasion from more than 100,000 Russian troops who have encircled the ex-Soviet state from nearly every side. Ukraine's old navy -- stationed almost entirely in the Crimean port of Sevastopol -- practically vanished when Russia annexed the peninsula and took all its ships in 2014. Military analysts say Ukraine now has just one major warship and a dozen or so patrol and coastal craft of the type captained by Surkov. Russia has sent six more warships into the region for a week of naval drills involving dozens of navy ships starting this weekend. Ukrainian military analyst Mykola Beleskov says Russia now has 13 major battleships in the Black Sea on Ukraine's southwestern coast that can enter the landlocked Sea of Azov on its southeast at any point. "The situation is tense," Beleskov said. Captain Surkov agrees. "The presence of Russian patrol boats is growing," Surkov says. "They are whipping up tensions." Mariupol lies on the edge of the front line separating government-controlled territory from that overseen by Russian-backed separatists in the rebel stronghold Donetsk. It came under repeated attack in the early months of the separatist conflict as the rebels tried to grab its port -- vital for Ukraine's lucrative steel exports -- and establish a land bridge between Russia and Crimea. Ukrainian forces were able to hold the line at a heavy cost. Read more: US to evacuate Ukraine embassy amid Russian invasion fears The UN estimates that the entire separatist conflict has claimed more than 14,000 lives and forced 1.5 million from their homes. Coast guards patrolling the waters off Mariupol today doubt they would be able to repel a serious Russian amphibious assault that might accompany any land invasion from Ukraine's east and north. "The six Russian ships that entered the Black Sea region have weapons that can be used on land as well as at sea. They have missiles," border guard captain Igor Chernov said. "We have to hope for a diplomatic solution," added Surkov. "But we have to prepare for the worst." Naval fores expert Nick Childs of London's International Institute for Strategic Studies said an amphibious assault on Ukraine would not be easy to pull off -- even for someone of Russia's military might. "There has been much attention paid to movements of Russian amphibious ships into the Black Sea to bolster forces already there," Child told AFP. "However, amphibious operations would present hazards for Russian forces, and Ukraine has some coastal defence capabilities, including anti-ship missiles in development." Ukrainian analyst Beleskov agreed that an amphibious landing would be "very difficult to pull off". "We have good defences in Odessa and along the Black Sea coast," he said. "If they limit themselves to an amphibious landing alone, we would survive." But veteran Russian military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer said the Kremlin has been preparing such an attack for nearly a year. "They staged an amphibious landing drill on the Opuk firing range in Crimea last April," Felgenhauer said. "The plan is to concentrate a massive amphibious assault force of 10,000 troops in the first wave. The Ukrainians would never be able to repel that," he said. "And then the second wave would come. An amphibious landing would be very hard to fight off because of Russia's superiority not only at sea, but also in the air." The idea of a war of such scale breaking out at any time is leaving captain Surkov and his family feeling increasingly stressed. He says he has spent almost all his time at sea since the start of the year because of the Russian war games. "My wife is feeling nervous because I spend so little time at home," the captain says. "She is always asking me if everything is alright. But things are getting heated." Watch the latest DH videos: US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron prepared to sound out Russia's Vladimir Putin on Saturday and Ukraine urged its citizens not to panic after Washington warned that an all-out invasion could begin "any day". Weeks of tensions that have seen Russia surround its western neighbour with more than 100,000 troops revved up another notch when the Kremlin launched its biggest naval drills in years across the Black Sea. The exercises off the coast of Ukraine's Odessa added urgency to a hastily arranged call Saturday between Biden and Putin aimed at defusing one of the gravest crises in East-West relations since the Cold War. Also read: US to evacuate Ukraine embassy amid Russian invasion fears The Russian leader is also due to speak later Saturday with Macron. The talks come after a week of frantic shuttle diplomacy by the French leader and European officials did little to ease fears of war breaking out in eastern Europe. Russia on Saturday added to the ominous tone by pulling some of its diplomatic staff out of Ukraine. The foreign ministry in Moscow said its decision was prompted by fears of "possible provocations from the Kyiv regime". But Washington and a host of European countries cited the growing threat of a Russian invasion as they called on their citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible. Germany became the latest European country to advise its citizens to leave Ukraine while the US embassy in Kyiv ordered non-emergency staff to leave Ukraine. Also read: More than 30 Russian ships start drills near Crimea: Report The prospect of frightened Westerners fleeing their country prompted Ukraine's foreign ministry to issue an appeal to its citizens to keep calm. "At the moment, it is critically important to remain calm, to consolidate inside the country, to avoid destabilising actions and those that sow panic," the ministry said. "Ukrainian diplomats are in constant contact with all its key partners, swiftly receiving the information needed to prepare a well-timed response." Washington on Friday issued its most dire warning yet that Russia had assembled enough forces to launch a serious assault at any moment. "Our view that military action could occur any day now, and could occur before the end of the Olympics, is only growing in terms of its robustness," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warned. US military assessments had earlier said the Kremlin may want to wait for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games to end on February 20 before launching an offensive so as not to offend Russia's ally China. Sullivan stopped short of saying that the United States has concluded that Putin has made the decision to attack. But some US media cited intelligence sources and officials as saying that Washington believes that a war could begin at some point after Putin concludes talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow on Tuesday. The German leader is due to travel to Kyiv on Monday and then visit Putin as part of Europe's efforts to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow. Russia is demanding binding security guarantees from the West that includes a pledge to roll NATO forces out of eastern Europe and to never expand into Ukraine. Washington has flatly rejected the demands while offering to discuss a new European disarmament agreement with Moscow. Russia has called the US proposal woefully insufficient. The diplomatic push will continue on Saturday with talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Blinken told a press conference in Fiji that the crisis had entered "a pivotal moment". "If Russia is genuinely interested in resolving this crisis of its own making through diplomacy and dialogue, we're prepared to do that," Blinken said. He added that dialogue would only be possible if accompanied by "de-escalation." "So far, we've only seen escalation from Moscow," he said. Blinken said the United States was also still waiting for a response to "some of the ideas" floated by Washington. Macron's talks with Putin came after a visit to Moscow last Monday during which he said he had secured a pledge "that there will be no degradation nor escalation" from the Kremlin. Sullivan repeated warnings that Russia risks severe Western sanctions and said that NATO is now "more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than any time in recent memory." The Pentagon announced it was sending 3,000 more troops to bolster ally Poland. European leaders also resolved to punish Russia with severe economic sanctions if it attacks. "The aim is to prevent a war in Europe," Scholz's spokesman said after a call between US and European leaders. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the sanctions would target the financial and energy sectors. Sullivan spoke to von der Leyen's chief of staff by video call to coordinate "the details of a potential transatlantic response, including both financial sanctions and export controls," the White House said. Check out the latest videos from DH: Russian President Vladimir Putin told his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron Saturday that accusations Moscow plans to attack Ukraine were "provocative speculation" and could lead to a conflict in the ex-Soviet country. Putin and Macron discussed what Moscow called "provocative speculation related to an allegedly planned Russian 'invasion' of Ukraine," the Kremlin said after phone talks. In a statement, the Kremlin accused Kyiv's allies of sending "modern weapons" to the ex-Soviet country and being unwilling to force Kyiv authorities to implement Western-brokered agreements to halt a festering conflict in eastern Ukraine. Also Read | Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden plan high-stakes phone call in Ukraine crisis "Conditions are being created for possible aggressive actions of the Ukrainian security forces in the Donbass," the Kremlin added. Putin, who hosted Macron at the Kremlin last Monday, stressed that there was no reaction from the United States and NATO to Russia's demands to provide security guarantees, the statement said. "The unwillingness of the leading Western countries to push the Kyiv authorities to implement the Minsk agreements was also emphasised," the Kremlin said. The two spoke for one hour 40 minutes, the French presidency said, amid a flurry of diplomacy aimed at dissuading Putin from marching into his western neighbour. US President Joe Biden is due to speak to the Russian leader later Saturday. Check out the latest videos from DH: From Russia to North Korea to Zimbabwe, the impact of diplomatic sanctions has long been questioned. But Bangladeshi activists have no doubts: Extrajudicial killings have suddenly stopped since punitive US measures were imposed two months ago, they say. Around 2,500 Bangladeshis have allegedly been killed by security forces since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came to power in 2009, according to rights group Odhikar, which maintains detailed records, with hundreds more enforced disappearances. It has tallied nearly 1,200 such deaths in the last four years, or an average of 25 per month. But since Washington on December 10 imposed sweeping Magnitsky Act sanctions against the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) elite security force including seven of its top officers, killings have totalled zero, it says. "I wish this sanction was slapped a lot earlier," said Afroza Islam Akhi, whose brother vanished eight years ago. "A lot of lives would have been saved." Akhi is now a coordinator for Mayer Daak, which represents hundreds of families of victims of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. The RAB was set up in 2004 to tackle Marxist insurgents and Islamist extremism as well as curb human trafficking -- goals it pursued mercilessly and officials say effectively. More recently its targets have largely been alleged criminals and drug dealers, with authorities insisting that deaths have only occurred during exchanges of fire in legitimate law enforcement operations. But critics say political opponents have also died at the hands of security forces and that gunfights are staged to deny the victims due legal process. Akhi's brother Sajedul Islam Suman was among at least 18 activists with the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) allegedly picked up by RAB officers in December 2013 in the run-up to national elections. "My mother went to the RAB headquarters every day for more than a year as we heard RAB officers detained him," Akhi told AFP. "But he never returned." Nur Khan Liton, head of Bangladesh's top rights group Ain O Salish Kendra, said the US sanctions have directly improved the country's rights situation. "People are happy with it and many have started speaking out," he said. According to activists, almost all victims of extrajudicial killings are detained and then shot dead. Rita Begum last saw her 14-year-old son Rakib Howlader handcuffed and detained at a police station in old Dhaka in 2018. The next day her father told her the boy -- accused of peddling drugs -- had been beaten to death and then shot to make it appear he had died in an exchange of fire. "Every bone in his body was broken and then he was shot," she told AFP. "I didn't get justice." When she tried to file a complaint, she said, "police came to my house. They held a pistol to my head and made me sign a lot of papers. They even threatened to rape my daughter. "I want the American sanctions to prevail," she added. "I don't want to see any more mothers losing their children. I don't want anybody else to suffer my fate. I lost my gem of a boy." In some cases RAB officers have been prosecuted, with at least 26 people including an RAB commander sentenced to death for seven murders in the central city of Narayanganj in April 2014. Dhaka and Washington normally have warm relations, co-operating on security issues and with Bangladesh often voting alongside the United States at the United Nations. The sanctions include asset freezes and visa bans and were imposed on the RAB and current or former RAB officials, including its ex-head Benazir Ahmed, now the national chief of police. The move -- at a time when China is pouring investment into one of Asia's poorest countries -- stunned Dhaka, with the foreign secretary summoning the US ambassador to convey "discontent". But the sanctions constitute a "tactical strike" on the understanding between the security forces and ruling party and "put the whole security establishment under renewed international scrutiny", said Sydney-based Bangladesh researcher Mubashar Hasan. They have also raised anxiety among Bangladeshi officials for whom the West is a popular retirement and training destination, he added. He pointed out that the Biden administration has begun to target businesses connected to governments that it says suppress human rights, such as China. "Many Bangladeshi businessmen tied with the ruling party are nervous about the future," he said. There was no response to repeated requests by AFP to the RAB and the national police for comment. Dhaka denies its officers are involved in extrajudicial killings or enforced disappearances. But Shahab Enam Khan, a professor at Jahangirnagar University, said: "Sanction from the US on the law enforcement agencies or personnel is a lesson and perhaps nobody wants it to be repeated." Watch latest videos by DH here: Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the US announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Before talking to Biden, Putin is to have a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. Russia has massed troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighbouring Belarus, but insistently denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. However, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Saturday that the country has optimized staffing at its embassy in Kyiv, but said the move was in response to concerns about possible military actions from the Ukrainian side. We conclude that our American and British colleagues apparently know about some military actions being prepared in Ukraine that could significantly complicate the situation in the security sphere, she said in a statement. In this situation, fearing possible provocations by the Kyiv regime or third countries, we actually decided to somewhat optimize the staffing of Russian foreign missions in Ukraine. Britain on Saturday told its nationals to leave Ukraine. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey told the BBC that UK troops that have been training the Ukrainian army also would leave the country. Germany and the Netherlands also called on their citizens to leave as soon as possible. Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 US troops to Poland to reassure allies. Biden has said the US military will not enter a war in Ukraine, but he has promised severe economic sanctions against Moscow, in concert with international allies. The timing of any possible Russian military action remains a key question. The US picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a US official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorised to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was, and the White House publicly underscored that the US does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to invasion. However, US officials said anew that Russia's buildup of offensive air, land and sea firepower near Ukraine has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. A State Department travel advisory on Saturday said most American staff at the Kyiv embassy have been ordered to leave and said other US citizens should depart the country. The department had earlier ordered families of US embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry on Saturday said it is critically important to remain calm, to consolidate within the country, and to avoid actions that undermine stability and sow panic. It added that the armed forces are constantly monitoring developments and are ready to rebuff any infringement on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Americans should not expect the US military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Several NATO allies including Britain, Canada, Norway and Denmark also are asking their citizens to leave Ukraine, as is non-NATO ally New Zealand. Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. Yes, it is an urgent message because we are in an urgent situation, he told reporters at the White House. Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action, Sullivan said, adding, Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine. He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the US talk of urgency. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems. In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that US officials say Russia has assembled along Ukraine's eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Sullivan's stark warning accelerated the projected timeframe for a potential invasion, which many analysts had believed was unlikely until after the Winter Olympics in China end on Feb 20. Sullivan said the combination of a further Russian troop buildup on Ukraine's borders and unspecified intelligence indicators have prompted the administration to warn that war could begin any time. We can't pinpoint the day at this point, and we can't pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility, Sullivan said. Biden has said US troops will not enter Ukraine to contest any Russian invasion, but he has bolstered the US military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on NATO's eastern flank. On Friday the Pentagon said Biden ordered a further 3,000 soldiers to Poland, on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The US Army also is shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Biden spoke to a number of European leaders on Friday to underscore the concerns raised by US intelligence about the potential imminence of a Russian invasion. Sullivan said the Western leaders were completely united and would respond harshly to a Russian invasion with devastating economic and trade sanctions. Russia is demanding that the West keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe demands flatly rejected by the West. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing Crimea and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed over 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. Watch latest videos by DH here: BJP MP K J Alphons grabbed the spotlight in Rajya Sabha on Thursday for saying that the likes of Ambani and Adani should be "worshipped" for generating jobs during a debate in the House over unemployment and the Union Budget. You can accuse me of being a mouthpiece of the capitalists. The people who have created jobs in this country, let me name those people because you have named them. Be it Reliance, be it Ambani, be it Adani, be it anybody, they must be worshipped. Yes, because they provide jobs The people who invest money, Ambani, Adani, every industrialist who creates money in this country, create jobs. They have created jobs. They need to be respected", he said. The Opposition, however, slammed Alphons for his statement and called the growth he spoke of "faceless" and "jobless", adding that the Centre was widening the income gap in the country. Also read: First part of Budget Session concludes, Lok Sabha to meet again on March 14 When the Opposition argued that a handful in the country have seen their wealth shoot up during the pandemic, Alphons, a former union minister, said that global inequalities were a fact. Elon Musks wealth has gone up 1016 per cent. Are you aware of this? The wealth of the founder of Google, Larry Page, has gone up 126 per cent. The wealth of Bezos has gone up 67 per cent. The lowest among all these top 10 is Bill Gates. His wealth has one up 30 per cent. Global inequality is a fact, whether you accept it or not. Three billion people in the world live below five dollars a day, he said. RJD's Manoj Kumar Jha hit out at FM Nirmala Sitharaman's Union Budget during the debate, saying that the BJP government favours some more than others. "When I look at the style of functioning of this government in the last few years, it becomes clear who is getting amrit (nectar) and who is getting poison. Amrit is for friends. It is sufficiently supplied and the vast majority of the people are only getting poison. Watch the latest DH videos: Mail Online, February 8, 2022 Taliban officials are sending their daughters to overseas schools despite the regime not allowing many female secondary students in classrooms, according to a report. Senior officials are sending their children to schools and universities, including in Qatar, southwest Asia, while millions of female secondary school students in Afghanistan have been deprived of education since the Taliban seized power in August. Many Qatar-based Taliban leaders have chosen to send their sons and daughters to school, with the majority in Doha enrolling their daughters in school, according to a report by Afghanistan Analysts Network. Millions of female students are still unable to go to school in Afghanistan, as the Taliban government has so far only reopened high schools for boys and primary schools for all students. But the Taliban have pledged that all women and girls can access schools at all levels when the remaining schools across the country reopen in March.Meanwhile, half of the Afghan population are said to be facing famine in the coming months amid a humanitarian crisis in the country. The report, conducted by the non-profit policy research group, interviewed 30 people, including nine senior Taliban officials and one Taliban sympathizer. One Qatar-based Taliban official, who was a member of the Taliban's negotiating team, said his two daughters studied in a Qatari state school, with one finishing her education in 2020. He said: 'We lived for three years not much bothered by education, but since everybody in the neighbourhood was going to school, our children demanded that they go to school too. So, in the fourth year, I had to send my three sons and two daughters to school.' Other Taliban officials chose to send their children to private schools run by Pakistanis, based in Qatar, which follow a Pakistani curriculum but teach in English, according to the report. Another Qatar-based Taliban official told AAN: 'Taliban members and their families who live here [in Qatar] have strong demands for modern education and no one opposes it for either boys or girls of any age.' A daughter of one current Taliban minister, who was previously a member of the Leadership Shura in Quetta, said she is studying medicine at a Qatari university. Two members of the Taliban's Qatar office, who have since relocated to Kabul, said they didn't know whether to bring their families to Afghanistan or wait due to the 'interruption it would pose to the boys' and girls' schooling'. One source told the report some officials are sending their daughters to schools in Pakistan that use Iqra teaching, which combines religious 'madrasa' learning with 'modern' schooling. Describing the Iqra method, one official said: 'The Iqra system is very good for Taleban who are looking to educate their boys and girls. It's an Islamic educational system that teaches both modern school subjects and madrasa subjects.' According to the report, Taliban officials have also secretly enrolled their daughters in schools and universities in Afghanistan, while some Taliban commanders have founded schools, private madrasas and universities in Pakistan that admit girls.The hardline group ousted the US-backed government in August, promising a softer brand of rule than their repressive reign in the 1990s, when women were mostly banned from education and work. But the Taliban government has so far only reopened high schools for boys in most parts of Afghanistan, while millions of girls are still unable to attend school. Primary schools have reopened in the country, with boys and girls mostly attending separate classes, and some women teachers returning to work.The Taliban has made public pledges that all women and girls will be able to access schools at all levels when schools across the country reopen in March.On September 17, the ministry of education ordered all male teachers and male students back to the classroom, but excluded girls from returning to secondary school. 'All male teachers and students should attend their educational institutions,' a statement said ahead of classes resuming.Some private universities have since reopened, but in many cases female students have not been able to return to class. Last month, the Taliban acting higher education minister confirmed that Afghanistan's public universities, closed since the Taliban seized power in August, will reopen this month. But Shaikh Abdul Baqi Haqqani failed to specify whether female students would be able to return to their studies under the plans. Universities in warmer provinces reopened from February 2, while those in colder areas will reopen on February 26, the minister told a news conference in Kabul. In the past, Taliban officials have suggested that women could be taught in separate classes. The international community have been applying pressure to the hardline Taliban, who took over Afghanistan on August 15, to get them to commit to upholding women's rights. Western governments have made education for female students a part of their demands as the Taliban seek more foreign aid and the unfreezing of overseas assets. Since a US-led invasion ousted the Taliban in 2001, significant progress was made in girls' education, with the number of schools tripling and female literacy nearly doubling to 30 per cent - however, the change was largely limited to the cities. Afghan women have fought for and gained basic rights in the past 20 years, becoming lawmakers, judges, pilots and police officers.Hundreds of thousands entered the workforce - a necessity in some cases as many women were widowed or now support invalid husbands as a result of decades of conflict. Meanwhile, the UN says 8.7 million Afghans are on the brink of starvation, and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said over half the population faces 'extreme levels of hunger'. 'More than 80% of the population relies on contaminated drinking water, and some families are selling their babies to purchase food,' he said. Afghanistan's aid-dependent economy was already stumbling when the Taliban seized power last August amid the chaotic departure of US and NATO troops after 20 years. The international community froze Afghanistan's assets abroad and halted economic support, unwilling to work with the Taliban, given the brutality during their 1996-2001 rule. Guterres said the World Banks reconstruction trust fund for Afghanistan transferred $280 million last month to the U.N. children's agency UNICEF and the World Food Program. He said the remaining $1.2 million should be released urgently to help Afghans survive the winter. 'Time is of the essence,' Guterres told the Security Council last month. 'Without action, lives will be lost, and despair and extremism will grow.' Last month, a high-level Taliban delegation met with Afghan civil society representatives in the Norwegian capital, Oslo. Norway and its NATO allies do not formally recognise the Taliban-led administration that seized power last year, but see talks as a necessity, given the depth of the crisis. The Taliban delegation, led by acting foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, was not granted meetings with cabinet-level ministers, but met a junior minister at Norway's foreign ministry. Deborah Lyons noted that a joint communique from the talks highlighted that 'understanding and joint cooperation are the only solutions to all the problems of Afghanistan.' She said now the Taliban 'must act on it'. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stre, whose country holds the Security Council presidency this month and chaired the meeting, said the Taliban delegation also held direct talks with representatives from Norway, the US, France and Britain, but he stressed that did not signify recognition of the Taliban government. 'We have to talk to them, engage them and present very clear expectations, because Afghanistan is today facing a dire humanitarian crisis and a million children may starve,' Stre said in an interview with The Associated Press. He said there were no negotiations, no agreement signed, but the talks as far as he could see were 'the beginning of something that can lead to something'. Traditional rivals BJP and Congress are relying on "borrowed" players in the battle for Amethi, the bastion of the Gandhi family, which the saffron party has demolished now. The BJP has fielded veteran Congress leader Sanjay Sinh, who crossed over from the grand old party to the saffron camp in 2019, while the Congress has nominated turncoat Ashish Shukla from the assembly seat, which will go to polls on February 27 in the fifth of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh elections. Starting with the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Shukla had shifted to the BJP in 2017 and has now left it for the Congress. Moments after the announcement of Sinhs candidature, Shukla was inducted into the Congress in Delhi and was immediately named as its nominee from the high-profile seat that continues to draw the nation's attention due to its association with the Gandhi family since the days of Indira Gandhi. Also Read In west UP, chinks in BSP's Dalit base could help SP-RLD Without losing any time, Sinh and Shukla swore their loyalty to their respective new parties and are reaching out to voters with their parties manifestos. But, in the fight between the BJP and the Congress, the Akhilesh Yadav-led Samajwadi Party (SP) has fielded life convict Gayatri Prajapati's wife for the Amethi assembly seat. Mayawati's BSP has chosen Ragini Tiwari as part of its old social engineering formula of Dalits-Brahmins, threatening to make the contest a multi-corner one. The fight for Amethi started in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when Union Minister and BJP leader Smriti Irani challenged former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi. Though she lost in 2014, Irani avenged her defeat by trouncing Rahul Gandhi in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. The script of the last parliamentary poll upset was written by the BJP in the 2017 assembly elections again when it won four out of the five assembly seats in the Amethi Lok Sabha segment. The Gauriganj seat had gone to the SP then, while the Congress drew a blank in 2017. The Amethi Lok Sabha seat comprises five assembly constituencies, namely Amethi, Gauriganj, Jagdishpur (SC reserved) and Tiloi and Salon (located in neighbouring Rae Bareli district). Amethi is no more a bastion (of the Congress), said Sinh, in whose favour the BJP settled a family feud for a poll ticket between his first wife and BJP MLA Garima Singh and his second wife and badminton player Amita Singh, who switched over to the party along with her husband. "Its neither any longer a 'gadh' (fort) nor any the 'gadhwale' is seen here," he said mockingly while campaigning. Also Read Uttar Pradesh Elections: The Muslim Vote Sinh is reaching out to the people on the basis of the development works done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister and Amethi MP Smriti Irani. Congress candidate Shukla, who had once fought against Rahul Gandhi in a parliamentary election from Amethi and bagged over one lakh votes, is canvassing on the basis of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra's "Ladki Hun, Lad Sakti Hoon" campaign and the promises made by the party in its manifesto. For SP nominee Maharaji Prajapati, her son and two daughters, the fight is to get justice for her husband Gayatri Prajapati, a minister in the earlier SP government, who is serving a life sentence in the case of gangrape of a minor girl. "Its all false...my father was implicated in the case as part of a conspiracy," said Anil Prajapati, who is overseeing his mothers campaigning. Prajapatis daughters Ankita Prajapati and Sudha Praapati are taking the help of social media to seek justice for their jailed father. Meanwhile, BSPs Tiwari is banking on the huge Brahmin vote as well as the base vote of Mayawati among Dalits, to propel her to victory. According to sources in different political parties, the Amethi assembly seat has over 3.48 lakh electors, of whom 80,000 are Brahmins, around 30,000 are Thakurs, 25,000 are Muslims, 30,000 are Dalits and nearly 1.25 lakh are Other Backward Classes. While Sinh is a Thakur, Congress nominee Shukla and BSP contestant Tiwari are Brahmins. SP's Maharaji Prajapati is from the OBC. Also Read UP Polls: Family war spills over political area Rajesh Agrahi, a powerful local BJP leader who is also Smriti Irani's constituency representative, told PTI, "Neither Rahul Gandhi has any taker among people nor any caste factor will work here". "Only 'Modi-Yogi' chant is on the lips of every poor who are availing free ration and health benefits being provided by the double engine government, among others, without any discrimination," Agrahi, who himself was a strong contender for the poll ticket, said. College going girls, Sadhna and Priti, say Priyanka Gandhi's "Ladki hoon..." catchline has no effect among the people. "Shall we study or fight the goondas?" Priti, a resident of Jayash locality said. Jang Bahadur Singh, Loknath Yadav and Ram Bahadur Yadav of Pandeypur Bazar, said they would vote only for those who promise to do development work in the area. Pitardeen Shukla and Binod Kumar Shukla of Madhavpur village in Gauriganj said, "(Muhammad Ali) Jinnah and Pakistan will not provide them 'roji-roti' (livelihood). We need somebody who does development work in the area." District Congress president Prashant Tripathi and his colleagues Anupam Pandey and Anil Singh highlighted the setting up of the Petroleum Institute, CRPF training camp and seven national highways by the Congress in Amethi. BJP district unit president Durgesh Tripathi said "Rahul Gandhis development could be understood from the fact that there was no CT scan facility in Gauriganj during his time while Smriti ji has got nine oxygen plants, an over-bridge to decongest traffic rush among others. Watch the latest DH Videos here: A Pakistani man who inadvertently crossed the international border was on Saturday handed over to security personnel of that country by the BSF. The man, identified as Gumano, a resident of Undher in Tharparkar district of Sindh in Pakistan, had left his home after a quarrel with his kin, the BSF Gujarat Frontier said in a statement. "He was handed over to the Pak Rangers as a goodwill gesture. He is epileptic and belongs to a poor family and has ten siblings. He inadvertently crossed the international border in the intervening night of February 9 and 10, and reached Kuda-Chapariya link road where he was apprehended by troops of 56 Bn BSF," it said. The man was in a dehydrated state, and BSF troops provided him food and water, it said, adding that he was handed over after a series of flag meetings. A similar handover of a Pakistan national was done on January 5 this year as well, BSF officials said. Check out DH's latest videos: An MBBS student from Bengaluru, a freelance fashion designer, a budding psychiatrist, a YouTuber, and a financial analyst with a multinational company are among 22 youth from 11 states arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in connection to a pan-India drug trafficking network operating on the darknet, a senior official said on Saturday. The arrests came following a four-month operation that started with a case from Kolkata Zonal unit and further developed by Delhi Zonal unit culminating in searches at several places, including in Surat, Pune, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Delhi, Ghaziabad, Ranchi and Guwahati. Besides MBBS student Aditya Reddy from Bengaluru, two more people were arrested from the Karnataka capital during the operation -- Raghunath Kumar, who went by @shoppersstop and @Guruji and is known as 'LSD King' on the darknet and already arrested by Karnataka Police in a drug case, and one Mohd Aslam, who is considered as one of the masterminds. With this, three darknet drug markets -- DNM India, Dread and The Orient Express -- were shut down. The traffickers used virtual identities with other vendors on the darknet. The DNM India is a web platform to sell or buy drugs, locate suppliers and buyers as well as assess quality of product while Dread was a dark web page for review rating and internal performance appraisal of drug traders in India and The Orient Express a Telegram group with 300 members. The USP of the trafficking was the "anonymity" of the purchasers and sellers on the network, investigators said. "Almost all the accused were in their youth (20-35 yrs) and there are professionals such as engineers, doctors, financial consultants, businessmen to artists such as musicians, to school dropouts doing nothing but trafficking. Almost all were tech-savvy, felt thrilled in dodging police, and had a disturbed childhood or family problems," NCB Deputy Director General (North Region) Gyaneshwar Singh said. "The drugs were advertised as a restaurants menu in their circles for consumers with attractive offers. Escrow deals were offered to win the confidence of the consumer," he said. The unique aspects of the modus operandi employed by the racket included single-use crypto wallets, professional packaging, concealment in articles and usage of India Post and courier services, advertisement on Telegram group, Instagram and Wickrme apps, fake addresses, vendors verified by owner/co-owner, no cheating or fraud principle, he said. Some of the phones which were seized by the investigators were found to be customised for the darknet, utilising the custom operating system for mobile that would hide IP address and identity. Multiple ids were found in mobile phones. These ids were forwarding the drug parcels to the customers and taking payments via PayTM, Cryptocurrency, UPI transfer, and several other modes, Singh said. One of the arrested Jasbir Singh also allegedly took the help of a Delhi NCB staffer to contact his girlfriend in Kolkata and made her destroy his gadgets with the help of his aunt. The NCB took the help of the NDRF to recover it later. Officials also claimed that Jasbir was "brutal" towards girls after inducing drugs to them. He used to blackmail them with their photographs and videos and got them involved in drug trafficking. A finance consultant with an MNC, Shradha Surana, who was known as @thebansky, @pizahat, @stevehydes and @trippylanes on the darknet platform, allegedly helped Jasbir in finance management and arranging addresses for importing drugs from abroad. She also allegedly sold drugs. Watch the latest DH Videos here: In the most recent development in Karnataka's hijab controversy, the full bench of the Karnataka High Court said in an interim order that no religious garments must be permitted on campuses until the court reaches a verdict. The three-judge bench of Chief Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, Justice J M Khazi and Justice Krishna S Dixit posted the matter for February 14. The bench was formed on Wednesday to hear the petitions by the Muslim girl students challenging the ban on Hijab after the single judge Justice Dixit referred the matter to the CJ with a view that a larger bench should hear the matter. Here is a look at the controversy and other rulings related to religious attire in educational institutions. Also Read | Hijab controversy reaches UP, Opposition parties smell 'conspiracy' Where did it all start? The conflict began in September at a college preparatory institution for girls in Udupi, Karnataka when several Muslim students showed up in hijabs and some teachers whose class they tried to attend, turned them away and marked them absent for the day, according to the petition. One of the petitioners said that wearing headscarves had not been an issue in prior years. Students' parents encouraged their daughters to stand their ground, their lawyer Mohammed Tahir said. They continued to wear the hijab after the school Government Womens PU in January called for a ban on it on school premises, saying it violated the school dress code. Also Read | Karnataka High Court bars students from wearing saffron shawls, hijabs in classroom till further orders In recent weeks, students have been routinely met at the campus gates by scores of boys and men wearing saffron protesting hijabs in schools. The unrest also spread to at least a dozen other schools in the state. What is the government order? On February 5, the Karnataka government ordered mandatory uniforms approved by the state government on school and college campuses, exercising its powers under Se133(2) of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983. While it is mandatory for the government schools students to wear uniforms approved by the government, those going to private colleges shall wear the uniform approved by the management. The state government had exercised the same powers in 2013 to make uniforms compulsory for all educational institutions. Also Read | Will interfere at appropriate time: Supreme Court on plea against Karnataka High Court's interim order on hijab row Referring to multiple judgments by various High Courts including Mumbai, Kerala and other states, the government order said, "Compelling a student to remove the headscarf on school campus does not amount to a violation under the Article 25 of the Indian Constitution. Also, reviewing the various provisions under the Karnataka Education Act 1983, the state government has the right to decide on the uniform in schools and colleges. As per the sub-clause 2 under section 133 of the Education Act 1983, it is mandatory for students of the government colleges to wear uniform approved by the state government." According to a report by DH, a government official said the issue which is currently heard by the High Court of Karnataka pertains only to the Udupi College where the controversy erupted. "The state government's order is applicable to all the schools and colleges across Karnataka," the official said. Track live updates on hijab row here Previous rulings on religious attire in educational institutions: The Karnataka government, in its order, cited rulings from three high courts Kerala, Bombay, and Madras High Court. Kerala High Court, 2018: Fathima Thasneem v State of Kerala A petition was filed by two girls aged 12 and 8 who were represented by their father, who wanted his daughters to wear hijab and a full-sleeved shirt. The school, which was a Christian Missionary, had refused to allow the hijab. A single-judge bench had held that the collective rights of an institution would be given primacy over the individual rights of the petitioner. Kerala High Court, 2015: Amnah Bint Basheer vs Central Board of Secondary: The dress code prescribed by the CBSE for appearing in the All-India Pre-Medical Examination was being challenged in this petition. The Board had allowed only wearing half sleeve kurta/salvar to appear in the competitive examination. The petitioners a Muslim girl and her father challenged the prescription of the dress code on the ground of violation of fundamental rights as guaranteed under Article 25(1) of the Constitution. In this case, the court found that the dress code prescribed by the board was not based on any of the grounds on which the right to religion could be regulated. The court allowed the petition but also safeguarded the interest of the Board by allowing the invigilator to frisk candidates by removing their scarf. Bombay High Court, 2003: Fathema Hussain Sayed v Bharat Education Society A minor student from an all-girls school had challenged the schools prescribed dress code that did not allow her to wear a hijab. In her petition, she had argued that wearing a headscarf was an essential religious practice that should be protected under the Constitution. The Bombay High Court had ruled against the petitioner referring to a verse from Quran, saying that the book did not prescribe wearing a headscarf before other women. A girl student not wearing the head-scarf or head covering studying in exclusive girls section cannot be said to in any manner acting inconsistent with the aforesaid verse 31 or violating any injunction provided in Holy Quran, the court said. Madras High Court, 2004: Sir M Venkata Subba Rao, Matriculation Higher Secondary School Staff Assn v Sir M Venkata Subba Rao, Matriculation Higher Secondary: The writ petition challenged the dress code of the teachers imposed by the management of the school. However, the Madras High Court ordered that the imposition of the dress code had no statutory backing. The regulation of a dress code is only to maintain uniformity in discipline, the court observed. Watch the latest DH Videos here: New Delhi apparently reacted to a tweet by Rashad Hussain, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. Hussain had argued in the tweet that the ban on Hijab in schools in Karnataka had violated religious freedom. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi stated on Saturday that the matter regarding dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka was under judicial examination by the High Court. Our constitutional framework and mechanisms, as well as our democratic ethos and polity, are the context in which issues are considered and resolved, Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson of the MEA, said. Those who know India well would have a proper appreciation of these realities. Read more: US says ban on hijab violates religious freedom Hussain tweeted on the Hijab controversy in Karnataka late on Friday. Religious freedom includes the ability to choose one's religious attire, Rashad Hussain, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, tweeted. The Indian state of Karnataka should not determine permissibility of religious clothing. Hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom and stigmatize and marginalize women and girls. Religious freedom includes the ability to choose one's religious attire. The Indian state of Karnataka should not determine permissibility of religious clothing. Hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom and stigmatize and marginalize women and girls. Amb. at Large for International Religious Freedom (@IRF_Ambassador) February 11, 2022 Hussain, an Indian-American attorney and diplomat, was appointed by President Joe Bidens administration last year as the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. He was the first US Government official to publicly make a comment on the controversy that erupted in Karnataka. Hussains comment on the controversy over Hijab in India came on a day External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had a bilateral meeting with the US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, on the sideline of a meeting of the a Quad Foreign Ministers at Melbourne in Australia. Read more: Shabana Azmi blows holes into Kangana Ranaut's hijab row argument Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had earlier hit out at the Government of India for depriving Muslim girls of education and called it a grave violation of fundamental human rights. To deny anyone this fundamental right & (and) terrorise them for wearing a hijab is absolutely oppressive. The world must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims, Qureshi had posted on Twitter on Wednesday. Depriving Muslim girls of an education is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. To deny anyone this fundamental right & terrorise them for wearing a hijab is absolutely oppressive. World must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims. Shah Mahmood Qureshi (@SMQureshiPTI) February 9, 2022 The Biden Administration has been tacitly conveying to the Modi Government concerns in the US over the perception that India was backsliding on human rights and freedom of speech and religion. The US President as well as his Vice President Kamala Harris subtly nudged the Prime Minister to protect democratic principles of India, when they had hosted him in Washington DC on September 24 last year. The US has been nudging India on the issue of declining religious freedom even during Bidens predecessor Donald Trumps four-year term in the White House. Hussains predecessor Samuel Brownback had in June 2020 expressed concern over violence and discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in India. The US Commission for International Religious Freedom an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission on November 5 last year reiterated its plea to the Biden Administration to designate India along with Russia, Lebanon and Vietnam as a 'Country of Particular Concern' in view of the impact of the policies implemented by the Bharatiya Janata Partys government in New Delhi on religious freedom of the minority Muslims, Sikhs and Christians as well as of the Dalits and the Adivasis. The Modi Government, however, has been defending its track record in protecting democratic principles, human rights and religious freedom. Watch the latest DH videos: A plea has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Central and State governments to implement a common dress code in all registered and State recognised educational institutions across the country. The PIL filed by 18-year-old Nikhil Upadhyay, comes in the backdrop of hijab row in Karnataka. Also Read | Muslim students say hijab ban forces choice of religion or education It claimed that a uniform dress code in educational institutions is essential to secure social equality, assure dignity and promote fraternity, unity and national integration. "Common Dress Code is not only necessary to enhance the values of equality, social justice, democracy and to create a just and humane society but also essential to curtail the biggest menace of casteism, communalism, classism, radicalism, separatism and fundamentalism," the plea said. The plea claimed that in countries like United States of America, United Kingdom, France, Singapore and China, all schools and colleges adhere to common dress code despite frequent challenges to the constitutionality of dress guidelines. Also Read | A day after high court's interim order, hijab row enters Bengaluru It also contended that dress codes have the ability to make students stop fidgeting, stop thinking about why their friend is getting more attention for their looks instead of them, and create a carefree attitude. The row created in Karnataka after girl students protested against the ban in Udupi district has grabbed national and international headlines. The Karnataka High Court is examining the plea against the ban and is to take up the matter on Monday. Check out DH's latest videos: With a view to enhancing localised ties and people-to-people relationships, Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu has stepped up interactions with city mayors and governors across the US. This policy of the Indian government assumes significance in the context of the growing clout of elected representatives in powerful metropolises, such as New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, in domestic and national politics. Affirming this trend, US President Joe Biden has now nominated Los Angeles City Mayor Eric Garcetti as his ambassador to India. In the last fortnight alone, Ambassador Sandhu has met with three dominant mayors. This is in addition to engaging senior American administration officials and over 40 of the 50 state governors. Now, the Indian diplomatic mission and the ambassador are making special efforts in their outreach to local administrations. Also Read The return of the native Last month, Sandhu met New York Mayor Eric Adams. An African American, law and order officer for over 20 years, he had a historic victory against progressives and projects a centrist view on law and order as opposed to calls to defund police. Adams was in the national spotlight when President Biden travelled to New York to roll out his policies on law and order in the mayor's presence. On 30 January, Sandhu met Mayor Adams and congratulated him on his historic election as New York Citys Mayor. He thanked the Mayor for his support to India-US partnership and to the Indian diaspora in New York. Sandhu and the mayor held discussion on further bolstering the strong partnership between India and the City of New York with special emphasis on key areas including affordable healthcare, renewable energy, new and emerging technology, education and knowledge partnership, IT and fintech and space. The meeting was followed by interaction with several prominent members of the city's Indian-American diaspora Also See In Pics | 10 Indian-origin CEOs who helmed top global firms The ambassador has met the mayor of Edison, New Jersey Samip Joshi, who has his roots from Gujarat's Shivrajpur. Edison has a significantly large Indian-American population, in particular those from Gujarat. Separately, the ambassador also met Aftab Pureval, another young and dynamic mayor who was also the first Indian-origin candidate to become mayor of Cincinnati. Pureval's father is from Punjab and mother is Tibetan. Cincinnati has a sister city relationship with Mysore in Karnataka. Watch the latest DH Videos here: In a joint operation by the Indian Navy (IN) and Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), high-quality narcotics to the tune of around 800 kgs valued at Rs 2,000 crore in international markets were seized from the high seas, on Saturday. The NCB and IN confirmed 529 kg of Hashish (Charas), 234 kg of Crystal Methamphetamine and some quantity of Heroin was seized from high seas. The exact location of the seizure has not yet been specified. This is the first such operation in the high seas, the IN and NCB said. The seizure has "dealt a telling blow to drug syndicates" based out of Pakistan and using maritime routes for the proliferation of drugs in India and other countries, an official statement said. The input regarding trafficking of drugs in the high seas was developed by NCB and was shared with the Naval Intelligence Unit, leading to a joint operation. "Special Unit of NCB Headquarters have been continuously working on various such intelligence inputs and it will be our endeavour to carry out more such operations in collaboration with Naval forces," the statement said. Officials said authorities are aware of the efforts taken by terrorists to wage a narcotic war to destabilise India. They said several such people are getting encouragement from across the border. Check out the latest videos from DH: After igloo cafe, claimed to be the worlds largest, a snow sculpture of Taj Mahal has become the latest attraction for tourists at the famous ski-resort of Gulmarg in north Kashmirs Baramulla district. Taj Mahal was built in Agra by Mughal emperor Shah Jehan in memory of his wife with construction starting in 1632 AD and completed in 1648 AD. It is an ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in Agra and is listed as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. The structure created of snow came up after 17 days of hard work by members of a local hotel amid sub-zero temperatures. It has become a latest attraction for tourists visiting Gulmarg, who had earlier seen Igloo and snow bikes at the picturesque tourist resort. See Pics | World's 'largest' igloo cafe opens in J&K's Gulmarg Taj Mahal is a symbol of love and we created its sculpture from frozen snow at Gulmarg out of love for tourists visiting the place, an employee of the hotel told DH. The sculpture measuring 24 feet by 24 by 16 feet high in size has been created without any professional assistance and it has turned memorable for visitors. Despite the third wave of Covid-19 in January, this winter Gulmarg is witnessing a massive footfall of tourists. Hundreds of tourists were seen taking selfies in front of the sculpture with some of them sharing videos with their friends and relatives. This is amazing and mesmerizing. Snow adds more to the beauty of Kashmir and such sculptures are fascinating. It is for the first time I am seeing a snow-made Taj Mahal which is fascinating and attractive, said Sudarshan, a tourist from Delhi. He said that he was taking a message from the people of Kashmir to the people of the rest of the country. Kashmir is paradise on earth and Kashmiri people are hospitable, loving and caring. People across the country and the world, who want to visit here, must come without any fear. This place is peaceful and not as projected by the media, Sudarshan added. His views were echoed by Pooja, a tourist from Mumbai. I spent quality time with my family in Gulmarg and Srinagar. When we planned our visit a few months back, there was some initial hesitancy. But after coming here, all of us are happy that it has been a memorable visit, she said. Earlier, Kashmiris first Igloo Cafe was built by the management of Kolahoie Ski resort. With a height of 37.5 feet and a diameter of 44.5 feet, Syed Wasim Shah, creator of the Igloo, claimed it was the worlds largest cafe of its kind. The cafe has also become a centre of attraction for tourists thronging the ski-resort. Check out DH's latest videos: Efforts are currently under way to retrieve the body of a woman from under the debris of a partially collapsed 18-floor apartment block, with rescuers gingerly navigating their way amid fears the entire tower was unstable and at risk, officials said on Saturday, on the third day of a building collapse. Anxious family members and residents of Chintels Paradiso in Gurugrams Sector 109 are counting the hours since Thursday evening when the dining room floor of a sixth-floor apartment came down, killing two women. While Rekha Bhardwaj died on Thursday, Sunita Shrivastavas body has been stuck under the debris for over 40 hours so far. Damage to any of the pillars could lead to the tower collapsing. Therefore, work of cutting and removing debris is being done carefully, a senior official said. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are carrying out rescue works. The incident led to the death of two women and critical injuries to the husband of one of them. The police have lodged an FIR at Bajghera police station against the managing director of realty firm Chintels India on charges of causing death due to negligence, Gurugram Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepak Saharan said. Also Read Gurugram building collapse: Rescue operation on to save trapped couple Sunita Srivastavas husband A K Shrivastava, an IRS officer and a managing director with Central Warehousing Corporation, suffered critical injuries and could be rescued from the debris only after 16 hours of efforts by the NDRF team on Friday. The Gurugram district administration also instituted a probe into the collapse of roofs of the drawing rooms of flats one below another. Gurugram MP and Union Minister Rao Inderjeet Singh, who was scheduled to go to Chintel Paradiso on Saturday, could not visit, the district administration said. Chintels India Managing Director Prashant Solomon had said in a tweet, "This is an extremely unfortunate incident and we have taken it very seriously as the safety of our residents is our utmost concern. Upon preliminary investigations, we have come to know that the mishap occurred during renovation work by a contractor being carried out by a resident in his apartment." According to him, the company had conducted a structural audit last year in the wake of complaints regarding the project. "We will be initiating a second structural audit at the earliest. In case any defects are found in the structure, we will duly compensate affected buyers or accommodate affected residents in alternate arrangements while necessary repair work is completed," Solomon said. He also said the company is fully cooperating with the authorities and ensuring all support. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Posted by Liam on at 08:57 AM CST Greetings,fans! This week on the site were looking at theplanet that all of us would most want to visit on vacation, Padmes homeworld of Naboo. Make sure to read our Expand Your Mind article first in order to read why the Battle of Naboo is such an integral moment in thefranchise, but stay tuned throughout the week for more articles, insights, videos, and info on the most essential merchandising content that you can add to your collection!Nostalgia for theprequels and Naboo in particular reached a new high recently thanks to the fifth episode of, The Return of the Mandalorian. The famous masked warrior may have lost his Razor Crest, but he got a slick new ship in the form of a refurbished N-1 Starfighter. The iconic protectors of Naboos skies were famously featured induring the final battle.Although Naboo is a planet of peace, and Captain Panaka even tells the Queen that We have no army, a small security force is required to protect the Royal Family and capital. The Naboo Royal N-1 Starfighters are the sleek defenders of the capital city, and they also accompany the planets diplomats on interplanetary trips. N-1 Starfighters protect Padmes ships at the beginning ofwhen she visits Coursucant to protest the formation of the Grand Army of the Republic.In the film, Anakin is told by Qui-Gon to hide out in the cockpit of an N-1 Starfighter while he joins Obi-Wan, Padme, and the rest of the Naboo security force in their mission to force Trade federation Viceroy Nute Gunray to surrender. Of course, Anakin is bound to kick up trouble, and in his first collaboration with R2-D2 accidentally flies the N-1 Starfighter into the thick of space combat. In a parallel to his sons victory at the Death Star, Anakin detonates the Trade Federation Flagship that switches off the droids. Yellow is clearly a favorite color of Anakins, as both his podracer and Jedi starfighters are also yellow.N-1 Starfighters were also seen onin the episodes Blue Shadow Virus and Mystery of a Thousand Moons when Anakin and Obi-Wan walk through the same hangar from. In the behind-the-scenes commentary, Dave Filoni revealed that the animation crew had a difficult time finding a way to fit the unusually shaped ships in a hangar position. Ironically, this is the same problem that George Lucas had when he introduced the ships infans may want to see the scale of the N-1 Starfighters in real life, and some even had the chance. A life size replica of one of the ships was displayed at the Boston Museum of Science, but unfortunately it was removed during a reorganization in December 2006. Fans looking to fly an N-1 Starfighter still have a lot of options thanks to the ships frequent appearances ingames, including the, andseries.What do you think,fans? Are N-1 Starfighters one of your favoriteships? Do you have any awesome N-1 Starfighter merchandise? Let us know in the forums , and as always, may the Force be with you!Check out Rebelscum.com merch!Be sure to follow us on all of our social media platforms: The Indian Navy warships will join the global campaign to remove plastic waste from the seas, contributing 100 ship-days for the mission this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Friday as he virtually participated at the One Ocean summit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron. India is committed to eliminating single-use plastic, the Prime Minister said. He said that India had recently undertaken a nationwide awareness campaign to clean plastic and other waste from coastal areas. Three hundred thousand young people had collected almost 13 tons of plastic waste. Macron hosted the One Ocean Summit at Brest in France to step up the international communitys ambition on maritime issues and put into practice shared responsibility for the oceans. India will be happy to join France in launching a global initiative on single use plastics, Modi said, thanking Macron for the initiative. He referred to Indias history as a maritime civilization and its ancient scriptures and literature that mentioned about the gifts of the oceans including marine life. Today, our security and prosperity are linked to oceans, Modi said, noting that Indias ''Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative'' had marine resources as a key pillar. The Prime Minister pledged Indias support to the French initiative of a ''High Ambition Coalition on Bio-diversity Beyond National Jurisdiction ''. We hope for a legally binding international treaty this year. Check out DH's latest videos The Tamil Nadu government should immediately intervene to ensure the allotment of 50 per cent seats in speciality (post-graduate) medical courses in state-run medical institutions, Pattali Makkal Katchi said here on Saturday. While the Madras High Court has recently ruled that 50 per cent of seats should be provided to doctors working in Tamil Nadu government-run hospitals, the Union Health Ministry has announced that it would fill all the seats, the party said. "This is contempt of court and an act of usurping right as well," PMK youth wing chief Anbumani Ramadoss said in a statement. Hence, the state government should immediately intervene in the matter and ensure setting apart 50 per cent seats for in-service doctors in speciality PG medical courses in government institutions, he urged. There are 369 seats in government medical colleges covering 20 medical specialities. Only the Tamil Nadu government was filling such seats. However, from 2017 onwards the Central government is filling these seats, he said, adding the 50 per cent reservation for doctors serving government hospitals was also cancelled. Ramadoss is a Rajya Sabha MP and former Union health minister during the Congress-led UPA regime. Check out the latest videos from DH: Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Saturday termed the ongoing hijab row as a "conspiracy" and said it was not a question of choice but whether a person would follow the regulations, dress code of an institution or not. Responding to the raging issue in neighbouring Karnataka, he told reporters in New Delhi that "please don't take this as controversy...this is a conspiracy." Noting that Muslim girls are doing "so well" everywhere and so they need encouragement, Khan also said they do not need to be pushed down. Also Read | Hijab row: PIL in Supreme Court seeks implementation of common dress code for equality, national integration "It (wearing hijab) is not a question of choice...but it is a question of whether if you are joining an institution, are you going to follow the regulations, the discipline and the dress code or not," he said. The Kerala Governor's reaction came a day after he said there were instances of women refusing to wear the hijab when one traces the history of Islam. Though he did not elaborate, Khan on Friday narrated the story of a young woman, said to be a relative of the Holy Prophet (PBUH), to prove his point. "I will tell you just one quote... A young girl, who was brought up in the household of the Prophet himself... she was the niece of the wife of the Holy Prophet. She was proverbially beautiful...," he said. "This is what history says... read it," Khan told reporters. Also Read | Muslim students say hijab ban forces choice of religion or education Quoting the story, he said, "when the woman's husband was the then Governor of Kufa in medieval times, she was chided for not wearing a hijab. What she said was that God had made her beautiful and the almighty had placed his stamp of beauty on her." "She said I want people to see my beauty and see the grace of God in my beauty... And be thankful to God... This is how the women of the first generation (of Islam) behaved. That's all I want to say," Khan said. The controversy erupted towards the end of December when a few women students in hijabs were denied entry into a government pre-university college in Udupi in Karnataka. To counter this, some Hindu students turned up wearing saffron scarves. Check out the latest videos from DH: The United States on Friday said that the ban on wearing Hijabs in the schools in Karnataka violated religious freedom. Religious freedom includes the ability to choose one's religious attire, Rashad Hussain, the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, tweeted. The Indian state of Karnataka should not determine permissibility of religious clothing. Hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom and stigmatize and marginalize women and girls. Religious freedom includes the ability to choose one's religious attire. The Indian state of Karnataka should not determine permissibility of religious clothing. Hijab bans in schools violate religious freedom and stigmatize and marginalize women and girls. Amb. at Large for International Religious Freedom (@IRF_Ambassador) February 11, 2022 Hussain, an Indian-American attorney and diplomat, was appointed by President Joe Bidens administration last year as the US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom. Also read: Hijab row: Karnataka govt extends closure of degree colleges till Feb 16 He is the first US Government official to publicly make a comment on the controversy that erupted in Karnataka. This comes a day after External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on the sidelines of a meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministers at Melbourne in Australia. Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday hit out at the Government of India for depriving Muslim girls of education and called it a grave violation of fundamental human rights. To deny anyone this fundamental right & (and) terrorise them for wearing a hijab is absolutely oppressive. The world must realise this is part of Indian state plan of ghettoisation of Muslims, Qureshi posted on Twitter. The Biden Administration has been tacitly conveying to the Modi Government concerns in the US over the perception that India was backsliding on human rights and freedom of speech and religion. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris subtly nudged the Prime Minister to protect democratic principles of India when they had hosted him in Washington DC on September 24 last year. Hussains predecessor Samuel Brownback had in June 2020 expressed concern over violence and discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in India. The US Commission for International Religious Freedom an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission on November 5 last year reiterated its plea to the Biden Administration to designate India along with Russia, Lebanon and Vietnam as a Country of Particular Concern in view of the impact of the policies implemented by the Bharatiya Janata Partys government in New Delhi on religious freedom of the minority Muslims, Sikhs and Christians as well as of the Dalits and the Adivasis. The Modi government, however, defended its track record in protecting democratic principles, human rights and religious freedom. Check out DH's latest videos US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has met Indian counterpart S Jaishankar on the sidelines of the Quad Ministerial in Melbourne, discussing the current situation in Afghanistan, diplomatic efforts in the Russia-Ukraine crisis and the latest developments in the Covid-19 outbreak. Blinken and Jaishankar reviewed bilateral ties on Friday, US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price said. The two leaders talked about efforts to strengthen cooperation in the Indo-Pacific through the Quad Grouping and expansion of cooperation on common priorities, including reinforcing the rules-based international order, he said. Blinken and Jaishankar met in Melbourne, Australia on the sidelines of the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting; foreign ministers of Australia, Japan and the United States participated along with Jaishankar in the meeting. Also Read Quad a tool to contain China, stoke confrontation: Beijing Blinken and Jaishankar also discussed cooperation on fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, diplomatic efforts in response to Russia building up troops in its border with Ukraine, the challenges facing Afghanistan, and future of democracy in Myanmar, among other issues of mutual concern, Price said. "Blinken and Jaishankar reviewed the progress made over the past year in broadening and deepening the US-India Strategic Partnership, which is critical to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, Price said in a readout of the meeting. Also Read US warns Russias invasion of Ukraine may make China more aggressive in Indo-Pacific; India maintains silence On Friday, Jaishankar tweeted, "A review of our bilateral cooperation with @SecBlinken. The readout on progress in different domains was positive. Our strategic partnership has deepened so visibly." "Good meeting with Indian External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to discuss efforts to strengthen #IndoPacific cooperation bilaterally and through the Quad. I look forward to working together on issues that affect our two countries, Blinken had tweeted. A review of our bilateral cooperation with @SecBlinken. The readout on progress in different domains was positive. Our strategic partnership has deepened so visibly. pic.twitter.com/LuBkYKa01l Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) February 11, 2022 Watch the latest DH Videos here: The Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists across Gujarat on Saturday forced dozens of multinational fast food joints like Pizza Hut, KFC, and showrooms selling Korea-made cars such as Hyundai and KIA, to shut their businesses over a controversial tweet on Kashmir. The saffron organisation's leaders have demanded that "only apology is not sufficient as the firms will have to post on their social media accounts that Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) is an integral part of India." Later in the day, Bajrang Dal issued a statement, which read, "In a protest demonstration by Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad led by Jwalit Mehta, about 50 activists on bikes took out a march and reached Panchvati in Navrangpura (Ahmedabad) and made to shut KFC and Pizza Hut near IIM-A Road." A group of Bajrang Dal members forcing the food joint KFC in Ahmedabad to shut down in view of its controversial tweet over Kashmir. Dal's convener Jwalit Mehta said "unless these companies tweet that Kashmir is part of India, we won't let it do the business. " @DeccanHerald pic.twitter.com/jzNdJAoD9p satish jha. (@satishjha) February 12, 2022 The statement also said that activists went to "Alpha One Mall to close Pizza Hut there but due to the presence of local police they couldn't shut it." The group went to Ashram Road where they forced a Hyundai showroom to shut. It further added, "after closing the showroom, the protest was completed with slogans of Kashmir Hamara Hai (Kashmir is our) and Jai Shri Ram." Also Read | It is hijab jihad, claims VHP leader Most of the restaurants and car showrooms fall under the jurisdiction of the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone-1, Ravindra Patel. "No untoward incidents were reported from anywhere. We had deployed police personnel to keep law and order intact," Patel told DH. Patel also denied having received any complaints from affected owners of the restaurants or showroom. VHP spokesperson Hitendrasinh Rajput said, "We held our protest across the state including Surat, Vadodara, Anand, among other places. And, we will keep doing it until these firms issue a statement that POK is part of India. These companies are here to do business and not get indulged in politics." Check out the latest videos from DH: As legendary was industrialist Rahul Bajaj, so was 'Hamara Bajaj'. The one path-breaking commercial, with its reverberating jingle, rode into the hearts of middle-class India back in 1989 when it was aired for the first time. Bajaj Scooters was taking a new turn. To cut a long story short, the jingle caught on like an anthem and carried with it, symbolically though, the dreams and aspirations of the common man. The lyrics of the much-loved ad were penned by Jaikrit Rawat, the Hindi writer. Behind the evergreen jingle was the legendary jazz pianist Louiz Banks. Read | Ex-Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj passes away at 83 "It's so sad to hear that Rahul passed away," Banks, now 80, told DH from London. "Who can forget 'Hamara Bajaj...'?," he asks. "My most memorable moments with Rahul was when we created 'Hamara Bajaj' which became iconic and is still one of the most memorable jingles ever produced," he said. Banks though couldn't recollect the details of the production of 'Hamara Bajaj'. "It happened too many years ago," he said. "But it feels good to listen to it now. It is etched in my mind even after composing over 10,000 jingles. As the nation mourns the death of the industrialist, Banks expresses his gratitude to the great industrialist. "Thank you Rahul for believing in my abilities. I will miss you," he said. Watch latest videos by DH here: The ground is sodden with rain and dangerously slippery. The narrow drains are overflowing with water and refuse, broken twigs, and dry leaves. But for the residents of Fatehpur, with memories of the time when even the 'kharanjas' (uneven brick pathways) did not exist, this is the least of their problems. In the village of Fatehpur, located 28 kilometres from the university town of Aligarh, most of the dwellings look half-finished, almost as though their owners had run through their funds before they could complete construction. Hidden among these cheerless homes are the ruins of abandoned havelis, their exquisitely carved wooden doors the only reminder of a grander past when wealthy Bania families dominated the life and economy of this village, and indeed, owned most of the farming land in the vicinity. Omprakash, a staunch supporter of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and one of the few Banias left in the village, lives in a recently built, double-storeyed house that has none of the elegance of the havelis built by his predecessors: it even has a small 'kirane ki dukan' (grocery store) on the ground floor. In the early 1990s, when the Indian economy was beginning to open up, he says, some members of his community were murdered in the village. A combination of opportunity and tragedy led to a mass exodus of the village's Banias. They shifted base to Aligarh, Delhi and Ballabhgarh to start fresh. But those who left Fatehpur did not sell their land; instead, they rented it to Jats from neighbouring villages who farm it for them. Also Read Uttar Pradesh Elections: The Muslim Vote With the departure of the landed Banias, Jatavs, a Scheduled Caste community, became the dominant group in Fatehpur, one of a cluster of villages that make up the gram panchayat of Rajpur. Its members account for 40 per cent of the current population here, said Sanjay Diwaker, the former pradhan of Rajpur and now the state general secretary of the youth wing of the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Jatavs are also the second-largest community in the assembly segment of Khair, where Fatehpur is located, with approximately 60,000 votes Jats, with 1,25,000 votes in the constituency, head the list. Fatehpur's Jatavs are mainly daily wage labourers and stressed their "biggest problem is finding work." "The last five years have been particularly bad," said Urhar Singh, swathed in a green shawl, head covered in a woollen cap. "And the pandemic has made it worse. There is almost no work, and prices have shot up. Earlier, there was NREGA; now even that is not there." Others chimed in, saying that in the last few years, not one of them had managed to get more than a total of three days work under MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), for which "payment is still awaited". "This is a corrupt government, from top to bottom," said Ganga Ram, "and no one is prepared to listen to us. The police turn a deaf ear to our complaints. It doesn't care for the poor, the chhota varg (the lower classes). Meanwhile, the punjipatis (capitalists) are getting richer. No one is talking about the poor because the media has been bought up." What about the rations that the government has been giving people during the pandemic, which is counted as one of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's biggest successes? Yes, everyone is getting rations, but it is not enough, one Jatav said, adding, "It is like throwing crumbs at a dog and mostly the makke ka atta (wheat made from corn) is rotten." They had complained, but they alleged that the ration dealer paid the inspectors a bribe. They all made it clear that their community was once again plumping for Behenji the name by which they refer to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati and the "elephant" (the party symbol). "If we don't vote for Mayawati, we will not have a voice at all. We want her as chief minister only if she comes will we be safe and get all the conveniences we need," said Suraj Pal. Also Read Efforts being made to influence UP polls through rhetorics on Karnataka 'hijab' row: Uma Bharti Members of two other small SC communities, Dhobis and Khatiks, also stressed they felt oppressed and deprived under the current government. Bohri Lal, a washerman, said he would vote for the Rashtriya Lok Da (RLD), while Sitram, a Khatik, merely said he would vote against the BJP. The allegiance of dhobis in this village this time to the RLD has a great deal to do with the fact that the former pradhan, Sanjay Diwaker, is from their community and a member of the party. Kumhars, an OBC community, also complained, like Jatavs, of lack of work and the virtual closure of MNREGA-sponsored employment. But unlike Jatavs, they were happy with the rations. Bimlesh Devi and Kamlesh, both young homemakers, lipstick just so, beamed at me and said that in the past, they had voted the BSP and the SP, but since 2014, their party of choice had been the BJP. Jogis are another OBC community in Fatehpur. Anil Jogi, dressed in a tracksuit, sprawled in a chair, waxed eloquent about the "security" provided by the Yogi regime "Our sisters and daughters are safe, and no one dares touch cows. Three years ago, he said some cows were slaughtered here, and those responsible were immediately put behind bars. The accused are out on bail, but the case continues," he said. Once a Behenji admirer. Jogi, a road contractor, is now firmly in the BJP camp: "Baba (Yogi Adityanath) has ended goondaism and put Mukthar Ansari, Atiq Ahmed and Azam Khan behind bars," he said with relish. In 2010, many landless Jatavs and members of other SC communities here were given pattas (record of rights) for plots of government-owned land when Mayawati was the chief minister. But this piece of information did not emanate from the Jatavs it came from the other end of the village, from the Brahmins, whose homes stand in a neat row, flanking a motorable lane, unlike the untidy sprawl of the crowded Jatav quarter. Also Read UP polls: Why Jat votes are important for Akhilesh Yadav Behind the high gates made of corrugated iron, a grizzled Pramod Gaur sat on a charpai set in a courtyard, large enough to accommodate a tractor. After the Bania exodus in the last century, Brahmins became the largest landowners in the village. Gaur described Yogi Adityanath's government as benevolent, dispensing gas cylinders, free rations, and more: "No one is poor in this village," he said, adding "he has helped people open bank accounts and is building an airport close by." Vikas Sharma, another resident, said, "Mayawati had given land pattas to the landless in our village; property dealers are now lining up to buy the land along the main road. 'plotting chal rahin hain' (the land is being carved into plots for residential use) and these Jatavs are making a lot of money, getting Rs 10-12 lakh per bigha (six bighas make an acre). Upon telling Gaur and Sharma that Jatavs complained of rotten makka flour, Sharma revealed that he had the dealership for the local ration shop, which he "inherited" from his father. He is also the president of the Adarsh Kotedar Aur Upabhokta Welfare Association of Khair tehsil. Sharma admitted that the allegation was true but then launched into his complaints against the government. "The government commission is only Rs 70 per quintal. If my family didn't own any land, we would not survive. We get it both ways the government commission barely covers transportation costs, etc. The people abuse us when the rations' quality is sub-standard. People label us as thieves, but it is us who have kept the rations coming in during the pandemic at great risk to our health." If survival for most Fatehpur residents depends on employment/ money earning opportunities, for Muslims, the second largest group in the village, survival depends on something infinitely more elemental. "This BJP government," said Lalloo Khan, "has reignited the Hindu-Muslim problem. Yogi Aditynath is spreading hatred. We just want brotherhood and communal harmony. Religion is a personal matter it should not be dragged out and made a source of social division." Also Read UP Polls: Family war spills over political area So while Muslims face the problems that others in the village do, it is fear of their lives that is uppermost. "The law and order system has collapsed," Raziuddin Khan said. "Every time there is a small fight in the village, we Muslims are put behind bars. If nothing else, they file cases under the Harijan Act (a reference to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act)." Raziuddin Khan said that the kabristans (Muslim graveyards) were being taken over by the land mafia. "This mafia is largely controlled by Jats, but they have a few Jatavs among them. So, when we try and register a complaint of illegal occupation, they retaliate by filing cases under the Harijan Act by using the few Jatavs among them, "he said. The kabristan motif, as is well known now, is used by BJP leaders including Yogi Adityanath to demonise Muslims. And pitting Jatavs against Muslims and vice versa is an old BJP ploy to ensure that this formidable combination does not work against it. This is particularly important in constituencies like Khair, where the BSP was seen as a formidable force. Indeed in Fatehpur, this is posing a dilemma. "We have no party, so we will vote for the one that can best ensure our security," said Laloo Khan. The RLD, part of the Samajwadi Party-led coalition, was their number one choice, he said, but reports suggested that the BSP was doing better. History, conflicts of interest, community rivalries all come into play at election time, and the village of Fatehpur is no exception. (Smita Gupta is a journalist. She is profiling assembly segments in western Uttar Pradesh that go to the polls in the first three phases of the elections to the UP Assembly. This report is from Fatehpur, a village in the Khair assembly segment in Aligarh district that went to the polls on February 10) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH Watch the latest DH Videos here: The ongoing cloud of uncertainty on whether Russia will attack Ukraine has put massive pressure on diplomatic relations worldwide. Russia has gathered a large number of troops on its border with Ukraine, while NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organisation] and other countries watch with trepidation. The United States has warned of grave consequences for Russia if it attacks Ukraine. It has asked Americans to leave Ukraine but also suggested that a direct conflict between the US and Russia is not a possibility. One can argue that Ukraine and Taiwan are not similar given their different diplomatic, geographic and historical narratives. What needs to be watched here is the stand adopted by the US. Will the US come to Ukraine's rescue, or will it be left to fend for itself with its own resources and destiny? The US and Taiwan share an important diplomatic bond, the Taiwan Relations Act, signed in 1979. According to this, "The United States will work towards friendly relations between people of Taiwan and the United States and the future of Taiwan should be determined through peaceful means." The Taiwan Relations Act has been criticised by Beijing repeatedly, arguing that it interferes with China's domestic issues. However, it has been one of the important pillars by which Washington has continued to help Taipei strengthen its military and defence preparedness. Also Read Taiwan chip industry emerges as battlefront in US-China showdown US President Joe Biden has reiterated that the US stand towards Taiwan remains unchanged. Recently, the US signed a $ 100 million deal to sell defence equipment to Taiwan, including services to the Patriot missile defence system. As expected, Taipei welcomed this, but Beijing criticised it. In the last few years, relations between China and Taiwan have deteriorated, attributed to the reunification vision of Chinese President Xi Jinping. While China views Taiwan as a part of the mainland, Taipei under Tsai Ing-wen wants to achieve a more independent identity. It is, therefore, little surprise that Xi has been looking for ways to fulfil his aim of national rejuvenation and the Chinese dream of reunification. This stand of Beijing makes Taiwan insecure and worried about the future. China has been 'eating away' several diplomatic allies of Taiwan with its financial clout. Some scholars argue that if Russia attacks Ukraine, it provides Beijing with a testing ground to see to what extent the US might go. It also allows China to gauge the international reaction towards such an act. It will help Xi decide whether and how he should go about military and forceful reunification with Taiwan. China has supported Russia in the United Nations on the Ukrainian issue. During the pre-Winter Olympics meeting between Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin, the leaders expressed their views on NATO and other exclusive security groupings, terming NATO a cold war era alliance. The two committed to their friendship, stating that the relationship between the two countries was "superior to political and military alliances of the cold war era." Also Read China's high-tech warplanes pose 'big new threat' to Taiwan Given this backdrop, Taiwan would be keenly watching the stand adopted by the US towards Ukraine. However, drawing parallels is not easy. Even if Russia were to attack Ukraine and China comes to its aid, it might not indicate a similar action by Beijing vis-a-vis Taipei. The US and China both have a lot at stake concerning their relations with Taiwan and bilaterally. If Beijing does attack Taiwan, it may lose a lot economically and internationally. It is financially heavily intertwined with the US and Taiwan. The economic repercussions of aggression on Taiwan would be high. Even if it were to succeed militarily, the cost of the war could leave Beijing with disgruntled masses both at home and in Taiwan. In 2020, Taiwanese exports to mainland China (including Hong Kong) were more than $150 billion. With the ongoing pandemic and the significant challenges the Chinese economy has faced, a military excursion seems far-fetched. From the nationalistic point of view, this could further strain domestic support of the Communist Party of China (CPC), a challenge that it may be unwilling to take on. The current aim should be to revive the economy than look for a military excursion. However, the immediate gain for China by showing support towards Russia on Ukraine helps Beijing test the waters and keep Taiwan guessing. (The writer is Assistant Professor at OP Jindal Global University) Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH Watch the latest DH Videos here: By Faye Flam States across the US have dropped their mask mandates this week, worrying Americans who think theyre still needed and cheering people who are ready to go back to normal. Both groups need to take a deep breath: Dropping mask mandates isnt the same thing as ignoring Covid-19. Masks have been the most visible part of Americas pandemic response, but one of the least consequential. The fact that 500,000 people worldwide died during the Omicron surge means its time to change tactics, and focus on what went wrong that led to so many hospitalisations and deaths. Mask mandates are predicated on the effectiveness of universal masking in which everyone wears a mask to keep case numbers lower. One of the leaders in proposing universal masking, Monica Gandhi of UCSF, has unfairly been accused of being an anti-masker for talking about the limitations of her own strategy and the much greater importance of vaccination campaigns. Also Read Spain ends outdoor mask mandate as coronavirus surge ebbs But theres no avoiding it: The benefits of universal masking have been difficult to quantify. One controlled study in Bangladesh showed a small but statistically significant benefit among people who consistently used masks, 7.6 per cent got symptomatic infections compared to 8.6 per cent in the control group. Other studies have been inconclusive. It is intuitive that a barrier ought to prevent germs from being emitted into the air. But if thats true, why isnt there more evidence for the benefits of masking two years into the pandemic? Experts associated with The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota have laid out a more complex analysis: Given the current understanding that the virus is transmitted in fine aerosol particles, its likely an infectious dose could easily get through and around loose-fitting cloth or surgical masks. Many experts say only N95 respirators or similar devices are truly effective at stopping this virus and some, such as the CIDRAP head Michael Osterholm, have been going public urging people to put less faith in cloth masks and adopt respirators such as N95s. He does not advocate universal N95 use in schools, however, where children are unlikely to be able to wear them consistently or correctly. Most of the people who were only wearing masks because of the mandate were donning the less effective masks. Those concerned enough to get an N95 arent going to stop because its not required. Future policies should focus on helping people understand their risks and making sure everyone who wants a supply of N95 masks can get one. The most visible change will be in stores, and these are not the most dangerous venues. Much riskier are crowded bars or private gatherings where people were already removing their masks to eat and shouting to be heard. Several studies have shown that the louder someone talks, the more particles they expel. Other studies show prolonged exposure to others indoors is much riskier than fleeting exposures. Also Read N95? KF94? Which mask is best at protecting against Covid-19 All those factors may explain why the states with mask mandates havent fared significantly better than the 35 states that didnt impose them during the omicron wave. Rhode Island, where I live, has had a mask mandate since mid-December; nonetheless, we saw our January surge rise far higher than any other state. Theres little evidence that mask mandates are the primary reason the pandemic waves eventually fall though much of the outrage over lifting mandates is based on that assumption. Many experts acknowledge that the rise and fall of waves is a bit of a mystery, as epidemiologist Sam Scarpino explained to me on my podcast. What is clear is that states with high vaccination rates have fewer hospitalizations and deaths, and that booster shots are essential for anyone over the age of 65 or at high risk of severe disease. Megan Ranney, an emergency medicine physician and a dean at the Brown University School of Public Health, says most of her hospitalised patients were unvaccinated or they live in multi-generational homes and got the disease from younger family members who skipped the shots. She sees no problem with the idea of lifting mask mandates when the stress on hospitals has eased. Its absolutely appropriate to relax mask mandates as cases drop below a threshold, particularly in areas with high vaccination and particularly once hospitals are not in crisis mode, she says. She would have liked to see some states wait a bit longer, though, and says lifting mandates in schools should depend on both case counts coming down and vaccination rates among students getting above 85 per cent. (Vaccination rates are currently at 23 per cent for kids ages five to 11 and 57 per cent for kids 12 to 17.) Also Read Indian scientists develop self-disinfecting, anti-viral face mask In other countries, mask mandates have been imposed and lifted with little or no rancour. Last week, I talked to Michael Bang Petersen, a political scientist and psychologist who has been directing a research project on pandemic behaviour at Aarhus University in Denmark. There, remarkably, all restrictions were lifted this month with little controversy. Some of that is due to good communication and trust. We can see that a clear majority of the population feel that they actually getting clear information from the authorities, he said. And Danish authorities have a realistic goal: Not minimising all cases or eliminating the virus but preventing the healthcare system from breaking down. I think if we look at how it is that the Danish public thinks about coronavirus, they don't think of it as an individual threat they think of it as a societal threat, he said. Americans are not selfish we think about protecting society too but were deeply divided about what our obligations should be. One way we might ease our tensions is by putting the role of mask mandates in perspective. Watch the latest DH Videos here: A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. A lot has been written on the Great Depression of the 1930s and the Great Recession of 2008-09. A new phenomenon, the so-called Great Resignation, has now come to the fore as a byproduct of the Covid pandemic. Though it is particularly noticeable in the US and EU, some other economies are also experiencing it to some extent. Basically, it refers to the existence of a large number of vacancies in certain occupations in which many workers have quit jobs. This is happening despite a fall in the overall unemployment rate to record levels in the US and Europe, due to which one would expect to see that most job vacancies have been filled. But that is not the case. In other words, an overall tight labour market co-exists with unfilled vacancies in some occupations and with some workers dropping out of the workforce. How does one explain this phenomenon? Several possible reasons are being offered. One, the more generous and longer-lasting income support during the Covid outbreak may have encouraged some workers to drop out of the workforce and stop looking for jobs. Two, some older workers who are more vulnerable to Covid infection may have opted out of work during the pandemic and may be finding it difficult to get back to a job. Three, the closure of schools and childcare centres have forced some parents (especially mothers) to stay home to look after their kids. Four, there is a mismatch between the available jobs and the people looking for employment. Regarding the relative significance of these alternative hypotheses, some recent IMF studies, using granular data from the US and UK, find older workers not returning to work to be the most significant. Mothers dropping out of the workforce to take care of kids is particularly important in the US but not in the UK. This is largely due to the fact that nurseries were not closed in the UK even during the worst phases of Covid. The phasing out of the more generous federal unemployment benefits in the US has produced a rather limited effect on people getting back to work since it was well-known from the beginning that this would only be a temporary benefit. The mismatch between vacancies and job-seekers is significant in certain occupations. For example, in occupations where people can work from home, the number of available vacancies relative to job-seekers is much less than in other occupations. The case of truck drivers is particularly fascinating. The truck drivers job has always been a tough one that entails long hours, indefinite waiting at the ports or warehouses, inadequate resting facilities while they have to meet the exacting demands of modern supply chains which, again, have come under increasing strain during the Covid pandemic. While shipping and logistics companies have hiked their rates, this has not percolated sufficiently as higher wages for truck drivers, relative to wage hikes in other occupations. In the UK, the problem has been accentuated by Brexit and its associated immigration rules. Temporary short-term visas to truckers have failed to attract foreign workers. The risk of falling sick and the early lockdowns that made it difficult for truck drivers to find a place to rest or eat have induced many of them to think about retirement from the onerous job and find alternative employment opportunities. Once they found some options, even if those were less remunerative, they stuck to the new jobs and did not want to return to trucking. So, even when there is no shortage of available trained heavy-vehicle drivers, they are not willing to work as truck drivers. In addition to truck drivers, several other types of service sector workers -- like those in hospitality, travel, restaurants, brick and mortar retail -- who suffered most due to Covid-induced lockdowns, and were also most likely to get infected, have decided to find alternative jobs. According to some analysts, in earlier recessions, the brunt of job loss has been in the goods-producing sectors while those losing jobs typically found jobs in less-paying service segments. By contrast, the Covid-induced recession has caused most job losses in some service occupations. This tendency is likely to persist because there is no clear sign of the Covid situation coming to an end anytime soon with the emergence of new variants and hence chances of lockdowns and consequent job and income losses in future in some service occupations are quite real. At the same time, the demand for home delivery workers (who do not require any special skills) has increased everywhere, leading to additional job creation for such workers. The average real wage in countries like the US has been going up during the Covid years, despite the gradual rise in prices due to supply-side disruptions. This is primarily because many low-wage workers have lost jobs or dropped out of the labour market while the relatively high-wage jobs have survived. In other words, this is a reflection of income distribution within the working class becoming worse than before. As possible solutions, the focus should be on training programmes to reduce the mismatch between vacancies and job-seekers and keeping open nurseries and pre-schools with enhanced safety precautions. Also, better working conditions (as a result of increased bargaining power) in occupations where we are witnessing a shortage of workers (like truck drivers) may eventually improve the attractiveness of such jobs and attract more workers. From both efficiency and equity points of view, this may well be a longer-term positive impact of the mismatch between vacancies and workers. Faced with the stark reality of untimely deaths among relatives and friends during the Covid pandemic, many people are being induced to strike a better balance between work and life while choosing jobs. On the impact of the Covid-induced recession and lockdowns on Indias job situation, there is no counterpart of the Great Resignation as experienced in the developed world. However, the shrinkage of production in the more labour-intensive informal sector and its replacement by formal sector production has caused a net negative impact on industrial employment. (The writer is a former Professor of Economics, IIM, Calcutta, and Cornell University, USA) By Jaya A R Dantas for The Comversation, While Omicron continues to infect people across Australia and the world, many people whove already had Covid will likely be re-exposed to the virus. Depending on your local rules, if youre exposed again within 30 days of your last infection, youre unlikely to need to isolate or get another Covid test. In some countries, you may not need to re-test for 90 days, unless you develop new symptoms. So why is this the case? Whats the incubation period for Omicron? The time between exposure to the virus and symptoms for Covid is between one and 14 days. This lag time is known as the incubation period. CORONAVIRUS UPDATES ONLY ON DH However, most people display symptoms by day five or six after exposure. Emerging evidence suggests the median incubation period for Omicron is even shorter. In US and European studies, the median incubation time for Omicron was three days. More reinfections with Omicron Research suggests Omicron is more capable than past variants of reinfecting people who have already had Covid. A study from the Imperial College Londons Covid-19 response team estimated the risk of reinfection with Omicron to be 5.4 times higher than with Delta. So people whove had a prior Covid infection, from any variant before Omicron, were five times more likely to be re-infected during the Omicron wave than the Delta wave. Omicron appears significantly more likely to evade the natural immunity people build up from past infections. How long should I wait before re-testing? Global studies indicate you dont need to re-test for 30-90 days after a Covid positive test if youre re-exposed, depending on the jurisdiction. This is because most people develop some immunity after recovering from the virus, so have a low risk of becoming re-infected in the short term. A large study undertaken in one of Italys former Covid hotspots reveals people whove had Covid should be tested again, if re-exposed, only after at least four weeks. This study found the virus takes an average 30 days to clear from the body after the first positive test result and an average 36 days after symptoms first appear. In Queensland, you dont need to be re-tested or isolate if youre exposed again within 28 days after ending isolating, regardless of symptoms. In New South Wales its also 28 days and in Victoria its 30 days, but youll need to get another test if you develop fresh symptoms. If you come into contact with someone with Covid after this time frame, youll need to self-isolate, test and follow local advice. This time frame is different in the United Kingdom. Following a substantial clinical review of evidence and testing data in the UK, the government now advises waiting at least 90 days after a positive test before retesting unless you develop new symptoms. Part of the rationale is you have a low chance of becoming reinfected within 90 days after testing positive. So its highly likely a positive test in this window would be a false result due to viral shedding, meaning youd have to unnecessarily isolate. The UK Health Security Agency defines Covid reinfection as having a positive test more than 90 days after your last positive test. You should still get a booster dose The evidence for the immunity we get from Covid infection is more limited than that for the immunity we get from vaccines. Growing evidence also suggests getting vaccinated after having Covid significantly improves protection and further lowers the risk of reinfection. So the need for boosters remains strong. However, we should keep in mind the huge issue of vaccine equity, as many people including some health workers, the elderly and those immuno-compromised in low and middle income countries havent even received their first two doses yet. I decided to usher in the New Year watching birds. As day broke, I was on the bund of the lake within walking distance from my home in Doddagubbi village on the outskirts of Bengaluru city. For the first time in thirty years, this 105 acre lake has filled up to the brim. I moved to Doddagubbi ten years ago and have been visiting the lake for birding occasionally but have never seen it as resplendent as this year. Doddagubbi lake has been popular as a birding spot ever since the renowned conservationist Zafar Futehally took up residence here fifty years ago. Birders from Bengaluru used to congregate here Sunday to observe the birds. Since 1992, the lake has figured in the Asian Waterfowl Count. The details have even been carried by The Newsletter for Birdwatchers, published from Bangalore. Looking through my binoculars, the swarm of birds at the other end of the lake resolved into so many shovellers, pintails and common teals, all migratory birds. I could also see spotbill ducks and whistling teals, which are residents. In fact, I have seen the spotbills in the lake throughout the year. There were coots and dabchicks too. Overhead, I could see a Montagues harrier, a winter visitor. Our own Brahminy kite, a once familiar bird that is getting rare due to pesticides, was also in the air. There were cormorants and darters. Grey herons and a lone purple heron could be spotted. On the tree jutting out of the water were three varieties of egrets. In all, it was a glorious morning and I had logged thirty-one species. I came home and promptly uploaded my sightings in eBird, an online portal which connects birdwatchers the world over. The lake has been sustaining the village over the years. A granite sluice shows that it has been irrigating the paddy fields around. All around the lake there are houses, including some apartment complexes, with new ones coming up. The lake will be replenishing the ground water on which people in this area depend now. S C Jayakaran, a hydrogeologist, settled in the village after retirement, points out that through percolation the lake will benefit the surrounding borewells in the radius of one km. When the lake is full, the water table is restocked. Of all the landscape features, a lake, particularly those close to cities, is often appropriated for land use. As houses come up, a lake just disappears. And though Doddagubbi is a panchayat, it is still covered under the city administration when it comes to postal and police services. Fortunately, Doddagubbi Lake has been tightly fenced all around and subabul trees have been planted along the fence. So the geographical area of the lake, hopefully will be intact. And hopefully, no civil works will be added. It is too precious a heritage to be meddled with. (The author is a former trustee of WWF India) Of the 1,115 Omicron cases reported in Karnataka till Thursday, 219 were the sub-variant Ba.2 (known as stealth Omicron), prompting virologists to urge the government to expedite studies to understand its virulence and potential impact on public health at a time when the third wave was waning. The breakup of the cases was made public by the Health Department late Thursday night. Virologists who spoke to DH said there was a need to study the clinical manifestations of the Ba.2 patients, including the number of deaths, to establish its transmissibility and virulence. A scientist at CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi, who did not want to be named said, Data from the UK and Denmark show that Ba.2 is more transmissible, therefore likely to reach more people faster, and in secondary effect causes more net mortality in a short period. Concerns arose after a Danish study said Ba.2 was more contagious than Ba.1. It said Ba.2 also possesses immune-evasive properties that reduce the protective effect of vaccination against infection. Also read: Omicron BA.2 sub-variant dominant in South Africa, says CDC However, virologist and microbiologist Dr Gagandeep Kang, also a professor at Christian Medical College (CMC), Vellore, said all SARS-CoV-2 variants can cause severe disease and death in old and comorbid patients. The number of Ba.2 cases alone do not indicate greater severity, which can be determined only after studying more data on testing, timing and individuals who died. Karnataka is set to complete special genomic sequencing of 10,000 samples on February 28. One of the priority groups for sequencing are Covid dead. It is yet to analyse how many of the Ba.2 patients needed hospitalisation, oxygen support, ICU care, or died. Health Commissioner D Randeep said, We dont have this reverse analysis as yet. We have asked them (health department) to identify from death audit reports and genomic sequencing reports. Indias foremost epidemiologist Dr Jayaprakash Muliyel told DH, The stealth Omicron is faster-moving and more infectious than Ba.1, and consequently it is overtaking Ba.1. Ba.2 does not exhibit the S-gene dropout and that is why it is different. Fortunately, it doesnt behave like Delta clinically. It is highly immunogenic but has low pathogenicity. Karnataka has reported 89 Ba.1 cases so far, 85 of which were reported from January 1. Dr T Jacob John, retired professor and head of departments of clinical virology and microbiology at CMC Vellore, said, What Karnataka should announce is the clinical presentation of the 219 individuals with Ba.2. If the symptoms are different from Ba.1, then it is a cause for concern. Also, if we use an S-gene dropout test to detect Ba.2 we wont find it as it doesnt exhibit the S-gene dropout. The World Health Organisations (WHO) incident manager Abdi Mahamud said on February 9 that 5 lakh deaths have been recorded globally since Omicron was declared a variant of concern in late November. Check out DH's latest videos He is deeply pious and carries a copy of the Bible to work. And he loves to feed the poor after every mission. Meet Jhon Melwin, the burglar with an impeccable record whose peculiar ways have stumped cops ever since he turned Robin Hood three decades ago. The 46-year-olds bold exploits are like scenes straight out of a thriller. After every successful burglary, he would head for Mysuru and Velankanni to feed the beggars and poor around the churches. Melwin alias Kariya also chose to strike during the day. His targets were mostly multi-storied buildings belonging to politicians and the elite. He went scot-free all these years as several victims refused to file complaints. Melwin had been on the lookout notice of close to 50 police stations. He ran out of luck recently when he was caught along with accomplice Manjunatha after breaking into the house of a senior government employee in Hampi Nagar of Vijayanagar limits in West Bengaluru. According to police, Melwin took to crime way back in 1994. Over the years, he developed his own style. He resorted to burglary only to help the poor. Despite his lavish lifestyle, Melwin lived in a dilapidated building near HMT in Jalahalli limits. A bachelor, he enjoyed life to the fullest, said a senior police officer. Deeply religious and god-fearing, Melwin always carried a copy of the Bible during a burglary. All his criminal activities were carried out during the daytime. He would dig pits and hide the loot jewellery and cash by uniquely marking the site. He also maintained a pocket diary in which he painstakingly recorded every purchase and expense that he incurred, said another police officer. While most criminals are afraid of the police, Melwin had special respect for khaki. In the past, he had unknowingly broken into the houses of police officers. But after realising it, he promptly returned the loot and escaped, a source said. Melwin also loved to splurge on massage parlours and spas, where he tipped the masseurs generously. Watch the latest DH Videos here: Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday said he will soon convene a meeting to discuss the Supreme Courts order against providing reservation to OBCs in local bodies. The Supreme Court recently decided to strike down 27% reservation in favour of OBCs in local bodies made by Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh governments. This will impact the already-delayed elections to the zilla and taluk panchayats and the Bengaluru civic body. Im calling a meeting in the backdrop of the Supreme Court order and its implications regarding OBC reservation, which applies to all states, Bommai said. We will discuss what the current situation in our state is. We will decide how we can conduct elections by preserving the existing OBC reservation, he said. Also read: Dalit, OBC seers call on Karnataka CM Bommai, seek funds, special programmes The zilla-taluk panchayat elections were due in May-June last year. The BBMP election, too, should have taken place after the city councils term expired in September 2020. The top court has set forth a triple test criteria for states to comply with in order to justify political reservation for OBCs in local bodies. The triple test includes setting up a dedicated commission to determine backwardness. The second condition is to specify the proportion of reservation required as per recommendations of the commission. The third test is that the reservation should not exceed 50% of the seats reserved for SCs, STs and OBCs together. RDPR Minister KS Eshwarappa has already said that ZP/TP elections are likely to be delayed further in the wake of the apex court order. Likewise, there is no clarity now on the BBMP elections, which was expected to be held sometime in April. Check out latest videos from DH: Derry YouTuber and TV presenter Adam B has officially unveiled the launch of his first childrens book in a Youtube video which amassed over 65,000 views in less than 24 hours. Described as a 'hilarious and heart-warming tale of wish-fulfilment gone wrong,' Adam Wins the Internet to be published later this year - is set to capture the imagination of seven to 11-year-old readers. Not only hugely popular online, Adam B has become an experienced live television host, best known for being Blue Peters 40th presenter. His raft of online content including pranks, challenges, vlogs, Q&As, life-hacks and gaming videos has built him into one of the UKs biggest YouTubers with 4.7 million followers across all platforms, with over 500 million views on YouTube alone. Adam Wins the Internet tells the story of 13-year-old Adam, who knows that his big dream of becoming a YouTuber is a never- going-to-happen imposs- ibility. That is until he stumbles across the myster- ious Popularis Incremen- tum website. As if by magic, Adam is thrown into a world of fame and fortune. But Adams luck may be running out. When he accepts a mission to reach one million subscribers in one year, it becomes clear that he has bitten off more than he can chew, and his life becomes one epic fail after another. But, fortunately, for Adam, he still has a trick or two up his sleeve . Speaking about the book, the Derry man said: This is crazy. Unbelievable. Mad- ness. In every sense. Writing stories has been a big hobby of mine for a long time now, so to be able to say that I have a childrens novel coming out this year is mind-bendingly exciting to me. To have been acquired by Bloomsbury is a literal dream come true. The team there believe in the message of the book just as much as I do. I cannot wait for people to get their hands on it and see what they think. I've loved writing it. I've loved seeing my mum cry after she finished reading it (it was happy tears, not sad tears ...promise). And I now I love being able to say that Adam Wins the Internet is coming out in October this year. Hannah Sandford, editorial drector at Bloomsbury Childrens Books, said: Adams writing is superb: Adam Wins the Internet sucked me in from the first page thanks to being properly belly-laugh funny and boasting rollercoaster levels of adventure. It is also one of the warmest and kindest stories Ive read in a long time. It is such an exciting combination. This is the book that children will be talking about on the playground and recommending to all of their friends. Adam Wins the Internet will published in hardback in October this year with illustrations by James Lancett throughout. ADA [ndash] Memorials services for Clifford Brent Hall, 63, of Ada are 10:00 A.M. Thursday, May 5, 2022 at Trinity Baptist Church, Doug Brewer will officiate. Mr. Hall passed away Monday, April 25, 2022 at a local nursing home surrounded by family. He was born August 8, 1958 in Shawnee, OK t There was a time that whenever Celtic were playing at home, a fella would be seen in an Offaly GAA jersey behind the goals to the cameras left. As a result, he became a bit of a personality down in the Faithful and maybe in Glasgow as well and decked in colours not all that different from the Tricolours, would have been perfectly at home among the flag-waving Bhoys. And mention of the Bhoys: they were seeing a local derby live for the first time since December of 2019 last week, and it was earlier that same year that their team had last beaten Rangers. The Offalyman wasnt spotted for Celtics joust with the Auld Enemy. Could be hes staying at home and instead turning his attention to his county teams, who are expected to make a bit of an impression this year. Parkhead had the usual array of flags maybe more than usual because of who Celtic were facing and they were flying high for nearly all of the match. And with good reason. It wasnt so much a beating that was inflicted on Rangers, more a drubbing. It ended 3-0 and as a result, Celtic now lead the Premiership, having at one stage looked as if they might finish nearly as far behind their city rivals as they did last season. A whopping 25 points divided them back then. Celtic have a new manager, a chap with the unScottish name name of Ange Postecoglou. (Rangers are in the same boat: Giovanni van Bronckhorst is their man on the sideline, the Dutchman having taken over from Steven Gerrard.) Seemingly, Ange has good contacts in Japan, and has been quick to exploit them, bringing players with names as unpronounceable as his own over to join his squad. One of them, carrying just Reo on his jersey which was handy for the commentators scored a couple of last weeks goals and is now getting the kind of adulation which Son experienced in his early days with Spurs. And what was flown among the Tricolours? The Hinomaru, of course, the national flag of Japan, which is sometimes known as Nissoki. Its white with a red circle and embodies the countrys sobriquet, The Land of the Rising Sun (Great man, this Google.) Where once it was peopled by Scots, a few Irish and one or two from the continent, the Celtic team now gives more than a nod to many of those in the Premier League. But though they might have difficulty with some of the players names, the lads and lassies in the stands wont mind if their team keeps coming up with wins like last weeks. I wondered how many of them would make it into work the following morning. Maybe them all, if someone was brave enough to remind them what was coming up on this day, February 8. 22 years ago, Celtic were out against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Cup, and though they were going through a sticky patch at the time, trailing Rangers by ten points in the league, playing a team that had been in existence for just six years wasnt expected to present them with too many Parkhead problems. While details of Celtics shock 3-1 defeat may be forgotten, the headline in the following days paper is still quoted: Super Cally Go Ballistic, Celtic Are Atrocious. John Barnes, just eight months in charge, was on his way out of Parkhead shortly afterwards, and its not known if his assistant, Eric Black, made up with striker, Eric Viduka, after the pair had squared up to each other at half-time. Viduka had accused a couple of his team-mates of not trying and refused to go out for the second half. He was replaced by the veteran, Ian Wright. That headline it wasnt really an original, but a rewording of one that had appeared 24 years earlier. Ian Callaghan was flying at the time, practically winning games on his own at Anfield and other places. One of his performances prompted the Liverpool Echo to write: Super Cally Is Fantastic, QPR Atrocious. The Boilermakers of the old Railway Works Not a lot has been written about the working conditions in Dundalk of the last century but what has been written by those who lived through the period makes it quite clear that it was not an easy life! During the first half of the century the mainstay of employment in the town was the G.N.R. (I) company Locomotive Works off Ardee Road. Records show that, at the height of its prosperity, the Works employed at least 1,200 men and many more were employed in ancillary engineering work, while many women were in office work and other employment connected to the railway system. It is easy to understand, therefore, that the closure of the Railway Works at Dundalk in 1958 was such a huge blow to the economy of the Town. Some got employment in other parts of Irish railway system but the vast majority faced emigration to provide for their families. By far the largest group of workers employed in the old Railway works were described as 'fitters', which was really a kind engineer who had many skills. I am told the there were at least 500 men classed as fitters employed by the G.N.R. company at the start of the 1950s but there many other crafts and many unskilled workers. Most of the men employed at the Railway Works started at the age of 14 and served a seven years apprenticeship before they earned full wages. They started work early in the morning and worked for seven days in the week, so they had little time for recreation or home life. Their wives, of course, also worked hard to rear large families and many women also had part-time jobs. People who had a bit of land were known as 'railway farmers'. There were many skills and talents developed by the old Dundalk Locomotive Works and there would not be room in this short article to described them all, nor even most of them. There was one group, however, who, perhaps, deserve special mention! There were not many of them but they were brought to mind recently by an excellent craftsman which did invaluable work in my own home. These men were known as 'boiler makers' - maybe not a very apt description because I am told that they seldom actually made 'boilers'. Their job was to repair the boilers of steam locomotive made by others. They had other tasks but what made them different was the fact that they were in the same part of the Works, while craftsmen, like the 'fitters', were able to get out and about in their work. The boilermakers had one penance that was, basically, caused by the nature of their work. I would not have realised this, had I not been told of it by my good friend the late Seamus Tiernan -- himself a great teacher, a fact revealed by his many past pupils who always greeted him with the greatest respect. He revealed to me that his father, for many years a boilermaker, had lived out his retirement life in total silence because he was profoundly deaf! The cause was the constant noise that prevailed in that particular 'shop' of the Works. I have been told by others that the noise in the boiler shop was horrendous. Not all boilermakers ended up totally deaf but they were all effected by loss of hearing and and I have never learned of any of them who received compensation for this. It is not surprising, therefore, that many of them and their descendants were greatly annoyed when they learned of the large compensation paid to some in recent times for loss of hearing, due to the nature of their employment! A friend of mine who worked for the G.N.R. company at Ardee Road at the time of the Closure in 1958 , tells me that, a few years earlier, the total of those engaged in work in connection with the 'boiler house' totalled 152. Of this total, 46 were skilled 'boiler men' , 11 apprentices and 64 'semi-skilled' ; which he says, would be about average for any year in the 1950s. Quite a sizeable number, when you consider those dependant on their wages! It would not be a great exaggeration to state that the 'boilermakers' were the true heroes of industrial development during the 'steam-train age'. The railway workers were not all 'saints' but the work was long, hard and sometimes dangerous and most of them made good husbands and fathers. Many Dundalk people have benefited from their work by way of advancement in education and lifestyles, not to mention the moral values developed by them. These men are not forgotten more than sixty years after the last of them walked up 'The Slope' more than sixty years ago. The respect and fondness with which their children and grandchildren still speak of them years after they have passed away speaks volumes for the dedication and fortitude of their lives! St. Valentine's Day Most of my reader will be well aware that next Tuesday, February 14, is St. Valentine's Day - but I am not so sure that many of them will know of the legend and the saint's connection with Ireland. The problem is that there seems have been two St. Valentines, one in Rome and the other in another Italian city called Terni. They both relate to a priest who was martyred in Rome in about 270 AD on the orders of the Emperor Claudius 11 - for performing Christian marriages in defiance of an edit from the Emperor. The one connected to Ireland is supposed to have been a doctor from Terni whose heart is believed to be contained in a reliquary in Whitefriars Church in Aungier Street, near the Liffey in Dublin, brought there from Rome in 1835. St. Valentine's connection with romance is that he tutored the blind daughter of his jailer, before he was executed. The story goes that he sent a letter to the girl, signed 'From Your Valentine' and, on receiving it, her sight was restored. The Feast Day in February used to be the occasion for much mischief making in the workplaces in Dundalk of my young days, when unsuspecting lovers were often sent misleading cards, and even presents, which might make them believe they were the object of affection by another who had no interest in them at all! I wonder does this practice still occur on social media of the present day? As part of their ongoing focus on cultural and language diversity, the local artist collective AAEX (Art as Exchange) have teamed up with up with Chime, the National Charity for Deafness and Hearing Loss to develop a series of Irish Sign Language Art Classes suitable for members of the deaf community and others who use sign language, but anyone with an interest in learning more about ISL is also welcome. The programme, coordinated by AAEX member Susan Farrelly and supported by the An Tain Artist Assemble programme, started with a fun workshop in which artists Bernhard Gaul and Catherine McCourt invited participants to create spin art by pouring paint onto paper mounted on a rotating table and colourful random artworks made by dipping string into paint and pulling it out sandwiched between two sheets of paper. There are three more workshops coming up, Hands On drawing with Geraldine Martin, working with clay hosted by ceramic artist Jane Campbel and conceptual photography with Julie orcoran. The dates are 19th February, 5th and 19th March, all at 10 am at the An Tain Arts Centre. The art classes are suitable for all ages over 10 years, although children will need to be accompanied. The classes are free but need to be booked. Early booking is advised. For further information see https://aaex.artspark.ie/artandsign Gardai who approached two Belfast men seen acting suspiciously on a flyover on the M1 motorway, had to call for back-up from two different garda stations, Dundalk district court heard last week. Thomas Dreelan (28) of Harcourt Drive, Belfast and Gerard McKeown (35) of Harbour View, Pilot Street, Belfast failed to appear, to meet charges of being intoxicated in a public place, and using threatening, abusive or insulting behaviour at Drumleck, Castlebellingham on September 1st last, while Mr. Dreelan was also charged with resisting arrest. The court was told last Wednesday that gardai came across two men acting suspiciously at the Junction 15 flyover and when Thomas Dreelan was told they were going to be brought back to Dundalk Garda Station to confirm their identity, he told a garda to F*** off. He was directed to stop being verbally abusive but continued to be threatening and abusive. Assistance was sought from Castlebellingham station, and further back up had to be called from Dundalk. The court heard Mr Dreelan had no previous convictions. When Mr. McKeowns case proceeded, the court heard gardai had received a report of an abandoned vehicle and the defendant, who gave a Belfast address was highly intoxicated and continued to tell the garda giving evidence to F*** off and keep driving. He later said they were on their way home from a night out in Dublin. In both cases, Judge Eirinn McKiernan issued a bench warrant for sentencing. Claremont, NH (03743) Today Cloudy skies. High 61F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Rain showers in the evening will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low 46F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 80%. THE equivalent of 58% of the population of Cork South-Central is currently on outpatient waiting lists in the four main local hospitals, according to data from the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA). A total of 70,862 individuals are on waiting lists in hospitals in that constituency alone and more than 8,000 of those are children. The latest National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) figures show Cork South-Central has the highest number of outpatients awaiting treatment in the country. The figures include those waiting to be seen at Cork University Hospital, Cork University Maternity Hospital, the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, and the Mercy University Hospital (MUH). IHCA president Professor Alan Irvine said the analysis paints a very stark picture for many people who now face longer waits just because of their address. The fact that the number of people waiting to be assessed by a hospital consultant at the four hospitals in Cork South-Central is equivalent to more than half the local population is shocking; especially when compared to the overall figure of 13% of the national population who are on an outpatient waiting list. A patients access to care should not depend on where they live, he said. Prof Irvine added: The Government needs to address this postcode lottery and realise that any waiting list plan which does not simultaneously address the consultant recruitment and retention crisis is destined to fail. All our patients deserve better. The IHCA said the analysis does not take into account the fact that many larger hospitals provide specialty services to an even wider population than those directly in the area, for example in such treatment areas as cancer, cardiology, gynaecology, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, neurology, or surgery. Nationally, the IHCA has said that around one in eight people are currently on a hospital outpatient waiting list. Cork figures Of the 32,355 adults waiting to be seen by a consultant at CUH, 9,463 people are waiting over 18 months. A further 5,627 children are awaiting outpatient treatment at CUH 1,136 of whom are waiting over 18 months. SIVUH has a total of 20,852 adults awaiting outpatient treatment, with 8,088 waiting six months, 3,694 waiting six to 12 months, 2,157 waiting 12-18 months, and 6,913 waiting over 18 months. There are also 1,979 children on waiting lists at the hospital, with 1,167 waiting six months, 386 waiting six to 12 months, 112 waiting 12-18 months, with 314 waiting over 18 months. At MUH, 7,220 people are waiting for outpatient treatment, with 2,536 waiting 18 months or more. There are a further 472 children awaiting treatment at the Mercy. Meanwhile, at CUMH, 2,314 adults and 43 children are waiting to be seen. Fine Gael health spokesperson for Health, Cork North Central TD Colm Burke, said the figures outline the need for a new elective hospital in Cork and said at this stage, even a day facility would be welcomed. Anything to take the pressure off the other hospitals has to be welcomed, he said. James Cox Irish rugby fans heading to Paris have been given a surprise on board their Aer Lingus flight. They heard a special message from Johnny Sexton to welcome them on board flight EI 2524 to Paris ahead of tomorrow's rugby match. Ireland will take on France in the Stade de France. A message was played on the plane from Sexton this afternoon, thanking them for their support. To celebrate Irish Rugby fans first away game in two years, each person on board was gifted a ticket to the Autumn Nations Series in November on behalf of Aer Lingus. The Biden Administration announced plans on Thursday to spend nearly $5 billion to create a network of electric vehicle charging stations along U.S. highways. The funding comes from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program established by President Joe Bidens Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the U.S. Departments of Transportation and Energy said in a joint announcement. The goal is to create Alternative Fuel Corridors, prioritizing the Interstate Highway System. A century ago, America ushered in the modern automotive era; now America must lead the electric vehicle revolution, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in the announcement. The Presidents Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help us win the EV race by working with states, labor, and the private sector to deploy a historic nationwide charging network that will make EV charging accessible for more Americans. Together, with @energy, we're rolling out $5 billion so states can begin building out the spine of a nationwide EV charging network along our highways. https://t.co/wKhrzMM8Dy #DriveElectric pic.twitter.com/T4aSiDYEKj TransportationGov (@USDOT) February 10, 2022 The money will be shared with states over the next five years, The Washington Post reported. Most likely, the work of installing and operating the stations themselves will be contracted to private companies. The goal is to make charging an electric vehicle as easy as fueling at a gas station, and it builds towards the administrations pledge to make sure half of new cars are hybrids or battery-powered by 2030. We are modernizing Americas national highway system for drivers in cities large and small, towns and rural communities, to take advantage of the benefits of driving electric, U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said in the announcement. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is helping states to make electric vehicle charging more accessible by building the necessary infrastructure for drivers across America to save money and go the distance, from coast-to-coast. The Biden administration will begin by offering $615 million to states this year once they submit their plans and have them approved by the government, Reuters explained. The administration also outlined guidelines for states. States should fund stations that can charge four vehicles at once, install chargers every 50 miles along highways and install them within one mile of a highway. The federal money is only designed to cover 80 percent of the costs, with states or private companies funding the remaining 20 percent. The White House guidelines also emphasize environmental justice, according to The Hill. [Plans] should explain how the State will deliver projects [that] target at least 40 percent of the benefits towards disadvantaged communities, the guidance document says, as The Hill reported. States must submit their plans by August 1, and the administration will respond by September 30. The administration says the nearly $5 billion investment is the largest of its kind. Still, a total of $39 billion is needed to complete a public charging system by 2035. The $5 billion the EV Charging Program will provide is a historic investment, but it is far from sufficient, the Natural Resources Defense Council wrote in comments to the Federal Highway Administration, as The Washington Post reported. Federal guidance should do everything possible to encourage complementary commitments and hedge against displacing other investments or programs. The Australian government has declared the koala a symbol of Australian wildlife throughout the world endangered following a drastic decline in their population due to bushfires, drought, disease and loss of habitat. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee recommended that the conservation status of koalas be upgraded to endangered in New South Wales (NSW), Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory. The recommendation was accepted by Environment Minister Sussan Ley, who said that the government also planned to adopt a national recovery plan for the beloved marsupial, The Guardian reported. Its a cue for governments really to take a stand against continued habitat clearing for koalas. We cant just continue business as usual, said senior campaign manager at Humane Society International (HSI) Alexia Wellbelove, as reported by The Guardian. The recovery plan identifies the main threats facing koalas and the actions that are necessary to prevent their extinction. While governments arent obligated to implement the recovery plan, ministers cant legally make decisions that are inconsistent with the plan once its been adopted. A New South Wales parliamentary inquiry found that koalas would become extinct there by 2050 unless urgent action was taken by governments to protect their habitat. Koalas were nominated for the endangered listing by the International Fund for Animal Welfare, WWF-Australia and HSI, who have been advocating for their conservation status to be upgraded for a long time. The koala has gone from no listing to now being declared endangered on the Australian east coast within a decade, said WWF-Australia chief executive Dermot OGorman, The Guardian reported. That is a shockingly fast decline for one of the worlds most iconic animals. The endangered status is a grim but important decision by minister Ley, OGorman said. The Threatened Species Scientific Committee has estimated that koala numbers have fallen from 185,000 in 2001 to 92,000 in 2021, reported Phys.org. Australias national environment laws are so ineffective they have done little to stem the ongoing destruction of koala habitat in Queensland and NSW since the species was supposedly protected a decade ago, said Australian Conservation Foundation nature campaign manager Basha Stasak, as Phys.org reported. Former chairman of the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission Graeme Samuel found that the duty to protect the environment had not been carried out by Australian governments and that this had caused the countrys wildlife to suffer, reported The Guardian. Among Graemes many recommendations for reshaping the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 was a proposal for new national environmental standards requiring clear results for Australias animal and plant life, as The Guardian reported currently and at the time. Until such time that we have strong national environmental standards that specify no-go areas around critical habitat for species such as the koala, habitat destruction will continue and this must be addressed urgently, said Wellbelove, as reported by The Guardian. Chairwoman of the Australian Koala Foundation Deborah Tabart said koalas status of endangered doesnt mean anything, The New York Times reported. Tabart went on to say that the federal government may be offering our koalas a nice new word, but behind all the photo opportunities and political rhetoric they continue to approve the destruction of the koala habitat. If the clearing of the koala habitat continues, said Tabart, a further status change is imminent from endangered to extinct. OGorman said there was still time to save koalas if the endangered listing serves as a catalyst for much-needed action. There is still time to save this globally iconic species if the uplisting serves as a turning point in koala conservation. We need stronger laws and landholder incentives to protect their forest homes, said OGorman, as The Guardian reported. Effingham, IL (62401) Today Thunderstorms in the morning, then cloudy skies late. High 68F. Winds WSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. A former Chairman of the now-defunct domestic carrier, Indian Airlines, he was ailing from cancer for a long time and the end came at the Ruby Hospital at around 2.30 p.m. on Saturday afternoon, sending waves of grief in corporate and political circles. Bajaj was 83 and is survived by two sons, Rajiv and Sanjiv, and a daughter Sunaina Kejriwal, and other family members who were present beside when he breathed his last. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that Bajaj will be accorded full state honours for his funeral slated on Sunday afternoon in Pune. "It is with deep sorrow that I inform you about the passing of Shri Rahul Bajaj, husband of the late Rupa Bajaj, and father of Rajiv/Deepa, Sanjiv/Shefali, Sunaina/Manish (Kejriwal). He passed away on the afternoon of 12th February in the presence of his closest family members," said a statement from the Bajaj Group on Saturday evening. Born on June 10, 1938 in (now) Kolkata, Bajaj graduated in 1958 from St. Stephens College, in Delhi University, with an Honours degree in Economics. Later, he acquired a Law degree from University of Bombay and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. Joining the family enterprise founded by his grandfather, the industrialist-philanthropist-freedom fighter Jamnalal Bajaj, Rahul Bajaj became the CEO of the flagship Bajaj Auto in 1968 and its Managing Director in 1972. It was during his captaincy of the Bajaj Group which soared from small family concern to one of the biggest in the sub-continent with immense contribution in nation-building, helping lay the foundations of its economy and creating a global mark with its two-wheelers and three-wheelers among other products over the decades. A Rajya Sabha Member (2006-2010) and conferred the Padmashri and Padma Bhushan, he stepped down as the Chairman of Bajaj Auto in April 2021 but was appointed as Chairman Emeritus for another five years. Bajaj's mortal remains shall be kept for public 'darshan' on Sunday morning at the company's plant premises and the last rites shall be performed at the Vaikunth Crematorium later with full state honours. Top business and political leaders like Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, his close family friends Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar, Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, Kishore Tiwari and Dr. Raghunath Kuchik, both MoS, Deputy Chairperson of Legislative Council Dr. Neelam Gorhe, Supriya Sule, MP, top Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Nitin Gadkari and Raosaheb Danve-Patil, Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis and others condoled Bajaj's passing. "I am deeply shocked to learn about the sad demise of Padma Bhushan Shri Rahul Bajaj, my very close friend. The grandson of eminent freedom fighter Jamnalal Bajaj brought transformation in society, especially in poor and middle-class people with his two-wheel technology - a Bajaj bike," said Sharad Pawar. Saying India has lost an industrialist, a philanthropist and a lighthouse for young entrepreneurs, the NCP supremo said the affordable vehicle - 'Hamara Bajaj' - increased mobility, eased struggle for getting means of livelihood and became the tool of socio-economic change, for which "we Indians are deeply indebted". Elkhart, IN (46516) Today Periods of rain. High 57F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Washington, MO (63090) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 64F. Winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies. Low 48F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Athens, AL (35611) Today Partly cloudy skies during the morning hours will become overcast in the afternoon. High 82F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Variable clouds with scattered thunderstorms. Low 63F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Soon after news broke out regarding the passing away of former Bajaj Auto chairman and industrialist Rahul Bajaj, several political leaders and known personalities condoled his death. Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari took to Twitter and condoled his death. "My heartfelt tributes to Rahul Bajaj ji, a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist and former chairman of Bajaj. I have had a personal relationship with Padma Bhushan awardee Rahul ji for many years", he wrote. President Ram Nath Kovind wrote, "Saddened to learn of Shri Rahul Bajajs demise. A doyen of Indian industry, he was passionate about its priorities. His career reflected the rise and innate strength of the nations corporate sector. His death leaves a void in the world of industry. My condolences to his family". Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote, "Very sad news of the death of the country's famous industrialist Rahul Bajaj ji. He made a big contribution to the progress of the country on the economic front. 'Buland Bharat Ki Buland Awaz' became a part of every household. My heartfelt tribute to such a great personality. May the Lord place the departed soul at his feet". Bajaj was 83 years old and was not keeping well for quite some time and passed away at around 1430 hrs on Saturday, the official said. His last rites will be held on Sunday. He is survived by two sons, Rajiv Bajaj and Sanjiv Bajaj, and a daughter Sunaina Kejriwal. He resigned from his position of non-executive director and chairman at Bajaj Auto on April 30 last year. Amazon's warehouse workers won't be required to wear masks in the workplace anymore, so long as they're fully vaccinated. According to The Wall Street Journal, the e-commerce giant told workers in a memo that it has eased its mask requirements due to the "sharp decline in COVID-19 cases across the country over the past weeks." It also mentioned the increasing vaccination rates in the US as "a positive sign" of its return "to normal operations." The company required all workers to wear masks again in December following a spike of COVID cases in the US caused by the highly transmissible Omicron variant. That came half a year after it allowed fully vaccinated individuals to unmask while working, which some workers saw as a premature move. Amazon made its decision in the same week some states started rolling back their mask mandates and other pandemic restrictions. Walmart has dropped its mask rule for vaccinated workers at the same time. In addition to easing its mask mandate, Amazon is also ending paid leave for workers who contract COVID-19 if they're not vaccinated. Workers must be done with their second jab by March 18th to be qualified for paid leave. How workers feel about this change in rules remains to be seen, but Amazon has a history of clashing with its employees when it comes to COVID-related guidelines. In 2020, workers at its Staten Island warehouse sued the company, accusing it of failing to follow guidelines stated by the CDC and the government of New York. Then in 2021, Amazon agreed to pay $500,000 after the California attorney general found that it concealed its true COVID-19 case numbers from workers. As anti-vaccine groups in the US attempt to stage their own version of Canadas disruptive Freedom Convoy, foreign content mills have worked to bolster those efforts for their own gains. This week, Facebook parent company Meta told Reuters and NBC News it recently removed several trucker convoy groups and pages run by scammers in Vietnam, Bangladesh, Romania and other countries. The company said many of those groups had recently changed their names to adopt ones that involved terms like trucker, freedom, and convoy in hopes of taking advantage of the sudden interest in the rallies occurring across the border. Many of those same pages included links to websites that sold pro-Trump and anti-vaccine merchandise. At the same time, most of the accounts that took part in those groups were tied to real people. And so you have a situation where foreign players are trying to monetize radicalized individuals. Voicing opposition to government mandates is not against Metas policies, a Meta spokesperson told the network. However, we have removed multiple groups and Pages for repeatedly violating our policies prohibiting QAnon content and those run by spammers in different countries around the world. The company said it would monitor the situation. We continue to see scammers latch onto any hot-button issue that draws peoples attention, including the ongoing protests, a spokesperson for Meta told Engadget. Over the past week, weve removed groups and pages run by spammers from different countries around the world who used abusive tactics to mislead people about the origin and popularity of their content to drive them to off-platform websites to monetize ad clicks. In the more than two weeks since the Freedom Convoy descended on Ottawa, Ontario, Canadas capital has been paralyzed by anti-vaccine protestors who have used their trucks and cars to block entry into the citys downtown core. The protest has attracted a motley crew of far-right individuals and groups, including Canadas QAnon Queen. In Toronto and other cities throughout the country, police have warned healthcare workers not to wear their scrubs in public while the rallies continue. Those same protests have also clogged up critical border crossings between the US and Canada, prompting the Biden administration to push the federal government to take action. According to NBC News, anti-vaccine groups in the US plan to stage similar protests in cities across the country. On Facebook, Telegram and voice chat app Zello, those groups have called on their members to travel to Washington DC and Los Angeles on March 5th. The involvement of foreign actors attempting to bolster those efforts mirrors in some ways what happened in 2016 when Russia meddled with the presidential election. Beginning in the 1940s, Mexico's Green Revolution saw the country's agriculture industrialized on a national scale, helping propel a massive, decades-long economic boom in what has become known as the Mexican Miracle. Though the modernization of Mexico's food production helped spur unparalleled market growth, these changes also opened the industry's doors to powerful transnational seed companies, eroding national control over the genetic diversity of its domestic crops and endangering the livelihoods of Mexico's poorest farmers. In the excerpt below from her new book Endangered Maize: Industrial Agriculture and the Crisis of Extinction, author and Peter Lipton Lecturer in History of Modern Science and Technology at Cambridge University, Helen Anne Curry, examines the country's efforts to maintain its cultural and genetic independence in the face of globalized agribusiness. UC Press Excerpted from Endangered Maize: Industrial Agriculture and the Crisis of Extinction by Helen Anne Curry. Published by University of California Press. Copyright 2021 by Helen Anne Curry. All rights reserved. Amid the clatter and hum generated by several hundred delegates and observers to the 1981 Conference of FAO, a member of the Mexican delegation took the floor. Participants from 145 member nations had already reviewed the state of global agricultural production, assessed and commended ongoing FAO programs, agreed on budget appropriations, and wrestled over the wording of numerous conference resolutions. The Mexican representative opened discussion on yet another draft resolution, this one proposing The Establishment of an International Plant Germplasm Bank. Two interlocked elements lie at the resolutions heart: a collection of duplicate samples of all the worlds major seed collections under the control of the United Nations and a legally binding international agreement that recognized plant genetic resources as the patrimony of humanity. Together, the bank and agreement would ensure the availability, utilization and non-discriminatory benefit to all nations of plant varieties in storage and in cultivation across the globe. Today, international treaties are integral to the conservation and use of crop genetic diversity. The 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity aims to ensure the sustainable and just use of the worlds biodiversity, which includes plant genetic resources. Meanwhile, the 2001 International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, also called the Seed Treaty, establishes protocols specific to crop diversity. Although it draws much of its power from the Convention on Biological Diversity, the roots of the Seed Treaty reach further back, to the 1981 resolution of the Mexican delegation and beyond. Mexicos resolution, like todays Seed Treaty, offered conservation as a principal motivation. It told a story of farmers varieties displaced by breeders products, the attrition of genetic diversity, and the looming extinction of material of incalculable value. Earlier calls for conservation had sketched the same picture. Yet those who prepared and promoted the Mexican proposal mobilized this narrative to different ends. They may well have wanted to protect crop diversity. Far more important, however, was the guarantee of access to this diversity, once conserved. They insisted that a seed bank governed by the United Nations and an international treaty were needed to prevent the monopolization of plant genetic materials. This monopolization came in the form of control by national governments, the ultimate decision makers for most existing seed banks. It also resulted from possession by transnational corporations. By exercising intellectual property protections in crop varieties, seed companies could take ownership of these varieties, even if they were derived from seeds sourced abroad. In other words, the survival of a seed sample in a base collection, or its duplicate, did not mean this sample was available to breeders, let alone farmers, in its own place of origin. Binding international agreements were necessary to ensure access. Mexicos intervention at the 1981 FAO Conference was just one volley in what would later be called the seed wars, a decades-long conflict over the granting of property rights in plant varieties and the physical control of seed banks. Allusions to endangered crop diversity have been mostly rhetorical flourishes in this debate, deployed in defense of other things considered threatened by agricultural changenamely, peoples and governments across Africa, Asia, and Latin America in the later twentieth century. Seed treaties were meant to protect not seeds, but sovereignty. Between the late 1960s and the early 1980s, in the midst of this struggle over seeds, consensus fractured about the loss of crop diversityor, more specifically, about the meaning of this loss. When experts had gathered at FAO in the 1960s to discuss genetic erosion, most saw this as an inevitable consequence of a beneficial transition. Wherever farmers opted for breeders lines over their own seeds, the value of these so-called improved lines was confirmed, and agricultural productivity inched forward. In the 1970s genetic erosion featured centrally in a very different narrative. It was offered as evidence of the misguided ideas and practices driving agricultural development, especially the Green Revolution, and of the dangers posed by powerful transnational seed companies. Corporate greed emerged as a new driver of crop diversity loss. The willingness of wealthy countries to sustain this greed through friendly regulations meant both were complicit in undermining the capacities of developing countries to feed themselves. The extinction of farmers varieties and landraces was no longer an accepted byproduct of agricultural modernization. It was an argument against this development. This shift pitted scientists committed to saving crop diversity against activists ostensibly interested in the same thing. It brought competing visions of what agriculture could and should be head to head. Invocations of the imminent loss of crop diversity, the one element everyone seemed able to agree on, reached a fever pitch during the seed wars. This rhetorical barrage often obscured on-the-ground realities. While FAO delegates, government officials, NGO activists, and prominent scientists waged a war of words in meeting rooms and magazines, plant breeders and agronomists tended experimental plots, tested genetic combinations, and presented farmers with varieties they hoped would be improvements. In 1970s Mexico some of these researchers were newly resolved to use Mexican seeds and methods to address the needs of the countrys poorest farmers. Keeping these individuals, their methods, and their corn collections in view grounds the seed wars in actual seeds. If the Mexican delegations invocation of crop diversity at FAO in 1981 was a rhetorical flourish in a bid to defend national sovereignty, the concurrent use of crop diversity by some Mexican breeders was a practical strategy for getting Mexican agriculture out from under the thumb of the United States and transnational agribusinesses. On the ground, seeds were not ornaments in oratory but the very stuff of sovereignty. Inroads for Agribusiness While scientists in Mexico searched for novel solutions to the countrys rural crises, critical assessments of agricultural aid bolstered the case for these alternatives. By the mid-1970s studies by economists, sociologists, and other development experts indicated that the much-vaunted Green Revolution had done more harm than help, thanks especially to the input- and capital-intensive model of farming it espoused. The first critiques of the Green Revolution followed close on the heels of its initial celebration. In 1973 the Oxford economist Keith Griffin joined a growing chorus when he cataloged the harms introduced with high-yielding varieties, a phrase used to describe types bred to flourish with synthetic fertilizers. Their introduction had neither increased income per capita nor solved the problems of hunger and malnutrition, according to Griffin. They had produced effects, however: The new technology... has accelerated the development of a market oriented, capitalist agriculture. It has hastened the demise of subsistence oriented, peasant farming... It has increased the power of landowners, especially the larger ones, and this in turn has been associated with a greater polarization of classes and intensified conflict. In 1973 Griffin thought that the ultimate outcome depended on how governments responded to these changes. Five years later he had come to a final determination. The story of the green revolution is a story of a revolution that failed, he declared. Griffin was a researcher on the project Social and Economic Implications of the Large-Scale Introduction of High-Yielding Varieties of Foodgrain. Carried out under the auspices of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, this project enlisted social scientists to document the uptake of new agricultural technologies chiefly new crop varieties and their social and economic effects across Asia and North Africa. Mexico was also included among the projects case studies, since organizers pinpointed it as the historical site of the first experiments in high-yielding seeds for modernizing nations. An attempt to synthesize a single account from the case studies in the 1970s highlighted the problems arising from the integration of farmers into national and international markets. New varieties, chemical fertilizers, and mechanical equipment demanded that cultivators "become businessmen competent in market operations and small-scale financing and receptive to science-generated information." This was thought to be in marked contrast to their having once been "'artisan cultivators' who drew on 'tradition and locally valid practices'" to sustain their families. The fact that only a minority of better-off farmers could make such a transition meant that development programs benefited a few at the expense of the many. Drawing on her case study of Mexico, project contributor Cynthia Hewitt de Alcantara extended this observation about market integration into a reflection on the flow of economic resources around, and out of, the country from laborers to landowners, from farms to industries, from national programs to foreign businesses. The reconfiguration of agriculture as what she labeled a "capitalist enterprise" had not brought more money to the countryside but instead robbed peasants of what little they had. This apparent contradiction in Mexicos agricultural development invited scrutiny from many besides Hewitt. The preceding three decades had been characterized by steady economic growth, thanks to increased international trade during World War II, government policies that encouraged national industry, and investments in infrastructure and education. This period of the so-called Mexican Miracle had also seen a transition from food dependency needing to import grain to feed the nation to self-sufficiency. At this level of abstraction, Mexicos prospects for sustaining adequate food and nutrition looked rosy. When sociologists and economists delved into specifics, however, the miracle revealed itself a mirage. Investments in agriculture had focused on supplying food to urban workers and developing new products for export. State food-aid programs, too, had been oriented to urban labor, with set prices that kept food affordable for consumers in the city but made its cultivation unprofitable for farmers in the countryside. While well-off cultivators in the north of the country benefited from state-funded irrigation programs and guaranteed prices, poor farmers working small plots without access to state grain purchasers found that they could not sustain their families by selling surplus corn. Hewitt estimated that in 196970, one-third of the Mexican population experienced calorie deficiency. A 1974 national survey came to similar conclusions, calculating that 18.4 million Mexicans, over a quarter of the population, suffered from malnutrition. The persistence of poverty in Mexico, in spite of the countrys celebrated economic growth, could be traced to the model of development embraced by national leaders since the 1940s. Politicians and policy makers had assumed that subsistence farmers could be made irrelevant, with their surplus labor absorbed into the growing industrial economy. Yet industry had not acted the sponge, with the result that this irrelevant segment of the population had grown while continuing to be neglected by the state. The economist David Barkin linked faulty Mexican policies to a more fundamental problem of emulating the market capitalism of its northern neighbor. The apparently flourishing Mexican economy had invited the interest of foreign investors, in particular US corporations. Despite protectionist policies, these companies had moved in, and national industries had been sold off, leaving Mexicans vulnerable to the whims of private capital. Agriculture offered a prime example of this pattern. By the 1970s US firms dominated across the sector, from farm machinery (John Deere, International Harvester) to chemicals (Monsanto, DuPont, American Cyanamid) to production and processing (United Brands, Corn Products) to animal feed (Ralston Purina). Observing this trend, another economist pinpointed Mexican agriculture as the place of origin of a new, world-wide modernization strategy. He traced a path from the interventions of the Rockefeller Foundation to the stimulus these gave to the importation of costly agricultural inputs to the management of Mexican farms by foreign firms. Foreign control and deepening ties to international markets affected food self-sufficiency. It made sense, from the perspective of increasing individual profits, for large and well-financed producers in Mexico to focus on the crops that would bring the best prices. These were more likely to be fruits and vegetables for US supermarkets or sorghum to feed cattle than corn or wheat to feed Mexican workers. Thanks to these patterns, it was possible to see much of Mexican agriculture as an extension of US agribusiness, operating chiefly to exploit Mexican rural labor, Mexican land and water resources, and Mexican private and public capital for the principal benefit of US entrepreneurs. The ultimate outcome of technical assistance to enhance agricultural production, ostensibly undertaken for the betterment of Mexican farmers and the Mexican economy, was the dominance of transnational companies in that very task, for their own aggrandizement. This portended ill for Mexico and especially for the poorest Mexicans. Stay up to date on COVID-19 Get Breaking News Sign up now to get our FREE breaking news coverage delivered right to your inbox. Click for the latest, full-access Enid News & Eagle headlines | Text Alerts | app downloads Christy is news editor at the Enid News & Eagle. Visit his column blog at www.tinyurl.com/Column-Blog. Have a question about this story? Do you see something we missed? Do you have a story idea for David? Send an email to davidc@enidnews.com. . The recent rather politically planted controversy that involves banning the hijab in educational institutions in Karnataka seeks to give priority to uniformity in school or college dress over the very modernist thrust of educational institutions. It is needless to re-emphasise that the modernist thrust would put a premium on academic excellence that promises both individual progress as well as the enrichment of a society. Educational excellence depends on cognitive learning that should form a substantive code rather than an external or formal dress code. Therefore, clearly, it is the innovative and exciting content of the education curriculum that needs to be seen as a substantive concern which may produce meritorious students. This only means that the dress code may not always have a bearing on the motivation for education as well as excellence in it. An educational institution is a place where one acquires a sense of oneself not as a religious person but as a person who is interested in pursuing the life of the mind. In a more pragmatic sense, within the education set-up, a person clad in any dress feels encouraged to compete for individual merit that ultimately contributes to institutional excellence. The individuals academic distinction thus becomes coextensive with the distinction of an educational institution. However, such a competitive academic culture aimed at creating institutions of academic excellence gets replaced by communal conflict, which arguably is politically created by targeting the attire of a minority person. It is revealed that the Chief Inspector of the Easter Commission of Inquiry has fled the country at such a crucial juncture by Tissa Ravindra Perera The confirmed sources in Police Headquarters in Colombo have revealed that the Chief Investigating Officer of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry appointed to investigate the Easter attacks has fled the country. According to reliable sources, the countrys intelligence sources informed the National Security Council that the officer, who was recently promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police, had fled to the United States. Hadiya, spouse of Zaharan Hashim at the Commission of Inquiry It was this official who informed the Easter Commission that Pulastini Mahendran alias Sarah Jasmine, a wife of one of the suicide bombers, had fled to India in a boat from Mannar. The officer presented the spies' testimony to the commission, claiming that two of his spies had witnessed Sarah's escape from the Saindamarudu safe house. It was this officer who told the commission that Sarah Jasmine had been taken away by a police inspector. Accordingly, an inspector was arrested by the said officer. It has now been revealed that this police inspector, who has been in remand custody for two years, has been remanded based on fabricated evidence. An investigation by the CID and the Terrorism Investigation Division has revealed that Chief Investigating Officer has manipulated the case and sent an innocent officer to jail by fabricating charges in the n anticipation of promotion. According to eyewitness accounts of the Easter Commission of Inquiry, the two spies had been in Vavuniya and out of the Eastern Province at the time of the incident. They later admitted that they had given false evidence at the request of the chief investigator of the Easter Attacks during the interrogation of the two spies. Accordingly, the Police Department has requested the Attorney General to report the matter to the Attorney General as a police inspector is incarcerated at the behest of the Chief Investigating Officer of the Easter Commission of Inquiry and release him. It is revealed that the Chief Inspector of the Easter Commission of Inquiry has fled the country at such a crucial juncture. ( This news based on the inputs by the writers story originally published in a Colombo based weekly newspaper) Enthusiasts for cryptocurrency say with revolutionary zeal that this is the future of money. We have seen private money or money tied to a rigid formula in the 19th century that was marked with frequent financial instability and pedestrian growth. The gold standard was adopted to bring stability but was abandoned 50 years later when it deepened and spread the Great Depression. Someone needs to speak up for the benefits of regulated fiat money, which, in the last 50 years, has been associated with more growth and stability than over the gold standard era. Cryptocurrencies are a terrible thing. They are the essence of a Ponzi scheme whose value is based entirely on a greater fool prepared to buy it. The promise of alchemy- turning lead into gold has bewitched humanity throughout the ages and cryptocurrencies are just the latest alchemy. Do not get me wrong, if rich people want to lose their money, in this or any other way, they should be allowed to do so. The rich should be the vanguards of new things in case something unforeseen and good falls out of them. But we need to protect those vulnerable consumers whose lives are such that almost any get-rich-quick schemes will be seductive, and seven out of 10 times, they will lose their life savings. Cryptocurrencies are todays South Sea Bubbleone of the earliest recorded financial bubbles that took place in the 1720s Britain. Meme-based currencies like Dogecoin, Dogelon Mars and Doge Dash remind me of the infamous plan of one company during the South Sea Bubble to raise money for carrying on an undertaking of great advantage; but nobody to know what it is. The cryptocurrency bubble is worse than tulip mania. Through the veil of technology, cryptocurrency enthusiasts are leaning on policymakers to permit them to be exempt from regulation, privatise money, and make money so disconnected from the economy that it would reap financial disaster. There are many reasons to avoid financial disasters, but one of them is that they ratchet up poverty and inequality. The current moneycredit system is not perfect, but like democracy, it is the worst system barring all the others. It has evolved from the ashes of the system cryptocurrency enthusiasts are trying to resurrect. Friday, February 11, 2022 The Emerging Global Food Security Risk Russia is at the cusp of invading Ukraine. Throughhistory conflicts big and small are rarely contained because theirrepercussions are global - socially, politically and economically. Theserepercussions are particularly acute in a high-tech, globalized society becausethe effects impact everything a mere second after the first the bullet findsits victim. In this particular powder keg these impacts is onthe global grain price & supply. Russia and Ukraine, the two countries at thebrink of war, account for 23% of global wheat exports, which reached theirhighest levels in a decade in 2020, and rank highly in corn and barley exports. An analysis of two important pro-US countrieshighly dependent on Russian and Ukrainian agricultural exports are Turkey andEgypt both of which have a disturbing at knifes edge socio-economic-politicallyvulnerability should there be a Russo-Ukrainian wheat export reduction. Turkeys Import Wheat Dependency Wheat is an important staple of Turkish cuisine andis heavily reliant on imports. The following are the challenges: According to the World Bank, Turkey had a population of84.34 million in 2020 just ahead of Germany with a GDP $720 billion (# 18globally) just ahead of Saudi Arabia. Turkey imports wheat from Russia and Ukraine. The Turkish Statistical Institute (TUIK) wheat sufficiencyrate measures the percent of wheat self-sufficiency which present-day is 89.5%.This means 10.5% of wheat requirements must be imported. With respect to domestic production, Turkish cultivationdropped precipitously by 14% in 2020, the lowest in 15 years, due to severedroughts in the harvesting regions. The degradation of cultivation has been long-term becauseits fields have shrunk about 25% during the past decade. The alarming depreciation of the Turkish lira (44%depreciation in 2021) makes imported foodstuffs, which are heavily subsidized, considerablymore expensive. Egypt | Import Wheat Dependency According to the World Bank, Egypt had a population of 102 million in2020 with a GDP $363 billion (# 42 globally) slightly below South Africa. Egypt is far more dependent on imported wheat than Turkey fromRussia/Ukraine which fulfills 85% of its needs. Egypt is the worlds largest wheat purchaser. Egypt is Ukraines largest purchaser 14% of Ukraines total wheatproduction. Government sources indicate that Egypt has a wheat stock of 5-6 months. Despite reassuring government agency figures, President Sisi announcedthe possibility of food rations limited to 2 beneficiaries per family. Turkish-Egyptian Food Security Commonalities A severe drought in the Middle East in 2021 has impacted allagricultural products creating a far greater reliance on increasingly moreexpensive grains to offset low domestic yields. Imported wheat and other grains originate from an emerging hot-spot inRussia and Ukraine. Grain is heavily-subsidized. Even with import and quantity guarantees,world agricultural prices have increased dramatically which must be purchasedwith rapidly depreciating local currencies (converted to US dollars) to feedtheir citizens in order to maintain internal security. Higher fertilizer prices, higher fuel costs, poor harvests and portbacklogs are exacerbating these price hikes. Finally, the straw that breaks the camels back, higher Russian tax onexports on agricultural goods are designed to keep excess stocks in Russia. The following chart entitled Food and AgriculturalOrganization of the United Nations (FAO) food price index indicates an explosiveprice increase in major food categories. These food prices will skyrocket ashostilities boil in Ukraine putting unsupportable pressure on Turkey and Egyptsforeign reserves in purchasing essential foods. Low Crop Yields | Not A Drop to be Found The Middle East suffered through a difficultdrought in 2021 adversely impacting the harvest. Turkey and Egypt are locatedin the heart of extreme water stress which explains their increasing dependencyon food imports. This worsening dependence has become an endemic crisis and couldplunge these societies into civil disorder. The following chart entitled Where Water Street Will Be theHighest in 2040 provided by the World Sources Institute via the Economist IntelligenceUnit. The UN defines water stress as when a country withdraws least 25% ofits renewable freshwater supply. Supporting the Autocracies | US & WesternInterests For the aforementioned reasons both leaderships aredeceivingly brittle and face greater challenges in managing a socio-economicpowder keg. Because of their high level of unpopularity, it may not take muchmore to trigger bloody civil unrest in either country. Turkey and Egypt are well aware that the US can becounted on through various administrations for support when things get dire. Toprotect its strategic interests the US, like all preceding empires, aggressivelypractices the art of realpolitik. Geographically Turkey and Egypt arelocated in critical regions from which the US can monitor and engage Russianand Russo-Iranian backed extremists. Because Turkey and Egypt are strategicassets to the US and Europe, they cant allow either country to become a failedstate. Turkey is the geographical gatekeeper between theMiddle East and Europe as well as the caretaker, albeit well-paid by the EU, ofmillions of refugees to keep them fed and keep them there. Egypt is the most populous Middle East Arabcountry. Any collapse of change of regime to a hostile US-European leadershiplike the Taliban in Afghanistan will trigger a period of unacceptableinstability. Turkey and Egypt | Putins Collateral Damage Whether by default or design why would Putin turnhis back on his autocratic brotherhood in critical strategic areas? Lack ofprofessional courtesy? Because both are US allies, perhaps for Russia Its nothingpersonal, just business to reduce, if not eliminate, US and western influence inthe region. By creating internal havoc in Turkey to neutralizeNatos second largest army, guardian of the Black Sea and with intense internalcivil unrest, Turkey would be unable to assist Nato. Chaos in Egypt might spillover and impact SuezCanal operations by choking off world trade and military maritime movements. The enormous cost for the US to export wheat andother grains to Turkey and Egypt in a world whose yields are falling willexceed the economic sanctions damage done to Russia. Putins Scapegoat Putins public relations machinery is far moresophisticated than the truncheon-like explanations of the Soviet-era. Putins publicrelations tactics are akin to the old joke about playing chess with a pigeon: thepigeon will knock over all the pieces, defecate on the board, fly away and telleveryone he won. This is why they can create an absurd, yet mildlybelievable narrative to explain why the US is at fault. For example Russia cancraftily engineer a narrative explaining how draconian sanctions against them preventthe export of critical agricultural goods to stave off a humanitarian crisis andcivil unrest in Turkey and Egypt. Conclusion Despite their best efforts for years to accommodateRussian business and political interests, Turkey and Egypt are Russias hostagesand perhaps back-door bargaining chips with the US/EU to acquiesce to Russiasdemands. Copyright 2022 Cerulean Council The Cerulean Council is a NYC-based think-tank thatprovides prescient, beyond-the-horizon, contrarian perspectives and riskassessments on geopolitical dynamics and global urban security. San Antonio health care technology company CaptureRx has agreed to pay $4.75 million to settle proposed class-action litigation over a data breach that affected more than 2 million people. Christopher Hotchkiss, CEO of CaptureRx parent company NEC Networks, said in a Friday court filing that it would strongly consider filing for bankruptcy if the settlement isnt finalized. The settlement requires a San Antonio federal judges approval. CaptureRx is not a large national or multinational company and has limited resources, he said in the court papers. CaptureRx faces demands for indemnity from numerous customers that have and continue to put severe financial strain on the company. The customers include pharmacy chain Rite Aid and Walmart, also named as defendants in the litigation. On ExpressNews.com: Data breach at San Antonio health care technology company CaptureRx sparks class-action lawsuits. CaptureRx acts as an administrator for hospitals, clinics and health centers participating in the 340B program, a government initiative requiring pharmaceutical companies to sell drugs at a discount to health care providers caring for underserved populations. Pharmacies like Rite Aid have contracted with CaptureRx to process pharmacy claims. In May, CaptureRx disclosed it had learned of unusual activity in some of its electronic files in February 2021. The company determined the files were accessed without authorization. The files contained the names, dates of birth and prescription information for certain patients of health care providers that CaptureRx serves. CaptureRx issued a statement on the data breach, though it didnt disclose how many people were affected. It provided the notice on behalf of about 170 health care providers. The company has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. The protection of patient information is a top priority for CaptureRx, spokeswoman Karen Walker said Monday. There is no evidence the information has been misused, and CaptureRx has further enhanced security protocols and procedures since the event. The proposed class totals more than 2.4 million people. The court filing said plaintiffs in at least seven of the 10 cases arising from the incident support the settlement. The attorneys in the case seek a third of the settlement, or almost $1.6 million. The payout for the class would amount to about $1.30 each if all of the roughly 2.4 million people submit a claim. Three class members who acted as lead plaintiffs stand to receive $2,000 each. Class members have the right to object to the proposed settlement. But plaintiffs lawyers called the the deal fair. By settling now, the settlement class can take advantage of remedies that would be unavailable or worth substantially less by the time of a litigated final judgment, the court filing stated. It seeks preliminary approval for the settlement and certification of the class. A final approval hearing likely would follow about 100 days afterward. SA Inc.: Get the best of business news sent directly to your inbox CaptureRxs insurer is contributing less than half of the settlement amount, Hotchkiss said. Company owners will pay the remaining amount out of their own pockets. A lead plaintiff in one of the actions is Daisy Trujillo of Merced County, Calif., a longtime Rite Aid customer who received notice of the breach. Afterwards, she said in the complaint, her cellphone was inundated with spam calls and her email was flooded with spam emails. Personal information obtained in the breach can be sold on the dark web, the suit added. Drug manufacturers, medical device manufacturers, pharmacies, hospitals and other health care providers often purchase personal identifiable information and personal health information on the black market for the purpose of target marketing their products and services to the physical maladies of the data breach victims themselves. Insurance companies purchase and use wrongfully disclosed personal health information to adjust insureds medical insurance premiums, it said. Sensitive health care data can sell for as much as $363 for each record, the suit added, citing the Infosec Institute. Trujillo accused CaptureRx and Rite Aid of failing to comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which was enacted in 1996 to protect sensitive patient health information. pdanner@express-news.net Infectious disease experts are tracking a new subvariant of the COVID-19 virus BA.2, nicknamed stealth omicron which has surfaced elsewhere in Texas and other states. Its just a matter of time, specialists believe, before this strain makes its way to San Antonio. This comes just as the COVID omicron surge that gripped San Antonio for the past two months and drove infections to record levels has passed its peak and is on the decline though viral activity remains significantly high. The new subvariant appears to be slightly more contagious than the original form of omicron, based on preliminary research, but it doesnt seem to cause a more severe infection. And the COVID vaccines appear to be effective against this new strain. So stealth omicron may not cause another surge. But local experts agree that additional surges are likely at some point down the road until COVID becomes more of a seasonal virus, similar to the flu. The booster shot remains an important tool for those fully vaccinated to help reduce the chances of severe illness, hospitalization and death from the virus, specialists said. Yet only 35 percent of Bexar Countys fully vaccinated residents 12 years old and up have received their booster shots, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District officials reported Friday. We will move through this pandemic, said Dr. Anita Kurian, assistant director of Metro Healths communicable disease division. But this virus is not going anywhere. ... It will give way to endemic disease, just like flu is endemic in our community. Over time, as immunity builds up in the population, we expect to stop seeing these dramatic, sharp spikes in COVID-19 cases. On ExpressNews.com: Texas COVID-19 hospitalizations down as omicron wave appears to crest As long as there are susceptible populations, such as unvaccinated residents, the virus will circulate, Kurian said. As this occurs, the virus will constantly change, she noted. Sometimes, these mutations can result in a new variant of the virus, Kurian said. Some of the variants might emerge and disappear, while some might persist like weve seen already. While stealth omicron appears to be gaining ground in the United States, its not yet clear what that means for the pandemic, she said. In some parts of the world the United Kingdom, Denmark, Norway and Sweden this strain has proved to be slightly more transmissible than the original form of omicron. In Denmark and parts of India and the Philippines, its become the predominant circulating strain of the virus, Kurian said. But its unknown if it will become a predominant strain here as it has in some other countries, she said. The good news here is that we do have tools to keep us healthy with the safe and effective vaccines and better therapeutics that are coming our way, Kurian said. The new subvariant looks a lot like the original omicron variant, said Dr. Barbara Taylor, an associate professor of infectious diseases at UT Health San Antonio and a physician who treats patients sick with COVID-19. It does seem as if the clinical picture is very similar, which is reassuring, Taylor said. On ExpressNews.com: Unsafe conditions San Antonio city employees who worked through COVID may get bonus, but when? The vaccines and the booster shot offer protection by reducing the chances of catastrophic outcomes. The booster becomes particularly important for people who became fully vaccinated months ago. The booster will really protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death, Taylor said. But Taylor expects more new variants to emerge as COVID continues to spread rapidly throughout the world, which gives the virus more opportunities to mutate. And she believes more surges are likely. This is why efforts to ramp up vaccination and support COVID mitigation measures must be made worldwide, not just in the U.S., she said. We need to plan for future surges. We need to think about how we can encourage more people to get vaccinated, said Taylor, who is also assistant dean of UT Health San Antonios doctor of medicine and master of public health program. We need to think about how we support our communities that are most marginalized in getting testing on a regular basis. And then really all of the impacts of COVID on housing and job insecurity and people being out of work and out of school are things that will continue. Taylor is hopeful people wont always have to plan their lives and social activities around COVID. I think we will get to the point where it is not the dominant force in how we interact with people, she said of the virus. I think a lot of us are expecting seasonality. We havent seen a ton of that yet. University Healths chief epidemiologist, Dr. Jason Bowling, also expects to see more surges of the virus. He predicts one will occur in the late fall and next winter a time when most respiratory viruses are on the rise. Hes less certain if a surge will happen before then. Our vaccination numbers have gone up, and then a lot of people have gotten that natural immunity because theyve been infected with omicron, too, Bowling said. Maybe that buys us a little more time, so we dont see the same peak surges (this summer) that weve seen the last couple of summers. On ExpressNews.com: San Antonio area companies sued for $90 million, accused of fraud over coronavirus disinfectant People will understandably want to return to normal activities and social events now that the number of COVID infections is trending downward. But Bowling urges caution for a couple more weeks. Right now, the risk is still high, Bowling said. Were coming down, so hopefully, that risk continues to decline. And then well get down to a lower risk. But it doesnt mean a zero-risk situation. People shouldnt be alarmed by the new BA.2 but should simply stay aware of the best ways to protect themselves, he said. If COVID activitys up or flu activitys up, well, thats probably not the best time to plan a huge party, Bowling said. It may be a good time to be wearing masks if youre going to go to a crowded situation, a public setting where youre around people. But, otherwise, just getting vaccinated is how we move this into this endemic phase. Weve got to get better at learning to live with COVID. Because, unfortunately, its not going to just go away. While the number of new COVID infections in San Antonio and Bexar County continues to drop each day, viral activity remains significantly high, Kurian said. That will decline only if people remain vigilant and continue to practice all preventative measures, such as wearing face masks in public, she said. Some places across the country have seen newly diagnosed COVID cases rapidly plummet, while others saw initial declines that plateaued, Kurian said. Bexar Countys test positivity rate stands at 25 percent, meaning that a quarter of all those tested for COVID are turning up positive for the virus. And the seven-day moving average of newly diagnosed cases dropped to 1,234 on Friday down from a record of 6,186 reached Jan. 21 but well above the moving average of 228 reported Dec. 10, just before the omicron surge began. The local communitys risk level for COVID-19 remains severe, but it is now classified as steady instead of worsening. pohare@express-news.net | Twitter: Peggy_OHare A man found dead after a fire at his West Bexar County home Wednesday has been identified. Jimmy Anthony Dehoyos, 47, was the owner of a house that caught fire at about 6:50 a.m. in the 9800 block of Misty Plain Drive. Firefighters from Bexar County Emergency Services District 2 found heavy smoke when they arrived at the home. On ExpressNews.com: 90-year-old woman dies in fire in her Denver Heights home Officials said firefighters quickly searched the home after the blaze was extinguished and did find anyone inside. But during a more thorough second search, officials said firefighters found Dehoyos body. The Bexar County Medical Examiners Office is working to determine Dehoyos cause of death. On ExpressNews.com: Firefighters discover dead body after they knock down house fire near San Antonio Airport The cause of the fire remains undetermined. The home was not determined to be a total loss. More than 33 firefighters responded to the scene, including support from Emergency Services District 5 and firefighters from Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland. jbeltran@express-news.net Police have a person in custody after a man was found dead inside a North Side apartment. At about 7 a.m., officers responded to a report of a death at The Oaks apartment complex at 2300 Nacogdoches Road, just south of Loop 410. Police, who did not say how the man died, confirmed that information from the 911 caller pointed them toward a male suspect, San Antonio Police Department spokeswoman Sarai Meneses said. That man was found and detained at a Chevron gas station about a block away. On ExpressNews.com: Dead man found in Ojeda Park ruled homicide victim No charges have been filed yet, police said. Officials believe the suspect and victim got into an altercation as they were renovating an apartment in the complex. Meneses was unable to provide additional information about the investigation. The death is believed to be an isolated incident, and Meneses said police are not looking for additional suspects. taylor.pettaway@express-news.net | @TaylorPettaway In a cluttered back office at the National Butterfly Center, Marianna Trevino Wright has a lot on her mind. The mood is of a place thats being hurriedly evacuated, with flyers and postcards strewn on a table and old markings left on a whiteboard. A painting of a butterfly hangs on the wall, and a bumper sticker with the phrase No Border Wall sits on a chair. Wright, the Butterfly Centers executive director, will be on a call with the FBI in a few hours, which seems normal these days. Before now, she would be dealing with matters such as a busted sprinkler line or preparations for the annual Texas Butterfly Festival in Mission, where the center is located. Now, everything is different. Online and personal attacks fueled by right-wing conspiracy theorists have forced the center to close indefinitely. An electronic police monitor has been stationed outside, and the gates are locked. Employees who tend the grounds cant do their work, and Wright who has been accused baselessly of sex trafficking comes to the center only for short periods of time and when accompanied by others. We make do with what time we have, Wright said. But its not a lot. About a mile from the Texas-Mexico border, the Butterfly Center sits at the convergence of 11 ecosystems. An immense diversity of native flora and fauna lives in riparian forests and tidal wetlands that cover the centers 100 acres in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News The center is a haven for more than 200 butterfly species, including the western pygmy-blue and the American snout. The Butterfly Center and the World Birding Center which has a location at nearby Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park attract tens of thousands of visitors a year. Environmental tourism contributes about $300 million to the Rio Grande Valley, according to an analysis by Texas A&M University. We exist to educate the public environmental education and conservation, Wright said. If we are not open to literally show and tell every day what a healthy ecosystem looks like, what native plants are out there, then theres backsliding and more misinformation and more missteps about conservation and the environment. Its not just for the butterflies, but for the native bees and the birds and all of those bugs at the bottom of the food chain. All of them. But in recent years, the Butterfly Centers ability to fulfill that mission has been threatened by construction of a border wall nearby and by attempts to put a portion of that wall through the center. The nonprofit says every mile of wall would lead to the elimination of nearly 20 acres of butterfly habitat. A town for the butterflies Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News The National Butterfly Center is a project of the North American Butterfly Association. It was founded in 2002 and is located in Mission because of the areas rich diversity of butterflies. As a nonprofit sanctuary, the center derives most of its funding from visitors and donors. Locals donated 70 acres of land between the Rio Grande and the Rio Grande Valley Border Levee System and an additional 30 acres between the levee and Military Road the last main road before the border. For Wright, 52, who has been with the Butterfly Center for a decade, its a beautiful workspace. Her background isnt biology or butterflies, but business development. Now, after all these years, Wright can identify butterfly species at a glance and keep track of what plants each one likes though she jokes about having a brown thumb when it comes to flora. Im not allowed to touch the plants, she said. Thats where the experts come in. The sanctuary consists of wooded areas and Texas scrubland cut through with trails. Visitors can meander through the acreage, reading informational plaques and looking for butterflies. Its a frequent destination for school field trips, and Girl Scout groups come for day visits or night camping. The center hosts the Texas Butterfly Festival, which attracts people from all over the world. In December, 241 butterfly species were spotted, including many found only in the Valley. The Butterfly Center is one of our biggest tourism assets, said Jennifer Espinoza, director of tourism at the Mission Chamber of Commerce. Thousands come to visit every year, use our hotels, eat at our restaurants. Its a big deal here. The logo for the Mission Chamber of Commerce is a butterfly. Espinoza said thats just one example of how much the city values the sanctuary and the World Birding Center. The Mission water tower has a butterfly painted on it, and there are statues of butterflies throughout town. For Espinoza, who grew up in Mission, the butterflies and birds are part of what make the city unique. This city is very dear to me, she said. Ive always felt safe. Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News But Espinoza said that when construction of new sections of border wall began in 2018 and the National Guard and the Texas Department of Public Safety were sent to the area to support then-President Donald Trumps immigration policies, she received calls from people especially Northerners who spend winters in Texas asking whether the area was safe. Wright received similar calls at the Butterfly Center. In 2017 and 2018, we started getting calls from people who were afraid for their safety, Wright said. Because of Trumps rhetoric about Mexican drug dealers and bad hombres, our usual visitors thought we were in some kind of war zone. And wed have to say, No, no, were open seven days a week. I mean, Girl Scouts come here. Its OK. Military Road, just outside the entrance to the Butterfly Center, is often filled with Border Patrol, DPS and National Guard vehicles, either patrolling the roads for migrants or racing through in response to emergency calls. Wright said the traffic has increased significantly in the past few years, which has been frustrating for the center. Theres been more roadkill, and recently, Wright said, a National Guard truck crashed into the centers back gate. This is supposed to be a protected natural area, Wright said. Now look. A wall and threats in Mission Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News On both sides of the Butterfly Center, new lengths of border wall have been constructed or are being built. Construction crews, with cranes and bulldozers, are plowing brush and cutting down trees. Across Hidalgo County, the 30-foot-tall steel and concrete wall has been expanded by several miles, while the Butterfly Center has fought to keep the wall from traversing its property. In 2017, the North American Butterfly Association filed a lawsuit against the Homeland Security Department, claiming unauthorized wall construction on the centers property. Since then, anti-immigrant conspiracy theories directed at Wright have grown, and the centers leaders decided to close to protect the safety of employees and visitors. Groups that include former Trump adviser Steve Bannons We Build the Wall an organization that solicited funds to build private sections of the wall have been linked to efforts to smear the Butterfly Center after it sued Bannons group for constructing a private wall in the sanctuary in 2019. We Build the Wall leaders and supporters have fostered lies that the sanctuary is linked to human trafficking and sex slavery and has bodies in its basement. The accusations spread to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, as well as Bannons War Room broadcast and other far-right media platforms. On Jan. 21, Kimberly Lowe, a Republican congressional candidate from Virginia, and a companion went to the Butterfly Center and got into a confrontation with Wright and her son. Wright said she was on a conference call when her son, Nicholas, told her that Lowe and her companion had refused to pay an entrance fee and demanded to be allowed on the property to see all the illegals crossing on rafts. When Wright asked them to leave, Lowe began filming her on her phone and accusing her of being indifferent to the rape of babies. Wright said she swiped Lowes hand to prevent her from filming and was tackled by Lowes companion, who claimed to be a Secret Service agent. As the two women drove off, Wright said, they swerved in an attempt to hit Nicholas. Lowe disputed Wrights description of the incident, asserting in a statement that she was the victim of assault. Lowe also said she safely drove around Wrights son and did not try to hit him. More recently, Hardy Lloyd, a white supremacist and neo-Nazi who was recently released from federal prison, put Wrights name, face and workplace on his website and called on his followers to find out where she lives and to search for information about her children. Jerry Lara /San Antonio Express-News I really just never thought Id be any kind of public figure, Wright said. I mean, just the Butterfly Festival, not all this. I would have never thought all this. Wildlife will suffer In January 2021, President Joe Biden paused Trumps border wall plans to decide how to use the remaining funds allocated to border wall construction. Then in April, the Homeland Security Department said it would repair the Valleys flood barrier system to guard against overflow from the Rio Grande. But environmentalists contend that the construction crews are replacing levees with 18-foot vertical concrete slabs with new lighting, cameras and roads for law enforcement in other words, building new border wall rather than simply repairing flood barriers. The wall rips apart ecosystems, Wright said. Animals cant reach their usual hunting grounds or water sources, and natural areas such as the one for the butterflies could be decimated. Much as monarchs seek milkweed, most butterflies need specific plants or flowers to survive and reproduce. Having a border wall built at Bentsen State Park, like its now being built, having habitat eliminated or having the Butterfly Center forced to close due to threats and harassment is another denigration of our community, Wright said. Our economy will suffer, the wildlife will suffer and the population will suffer. The wall was also going to cut through the grounds of La Lomita Chapel, a Catholic shrine in Mission that dates to the mid-19th century. But after a long dispute between the U.S. government and the Catholic Church, Congress blocked the proposed seizure. Although the wall is not on the Butterfly Centers property, Wright is worried that it may eventually cut through the sanctuary in the name of levee repair. Already, construction of the wall is claiming land at the state park, a vital habitat for butterflies and birds. Wright said she doesnt know when the center will reopen. It depends on the level of threats. In the meantime, the centers habitat is being left alone for the most part, growing wilder and more unruly by the day. While walking along one of the trails, Wright noticed a small yellow butterfly called a southern dogface. It landed lightly on a plant before lifting off again. Thats life as usual, she said. Elena Bruess writes for the Express-News through Report for America, a national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms. ReportforAmerica.org. elena.bruess@express-news.net A VIA police officer was involved in a shootout late Friday night that left one person injured, according to police. Officers with the San Antonio Police Department were dispatched to the 100 block of East Maple Street for a shooting in progress. When they arrived, they spoke with an officer from the VIA Police Department who told them he saw a black sedan traveling at a high rate of speed and decided to initiate a traffic stop, according to a police report. As the VIA officer approached the vehicle, someone from inside the sedan began firing multiple shots at the officer. On ExpressNews.com: Extreme abuse and torture: Mother, boyfriend accused of beating 5-year-old girl in weeks leading to her death According to police, the officer returned fire. After the vehicle left, traveling in an unknown direction, the VIA officer requested immediate assistance. An alert for the vehicle was issued over the police radio. The VIA officer was not injured. As SAPD was investigating, a man arrived at University Hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers and investigators went to the hospital and spoke with the individual, according to the report. It was determined the man had been involved in the shooting, but it was not known if he was the person pulling the trigger, police said. The investigation is ongoing. In the final two weeks leading up to early voting, the campaign of Ivalis Meza Gonzalez rolled out two important videos. They featured messages from Mayor Ron Nirenberg and U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, endorsing Meza Gonzalezs Democratic primary campaign to succeed Nelson Wolff as Bexar County judge. The Democratic race for county judge has the look of a toss-up. It features three formidable, well-funded candidates state Rep. Ina Minjarez, former District Court Judge Peter Sakai and Gonzalez who have no major policy disagreements. This is a contest that could be swung by small tactical details: the effectiveness of their field operations, how they utilize their campaign funds and the clarity of their messages. Endorsements convey credibility, but their vote-generating power is always questionable. Having said that, the Nirenberg and Castro endorsements stand out. Castro is almost certainly the most popular Democrat in San Antonio, a five-term congressman who is the only member of the U.S. House with a district entirely contained within Bexar County; a national voice on issues ranging from immigration to media inclusivity. Nirenberg is not only a three-term mayor coming off a landslide election victory nine months ago, he is also Gonzalezs former boss. Her case to the voters of Bexar County rests on her tenure as Nirenbergs chief of staff. Unlike Minjarez or Sakai, she has never served as an elected official. Unlike Minjarez or Sakai, she doesnt have an extensive legal career on her resume. She hasnt run a court or passed legislation. She has, however, served the mayor of the seventh-largest city in the country. That means her most important work was done behind the scenes. And no one has a better perspective on that work than Nirenberg. Its telling that both Nirenberg and Castro, in their respective video testimonials for Gonzalez, describe her as the mayors right hand during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a video released on Feb. 1, Nirenberg said: ( Gonzalez) was my right hand as chief of staff of the mayors office during a very challenging time for San Antonio. We worked together on issues ranging from the COVID response to the recovery of our economy, getting folks back on their feet, to housing policy and the work that were doing to mitigate and adapt to the changing climate. Nirenberg concluded by saying that he is greatly confident, because of that executive experience in my office, that she will be a wonderful Bexar County judge. Nirenbergs biggest triumph scrambling, in the face of the pandemic, to get workforce-development and public-transit measures on the ballot and galvanizing public support for those propositions also belongs to Gonzalez. When I spoke to Nirenberg on Friday, he described his former chief of staff as a tough-minded problem solver who helped him adopt a comprehensive approach to the pandemic response and implemented it through the various levels of bureaucracy. Another major theme for Gonzalez has been that she will foster a constructive relationship between city and county governments. Its hard to dispute that point, given that shes the only candidate in the race who has worked extensively with San Antonios current mayor. Its extremely important, Nirenberg said. I think you can see that our community, vis a vis others in Texas and around the country, has benefited greatly by the close coordination I had with Judge Wolff and that we had together between the city and the county. When we are working together and leveraging each others resources and abilities, everyone benefits. Gonzalez also has deep connections to Castro. Her brother, Danny Meza, is Castros former chief of staff. Her mother, the late Choco Meza, consistently championed the political careers of Castro and his twin brother, former Mayor Julian Castro. In his Jan. 26 endorsement video, Castro described Gonzalez as a passionate, determined leader who I know will do great things as county judge. He said Gonzalez will make sure that University Health System takes care of as many Bexar County residents as it possibly can and does it in a good way. Castro added that she will also ensure that our court system runs the way that it should, so that victims get justice and defendants get a fair trial. In a callback to Gonzalezs campaign bullet point that she is a bipartisan consensus builder, Castro said, Shes a leader whos willing to work with people, even when they disagree with her. Its an open question how impactful these high-profile endorsements will be for Gonzalez. But in a tight race with three contenders trying to elbow their way into a runoff, they certainly dont hurt. ggarcia@express-news.net | Twitter: @gilgamesh470 The World Bank has not provided a firm calculation of how much of Afghanistans GDP has declined, but other indicators show that the threshold of the worst-case scenario has likely already passed. by Vijay Prashad On February 8, 2022, UNICEF (the United Nations Childrens Fund) Afghanistan sent out a bleak set of tweets. One of the tweets, which included a photograph of a child lying in a hospital bed with her mother seated beside her, said: Having recently recovered from acute watery diarrhea, two years old Soria is back in hospital, this time suffering from edema and wasting. Her mother has been by her bedside for the past two weeks anxiously waiting for Soria to recover. The series of tweets by UNICEF Afghanistan show that Soria is not alone in her suffering. One in three adolescent girls suffers from anemia in Afghanistan, with the country struggling with one of the worlds highest rates of stunting in children under five: 41 percent, according to UNICEF. The story of Soria is one among millions; in Uruzgan Province, in southern Afghanistan, measles cases are rising due to lack of vaccines. The thread to the tweet about Soria from UNICEF Afghanistan was a further bleak reminder about the severity of the situation in the country and its impact on the lives of the children: without urgent action, 1 million children could die from severe acute malnutrition. UNICEF is now distributing high energy peanut paste to stave off catastrophe. The United Nations has, meanwhile, warned that approximately 23 million Afghansabout half the total population of the countryare facing a record level of acute hunger. In early September, not even a month after the Taliban came to power in Kabul, the UN Development Program noted that A 10-13 percent reduction in GDP could, in the worst-case scenario, bring Afghanistan to the precipice of near universal povertya 97 percent poverty rate by mid-2022. The World Bank has not provided a firm calculation of how much of Afghanistans GDP has declined, but other indicators show that the threshold of the worst-case scenario has likely already passed. When the West fled the country at the end of August 2021, a large part of the foreign funding, which Afghanistans GDP is dependent on, also vanished with the troops: 43 percent of Afghanistans GDP and 75 percent of its public funding, which came from aid agencies, dried up overnight. Ahmad Raza Khan, the chief collector (customs) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan, says that exports from his country to Afghanistan have dropped by 25 percent; the State Bank of Pakistan, he says, introduced a new policy of exports to Afghanistan on December 13 that requires Afghan traders to show that they have U.S. dollars on them to buy goods from Pakistan before entering the country, which is near impossible to show for many of the traders since the Taliban has banned the use of foreign currency in the country. It is likely that Afghanistan is not very far away from near universal poverty with the way things stand there presently. On January 26, 2022, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that Afghanistan is hanging by a thread, while pointing to the 30 percent contraction of its GDP. Sanctions and Dollars On February 7, 2022, Taliban spokesperson Suhail Shaheen told Sky News that this perilous situation, which is leading to starvation and illness among children in Afghanistan, is not the result of our [Taliban] activities. It is the result of the sanctions imposed on Afghanistan. On this point, Shaheen is correct. In August 2021, the U.S. government froze the $9.5 billion that Afghanistans central bank (Da Afghanistan Bank) held in the New York Federal Reserve. Meanwhile, family members of the victims who died in the 9/11 attacks had sued a list of targets, including the Taliban, for their losses and a U.S. court later ruled that the plaintiffs be paid damages that now amount to $7 billion. Now that the Taliban is in power in Afghanistan, the Biden administration seems to be moving forward to clear a legal path to stake a claim on $3.5 billion out of the money deposited in the Federal Reserve for the families of the September 11 victims. The European Union followed suit, cutting off $1.4 billion in government assistance and development aid to Afghanistan, which was supposed to have been paid between 2021 and 2025. Because of the loss of this funding from Europe, Afghanistan had to shut down at least 2,000 health facilities serving around 30 million Afghans. It should be noted here that the total population of Afghanistan is approximately 40 million, which means that most Afghans have lost access to health care due to that decision. During the entire 20-year period of the U.S. occupation of Afghanistan, the Ministry of Public Health had come to rely on a combination of donor funds and assistance from nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). It was as a result of these funds that Afghanistan saw a decline in infant mortality and maternal mortality rates during the Afghanistan Mortality Survey 2010. Nonetheless, the entire public health care system, particularly outside Kabul, struggled during the U.S. occupation. Many primary healthcare facilities were non-functional due to insecurity, lack of infrastructure, shortages of staff, severe weather, migrations and poor patient flow, wrote health care professionals from Afghanistan and Pakistan, based on their analysis of how the conflict in Afghanistan affected the maternal and child health service delivery. Walk Along Shaheed Mazari Road On February 8, 2022, an Afghan friend who works along Shaheed Mazari Road in Kabul took me for a virtual walkusing the video option on his phoneto this busy part of the city. He wanted to show me that in the capital at least the shops had goods in them, but that the people simply did not have money to make purchases. We had been discussing how the International Labor Organization now estimates that nearly a million people will be pushed out of their jobs by the middle of the year, many of them women who are suffering from the Talibans restrictions on women working. Afghanistan, he tells me, is being destroyed by a combination of the lack of employment and the lack of cash in the country due to the sanctions imposed by the West. We discuss the Taliban personnel in charge of finances, people such as Finance Minister Mullah Hidayatullah Badri and the governor of the Afghanistan central bank Shakir Jalali. Badri (or Gul Agha) is the money man for the Taliban, while Jalali is an expert in Islamic banking. There is no doubt that Badri is a resourceful person, who developed the Talibans financial infrastructure and learned about international finance in the illicit markets. Even the smartest and most knowledgeable person would not be able to do anything if the sanctions remain, my friend said. He would know. He used to work in Da Afghanistan Bank. Why cant the World Banks Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF) be used to rush money to the banks? he asked. This fund, a partnership between the World Bank and other donors, which was created in 2002, has $1.5 billion in funds. If you visit the ARTF website, you will receive a bleak update: The World Bank has paused disbursements in our operations in Afghanistan. I tell my friend that I dont think the World Bank will unfreeze these assets soon. Well, then we will starve, he says, as he walks past children sitting on the side of the street. This article was produced by Globetrotter. Vijay Prashad is an Indian historian, editor and journalist. He is a writing fellow and chief correspondent at Globetrotter. He is the chief editor of LeftWord Books and the director of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. He is a senior non-resident fellow at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China. He has written more than 20 books, including The Darker Nations and The Poorer Nations. His latest book is Washington Bullets, with an introduction by Evo Morales Ayma. Lets say youre a musician, artist or actor with dreams of making it big. How do you do that? The standard answer is: Be really excellent at your craft and you will become renowned. Sadly, its not that simple. Excellence is a requirement, but often its not enough. Let me hold up the Beatles to explain what Im talking about. If ever there was a group that could rise to the top on the basis of sheer creative genius, it was them. But thats not how it looked at first. Every record label they approached rejected them. The boys wont go, one companys representatives said. We know these things. A dejected John Lennon said they thought that was the end. So how did the Beatles make it? Obviously, they had talent that was going unrecognized. But they had something else: early champions. They had a fanatically committed manager in 27-year-old Brian Epstein. They had two enthusiastic admirers who worked in the music publishing arm of EMI who pushed until the company offered the Beatles a recording contract. When Love Me Do was released in late 1962 with little support and low expectations from their label, a different kind of champion fans back in Liverpool helped build up a wave of support for the song. I take this example from a paper by Cass Sunstein that is awaiting publication with the Journal of Beatles Studies (you knew there had to be one, right?). Sunstein is a celebrated Harvard Law professor who studies, among many other things, how informational cascades work. One of the things I take from Sunsteins work is that people dont rely only on their own judgments; they think in social networks. We use informed others in our network to filter the mass of cultural products that are out there. If a highly confident member of your group thinks something is cool, youll be more likely to think its cool. If holding a certain political opinion or liking a certain band will help you fit in, youll probably do so. If a group of like-minded people get together, they will tend to push one another to a more extreme version of their existing views. In his paper, Sunstein cites a study done by Matthew Salganik and others that illustrates the immense power of social influence. The researchers recruited about 14,000 people to a website where they could listen to and download 48 songs. Some of the people were divided into subgroups where they could see how often other people in their subgroup downloaded each song. Sunstein summarizes the results: Almost any song could end up popular or not, depending on whether or not the first visitors liked it. If people saw the early champions downloading a song, they were more likely to download it, too. In a later experiment, researchers inverted the download figures, so the most popular songs suddenly appeared least popular and the least popular suddenly looked most popular. They found that some of the formerly unpopular songs rose to the top of the rankings and some of the formerly popular ones sank. Some songs seemed so appealing that they could recover popularity in the long run, but for many of the others, a songs perceived popularity was more influential. These findings support the work of Rene Girard, a French thinker who is enjoying a vogue these days. Girard exploded the view that we are atomistic individuals driven by our own intrinsic desires. He argued instead that we explore the world by imitating other people. If we see someone wanting something, then that can plant a desire in us to want it, too. Man is the creature who does not know what to desire, and he turns to others in order to make up his mind, Girard wrote. You can tell a negative story based on all this: Human beings are mostly pathetic lemmings, blown about by peer pressure. But thats not how I see it. The greatest thing a society does is create its own culture. Each society creates a landscape of stories, symbols, assumptions, iconic artworks, prophets and meanings, and then we live within that landscape. We create our culture collectively, as a community. A culture doesnt exist in a single mind, but in a network of minds. We create a culture in response to the most pressing concerns of the moment. Of all the talented people out there, we lift those who help us see and understand our current conditions. In the 1960s, millions seized upon the Beatles because they so brilliantly embodied the dreams and values of the collective consciousness at the time. Artists are not the only creative ones here. The early champions, who play such a powerful role in sculpting the cultural landscape, are playing a profoundly creative role. They are architects of desire, shaping what people want to listen to and experience. If you are an artist, you probably have less control over whether youll become famous than you would like. Social conditions are the key. The better questions for the rest of us may be: Who am I an early champion for? Who are the obscure talents I can help lift up? How am I fulfilling my responsibility to shape the desires of the people around me? For most of us, thats how the real creative acts are performed. Every day, we see the cold, hard numbers about the blood shortage at South Texas Blood & Tissue Center. The need for transfusions is up 15 percent from pre-pandemic levels. Donations by younger donors are down by 60 percent. Our new normal is less than half of an adequate daily supply for the San Antonio metro area. But those numbers are just one part of the story of the national crisis in the blood supply, which stretches from one end of the U.S. to the other, leaving doctors, hospitals and blood centers to make difficult decisions about patient needs. What really tells the story are those who need that blood in our community. Ask Ryan Morkovsky, whose 3-year-old daughter Amy is battling leukemia. He calls her blood transfusions which are a necessary part of her chemotherapy her lifeline. Amys skin, lips, even her eyes get dull and gray, shes lethargic, and she doesnt want to do any of her favorite activities when she requires a transfusion. Ask Ashley Byrnes, who suffered severe bleeding after her sons birth. Doctors and nurses in the emergency room had to give her so much blood, they were squeezing the bags to infuse it more quickly. She spent 16 days in the hospital and needed 19 lifesaving units of red blood cells, four units of platelets and four units of plasma. She said every transfusion made her feel like she had life again that she had the energy to keep fighting. Those patients and thousands more are why we keep doing everything we can to increase blood donations. Its not easy. So many people who used to give regularly at their place of employment now work from home. Its not easy with school schedules and blood drives at those schools constantly in flux. Its not easy with hundreds of drives canceled because of concerns about the pandemic. At South Texas Blood & Tissue Center, were trying all kinds of new ways to rebuild the supply. Were focusing on making sure every appointment is filled. Were working with community partners and organizations to schedule drives that allow for social distancing in easy-to-reach locations. Were encouraging businesses and organizations to adopt one of our donor rooms and encourage staff and members to schedule appointments there. The latest Council Challenge resulted in friendly competition and awareness of the need among members of the San Antonio City Council and their constituents. And were expanding we just opened our eighth donor room this month in Boerne and were well along on plans for a new donor room in Bulverde. But we cant overcome this blood shortage alone we need your help. We need more dedicated donors, especially younger people. We need community partners to schedule drives again or for the first time. We need everyone to go on social media and spread the word about the need our patients need. Adrienne Blevins Mendoza is chief operating officer for South Texas Blood & Tissue. At the end of this year, just two people will have held the role of Bexar County judge in the last three decades. But one of the most influential political titles in San Antonio is up for grabs as Nelson Wolff steps down from the seat after more than 20 years as presiding officer of the Commissioners Court. Six people four Democrats and two Republicans are vying for the job in the March 1 primary elections, and the importance of having a law degree has come into question. Legally, its not a requirement for the position, though Wolff has a doctorate of jurisprudence from St. Marys University School of Law. Half the candidates all Democrats have a legal degree: Ivalis Meza Gonzalez, 40, who has served as Mayor Ron Nirenbergs chief of staff providing guidance during the height of the pandemic. State Rep. Ina Minjarez, 46, who broke quorum during last years legislative session in protest of a voting rights bill. Former District Judge Peter Sakai, 67, who spent 26 years as a district judge and previously was a municipal lawyer. Gerardo Ponce, a 68-year-old consultant and former court coordinator, is the only Democratic candidate without a legal degree. And the two Republican candidates also are missing the legal degree: Nathan Buchanan, 38, who ran unsuccessfully for Precinct 3 constable in 2016 and 2020 and has a background in law enforcement. Trish DeBerry, 57, a public relations consultant and former broadcast journalist who resigned as Precinct 3 commissioner in December. DeBerry seeks to dispel a misconception that a law degree is required to be a county judge. She said she has the decision-making skills to oversee the county and its basic community services: elections, health care, civil and criminal justice, records management, tax collection, economic development, and police and fire protection. On ExpressNews.com: DeBerry enters race to succeed Wolff as Bexar County judge With early voting starting Monday, Sakai appears to have the edge in fundraising, with more than $135,000 raised, $56,000 spent and nearly $300,000 total cash on hand, according to his January financial report. Gonzalez had $167,000 in contributions on hand, and Minjarez had $112,000 as of Jan. 20. Ponce recently reported $200 in campaign expenditures for July-December 2021. Buchanan reported $550 in political contributions in the second half of January, with no expenses. DeBerry reported $31,500 in contributions, $7,420 in expenses and just over $81,000 in total cash on hand as of Jan. 20. Working with the state Minjarez has been the most forceful critic of state Republican leaders in handling the pandemic. At a recent candidate forum, she praised Wolff, who has served as county judge since 2001, and Nirenberg for promoting the use of masks and encouraging residents to get vaccinated for COVID-19. They did the work that the leadership of this state failed us on, Minjarez said. Sakai has been more measured but said the state has failed foster children. His oft-repeated campaign mantra is that he wants to break down silos to find solutions through bipartisanship. But Sakai is prepared to push back against the state, as Wolff has done at times, if the pandemic continues. Its going to be based on the experts, and if I have to oppose the governor to protect the citizens of Bexar County I will do it, he said. Gonzalez pointed to her experience in Nirenbergs office during the COVID-19 crisis. We pushed back on the governor when we had to, said Gonzalez. I feel like my leadership was exemplified in this moment. The Republican primary The winner of the Democratic primary will face the winner of the Republican race DeBerry or Buchanan in the November general election. DeBerry, positioning herself as fiscally conservative yet moderate on social issues, has been criticized for resigning one year into her four-year elected term as a county commissioner to run for Wolffs seat. She said she hopes to serve two terms as county judge. A San Antonio native with a bachelors degree from Trinity University in communications and politics, DeBerry is a public relations strategist and former KENS-TV reporter now marketing herself as a taxpayer champion. Her campaign priorities are supporting law enforcement, lowering property taxes, protecting seniors and veterans, and creating jobs. The Young Republicans of Bexar County and Deputy Sheriffs Association of Bexar County have endorsed her. Shes the only candidate with a record on the county dais, having secured a small property tax rate decrease and reinstatement of an elderly abuse investigator in the District Attorneys Office among her accomplishments. Buchanan ran unsuccessfully for Precinct 3 constable in 2016 and 2020. Hes criticized DeBerry for not fully supporting former President Donald Trump and has said hes the only candidate with a background as a licensed Texas peace officer who can fix overcrowding and staffing overtime at the jail. Buchanan also has criticized Wolff for backing mask mandates in county buildings, schools and businesses that opt to require face coverings and has called some of the countys emergency orders tyrannical. He has emphasized property tax reform, spending cuts and government overreach in his talking points. We need change. This way of doing things in politics hasnt worked for years, Buchanan said in an interview on YouTube. How are they different? Differences among the Democratic front-runners are more subtle. Sakai has said his 26 years as a district judge and previous experience as a municipal lawyer equipped him to repair the justice system and build bridges of collaboration. Having grown up in McAllen, a Japanese American whose family endured the hardships of farm work and unfair treatment during World War II, Sakai has said he pursued a law career to protect individuals civil rights. He pointed to his background with the childrens court. We must deal with domestic and family violence if were going to save our community, Sakai told a sparse audience at the Democratic forum last month at Mount Zion First Baptist Church. Hes endorsed by the Tejano Democrats of Bexar County, and his website features testimonials from childrens and family support advocates. Sakai has highlighted tax reform, economic development and education partnerships as priorities. Restorative justice and related social issues poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, and domestic violence are at the core of his campaign. Weve got to get our criminal justice system back up and running; and it is, at this time, impaired and disabled, he said. Minjarez has legal experience as an attorney for over 20 years and a former prosecutor in the DAs office, along with a legislative background dealing with education, transportation, opioid abuse and a strained foster care system. Her campaign video promotes Minjarez as the only candidate with a proven record. Born and raised in El Paso, Minjarez has said she was instilled with a hard work ethic by her parents. She was awarded scholarships to attend the University of Notre Dame, where she wrote about social justice issues, launching a career of helping migrant workers, refugees and other marginalized people. She has a favorable rating from the Stonewall Democrats of San Antonio, and endorsements from local state legislators and County Commissioner Justin Rodriguez, who called her a champion for Bexar County in the Legislature. Minjarez has said shell focus on property tax relief, educational opportunities that break cycles of poverty, and roads, drainage, clinics and hospitals to serve health care deserts in a growing urban county. On ExpressNews.com: Former 4th Court justice appointed to vacant commissioners seat If we lift our neighbors and our community out of poverty, San Antonio is successful, Minjarez said. Gonzalez worked in Nirenbergs office for four years, promoted to chief of staff during the first COVID-19 surge in June 2020. She has the endorsement of the mayor, as well as U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro. Nirenberg has said Gonzalez was my right hand during a very challenging time for San Antonio. So Im greatly confident that because of that executive experience in my office that she will be a wonderful Bexar County judge, Nirenberg said in a video on Gonzalezs Facebook page. The daughter of Choco Meza, a longtime fixture in West Side politics who died in 2016, Gonzalez has described herself as that little girl that grew up going to labor events with my parents. She sees public service as a birthright. Expanding public health and mental health services, affordable housing and economic opportunities are goals for Gonzalez. I have spent all of my time giving back to my community any time that I can, she said. shuddleston@express-news.net Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media BRIDGEPORT A city man has been charged after police said he took a backpack from a woman visiting her father in the hospital. A 31-year-old woman from New York was at St. Vincents Hospital visiting her ailing father Thursday. The woman was sitting in her car on the second-floor garage around 3:30 p.m. when the suspect, 35-year-old Enrique Dorvil, opened the passenger door and wrestled the womans backpack away from her, according to Detective Jeffrey Holtz. Fairfield, MT (59436) Today Partly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 64F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds. Low around 40F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Waitrose has announced it will strengthen its emergency support package to help pig farmer suppliers as the backlog crisis worsens. The move comes amid growing concerns over the pig sector, which is facing the biggest crisis it has seen in a generation. The current estimate is that around 200,000 pigs are backed up on farms across the country due to a lack of labour in processing plants. The sector is also facing falling prices impacting its financial sustainability, as well as global disruption to CO2 supplies. In response, Waitrose said it would be extending its pledge to pay a "fair and sustainable, minimum price for pork to all of our dedicated farmers - even if prices continue to fall." Jake Pickering, senior agriculture manager for the supermarket said: We need to support our farmers before its too late to save their bacon. "They kept food on our tables through the pandemic, and we need to help them through their tough times too. By guaranteeing a base price for pork, were protecting farmers for the months ahead and allowing them to plan for a long-term, sustainable future. The move extends the retailer's previous commitment, initially announced in November 2021. It remains the only supermarket in the UK to support the pig sector through direct payments to farmers. Details of the support were shared at a pig crisis emergency summit, chaired by Defra on Thursday (10 February). Bringing together retailers, alongside the National Pig Association (NPA), NFU and leading pork processors, the meeting sought to find long-term solutions. Rob Mutimer, pig producer and NPA chair, welcomed Waitroses 'continued support' for the British pig industry. "The commitment made shows that there is a huge amount retailers can do in terms of the price and promotion of British pork. "Only with their support can we plan for a sustainable future for our industry. NFU President Minette Batters, who attended the summit, said that without urgent action, the pig sector would contract even further, triggering an increase in pork imports produced to lower standards. She urged the government to simplify the skilled worker visa route to allow more butchers to be recruited and to make use of public procurement to source British pork. We are witnessing the first ever cull of healthy pigs in this country, with the backlog on farms now in excess of 200,000 pigs. "There are farming families suffering serious emotional, mental and financial stress as a result. It remains critical that the government looks at providing financial support to those farmers most affected." Mrs Batters added that retailers played a crucial role in promoting British pork, particularly those key joints and cuts essential to carcass balance. Since April, the NFU, the NPA and the entire food supply chain has been warning the government of the possible consequences labour shortages could have on food and farming. "Unfortunately, our predictions have become reality and it is deeply frustrating that nothing has been done. We now have a long-term plan but no short-term fix." Only subscribers with PAID Print or E-Edition subscriptions please enter here to gain access. If you are not already a Paid subscriber do not go through this portal. Please return to the subscription page to purchase one of our offers. Thank you! Category Select Category Apparel/Garments Textiles Fashion Technical Textiles Information Technology E-commerce Retail Corporate Association Press Release SubCategory Select Sub-Category When Carol Wright hopped on a bicycle some 10 years ago vowing to shed significant weight, the most she could ride was one block. Still, it was reason to celebrate doing it again and again. Next she was celebrating making it to Dixie Highway, a few more blocks from her West Palm Beach home. Pressing on with her goal, Wright made it many more blocks to Flagler Drive, along the Intercoastal Waterway. In time, she was crossing the Royal Palm Park Bridge that connects West Palm Beach to the island of Palm Beach. Friends and neighbors reveled in Wrights successful healthy-living journey. Advertisement About 10 a.m. Sunday, Wright hopped on her beach cruiser like she did daily. She flicked the bell on her handle bars as she passed her neighbor Ron Taylor, telling him she was off to the Classic Bookshop on the island, a place the retired long-time journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News visited often. Hours later Wright died, plummeting some 60 feet to her death when the drawbridge opened as she was pushing her bike across the bridge back to West Palm Beach. Advertisement [ RELATED: Bicyclist plunges 60 feet to her death when draw bridge opened as she was crossing over ] She was doing so good, Taylor said. She was as happy as I have ever seen her. Wright would have turned 80 in April. Its just so incredible how this happened, Taylor said. Police in West Palm Beach are investigating. Witnesses told police Wright was about 10 feet from the fixed span of the 1,091-foot-long bridge when the crossing gates came down and the bridge began lifting. Police said Wright grabbed onto the railing but eventually lost her grip. A bridge tender has safety protocols to follow before opening a drawbridge that include lowering the crossing gates for vehicles and pedestrians, and making several visual confirmations that there is no pedestrian or motorist at either of the spans or past the gates, West Palm Beach Police Department spokesman Mike Jachles told WPTV Ch. 5. [ RELATED: Man falls to death off bridge; victim was trapped on span as it opened ] The bridge tender who was on duty at the time of the accident, a 42-year-old woman from Greenacres, declined comment Friday. A pedestrian on the fixed span of the bridge tried to grab Wright but was unable to reach her, police said. When reached by phone Friday, the witness said they did not wish to talk about what happened. Advertisement I just cannot stop thinking about how terrifying her last moments must have been, neighbor Barb Glasgow said. I just cannot wrap my head around this. No one deserves to go like this. ... She was really a nice woman. Just so sweet. She will be remembered fondly. She really was just such an inspiration. Its so sad. A spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation, which owns the Royal Palm Bridge, did not respond to calls or emailed questions, issuing only a brief statement saying the agency is cooperating with investigators. This should never have happened, said Jay Cohen, a Fort Lauderdale attorney, who in 2011 won a $1.5 million settlement after suing the Florida Department of Transportation, a bridge contractor and the bridge tender in an eerily similar case. In that incident, an 80-year-old man also plunged 60 feet to his death when the Sheridan Street Bridge in Hollywood open as Desmond Nolan was walking across, records say. [ RELATED: Desmond Nolan's death one of a spate of deadly South Florida drawbridge mishaps ] Just like Wright, Nolan grabbed onto the railing as the bridge span rose into the air before losing his grip. Cohen argued that the bridge tender was distracted. He said several witnesses on the bridge and even on boats below were making noise trying to get the attention of the bridge tender as Nolan teetered some 60 feet above the concrete. Advertisement Cohen said his case revealed numerous deficiencies in safety protocols. He said security cameras did not capture all portions of the movable bridge, leaving blind spots. Cohen said the bridge tender had a television on inside the bridge house. He said there also were not any policies in place mandating that bridge tenders come outside of the house and do a visual inspection of the bridge before opening it. Police earlier this week said that is now a requirement. We were able to make a link that he was distracted. He said there were blinds down on some of the windows, Cohen said. Cohen said Nolans widow and children agreed to settle out of court just before the jury trial, provided the Florida Department of Transportation enhanced its safety measures. Nolans drawbridge death in 2009 came six years after an 83-year-old woman was killed in Fort Lauderdale when the Sunrise Bridge over the Intercoastal Waterway opened as she was waking over it. Savitiri Motwanes death was the fourth such drawbridge death on the Sunrise Bridge since 1988, according to South Florida Sun Sentinel archives. They were instituting new policy and procedures to avoid any situation happening like this again, Cohen said. ... Im sure the bridge tender [in the most recent incident] is devastated. This was hopefully nothing more than neglect, and it also demonstrates how vigilant you have to be when you hold down a job like this where peoples lives are in your hands, Cohen said. You cannot make any mistakes with it having an impact. Youve got bells, whistles, alarms and visual observation everything available to you so this does not have to have happened.. Advertisement Eileen Kelley can be reached at 772-925-9193 or ekelley@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Twitter @reporterkell. CUPERTINO (dpa-AFX) - Tech giant Apple, Inc's (AAPL)latest gadget, AirTag has come under a lot of criticism after people started reporting that stalkers are using the accurate navigation of the device to cause follow individuals. However, the maker has taken another step to stop the malpractitioners from making wrong use of the gadget. 'AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person's property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products,' Apple said. Now the company is working on an update to make anyone aware if an unwanted AirTag is tracking their location. The feature had been present in the device since last year but the alert system, which should start beeping after 24 hours have been reported to take much more than that in multiple instances. However, with the new update, the software will have 'precision finding'. According to the company, the feature 'allows recipients of an unwanted tracking alert to locate an unknown AirTag with precision. iPhone 11, iPhone 12, and iPhone 13 users will be able to use Precision Finding to see the distance and direction to an unknown AirTag when it is in range. As an iPhone user moves, Precision Finding fuses input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope to guide them to the AirTag through a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback.' The new update will also show a warning sign to the users to make them aware that stalking is illegal and using the device the stalk will create legal issues for them. Apart from these, instead of showing 'Unknown Accessory Detected' in case of a foreign accessory being in proximity, the iPhones will mention the accessory. The company updated its support article with 'additional explanations of which Find My accessories may trigger an unwanted tracking alert, more visuals to provide specific examples of such alerts, and updated information on what to do after receiving an alert, including instructions for disabling an AirTag.' The iPhone maker also said that it is collaborating with the law enforcement to punish the miscreants. 'Every AirTag has a unique serial number, and paired AirTags are associated with an Apple ID. Apple can provide the paired account details in response to a subpoena or valid request from law enforcement. We have successfully partnered with them on cases where the information we provided has been used to trace an AirTag back to the perpetrator, who was then apprehended and charged.' The update is supposed to roll out later this year. However, the Find My app is still iOS only, and therefore android users are still exposed to threats from thieves and stalkers. Copyright(c) 2022 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX APPLE-Aktie komplett kostenlos handeln - auf Smartbroker.de Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 11, 2022) - Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc. (CSE: VEGI) (OTCQB: VGGIF) (FSE: 77i) ("Boosh" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that today it executed an asset purchase agreement to acquire substantially all of the assets of Beanfields Inc. (the "Assets"). The acquisition reflects the Company's strategy taking hold, providing value creation and an instantly accretive opportunity for shareholders, bringing a leading brand into the Boosh portfolio. This transaction catapults Boosh into being one of the largest emerging markets plant-based food companies in the world. Beanfields Inc. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://orders.newsfilecorp.com/files/7944/113637_87618798c43dfa84_002full.jpg Beanfields produces and sells a healthy, gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan, top eight allergen-free flavored bean-based chip. The portfolio includes a broad offering of nine flavors, including Black Bean, Sour Cream and Onion, Firey Hot and Nacho flavors. They have capitalized on the industry trends of 'Better For You' in the salty snack category. Beanfields received the 2019 "Rising Star Award" from NOSH (Natural, Organic, Sustainable and Healthy) organization. In June 2021, it introduced its Rings line, which became one of its fastest-selling products. This past December, NOSH recognized Rings as a Best New Product for 2021. Beanfields has authorizations currently in over 7,000 outlets throughout North America. Jim Pakulis, Chief Executive officer for Boosh, commented, "The Beanfields Team did an incredible job building Beanfields into a top-five brand in the category. They led the category with innovation and built a truly differentiated brand. Now with Boosh's resources, infrastructure and capabilities, we expect to help Beanfields grow to its next level." "It's truly an amazing opportunity to have one of the fastest-growing plant-based snack chips and onion rings in both Canada and the US," states Connie Marples, founder, and president of Boosh. "Beanfields' packing design, as well as their product lines, are directly in line with our style and philosophy. Like Boosh, Beanfields provides fun, healthy, plant-based options for families to enjoy. We can't wait to introduce Beanfields as part of the Boosh family at the Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, from March 10th through the 12th." "Operationally, we have all hands on deck during the transition period and will begin to reach out to the existing client base next week," states TJ Walsh, head of North American sales. "In the meantime, we urge all Super Bowl fans to fill up with Beanfields chips and onion rings before sitting down and enjoying any number of Boosh's entrees, pates, and cheeses." As consideration for the Assets, Boosh will issue an aggregate of 8,000,000 common shares (the "Payment Shares") to the vendors of the Assets. All of the Payment Shares will be subject to a six month contractual hold period, in addition to resale restrictions required under applicable securities laws in Canada and the United States. Thereafter, the holders have agreed that not more than 4% of the Payment Shares (or 320,000 Payment Shares) may be sold in any calendar month with certain exceptions. Boosh will also pay US$400,000 through the issuance of a promissory note to the vendors bearing interest at a rate of 6% per annum (the "Note"), with interest only payments until the 18 month maturity of the Note, which Note may also be prepaid at any time without penalty. Finally, Boosh will also commit to providing Beanfields aggregate working capital funding of US$1,000,000, to be expended at the discretion of Boosh, of which US$250,000 was funded upon the execution of the asset purchase agreement and the remainder is to be funded on or before March 10, 2022. Boosh will, with the assistance of its auditor, prepare audited financial statements of the business of the Assets for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 (the "Audited Statements"). In the event that the Audited Statements demonstrate a variance of 20% of greater of the representations made concerning the financial condition of the Assets, Boosh may unwind the acquisition of the Assets and cancel the Note and return to treasury the Payment Shares, within 120 days of closing, which is currently expected to occur on Wednesday, February 16th, 2022, subject to regulatory approvals as well as other customary conditions of closing. The completion of the transaction is expected to result in the creation of two new insiders of Boosh being Venture Lending & Leasing VIII, Inc., a private Maryland corporation and Venture Lending & Leasing IX, Inc., a private Maryland corporation, who will each hold 3,830,000 of the Payment Shares, representing 14.14% of the then outstanding common shares of Boosh. On behalf of the Board of Directors Jim Pakulis Chief Executive Officer jpakulis@booshfood.com Telephone: (833) 882-6674 www.Booshfood.com About Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc.: Boosh Plant-Based Brands Inc., through its wholly owned subsidiary, Boosh Food (www.booshfood.com), offers high quality, non-GMO, gluten free, 100% plant-based nutritional comfort foods for the whole family. We currently offer 24 plant-based SKU's ranging from frozen meals, to refrigerated entrees to shelf stable Mac & Cheezes, and are sold throughout Canada. Boosh, good for you and good for planet earth. The information in this news release includes certain information and statements about management's view of future events, expectations, plans and prospects that constitute forward looking statements. These statements are based upon assumptions that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Because of these risks and uncertainties and as a result of a variety of factors, the actual results, expectations, achievements or performance may differ materially from those anticipated and indicated by these forward looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, the Company's plans in respect of the Assets, the potential revenues of the Assets and the Company's intention to complete the acquisition of the Assets.. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from these forward-looking statements as well as future results. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in forward looking statements are reasonable, it can give no assurances that the expectations of any forward looking statements will prove to be correct. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements to reflect actual results, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions, changes in factors affecting such forward looking statements or otherwise. Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/113637 Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States of America. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws. TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2022 / Sparta Capital Ltd. (TSXV:SAY) (the "Corporation" or "Sparta") is pleased to announce that it has closed on the final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement on November 12, 2021 (the "Private Placement"). In connection with the Private Placement, the Corporation raised gross proceeds of CDN$275,000 of unsecured convertible debentures ("Debentures"). Private Placement The Debentures will bear interest at a rate of 8% per annum payable semi-annually in arrears on June 30th and December 31st in each year commencing December 31, 2021 with a maturity date being 2 years from the date of issuance. Each Debenture is convertible into Common Shares and Warrants at the option of the holder at any time prior to redemption or maturity (as the case may be), entitling the holder to acquire one unit (each a "Unit") at an exercise price of $0.20 per Unit. Each Unit will be comprised of one (1) Common Share in the capital of the Corporation ("Common Share") and one half () of one common share purchase warrant of the Corporation ("Warrant"). Each whole Warrant entitles the Holder to purchase one Common Share ("Warrant Share") in the capital of the Corporation. If the holder elects to convert all or any portion of the principal amount of Convertible Debentures held by them within 12 months of the Closing Date, the exercise price of the Warrant shall be $0.10 per Warrant Share, expiring twenty-four (24) months from the Closing Date (the "Warrant Expiry Date"). If the Holder elects to convert all or any portion of the principal amount of Convertible Debentures held by them after 12 months from the Closing Date and until the Maturity Date, the exercise price of the Warrant shall be $0.25 per Warrant Share, expiring on the Warrant Expiry Date. Holders converting their Convertible Debentures will receive accrued and unpaid interest thereon, in cash, from the period of the last interest payment date on their Convertible Debentures up to but not excluding the date of conversion. The Debentures, Common Shares and Warrants issued upon conversion thereof will be subject to a four month and one day hold period from the date of issuance of the Debentures in accordance with applicable securities laws and the policies of the Exchange. The Corporation may redeem the Debentures for cash at any time prior to the maturity date, in whole or in part, from time to time without bonus or penalty, at a redemption price equal to the Debentures principal amount plus accrued and unpaid interest, if any. The net proceeds of the Debenture issuance will be used by the Corporation as a commercial loan to SBL Testing Technologies (USA) Inc. ("SBL") to fund the marketing efforts in the North American and Caribbean markets. About Sparta Sparta is a technology-based company that owns or holds a controlling interest in a network of independent businesses that supply energy saving technologies designed to reduce energy inefficiencies, achieve reduced emissions, and increase operating efficiencies in various industries. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Sparta has also expanded its scope to help facilitate supply of necessary materials while assisting talented inventors who are looking to introduce innovative technical solutions that will bring greater normalcy to the post COVID-19 world. Sparta's network of independent businesses provides a wide range of specialized energy capturing, converting, optimizing, and related services to the commercial sector. Sparta provides capital, technical and engineering expertise, legal support, financial and accounting knowledge, strategic planning, and other shared services to its independent businesses. As Investors are increasingly applying non-financial factors to their analysis process (ESG), Sparta continues to strengthen its environmental and social path by adding new green products and services, as well as advanced health technologies for human good. Sparta is a publicly traded company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "SAY" (TSX.V: SAY). Additional information is available at www.spartagroup.ca or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For more information contact: John O'Bireck, President Email: jobireck@spartagroup.ca Telephone: (905) 751-8004 This above may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this address, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Corporation believes in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information because the Corporation can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date of publication of this information and the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Furthermore, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Corporation. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release). SOURCE: Sparta Group View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/688514/Sparta-Announces-Closing-of-Final-Tranche-of-Non-Brokered-Private-Placement Not for distribution to U.S. Newswire Services or for dissemination in the United States of America. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of U.S. Securities laws TORONTO, ON / ACCESSWIRE / February 11, 2022 / Sparta Group (TSXV:SAY) (the "Corporation", the "Company", "Sparta Group", "Sparta Capital", "SAY.V" or "Sparta") is announcing that further to its January 28, 2022 news release ("Default Acceptance") it is on course to meet the new filing deadline of March 1st 2022. In the original "Default Announcement" dated January 27, 2022, Sparta reported that it had completed an application seeking an order for an MCTO from the Alberta Securities Commission (ASC) because the Company was unable to file its annual financial statements for the year ended September 30, 2021, including the related management's discussion and analysis and certifications from the CEO and CFO (the "Annual Filings") in time to meet the January 28, 2022, filing deadline. On January 28th, 2022, the application was accepted by the ASC. The delay in filing is related to senior management involved in audit preparation work contracting COVID during the holiday season. The MCTO restricts all trading in securities of the Company by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of the Company until the management cease trade order is no longer in effect; however, regular trading by current and future investors (those outside the Company), continues as normal. The MCTO will be in effect until the Annual Filings are filed. "We had no major COVID-19 outbreaks at any of our divisions before Christmas and we are proud of the technology we've developed to help safe-guard staff, but then the holiday break occurred, and we had no control over personal settings. At the same time, there was a surge in the Omicron variant, which several of our managers were unable to escape away from the office. We have taken further steps, including asking senior management to isolate, at least until the financial reporting work is complete. This means meeting the new filing deadline should not be a problem," said Sparta President, John O'Bireck. Until the Annual Filings are filed, the Company intends to continue to follow the provisions of the Alternative Information Guidelines set out in National Policy 12-203 - Management Cease Trade Orders. The Company confirms that, other than what was disclosed in prior press releases, there have been no material business developments since the filing of the Company's latest interim financial report. About Sparta Sparta Group (a.k.a. Sparta Capital Ltd.) is a technology-based company that owns or holds a controlling interest in a network of independent businesses that supply energy saving technologies designed to reduce energy inefficiencies, achieve reduced emissions, and increase operating efficiencies in various industries. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, Sparta has also expanded its scope to help facilitate supply of necessary materials while assisting talented inventors who are looking to introduce innovative technical solutions that will bring greater normalcy to the post COVID-19 world. Sparta's network of independent businesses provides a wide range of specialized energy capturing, converting, optimizing, and related services to the commercial sector. Sparta provides capital, technical and engineering expertise, legal support, financial and accounting knowledge, strategic planning, and other shared services to its independent businesses. Sparta is a publicly traded company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. under the symbol "SAY" (TSXV:SAY). Additional information is available at www.spartagroup.ca or on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. For more information contact: John O'Bireck, President & CTO Email: jobireck@spartagroup.ca Telephone: (905) 751-8004 This above may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. When used in this address, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Corporation believes in light of the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, readers are cautioned to not place undue reliance on forward-looking information because the Corporation can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Forward-looking statements are made based on management's beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date of publication of this information and the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update such forward-looking statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change. Furthermore, the Corporation undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Corporation. All forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release). SOURCE: Sparta Group View source version on accesswire.com:https://www.accesswire.com/688515/Sparta-Provides-Update-on-Status-of-Management-Cease-Trade-Order-by-Alberta-Securities-Commission DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The trend of residency and citizenship by investment (RCBI) continues to grow throughout the world. More high net worth individuals (HNWIs) are looking to obtain a second passport to help offset the risk of political and economic instability within their own countries. This trend has especially skyrocketed within the African continent, and Nigeria, the most populated and second wealthiest African country, is proving a massive market for RCBI. Nigeria ticks the three boxes needed for any given market to become a large one in terms of RCBI, which are: The availability of wealth The need for investment migration? The availability of RCBI services A Rich Nation With A Struggling Economy Nigeria is in a paradoxical situation. The nation's economy is one of the largest in Africa and one of the most influential in the region, yet its political instability continues to affect its economic landscape. The Nigerian currency has dropped more than 100% in the last decade, while poverty is on the rise. However, when it comes to the country's elite, the vast resources and opportunities in Nigeria mean they continue to do business on the highest level. The number of HNWIs with over a million USD in Nigeria is expected to grow a staggering 19% in the upcoming five years, while ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs), those with net worths above 30 million USD, are expected to grow 14% within that same time period. The Nigerian market continues to grow, regardless of currency fluctuations or the political landscape, and that creates a vast client pool for Residency & Citizenship by Investment Services. A Need For A Better Life Life in Nigeria is a mixed bag, but one can understand why Nigerians consider obtaining a Plan B in terms of a second citizenship. Political instability, safety concerns, and an array of sanctions have left Nigerians looking for a contingency. Quality of life in the African country is not what its residents hope it would be. The United Nations's Human Development Index, a methodology to assess the standard of living, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economy of a country, among other things, provides ample proof of the country's status. But it isn't just about the quality of life, as global mobility also plays a huge role in why Nigerians are seeking out a second passport. The Antiguan passport provides visa-free travel to 150 destinations worldwide , more than three times that of its Nigerian counterpart. It also offers visa-free travel to areas such as the United Kingdom and the EU. It is no surprise that Nigerian applicants to the Antiguan citizenship by investment program increased tenfold between 2017 and 2018. But it is not just Antigua & Barbuda that is getting more Nigerian applicants; Vanuatu's Citizenship by Investment Program saw almost eight times more Nigerian applicants in 2019 than in the year before. Access to RCBI Services The last box Nigeria must tick to become a large RCBI market is accessibility to RCBI services, which is something we at Savory & Partners provide our Nigerian clients with in abundance. We provide our Nigerian clientele with comprehensive second citizenship solutions that meet their needs, objectives, and budget. We understand the challenges they face on a daily basis, and we have the expertise to find solutions to their problems. Our work in the African continent has cemented us as the best RCBI service provider in the region, and Nigerians can access that pool of expertise at any time simply by contacting us and booking a free, comprehensive consultation with one of our second citizenship experts. Savory & Partners is an accredited agent for multiple governments where citizenship by investment is offered. Founded in 1797, the agency has evolved from pharmaceuticals to family assets and legacy protection through second citizenship and residency. The company's professional, multinational staff is made up of expert advisors who have guided thousands of clients, including many North African investors, on their journey to find the most suitable CBI program for them. The Savory & Partners team will be happy to answer your enquiries in English, Arabic and French. For more information, please send an email to contact@savoryandpartners.com . You can also call +971 04 430 1717 or send a WhatsApp message to +971 54 440 2955. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1738007/Savory_and_Partners_Logo.jpg Another Broward Sheriffs Office deputy was fired Friday for a rough arrest when he used his arm to shove the head of a handcuffed man up against a patrol vehicle after threatening to stun him with a Taser, the Sheriffs Office said. The suspect, who was no longer resisting arrest, was pinned face down in a knee hold. An advisory committee hand-picked by Sheriff Gregory Tony recommended that Ronald Thurston be suspended for three days without pay. Friday, several members of Tonys command staff signed paperwork terminating the deputy immediately. Advertisement [ RELATED: Deputy reassigned over social media post ] Thurston, a deputy for nearly 23 years, has been an outspoken critic of the sheriff. He told investigators he does not believe his actions were forceful. Hes come under fire previously by the sheriff for violating policies when he took to social media questioning the lack of Black sergeants within the Sheriffs Office as well as speaking out about the police-shooting death of a Black motorist by a police officer in Texas. Thurston has also been in trouble or under investigation with different Sheriffs Office administrations. Advertisement [ RELATED: Deputy in hot water -- again. ] Before he reached five years of employment, Thurston was the subject of six internal affairs investigations. Most allegations, includingfour use of force allegations, were either unsubstantiated or he was exonerated. Broward Sheriff's Office Deputy Ronald Thurston. (Brittany Wallman / Sun Sentinel) The Broward Sheriffs Office will not tolerate any excessive use of force, Tony said in a statement released by the Sheriffs Office. ... [Thurston] made a series of choices that escalated the call and led to his firing. Records show in April 2020, Thurston was called to San Remo Boulevard to follow-up an investigation into a prior crime in North Lauderdale. The Sheriffs Office said that after Thurston made contact with a suspect, the man refused to cooperate and attempted to run away. [ RELATED: Supporters rally over reassigned deputy ] When Thurston pulled out his gun and threatened to shoot the man, the man got on the ground At that point, Thurston had every opportunity to de-escalate the situation, yet he chose not to. Thurston kept his knee on the mans neck, even after he expressed discomfort and asked Thurston to remove his knee, the sheriff said. Body camera footage shows that when other deputies arrived on scene, Thurston discovered a gun in the pocket of the man. Despite everything being under control, Thurston struck the man with with his forearm and slammed the mans head into a patrol vehicle. The Sheriffs Office Public Corruption Unit turned its case findings over to the Broward State Attorneys Office on Sept. 22, 2020, for possible criminal charges. The State Attorneys Office declined to file criminal charges against Thurston. Advertisement Its clear from the video and the entire investigation conducted by BSO, Thurston acted in a manner outside the bounds of proper and effective law enforcement and should be terminated, the sheriff said. His actions were egregious and do not reflect our agencys training and de-escalation tactics. His actions show that he possesses neither the temperament nor the decision-making ability to wear a badge and carry a gun. According to the Internal Affairs investigation, Thurston was asked if he could do things differently in the future and he responded, I probably would have killed him right there, and we wouldnt be sitting here talking about it. Thurston is among several deputies who have lost their jobs due to excessive force. I have said time and time again that when deputies do the right thing, I will have their back and support. Conversely, when deputies are accused of stepping out of line, they will be investigated and, when necessary, held accountable for their actions, Tony said. Eileen Kelley can be reached at 772-925-9193 or ekelley@sunsentinel.com. Follow on Twitter @reporterkell. Franklin, KY (42134) Today Cloudy early with thunderstorms developing later in the day. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 82F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. These community newsletters are open to all; you do not need to be a member to sign up. (Although we hope you do join us!) This is our best offer! You get home delivery Monday through Saturday plus full digital access any time, on any device with our six-day subscription delivery membership. This membership plan includes member-only benefits like our popular ticket giveaways, all of our email newsletters and access to the daily digital replica of the printed paper. Also, you can share digital access with up to four other household members at no additional cost. Subscriptions renew automatically every 30 days. Call 240-215-8600 to cancel auto-renewal. Most subscribers are served by News-Post carriers; households in some outlying areas receive same-day delivery through the US Postal Service. If your household falls in a postal delivery area, you will be notified by our customer service team. Keep the conversation about local news & events going by joining us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Recent updates from The News-Post and also from News-Post staff members are compiled below. In memory of the 17 people killed in the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre, flags at all state and local buildings, installations and grounds in Florida will be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Monday. The massacre at the Parkland school took place on Feb. 14, 2018. Gov. Ron DeSantis, in a proclamation Friday, called it one of Floridas darkest days. Advertisement Along with ordering flags flown at half-staff, he asked all Florida residents to pause for a moment of silence at 3 p.m. Monday. Students, teachers, and faculty showed great courage in the face of danger. The sacrifices of these heroes, as well as the brave actions of first responders, will never be forgotten, he said in a memorandum accompanying the proclamation. Advertisement [W]e will continue to honor the memory of the innocent Floridians lost on that tragic day both in word and in deed, and we continue to convey our deepest sympathies to the families, loved ones, and Parkland community for their loss, the proclamation stated. News editor's pick centerpiece featured Repairs, anxieties linger for residents a year after freeze STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Jeana Pappas house in Santa Fe was severely damaged by leaking pipes during last years winter storm. A year later, although much of the damage has been repaired, her home still has cracks in the ceiling and other damage from the storm. STUART VILLANUEVA/The Daily News Jeana Pappas points out hairline cracks in the ceiling of her house in Santa Fe on Thursday, Feb. 10, 2022. The house was severely damaged by water from burst pipes in last years winter storm. SANTA FE A year after the winter storm, some residents are still dealing with the fallout of the freeze that shook the states electric grid and left Texans and Galveston County residents without power for days. For many residents, the freeze was a damaging, costly disaster. Even for people who have cleaned up damage from the winter storm, it left a lingering sense of anxiety. Burst pipes flooded Jeana Pappas house in Santa Fe last year, tearing through her attic and ceiling and drenching her belongings. A year later, things are largely fixed, but Pappas ceilings never looked the same. The ceilings are all screwed up, Pappas said. Theres cracks and lines. The winter freeze, which began Feb. 15, plunged millions of Texans into dark powerlessness for days when subfreezing temperatures taxed the states grid and shut down power generators. Freezing residents sought shelter in warming centers, by building fires or huddling in their homes. At least 246 people died during the freeze, either from cold, carbon monoxide poisoning or other causes, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Ten of those people were Galveston County residents, according to the data. REMAINING WORK Standing in her home Thursday afternoon, Pappas pointed to the bowed ceiling and cracks along the top edge of the cabinet and in the ceiling, which werent there before the freeze. The work isnt over for some contractors, either. Frank Flanagan, owner of New World Builders, is still finishing up jobs that stemmed from freeze damage, he said. In some cases, residents had to work with insurance companies before they knew how much money they had to work with for repairs, he said. At the same time, high material prices have added costs to the repairs or remodels, he said. The materials doubled in price and nobody wants to pay double the price, Flanagan said. Its getting ridiculous. WIDESPREAD CLAIMS The winter freeze wasnt the largest claim event in state history, but it was unusual in that it took place over the entirety of the state, said Richard Johnson, spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas. The freeze resulted in $10 billion in insurance payments, Johnson said. Hurricane Harvey in 2017 resulted in about $20 billion, he said. As of June, insurance companies had received 503,052 claims and paid on average $15,300 per residential claim and $120,200 each for commercial claims. Insurance companies gave Galveston County residents about $107.4 million to repair freeze damages, according to the council. The companies were largely prepared for a disaster like this, though theyre happening more frequently, Johnson said. Its now viewed as possible of happening in the state of Texas along with hurricanes and tornadoes and hail, Johnson said. Were seeing this increased frequency of disasters. FEMA gave 60,100 Texans about $196 million in assistance and 1,250 people in Galveston County about $4 million following the winter storm, the office said in a written statement. Residents can apply for FEMA assistance if they dont have insurance or for damages that insurance wont cover. LINGERING CRACKS For Pappas, the cracks in her ceiling leave a sense of anxiety lingering from the freeze, even though her claim is completed. She worries the ceiling isnt completely stable and that it could fall down, she said. Its sagging from all the water, Pappas said. Pappas just wants to be done with repairs, she said. Her house flooded in Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and she and her daughter had to go through substantial renovations. I want to be proud of my home, Pappas said. LINGERING CONCERNS Even for residents with claims and repairs, the winter storm left a sense of anxiety, evident in the nervousness leading up to a few days of near-freezing temperatures last week. Its a fear Keith Bassett saw in the purchases at the two hardware shops he owns, Village Hardware, 6711 Stewart Road, and Chalmers Hardware, 2002 Broadway, Bassett said. Its clear residents are taking cold weather a lot more seriously, he said. When the weather approaches 40 degrees, the stores sell more faucet covers and insulation, he said. Leading up to a string of sub-40-degree days last week, the shops sold lots of materials, he said. We went through boxes and boxes and boxes of pipe insulation, Bassett said. We moved it from the normal section up to the front. Bassett noticed some long-term effects, too. The stores sell a lot more PEX piping, Bassett said. The piping is more flexible than CPVC and galvanized materials and was largely resistant to bursts during the freeze. A lot of people made the conversion after the freeze of 2021, Bassett said. While the freeze was extreme, the focus on preparedness isnt bad, Bassett said. Its definitely created an awareness that was probably needed, Bassett said. We do get a good freeze every year and its good to be prepared. Interfaith Voices: I hear them in many places. And I carry them in my purse (some of you may have seen my column about my quotes last summer). Our recent co-inhabitant, COVID-19, closed the door on giving away quotes in person. However, as so often happens, when one door closes, another one often larger, deeper, more meaningful opens. The door that opened and invited me in was the Corvallis Interfaith Cafe. Before the invasion of COVID-19, I enjoyed going to potluck dinners hosted by a variety of spiritual groups and sponsored by the Corvallis Interfaith Network. This door had slammed shut. But energy is neither created nor destroyed. The Interfaith Energy was still present and it moved among the Inter-faithful souls. But it needed a way to express itself. The souls, in turn, were looking for the Interfaith Energy. It did not take long for the Energy to find its way into the hearts and minds of several receptive Inter-faithful souls. Soon they found another door, an open, inviting door, leading to the user-friendly, easily available Zoom meeting venue. With little hesitation and lots of hope, they entered and the Corvallis Interfaith Cafe was born. The Interfaith Cafe is not a potluck. It is a once-monthly meeting of Interfaith souls (people, devotees, seekers, worshipers, the curious, agnostics and, I suspect, an occasional atheist). We meet virtually, using Zoom as our dining room table. No longer do we have the joy of being together in person, touching, talking, laughing, hugging, shaking hands, breaking bread and sharing favorite recipes. But, with Zoom, we have the intimate experience of visiting the homes of many Interfaith folks, hearing meaningful, spiritual, deep, loving presentations by Interfaith souls (often accompanied by slides), viewing and reading aloud Quote slides from many spiritual paths. We meet in small groups of four or five to reflect on questions about the topic presented, and return to the larger group to share our Group Wisdom in a phrase or two, sometimes in Haiku format. Souls who offer to host a Cafe meet with the Cafe Interfaith Team several weeks before their hosting date, followed by at least one rehearsal. The Cafe Interfaith Team provides a detailed outline of the activities for each Cafe. Hosts may ask the Cafe team to prepare slides, or they may supply their own slides for their presentations. Following each monthly presentation, we post a Review on our Facebook page, Corvallis Interfaith Network, with Moment of Reflection Questions from the presentation, Group Wisdom from the small group sessions, Quotes slides and contact information. From our Quotes slides, we have made an 18-card Cafe Spiritual Card Collection with quotes from many different spiritual paths. Profits are donated to a local nonprofit organization. See our Spiritual Cards on our Facebook page. For information about ordering cards and a PDF file with all 18 card images, email CorvallisInterfaithNet@gmail.com. Would you like to be a Corvallis Interfaith Cafe Host? Do you know anyone who would like to Host? To get a glimpse of past Interfaith Cafes, check out our Review slides on our Facebook page. We encourage anyone to send us an email for more information. Would you like to attend the Cafe? If you would like to be on our mailing list, please send an email to CorvalllisInterfaithNet@gmail.com. We look forward to our monthly gatherings of people from many different spiritual places and experiences. Front-row seats for everyone! To close, I do wonder where we would be without COVID. Of course, this reminds me of a quote: Every cloud has a silver lining." Holley Lantz lives in Corvallis and attends the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Corvallis. She is an active member of the Corvallis Interfaith Network and the Corvallis Climate Action Alliance. She recently joined the NAACP. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Four Chaplains remembered: A Four Chaplains Memorial Ceremony is set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at American Legion Post 10, 1215 Pacific Blvd. SE in Albany. All are invited to join in commemorating the selfless heroism of these four men who gave their lives so others could live. Representing the four chaplains are Pastor Jeremy Zderad, Post 10 Commander David Solomon, Captain Charles DeJesus and American Legion Riders Chaplain Chuck Zeitler. The ceremony is hosted and moderated by Post 10 Chaplain Floyd Bacon. Albany Mayor Alex Johnson III will present a proclamation; Pastor Matthew Kimmel will deliver the message. The Post 10 American Legion Riders will retire the colors, and the Post 10 Guard will conduct a 21-gun salute and taps. Praise in 3D will perform. Sunday service: Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church, 2650 NW Highland Drive in Corvallis, will share Gods Word and Holy Communion at 9 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, both in the sanctuary and via livestream worship, accessible at www.svlccorvallis.org and facebook.com/shepherdcorvallis. Pastor Eric Bohlmanns sermon focus will be The Joy of Resurrection. The congregation continues to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to protect worshipers health, and asks individuals to wear masks. Multi-Gen Bible study will follow worship at 10:30 a.m., both in church and via Zoom. The study will concern Joseph, specifically from Genesis chapters 37, 45 and 50. For access to the Zoom meeting, call the church office at 541-753-2816. Sermon series continues: First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave. in Corvallis, will hold services at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, at https://www.facebook.com/CorvallisFUMC/live. The service will continue the sermon series on friendship with "A Friend's Sacrifice," based on I Kings 17:8-16. God loved the world, God loves the world, we are the beloved. Bahai devotions and discussion: Life And Death is set for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 13, via Zoom. What is the nature of the human spirit? How does that spirit inform our daily thoughts and actions? Is there life after death, and if so, what happens? All are welcome to hear readings from Bahai sources, followed by prayer and discussion. The Zoom room will open at 10:15 a.m. Visit https://tinyurl.com/2ejv7cth for the readings and a link for the meeting. Program planned: The Episcopal Church of the Good Samaritan in Corvallis will offer a program at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, as part of its "Uncommon Sense" series. Craig Massie will present "St. Paul, Women and Sexuality: What Did Paul Really Say?" via Zoom. The apostle Paul played a crucial role in shaping a first-century rabble-rousing spiritual movement into a functioning organization with a coherent cosmology and a system of practical ethics. Paul's voice, vigorous, opinionated and authoritative, can be heard throughout his New Testament epistles. Some people think Paul's words show a disrespect of women and a prudish attitude toward sex. But do they really? Massie will take a deeper look at the authentic writings of this complex man, particularly regarding women and sexuality, and will discuss them in their historical setting. Massie and his spouse, Ann, are parishioners at Good Samaritan Church, and live in Corvallis. A Zoom link will be available prior to the event. Further information is available at https://goodsamchurch-episcopal.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 A new Stake Presidency was organized in the Corvallis Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at a conference held Feb. 6. The presidency includes President Carl Britsch, First Counselor Mike Moore and Second Counselor Bill Hartsell. The outgoing Stake presidency consisted of President Craig Cole and counselors Mark Freeman and Don Pennington. Britsch is vice president of human resources for NuScale Power. Moore is a retired from a position as a general contractor for Chateau Construction, and Hartsell works in private practice with the Alsea Bay Dental Clinic. The Corvallis Oregon Stake is comprised of nine congregations, called wards or branches, in Corvallis, Philomath, Newport and Waldport, and includes a Spanish-speaking group. There are approximately 3,100 members of the church within the boundaries of the Stake, which is a defined geographic area. The Corvallis Stake was organized nearly 60 years ago. The new presidency will oversee programs in the area, working with ward bishops and other local leaders. A stake presidency typically serves for nine or 10 years. Leaders in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serve as lay ministers, without salary. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 An attempt to rescind a January resolution that gave the school board the authority to decide whether students and staff should have to wear masks failed Thursday night, Feb. 10 after a lone board member was unable to get even one vote of support. More than two hours into the school board meeting, Risteen Follett made the motion, which was held in the Alsea Charter School gymnasium and filled with impassioned public comment from community members both for and against the Jan. 13 resolution, which essentially made mask-wearing optional. Public health policies are enacted by the Oregon Health Authority and supported by the state Department of Education in school settings. Oregon law does not allow local laws to supersede state public health rules. Our role here is to make things better for the children, Follett said, addressing Superintendent Marc Thielman and other board members. If I look at this objectively, I believe that we are not serving them to the best of their abilities. While most people in the room, Follett included, agreed they were glad to be rid of masks, there was criticism from some corners about how the decision was made and the financial repercussions the district now faces because of it. The state notified Thielman and school board chair Ron Koetz in a Jan. 23 letter that federal funds designed to help school districts during the pandemic would be placed on hold and not released until the district comes back into compliance with the state's indoor mask mandate. For Alsea School District, that adds up to $270,000-plus in COVID-19 relief funds, formally known as Elementary and Secondary School Education Relief funding. He and the board did anticipate that before moving forward with implementation, Thielman said, contradicting Follett, who said the board did not address the frozen funds in the Jan. 13 meeting minutes. Follett added the withholding of funds has staff anxious, which in turn affects students. The Alsea Education Association has sent the board multiple emails in opposition to the resolution. Additionally, the district could face up to nearly $136,000 in fines from Oregon Occupational Safety and Health for willfully violating the law. Follett and several parents in the district voiced their concerns at the meeting over these financial threats. Thielman responded that the district will automatically be back in compliance with the law, once the general statewide face covering requirements are lifted March 31. Gov. Kate Brown announced this week that the mask mandates will be lifted no later than March 31 because modeling predicts the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients will drop to below 400 statewide. But why are we not doing it today? Follett pressed. It feels like were playing a game. Thielman said he was willing to roll the dice on the Department of Education unfreezing the funds April 1 for the district to use for services like summer school or whatever they believe would help students catch up after the academic declines associated with the pandemic. But simply waiting until the state lifts its mask mandate is not the only step the district must take to become eligible for the funds again. Thielman and Koetz must also sign a new assurance stating the district will remain in compliance with all state laws and regulations, per a Feb. 10-dated letter ODE sent to the pair. In an interview with Mid-Valley Media, Thielman who is also running for Oregon governor in the May primary said he plans to sign the assurance but will return his district to "local control" next time around, if needed. I dont mind signing the assurance, but I need to be able to believe they will follow through with that, he said. If they make more bad policies, we will decide based on ethics or morality to go another way, then we will undo that. Joanna Mann covers education for Mid-Valley Media. She can be contacted at 541-812-6076 or Joanna.Mann@lee.net. Follow her on Twitter via @joanna_mann_. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 8 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. Gillette, WY (82718) Today Windy with increasing clouds. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 59F. Winds SSE at 25 to 35 mph.. Tonight Showers early, becoming a steady rain late. Low 39F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. TORONTO, Feb. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- McEwen Mining Inc. (NYSE: MUX) (TSX: MUX) is pleased to announce a financing to fund continued exploration at the Fox Complex in the Timmins region of Ontario. These funds will be employed to build on the business case outlined in our recently announced preliminary economic assessment (see news release dated January 26, 2022). The financing consists of a US$15,080,000 (Cdn$19,212,500) private placement offering (the Offering) of 14,500,000 flow-through common shares (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)) priced at US$1.04 (Cdn$1.325) per flow-through common share (the Offering Price). The Offering is expected to close on March 1, 2022 (the Closing) and is subject to customary closing conditions, including approval from the TSX and NYSE. The proceeds of this Offering will be used exclusively for qualifying Canadian Exploration Expenditures (CEE) on McEwens properties in the Timmins region. This press release is not an offer of common shares for sale in the United States. The common shares may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an available exemption from the registration requirements of the US. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") and applicable U.S. state securities laws. McEwen will not make any public offering of the securities in the United States. The common shares have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act, or any state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy, nor shall there be any sale of these securities, in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking statements and information, including "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements and information expressed, as at the date of this news release, McEwen Mining Inc.'s (the "Company") estimates, forecasts, projections, expectations or beliefs as to future events and results. Forward-looking statements and information are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies, and there can be no assurance that such statements and information will prove to be accurate. Therefore, actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements and information. Risks and uncertainties that could cause results or future events to differ materially from current expectations expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and information include, but are not limited to, effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, fluctuations in the market price of precious metals, mining industry risks, political, economic, social and security risks associated with foreign operations, the ability of the corporation to receive or receive in a timely manner permits or other approvals required in connection with operations, risks associated with the construction of mining operations and commencement of production and the projected costs thereof, risks related to litigation, the state of the capital markets, environmental risks and hazards, uncertainty as to the calculation of mineral resources and reserves, and other risks. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements or information included herein, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to reissue or update forward-looking statements or information as a result of new information or events after the date hereof except as may be required by law. See McEwen Mining's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under the caption "Risk Factors", for additional information on risks, uncertainties and other factors relating to the forward-looking statements and information regarding the Company. All forward-looking statements and information made in this news release are qualified by this cautionary statement. The NYSE and TSX have not reviewed and do not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of the contents of this news release, which has been prepared by the management of McEwen Mining Inc. ABOUT MCEWEN MINING McEwen Mining is a diversified gold and silver producer and explorer focused in the Americas with operating mines in Nevada, Canada, Mexico and Argentina. It also has a large exposure to copper through its subsidiary McEwen Copper, owner of the Los Azules copper deposit in Argentina. Omaha, NE, Feb. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Websnoogie is an Omaha, NE.-based web design, web hosting, and SEO company, and its 10th anniversary is on February 21nd, 2022. "Websnoogie has a team of professionals that strive for high-quality at an affordable price," said Rod Atwood, CEO of Websnoogie, LLC. "We're very proud of this accomplishment and also proud of our team," Rod went on to say. The Websnoogie team is proud to have been part of the Omaha landscape for the past ten years, and we are committed to continuing our level of excellence and customer care in years to come. With all the pandemic restrictions that have been faced, such fun events were unthinkable. Now that the restrictions are easing up, it's time to celebrate with some fantastic artists performing concerts right here in Omaha, Nebraska, Rod continued. Websnoogie To celebrate this awesome 10th anniversary, our web design and web hosting company are giving away free concert tickets to some extremely popular rock 'n roll and rap performers! These performers are some of the most famous ever, and they have toured nationwide and internationally, Rod said. To view the incredible performers and other prizes in Websnoogie's 10th-anniversary giveaway, go to 10years.websnoogie.com. Contest rules and contact information is also on the website. Websnoogie is also giving away gift cards for a trendy coffee shop known worldwide. They offer some of the most popular beverages on the planet. You can use the coffee gift cards anywhere, anytime. We know that's exciting news. But that's not all of it! We are also giving away Websnoogie web hosting accounts prepaid for an entire year. All residents and businesses can try their luck at our Q&A to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity for hosting their online presence! Now 2022 is definitely going to be awesome! Rod went on to say. Websnoogie's web hosting offers many free services that include free SSL certificates, free backups, free WordPress updates, and free uptime monitoring, to name a few, Websnoogie's customer service is exceptional, and they are always on time with website updates. Websnoogie works with small businesses and nonprofits, but they have national and international clients, Rod continued. How to Participate in the Giveaway The Websnoogie team will be asking trivia questions on its Facebook and Twitter pages where the contest will be held. The contest will be taking place on February 21, 2022. If more than one person answers correctly, a drawing will be held to decide the winner or winners. Websnoogie wants to contribute by making this new year epic! We hope you can join us in the contest and get to have some fun in the process! If anyone has questions, don't hesitate to contact Websnoogie or call 402-813-4034. ### Media Contact: Websnoogie, LLC 14301 FNB Pkwy #104, Omaha, NE 68154 402-813-4034 staff@websnoogie.com https://www.websnoogie.com/we-do-web-design/ Newsroom: news.38digitalmarket.com Attachment Al Salam Bank, a leading regional Islamic bank based in Bahrain, has reported a net profit attributable to shareholders of BD21.4 million ($56.7 million) for FY 2021 compared to BD9.1 million ($24.2 million) the year before, marking an increase of 134%. Announcing the results for the 12-month period ended December 31, 2021, Al Salam Bank said the earnings per share stood at 9.1 fils compared to 3.9 fils for the same period in 2020 reflecting a year-on-year growth of 133%. Total operating income for the twelve months period also increased by 11.1% to BD 107.3 million ($284.5 million) compared to BD 96.6 million ($256.2 million) for the same period in 2020. Total shareholders equity increased by 5.5%, from BD 280.8 million ($744.8) in 2020 to BD 296.3 million ($785.8) at the end of December 2021. Total assets increased by 19% during 2021 to BD 2.7 billion ($7.1 billion) compared to BD 2.3 billion ($6.0 billion) in December 2020. Al Salam Bank maintained a solid capital adequacy ratio of 28.5% in 2021 compared to 26.5% in 2020. As a result of its robust performance in 2021, the board of directors recommended a dividend distribution of 7% of the banks issued and paid-up share capital (4% Cash dividends and 3% Stock dividends), aggregating BD16.35 million ($43.4 million). The dividend recommendation is subject to AGM and regulatory approvals. Al Salam's growth was accompanied with a robust improvement in asset quality during 2021 with the its non-performing facilities ratio decreasing to 2.1%, driven by high quality bookings and optimization initiatives. On the Q4 results, Al Salam said its net profit rose to BD5.1 million ($13.6 million) compared to BD1.1 million ($2.8 million) in 2020, reflecting an increase of 381% predominantly driven by higher returns from the banks core business activities compared to the previous period. Correspondingly, earnings per share during the final quarter of 2021 stood at 2.2 fils ($cents 5.8) compared to 0.5 fils ($cents 1.3) for the same period in 2020, reflecting an increase of 340%. Total operating income for the quarter stood at BD 25.7 million ($68.2 million), an increase of 15.1% from the BD 22.3 million ($59.2 million) recorded in Q4 2020. On the successful results, Chairman Shaikh Khalid bin Mustahil Al Mashani said: "The successful implementation of our growth initiatives reflected positively on the Banks strong performance in 2021. The core banking book continued its upward trajectory driven by robust organic growth and optimization across all verticals." "We look forward to continue building on this growth trajectory and achieve further success in line with our strategic aspirations in the years to come," he stated. Group CEO Rafik Nayed said: "We reinforced the Banks leading position in 2021 as we continued to launch innovative products and services to further elevate our clients banking experience. We also launched our new brand DNA, marking a new era of transformation and embracing a more conscious, purpose-driven brand which encapsulates the spirit of who we are at Al Salam Bank. "Collectively, these initiatives allowed us to achieve robust growth, increased market share, and enhanced market positioning. Our strong performance across the different lines of business is a testament to the Banks forward-looking approach and ability to differentiate itself from the competition," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Goshen, IN (46526) Today Thundershowers following a period of rain early. High 57F. Winds ENE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch.. Tonight Rain showers early with overcast skies late. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. With track conditions improved compared to yesterday and with more laps completed, Fabio Quartararo and Franco Morbidelli were able to compare the set-up of their bikes to last weeks during the Sepang test. The result was 4th and 12th time respectively. The Yamaha duo used the second day of testing in Indonesia to work through a number of different test items and made positive progress: Quartararo was quick to find a good rhythm and by 11:00 local time he had set a 1'31.820s, which put him in second place provisionally. He held the position for the majority of the session until the pace quickened in the final hour. He responded with a 1m31.564s lap, set on 66/68, to end the day in fourth place in the Day 2 and combined results, 0.275s from first. After a solid first day of testing, Morbidelli was fully motivated to get back to work this morning. He stayed completely focused during an intensive session, aiming to further improve his feeling with the bike. It paid off. He posted a solid 1'31.849s on lap 63/64, which put him in 12th place in the Day 2 and combined timesheets, with a margin of 0.560s from the leader. Pre-season testing is hard work, but today we had fun declared the world champion - I'm feeling really happy on used tyres, which is something I didn't expect to be that good. Our pace is really strong! But with the soft tyre I'm not feeling so good. The lap time is not so bad, but we need to improve on the time attack. We have one more day of testing tomorrow, and I think we will do a kind of race simulation, a short one. I wont do 27 laps but I think something between 16 and 20 laps. We will see our real pace and I think it is very fast. But we'll see. I am very happy with my pace and I think what Im missing in qualifying is that the difference between the used tyre and the new one is much less than before. It's strange and I don't understand why the difference is so small. We know the race pace is there, so I want to focus more on time attacks. But overall, I feel happy enough. The Ducatis are so fast? What can I say? It's not my problem, I have to try to be as fast as possible with the Yamaha. My mentality is always the same: if the bike isn't fast enough, I'm not an engineer, I don't know what to do with it, but I'll fight to the limit. To be honest, however, we have not taken the step forward that I expected. Our standard is 9 km/h difference in top speed. We haven't made progress but I don't have to think about it, I just have to think about my riding. But we know the race pace is there, so I want to focus more on the time attacks. But overall, I feel quite happy. Morbidelli: I did my first time attack of the year. We are improving step by step said Morbidelli - Today I had the chance to do my first time attack of the year. I definitely felt some rust, but it's good to do it and see even clearer where the bike needs to improve. During a time attack the problems are magnified. It was definitely a good day, we improved again, and then we did a time attack, like I said, to know where we still need to improve. There are some changes that we can make to improve the feeling, which is not bad at the moment, but it's also not great. You need to have a great feeling with the bike in this category to be at the front. That's what we will try to do. Luca Marini's time was really fantastic. A tenth and a half advantage in MotoGP is a big margin. The current Yamaha engine is certainly better than the 2019 one, but it hasn't improved much since. " Grand Haven, MI (49417) Today Cloudy with periods of rain. High 52F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then partly cloudy overnight. Low 41F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. How to Clip Click and hold your mouse button on the page to select the area you wish to save or print. You can click and drag the clipping box to move it or click and drag in the bottom right corner to resize it. When you're happy with your selection, click the checkmark icon next to the clipping area to continue. Cameron Judd is a lifelong Tennessean born and raised in Cookeville, and a Greene County resident since 1982. An award-winning columnist and extensively published author of western and frontier fiction, he is retired from The Greeneville Sun. He and wife Rhonda live in Chuckey. Green River Police Department reports for Feb. 1 At 10:03 a.m., officers responded to a report of property damage on South 7th West Street. Officers met with an individual who reported that a semi truck had caused minor damage to a vertical wooden fence post on the south east corner of their lot as the truck had attempted to negotiate a turn from South 7th West onto the dirt access road. Officers met with the truck driver and completed a report of the incident. At 12:37 p.m., officers responded to a report of a violation of a protection order. Officers met with an individual who reported they had been contacted by an individual with an active no contact order. Officers took statements and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. At 4:35 p.m., officers responded to a report of threats and harassment. Officers met with an individual who reported an individual that was making inappropriate comments towards other individuals and requested a trespass warning be issued. Officers made contact with the individual, issued the trespass warning, and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. At 5:42 p.m., officers responded to a report of missing persons. Officers met with an individual concerned for the welfare of three family members. Officers attempted to contact the individuals and subsequently entered in the individuals as missing, due to safety concerns. Officers completed a report of the incident, which is still under investigation. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. At 6:09 p.m., officers responded to a report of an assault. Officers made contact with an individual who reported a physical altercation with a family member and requested a civil standby. At the individuals request the civil standby was canceled. Officers took statements and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. Feb. 2 At 2:25 p.m., officers responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision. It was reported two vehicles were traveling north on Hitching Post Drive approaching Wind River Drive when the first vehicle stopped for a pedestrian who darted into the roadway and the second vehicle struck the rear of the first vehicle. The driver of the second vehicle, a juvenile, 17, of Green River, was issued a citation for alleged inattentive driving with a crash. Officers completed a report of the incident. Feb. 3 At 2:05 a.m., officers responded to a report of domestic violence. Officers met with the parties involved in a verbal dispute. The parties agreed to separate and officers completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. At 8:32 a.m., officers responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision in the parking lot of Green River High School. It was reported one vehicle was parked and unoccupied facing east in the west end of the parking lot when the vehicle slipped from in gear and rolled east striking the passenger side of a second vehicle, which was parked and unoccupied. Officers gathered statements, met with both owners of the vehicles, and completed a report of the incident. At 3:19 p.m., officers responded to a report of a three-vehicle collision at Green River High School. It was reported one vehicle was traveling eastbound in the GRHS driveway exiting the parking lot towards Hitching Post Drive with a second vehicle in front of the first and a third vehicle in front of the second, all approaching a speed bump in the roadway. As the second vehicle slowed to pass over the speed bump, the first vehicle was unable to stop and collided with the rear end of the second vehicle, which then caused the second vehicle to strike the rear end of the third vehicle. Officers gathered statements and completed a report of the incident. At 3:22 p.m., officers responded to a report of an attempted larceny at Mansface Liquor. Officers met with the store owner who advised an individual attempted to take a bottle of alcohol and had been asked to leave the store. Officers were unable to make contact with the suspected individual at the time the report was completed. Officers will follow up to make contact and issue a trespass warning. Feb. 4 At 8:36 a.m., officers responded to a report of an individual with an active warrant. Officers met with the individual, confirmed the warrant, and placed Frances Chaves, of Green River, under arrest per the active warrant. Officers transported Frances to the Sweetwater County Detention Center and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. At 11:56 a.m., officers responded to a report of a two-vehicle collision. It was reported one vehicle was traveling southbound on Hitching Post Drive approaching the intersection with Shoshone Avenue. A second vehicle was stopped at the same intersection facing west on Shoshone Ave. As the second vehicle pulled into the intersection the front of the vehicle struck the rear driver side of the first vehicle. EMS and Fire responded. No transports were made. Officers issued the driver of the second vehicle, Megan Johnson, of Green River, a citation for an alleged stop sign violation and completed a report of the incident. At 4:45 p.m., officers responded to a report of an individual with an active warrant. Officers met with the individual, confirmed the warrant, and placed Alfredo Valdez Amaro, of Green River, under arrest per the active warrant. Officers transported Valdez to the Sweetwater County Detention Center and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. At 9:56 p.m., officers responded to a report of two individuals fighting outside The Hitching Post. Officers did not observe a disturbance outside so they entered the establishment and met with several individuals. It was reported to officers that two individuals had been engaged in a physical disturbance stemming from a verbal altercation. Officers met with one of the involved individuals and took statements. Officers were unable to locate the other involved party due to them leaving prior to officer arrival. Officers completed a report of the incident. Feb. 5 At 5:27 a.m., officers responded to a report of an individual outside the Get N Go who had been banging on the door then picked up a rock and was acting suspicious. Officers located an individual matching the description inside a vehicle driving west from the back parking lot of the property. Officers suspected the driver to be under the influence and conducted a traffic stop. Officers made contact with the individual, detected an odor of an alcoholic beverage, and subsequently issued a citation for alleged DWUI alcohol incapable of safely driving - second offense to Troy Laughlin, of Green River. Laughlin was transported and officers completed a report of the incident. At 12:33 p.m., officers were notified that the Sweetwater County Sheriffs Office was investigating a stolen vehicle that just occurred in Rock Springs and they believed the suspect was in Green River. Officers observed an individual walking on Yellowstone Road that matched the description of the suspect and made contact. While officers were taking statements, additional officers located the stolen vehicle and stayed with the vehicle until deputies arrived on scene. The individual was turned over to SCSO deputies and a report of the incident was completed. Feb. 7 At 3:41 p.m., officers responded to a report of found property on East Flaming Gorge Way and Uinta Drive. Officers met with an individual who reported they found a package that had fallen from a vehicle. Officers attempted to locate an owner, booked in the item as found property, and completed a report of the incident. At 7:10 p.m., officers responded to a report of a hit and run on Hitching Post Drive. Officers met with an individual who reported their vehicle, which was parked and unoccupied facing south on the west side of the roadway, had damage to the front drivers side. Officers documented the incident and completed a report. At 9:22 p.m., officers responded to a report of a juvenile runaway. Officers met with the parents or guardians who reported the juvenile, 15, left without permission and could not be located. Officers attempted to locate the juvenile and were later notified the juvenile had returned home. Officers responded back to the residence and met with the juvenile, issued a citation for an alleged curfew violation, and completed a report of the incident. The GRPD did not release the address officers responded to. Passerby stops to rescue family from house fire Ryan Pasborg, pictured with his son, said he didn't think twice about bursting through the door of a burning house last week. (Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect corrections made to Mr. Pasborg's name.) "Who the heck is burning their trash at 4:00 in the morning?" Ryan Pasborg muttered this question to himself when he first saw the flames. Pasborg was driving along Highway 374 near Jamestown on his way to work Tuesday, Feb. 1. He was running a little late. It had been a late night, and he'd let himself sleep in more than usual - getting up closer to 3:50 a.m. instead of his usual 3:15 since he didn't have to drop his daughter off with the babysitter that day. Looking at the smoke and flames as he drove, Pasborg realized a garbage fire didn't make sense. Then the reality hit him. He was looking at a house. "The truck went from probably about 45 to 75," Pasborg said, remembering racing into the driveway where a house was engulfed in flames and emergency responders were nowhere in sight. As he got out of his truck, Pasborg saw three young children coming out of the garage door. He quickly asked them if anyone else was in the house. The children answered they couldn't find their mom or little brother. For a brief moment, Pasborg was awestruck by the situation, trying to process the fact he wasn't dreaming and what was happening was real. But with the faces of three little kids looking up at him, Pasborg - himself a father of three - realized he was this family's only hope. With the situation getting worse by the second, he knew it was time to act now, think later. "I didn't even think twice," Pasborg said. "As soon as they said that, 'my mom' and 'my little brother,' within five seconds I said 'you get behind that truck and you do not follow me,' and I went through that damn door like the Kool-Aid man." Smoke hit him as soon as he entered the garage, and he could hear fire alarms blaring from inside. It wasn't the first time Pasborg had been in a burning house, having been a volunteer firefighter in Superior, but it was the first time he'd gone in without any gear or equipment. Once he entered the home, Pasborg dropped to his knees. Extreme heat and darkness closed in around him as he crawled forward. He isn't sure how far he crawled. "It's all a blur, really," he admitted. As he made his way across the floor, Pasborg bumped into a four-year-old boy who was on his hands and knees in the kitchen. Scooping the boy up by the waist, Pasborg scooted across the floor to keep them both as low as possible until they could get out of the house. Once outside, he put the boy in his work truck and told the other children to get in so they could stay warm. With the children taken care of, Pasborg hurried back inside. As he crawled even further than he had before, Pasborg heard a strange noise. After a moment he realized the sound was someone struggling to breathe. That's when he found the children's mother. "As soon as I got to her she took her last breath of air," Pasborg remembers. He grabbed the woman under the arms and dragged her out of the house, using his knees to push himself across the floor in an attempt to stay under the smoke. Once he got them both outside and over to his truck, Pasborg checked the woman for a pulse, a breath, or any signs of life. "There was nothing," he recalled. Pasborg immediately began CPR. Meanwhile, the daughter of the family got out of the truck, having called 911. Pasborg talked to dispatch as he performed CPR, starting with compressions and breaths. After more compressions, he was about to start on a second set of breaths when the woman suddenly sat up and gasped for air. "A lot of weight was lifted off my shoulders at that time," Pasborg said. "We still had a lot going on, but I was very thankful that she took that breath of air." Getting the woman into the truck, Pasborg drove the whole family away from the burning house, going down their driveway until he reached the highway again. About five minutes later, the first sheriff's vehicle showed up, followed by the fire department and an ambulance. While EMS staff worked to get the woman stable in Pasborg's truck, they took the young boy to the ambulance and asked Pasborg to sit with him. Looking at the boy's burns and seeing how shook up he was, Pasborg did his best to provide a distraction. "I just talked to him like he was my own kid," Pasborg explained. He asked questions like the boy's favorite color and when his birthday was until the child had started to calm down. Once the mother and son were loaded into the ambulance it rushed them to Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County. The woman was later flown to Salt Lake City due to her injuries. As 25 firefighters from Green River Fire Department and Fire District No. 1 worked to get the blaze under control, Pasborg met with the children's grandmother, who had walked from her home behind the family's house. Pasborg drove the grandmother and the children to her house, after which he returned to his own home. He wasn't there long, however, before the grandma contacted him, asking if he had any clothes to spare for the children who'd just lost everything. Once again, Pasborg didn't hesitate. "I dug through my kids' personal clothes and my clothes and my fiance's clothes," he said. After delivering his family's clothes to the grandmother's home, Pasborg still wanted to do more. He got together with his fiance, Alexandria Price, and her sister, Miranda Martinez. They put together some money then headed to Walmart where they bought clothing for the family. The trio ended up spending a few hundred dollars getting anything they could think of. When Pasborg delivered the new clothing to the family, they were extremely thankful and wanted to repay him, but he assured them repayment wasn't necessary. "When I walked in with all them clothes and I sat down on the couch across from them kids, and all three of them kids got off the couch and come and sat next to me and just held on to me -" Pasborg's voice broke slightly as he recalled the moment. "It felt really good. That family will forever have a special place in my heart." The man who saved their mom and little brother will also have a special place in the children's hearts forever, and in the heart of the husband and father of the family, who has been out of town but has spoken to Pasborg several times on the phone - conversations which have been full of emotion. "He told me he loved me," Pasborg said. "He said that they have a really long road to recovery, but if it wasn't for me that road wouldn't even be there. And he expects me over for Thanksgiving next year." In addition to the gratitude of the family he saved, Pasborg has felt the gratitude and praise of complete strangers in the week since the fire. "It's been mind blowing," he admitted, explaining he never expected the amount of recognition he's received. As his story began to be shared, Pasborg started getting hundreds of Facebook notifications and messages, from people calling him a hero to people offering to buy him dinner. The story has only continued to spread, with news broadcasters from places like Salt Lake City and Canada reaching out to him. When it comes to being a hero, Pasborg realizes his choice to enter the house was the difference between life and death for the mom and little boy he rescued. But he couldn't tell you what was going through his mind at the time. He just realized something had to happen. "The only thing that I knew is there was innocent people in that house burning," he said. While a house fire is "a whole different ballgame" according to Pasborg, this wasn't the first time he's stepped in to help when he saw a need. Recently he stopped traffic to help a woman in a wheelchair cross the street. Once he found a man trapped under his four wheeler in the Wind River Mountains, got him out, performed CPR, took the tailgate off his uncle's truck to serve as a backboard and transported the man until he could reach service to call EMS. "It's kind of how I was raised," he said. "I was raised to care about others." Pasborg is determined to continue to care about others and help out however he can. "If I were to leave this house tomorrow and come across the same thing, I would do it again in a heartbeat," he said. "And it's not because of the recognition and stuff like that. It's - we're all human. And the world is a crazy enough place without people hating people. So if I can do my part to make this world just a little better, I'll do it." Being arrested for an alleged crime is one of the worst experiences a person can have. The experience is part of a situation that can forever alter the course of someones life. Then theres the booking photo, a photo of someone that is taken during a low point in their life. These booking photos, commonly known as mugshots, are the target of a bill proposing to only allow release of those images after a conviction is made or if the images release would assist law enforcement. These images have been a subject of debate regarding their purpose and how they can follow a person and impact their lives far beyond their arrests. However, were against House Bill 51 and how it would change access to these important public records. Its important to note this isnt solely a media issue. Publications and broadcasters access records like the Sweetwater County Detention Centers jail roster to learn about arrests made for alleged crimes and the charges inmates face, as well as pull mugshots for use in reporting. Yet, the number of people accessing this information far eclipses media access to those records. According to a report issued by the Sweetwater County Combined Communications Joint Powers Board, more than 100,000 users accessed the dispatch centers website in 2021, with more than 2.5 million hits recorded. Traffic to the jail roster, which is hosted on that website, accounts for 98% of all traffic. This data proves there is significant public interest in activity at the detention center that far exceeds both media use and the countys total population. Due to that interest, the importance of properly identifying a person being charged with a crime is important and a mugshot is crucial in this regard. This is especially true in situations where a common first and last name can identify several people in a community. This situation applies to the editor of this newspaper as David Martin is not the only David Martin living in Sweetwater County. According to land ownership records available through the countys online zoning map, two different David Martins own residential property in Rock Springs on the same street. Confusing the identity of two people sharing the same name isnt uncommon and that mugshot becomes a key item in protecting a person from a case of mistaken identity. A mugshot can also help an inmate as it can provide a record of overaggressive police action made during an arrest. This may not be something we see in Green River, but the fact the mugshots are taken following an arrest creates a deterrent against overuse of force by law enforcement. Mugshots can also assist police by encouraging others to come forward and report an alleged crime if they see the mugshot of an arrested individual. Pinning all the problems a person has after being charged with or convicted of a crime to their mugshot is simplistic thinking that doesnt address the other hurdles people face following an arrest. For felons in particular, a common question on applications asks if a person was convicted of a felony crime during the prior seven years. Information regarding why a person was arrested still remains on websites like the countys jail roster even after theyve been released and that information does not include if the former inmate was convicted or acquitted -- information that is beyond the scope of a jail roster. One could call for all of that information to be restricted until after a conviction, but such a call would threaten a pillar of the American judicial system, which ensures the work of the justice system is carried out in public to ensure the government is not trying and imprisoning people secretly or unjustly. Mugshots are important public records that have a purpose and access to them should be protected from bills that would limit their use. House Bill 51 may seek to protect people from having their mugshot released before theyre convicted, but would be the cause of other problems if enacted. The Biden administration says it is closely monitoring trucker protests over Canadas COVID-19 restrictions at the U.S.-Canada border that could lead to supply chain shortages, but so far the potential impact on Connecticut remains unclear. Joe Sculley, president of the Motor Transport Association of Connecticut, said there is a supply chain issue caused by the protests, but he hasn't heard of anything specifically impacting Connecticut. The three main products transported across the border are fuel, food and auto parts, he said. The protests began last month in Ottawa, Canadas capital city, over a vaccine mandate for truck drivers coming to Canada from the U.S. Truckers have blocked streets and staged protests, grinding traffic to a halt. The protests soon spread to other Canadian cities, including vital border crossings like the Ambassador Bridge, which links the Canadian city of Windsor to Detroit. Ottawas Premier Doug Ford on Friday declared a state of emergency over the protests, saying he would use government resources to end the entrenched demonstrations. Canadian courts have also blocked protesters access to millions of dollars in funds raised by donors through GiveSendGo, after an earlier fundraiser on GoFundMe was shut down by the company. CNN on Friday reported the Biden administration is closely following the protests at the border, citing a White House official. The official said the White House is aware many companies and industries are feeling the impact of the protests, and said the Department of Homeland Security, the National Security Council, Department of Transportation and the National Economic Council are working with their Canadian counterparts to work around the protests. The protests by truckers in Canada have also inspired copy-cat protests elsewhere, including in New Zealand, where more than 100 arrests were made when attempted to clear a camp set up by demonstrators. Sculley said he's heard rumors of a planned protest starting in California that would make its way across the country, but nothing in Connecticut. If one did involve Connecticut, we would not be a part of that in any way, he added. Pandemic-related shortages have affected the industry in other ways. Sculley said he spoke with a truck-hauler whose business was down because the computer chip shortage meant there are fewer cars to transport. This thing is starting to reverberate throughout the economy, he said. We were all fairly optimistic that we were going to see demand and supply start to balance, and its taking longer than a lot of us in the industry originally forecast, said Jeff Aiosa, owner and operator of Mercedes-Benz of New London. The omicron variant threw off that prediction. Clearly, the protests now seem to be the next punch that hopefully is not protracted, he said. Scott Dolch, president of the Connecticut Restaurant Association, said he hasnt heard of supply chain shortages directly connected with the protests, but said restaurants have struggled getting proteins including seafood and chicken wings, which are the hot item for Super Bowl weekend. One established restaurant owner in New Haven told him theyve stuck with paper menus, because supply chain issues are changing what they can offer. Its not like you cant order it, he said. The $1 million question is when restaurant drivers open the truck door for their deliveries, if its there, he said. GREENWICH Central Middle Schools 540 students spent the week divided by grade level among Cos Cob School, Eastern Middle School and Greenwich High School. For some parents, the sudden move and disruption to their childrens education was just one more stumbling block to a year defined by quarantines and other COVID-19 measures. Without being an alarmist or extremist, I realize it's just a week, said parent Liz Tommasino, who told Greenwich Time Friday that her sixth grade daughter spent the week at Cos Cob School, where she appreciated the brighter light and higher ceilings but missed her French class and academic support program. That week is now compounded with the last two years of minimal learning, distance learning, Tommasino said. At this point, it's like it's coming to be the straw that broke the camel's back on ... the lack of education and curriculum being taught. Greenwichs building department deemed Central Middle School unsafe for occupation Feb. 4 after a systems evaluation found structural deficiencies in the exterior walls surrounding the gymnasium, auditorium and a walkway. For the week, CMS sixth-graders attended school at Cos Cob School, seventh-graders at Eastern Middle School, and eighth-graders at Greenwich High School. The students are expected back in Central on Feb. 22, once the winter break is over. Midweek, CMS Principal Tom Healy and Greenwich Public Schools administrators answered questions about students temporary accommodations during a PTA meeting. Healy said he had been working to create a schedule where more students are moving around and not stuck in one place. To be very honest, there's a blend right now of what students are getting in terms of either asynchronous work or videos, he said. There are a number of teachers who are recording mini lessons on videos and pushing those out that way. Superintendent Toni Jones said during the PTA meeting that she requested a waiver from the Connecticut Department of Education to teach remotely as soon as she learned of the closing Feb. 4. She was told the department didnt have the power to grant her request; it belongs to the governors office through Feb. 15. Jones also presented three goals for CMS: reopen the building and resume activities, examine the timeline to build a new building and then construct a new building. One year ago, a master plan had earmarked construction of the new CMS building for 2034. Older structures took greater priority for Americans with Disabilities Act requirements and safety improvements, she said. Jones has now placed the project closer in her five-year timeline, and the Board of Education requested $250,000 in next years budget for an evaluation to determine whether it made more fiscal sense to pay for renovation or new construction. On Thursday, parent Michele Voigt told Greenwich Time she comforted her sixth-grade daughter after the first couple days in a new school rattled her. The first several days they just sat in a crowded cafeteria, on their Chromebooks, basically doing remote learning, she said. They've just started to get where they could go into some small groups and some small classrooms to do some class time learning, but most of her instruction has been on a Chromebook as well. Voight said she was proud of how everybody seemed to handle the week despite the upheaval. I think everybody's being as adaptable as they can, she said. I applaud the teachers for persevering under such duress and making fun and engaging days for the kids with limited resources. Penelope Kassaris, CMS parent and friend of Tommasinos, said Friday her daughter also didnt learn much this past week, but she doesnt blame the principal or teachers. They're doing the best that they can, you know, she said. These teachers have had to jump right into it, figure it out. Kassaris said she is hoping the process will allow the community to come together, learn from mistakes and build a new school. I cried when I took my first tour through Central and saw the basement where my sweet elementary school kids who were in a light-filled, happy Parkway school were now going to be learning, she said. Abbe Large, a member of the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting and a district parent, joined a call with Kassaris, Tommasino and the Greenwich Time Friday and discussed ways to move forward. She said believes community members are too quick to blame the Board of Estimate and Taxation for the poor state of the school buildings, saying the issue is more complex. She also said she hopes parents can meet, politics aside, to prioritize repairs and weigh fiscal responsibility. annelise.hanshaw@hearstmediact.com GREENWICH Few markers of slavery exist in southern Connecticut, reminders of a time when men and women were bought and sold like property or livestock. Two of them stand at Union Cemetery in Greenwich the headstones of Hester Mead and her mother Candice Bush, both born into slavery at the Bush homestead in Cos Cob, now the site of the Greenwich Historical Society. Theyre the only enslaved people in Greenwich, or formerly enslaved people, to have headstones, notes Heather Lodge, a researcher and educator at the Greenwich Historical Society. But more stone markers are coming, as a way to commemorate the lives of farm laborers, servants, cooks, craftsmen and nannies who lived in bondage in Greenwich for over 200 years. As Black History Month proceeds, middle-school students, teachers, librarians and archivists in Greenwich have been working with the Historical Society and an educational organization to create stone markers called witness stones for enslaved men and women. The students and researchers are slowly documenting the history of the enslaved community, stitching together a narrative of resilience and despair from faded wills, census records and land documents. These people led really incredible lives, said Lodge, manager of youth and family programs at Greenwich Historical Society, describing the bonds between them as what must have been a powerful and sustaining force in a hostile world. The work is proceeding with input from the Witness Stones Project, an organization founded by a Guilford history teacher that has been commemorating the lives of enslaved people in the Northeast with memorial markers beginning in 2017. Thus far in Greenwich, four men and women who were enslaved at the Cos Cob homestead of the Bush family Cull Bush Sr., Patience (surname unknown), Candice Bush and Hester Mead have been commemorated with stone markers. The family of David and Sarah Bush were the largest slave-owners in Greenwich, with some 15 enslaved men and women once working and living at the site near Cos Cob Harbor. The Bush family, whose ancestors came from Holland, are unrelated to the family of Presidents George and George H.W. Bush of Greenwich. Now the researchers are looking to trace the lives of Cull Bush Jr., the son of Cull Sr., and Jack, the son of Hester Mead. Cull Bush and his domestic partner Patience official marriages between enslaved men and women were not often permitted by owners had six children, five girls Phillis, Milley, Rose, Lucy and Nanny and a boy, Cull Jr. As the girls would come of age, they were slowly given away to work other households, so the parents were separated from their children. Except for Cull Jr., the only boy, he got to stay here in the house, said Lodge. Family separation was a fact of life for men and women who were kept in bondage, she said. It appears that the children of Cull and Patience Bush were sent out to other homes in Greenwich, Lodge said, perhaps through a kind of rental arrangement, as indentured servants. Cull Sr. was eventually freed, not long after the death of David Bush in 1797. He (Cull Bush) is left with this dilemma, hes free, but his significant other and his children are not, said Lodge. A man of evident drive and determination, Cull Sr., who may have had training as a miller, went to Hangroot, the freed Black community of Greenwich around Round Hill Road, the records show. Very quickly he gathers enough money to buy property in Cos Cob, and moves back, so he can be near his wife and children. He stays in Cos Cob for the rest of his life, said Lodge. He continues to trade in land for the rest of his life. We found documents showing him buying and selling land to different white people all over Greenwich .... He was exceptional. He is someone who was as a youth enslaved, but he was able to amass money and reputation. Then he was able to give land to his son. The lives of Candice Bush and her daughter, Hester Mead, were also brought to light by the researchers, who included students at Greenwich Academy and Sacred Heart Greenwich. Candice and Hester eventually obtained a house together after they were freed, becoming land owners. Hester left behind a will at her death in which she gave away clothing, silverware and books, which shows she could read and write, Lodge said. Hester was also a painter a painting donated to the Historical Society by the Mead family has been attributed to her. Another testament to how she was able to make a life for herself, an identity for herself in freedom, Lodge said. Hesters son, William Mead, enlisted in the 29th Regiment, Connecticut Volunteers (Colored), one of the Black units raised by the Union during the Civil War to alleviate a shortage of manpower as the fight dragged on. Mead died of illness near Beaufort, S.C., in 1864. This son of an enslaved woman, and grandson of an enslaved woman, fights to end slavery, said Lodge. While the stories of their individual lives are unique and intriguing, Lodge said, there was nothing exceptional about their status as enslaved workers and servants in Connecticut. It wasnt an uncommon thing. Many farmers were enslavers; so were priests and doctors, teachers and legal officials, and even towns themselves. There was a woman named Dinah, in the town of Guilford, who was collectively owned by the town, the Greenwich educator said. Scholars say slavery touched every town in Connecticut; the numbers involved were thin but widely spread. A quarter of the wills probated in 1776 referenced slave property. Slavery was not fully abolished in Connecticut until 1848, following a gradual emancipation, long after New York state and Massachusetts had ended the practice. The work of researching the past lives is painstaking. For research on women, it has been even more difficult because of a scarcity of documentation. In nearly all cases, womens names werent printed on census record in Connecticut until 1840, they were only represented with a check mark on the documents. Lodge says the goal is to research all of roughly 300 enslaved men and women who lived in Greenwich, including native Americans. Lodge has endured plenty of eye-strain looking at the old wills and land records its faded, its blotched in spots, the spelling wasnt standardized. Students, alas, cant offer much help: most kids cant read cursive anymore, let alone 17th century cursive. At Sacred Heart Greenwich, seventh-graders have been exploring the concept of slavery, and they will begin working with documents and a specific life, Cull Bush Jr., in coming weeks, said Angela Carstensen, Director of Library Services at Sacred Heart Greenwich. Thats the really effective part when they start learning about one persons life, said Carstensen. They can see where the person lived. And seeing these primary documents theyll see inventory of the household goods, and the enslaved people are listed next to pots and pans, listed next to animals. Thats what really gets to them. The students will give a presentation on the research at the Greenwich Historical Society May 25. The new biographies will be put on the historical society website, and the documents will be made available for research at the society headquarters in Cos Cob. The material on slavery is also given on every house tour at the site. Its painstaking work, and laborious in more ways than one, said Lodge, but rewarding for everyone involved. Theyre telling the stories of people who have been forgotten. In a way, theyre bringing people back and remembering them, she said. Thats something that sticks with you. rmarchant@greenwichtime.com This story has been updated to correct the last name of two of the enslaved people whose lives were researched by the Witness Stone Project at the Greenwich Historical Society. GREENWICH Greenwich is relaxing its mask policy as the towns COVID-19 cases continue to drop, the first selectman said. Starting Feb. 18, the mask mandate at all town-owned buildings will be switched to voluntary. This covers Town Hall and the civic centers, but not schools or libraries. There is some encouraging news on the COVID front, First Selectman Fred Camillo announced on Friday in his weekly Community Connections e-blast to residents. With the numbers continuing to decrease, I have decided that the mandatory face mask requirement in town facilities can be lifted. Camillo said anyone who is immune compromised or uncomfortable without a mask in public settings can continue to wear one but it is no longer required. On Thursday, Camillo had indicated at the Board of Selectmen meeting that the mandates end was coming. He said at that time that Greenwich Hospital was down to 12 COVID-positive patients, a drop from 26 on Feb. 2 and that overall the Yale New Haven Health System was down to 143 patients. Theyre really coming down now and were seeing it now all over the country and even some of the hot spots are coming down fast, Camillo said at the meeting. It looks like all the predictions and things weve been hearing about this becoming an endemic are starting to happen. As the virus weakens with each variant, policies are being adjusted. Weve been talking for the last month or so about ending it this month. Camillo had put the mask policy for all town employees and visitors in effect in late December as COVID cases began to surge again because of the highly contagious omicron variant. However, cases have been declining since the middle of January In December, the first selectman did not reinstate a mandate for privately owned businesses, which had been in place during the summer surge of the delta variant. Instead Camillo left it to the businesses themselves to decide whether to require masks. The decision remains up to the businesses and Camillo urged residents to bring masks with them and put them on when asked. And even with the mandate lifting, Camillo warned residents to continue to take the virus seriously. There have been repeated urgings from Greenwich Hospital for people to have their masks ready, to wash hands thoroughly and, most importantly, get vaccinated and boosted. Greenwichs decision to make mask wearing voluntary comes after weeks of downward trends for new cases and hospitalizations. And other communities are loosening their restrictions too. Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons announced on Friday that its city-wide mask mandate will be lifted as of Feb. 16, but will remain in place for Stamfords municipal buildings. In both Stamford and Greenwich, decisions still need to be made about local schools. State officials recommended giving school districts the authority to decide whether to require masks in public schools starting Feb. 28. The plan is contingent on a legislative vote to extend an executive order that lets the public health commissioner mandate masks in certain settings. In Hartford Thursday, the state House of Representatives approved extending a limited set of COVID-19 orders including those relating to school masks first issued by Gov. Ned Lamont. Without legislative action, Lamonts emergency powers would expire Feb. 15. The Senate has scheduled a debate on the bill for Monday. If approved next week in the Senate, most of the rules would be extended through April 15. Editors note: This story has been updated to correct which town-owned buildings the policy applies to. Lifting the mandate will not impact libraries. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com The Department of Public Works will hold a public hearing Feb. 28 about improvements planned for one of Old Greenwichs most visible roads the one circling Binney Park. The street is part of Sound Beach Avenue and Wesskum Wood Road and has been declared a scenic road, which requires more official oversight. According to DPW, the proposed improvements will include replacing 1,350 linear feet of sidewalk and curb on Sound Beach and 365 linear feet on Wesskum Wood; reconstruction of 12 existing Americans with Disabilities Act compliant pedestrian ramps and building a new one; upgrades to four existing striped crosswalks and adding two more crosswalks. The plan also includes two new rapid flashing beacons added to the crosswalks. The project is to improve pedestrian safety, update ramps to be ADA compliant, update the materials to what is standard for this area of town, maintain consistency along the pedestrian path from the park to the sidewalk and to enhance the park setting, said Renee Wallace, communications specialist for DPW. The hearing will take place over Zoom starting at 2 p.m. People will be able to take part by clicking on https://bit.ly/361wTrH right before the hearing starts. Work on the improvements, which is currently budgeted, is expected to begin in March along with the revised project for the Sound Beach Avenue bridge replacement, which has already been approved. The proposed curb and sidewalk work will begin at that time as well and is designed to be completed by winter. It is likely the Wesskum Wood Road work will be done in September when a bridge is replaced on that road, officials said. The cost of the project has not been finalized pending the outcome of the public meeting. A public hearing is required because the route was declared a scenic road by the town. Residents of Old Greenwich formed the Eastern Greenwich Preservation Association after opposition was raised to previous proposed bridge replacement and road elevation on Sound Beach Avenue that would have altered the traffic circle by Perrot Memorial Library. That original project was shelved and the preservation association worked to get the scenic road declaration so there could be additional scrutiny of any projects that go around Sound Beach Avenues route at Binney Park. Downtown Looking for something sweet on Valentines Day? Community Centers Inc. will be holding a special bake sale on Feb. 14 at Town Hall starting at 10 a.m., an event truly by the kids for the kids. CCIs kids will be working this weekend in the kitchen to bake the items that will be for sale and available for purchase by the public on Valentines Day in Town Halls lobby. The sale starts at 10 a.m. and is supposed to end at 1 p.m. or until the food is gone. This is the third time that CCI has held the bake sale. The proceeds raised by the sale go to the kids for a fun activity to reward them for all their hard work. Community Centers Inc. is a nonprofit human services agency based in Chickahominy. It offers a combination of educational and therapeutic recreational programs that helps its clients overcome educational, social and economic barriers. We all really enjoy this event, CCIs Executive Director Gaby Rattner said. Prior to the bake sale, the kids work with staff and volunteers to bake all the yummies. Baking is, of course, a wonderful craft and it also reinforces mathematical skills. Working together to create these beautiful cakes and cookies is terrific team work. And when the kids are selling their creations, theyre building self-confidence. And beyond the lessons it teaches, Rattner said, its also just great fun. The activity that the money will be used will be decided by the kids as a group. Town Selectwoman Janet Stone McGuigan called the bake sale democracy in action when she plugged the it at this past Board of Selectmen meeting. Were very grateful to Town Hall for allowing us to come in and we all love sharing the love, Rattner said. Cos Cob The town is once again seeking volunteers to help out at the Mianus Pond Fishway. The towns Conservation Commission will be holding a virtual workshop and informational meeting from 7 to 8 p.m. Feb. 23. The fishway, which has been in operation since 1993, allows ... fishes such as alewives and blueback herring that spend a portion of their lives in freshwater and saltwater to gain access to important spawning and feeding grounds in the Mianus River, according to the commission. The herring population has declined over the past two decades and remains in a depressed state through much of the region, the commission states. The Mianus Pond Fishway supports one of the largest fish runs in western Connecticut. The commission says volunteers are able to make a big impact and want the volunteer pool to increase. The virtual presentation will include a PowerPoint presentation about the history of the fishway, the fish that use it, how it is operated and the duties a volunteer will be expected to perform. It ends with a question and answer session. Volunteering is open to anytone interested; no prior knowledge of the fish passage is needed to attend. The commission said all local residents, fishing groups, watershed employees and town employees are encouraged to attend. Preregistration is required. People interested in taking part should email sarah.coccaro@greenwichct.org. Once they are registered, they will get the link for the Zoom presentation. Central Greenwich A tradition every December, close to Christmas, for chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution is to take part in the Wreaths Across America ceremony. The ceremony is an offshoot of Arlington National Cemeterys laying of the wreaths on veterans gravesites at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Monument, done every Dec. 18. Similar ceremonies are held at more than 1,600 locations across America to celebrate veterans. Last Dec. 18, members of the Putnam Hill Chapter of the DAR gathered in the Christ Church Cemetery where 17 known Greenwich Revolutionary War patriots are buried along with other residents who served in the Civil War. At the Putnam Hill Chapters ceremony, members of the local Mary Bush Society of the Children of the American Revolution laid the wreaths, with remarks from Bill Cameron from Cos Cob VFW Post 10122 This was an especially interesting educational opportunity for the students who were very interested in learning about his military experience and (Cameron) made time for questions and answers after the ceremony, the chapter said. People interested in holding a small event or meeting at Putnam Cottage or taking a tour there or joining the Putnam Hill Chapter of the DAR or CAR can reach out to PutnamHillDAR@gmail.com via email. The DAR is open to all women ages 18 and older who have a direct line to an American who served in the American Revolution. Genealogists are available to help interested people with their applications. More information is online at http://PutnamHillDAR.org. kborsuk@greenwichtime.com WASHINGTON - As many anti-vaccine and anti-mandate protesters in trucks continue to paralyze Canada's capital and block border crossings, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he hopes truckers would come to the United States as soon as this weekend to clog up streets in Los Angeles during the Super Bowl or next month to Washington. Participants in the self-styled "Freedom Convoy" are expected to flood Ottawa for a third straight weekend in what Ontario Premier Doug Ford called a "siege" as he declared a provincial state of emergency. Protesters have also blocked several U.S.-Canada border crossings, affecting industries on both sides of the border. Yet when Paul was asked about his thoughts on the convoy and the potential for it to spill over into Los Angeles, home of Sunday's Super Bowl, or into Washington D.C., he said "it'd be great" if the anti-mandate demonstrators came to the United States to "clog things up." "I'm all for it," Paul, a longtime opponent to masking and vaccine mandates, told the Daily Signal, a conservative outlet, on Thursday. "Civil disobedience is a time-honored tradition in our country, from slavery to civil rights to you name it. Peaceful protest, clog things up, make people think about the mandates." He added, "I hope the truckers do come to America, and I hope they clog up cities." A spokesman with the senator's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment early Saturday. A White House spokesperson pointed to Friday comments from press secretary Jen Psaki about how the Department of Homeland Security is working with the California Highway Patrol, Los Angeles Police Department and other authorities across California to help respond to any potential protests at the Super Bowl. Psaki noted that while the administration believes in peaceful protests, any potential intentions from truckers to clog up the roads could "have a huge impact on workers and the American public." The convoy, which started as a protest of U.S. and Canadian rules requiring truckers crossing the border to be fully vaccinated, has disrupted Ottawa as part of a broader movement against mandates. Protests have blockaded notable U.S.-Canada border crossings, such as the Ambassador Bridge, a key trade corridor linking Windsor, Ontario, to Detroit, and inspired similar protests abroad. The threat of truckers potentially clogging up U.S. roads was elevated on Tuesday when the Department of Homeland Security distributed a bulletin to law enforcement agencies. The DHS warned that a convoy of protesting truckers will potentially begin in California as early as mid-February and arrive in D.C. as late as mid-March, according to a copy of the bulletin obtained by The Washington Post. The agency noted that truckers from Canada may potentially join the convoy as it travels east. The bulletin highlighted how the convoy would potentially affect Sunday's Super Bowl at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., featuring the hometown Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. It also warned how D.C. was a possible destination in March before Biden's first State of the Union address to Congress. "While there are currently no indications of planned violence, if hundreds of trucks converge in a major metropolitan city, the potential exists to severely disrupt transportation, federal government operations, commercial facilities, and emergency services through gridlock and potential counterprotests," the memo said. The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has played down a potential trucker convoy disrupting the Super Bowl, telling Insider there is no "legitimacy" to the threat. Paul has been a vocal opponent of pandemic-related mandates and has described the mask guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as "anti-science." In August, as the delta variant sent case numbers and hospitalizations soaring, he denounced health mandates against the virus. The senator from Kentucky - who has fashioned himself as the Senate's chief skeptic of Anthony Fauci, the country's top infectious-disease doctor - urged people to resist the regulations implemented by health experts and elected officials to help prevent the spread of covid. "They can't arrest all of us," Paul said at the time. Paul's feelings toward the trucker convoy are much different than his sentiments about Black Lives Matter protests in recent years. After a crowd of D.C. protesters in 2020 yelled at Paul to say the name of Breonna Taylor, who was shot by police in Louisville, the senator claimed his "life was in danger" and denounced Black Lives Matter demonstrators as a "crazed mob." The Republican also called on the FBI to investigate the incident featuring protesters that President Donald Trump described at the time as "thugs," according to Reuters. The senator's mention of slavery in backing the "civil disobedience" of the truckers was met with blowback from Charles Booker, a Democratic candidate for Paul's Senate seat, who called the Republican's words "destructive, intentional, and completely unacceptable." Paul acknowledged to the Daily Signal this week that while he didn't know what effect a trucker convoy would have on Washington D.C., he supported any potential efforts anyway. "It'd be nice change," he said. "We'd actually have some traffic." - - - The Washington Post's Amanda Coletta, Andrew Jeong and Adela Suliman contributed to this report. The Department of Public Health and Social Services reported 345 cases of COVID-19 Saturday and an analysis of recent cases showed 10 out of 10 samples tested involved the omicron variant. There were 52 people hospitalized with COVID-19, according to the Joint Information Center. The 345 positive tests were from 747 specimens analyzed. More results are pending analysis and will be available Monday. Guam has had 39,640 cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. There have been 306 deaths and there are 7,428 active cases. Hospitalizations There were 29 people in Guam Memorial Hospital and 23 at Guam Regional Medical City for the virus. Two children, both under the age of 5, were hospitalized. Seven people were in intensive care units and four were on ventilators. Of those hospitalized, 28 were vaccinated and 22 werent. The children werent eligible for vaccination. Omicron identified Also on Saturday, Public Health reported getting 10 results from virus samples collected Jan. 25-26. The samples, sent to the Hawaii Department of Health for genome sequencing, were all identified as the omicron variant. Guam has sent 541 samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Hawaii lab to identify variants of concern and 381 have been positive for variants. Of those, 256 were the delta variant. Seventeen were omicron. The Guam Department of Labors American Job Center is moving from the Bell Tower Plaza to the GCIC Building, so limited services will be available. More than three years after Neiwin Masasys brother and two others were arrested in a traffic dispute that turned violent, she still has questions about the case. Her brother, Elton Masasy, whose name was also spelled Masasi in court documents, died at the Department of Corrections soon after his arrest. A warrant was issued last month for another man, Travor Todd Ruben, who was taken into custody and later released. Until now I havent heard much about the case, but I would like to, Masasy said. The third man, Maurice Jones, who reported the confrontation, was arrested but never charged. Since the night of the incident, accounts about what happened have been inconsistent and some details have yet to be resolved. Neiwin Masasy still hasnt received her brothers death certificate, despite making multiple requests. The case against Ruben is still pending in court. Fight Neiwin Masasy and her youngest son were in the car during the December 2018 confrontation. She said it started when one vehicle pulled out in front of the other on Pale San Vitores Road in Tumon. Court documents state there was a brief exchange, which led to a fight when the cars met up on Route 1 near Kmart. Jones and his wife were in one car, Ruben and the Masasys were in the other. I guess the females husband got angry because (Ruben) knocked on her window and got out of their vehicle and went toward Trevor and punched him in the face and Trevor fell to the ground, Neiwin Masasy recalled. The husband then came toward (Ruben) and attacked him with the tire wrench. Police said Jones got out of his car with a tire iron, punched the other driver and hit Rubens car with the tire iron. Jones said he acted in self-defense. He recently declined to comment further. Jones and his wife went to the Mobil gas station in Upper Tumon. Surveillance footage showed them speaking with gas station employees when they realized they were being followed. Jones said someone tried to stab him with a knife. He and his wife retreated into the store because another person was shooting at them with a slingshot, police said. The Jones car and the Mobil store were damaged by metal rebar cuttings fired from the slingshot. Court documents and witness statements gave conflicting accounts of the confrontation. Neiwin Masasy said the situation wasnt handled fairly. When the authorities were called, it seemed as if only Trevor and Elton were in the wrong, she said. Ruben In January, a warrant for Rubens arrest was issued for his failure to appear in court for a hearing connected to the case. He was scheduled to change his plea. Ruben has since been arrested on the warrant and released again from confinement while he waits for a change-of-plea hearing. Since the arrest of Ruben and Elton Masasy in 2018, Neiwin Masasy said she has had very little knowledge about what was going on in court. I was told I would be a witness, said Neiwin Masasy, who was contacted about the case months after the incident. Death Elton Masasy would never get the opportunity to defend himself in court. He was found unresponsive at the Department of Corrections. Neiwin Masasy remembers getting a call as her brother was being taken to Naval Hospital. He was unconscious and had to be put on a life support, Neiwin Masasy said. We got there and there he was lying in the hospital bed, couldnt move, couldnt talk, couldnt open his eyes anymore, but as I looked down and touched his cold face I could see a small teardrop. A report stated Elton Masasy died from a self-inflicted injury. The case against him was closed. It was confusing because my brother never had thoughts about suicide. Everybody loved him. Everybody loved his presence. He cared about everybody around him, especially my kids, who were just like kids of his own said Neiwin Masasy, who has six children. While on life support, Elton Masasy was surrounded by family. Some people called from the states. Then Elton stopped breathing for the last time. That was it. He was gone just in an instant, Neiwin Masasy recalled. Death certificate Neiwin Masasy said the family still hasnt received a death certificate for her brother. When an inmate dies in prison, the Department of Public Health and Social Services holds on to the death certificate until DOC asks them to release it. Neiwin Masasy said she tried multiple times to get the death certificate, but ran into problems. I was the one who was assigned his documents, but when I went down to Public Health at the time, they didnt issue us one because the worker said DOC didnt give us permission, Neiwin Masasy said. A few weeks ago, a DOC representative said the process of getting Elton Masasys death certificate released has been started. Neiwin Masasy said DOC helped with funeral arrangements and expenses. Family Since Elton Masasys death, Neiwin Masasy has wished shed spent more time with her oldest brother. I miss everything about Elton. I wish every day that I can rewind the times he was here. I would be happy again, said Neiwin Masasy, the last of her immediate family on Guam. Elton Masasys loyalty to his family, especially when they were not in the best situations, is missed. Elton and I were very close. He always had my back, Neiwin Masasy said. Every time he got paid, hed make sure that he took me and my kids out, or gave me a certain amount of money. Hed always make sure that when I was mad, hed do funny things to make me smile. The Department of Public Works is repairing flood damage in Dededo and government officials met with residents Friday to tell them about the plans. Contractor ZME Pacific will build new trenches along road shoulders and fix pavement at Chalan Pugua Matchena and Chalan Bongbong. We are glad that the governor, lieutenant governor and mayor were here to address the problem, said resident Jeine Garcia.Weve been suffering for so many years already. The projects address flooding issues and provide safeguards for residents and property. The two projects, totaling $109,600, are paid for through the Guam Highway Fund. Work is expected to start in the next two weeks and could be completed in two months. Dededo Mayor Melissa Savares acknowledged the length of time taken to address the road issues in the area. The delay in this was COVID, said Savares. Lt. Gov. Joshua Tenorio echoed Savares. He said disruptions from COVID-19 caused the road repairs in Dededo, one of the most congested places on the island, to be postponed. He said the flooding problem existed before the administration was in office. The government needs to apologize to the residents because its been so many years, Tenorio said. I think its our responsibility to let you know that we really felt that the government shouldve been here faster. Gov. Lou Leon Guerero said now that the pandemic is under control, other projects can resume. As governor of Guam, I do want to apologize to you as residents for the delay, Leon Guerrero said. Speaking about military experiences with family or friends can be a challenge for veterans. Raymond Shinohara, who said he experienced post-traumatic stress disorder during his time in the armed forces, felt like he didnt have anyone to talk with who understood him. To make sure other veterans dont feel as isolated as he did, Shinohara and Army veteran John Concepcion created Battle Buddy Talk. Veterans meet weekly and speak openly with their peers in person, or using Zoom, sitting in a circle under the open night sky. It starts with a question, such as How do you deal with stress? or What are the biggest problems you have had since you left the military? That topic opens up the discussion for veterans to connect and build a support network. Its a place for veterans to express their feelings. To laugh, to cry, to have joy and experience all those emotions. This is the place to let it out, said Concepcion, co-founder and current president of Got Your 671, an organization dedicated to reaching out to veterans and their families. Concepcion, like Shinohara, said he didnt want to talk to anyone about his service, even those closest to him. The Battle Buddy Talk changed that. The Battle Buddy Talk is also therapy for me. I look forward to it, because I get to be around veterans and relate to them. Thats what its all about, he said. He said veterans share a bond, regardless of their branch of service, rank or when they served. Even if someone has not been in war, what we all have in common is raising our right hand in defense of the Constitution, said Concepcion. The talk, which has about 20 participants each session, stated a year ago when Concepcion reached out to Shinohara, who had been hosting similar online meetings for Green Valor, a nonprofit he founded to help veterans. Before the talks start at 7 p.m. every Wednesday at Sagan Kotturan Chamoru Cultural Center in Tamuning, participants can try their hand at stone slinging, weaving, carving and other activities. Concepcion hopes veterans can find a sense of purpose by participating in the activities. Roland Ada, first vice chairman of Guams Veterans Commission, said while he hasnt had time to attend the talks, he has referred veterans who could benefit from sharing problems in a group setting. Santa Rita-Sumai resident, Lorelie Flinn, is the first customer to purchase a ticket to visit the underwater observatory at the Fish Eye Marine Park in Piti as the facility re-opened its gates to the public on Saturday, Nov. 20, 2021, since being forced to temporarily close it doors last year in August, due the COVID-19 pandemic. Haiti - FLASH : The Ministry of Foreign Affairs defends Prime Minister Henry Following the serious accusations made against Prime Minister ai Ariel Henry in American media including CNN which made public an audio recording attributed to Judge Garry Orerien, in which the magistrate accuses Ariel Henry of being in collusion with Joseph Felix Badio (on the run and actively sought) considered the mastermind of the President's assassination and also in the New York Times, following the confession of former Colombian military officer Mario Palacios extradited to the United States https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35696-haiti-flash-palacios-confessed-that-the-final-plan-was-to-assassinate-the-president-of-haiti.html the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a note dated February 10, 2022, addressed to the Diplomatic and Consular Missions of friendly countries accredited in Haiti categorically rejects these accusations which he describes as "false allegations" "aimed at overthrowing the Prime Minister". Note from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs : "The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Worship presents its compliments to the Diplomatic and Consular Missions of friendly countries accredited in Haiti, and has the honor, on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Haiti, to inform them that it categorically rejects the false allegations published in the international press reporting any involvement of the Head of Government, His Excellency Dr. Ariel Henry in the heinous assassination of President Jovenel Moise. These desperate maneuvers constitute a diversion serving to confuse the tracks of the investigation; further weaken the security situation and further destabilize the country, thus aggravating the suffering of the population. Moreover, Judge Gary Orelien, to whom serious statements have been attributed, himself categorically rejected these lies of which he denies being the author https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35923-haiti-news-zapping.html . Notwithstanding these dishonest and motivated actions, the Prime Minister, Dr. Ariel Henry is determined to continue the major projects of the interim period. Indeed, despite this disinformation and denigration campaign aimed at overthrowing the Prime Minister and delaying the return to constitutional order, Dr. Ariel Henry remains open to dialogue and tirelessly pursues his efforts to restore public security; form a Provisional Electoral Council to carry out constitutional reform, organize general, free, honest and democratic elections and initiate the plan for the recovery and reconstruction of the Great South following the damage caused by the earthquake of August 14th Prime Minister Ariel Henry, reacting to these accusations based on 2 telephone calls on July 7, the day of the assassination of President Jovenel Moise at 4:03 am and at 4:20 am for a total duration of 7 minutes spent with Joseph Felix Badio declared "I was not questioned by any judge. In addition, I would like to inform that I only have one number and that all my telephone conversations are always recorded. The information is, therefore, available." Read about it : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35696-haiti-flash-palacios-confessed-that-the-final-plan-was-to-assassinate-the-president-of-haiti.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34937-haiti-flash-martine-moise-files-a-complaint-against-pm-henry-and-consorts.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34762-haiti-justice-phone-call-with-badio-the-pm-does-not-remember.html https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-34714-haiti-flash-the-prosecution-wants-to-hear-pm-henry-in-connection-with-the-assassination-of-the-president.html In addition, Ariel Henry declared "To do justice to President Jovenel Moise, we will favor mutual legal assistance [NdHL: internationale], not to impose any procedure on us, but to assist us in order to advance the procedure with a lot more clarity and transparency." SL/ HaitiLibre BOSSIER CITY, La. KTBS shared with the ArkLaTex Wednesday the desperation of an elderly Bossier City woman at a loss on how to pay for life-saving medications. And the ArkLaTex responded to Betty Fosters plight in a big way. KTBS received dozens of emails from viewers offering help, including covering the cost of her entire deductible, contributing toward the bill and even other suggestions of how Foster and other seniors on fixed incomes, who might find themselves in similar situations, could locate low-cost medications. RELATED REPORT: Bossier City woman desperate for heart meds My husband and I would like to pay the $1,000 deductible if Ms. Foster still needs her medication, one viewer wrote. This is so sad that a United States Citizen should have to go through an issue of this magnitude, said a viewer who suggested a GoFundMe account. I would be happy to make a contribution if she still needs help, said another. Id like to help out with this womans heart medicine. Let me know how or where to donate, a man wrote. KTBS passed along the information to Foster and was there Thursday afternoon when husband and wife Matthew and Brittany Smith came to her rescue. They even gave her a ride to Walmart to pick up and pay for the prescriptions. My heart is full, said Foster. She was overwhelmed with the offers of support. Getting the word out through KTBS was her last resort, Foster said. Unfortunately, Fosters situation is not unique. Many others like her fight a monthly battle to afford their medication. AARP said a new federal report states 3.5 million Americans age 65 and older struggled to afford their needed prescription drugs in 2019 and that Medicare beneficiaries of color and those with lower incomes were more likely to skip needed doses because of cost. The report from the Office of Health Policy at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is based on the annual National Health Interview Survey. The report also looked at Medicare beneficiaries under 65 and found that 1.8 million of those enrollees had problems affording their medications in 2019. Individuals under 65 with disabilities may qualify for Medicare. "The high cost and out-of-pocket expenses of drugs cause many Americans particularly those with chronic conditions such as diabetes to delay or skip taking needed treatments," the report says. This despite the fact that the vast majority of Medicare beneficiaries have prescription drug coverage. To help Foster, some viewers suggested contacting the drug manufacturers since some have programs to help with the costs of expensive medications. Others like the MLK Health Center Pharmacy reminded KTBS that it has a free clinic and pharmacy and could work with Foster to see if she could be assisted with her medications. A new online pharmacy launched in January by billionaire investor Mark Cuban was also put into the mix as a possible solution for Foster. Cubans Cost Plus Drug Company promises to offer discounts for generic drugs by bypassing the industry middleman and charging manufacturers prices plus a flat markup. Haiti - Politic : Laborious meeting between the PM and a delegation of the Montana agreement Acting Prime Minister Ariel Henry, as part of his search for consensus, responded favorably to the request for a meeting made on February 2 by the Montana Accord Monitoring Office (BSA). Henry at his official residence in Musseau held a long meeting behind closed doors with a BSA delegation composed of : Jacques Ted St-Die, Leslie Voltaire, Magali Corneau Denis and Ernst Mathurin. While the meeting was taking place, the Head of Government published in a Tweet "In view of the priorities of the hour and the challenges that await us, such as insecurity and the next popular consultations, I call for courage, determination, abnegation and patriotism of everyone for the national rescue." At the end of this meeting the PM declared "[...] It was necessary that we have discussions. It is through dialogue that we will reach a solution to the country's problems. The two parties have decided to dialogue. We decided to sit around the table in order to find a solution to this country that we have in common." On his official Twitter account, Ariel Henry published "I have just returned from a laborious meeting with the representatives of the Montana Accord with a view to finding a common and lasting solution, discussions will resume next Monday." S/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... 22 individuals arrested including a gang leader The Divisional Inspector, Garry Desrosiers, Spokesperson for the National Police of Haiti (PNH) informed that during a vast police operation Friday, February 11 in Girardo, (commune of Petion-ville) 22 individuals were arrested including the alleged gang leader "Gwo Jera" and several of his henchmen. Two people, including a police officer, were injured during the intervention, four motorcycles were seized and an alleged bandit was lynched by the population following this intervention. The Senate makes Buzz according to the PM At the end of his meeting with members of the Montana Accord Monitoring Office https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35941-haiti-politic-laborious-meeting-between-the-pm-and-a-delegation-of-the-montana-agreement.html questioned on the position of the Senate which affirms that since February 7 the Prime Minister must only expedite current affairs https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35918-haiti-politic-senator-lambert-asks-the-csc-ca-to-monitor-the-expenses-of-the-pm.html replied "These are political actors who create buzz. There is no legal basis for their position. We are in a serious situation. Our behaviors should not make the situation worse. I continue to extend my hand to all the sons of the country so that together we can allow the people to freely choose their leaders." Minimum wage Friday, February 11, 2022, the Prime Minister declared "I confirm that the Superior Council of Salaries (CSS) is in the process of finalizing its recommendations to submit its report to the government. This will help set the minimum wage, taking into account the realities and dynamics in the industrial and commercial sectors" See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35924-haiti-social-workers-in-the-textile-sector-demand-a-300-increase-in-the-minimum-wage.html Ski OG : Richardson Viano will wear the colors of Haiti Sunday, February 13, 2022, the skier Richardson Viano (19 years old) of Haitian origin (35th in the world in Cortina d'Ampezzo - Italy) will proudly wear the colors of Haiti at the Beijing Winter Olympics (Pekin) https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35688-haiti-jo-beijing-2022-d-24-the-skier-richardson-viano-will-defend-the-colors-of-haiti.html This is the first time of the he story that a Haitian will take the start of a giant slalom event. 1st round of the event: 10:15 a.m. - 2nd round: 1:45 p.m. (Beijing time) EDH : Prepaid meters The EDH announces that 10,000 prepaid meters have been distributed in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince and that 60,000 others will be distributed soon. Policeman killed, Frantz Elbe visits the bereaved family Frantz Elbe the Commander-in-Chief ai of the National Police of Haiti (PNH) visited this weeks the family members of the policeman Joseph killed by bullets by individuals during the attack against the sub-police station of Bon-Repos . https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-35854-haiti-flash-the-sub-police-stations-of-bon-repos-and-cesselesse-attacked-by-armed-men.html Those responsible for Medical and Social Services and those of the PNH Wellness Service. are working on support measures intends to bring the PNH to the family of the police officer, in particular for the organization of his funeral, as well as the administrative follow-up in relation to this file. HL/ HaitiLibre By Panos Kotzathanasis | Published on 2022/02/11 Forgotten in storage for 37 years, following a clash between the creators and the censors, with the latter demanding that the ending line changes and the former denying, "A Day Off" was discovered in 2005 in the Korean Film Archive, and was eventually restored, adding even more to the legend of one of the most influencing directors of the 60s. Advertisement The story takes place on a Sunday in late winter, where we are introduced to Heo-wook, a man who tries to fight his poorness by turning tricks on people. Eventually, he meets Ji-yeon, his secret lover, whom he only meets on Sundays. The girl talks about their life together and a future with kids and a beautiful house, but Heo-wook remains bleak, knowing their financial situation will not allow this. As they roam the streets in the cold, she eventually reveals that he is pregnant. Desperate to find money for an abortion, he leaves her in a park and starts visiting his friends, asking for help. The womanizer and the drunk bring no success, which turns Heo-wook to his rich spoiled friend. Crime eventually ensues, but punishment is following close behind. Lee Man-hee-I directs a film that implements a very interesting combination, with images of utter beauty and artistry juxtaposed with the bleakness of the main theme. In that fashion, the cold of the air, the snow, and the overall tour-guide aspect of the movie is excellently portrayed by Lee Suk-kee's lens, with the exterior scenes featuring very few dialogues, essentially allowing the viewer to appreciate the beauty. As soon as the narrative moves indoors and dialogues ensues, a terrible pessimism starts to permeate the movie, particularly directed towards men. That Heo-wook's friends are a womanizer, a drunk and a spoiled seems like a direct accusation towards the particular sex, as all the men in the story appear filled with faults. The women here are portrayed as stronger, in different ways, as Ji-yeon fights against all odds, the womanizer's friend leaves him breaking the window as soon as she overhears him badmouthing him, while even the rich man's maid eventually mocks his manhood. At the same time, Lee seems to state that despite the fact, women end up hurt by men in a society that is deeply patriarchal The maid continues to be in service in the end, the "breaker" is exploited sexually, while Ji-yeon has the worst fate of all, with her arc cementing the comment and the overall bleakness and pessimism of the movie. At the same time, Heo-wook is proven the worst of all essentially, with his attitude being particularly despicable from beginning to end, with the finale, both the brutal one and the relatively calm and actually optimistic one, also adding to the idea that "this is a man's world". Lastly, the fact that Sunday, a day off when most people are off work and free to relax, actually presents more of a problem than a relief for the majority of the protagonists, seems to be a comment about how the then society was lost in its money-making, self-indulgent paths. Kang-Shin Sung-il gives a great performance in the protagonist role in that regard, with his unapologetic, self-centered ways being portrayed with gusto, resulting in the creation of a character who only causes problems but still manages to be rather liked. Ji Yun-seong as Jee-yoon is also rather convincing in her naive cheerfulness and resolve, with her presenting the victim in the best fashion. Hyeon Dong-chun's editing implements a pace that is slower on the exterior shots and faster in the interior ones, thus fitting the overall aesthetics excellently. Furthermore, at just 73 minutes, the movie does not overextend its welcome in any way, even if the melodrama becomes a bit too much on occasion, particularly when the music that accompanies the movie gets too sentimental "A Day Off" is an excellent film, another testament to Lee Man-hee-I's prowess and his ability of presenting deep, meaningful comments within a narrative that also focuses on beauty. Review by Panos Kotzathanasis ___________ "A Day Off" is directed by Lee Man-hee-I, and features Kang-Shin Sung-il, Ji Yun-seong, Kim Sung-ok, Kim Sun-cheol, An Eun-suk, Kim Kyung-ran. Release date in Korea: 1968. Published on 2022/02/11 | Source New character stills and trailer added for the upcoming Korean movie "In Our Prime" Main Trailer Advertisement "In Our Prime" (2020) Directed by Park Dong-hoon With Choi Min-sik, Kim Dong-hwi-I, Park Byung-eun, Park Hae-joon, Jo Yun-seo, Ro Jong-hyun,... Also known as "A Mathematician in Wonderland" Synopsis Special classes of math between two outcasts: a genius mathematician with a hidden past and a needy student given up on math. Ji-woo (Kim Dong-hwi-I), an outcast in a prestigious private high school, does not fit in due to different social backgrounds than his well-to-do classmates. One day, he meets Hak-seong (Choi Min-sik), the school's security guard who is actually a mathematical genius defected from North Korea, now living with his past shut away. Ji-woo asks Hak-seong to teach him math, and although reluctant at first, Hak-seong eventually agrees to. Finding each other in their most difficult times, Ji-woo and Hak-seong open up to one another during their special math lessons, but their friendship is at risk when Ji-woo is framed for an incident in school, and Hak-seong is faced with people prying on his past. Release date in Korea : 2022/03/09 Thank you for reading! You have reached our free-content limit. If you are a current subscriber, please log in to continue viewing content or purchase a subscription by clicking the Subscribe button below. Thank you for supporting independent Journalism. Mary Lou Montgomery, retired as editor of the Hannibal (Mo.) Courier-Post in 2014. She researches and writes narrative-style stories about the people who served as building blocks for this regions foundation. Books available on Amazon.com by this author include but are not limited to: "The Notorious Madam Shaw," "Pioneers in Medicine from Northeast Missouri," and "The Historic Murphy House, Hannibal, Mo., Circa 1870." She can be reached at Montgomery.editor@yahoo.com Her collective works can be found at maryloumontgomery.com Hartford City, IN (47348) Today Heavy rain along with thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 71F. Winds S at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening followed by a few showers overnight. Low 48F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Submit Stop us if you have heard this before, but Amity is the new No. 1 team in the GameTimeCT Top 10 Baseball Poll. The Spartans claim the top spot after previous No. 1 Warde dropped a 2-1 decision to... We couldnt help but notice the number of articles in recent editions of this news The Council issued a written statement regarding the latest developments in the Syrian city of As-Suwayda. At the beginning of the statement it was stated: "During the past five days, our people in the city of As-Suwayda went out in peaceful demonstrations, demanding freedom, dignity and improving living conditions, despite the repressive security grip of the Damascus authority. The revolution of freedom and dignity did not stop, as hope was accompanying it at every moment, despite the setbacks that punctuated its path during the past decade, the spirit is still resurrected in it and renewed today in the heart of the beating heart of all Syrians. The statement added: "The revolution deviated from its course when it was dominated by political Islam, and later terrorist organizations such as ISIS and Al-Nusra, and the mercenary factions that branched from them, which follow the orders and agendas of the Turkish occupation. What is happening today in As-Suwayda is a revival of the revolution, that calls for a decent living and preserves its dignity. This movement is nothing but a new challenge in the direction of tyranny and another proof that the revolution of rights does not die. The Syrian Democratic Council expressed its support for the "revolutionary movement in As-Suwayda", and added: "The Syrian Democratic Council, as it stands by the revolutionary movement in As-Suwayda and closely follows its developments, calls on its leaders to lead their own path and not allow any party to derail it from its peaceful path. The march that calls for democratic change, and makes Syria a state of social justice, freedom, equality and law. The statement of the Syrian Democratic Council also called on the international community to "deter the authority in Damascus from committing any massacres," and ended the statement by saying: "The Syrian Democratic Council warns of the seriousness of the situation in As-Suwayda and expresses its great fears about the authority in Damascus' exploitation of the international atmosphere, especially at a time when it is busy. The world is concerned about the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, and considers it an opportunity to suppress the peaceful revolutionary movement there without the presence of any accountability or oversight. Accordingly, the Council calls on the international community, and in particular the Russian government, to deter the authority in Damascus from committing any massacres, and to hold it accountable for any violation that may be exposed. It has our people in As-Suwayda, pushing it to the dialogue table, and concluding a political solution, as it is the only key to saving the people and the country, and the stability of the region. A ANHA The US State Department's spokesman, Christian James, came during special statements he made to our agency, by phone, to talk about the Syrian developments and fears of a resurgence of ISIS activity and the war on terrorism. Syria represents a humanitarian catastrophe and we are consulting with our partners to reach a settlement We will renew US efforts to advance the possibility of a political settlement that ends the horrific civil war in Syria, in close consultation with our allies, partners, and the United Nations. Such a political settlement must address the underlying causes, Christian James said in an exclusive statement to our agency that led to nearly a decade of civil war." We will use the tools at our disposal, including economic pressure, to push for meaningful reform and accountability, and we will continue to support the role of the United Nations in negotiating a political settlement in line with Security Council Resolution 2254. We will also restore US leadership in providing humanitarian assistance. Syria represents A humanitarian catastrophe and we must do more to help vulnerable Syrians displaced inside Syria and refugees who have fled abroad. We urge all countries not to normalize relations with Damascus On the normalization measures by some Arab countries with Damascus, the US official said: "We urge all countries not to restore (normalization) or develop their diplomatic relations or economic cooperation with the Assad regime. Doing so rewards Assad for perpetuating the conflict. We continue to urge members of the League of Arab States on not making any efforts to reintegrate the Assad regime into the organization before the criteria set out in UN Security Council Resolution 2254 are met. Any attempt to restore relations or welcome the Assad regimes return to the Arab League will undermine our collective efforts to move toward a lasting, peaceful and political solution to the Syrian conflict in line with with Security Council Resolution 2254. ISIS takes advantage of instability and Assad is a capable and committed military partner On ISIS activity, the US State Department spokesperson stressed, "ISIS in Syria continues to pose a serious threat, taking advantage of instability, expressing intent to launch attacks abroad, and continuing to inspire terrorist attacks around the world. Preventing the re-emergence of ISIS in Syria requires Iraq and Syria, as well as its affiliate organizations and networks outside the Middle East, a renewed US engagement with our 83 partners and allies that make up the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. "President Biden has accordingly expressed his support for maintaining a small number of US forces in northern and eastern Syria to support local partners and prevent the resurgence of ISIS. The Syrian Democratic Forces, which have undertaken the major share of the field fighting against ISIS, remain a capable and committed military partner," he added. But it cannot continue to fight ISIS terrorists or guard tens of thousands of ISIS detainees and their families without US support." The removal of al-Quraishi is a major blow to ISIS The US official touched on the killing of ISIS leader Abdullah Qardash, saying: "The removal of ISIS leader Muhammad Saeed Abdul Rahman al-Mawla, also known as Abu Ibrahim al-Hashemi al-Quraishi from the battlefield dealt a new major blow to this terrorist organization. As a coalition, we will continue the necessary pressure to counter any attempt by ISIS to restore form itself or regain control of territory in Syria and Iraq. He added, "The swift actions taken by our local partners - at the cost of their forces' losses - to halt the attack on the detention center in Al-Hasakah have thwarted ISIS's attempt to mobilize its forces with detainees there. The attack highlighted the weakness of the temporary detention centers and the importance of providing full resources to coalition initiatives to ensure the detention of detainees." ISIS fighters are safe. A ANHA Henderson, NC (27536) Today A mix of clouds and sun with the chance of an isolated thunderstorm in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then mainly cloudy overnight. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Injured people receive medical treatment at a hospital in Qala-e-Naw, capital of Badghis Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2022. One person was dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in Qala-e-Naw, provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said on Friday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- One person has been confirmed dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in western Afghanistan, the provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said Friday. Qanet said the dead and the 14 wounded, with one in critical condition, have been taken to hospital following the blast that took place at the main gate of the mosque in Qala-e-Naw city, capital of western Afghanistan's Badghis province. Four children were among the injured, the official added. Baz Mohammad Sarwari, director of Information and Culture of Badghis province, has also confirmed the explosion, saying the blast occurred at 02:00 p.m. local time and an investigation has been initiated. According to Sarwari, 10 suspects have been arrested, and no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the incident. An injured man receives medical treatment at a hospital in Qala-e-Naw, capital of Badghis Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2022. One person was dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in Qala-e-Naw, provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said on Friday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) An injured man receives medical treatment at a hospital in Qala-e-Naw, capital of Badghis Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2022. One person was dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in Qala-e-Naw, provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said on Friday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) Sheriff honors retiring Hot Dog World owner Steve Katsadouros accepts award from Sheriff Lowell Griffin. Hot Dog World's longtime owner, Steve Katsadouros, who announced his retirement from the business last month, was honored Thursday by Henderson County Sheriff Lowell Griffin with the first ever "Sheriff's Award of Excellence." "For over 35 years Steve Katsadouros owned and operated one of the very best restaurants in North Carolina, during those 35-plus years he always gave back to his community and was a huge supporter of all emergency service agencies in Henderson County," the sheriff's office said in a news release. "Thank you for always giving back to your community and your support of emergency services. We hope you enjoy your much deserved retirement!" Opened in July 1986, Hot Dog World has won numerous regional and state awards for its food and has been praised for years for its customer service. The new owner is Thanasi Tsakalos, who has been Katsadouros's business partner since 1997, Asheville Citizen-Times reported on Jan. 6. A JAZZ saxophonist from Henley has bought an instrument which belonged to the founder of a famous jazz club in London who was one of his heroes. Art Themen, of Wharfe Lane, paid an undisclosed sum for Ronnie Scotts saxophone as the previous owner wanted the instrument to be well-looked after. The 82-year-old plays it only on special occasions but these will include a performance in Henley next month. Scott founded his jazz club in Soho in 1959 and it is still one of the worlds most popular. After his death in 1996, the saxophone was sold at auction to Roger Baycock, the proprietor of the Allegro music shop in Oxford, who sold it to Art in November. It is believed the instrument used to belong to Hank Mobley, a black American saxophonist who died in 1986, before Scott owned it. Art, who has been playing the saxophone since he was 16, first saw the instrument at the shop more than 20 years ago. He said: Roger Baycock had a display cabinet with Ronnie Scotts saxophone and Tubby Hayess saxophone in it. These two instruments were not for sale and that was the end of that story. But on my birthday at the end of November I got a call from a chap with a muffled voice and it was Roger from Allegro. I told him I remembered him and the saxophone and he told me he had sold Tubby Hayess saxophone to what he thought was a good home. But the buyer sold it for a profit so Roger said he wanted Ronnie Scotts saxophone to go to a good home and he was calling round saxophone players. I asked him how many he had called and I was the first one so I said I would have it because Ronnie Scott is one of my heroes. I actually played with him once in the Sixties. I hardly spoke to him but he was very much a hero of mine so I simply had to do it. Roger said he wasnt there to make a profit so he sold it to me at the going rate for an instrument of that age. Art, who lives with his partner Monnik Vleugels, said the saxophone was in perfect condition and he played it for the first time later the same day. The retired orthopaedic surgeon said: I had a gig that evening in Birmingham which geographically was quite convenient as the shop in Oxford was on the way. Roger showed me the provenance. When Ronnie Scott died it was taken over by Phillips the auctioneers who put it up for sale and Roger bid for it. The provenance has links to Hank Mobley, who was one of the greatest saxophone players. Towards the end of his life he was in a bad place and came over to England and allegedly gave this saxophone to Ronnie. The provenance is that its definitely Ronnie Scotts with a significant link to Hank Mobley, who really lived the jazz life. Ive not lived the jazz life because of my previous job at the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading I had to keep my nose clean. Art said he had been worried the instrument might have deteriorated while in an illuminated cabinet at the shop but far from it. I got it out and it was perfect, he said. I felt elated and thats an understatement. The saxophonist will be performing with the saxophone at the Kenton Theatre in New Street on Sunday, March 27 at 3pm. Meanwhile, the Manchester-born musician has won the jazz lifetime achievement award from the Worshipful Company of Musicians. Art said: It was so unexpected as people who have received this award, including Ronnie Scott, are all established figures. Im essentially a sideman so for a sideman to get this award is really quite uplifting and exemplifies the broad church of the Worshipful Company of Musicians they dont just award the centre stage people. Art was due to receive his award two weeks ago but had to postpone the presentation due to him catching covid-19 and having to self-isolate. COVID-19 has demonstrated many jobs can be done remotely, so many Americans are hitting the road. As part of this trend, Extra Space Storage put together a list of 10 cities financially committed to bringing in new residents. Press Release February 12, 2022 Pangilinan: Jail smugglers, dismantle mafias in galunggong, food importation 'Department of Angkat na ba ang DA?' AS Department of Agriculture's claim of fish shortage is disputed even by the fisheries sector, vice-presidential aspirant Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan on Saturday said smugglers will be jailed and mafia-style operations in importation of galunggong and other food items will be dismantled in a Robredo-Pangilinan administration. "Tulad ng pag-import ng PPEs (personal protective equipment) ng DBM-PS (Department of Budget and Management-Procurement Service) galing China, mukhang may sindikato na nakapaligid sa DA at kumikita sa importation ng baboy, isda, bigas, gulay at asukal," Pangilinan said in a statement. "Bakit interes ng importer ang inuuna? Dahil ba tulad sa Pharmally ay kasabwat ang mga malalapit sa matataas na opisyal ng bansa?" he said. Pangilinan's assertion came after the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (NFARMC), created by Republic Act 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1988, as the highest policy-making and recommendatory body in fisheries matters, rejected DA's plan to import 60,000 metric tons of fish. NFARMC said the country still had enough fish for the next couple of months. Mawawalan nang kita ang mga local na mangingisda kapag bumaha sa merkado ng imported fish. Gusto ba natin silang pilayin o lumpuhin talaga?" he said. "Halatang inuuna ang mga dayuhan at iniitsepwera mga lokal na industriya. Mukhang mafia style ang nangyayari sa iba't ibang departamento. Department of Angkat (Importation) na ba ang DA?" Pangilinan asked. "Sa ilalim ng Robredo-Pangilinan administration, ikukulong ang mga smuggler at bubuwagin ang mga mafia, lalong-lalo na sa pagkain," he added. Earlier, Pangilinan rebuked the DA for its practice of importing goods as its primary solution in dealing with food problems in the country. "Food crisis after food crisis, the DA's default mode is to import. This is harming, if not killing, the agriculture and fishing industries. Importation is a big blow to the local farmers and fisherfolk," Pangilinan said. Recently, the DA's Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) has decided to import an estimated 200,000 metric tons of sugar. The SRA defended its controversial decision by saying it is intended to prevent shortage and stabilize supply. Last year, DA allowed the importation of vegetables and fruits, displacing local vegetable and fruit-growers. Benguet farmers urged the recall and cancellation of the permits to import strawberries from South Korea. At the height of African swine fever, it has also flooded the market with imported pork. "Kailangang unahin ang mga Pilipinong magsasaka at mangingisda, hindi ang mga interes ng mga importer. Pag nagsawa na sila sa pagpapakain sa atin, makakaasa ba tayo sa ibang bansa na pakainin tayo?" Pangilinan said. General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith (3rd L, front) inspects Vientiane Station of the China-Laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 7, 2022. Thongloun Sisoulith has spoken highly of the China-Laos Railway during his recent trip by the Lane Xang EMU train and inspection on the railway's operation. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua) VIENTIANE, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith has spoken highly of the China-Laos Railway during his recent trip by the Lane Xang EMU train and inspection on the railway's operation. Thongloun, who led a government delegation, took the train traveling from the capital Vientiane to the Boten town bordering China on Monday, before returning to Vientiane from Luang Prabang on Wednesday. During his inspection at the Vientiane railway station, Thongloun was briefed on the station's operation and gave instructions on railway security issues, Laos-China Railway Co., Ltd. (LCRC), the joint venture in charge of the operation of the railway's Lao section, told Xinhua on Thursday. Thongloun praised his experience on board the Lane Xang EMU as a comfortable and safe trip, and expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved in the two-month operation of the China-Laos Railway since its inauguration in December 2021. The Lao president also said that the railway's operation facilitates the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries, and that the Lao people feel proud of the railway. He expressed hope that the Lao people can all experience the train travel and truly get to know the significance of joint implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the LCRC told Xinhua. Thongloun also quoted a Lao proverb as saying that "where there is a road, there is an opportunity for development", reiterating the important role of the China-Laos Railway in promoting development of the Southeast Asian country. As of Feb. 5, the Lao section of the China-Laos Railway had run a total of 116 pairs of passenger trains, transporting 108,770 passengers, an average of 1,699 passengers per day, in addition to 124.5 pairs of freight trains, shipping 133,191 tons of goods, an average of 2,081 tons per day. General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith (2nd L) takes the Lane Xang EMU train of the China-Laos Railway in Laos on Feb. 7, 2022. Thongloun Sisoulith has spoken highly of the China-Laos Railway during his recent trip by the Lane Xang EMU train and inspection on the railway's operation. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua) General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith (R) takes the Lane Xang EMU train of the China-Laos Railway in Laos on Feb. 7, 2022. Thongloun Sisoulith has spoken highly of the China-Laos Railway during his recent trip by the Lane Xang EMU train and inspection on the railway's operation. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua) General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith (4th L) inspects Vientiane Station of the China-Laos Railway in Vientiane, Laos, Feb. 7, 2022. Thongloun Sisoulith has spoken highly of the China-Laos Railway during his recent trip by the Lane Xang EMU train and inspection on the railway's operation. (Photo by Li Huan/Xinhua) Greenville, TX (75401) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then cloudy skies late. High 68F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 61F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan addresses the One Ocean Summit via video link, Feb. 11, 2022. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) PARIS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- French President Emmanuel Macron held a high-level summit aimed at protecting the world's oceans on Friday, with representatives of more than 100 countries. The One Ocean Summit in Brest brought together heads of state and government, leaders of multilateral institutions, shipping companies and civil society policymakers to unite in supporting the "Brest Commitments for the Oceans." During the summit, panels were held on various commitments to marine protection and tackling climate change. The Vice President of the People's Republic of China, Wang Qishan, addressed the summit via video-link. Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the summit's goal of "making commitments to bring forward useful actions and an essential international agenda for 2022." Countries participating in the summit said they would respect the 13 Brest Commitments for Oceans, which include protecting biodiversity and ocean resources. Some 84 countries are aiming to ensure protection of 30 percent of the world's land and sea biodiversity by 2030. More countries joined the "High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People," and "the High Ambition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction." They also ratified agreements to fight against illegal fishing. Leaders of shipping companies committed to the new Green Marine Europe label, but called on politicians consider the cost of renewable energy. In order to reduce pollution, Mediterranean countries and the EU have committed to asking the International Marine Organization to create a low sulphur emissions zone across the Mediterranean, starting on Jan. 1, 2025. France and Colombia also launched a global coalition to finance the restoration of marine ecosystems that capture and store "blue (marine) carbon," and called on other countries to join. The third commitment is to end plastic pollution of the oceans, with financial support from various banks to the tune of 4 billion euros by 2025. During the summit, the "New Plastics Economy Global Commitment" was joined by Greece, Italy, Colombia, the Republic of Korea, the city of Paris and Central Greece, as well as 250 companies. Commitments from the One Ocean Summit will be discussed again at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal in June, and during the COP27 in Egypt in the autumn. Throughout the coronavirus pandemic, we've all known individuals who have done more than their share to help their neighbors and communities with food, comfort, care, companionship and dozens of other needs. If you know of such a person, you can nominate them to be featured in our upcoming H Saint Joseph, MI (49085) Today Rain likely. High 52F. Winds NE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Showers in the evening with some clearing overnight. Low 42F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. A police officer wearing a face mask is seen on duty in a street near the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 11, 2022. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared Friday a state of emergency in response to ongoing blockades caused by the truck convoy protests in Ottawa and Windsor in Canada's Ontario province. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) OTTAWA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared Friday a state of emergency in response to ongoing blockades caused by the truck convoy protests in Ottawa and Windsor in Canada's Ontario province. He said he will use legal measures to enact orders, making it "crystal clear" that it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure. Ford said that includes protecting international border crossings, 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways, adding that fines for non-compliance will be up to 100,000 Canadian dollars and up to a year imprisonment. Police block a street with trucks near the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 11, 2022. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared Friday a state of emergency in response to ongoing blockades caused by the truck convoy protests in Ottawa and Windsor in Canada's Ontario province. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) Police block a street with a truck in front of the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 11, 2022. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared Friday a state of emergency in response to ongoing blockades caused by the truck convoy protests in Ottawa and Windsor in Canada's Ontario province. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) Police block a street with a truck in front of the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 11, 2022. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared Friday a state of emergency in response to ongoing blockades caused by the truck convoy protests in Ottawa and Windsor in Canada's Ontario province. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) SAO PAULO, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Eight people were killed on Friday in an hours-long shootout between police and suspected drug traffickers at a favela in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, officials said. Dozens of city police officers and Federal Highway Police arrived at about 5:00 in the morning in the Vila Cruzeiro favela in the north of Rio with an arrest warrant for an accused drug trafficker, sparking an exchange of gunfire that lasted almost three hours and left eight civilians dead, with their identities unknown at the moment. "The operation was a success. We regret the death of eight people, who could have been arrested but did not heed police orders to stop, and resisted our action," said Lieutenant Colonel Uira do Nascimento Ferreira of the Special Operations Battalion of the militarized police in Rio. The official admitted officers were unable to capture the wanted drug trafficker Chico Bento, who is on the run. The shootout caused panic at the favela, to the point that shops remained closed and 13 municipal schools canceled primary and secondary grade classes. Is Eduardo Rosendi dead or alive? Was he a Mexican tech CEO worth $70 million or a custodian who earned $12 a day? Those are the $26 million questions brought by two of the worlds largest insurance companies, questions they will put before a federal jury in Houston next week. Its the most interesting trial I have ever been involved in, said Mikal C. Watts, a San Antonio plaintiffs attorney representing Blanca Monica Villareal, Rosendis widow. Villareal claims shes entitled to collect on two term-life insurance policies Rosendi bought in 2014, one for $10 million from Transamerica and another for $16 million from Pruco Life Insurance, a subsidiary of Prudential Financial. Villareal is the primary beneficiary on both policies. Transamerica and Pruco have refused to pay Villareal, raising numerous questions about her claim, foremost among them whether Rosendi is dead. The two sides sued one another and will present their widely dissimilar accounts to a jury before U.S. District Judge Lee H. Rosenthal beginning Monday. Originally, Pruco and Transamerica filed separate but nearly identical lawsuits against Villareal, who countersued the insurance companies. The cases have been consolidated for Mondays trial. Lawyers for the insurers claim in court documents that almost nothing Rosendi told the companies when he applied for and was issued the insurance policies in 2014 was true, according to findings of a private investigative firm, Diligence International Group. Moreover, they claim, evidence exists that Rosendis 2016 death was faked. MORE FROM TEXAS LAWBOOK: Houston energy exec accused of kickback scheme The insurance companies allege Rosendi lied when he presented himself as a CEO of tech company Interactive Four with an annual salary of $1.8 million and a net worth of $70 million. The insurers say a financial statement he submitted to support his application for the large policies was baloney. They further contend that myriad questions surround his supposed death in Mexico City four days after Christmas 2016, and his supposed cremation. Not the least of those questions is how a witness in Mexico City claimed to have seen Rosendi alive (and decidedly not cremated) more than a year after Villareal reported that her partner had breathed his last. Among the suspicious findings, the insurance companies allege in court documents, are that: Despite Rosendis claiming to own real estate valued at more than $38 million, private investigators could not find a single property in Mexico he owned. At the time of his purported death, he and Villareal lived in a rented house with rented furniture in Mexico City, where his liquid assets totaled 300,000 pesos (about $14,500, based on exchange rates then). His only U.S. bank account was a checking account opened in Las Vegas with an initial deposit of $475 an account used almost exclusively to make premium payments on the two insurance policies. The person who certified Rosendis written financial statement was not, as purported, a licensed accountant; he was Rosendis former brother-in-law, who told investigators he had not seen Rosendi for more than 20 years, did not know anything about Rosendis finances, and signed the financial statement simply because a different brother-in-law asked him to. The Mexico City doctor who certified Rosendis death changed his story multiple times about the circumstances of the supposed death. The funeral home where Rosendis body was supposedly embalmed before cremation and before any medical examination could be conducted had been vacated six months before the cremation. Villareal, according to the insurance companies, married Rosendi just two months before his supposed death. LEGAL EAGLES: The Texas Lawbook Top 50 lawfirms Villareal said she did not know any of Rosendis family members or even if he had any family members, whether he had been married before, whether he had any children, or where he lived before, lawyers for insurance companies argue in court documents. Watts, Villareals attorney, claimed in court documents that Transamerica and Pruco based their seemingly damning - but erroneous - conclusions on private investigators reports that were incomplete, superficial and skewed to tell the insurers what they wanted to hear. He said he was confident he would persuade jurors that, first, Rosendi did indeed die and that Villareal is entitled to cash in the $26 million in insurance policies. Noting that a fifth of Diligence Internationals business comes from Pruco and Transamerica, Watts wrote that a cozy relationship exists between the investigative firm and the insurance giants. The effort by Diligence was simply to develop a report that would justify denial of the claim, he wrote. The investigators understood that their task was to find bases for denying the claims to save the insurer-clients millions of dollars. Both sides say they are eager to present their versions of the tale to jurors. Im very much looking forward to this trial, Watts said. Judge Rosenthal is an outstanding judge, and my client is pleased to be getting her day in court. Winstead shareholder Jason Bernhardt, one of the lead lawyers for the insurance companies, said that every bogus insurance claim paid out raises premiums for other policyholders. Our clients have an obligation to their policyholders to ensure the validity of every claim thats submitted, Bernhardt said. Were looking forward to the opportunity to present our case to a jury. The trial is expected to last two to three weeks. For a longer version of this article, visit TexasLawbook.net. Q. I have two Gmail accounts. One is my personal account and the other is provided by my employer. Is there an easy way to monitor both accounts from one browser? Currently I have one account opened in Chrome and the other in Firefox but this is not very convenient. A. Gmail is best when accessed from Google Chrome as both are made by the same company and are designed to work together. In Chrome, sign into your first account and then click on your Google profile picture in the upper right corner. There, you can select Add another account and sign in with your other Gmail account. Once youve done that, you can use the profile picture icon to switch between Google accounts so you have easy access to both. GOOD ADVICE: Jay Lees past columns are always available online Also in Chrome, youll see another profile icon above the Gmail profile icon. This is where you can sign into Chrome with your primary Google account to keep all of your information synchronized. This is handy for saving bookmarks and Web history that can be accessed from any computer on whicch you are using Chrome and signed into your Google account. You can also create multiple Chrome profiles if you really want to try keeping things separate. For more information on Chrome profiles, see the article at https://tinyurl.com/helplinechromeprofiles. Q. I am trying to install a software application on my computer. When I start the process, I get a popup window that asks if I want to allow something to make changes to my PC. I click on No and the install fails. How do I fix this? A. The quick answer is to just click Yes on that window that pops up and the software will install, assuming it is compatible with your PC. The longer answer is this: When youre installing an application on a Windows computer, the computer uses something called User Account Control or UAC. UAC is a security step that the operating system uses so that an admin can approve of the app making changes to the device which is what happens when you install software. This popup window is basically just your computer asking you if youre sure you want to install the program. If you are signed into an account that is an administrator, you just need to click Yes. If you are not signed in as an administrator you will be prompted to provide an admin user name and password. Once you approve, the software will install on the PC. U.S. rig counts jumped by 22 this week the biggest increase in four years as oil companies clamor to tap soaring prices. Oil rose nearly 4 percent Friday to settle at $93.10 a barrel, the highest close since September 2014 and the cap to the eighth consecutive week of gains in oil markets. The number of drilling rigs operating nationally climbed by 22 to 635 this week, according to oil field services company firm Baker Hughes. Energy companies have added 238 rigs over the past year, a 60 percent from 397 during the same week in 2021. Tensions between Ukraine and Russia have driven oil prices in recent weeks, and they jumped again Friday after National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said he believed Russia could invade Ukraine as early as next week. Russia is one the worlds top three oil producers. RELATED: Europe's tensions with Russia could be a boon for Gulf Coast gas Even before tensions between Russia and Ukraine, oil prices were rising. Strong demand as the global economy emerges from the coronavirus pandemic is outstripping production and tightening supplies. U.S. commercial crude stockpiles fell by nearly 5 million barrels last week, leaving inventories 11 percent below average for this time of year, the Energy Department reported. The jump in rig count confirms that oil companies are following through on plans to increase spending on oil and gas projects, a shift from recent strategies to limit spending on new projects to satisfy investors seeking higher profits. Last year, for example, oil giants such as Exxon Mobil and Chevron remained restrained even as oil prices rebounded above $85 from $48 a barrel last year, funneling the cash to boost dividends, repurchase shares and pay down debt instead of drilling new wells and boosting production. Now, coming off a banner year in which companies delivered massive profits, soaring stock prices and healthy shareholder returns, Big Oil appears ready to get off the sidelines and spend, which could mean new jobs in Houston and Texas. Exxon, which recently reported annual profits of $23 billion in 2021, said it planned to increase production by 25 percent this year. Chevron, which earned nearly $16 billion in 2021, said it would boost production by 10 percent. Bloomberg contributed. amanda.drane@chron.com Thousands of Chevron employees in Houston are expected to return to the office for the first time since the pandemic started next week potentially impacting traffic and activity in downtown. The oil major had postponed a full return-to-office in January after the omicorn variant spread through the U.S., Retuers previously reported. New coronavirus cases have been trending down in Houston and Harris County since late January, according to data from the Houston Health Department. As conditions improve, Chevron informed employees early this month they will be asked to return to the office in Houston starting Feb. 14., a Chevron spokesman said in a statement. The company is introducing a hybrid model that provides employees the option to work remotely two days per a week. RELATED: Chevron posts $15.6B in profits, its highest since 2014 Some employees had already returned to the office at various point in the pandemic, but this is the first time all office-based Chevron employees are coming back to the office in Houston. Chevron has nearly 8,000 employees in the Houston area, including nearly 6,000 employees who work in downtown. The influx of new Chevron employees downtown could be boost to businesses, restaurants and retailers that are still recovering from the pandemic. While many office-based workers are back and Houston has seen higher return-to-office rates than other metros, large swaths of employees are still working remotely across the city, creating uncertainty for Houston's commercial real estate industry. Chevrons downtown offices are spread across three skyscrapers at 1400 Smith Street, 1500 Louisiana and 1600 Smith Street. The company also has an office presence at The Ion, Rice Universitys new innovation hub in Midtown. It was not immediately clear if employees at its headquarters in San Ramon, California would also be asked to return to the office at the same time as Houston employees. We have had flexible work schedules and policies for decades and have supported remote working on an individual basis for many years. Given the variety of circumstances at our sites and facilities around the world, it is difficult to have a one-size-fits-all remote working policy, a Chevron spokesman said in an email. In Houston, Chevron is following a similar hybrid model taken by BP, which started asking employees to come to the office 60 percent of the time (or three day a week) last summer. Exxon Mobil started asking employees to return to the office full-time in May 2021, Bloomberg previously reported, but the current policy wasnt immediately available. Chevron's return to office come after the company recently posted it most profitable year since 2014, earning $15.6 billion last year as oil demand and prices recovered from the pandemic-driven crash. UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called on the international community to "change track" in protecting the ocean from climate crisis. Global warming, biodiversity loss and pollution are a triple crisis facing the planet, said the UN chief at the One Ocean Summit, warning that the ocean "shoulders a great deal of the burden." As the ocean serves as a giant carbon and heat sink, it is becoming warmer and more acidic, affecting its ecosystems. "Polar ice is melting and global weather patterns are changing," the UN chief said in his video message to the conference, which took place this week in the northern French coastal city of Brest. The communities who rely on the ocean are hurting as well, he added. "More than 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods." He painted a grim picture of dwindling marine species; bleached coral reefs; coastal ecosystems that are dumping grounds for sewage; and nutrient-poor seas choked by debris. Additionally, fish stocks are under threat from overfishing, destructive fishing practices, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. "We must change track," underscored the secretary-general. It is 40 years since the signing of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. "The importance of legal certainty in the ocean is paramount," said Guterres. He said that the second UN Ocean Conference, which will be held in Lisbon from June 27 to July 1 this year, is "an opportunity to cement the role of the ocean" in global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. The UN chief emphasized the need to intensify efforts to protect the ocean, saying a "sustainable blue economy can drive economic progress and job creation" while protecting the climate. "We need more, and more effective partnerships, to address land-based sources of marine pollution... urgency in the deployment of offshore renewable energy, which can provide clean power and employment, and... (less) fossil fuels in the ocean economy," he said. In his remarks, Guterres praised the "encouraging steps" taken by some countries, including France, to end single-use plastics and urged others to follow suit. About 90 percent of world trade is transported by sea, he said, which contributes to nearly three percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. "The shipping sector needs to contribute to the necessary 45 percent cut in emissions needed by 2030, and zero emissions by 2050, in the effort to keep alive our hopes of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius," the UN chief said. A breakthrough on adaptation and resilience for coastal communities whose lives, homes and livelihoods are at risk is also imperative. "We must capitalize on the opportunities that nature-based solutions, such as mangroves and seagrasses, provide," he added. Warmer temperatures mean melting sea ice, increasing ocean temperatures, and warmer water - affecting ecosystems and global weather patterns. The secretary-general stressed the need for global partnerships and investment in order to promote a sustainable ocean economy, along with increased support for ocean science "so that our actions are informed by the knowledge and understanding of the ocean." "Too much remains unmapped, unobserved and unexplored," he said. Throughout the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, Guterres encouraged concerned citizens everywhere to "deliver on our collective promise of a healthy blue planet for future generations." A long-standing Black-owned bar in Third Ward has created a program that helps and guides minority entrepreneurs on how to start and sustain their businesses. Aaron Gray, co-founder of Third Wards The Spot, said the Community Business Partnership Program will give a business owner a storefront, coach the business to grow and mentor the owner on how to manage responsibly. People know how to open a business, but a lot of time they try to cut corners, Gray said. This is a way to give back and help someone get their business started and hopefully succeed. URBAN FARMING: Her life's work was fighting infections. Now she's fighting Sunnyside's food crisis. The Spot is one of Third Ward's oldest bars still in operation. Co-founded by Gray and his wife Adfanie in 2006, the bar has been coined as the community's Black Cheers, Gray said. We all come after work and talk about current issues or sports, Gray said, But its an environment where pretty much everybody knows each other. We almost become like family. NEWSLETTERS Join the conversation with HouWeAre We want to foster conversation and highlight the intersection of race, identity and culture in one of America's most diverse cities. Sign up for the HouWeAre newsletter here. As the bar remained in business through multiple natural disasters and demographic swings, the owners decided to finally stop leasing and purchased their own property, which is coincidentally on the same street and two miles north of the first location. 'ONE TO WATCH': The Breakfast Klub ranks among Yelp's top Black-owned restaurants in US The Spot Eado, located at 2003 Emancipation Ave., broke ground in 2019. The property doubles as the site of the Emancipation Shopping Center, also owned by the Grays, and is where the recipient of the Community Business Partnership Program will host their storefront. Although the business was already chosen, the Grays said they are going to host more opportunities for businesses to enter the program later this year, along with more giveaways and other plans the community can participate in. There have been many people that have helped us along the way, Gray said, Some of its been financial, a lot of its been mentorship. So this is our way to give that back to the community. Courtesy Houston Police Department A deceased man was found after an apartment shooting in the Westchase area of Houston Friday night, according to Houston Police Department. Houston police responded to reports of shot being fired around 10 p.m. Friday at the Apex apartments at 11212 Westpark. Jay R. Jordan / Jay Jordan, Staff One person was fatally shot Saturday afternoon on the Gulf Freeway in southeast Houston, according to Houston police. Officers found one person dead of an apparent gunshot wound when they arrived around 2 p.m. at the 8500 block of Gulf Freeway near Monroe Boulevard, authorities said. A security guard died after a shooting at a game room in southeast Houston early Saturday. Police tweeted at about 1:30 a.m. that they were responding to a shooting at 6333 Long Drive. Officers arrived to find a security guard had been shot. Houston Police spokesman Kese Smith confirmed Saturday that a 33-year-old man was discovered at the scene and transferred to Ben Taub Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Robbery appears to be the motive of the shooting at 6333 Long Drive appeared to be robbery, Smith said in a phone call. The suspects include three or four men wearing dark clothes who fled to a waiting S.U.V, he added. Texas A&M Universitys new president this week delivered an ultimatum to the staff of the campus 129-year-old student newspaper: stop printing a weekly version immediately and move under the purview of an academic department, or lose many of its current resources, the publication reported Friday. The abrupt move by university President M. Katherine Banks, who assumed the post in June after nine years as dean of the engineering college, stunned staffers of The Battalion and spurred a Twitter campaign under the hashtag #SaveTheBatt By Friday afternoon, Banks had issued a reprieve of sorts, reportedly saying the paper could continue publishing a print product with university support through the end of the spring semester. But Banks also told the papers leadership in a Zoom call on Friday that shifting from print will allow The Battalion to focus on digital and multimedia efforts, Editor-in-Chief Myranda Campanella said. The president referenced the changing media landscape, adding, Im not a professor of journalism, I dont understand exactly why (print media) is important to the field, staff writers recalled in their report. Asked why The Battalions leadership or other journalism instructors or professionals were not included in the decision-making process, Banks reportedly said this was purely a decision made by university leadership. I think its a new era for The Battalion, the paper quoted Banks as saying. It wont be in print. University officials in College Station did not immediately return a request for comment from the Chronicle. Texas A&Ms dean of students and interim director of student life had informed the leadership of the universitys plans during a last-minute meeting with the papers staff on Thursday. The dean arrived holding a copy of a university commissioned, wide-reaching report that urges the realignment of several academic disciplines, including journalism, according to the staffs article. Campanella said she hopes to have further conversations with Banks about the future of the newspaper, especially after being left out of meetings that led to the jarring decision. The goal is still to continue printing indefinitely, despite Banks insistence that the newspaper cease print publication at the end of the semester, the editor said. On behalf of the Battalion staff, we were all very shocked by this news yesterday, Campanella said by phone. There was no warning of this from the university administration. And it seems like this decision was made without consulting anyone at the Battalion or even our faculty advisor. On HoustonChronicle.com: Houston-area colleges seek to manage, not stamp out, virus as Omicron surges Banks ultimatum came months after she released the academic realignment report, commissioned through a private consulting firm. One of many recommendations was for the university to establish a Department of Journalism within the newly combined College of Arts and Sciences, to create specialization programs in print journalism, broadcast journalism, digital journalism, and photojournalism. Elevating and expanding the journalism program to a department allows TAMU to increase the media literacy and capabilities of students, further local community engagement, fulfill a possible student employee program in the Division of Marketing & Communications, and expand the capabilities and reach of The Battalion and (TV and FM station) KAMU, the report reads. The Battalion transitioned to student organization status three years ago but is funded exclusively by advertising, according to the Battalion article. Banks reportedly told the student papers leadership that they must choose whether to remain a student organization or make the transition to the Department of Journalism as a digital-only publication. Remaining a student organization means it would no longer receive certain resources, including its current office space and its faculty adviser, the papers leadership said. The decision was not the result of any specific content or advertisement in the Battalion, Banks told the publication, and it was not the universitys intention to control contend. As of Friday evening, many supporters of the newspaper were voicing dismay at the move by university leaders. Caleb Elizondo,who identifies himself as an engineering student at TAMU and an opinion writer for the Battalion, tweeted that the effort to discontinue the print version was enraging. Once my MLK piece was published in the paper everyone read it, but no one reads the online version. Stopping the print version kneecaps our voices, Elizondo wrote. Campanella tweeted Friday afternoon: I have been overwhelmed, confused and in a state of shock for the past 24 hours, but one thing is certain The Battalion will be printing this Thursday. samantha.ketterer@chron.com After the "Great Resignation," Google wanted to know 'What's next?" Recently-revealed top search trends from Houston in 2021 help answer that question after many people left their jobs. The query "How to quit your job and get a new one" increased more than 5,000 percent over the last year in the U.S. and internationally, according to a spokesperson for the technology company. In Houston, some search trends were geared towards professions that allow people to be their own boss and that are adventurous, such as becoming a pilot, per the release. Experts say this could be due to the lack of travel caused by the pandemic. The top jobs that piqued Houstonians' interests, according to Google, are: Notary Realtor Tax preparer Pilot Pharmacy technician The findings come in the aftermath of the "Great Resignation," a term coined by Anthony Klotz, a Texas A&M University associate professor of business, in the midst of the ongoing pandemic in 2020. There were four trends he says contribute to the "Great Resignation": a backlog of resignation in the economy widespread burnout from the executive level to front line workers pandemic epiphanies and in many ways a "mid-life crisis" a massive experiment with remote work So the search query ranking didn't come as a surprise to Klotz, who believes that by early 2021, many people just wanted an overall life change. "Your job is a central part of your life and often when you want to change your life that includes your job." He wasn't shocked that many of the top job searches in Houston offered flexibility and independence. Well at least the first four, he said. "Those first four are pretty flexible and theyre pretty individual-oriented," Klotz said. "Theyre all pretty straightforward. They have a very clear structure to them. Theres checklists, how to do the job itself, theres certain norms and rules associated with it. Coming out of the pandemic I think a lot of people want flexibility, so my work works around my life not my life around my work. A lot of us are tired of the uncertainty that the pandemic brought to us, so we can have structure with these first four jobs. These are not creative roles." Many of the top local "how to become" job searches aligned with national results, which also included flight attendant, therapist, firefighter, personal trainer, psychiatrist, physical therapist and electrician, according to the report. RABAT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly on Friday talked via video link over ways to promote bilateral ties, the official Moroccan news agency MAP reported. They welcomed the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The two ministers also expressed willingness to push the cooperation towards a rich, solid and mutually beneficial strategic partnership, the report said. They agreed to set a joint roadmap in 2022 that would include the launch of high-level political consultations, it added. Bourita and Joly agreed that the bilateral consultations on regional and global issues are satisfactory, said the report. Regarding Texas county officials decry new voting snags: Surge in mail ballot rejections, stifled registrars, (Feb. 11): The first time I voted, it was by mail in 1964. I was living in Germany and had no trouble obtaining a ballot. I returned it stamped with a red wax seal by a German notary! Now I am 79 and have voted by mail for several years. In addition to the age factor, I am partially disabled. This year for the first time my application to vote by mail was rejected. The form asks for a Texas drivers license number which I supplied. I had originally registered years ago (maybe around 1971 when I returned to Texas). Apparently, a social security number was used at that time. Fortunately Harris County called me and sent me a new form. The Democrats running for Harris County Precinct 4 commissioner make a far stronger field than in previous years. And theres a reason for that: The Democratic majority on the current Commissioners Court significantly altered the precinct and gave it more blue voters, to the potential detriment of incumbent Republican Jack Cagle. Democrats in the new Precinct 4 which encompasses much of western Harris County and some territory inside Loop 610 have a tough choice in a race thats drawn several impressive candidates. We settled on Harris County Court at Law Judge Lesley Briones, 41. The Laredo native graduated from Yale Law School, and then practiced law at Vinson & Elkins LLP before working as general counsel and chief operating officer of the Arnold Foundation. Beginning in 2019, Briones served as a civil court judge before resigning to run for commissioner. Shes been endorsed by several local elected officials and several groups including the Texas Gulf Coast AFL-CIO and Harris County Young Democrats, and has raised more than $339,000. Among her ideas, Briones said shed create a response team that residents could call for ditch maintenance, similar to programs set up for potholes. Shed prioritize constituent services and bird-dog already-funded flood bond projects to make sure they get completed. She struck us as one of the candidates whod approach the current crime surge with great urgency. Briones shared with us that in her life, shes been the victim of several serious crimes. Her approach seems thoughtful, not knee-jerk. She said shed build on the $5 million Holistic Alternative Responder Team that brings case workers to mental health crises and addiction calls, freeing up police officers to respond to violent crimes. As a judge, I am deeply committed to upholding everyones rights, and I am equally committed to the rule of law in a civil society, Briones told us. She supports misdemeanor bail reform, as do all five candidates who screened with us, and said leaders must work harder to keep repeat, violent offenders from being released. Along with Briones, two other candidates stood out: former Texas Rep. Gina Calanni and Ben Chou. All three offered concise, detailed platforms and plans. Calanni, 48, is a battle-tested former representative in House District 132. We endorsed her in 2018 and again in 2020. Shes an accomplished legislator, despite only serving one term: she authored or co-authored 11 bills that became law in the 2019 session. She rejected the notion that Commissioners Court ought to stick to the basics such as transportation and flooding, suggesting shed continue the current practice of Democrats on the court of delving into divisive social issues such as abortion. On healthcare, Calanni has an intriguing incentive plan for mothers on Medicaid, and we liked her pledge to to hold regular town halls in all the precincts neighborhoods. Other priorities she mentioned, such as combating the school-to-prison pipeline, are important issues, but this is a time for anti-crime initiatives that can show more immediate results. Ben Chou, 31, graduated from Rice and then worked for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Maryland Gov. Martin OMalley. A former Harris County clerk employee, he touted an instrumental role in the now-banned drive-thru voting program that contributed to record turnout. Chou is sharp and knowledgable. He said hell guarantee fixes within 72 hours on reports of road debris and potholes and commits to attend or have a staff member at every super neighborhood meeting in the precinct. Most impressive was his commitment to ethics. He was the only candidate to pledge not to take financial contributions from county vendors, as all four of the current commissioners do. Disclosure, I think, is not enough. Weve got to end the pay-to-play culture in Harris County, he said. We agree. Alief ISD board president Ann Williams touted her 15 years of experience in budgetary oversight and policy-shaping but seemed to lack specificity in her plans as commissioner. Same with Jeff Stauber, 59, is a 35-year veteran with the Harris County Sheriff Office who would certainly be an asset in addressing crime but lacked depth on other issues. Clarence Miller, a 68-year old former postal service employee and Northwest Harris County Municipal Utility District president, and Sandra Pelmore, a 52-year-old paralegal, didnt screen with us. Briones energy, experience as a highly-rated judge and sense of urgency about the crime wave set her apart. She powerfully weaved her personal story and career experiences together in a way that persuaded us shes the best choice for Democrats in this new, diverse precinct. Chicago, IL (60637) Today Windy. A steady rain in the morning, with showers continuing in the afternoon. High 48F. Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch.. Tonight Cloudy and windy early, becoming partly cloudy late. Low around 40F. Winds N at 20 to 30 mph. As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Subscribing to our services is a three step process. First you have to create an account and then you have to pick if you want to subscribe to digital and or print. Some people only want to be a digital subscriber to get access online and others want to also receive the print edition. If you are already a print subscriber and want online access, it is free, you simply have to create an online account and then attach your print subscription account number to the online account you create. ADVERTISE Hypebot & MusicThinkTank With the internet and digital technologies driving rapid change within the music industry, articles about new releases and who has been hired and fired are no longer enough. Our up to the minute industry news alongside insightful commentary helps our readers sift through the rumors and developments to find the information they need to keep their businesses moving forward. Hypebot is read daily by more than 30,000 music industry professionals including executives and senior staff of music related tech firms, internet based music sites, every major label group and most indies as well as many managers, artists and members of the live music community: Contact us for the latesst stats, ad rates and sponosorship opportunites. We also offer combined rates with MusicThinkTank. BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Xi Jinping, chairman of the Central Military Commission, has signed an order promulgating a set of regulations on the experiment and assessment of military equipment. The regulations stipulate the basic tasks, contents and management mechanisms of military equipment experiment and assessment under new circumstances, and serve as the fundamental rule of relevant work. The regulations, consisting of 56 articles in 11 chapters, took effect on Feb. 10. Mount Greylock School Committee Hears Budget Impact of FY23 Priorities WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. A series of budget priorities discussed with the Mount Greylock Regional School Committee could add up to half a million dollars to the operating budget if all are implemented in the fiscal year 2023 spending plan, the committee learned on Thursday. The district's business administrator called the number "sobering" but indicated that the FY23 budget is still in development and there are factors that could lessen the impact of seven new full-time positions and three shifts from part-time to full-time positions that are sought by the district's principals and superintendent. For example, Joe Bergeron told the School Committee that some of the new positions, if added to the budget, could involve reallocating existing teachers, as indicated this winter by the principal at Williamstown Elementary School. And the district is anticipating $431,000 more in state aid based on the budget Gov. Charlie Baker sent to the legislature last month. On the other hand, irrespective of new budget requests, the district already is anticipating a $450,000 cost increase for labor based on a level staffing model, Bergeron said. That means that if it adds the new and increased positions as proposed, the current year's operating budget of $24 million would go up by $950,000 if all the positions were added/adjusted. Assuming the $431,000 in additional state aid survives the legislature, that would increase the total asks to the district's member towns by about $519,000, or about a 3 percent increase just for faculty and staff costs. Bergeron stressed in his presentation to the School Committee that the budget is still preliminary. But the numbers he presented likely were the last ones the full committee will see before it gives its annual budget presentation to taxpayers on March 10 and, if custom holds, votes to send the budget to the member towns. The School Committee has no other meetings scheduled between now and March 10 and did not discuss scheduling a special meeting at Thursday's session. Based on the town meeting calendars in Lanesborough and Williamstown and the need for review by the towns' Finance Committees, the School Committee has a March 30 deadline to send a budget to the towns. Lanesborough Elementary Principal Nolan Pratt, Williamstown Elementary Principal Cindy Shehy and Mount Greylock Regional School Principal Jake Schutz presented their FY23 spending priorities to the School Committee at its December and January meetings. LES is hoping to add a full-time classroom teacher and move a part-time occupational therapy position to full-time. WES is seeking a new social worker, a reading specialist and an academic support paraprofessional and looking to move an occupational therapist and a special education teacher from part-time to full-time. The middle-high school is looking to add a full-time math interventionist and a full-time reading interventionist. The principals' funding requests are the result of deliberations by the School Councils in each of the three buildings. On Thursday, Superintendent Jake McCandless formally presented his proposal for a long-discussed new district-wide position, director of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. The need for the administrative post is supported by work the district has done over the last two years to assess equity issues in the district, including the Mount Greylock Listening and Learning Project directed by DEI consultant Cortney King Tunis. "Our seeking of a person with lived experience as a member of a historically marginalized community whose sole focus professionally is to work to increase empathy, understanding and connectedness among our students, families, staff and the communities we serve is vital on many levels," McCandless told the School Committee. "Our investment in this position says we can close our belonging gap' and make the Mount Greylock Regional School District a place where everyone who calls our communities home has a home here and the comfort and sense of security embedded in that word." Prior to hearing McCandless' proposal, the School Committee heard a letter from the district's DEIB Parent and Caregiver Action Network that was co-signed by 60 individuals, most identifying as parents of one or more child in the district. "Over the past 11 months the School Committee has repeatedly voiced support for DEIB initiatives, and funded multiple projects, including the Mount Greylock Listening and Learning Project led by Cortney Tunis, and ongoing professional development for educators led by Dr. Khyati Joshi," the letter read. "We appreciate your investments so far, and as the Listening and Learning Project report highlighted, clearly there is still much to do. Creating a dedicated position to lead and sustain this work is the next critical step. "While the position description is still evolving, we ask you to encourage district leaders to engage students and each of our school communities to thoughtfully craft a role that centers our most urgent student needs." Your support is needed now more than ever Help support your local news Local news sources need your help. Stay in the know on Coronavirus, local updates, and more. Updated, February 16, 2022: Includes new comments from the SBA regarding the timing of partial loan reviews. For business owners who received only partial forgiveness on their Paycheck Protection Program loans, consider this your stay of execution. On January 27, 2022, the Small Business Administration, the agency in charge of administering the PPP, quietly issued a procedural notice outlining a new review policy for borrowers who got a partial loan forgiveness decision from their lender, or were instructed to apply for less forgiveness than they wanted. As of January 27, if you want to appeal a partial forgiveness decision you will have 30 days--from receipt of a lender's post-remittance notification--to tell the lender. The lender must then file for a loan review on behalf of the borrower within five days. The same process applies to borrowers whose lenders prevented them from applying for full forgiveness. The SBA is also telling lenders to notify borrowers who previously received partial loan forgiveness that they, too, may request a PPP loan forgiveness review. They must tell the lender of their intentions within 30 days of receiving the lender's notification of this new policy. Again, if borrowers were asked to apply for less than full value of their original loan, they're also eligible for a forgiveness decision review. Previously, borrowers were required to make any appeals directly to the lender, and those appeals would reportedly only get escalated to the SBA after the borrower's appeal had been rejected twice. The SBA is also randomly selecting appeals for review. Those borrowers will go before the SBA Office of Hearings and Appeals (OHA), which employs attorneys to review cases. The timing of these changes might seem odd, as borrowers have already requested forgiveness for around 88 percent of the total loan value of PPP loans, which totaled $790 billion when the program sunsetted in May. However, in recent weeks, business owners have become increasingly vocal about run-ins with bankers over the forgiveness process. Some cited early confusion over what qualified as eligible wages, while others complained that lenders were flat out wrong. "We've had to get on the phone with the SBA adjuster many times," says John Schweisberger, a partner in charge of the business outsourcing services practice of Armanino, an accounting and business consulting firm based in San Ramon, California. "We had to walk [the lender] through the rules," he said noting that, in his experience, the lender's personnel may have misapplied the program rules. In one case, he noted that his client's lender incorrectly suggested that the business had misappropriated PPP funds that went to pay employees who earned more than $100,000. In fact, employers were allowed to use PPP money to pay high-earning employees but only up to $100,000. Any wages above that amount were not eligible. In the notice, the SBA acknowledges that borrowers had deluged the agency with complaints about their lenders' forgiveness decision. Last week, The Intercept reported that several Bank of America clients who only received partial forgiveness had banded together and founded a support group. Many founders expressed frustration with the review process at BofA, noting that they found it difficult to get people at the bank to return calls. For its part, BofA says that it's following the letter of the law. If a business owner, say, included the wages for 1099 contractors in its initial PPP loan calculation, the bank can't then allow the business owner to get forgiveness for those funds. BofA spokesperson Bill Halldin pointed to a procedural notice, issued by the SBA on January 15, 2021, expressly directing lending institutions to follow the guidance provided by the agency. "Our goal always has been to help clients get as much of their loan forgiven as possible under the existing SBA rules," says Halldin. "We will notify those borrowers who received partial forgiveness in the coming weeks, and if they choose to appeal within the 30-day period established by the SBA, we will assist them." It's unclear how many loans will come under review at BofA. The institution would not provide details beyond the percentage of loans that had been submitted for forgiveness in 2020 and 2021. That's 94 percent for 2020 and 87 percent for 2021. However, across all institutions the number may be in the billions. As of February 6, 2022, the SBA noted that of the $696.5 billion total forgiveness amount borrowers requested, $687.8 billion had been forgiven. In other words, the amount borrowers got was $8.6 billion less than what they expected to get. The review process will be conducted by the agency's Office of Capital Access, and the SBA estimates reviews should take no more than 90 days. Still, it remains reasonable to wonder whether the SBA can handle a flurry of manual reviews if the agency gets inundated with requests. Hertz files about 3,365 police reports every year charging customers with car theft after they rented its cars. That number emerged on Thursday, after the car rental company lost a motion in court in its effort to keep the information sealed and out of public view. The number is part of the evidence in an ongoing lawsuit in which more than 100 customers are suing Hertz for $529.7 million in bankruptcy court after they were stopped by police, arrested, and sometimes spent months in jail for "stealing" cars they had simply rented. Most of these theft reports occur when a customer renting a vehicle wants to extend the rental, the lawsuit alleges. The customer calls Hertz to request an extension, and the company places a temporary hold for payment on the credit or debit card the customer used to rent the car. If that hold fails to go through, for instance because a customer is close to their credit-card limit and hasn't yet paid their bill, Hertz reports the car as stolen "by conversion" to local law enforcement, the lawsuit says. After the customer pays up -- and even after they return the car -- the company does not withdraw the theft report, a Hertz spokesperson told The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a result, a least one former Hertz customer says she learned during a background check that there was an arrest warrant in her name, even though her car rental had been completed and paid for several years earlier, and she had never been notified that there was a problem. A competitive disadvantage? Hertz has kept the number of conversion theft reports it files carefully guarded from the public throughout this trial, arguing that if it became known, it would put the company at a competitive disadvantage. Not for the obvious reason that it might make people hesitate to rent from Hertz, but because other car rental companies could use the information to suss out how the company manages its inventory. At least, that's how Michael Severance, vice president of fleet for the Americas at Hertz, explained it in court. "I can imagine a scenario where, let's say, they know the number of annual police reports that they file and now they know ours," he said. "Let's say they file more or less than us, so they could interpret that to mean we have better front-end controls, for example, preventing thefts, and they could look for ways to improve their abilities to reduce thefts." That argument failed to convince bankruptcy judge Mary Walrath, and she ordered Hertz to reveal the number of theft-by-conversion reports it files. She allowed the company to keep other types of police reports secret. When asked for comment, Hertz repeated its earlier statement that it cares deeply about its customers, and that the vast majority of its theft reports are filed because rental cars are weeks or months overdue and the customers have stopped communicating with the company. In response to this week's ruling, the company said this: While we believe that the business numbers provided to the court under seal are commercially proprietary information, we will respect the ruling. We believe that a review of these business numbers reinforces what we have consistently stated: that situations where vehicles are reported to the authorities are very rare and happen only after exhaustive attempts to reach the customer. As for the specific numbers, of the more than 25 million rental transactions by Hertz in the United States per year, 0.014 percent fall into the rare situation where vehicles are reported to the authorities after exhaustive attempts to reach the customer. If you do the math, that's 1.4 theft by conversion reports per 10,000 rentals, plus an unknown number of other types of theft reports, since the other categories are still under seal. Video: As the trucker protest continues to snarl traffic in the Parliamentary district in Canada's capital city of Ottawa, crowds were smaller as the working week began. (Xinhua) Hundreds of protesters have remained in the capital, and have no intention to leave until the vaccine mandate and other pandemic-related health restrictions are rescinded. OTTAWA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in the largest province of Canada on Friday to end what he called truckers' "illegal occupation" of Ottawa -- an Ontario city and the Canadian capital -- and their blockade of the Canada-U.S. border. Ford said that he would "urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure," including international border crossings, major highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways. Thousands of Canadian truckers and their supporters descended on Ottawa in late January to oppose the Canadian government's vaccine requirement for truckers crossing the border into the United States, which has the same policy. Police block a street with a truck in front of the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 11, 2022. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) Hundreds of protesters have remained in the capital, and have no intention to leave until the vaccine mandate and other pandemic-related health restrictions are rescinded. The Canadian government does not intend to comply with such a request from the protesters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa on Friday, noting the protesters need to understand "it's time to go home." He told reporters that police at the federal, provincial and municipal levels will enforce the law. "Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end," said the prime minister. "Of course, I can't say too much more now as to exactly when or how this ends because unfortunately, we are concerned about violence. So we're taking every precaution to keep people safe." Police block a street with trucks near the Ontario Legislative Building in Toronto, Canada, Feb. 11, 2022. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua) Trudeau was asked whether he would call in the army to assist the Ottawa Police Service, which has yet to receive all of the 1,800 additional officers requested from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Ontario Provincial Police. "Using military forces against civilian populations in Canada or in any other democracy is something to avoid having to do at all costs," the prime minister said. On Friday, Trudeau spoke to U.S. President Joe Biden about the truck blockades at three border crossings, including the one at Windsor-Detroit, which the prime minister said has resulted in six automobile-manufacturing plants having to shut down for several days because car parts could not get through the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Windsor. On late Friday, an Ontario judge granted an injunction sought by three vehicle manufacturers associations authorizing police to remove any vehicles that block access to the bridge, and arrest anyone who fails to comply with the court order that lasts for 10 days. Since 1963, The Independent has helped create a great community! Since our founding in September of 1963, The Independent has been dedicated to giving Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin, and Sunol readers the news they need to be in-the-know about what's going on in the Tri-Valley region. The revenues for the quarter stood at Rs 5,535 crore as against Rs 4,814 crore in Q3 FY21, up 15% YoY. While the companys domestic MHCV sales increased by 15% to 16,667 units, domestic LCV volumes declined by 11% to 14,233 units in Q3 FY22 over Q3 FY21. Export volumes (MHCV & LCV) for Q3 FY22 was 3,177 units, up 8% YoY. In Q3 FY22, Ashok Leyland MHCV domestic truck and bus volumes have grown at almost twice that of industry at 39% compared to the TIV growth of 20%. Consequently, the companys MHCV market share has improved sequentially by 3.6% to 26.1% in Q3 FY33 from 22.5% in Q2. FY22. During the quarter the company generated cash of Rs 415 crore which brought down the net debt as on 31 December 2021 to Rs 2,697 crore. Debt equity as at the end of the quarter was 0.42 times. The company plans to launch further vehicles in Q4 of the current year under the CNG range, the auto maker said. The companys Electric vehicle business under Switch continues to expand and grow. Switch UK has announced the setting up of a manufacturing plant in Spain. It continues to win electric vehicle orders from State Transport Undertakings. In Q3, Switch won a 300 electric bus order from Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation. The company had also commenced the supply of the 40 units electric bus order from the Chandigarh Transport Undertaking. Dheeraj Hinduja, Executive Chairman, Ashok Leyland, said ?The CV industry is on a recovery owing to the improvement in the macroeconomic environment and healthy demand from the end-user industries. The MHCV segment is expected to lead the recovery in the coming months riding on the back of growth in core sectors such as construction & mining, increased capital outlay for infrastructure projects, conducive financing environment and pent up replacement demand. The response for AVTR and our BS6 performance is very good. Together with the introduction of CNG, we are confident of recovering our market share. LCV volumes should grow further owing to the increased demand for last mile connectivity, especially from the e-commerce segment. The focus on Exports, Defence, Power Solutions and Parts businesses will ensure a balanced growth, even as we expand the reach and the products of our core MHCV business. We are hoping that the commodity prices will decrease further and the situation on the semi-conductor will ease.? Ashok Leyland, flagship of the Hinduja group, is among the largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in India and also among the biggest manufacturers of buses and trucks globally. The scrip fell 2.46% to end at Rs 132.95 on the BSE on Friday. Powered by Capital Market - Live News 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. Advertisements SINGAPORE, Feb. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc. (NYSE and SIX: ZBH), a global medical technology leader, today celebrated the opening of the ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre (CEC), a unique facility located at the company's Asia Pacific regional headquarters in Singapore. The ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre is a state-of-the-art facility that showcases Zimmer Biomet's latest technologies ROSA robotics, mymobility digital health platform, OrthoIntel intelligence platform, OptiVu Mixed Reality along with the company's legacy orthopaedic implants. Serving healthcare professionals, business partners and surgeons in Asia Pacific region, the CEC aims to offer a collaborative environment that will enable Zimmer Biomet to partner with healthcare professionals, academic associations and relevant institutions to develop impactful healthcare solutions and to host surgical and clinical trainings leveraging on Zimmer Biomet's connected technology ecosystem. It is Zimmer Biomet's first such centre in the region. "The opening of our Customer Experience Centre marks a great milestone for us. As a global leader in MedTech industry, Zimmer Biomet is committed to the relentless pursuit of innovation to alleviate pain and improve the quality of life for people around the world," said Sang Yi, Group President, Asia Pacific. "Our ZBEdge Customer Experience Centre provides a truly unique environment for collaboration with Zimmer Biomet's business partners where we can facilitate training and educational opportunities. This is our commitment to offer personalized experiences and to deliver improved patients' outcomes." "The CEC will operate as the interface between healthcare professionals and Zimmer Biomet Institute through engaging and interactive trainings across all product portfolios, combining the strengths of the company's latest services and technologies to enhance their learning journey with ease and efficiency," Clarence Ngui, Regional Vice President Regional Medical Education APAC, "We look forward to working closely with all customers and business partners to fully realize the transformative potential that the centre can bring." About Zimmer Biomet Zimmer Biomet is a global medical technology leader with a comprehensive portfolio designed to maximize mobility and improve health. We seamlessly transform the patient experience through our innovative products and suite of integrated digital and robotic technologies that leverage data, data analytics and artificial intelligence. With 90+ years of trusted leadership and proven expertise, Zimmer Biomet is positioned to deliver the highest quality solutions to patients and providers. Our legacy continues to come to life today through our progressive culture of evolution and innovation. For more information about our product portfolio, our operations in 25+ countries and sales in 100+ countries or about joining our team, visit www.zimmerbiomet.com or follow Zimmer Biomet on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zimmerbiomet. In what can be seen as the first step towards integration and a future merger, Air India and AirAsia India, both owned by the Tata Group have decided to accept each others domestic passengers in case one carriers flights are disrupted. Air India and Air Asia India (AAIPL) have signed an interline considerations on irregular operations (IROPs) agreement in this regard to offer the first available alternate flights to the passengers. Reuters The validity of this arrangement is only in the domestic sector for a period of two years starting from February 10 till February 9, 2O24. The carriage of passengers shall be on an as available basis as determined by the airport manager of accepting airline. Decision of airport manager of accepting airline would be final as regards availability of seats, says the IROPs agreement. What the agreement says The agreement says that the departure of Air India should not be affected on account of the acceptance of stranded passengers of AirAsia India. Tata Group which recently acquired Air India now has four airlines under their belt - full-service carrier Vistara, budget carrier AirAsia India, Air India, and its budget service Air India Express. BCCL They have a combined fleet strength of 233 aircraft. Many analysts have said that even for the Tata Group, with all its resources, it will be impossible to maintain all these carriers as separate entities, competing against each other for passenger share. Last month, Bhaskar Bhat, chairman of Tata SIA which operates Vistara had said that there are no talks of a merger of the two full-service airlines as of now. "We have to run Vistara efficiently and coexist with Air India like any other airline," Bhat had said. But an AirAsia India-Air India Express merger is very much likely and there have already been some talks in this regard. Wikimedia In November 2021, it was reported that Tata has commenced work on the merger of AirAsia India with Air India Express. Tata Group owns 84% stake in AirAsia India and it is focused on budget travelers, just like Air India Express. Ever since the forearm Tata Airlines which went on to become Air India returned to the Tata stable, the salt-to-steel conglomerate has been working to give the former national carrier an image makeover. AP This includes improving on-time performance, quality of on-board meals and overall grooming of its cabin crew members when they report for flights. For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. The Afghan Taliban which captured power in August last year by overthrowing the democratically elected Ashraf Ghani government has been pleading with the international community to unfreeze the country's foreign assets. That is because the armed group has quite literally run out of resources to run the war-ravaged country and millions of Afghans are on the brink of starvation. AP For nearly 20 years the Afghan economy was kept afloat by foreign aid, which has now stopped, and a large chunk of the country's resources belonging to Afghanistan's central bank was stored outside, which were frozen following the Taliban takeover. Out of this, $7 billion worth of Afghanistan's central bank assets were frozen in the US, and the Taliban is not going to get their hands on it. Executive order signed on Friday That is because US President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Friday unfreezing the assets to fund humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and for compensation to the victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001. AFP Senior U.S. administration officials said they would work to ensure access to $3.5 billion of the assets - which stem mainly from aid to Afghanistan over the past two decades - to benefit the Afghan people. They said Washington would set up a third-party trust to administer the funds for which details were still being worked out. Earlier Suhail Shaheen, the Talibans designated representative to the UN had called for the entire amount to be unfrozen and kept under the control of the Afghan central bank. AFP "The reserve is the property of Da Afghanistan Bank and by extension, the property of the people of Afghanistan," Shaheen told Reuters. The spokesman of the Talibans Doha office blasted the U.S. move in a tweet: "Stealing and takeover of frozen money which belongs to the Afghan people by U.S. shows the lowest level of human and moral decline of a country." Recently, the UN head of the World Food Program (WFP) had said that the Afghan people have resorted to selling their children and parts of their bodies to survive. AFP Afghanistan is struggling with drought, a pandemic, an economic collapse, and the effects of years of conflict. Some 24 million people are experiencing acute food insecurity. More than half the population will be facing famine this winter and 97 per cent of the population could fall below the poverty line this year. "Afghanistan was already one of the poorest countries in the world, with 20 years, at least, of conflict with the Taliban," Beasley told German public state-owned international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW). For more on news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News. BEIRUT, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The International Support Group for Lebanon (ISG) on Friday urged Lebanese authorities to prepare for free, fair, transparent and inclusive elections as scheduled on 15 May. "The elections are first and foremost a right and expectation of the people of Lebanon and a sovereign responsibility which is incumbent on the authorities to deliver on," the group was quoted by UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon Joanna Wronecka as saying. With the elections just three months away, the ISG asked for rapid preparatory work in line with the existing legislative framework and the constitutional timelines. Specifically, the ISG urged relevant bodies to allocate the necessary financial resources to hold the elections in Lebanon and abroad, enable the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities and the Supervisory Commission for Elections to be fully functional, and ensure the timely organizing of voting from abroad. The international community considers that the elections are essential to the success of the reform agenda, and rebuilding trust between the Lebanese authority and citizens. Forney, TX (75126) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning. Cloudy skies late. High around 70F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Mainly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Real-time social media posts from local businesses and organizations across Northern Virginia, powered by Friends2Follow. To add your business to the stream, email cfields@insidenova.com or click on the green button below. Tim Lucey, Chief Executive of Cork County Council, on the unique Cork harbour economy Tim Lucey, Chief Executive, Cork County Council Just as a rising tide lifts all ships, Cork harbour serves as an economic and cultural powerhouse for the south of Ireland. It is one of our countrys greatest assets. Its strategic value has transformed and evolved with the nation throughout its 1,400 years of history. It connects Ireland with the world through trade routes that span the globe. World leaders in pharma, biopharma, chemical manufacturing and other global industries have tapped into the strong skilled workforce, idyllic location and the welcoming community. From a fortified military harbour to a welcoming centre of research, tourism and commerce, Cork harbours success is Irelands success. The Cork harbour economy is a microcosm of all of Cork, both city and county, together with the wider region. Is a driver for the entire Cork region, having evolved and adapted alongside its local community. It connects Ireland to global trade routes, and in turn invites world leaders in industry to connect to an idyllic location, an educated and motivated workforce and a community rich in culture and heritage. Social, environmental and cultural factors in the region are the foundation of a unique economic ecosystem which has seen the Cork harbour region consistently enjoy a GDP per capita consistently above the state average, thanks to private and public sector collaboration With a current GDP output of 4.5bn, the Cork harbour economy has the potential to reach a GDP of 12bn by 2040. As chief executive of Cork County Council, I readily recognise the strength of largescale commerce across Cork. But it is important to note that collaborative delivery models which focus on Corks growth ambition must reflect the wider urban and rural fabric of Cork. While GDP is, and always will be a factor in growth, this does not in any way diminish our focus on wider societal gains, such as health, wellbeing, placemaking, sustainability , etc. all of which must prosper to the same extent and be part of maintaining the equilibrium between all competing forces, from a rising tide lifts all ships approach. The thriving harbour economy is also a distinct spatial entity, consisting of a population of 72,000 living in the five county metropolitan towns surrounding the harbour waters Cobh, Carrigaline, Passage West, Midleton and Carrigtwohill. Employment within these harbour towns is further complemented by the strategic harbour employment locations of Little Island, Ringaskiddy and Whitegate. The success of the harbour area as a place to live and work is reflected in the harbour population growing at double the national rate over the past 30 years. This growth has been sustained by targeted public and private investment into infrastructure, housing and employment. Project Ireland 2040 outlines how Cork county could grow its population to 436,488, with growth targets providing for an additional 63,000 jobs. According to the 2016 census, there are 93,451 jobs in Cork county, of which 29,171 are based in the harbour area. Critically, 67% of this harbour area population are under 45, while over 300,000 persons live within a 45 minute journey time of the harbour. Cork County Council is currently progressing the delivery of an extensive active travel network which will see the transformation of the transport landscape throughout the harbour area. Extending from Midleton to the city along the eastern metropolitan corridor and from the city boundary to Crosshaven along the southern corridor, this infrastructure will link the metropolitan towns with the strategic employment centres by sustainable travel modes. The result will be an exemplar for sustainable travel, providing a coherent sustainable travel network serving and driving commerce across Cork harbour. The active travel network interfacing with the public transport system will provide high quality connectivity between residential settlements, employment centres, recreational amenities and Cork city. Thus, for the first time, a door-to-door high quality, integrated, reliable and sustainable alternative to the private car will be available. The Cork harbour economy is a unique spatial, community and economic entity in its own right. It warrants elevation in all of our minds as a national asset, deserving of unique and special focus. The core of our ambition for the Cork harbour economy is that it becomes a global leader in climate change action and sustainability, one which allows industry, commerce, transport, people, communities, heritage, environment to continue to develop in a compatible manner but all focused on our climate change ambitions to 2050. www.corkcoco.ie Regina O'Connor, Director of Public Affairs and Advocacy, American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland, A century ago, on January 16, 1922, Michael Collins as chairman of the Provisional Government was handed over the keys to Dublin Castle which led to the establishment of the Irish Free State and later the Irish Republic. As we mark the commemoration of this and many milestones over the last century, it is good to look ahead to Irelands next century. Irelands economic resilience has been tested most recently, through the financial crisis, which created record unemployment levels; spiralling debt and deficit and the Covid-19 pandemic. And yet, we are seeing record numbers of growth, investment and employment in Ireland and positive forecasts for the coming year. US multinationals continue to play a central role in this growth and prosperity. Today, Ireland is home to the worlds top five global software companies, 14 of the globes 15 top med-tech companies and all the top pharma companies. There are almost 900 US multinationals in Ireland, directly employing over 190,000 people and indirectly supporting an additional 152,000 jobs in the wider economy. US companies spend more than 12bn on payroll, more than 8.8bn on goods and services and invest 6.5bn on capital expenditure each year. AmCham has identified 60 key reasons, related to competitive advantage, why companies invest or plan growth in Ireland. Talent tops the list with Ireland having one of the most educated workforces in the world; ranking in the top 10 globally for quality of its education system; with the EUs youngest population, proportionally having the fourth highest international workforce in the EU, and Irish workers being the most productive in the world (report by the OECD). Further, as a location, other reasons of competitive advantage for Ireland include: ease of air connectivity, ranking as second in Europe and seventh in the world for the most competitive economy (as reported by the IMD), being a committed member of the EU Single Market and Eurozone, with an exceptional level of collaboration between industry, academia, state agencies and regulatory authorities driving the R&D sector. Into the future, inward investment will be as much about where people want to live, as where businesses wish to locate, and it is by ensuring we remain competitive in the global battle for talent, that Ireland will continue to attract FDI. Further, with Ireland agreeing to sign up to an agreed 15% corporate tax rate for companies in scope, the competition for investment globally will be even more intense. As we look ahead to the next century, it is the opportune m oment to refocus. To use the analogy of spokes of the wheel regarding the retention of our global competitive advantage, there are a number of spokes which, together provide the traction that will ensure Ireland remains attractive as a home for talent and companies. These spokes must be well-oiled, and, in this article, I will highlight three. People (talent), place (Ireland) and planet, the opportunity to provide leadership on sustainability. On talent, Irelands policy focus on improving quality of life outcomes for talented individuals and their families here is sharpening. As Government acknowledges, in a world where people can increasingly choose to work from anywhere, we must move faster to address the challenges that are holding us back. In our recent pre-Budget submission Next Century Ireland AmCham recommends that Government implement a three-year global #WhyIreland campaign to help attract top talent. AmCham continues to advocate for the speedy implementation of the following Government plans to enhance Irelands offering: Housing, improving transport connectivity opportunities via the National Development Plan and Broadband roll-out. Further, AmCham continues to advocate for a best-in-class visa and permit ecosystem, the enhanced digitalisation of the public sector and reducing the personal tax burden. As we think about the future of work, the development of more bus and train corridors between urban and rural centres will support the Governments regional development strategy and relieve pressure on Dublin as a capital hub. Secondly on Ireland as a location, as AmCham focuses on the policies where companies can continue to grow and invest, the same policies above are in play with infrastructure at the core. We are advocating for the improvement of both digital and physical infrastructure, including energy supply and capacity, water systems, and the enhancement of cybersecurity protections for critical public infrastructure. As we plan for current and future investment, we need to ensure that sufficient capacity exists within our energy grid to cater for both current and future power needs, while also advancing measures to meet our climate goals and supporting the transition to a carbon neutral economy, increase renewable energy sources and ensure interconnection ease to the energy grid. This brings me to the opportunity that we have to be a nation which leads on sustainability. AmCham members fully support the Governments climate goals, and the EUs decarbonisation targets. In fact, many of our members are aligned to even more ambitious sustainability targets. Advancing our goals will require an all-of-society approach, and through working together we have the capability to make real change. In a recent AmCham survey, 94% of members reported that their corporate headquarters, in the US, viewed Ireland positively as a location for future investment. As Ireland enters its second century as an independent Republic, our country has a bright future, and through collaboration we can ensure Ireland remains one of the best countries in the world in which to live and do business. Mark Redmond, CEO of American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, says Ireland saw some US multinationals expand operations on our shores in 2021 despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic Business links between Ireland and the United States grew in strength and stature in 2021, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, but we must not rest on our laurels as the competition for inward investment is about to heat up. Ireland has proven itself to be a strong and safe location for US investment, making it the ideal transatlantic gateway from which US companies can access the European, Middle East and African markets. The IDAs 2021 report, published in December, revealed that last year saw the highest ever employment creation figures from Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in a single year in Ireland. Investment from North America made up 64% of FDI investment in 2021. As well as this, figures from the Department of Finance show corporate tax receipts at 15.3bn in 2021, up almost 30% from 2020. Meanwhile, Irelands performance to combat the Covid-19 pandemic has also cemented its place at the very forefront of US investment considerations. Despite having 0.06% of the worlds population, Ireland has been the fifth largest supplier of Covid-19 related products throughout this pandemic, keeping supply chains open and, in some cases, increasing productivity in the face of a global crisis. In the context of the pandemic, the growth Ireland has seen in terms of investment has been an impressive result, said Mark Redmond, CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland. In the southwest region, weve seen phenomenal contributions from employers like Pfizer, for example, in relation to the global pandemic response. Even in the worst part of the pandemic, those critically important supply chains in med-tech and biopharma based in Ireland not only maintained production, some actually increased production. Thats been seen in the US and Ireland as a really trusted partner by the US. A 2021 survey carried out by the American Chamber revealed that 80% of Irish residents were proud of the contribution of Irish-based US multinationals in response to the pandemic. That performance by the women and men employed by US multinationals here in Ireland is having a very positive impact on US-Irish relations, said Mr Redmond. As well as helping in the fight against Covid-19, large Irish-based companies are also leading the charge in terms of sustainability. In July last year, Taoiseach Micheal Martin opened the single largest solar farm in the Republic of Ireland. Developed in a joint venture by Eli Lilly and Enerpower, the 16-acre facility features 12,600 individual solar panels and cost 5m, and is now powering a significant proportion of the Lilly plant at its Dunderrow site with sustainable energy. That sends an extraordinary statement about Irelands commitment on a global stage, in particular businesses in Ireland, in relation to sustainability, said Mr Redmond. Despite the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic, Ireland saw some US multinationals expand operations on our shores in 2021. In September last year, Boston Scientific announced a 30m investment in its Cork facility to accelerate the development and manufacturing of minimally-invasive medical technologies that treat patients suffering from cancer and peripheral arterial diseases around the world. This investment, supported by the IDA, is expected to generate more than 70 new quality, engineering and production jobs over the next three years. Similarly, Stryker is in the middle of ongoing expansion following an announcement in 2019 of a 200m investment in projects at three of its five Cork facilities. Were seeing really big employers expanding operations in spite of all the uncertainty in terms of global affairs, and that illustrates a very strong position, remarked Mr Redmond. As well as continuing to see investment from US firms in Ireland in 2021, Ireland is also continuing to see its fair share of companies investing in the US market last year. Towards the end of last year, Skibbereen-based telecoms company, Spearline, announced plans to open a US office in Silicon Valley this year. Another Cork-based company, Wisetek, has seen rapid overseas growth in recent years, particularly in the US market. Ireland is the ninth biggest investor in the US, and this did not slow down during the pandemic, Mr Redmond explained. Looking to the year ahead, the American Chamber is confident of seeing continued investment on both sides of the Atlantic. A recent Chamber survey found that 94% of US corporate headquarters that have existing operations in Ireland are keen to expand them. Weve never seen the level of ambition for Ireland that were seeing right now in terms of our member companies, remarked Mr Redmond. Physical and digital developments must keep pace with US company expansions and investment to ensure Ireland remains an attractive prospect for investment as well as growing indigenous businesses. The American Chamber highlighted the importance of ensuring that infrastructural developments, such as the Cork-Limerick motorway, Ringaskiddy route and Port of Cork gather pace, while the need for increased transatlantic air access to the west coast of Ireland has also been highlighted. Meanwhile, the need for a speedy rollout of national broadband is also a major necessity to ensure that businesses, both large and small, have access to proficient broadband, and that Ireland highlights itself as a centre of digital excellence. The American Chamber also highlighted the importance of continued investment and vision in terms of research and education here in Ireland, particularly in the southwest, where universities such as MTU and UCC can lead the way. We need to make sure that the physical and digital infrastructure keeps pace with the expansion were seeing in both multinational and domestic Irish business, said Mr Redmond. We also see the need for smart investment, particularly in research and education. Broadband rollout, meanwhile, will be crucial in terms of facilitating the future of working, that hybrid model, which will allow people to live where they want, he added. In the wake of Brexit, Ireland must seize the massive opportunity afforded to it by being the only mainly-English speaking gateway to Europe. The European Union remains the most important market for the US, in terms of the spending power and the scale of that market. Ireland has an impressive track record of success for US multinationals in Ireland in terms of facilitating access to that market, as well as the Middle East, Africa, said Mr Redmond. We are seeing massive amounts of opportunity for Ireland to be that transatlantic bridge that offers the US companies the access they need to the EU, Middle East and Africa. However, as the world comes to terms with the Covid-19 pandemic and looks to the future, the competition for inward investment is set to heat up significantly. The continued strength of the Irish economy and businesses across the country, even in the face of the pandemic, has helped in maintaining strong US business links, said Mr Redmond. The Irish Government has also been seen as doing a very good job in terms of attracting inward investment, particularly in the form of the IDA. However, we expect the competition for inward investment over the next year to be more intensive than it ever has been, so we cannot rest on our laurels. MOST western authors writing about contemporary Russian politics tend to present a narrative that doesnt try to hide its obvious ideological bias. Typically, its pro-Washington and anti-Kremlin. This western-centric story stresses how Russias patriotic-aggressive brand of social conservatism fits perfectly with a political mantra that, under current president Vladimir Putin, follows three dominant themes prestige, power, and pride. However, does the headline-grabbing image of Putin as a deceitful Machiavellian murderous political cynic, devoid of any credibility, really stand up? Putin is at the very least complicit in poisoning some of [his political opponents], Joseph Weisberg explains via a Zoom call from a hotel in New York. But simply dismissing Putin as a killer is not a very sophisticated way of looking at the world, says the 56-year-old Chicago-born author, and Emmy award-winning television writer and producer. Putin has also done some things for his country that are important and impressive in the political arena. This is Weisbergs central thesis in Russia Upside Down. The book doesnt have a pro-Putin agenda but it aims to understand Russia, and the Putin mindset, from an objective perspective. Weisberg believes if the West wants to build friendlier ties with Russia a new kind of diplomacy is urgently needed. He calls it self-aware politics. It insinuates that political beliefs always come with their own set of prejudices and a psychological self-examination of these unconscious cultural values will help individuals, and nations, better understand their enemies. Weisberg points to Russias attempts in recent years to undermine US democracy, most notably in the sophisticated and aggressive online campaign that is said to have contributed to Donald Trumps victory over Hillary Clinton in the 2016 US presidential election. Weisberg claims Putins fears about US interference in Russias internal affairs, even if they included some paranoid elements, were largely justified. Specifically, Weisberg points to western NGOs that support human rights groups and election monitoring in Russia. When the United States supports those groups, its pretty obvious that a leader of a country where youre doing that can reasonably say you are now involving yourself in our internal politics, so if Putin then launches this pretty rough campaign to interfere with US elections, it stops looking like this aggressive nation brutally attacking the system out of nowhere, and it actually starts to look more like a back and forth tit-for-tat between Russia and US, where Russia is simply taking the next step. Weisberg didnt always take such a nuanced approach to east-west relations. He was once a hardline US patriot who viewed the Cold War as a game of good versus evil. In 1990, this hawkish anti-communist world view even inspired him to join the CIA, where he was placed in the division that spied on the Soviet Union. He never went on a mission and didnt progress beyond the CIA trainee programme. Nevertheless, that brief spell at Camp Peary a CIA training facility known as the Farm in Williamsburg, Virginia gave Weisberg a close insight into the murky underworld of international espionage. It became increasingly clear to me, reading through a lot of information at various desks within the CIA, that it was bureaucratically attractive to recruit people into the CIA, even if 95% of the cases were not effective at producing useful information, Weisberg explains. So I really began to question the value of espionage in general. Weisbergs three-year spell as a spy recruit stood to him a few years later when he created an award-winning spy drama he also acted as executive producer on. The Americans ran for six seasons between 2013 and 2018 on the FX television network in the US and told the story of two KGB-Soviet spies during the Reagan era. Philip and Elizabeth (played by Matthew Rhys and Keri Russel) masquerade as a typical Washington DC couple, while their children, neighbours, co-workers, and friends are completely unaware of their secret espionage activities on US soil. Russia Upside Down by Joseph Weisberg My time in the CIA gave me a great deal of inside experience to see how the life of spies actually works says Weisberg. US spies I worked with lied to their kids about what they did and who they really were, and I dont think it would have occurred to me to put that kind of detail at the core of television drama if I hadnt worked at the CIA. The second half of Weisbergs book turns its attention to the new cold war that has emerged between Russia and the US since 2014, following Russias annexation of Crimea, and a proxy war that began (and continues today) in the Donbas region of eastern Ukraine, between Russian-backed separatist forces and the Ukrainian military. The US has reacted to Russian aggression in Ukraine with economic sanctions that have sabotaged the Russian economy. However, Weisberg claims that ending sanctions against Russia could be a useful step to reduce tensions. The United States has essentially appointed itself as a policeman who is going to punish Russia for behaviour they dont like but its not the job of the US to step in and attack the Russian economy, he says. The outspoken author claims all the evidence hitherto suggests US-imposed sanctions against Moscow dont work certainly not for bringing political harmony to the international order. Years and years of US sanctions against Russia has not deterred negative Russian action, he says. Instead they seem to provoke and encourage more Russian aggression against the West. So if sanctions are not working, why not stop them? Weisberg also claims Putins concerns about Natos eastwards expansion since the turn of the millennium are legitimate and justified. If you go back to 1991, when the Soviet Union collapsed, there was unwritten assurances between the West and the Soviet Union that if Mikhail Gorbachev allowed German unification, Nato would not expand to the east, says Weisberg. But very shortly after that, Nato started expanding to the east, moving militarily closer and closer to Russia, and taking in members that had formerly been part of the Warsaw Pact. So its pretty understandable that any large nation would feel threatened and encircled by that. Also, when the United States puts an anti-defence missile system right in the middle of Russias backyard, in Eastern Europe, how is that going to look to Russia? Weisbergs book concludes its analysis of Russia at the beginning of 2021, but the political tensions that have developed between Russia and Ukraine in the interim opens up his central argument to many flaws. In recent weeks US intelligence has estimated that Putin has deployed up to 175,000 Russian troops on the border to its nearest and most hostile neighbour. Those numbers keep on changing in a media narrative that contains a great deal of guess work, speculation, and political predictions based on intuitive feelings rather than indisputable facts. One side of that story insinuates that Russia is inching closer and closer to launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, Putin keeps on insisting to the West that Russia has no strategic plan to either invade or annex Ukraine entirely. Still, many western diplomats arent convinced. They are expressing concerns that the political deadlock between Russia and Ukraine could spiral into a devastating military confrontation not witnessed in Europe since the Second World War. Weisberg believes that if Washington doesnt want a new Cold War on its hands, it should adhere to two strict guidelines: Dont interfere with localised political disputes out of your sphere of influence and give Moscow some breathing space. Its a fairly radical, and even naive, world view especially given the recent tensions in the region. Its certainly not the typical opinion one hears via the average politico or diplomat from Washington to Brussels but Weisberg enjoys playing up to the role of the contrarian outlier who is never afraid to speak his mind. You read all the time that if you arent tough or you arent aggressive [on the international stage], then you will be seen as weak and taken advantage of, says Weisberg. But I dont see much evidence for that being true. I would be in favour of experimenting with a more unilateral approach to geopolitics and if the US becomes less aggressive, it may be that over time that other nations become less aggressive too. Cillian Murphy has said the sixth and final series of Peaky Blinders will be a tribute to the late Helen McCrory. The Irish actor, who had starred alongside McCrory in the hit BBC One crime series since it began in 2013, said he hopes the production will live up to her memory and our memory of her. McCrorys husband, actor Damian Lewis, announced in April she had died at home at the age of 52 following a heroic battle with cancer, prompting tributes from across the worlds of film and TV. Discussing the circumstances around filming the final series, Murphy told Variety: I think this is the culmination of the series that hopefully improves upon the last season and makes the most recent one the richest and deepest one that we possibly can, partially because of all of the pandemic shit happening in the world and, of course, the really sad loss of (Helen) McCrory. I think we are determined to make this a special series and we have been extra committed to working hard. I think the fans will be pleased. After being delayed by the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, filming of the final series began in January 2021 but McCrory was absent due to her cancer diagnosis. Murphy, who plays troubled gang boss Tommy Shelby in the Birmingham-set period drama, added: I think the whole series is really in tribute to her and to honour her. Helen McCrory and Damian Lewis (PA) Her presence and her characters presence are very much still felt in the series, and it is very much part of Tommys journey in the season. Itll be different without her, you know. It simply wont be the same. Ive spoken about how phenomenal she was as an actress and as a person and it is an enormous loss to the whole acting community and not just for our show. My thoughts are always with Damian and her kids. I just hope that the show will live up to her memory and our memory of her. McCrory played Shelby family matriarch Polly Gray in the BBC series and was also known for her roles in the Harry Potter movies and 2012 James Bond film Skyfall. A ballot is taking place for around 300 fans to secure tickets to the premiere of the final series. The red carpet event will be held on February 24 at Cineworld on Broad Street, Birmingham. Ireland has been tagged "Europe's infidelity hotspot" after sign-ups from this country to an infamous global dating service for adulterers surpassed 250,000. Figures just released by extra-marital affairs site Ashley Madison, reveal that 18,800 Irish nationals registered with the site last year - a 15% increase from the previous year. The sharp surge in registrations last year means that there have now been more than 250,000 sign-ups in total from Ireland to the worldwide philandering dating service since its launch in 2010. The latest data has prompted Berlin-based bosses of the service's European operation to describe Ireland as "the continent's hotspot". And with Valentine's Day fast approaching, the findings at the site suggest that partners who are suspicious their other halves are cheating should have their guard up. According to a new survey by Ashley Madison, one in six of its members will leave their other half in the lurch on February 14 to meet up with their affair partner. Christoph Kraemer, managing director Europe for Ashley Madison, said: "Ireland is ranked fifth in terms of sign-ups in the EU, behind Spain in top place, then France, Germany and Italy. "But all those countries have much, much larger populations. Ireland, for example, has double the number of sign-ups than nations like The Netherlands, a country with a population which is three times bigger, and Portugal, which has double the population. "So relative to population size, Ireland outperforms just about everywhere else." Kraemer also said he was unsurprised by the apparent rise in marital infidelity over the course of the pandemic. He added: "Couples have spent more time together than ever before as a result of the pandemic. Finding that their primary partner was not fulfilling their emotional and sexual needs, they chose to look for an affair partner instead in record numbers. This has been particularly the case in Ireland." Gardai have appealed for witnesses and dash-cam footage after a 12-year old boy died when the car he was driving collided head-on with an articulated lorry on Friday. The boy, named locally as Wiktor Chojecki, from Newcastle West, Co Limerick, was driving a grey coloured Nissan Qashqai owned by his family, just before 2am, when it collided with a heavy goods truck. The crash occurred on the N21 at Rineroe near Adare, gardai said. The boy whose mother, Ewa, and father, Bartosc, settled in Newcastle West after emigrating from their native Poland, was a first-year student attending Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, in the town, and a past pupil at the local Gaelscoil ODoghair. Sean Lane, Principal, Scoil Mhuire agus Ide, said the boy started secondary school last September and that he was popular amongst pupils and teachers. Wiktor is sadly missed, his lots of friends in the school are upset this morning after hearing the tragic news, and the family are in Newcastle West for many many years and are very much part of the community, said Mr Lane. Its such a tragic loss and we are supporting our students in the school community today. Our critical incident management plan was implemented where we had our Year Heads, Class Tutors, and our counselors in school, working with the students. We also had the NEPS (National Educational Psychological Service) psychologists in the school today to support all students across the whole school who may be affected by he tragedy. We were all very shocked and upset to learn of the tragedy this morning and its very hard for our students to put into words how they are feeling, but there is great sadness and shock amongst all the school community, he offered. The death of anyone from part of our school community really effects you, so we are just trying to support each other in the school, and thats the biggest thing in these situations, is to offer support to everyone within our school community and in the local community to try to help each other through these difficult times. Paying tribute to the boy, Mr Lane said: He was very well-liked and he mixed well with students and with staff members. Ewa and Bartosc Chojecki were being comforted by family and friends and a large Polish community in Newcastle West. Garda appeal The incident involving a car and a lorry occurred shortly before 2am on the N21 at Rineroe near Adare, Co Limerick. The road is currently closed to preserve the scene for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators. Diversions are in place with city-bound traffic being diverted from Adare via Croom. Gardai are appealing for any witnesses to this collision to come forward. Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the N21 near Adare area at the time of the collision are asked to make this footage available to gardai. Anyone with information is asked to contact Newcastlewest Garda Station on 069-20650, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. His body has since been removed to the morgue at University Hospital Limerick and the coroner has been notified. The driver of the lorry, a man aged in his 40s, did not require hospital treatment. The parish priest of Adare, Monsignor Dan Neenan, who said prayers at the scene of the fatal incident praised the work of the emergency services. Fr Neenan said he had been called to the scene at 4am by gardai and when he arrived the body of the boy was being taken from the car. He said that it was clear the young boy had passed away and so he said prayers. The emergency services at the scene were wonderful and professional, he told RTE radio's News at One. Fr Neenan remained at the scene until the parents of the boy arrived, "they were obviously so shocked and were incredibly dignified." The parents were given a few minutes alone with their son after which they spoke and prayed with Fr Neenan. When leaving the scene the boy's mother spoke to and thanked all the emergency personnel for their services. Local TD and Junior Minister Niall Collins says it is a terrible tragedy and the thoughts of the community are with the boy's family. He said they are also thinking of the lorry driver who Mr Collins said is "very shaken" by the events. "It's a really shocking incident. We are used to hearing of road collisions but never are we used to hearing of collisions where a child age 12 was the driver of a vehicle." The local community is very shocked and numb today as they struggle to come to terms with the news, he said. Requests to light Youghals very popular boardwalks have been refused by council officials amid concerns that doing so could make them a magnet for anti-social behaviour after dark. Youghal-based Independent councillor Mary Linehan Foley made the request at a meeting of the East Cork Municipal District Council. She asked that some type of eco lighting be looked at for both boardwalks on Youghals beaches and in the Slob Bank area. They are some of the most used amenities in Co Cork. There are people using them in rain, hail, and snow. Its deadly dark there though, she said. Ms Linehan-Foley said she understood that the areas were of ecological importance and there were constraints on types of lighting which could be used so as not to interfere with wildlife. Maybe we could put lights into the ground that shine up and mark the pathways. It would really be appreciated by locals and visitors alike. Fine Gael councillor, Susan McCarthy, who lives in Midleton, said he often went for walks there and thought lighting the boardwalks would be a great idea. Since the lights have gone up at the Bailick Walk in Midleton more people are using it. Its fantastic, she said. Fianna Fail councillor, Ann Marie Ahern, agreed with them and asked if one section of the boardwalk could be extended to the public toilets. She was told by officials that doing so would be very expensive as it would have to run over sand dunes. They said it was further complicated by the fact that a farmer has a right of way in that area, The councils senior executive officer for the region Sean OCallaghan said there are ecological issues with lighting the area and even if there werent he didnt see where the council would be able to get funding for such a project. Do we really want to invite people into these locations at night-time? Would there be the risk of anti-social behaviour? I also dont think our ecologist would be happy to put lighting on the Slob Bank, Mr OCallaghan said. He said his inclination was it wasnt a good idea, as did other council officials. BERLIN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Germany's Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) on Friday rejected an urgent appeal to suspend mandatory COVID-19 vaccination for nursing and healthcare workers in the country. The vaccination obligation in healthcare met "no pervasive constitutional concerns at the time of this decision," the court said in a statement. The mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers was approved by Germany's lower and upper parliaments, Bundestag and Bundesrat, in early December. It requires employees in hospitals, doctors' offices or nursing homes to provide proof of full vaccination protection or recovery by mid-March 2022. Despite record COVID-19 seven-day-incidence rates, the country's vaccination campaign has slowed down recently. As of Thursday, 74.7 percent of the total population were fully vaccinated and 55.2 percent received a booster shot, according to official data. "It is now a matter of protecting those who are particularly dependent on it, sick people and the oldest members of our society," said Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his first speech in the Bundesrat on Friday on the debate on mandatory vaccination for healthcare workers. A final decision on the constitutionality of the law was still pending, the court noted. The appeal had been filed by unvaccinated employees and facility managers who wanted to keep their unvaccinated employees. Most people have probably heard of Chernobyl, or the BP oil spill. You may also know about my legal battle over contaminated water in California, dramatised in the movie Erin Brockovich. Yet far fewer people have heard about what transpired in the Ecuadorian Amazon though its considered by some activists, journalists, and members of US Congress to be one of the worlds worst environmental disasters. What if I told you that a multinational oil company allegedly polluted the Amazon for almost three decades? And that the oil company has spent even more years refusing to accept liability? Or that a US lawyer who agreed to represent thousands of Ecuadorian villagers in a lawsuit against that oil company has lost his law licence, income, spent hundreds of days under house arrest in New York, and in 2021 was sentenced to six months in prison? The lawyer who took on Chevron and now marks his 600th day under house arrest. From 1964 to 1990, Texaco, which merged with Chevron in 2001, allegedly spilled more than 16m gallons of crude oil 80 times more oil than was spilled in BPs 2010 Deepwater Horizon disaster, according to Gizmodo and 18bn gallons of polluted wastewater in the Amazon rainforest. The pollution allegedly contaminated the ground and waterways with toxic chemicals that the plaintiffs mostly indigenous people and poor farmers say has caused cancer, miscarriages, skin conditions and birth defects. (Chevron has said that Texacos operations were completely in line with the standards of the day and told the New Yorker, in 2012, that there is no corroborating evidence for the health allegations.) Erin Brockovich. In 1993, Steven Donziger, a recent Harvard law school graduate and human rights attorney, began working on an environmental case on behalf of Ecuadorians allegedly affected by Texacos drilling. The case eventually became a 30,000-person class action lawsuit against Texaco in New York federal court. Texaco/Chevron did not dispute that pollution occurred, and freely admits that large sludge pits still dot the Amazon, the New Yorker reported. The company argued that the Ecuadorian government released it from liability after paying for an earlier cleanup, and that Ecuadors state oil company, Petroecuador, was responsible for the remaining damage. The plaintiffs argued that the earlier cleanup was woefully insufficient; that Texaco, not Petroecuador, directed actual operations in the area; and that Chevrons earlier agreement with the government of Ecuador did not bar lawsuits by individuals. (The government of Ecuador also disagrees with Chevrons claims.) A jury trial in the US might have put Texaco under an embarrassing and costly spotlight, so, perhaps for that reason, the company lobbied to move the legal proceedings back to Ecuador, which has no jury trials and is heavily dependent on the oil industry. Texaco argued that Ecuador had a fair and competent legal system. A US judge agreed to relocate the case on the condition that Texaco accept the verdict of the Ecuadorian system. Texacos manoeuvre backfired: In 2011, Donziger and the plaintiffs won the case there. An Ecuadorian court ruled that Texaco, which had been bought by Chevron at this point, was responsible for vast contamination, according to the New Yorker, and ordered it to pay $18bn in damages the largest judgment ever awarded in an environmental lawsuit. Both parties appealed: Chevron said it was illegitimate and unenforceable and accused the plaintiffs of having ghostwritten an expert environmental opinion; the plaintiffs denied that the opinion was fraudulent and said that, if anything, the monetary judgment was too low, given the scale of pollution. Claims of bribery Chevrons accusation that the judgment was illegitimate relied heavily on testimony by an Ecuadorian judge, Alberto Guerra, whom Chevron relocated to the US and, as of 2015, paid a $12,000 monthly salary. Guerra testified that the plaintiffs had bribed him to sway the Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron. Guerra later recanted much of his claim admitting, Vice News reported in 2015, that there is no evidence to corroborate allegations of a bribe or a ghostwritten judgment, and that large parts of his sworn testimony were exaggerated and, in other cases, simply not true. (Chevron disputes the significance of Guerras change in testimony, telling Vice News, in 2015, that trial transcripts make clear that Chevron proved its case before the international arbitration tribunal.) Part of the Ecuadorian judgment against Chevron was a fine for not apologising for the pollution; in 2013, Ecuadors national court of justice determined that there had been no legal basis to sanction Chevron for not apologising, according to Reuters, and reduced the judgment to $9.5bn, but otherwise affirmed the original decision. Instead of accepting the legal outcome and the responsibilities that come when you acquire a company (see Dupont-now-Chemours or Monsanto-now-Bayer), Chevron made clear that it would not be paying the judgment, according to The Intercept (the American non-profit news organisation), and moved its assets out of the country. Attorney Steven Donziger arrives for a court appearance last May. The company went from claiming Ecuadors legal system was fair to claiming it was too corrupt to trust. Were going to fight this until hell freezes over, and then well fight it on the ice, a Chevron attorney vowed a remark that became a watchword at the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Chevron has more than made good on that promise. It has pursued a years-long campaign against the plaintiffs, their lawyers, and even the entire country of Ecuador. Chevrons legal strategy is masterminded by Gibson Dunn, a notoriously aggressive corporate law firm that the Montana supreme court rebuked in 2007, in a different case, for legal thuggery and actual malice. Randy Mastro, a former federal prosecutor and aide to New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, leads the firms Chevron file. A merciless litigator, according to the New Yorker, Mastro was once described as the only person in the Giuliani administration who made the mayor seem like a nice guy. Heres the thing: a massive multinational corporation such as Chevron can afford to pay millions of dollars in legal fees, indefinitely and doing so will almost always be cheaper than paying a fine or settling. Chevron insists that delay is not its object, Vanity Fair reported in 2007, but the plaintiffs and their attorneys are persuaded that it is. Take $6bn as a figure, Donziger explained to Vanity Fairs William Langewiesche. Simply by sticking the money into a savings account Chevron could make $300m for every year it doesnt pay. "That sum multiplied by the four years of the trial so far would amount to $1.2bn, which is far more than, say, $50m spent on legal fees, even if Chevron now loses the case. And what if Chevron wins what would the calculation be then? Corporations can also sue plaintiffs back crushing any opposition under, to use Chevrons words, an avalanche of paper. This is part of a disturbing legal playbook sometimes known as Slapp strategic lawsuit against public participation. Massive corporations can fund endless litigation against activists or critics. They dont even need to win in court, because they can intimidate or bankrupt their opponents in legal fees. (Chevron disputes that it engages in Slapp tactics, though an anti-Slapp organisation twice named Chevron corporate bully of the year and in 2021 bestowed a lifetime achievement award on the company.) After Chevron successfully defeated a lawsuit seeking to hold it responsible for the shooting deaths of protesters on an offshore oil platform in Nigeria, it even tried, unsuccessfully, to compel the impoverished Nigerian plaintiffs, some of whom were widows or children, to reimburse its attorneys fees, the New Yorker reported in 2012. Thats how they litigate, Bert Voorhees, an attorney who represented the Nigerian plaintiffs, told the New Yorkers Patrick Radden Keefe. The point is to scare off the next community that might try to assert its human rights. In 2018, an international tribunal ruled that Chevron had been previously released from liability for pollution in the Amazon and ordered Ecuador not to enforce the $9.5bn judgment. Ecuador continues to maintain that the judgement is legitimate. In retaliation, the giant US oil company objected last June when Washington proposed allowing duty-free rose imports from the worlds poorest countries, including Ecuador, the Wall Street Journal reported in 2021. Letting Ecuador save money on flowers after blatant acts of defiance would tell the world the US rewards bad behaviour, the oil company said. Chevron has also asked the international tribunal to order that nearly $800m of Chevrons legal costs [be] paid by Ecuador, a country whose gross domestic product is about half of Chevrons stock-market value. Then theres Donziger. PR advisers for Chevron promised to demonise Donziger in the public eye. The oil company hired private investigators to track Donziger, created a publication which smeared him, and put together a legal team of hundreds of lawyers from 60 firms, who have successfully pursued an extraordinary campaign against him, The Intercept reported in 2020. Endless litigation Donziger has spent years of his life fighting seemingly endless litigation. In 2011, Chevron sued Donziger and members of the lawsuit in a US court for $60m in damages, accusing them of extortion and invoking a sweeping and controversial statute originally created to fight the Mafia. Chevrons case rested in large part on Guerras since-recanted corruption claims; Donziger and his codefendants denied the charges. The approach of accusing victims attorneys of being fraudsters has been honed with particular energy by [the] law firm Gibson Dunn, Bloomberg noted in 2014. Shortly before the suit went to trial, Chevron dropped the demand for monetary damages, thus denying Donziger the right to a jury trial. During the suit, which Chevron won, the company demanded that Donziger turn over his phone and computer to their legal team. After Donziger refused, arguing that doing so would violate attorney-client privilege, the judge in the case charged him with criminal contempt of court. The US attorneys office declined to prosecute Donziger for contempt, so the judge in the case made the extraordinary move of appointing a private law firm to represent the government in prosecuting Donziger a development that two US senators have called highly unusual and concerning. The senators also noted that the firm appointed to prosecute Donziger previously represented Chevron. A scene from the 2000 film Erin Brockovich starring Albert Finney as Ed Masry and Julia Roberts as Erin. Because he was deemed a flight risk, Donziger spent more than 800 days under house detention, with an electronic ankle bracelet, while awaiting the outcome of the trial. In 2020, according to The Intercepts Sharon Lerner, Donzigers bank accounts have been frozen. He now has a lien on his apartment, faces exorbitant fines, and has been prohibited from earning money. As of August [2019], a court has seized his passport and put him on house arrest. Chevron, which has a market capitalisation of $228bn, has the funds to continue targeting Donziger for as long as it chooses. Donziger eventually lost the contempt case, which he called a charade. As a consequence of the charges against him, he also lost his law licence against the recommendation of the judicial officer who refereed the professional conduct hearing. The officer, a former federal prosecutor, described Donziger as a stubborn gadfly who is often his own worst enemy but called the move to disbar him unjustified, and decried the extent of his pursuit by Chevron as extravagant, unnecessary and punitive. In October, Donziger reported to a federal prison to begin a six-month contempt sentence. (In December he was returned to home detention as part of a Covid-related early-release programme.) He still cannot make a living as a lawyer, cannot collect any legal fees from the Ecuador judgment, and had to wear an electronic ankle bracelet until last weekend. In November, nine members of US Congress signed a letter calling Donzigers treatment unprecedented and unjust imprisonment. 'Judicial harassment' International judicial monitors, lawyers associations, members of European parliament, and Amnesty International have also criticised the charges against Donziger as excessive and punitive, and 29 Nobel laureates from around the world signed an open letter arguing that Donziger is a victim of judicial harassment. Ive dealt with similar cases myself, with different companies. In 1993, I was part of a team that filed a class-action lawsuit on behalf of 650 plaintiffs against PG&E, alleging that the California utility company knew that harmful chemicals, particularly hexavalent chromium, were seeping into groundwater in Hinkley, California, and contaminating the towns water supply. That case ultimately resulted in the largest medical settlement lawsuit in history at that time and changed my life. After Hinkley, we discovered other towns nearby in California where hexavalent chromium was causing health problems and wreaking havoc on lives. In 2006, PG&E agreed to pay another $295m to settle a series of lawsuits over contaminated water affecting another 1,100 people. Imagine if instead of a movie telling my story, Id gone to jail. Thats essentially what has happened to Steve Donziger. And, since this litigation started in 1993, Chevron has not paid a cent or performed any cleanup. So far the only people who have paid for Chevrons alleged behaviour are Donziger and those affected by the contamination the poor and indigenous Ecuadorians who continue to live every day with the pollutions effects. Erin Brockovich is an environmental advocate and author of the book Supermans Not Coming: Our National Water Crisis and What We the People Can Do About It. She is a columnist with The Guardian US Thousands of British citizens are being urged to flee Ukraine immediately over growing concerns that Russia could launch an invasion in the coming days. The UK Foreign Office updated its advice on Friday evening to urge UK nationals to leave now while commercial means are still available. The order was issued as intelligence and advice from experts on the ground suggested an increased threat level, with an invasion at some point deemed highly likely. It came after Boris Johnson voiced fears for the security of Europe during a call with Western leaders including US President Joe Biden. British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said an invasion could come at any time, with Russian President Vladimir Putin having amassed an estimated 130,000 troops on the border with Ukraine. Mr Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan said an attack before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 was a credible prospect, assigning it a very, very distinct possibility. He said new Russian forces were arriving at the border and are in a position to mount a major military operation in Ukraine any day now, which could include a rapid assault on the city of Kyiv or on other parts of the country. Speaking from the White House, Mr Sullivan said Russia could choose in very short order to commence a major military action against Ukraine, but stressed the US does not know whether Mr Putin has made a final decision. Mr Sullivan said the threat is now immediate enough to urge Americans to leave Ukraine as soon as possible and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours. In a call lasting around 80 minutes, Downing Street said Mr Johnson urged Nato allies to make it clear to Moscow there is a heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go. The Prime Minister told the group that he feared for the security of Europe in the current circumstances, a No 10 spokeswoman said, in an account of the call that included French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Nato secretary-general Jens Stoltenberg, as well as EU leaders Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel. Mr Johnson warned that the penalties would be extremely damaging to Russias economy and urged that allies must reinforce Natos eastern frontiers. The UK Foreign Office said: British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available. Officials believe the number of UK nationals in Ukraine is in the low thousands. Some British embassy staff and their families were being withdraw from Kyiv. Mr Wallace held talks in Moscow with Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu as part of diplomatic efforts to avert war. Currently theres over 130,000 troops stationed at readiness or exercising plus warplanes, plus ships into the Black Sea on the borders of Ukraine and that is an action that is not normal, Mr Wallace told a news conference in the British embassy. It is beyond normal exercising therefore we will judge that statement on the evidence. Following a frosty meeting in Russia between UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her counterpart Sergei Lavrov a day earlier, Mr Wallace said his discussions with Mr Shoigui had been frank and constructive. While he said that he took the ministers assurances seriously, he admitted he was less optimistic than he had been previously that there could be a diplomatic solution to the crisis. He said the current disposition of Russian forces meant they could do a whole range of actions, including an invasion of a neighbouring country, at any time. Burma Myanmar Junta Announces Union Day Prisoner Amnesty The gate of Yangons Insein Prison on Saturday morning / The Irrawaddy Myanmars junta on Saturday announced an amnesty for more than 800 prisoners to mark the countrys Union Day, as it held a parade and show of force in the capital. The country has been in turmoil since last years coup, with mass protests and a subsequent military crackdown that has killed more than 1,500 civilians, according to the UNs human rights office. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing issued the pardon ordera regular feature of major holidays in the countryfor 814 prisoners to commemorate Union Days 75th anniversary, state media said. Those given amnesty will be mostly from prisons in commercial hub Yangon, junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told AFP. He did not say whether detained Australian academic Sean Turnellwho has been detained for more than a yearwould be among those released. Turnell, an Australian economics professor, was working as an adviser to ousted civilian leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi when he was arrested last February, just days after a military coup. He has been charged with violating Myanmars official secrets law and faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison if found guilty. The junta released about 23,000 prisoners last April, with some rights groups at the time fearing the move was to free up space for opponents of the military and cause chaos. A similar number were released on last years Union Day as well. Performance art On Saturday, the junta marked Union Day with a show of force in the military-built capital Naypyitaw, known for its broad and often empty thoroughfares. Hundreds of troops paraded alongside civil servants waving national flags in unison and troupes performed choreographed dances. Helicopters carrying the countrys yellow, green and red flag flew overhead, followed by jets trailing the same colors in smoke. Independent Myanmar analyst David Mathieson characterized the parade as performance art. The message for Union Day is at complete odds with the reality that is Myanmar, he told AFP, adding the junta was not sincere about peace. Its pretty absurd that on the 75th anniversary of Union Day the country is more divided than at any point in its history. In a speech to troops, Min Aung Hlaing repeated the militarys claim of massive fraud in the 2020 election won by Daw Aung San Suu Kyis party. He also invited the myriad ethnic armed organizations that have been fighting Myanmars militaryand each otherfor decades to sit for peace talks. In an announcement carried by state media, he said the junta would also halt ongoing criminal proceedings against members of Rakhine states Arakan Army, which for years has fought a war for autonomy for the ethnic Rakhine population. Struggling to contain the backlash and contending with daily clashes, swathes of the country are under the control of anti-coup fighters. An anti-junta group told local media it was behind an explosion in Naypyitaw hours before Union Day celebrations were due to start. AFP was unable to confirm the reports. You may also like these stories: Silent Strike: A Quiet Display of Power From Myanmars People Myanmars Military Chief Staged a Coup. But He Did Not Act Alone Rohingya Without Myanmar ID Not Being Given COVID-19 Jab: Junta Trinity, TX (77320) Today Scattered thunderstorms developing during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 73F. Winds light and variable. Four thousand Post Offices, deliveries facilities and support offices across Australia have been successfully upgraded with faster and more reliable internet. Australia Post chief information officer Munro Farmer said Australia Posts Telecommunications Transformation program was the largest of its kind undertaken in Australia and was critical in enabling the organisation to continue delivering essential products and services for all Australians through the challenges of COVID-19, including those in rural and remote Australia. We are looking after today and tomorrow. We are keeping everyone connected through COVID-19 and we are building a modern postal service for the future, said Farmer. Customers expect more information in real time and transparency through the supply chain and we are making sure we have the telecommunication infrastructure to deliver for them. By transitioning all of our Post Offices and facilities to a new, highly resilient and scalable data network, equipping them with Wi-Fi capability, and improving internet bandwidth, we are now able to deliver a significantly higher service level at every one of our sites. We will now be able to scale up internet bandwidth when and where we need to, accelerate the onboarding of new services to days rather than weeks and enable new capabilities such as mobile point of sale, Internet of Things (IOT), artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions, said Farmer In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the upgrade which took two years, included an enterprise-wide collaboration and conferencing platform which was also rolled out in just three business days to enable remote working for thousands of office-based Australia Post team members, the organisation advised. Australia Post said that the organisations six contact centre operations were standardised onto one platform and 20,000 mobile devices used by support team members including mobile phones, laptops and tablets, have been brought together onto one customer-centric platform, greatly enhancing device security and management. At its peak, the upgrade program migrated approximately 100 Post Offices within five business days. The enhanced service availability also means the organisation can switch its focus from reactive support to being proactive in preventing issues, Australia Post said. We can now identify and mitigate 80% of issues and, as a result, we have been able to reduce business impacting outages by over 70% a significant achievement for a network as expansive as ours, added Farmer. The Australia Post telecommunications infrastructure upgrade project was delivered with support from partners including Cisco, NBN, Orro Group https://orro.group, Engage, VMware, Star21, and Telstra. Funeral services for Marvin Smith Lloyd, age 77, of Rusk will be held Friday, April 29, 2022 at 2 p.m. at the Boren-Conner Funeral Home Chapel in Jacksonville with Bro. Don Copeland and Bro. Kevin Gentry officiating. Burial will follow at Rocky Springs Cemetery. Marvin Lloyd was born Septemb State leader joins ethnic groups in spring festival State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc attended a spring festival of ethnic groups and launched the 2022 tree planting festival at the Culture - Tourism Village of Vietnamese Ethnic Groups in Hanoi on February 12. President Nguyen Xuan Phuc is welcomed by ethnic minority people at the festival in Hanoi on February 12 (Photo: VNA) Addressing officials and 200 representatives of 22 ethnic groups from 15 provinces, the leader said the Partys ethnic minority policy has created the best possible conditions for upholding and developing the cultural identity of each ethnic group while facilitating the harmonisation of the groups culture to form the culture of Vietnam. Over 35 years of Doi moi (Renewal), the great solidarity of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam has continued to be strengthened, he stated, noting that the material and spiritual lives of ethnic minorities have been improved substantially thanks to the implementation of policies, programmes, and projects on socio-economic infrastructure development, poverty alleviation, and conservation of their cultural values. He also spoke highly of the Culture - Tourism Villages organisation of hundreds of festivals engaging thousands of ethnic people nationwide over the past years, which has helped affirm the everlasting vitality of traditional cultural values and open up prospects for cultural and tourism development. The President asked all-level authorities, sectors, and organisations to practically assist ethnic groups in socio-economic development, education, culture, health care, and social welfare so as to make fundamental improvements in ethnic minority areas and encourage their self-reliance. He also expressed his hope that village elderly, leaders, and artisans will keep encouraging their communities to continue adhering to the Party and States policies, upholding traditional cultural values, and educating the young, thereby helping nurture the strength and value of Vietnam both today and in the future. Home > 2022 > Afghan Women: Speech of Hodda Khamosh at European Parliament 01/02/2022 Ladies and gentlemen, Before I begin my speech, please join me in taking twenty seconds of silence to pause and honor the sacrifices of women of Afghanistan and all atrocities they have gone through in their resistance against the repression of the Taliban. Greeting Ladies and gentlemen, I am here to represent the womens protest movement in Afghanistan. As we speak, my country Afghanistan is going through its most severe stage of economic collapse, getting the country into a humanitarian disaster but worst yet, the extreme form of human rights violation. These days, freedom has no longer any value, and human rights are meaningless words. It has been six months since the world had abandoned us in the hands of a group they once called terrorist. Atrocities people have suffered since then are beyond countless. I will try to give you a few examples and kindly ask you to compare them with the Declaration of Human Rights: 1. The Taliban have taken away any form of freedom and have divided citizens into two groups: Us versus Them. People who do not belong to their ethnic groups face systematic discrimination. Their lands have been confiscated and they have been forced to move 2. People, especially women and children, are directly subjected to harassment, humiliation, and all kinds of physical and psychological torture. Families are forced to provide food for the Taliban soldiers while they do not have enough food for themselves and have zero access to essential health and social services. 3. People are systematically silenced and censored. Taliban kill or imprison anyone who criticizes their wrongdoings. Forouzan and her companions in Mazar-e-Sharif, Alieh Azizi, and dozens of other women in Herat, Parvaneh Ebrahimkhel, Tamana Zaryab Pariani with her sisters and hundreds of other women in Kabul, examples of this suffocation are widespread. 4. Women are systematically discriminated against, millions of girls are banned from going to schools, and hundreds and thousands of women working in public services have lost their jobs and are not allowed to work. 5. Even the right to emigration, which is the right of every human being, has been taken away from our people; the arrest of 40 men and women on charges of fleeing the country in Mazar-e-Sharif is one example. This list can go on and on, but I will stop here to stay within the time limit. If you still are not persuaded by the depth of tragedy in my country, let me tell you this: parents sell their daughters to prevent starvation of their other children, and underage girls have become currency for food. By the way, when was the end of the slavery era? Forced and underage marriages, domestic violence, confinement of women within the walls of their houses, beatings, and humiliation of women in the streets, the repression of their civil protests by bullets, tear gas, pepper spray, and tasers are other examples of the misfortunes of women in Afghanistan. You might say we tried for 20 years, and it did not work. You might say that your problem is internal and cannot be solved. Yes, the problem in Afghanistan stems from internal issues, but it is the foreign intervention that has contributed to perpetuate injustice, inequality, discrimination, and sectarism in Afghanistan. The world remained silent when our calls for justice and reforms were suppressed. When we shouted out that your aid money was benefiting terrorism in Afghanistan and paying bribes to warlords, the world did not listen to us. When we said that 80% of the people was forgotten and did do not benefit from this money, the world did not pay attention. When speaking our voice against, a corrupt and cheater leader, the world imposed him on us. The world remained silent about the frauds of a fugitive president, who not only ruined peoples belief in democratic national processes such as elections but the world also ignored our calls for justice. In the end, the world left us in the middle of the disaster where we had to hang from the wings of a plane to save our lives. Now, tell me, who is blamed for all this tragedy? You have a certain responsibility toward every woman beaten on the street or a girl killed under torture since you did not monitor your tax money being sent to Afghanistan, and you did not take a stand against wrong policies. I do not speak in a tactful, diplomatic language; I explicitly ask the world to open their eyes and observe what is happening in Afghanistan. Understand through your eyes and not just your ears because our leaders have lied to you for so long. Our urgent demands are as follows: 1. The people of Afghanistan need urgent humanitarian assistance, but it should not be sent to the people through the Taliban. International organizations responsible for providing assistance should directly support women humanitarians so they can assist women and their families. 2. Put pressure on the Taliban to release the abducted women and girls immediately. 3. The European Parliaments human rights section should provide the Afghan people with an email address and other specific addresses to document and keep a record of events in Afghanistan so that people can report human rights violations cases daily; 4. Oppression, repression, systematic gender, ethnic, religious, and sectarian discrimination must cease immediately; 5. Taliban fighters adhere to no civil principles. They have committed the most severe war crimes and crimes against humanity in the disputed areas in different parts of Afghanistan. The International Criminal Court must take these cases seriously; 6. An international conference led by the United Nations is urgently needed to give power back to the people and agree on a political solution to the current situation. The slogan (bread, work, freedom) is our basic human need, which is answered with bullets and tear gas by the Taliban. We are called corrupt, sold to the West, and prostitutes just for asking it. Although we have learned that the smoke of paper reduces the burning of tear gas, the question is: In a world where the melting of polar ice is related to the smoke of a factory in Berlin and a factory in Kabul, why is the Afghan peoples suffering unrelated to the rest of the world? Thank you for your attention. Hoda Khamosh [The above article from siawi.org is reproduced here for educational and non commercial use] BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 2022 Beijing Media Center (BMC) for the Beijing Winter Olympics held a launching ceremony for the micro-video series themed "Foreign Heads of States on the Great Wall" on Friday. The videos selected 15 foreign leaders, telling their stories on the Great Wall with historical images and videos. These micro-videos not only recall history but also help promote friendship, cooperation, and unity among countries, said Moin ul Haque, Pakistani ambassador to China, via a video speech to the ceremony. "The Great Wall symbolizes the Chinese people's desire to reject war and pursue peace," said Xu Hejian, director of the Information Office of the Beijing municipal government and 2022 BMC. "We hope more people will understand and love Beijing, the 'dual Olympic city,' through the videos." Johnson City, TN (37604) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 84F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with scattered showers and thunderstorms later at night. Low 63F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday urged Americans currently in Ukraine to leave the country "now," citing what it said was "increased threats of Russian military action" against Ukraine. "Do not travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19; those in Ukraine should depart now via commercial or private means," read an updated advisory posted on the website of the U.S. State Department. The United States has been releasing intelligence which it claims is proof that Russia is prepared to mount a military aggression against Ukraine any time now, but Moscow has accused Washington of "hysteria" over tensions near Ukraine. Direct engagements between the United States and Russia have yielded little substantial progress, with the Kremlin saying the White House failed to address its key security concerns. Multiple media outlets reported that U.S. President Joe Biden will talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin over telephone on Saturday, moving up a Kremlin-proposed schedule from Monday. Weather Alert ...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of southeast Kansas, including the following county, Cherokee. Portions of southwest Missouri, including the following counties, Barry, Christian, Douglas, Greene, Jasper, Lawrence, McDonald, Newton, Ozark, Stone, Taney, Webster and Wright. * WHEN...Through Tuesday morning. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Low-water crossings may be flooded. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop. && ADDIS ABABA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ethiopia has earned 104 million U.S. dollars export revenues from Chinese-built industrial parks, an Ethiopian official said on Friday. Henok Asrat, Director of Communications at the Ethiopia Industrial Park Development Corporation (EIPDC), said the export earnings were achieved during the first six months of the current 2021/2022 Ethiopian Fiscal Year, which started on July 8. "The 104 million U.S. dollars export revenues earned from industrial parks during the last six months of the current fiscal year is 25 percent more than the same period last year," Asrat is reported to have said according to Ethiopia state affiliated media outlet, Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC). Asrat further said construction of the Semera industrial Park, in eastern Ethiopia which is being undertaken by China Communications Construction Company (CCCC), is 97 percent complete. Ethiopia aspires to build and commission more than 30 industrial parks by 2025 across the country to realize its ambition of becoming a light manufacturing hub. The Ethiopian government has attached great importance to cooperation with Chinese firms in various fields. These include the construction of industrial parks along with giant Chinese firms investing in various industrial hubs, the majority of which were built with Chinese expertise and finance. The fight against human trafficking nationally and locally has grown as awareness and education have spread. Initiatives such as detection and reporting training for West Virginia beer distributors and a risk heat map in Jefferson County are just parts of the greater fight. If you already subscribe to our print edition, sign up for FREE access to our online edition. Thanks for reading the Wharton Journal Spectator. VALLETTA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Malta and China have strengthened economic and cultural ties in recent years, and the relations are expected to be enhanced, said Maltese President George Vella here on Friday evening. The two countries continue to sustain close cooperation and look forward to increased dialogue and collaboration, Vella said while meeting the Chinese Ambassador to Malta Yu Dunhai in an event celebrating the Chinese Lunar New Year. Although situated in different parts of the globe, and presenting huge differences in terms of geographical size, GDP and population, Malta and China have always been "committed to respecting each other's sovereignty, and culture, whilst exchanging best practices in full respect of universally shared values of tolerance and peace," he added. He believed that Maltese and Chinese peoples will have increased opportunities to interact, meet and learn from one another in the year 2022. Vella said he will visit China later this year, adding that this visit will act as "a catalyst to enhance technical, diplomatic and commercial relations between our two countries." For his part, the Chinese ambassador said that over the past year, China and Malta conducted frequent high-level exchanges and political mutual trust became stronger. Yu added that the two sides have witnessed the growth of bilateral trade against the pandemic, further cooperation under the "Belt and Road" Initiative, and deeper cultural exchanges. China is ready to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries as a new starting point to strengthen traditional friendship, expand multilateral and bilateral cooperation and promote the China-Malta relations to a new level, said Yu. Opinion Columnist Chris Powell has worked for the Journal Inquirer since 1967, first as a reporter, then as an editor, and now as a columnist. He was managing editor from 1974 until retiring from that position in 2018. Today Partly cloudy in the morning. Thunderstorms developing later in the day. High 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 60F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow Intervals of clouds and sunshine. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. The UK has signalled it could accept customs controls on goods destined only for sale in Northern Ireland, its first significant concession during months of talks with Brussels over post-Brexit trading arrangements. Liz Truss, foreign secretary, wants to resolve the dispute over the Northern Ireland protocol part of the EU-UK withdrawal agreement which has soured relations between London and Brussels as well as convulsing politics in the region ahead of elections on May 5. Truss, who travelled to Moscow on Thursday for talks on Ukraine, believes Europe needs to work together to tackle the geopolitical crisis in the east. Liz thinks western democracies need to work together, said one ally. London has so far insisted that suppliers of products shipped from Great Britain intended for sale in Northern Ireland only should no longer have to fill in customs forms as dictated by the protocol. But British negotiators on Friday told their EU counterparts they could accept controls though far fewer than under existing arrangements or reforms proposed by Brussels. The verbal offer was considered so sensitive it has not yet been provided in written form. The proposal came during Trusss third in-person meeting with European Commission vice-president Maros Sefcovic, held in London. British officials said there was a constructive atmosphere at the talks. After the meeting the pair issued a joint statement, saying they agreed on the need for progress in their talks in the interest of people in Northern Ireland, to stay in close touch and that officials will continue intensive discussions in the coming days. Trusss team declined to comment but one ally said she had put forward a series of constructive proposals to address problems created by the protocol and to bring the two sides closer together. There was no single offer and the UKs fundamental negotiating position had not shifted, they added. Under the terms of the Northern Ireland protocol, all goods going from Great Britain to the region must follow EU customs and health rules to avoid a trade border on the island of Ireland itself. But this Irish Sea border has offended the Unionist community in the north, which favours remaining in the UK. The commission in October had offered to create red and green channels, in which goods that were clearly destined to remain inside Northern Ireland, such as supermarket deliveries, would only need to provide a single customs form per load. London has now agreed to discuss this idea, but wants declarations to be even less detailed. The two sides have yet to make progress on the trickier issue of health checks on animals and food entering the region. The commission claimed its offer would reduce them by 80 per cent but the UK is unconvinced. Any customs agreement could be ratified by a meeting on February 21 of the Joint Committee, which manages the post-Brexit trading arrangements for Northern Ireland. The talks are then expected to be paused during the election campaign. EU diplomats gave a cautious welcome to the UK proposal. Its a positive move but we are not rolling out the red carpet yet, said one. There is still a long way between the two sides. Any concessions made during the talks with Brussels could anger Eurosceptic Conservative MPs, who dislike the protocol negotiated by Boris Johnson, the prime minister, because it puts a trade border in the Irish Sea within the UKs internal boundaries. After starring in Netfllix's "Single's Inferno," Shin Ji Yeon goes back and forth to her social media life since she still has her studies. But when she makes it to the news, it's often the speculations of her real score with her co-star Moon Se Hoon. Shin Ji Yeon Relationship 2022: Did Moon Se Hoon Pursue His 'Single's Inferno' Co-Star After the Show Concluded? Multiple times during Netflix's "Single's Inferno" run, Moon Se Hoon expressed his admiration for Shin Ji Yeon. He finds her attractive for her soft and charming aura. Shin Ji Yeon, 24, is a medical student in the University of Toronto. She revealed this in one of "Single's Inferno's" episodes. She received admiration from the program's contestants, particularly Moon Se Hoon. Eventually, he was able to get Shin Ji Yeon's attention and went out of the camp with her. Moon Se Hoon Expresses Admiration for Shin Ji Yeon After "Single's Inferno," Shin Ji Yeon and Moon Se Hoon were rumored to be dating in real life. Many fans remain curious if the duo's relationship leveled up. Meanwhile, in Moon Se Hoon's recent YouTube interview with Go Mong, the social media star made a few hints about his relationship with his co-star. According to him, his "Single's Inferno" journey and the highlight of it that fans were focused on was about him and Shin Ji Yeon. The male star said he often watches the scene of Shin Ji Yeon being emotional while they were on a date in the Paradise Island. Their chemistry and how Moon Se Hoon treated Shin Ji Yeon left the viewers hopeful they would take their relationship to the next level. In addition, Moon Se Hoon never missed a chance to compliment her. He couldn't stop admiring Shin Ji Yeon and said in the interview she's very beautiful and deserves to be cherished. There is no confirmation yet from Shin Ji Yeon and Moon Se Hoon that they are seeing each other. Meanwhile, Shin Ji Yeon officially launched her YouTube channel last January 17. It garnered more than 200,000 subscribers in less than a month. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Moon Se Hoon Reveals True Feelings on Unfair Editing in Netflix's 'Single's Inferno' For more K-Drama, K-Movie, and celebrity news and updates, keep your tabs open here at Kdramastars. Kdramastars owns this article. Shai Collins reported this. Actors in the industry are expected to be good at feigning their emotions and feelings, which only makes them good in their craft. But what happens behind the cameras when they aren't rolling? It's true that love festers in the most unexpected places as these couples, who meet each other for the first time at work, prove that romance is not dead. Park Ha Sun and Ryu Soo Young Beautiful married couple Park Ha Sun and Ryu Soo Young first met on the set of the 2013 romance drama "Two Weeks." The two became great friends that is the foundation of their relationship. Ha Sun and Soo Young began dating in 2014 after getting to know each other better. The two stars are quite far from being similar as Soo Young is quite shy but also expressive at the same time. Ha Sun is the type to only say what needs to be said. However, it didn't hinder the two from falling deeper. The couple got married in 2017 in a solemn wedding with only family and closest friends. Ha Sun and Soo Young described their relationship as "secure and comfortable," and talked about the beauty of married life. Ha Sun shared that even when she's wearing unkempt clothes, Soo Young still finds him beautiful, which really makes her happy. In particular, Ha Sun and Soo Young are blessed with one wonderful daughter. Song Hye Kyo and Song Joong Ki In 2016, veteran actors Song Hye Kyo and Song Joong Ki met through the worldwide hit series "Descendants of the Sun." The drama instantaneously became one of the most iconic romance dramas in South Korean television history. Not only that, but the "SongSong Couple'' gained a solid fanbase both domestically and internationally. In the following year, the popular couple surprised the fans by tying the knot in autumn. Fans and other celebrity couples of the two rejoiced for their love. However, the beautiful relationship is cut short as Song Hye Kyo and Song Joong Ki break the nation's hearts with the news of their divorce in the following year. The SongSong couple's marriage only lasted for 11 months, and revealed that the reason behind it was their clashing personalities. Park Se Young and Kwak Jung Wook Real life couple Park Se Young and Kwak Jung Wook met for the first time in 2012 through "School 2013," the fifth installment of the popular KBS drama coming-of-age drama franchise "School." Through the work, the two stars gradually became very good friends. Years later, the two leave fans and avid "School" viewers in awe with the news of their relationship. In mid-January of 2022, Park Se Young and Kwak Jung Wook delivered good news. YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: 'Hotel del Luna' Actor Block B P.O To Enlist in the Marine Corps The "School 2013" actors who developed beautiful feelings for one another are finally tying the knot in February. Se Young and Jung Wook built their relationship and nurtured their love as colleagues, friends, lovers, which is their sole foundation now as partners in life. The intimate wedding will be attended by family and the actors' closest friends in a location they wish not to disclose. The couple hope for everyone's support and understanding. Son Ye Jin and Hyun Bin Sterling stars Hyun Bin and Son Ye Jin decorated classic films from the early 2000s, and up until now, they are still one of South Korea's unrivaled stars. The two were friends for many years before appearing together in the worldwide phenomenon drama "Crash Landing on You" in 2019. Following the conclusion of the drama, Ye Jin and Hyun Bin's friendship flourished and transformed into something more. The couple announced their relationship in January 2021. After a year, the "Crash Landing on You" stars stirred excitement from fans and friends as they announced their wedding through their social media accounts. They both introduced themselves as "Seri and Jeong Hyeok," their respective roles in their beloved drama which marks the beginning of it all. With so much love, the two stars will tie the knot this March in Seoul in a solemn wedding attended by family members and a few close friends. KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Following the release of K-drama "Thirty-Nine" teasers and stills, Son Ye Jin, Jeon Mi Do and Kim Ji Hyun introduce their characters themselves through a series of questions. Son Ye Jin, Jeon Mi Do, Kim Ji Hyun's Characters' MBTI Revealed The upcoming JTBC romance drama "Thirty-Nine" tells the beautiful story of three high school friends who are now about to turn 40. It also depicts the emotional struggles the three 39-year-old women encounter everyday. Son Ye Jin plays Cha Mi Jo, a head dermatologist in Gangnam. Jeon Mi Do stars as acting teacher Jung Chan Young, a woman who once dreamed of becoming an actress. Kim Ji Hyun takes on the role of Jang Joo Hee, a manager at a cosmetics department store. The three begin the video by introducing their characters' names and their MBTI personality types. Jang Joo Hee first said, "I was an ESFP, but I'm now ISFP." On the other hand, Cha Mi Jo laughs and admits she doesn't remember her MBTI personality type anymore. Meanwhile, Jung Chan Young spells out the word "SEXY" as her MBTI type, sending everyone in the room into a fit of laughter. The three gorgeous women each expressed their gratitude to one another. Cha Mi Jo thanks her two friends with affection, "Chan Young and Joo Hee, my family-like friends. Thank you for staying by my side. I'll love you forever." Jung Chan Young, on the other hand, didn't know exactly what to say. She just smiled a heart symbol with her fingers, sending her heartfelt feelings for her two beloved best friends. Lastly, Jang Joo Hee just smiled and said, "Let's all be healthy!" 'Thirty-Nine' Cast Talks About Places Tourists Must Visit When asked about which play is best to visit, each actor gave different answers, serving a variety of tourist spots to check out. Jang Joo Hee shares that she wants to go to her hometown in Ulsan, and reminisce her childhood memories while eating good food. Hawaii is the best place to spend a much deserved vacation, according to Cha Mi Jo. For Jung Chan Young, New York is her dream place where Broadway is located. Son Ye Jin, Jeon Mi Do, Kim Ji Hyun on JTBC's 'Thirty-Nine' When asked about what kind of drama "Thirty-Nine" is to them, the trio answered not as their characters but as themselves. Jeon Mi Do describes the drama as "a masterpiece that shows you can enjoy life and friends even at 39." Son Ye Jin followed by saying, "I filmed this drama as a 39-year-old, so this drama is like fate to me." Moreover, Kim Ji Hyun thinks of "Thirty-Nine" as a present that excites her as a 39-year-old. YOU MIGHT ALSO BE INTERESTED IN: 'Thirty-Nine' Writer Reveals Raw Impressions on Actresses Son Ye Jin, Jeon Mi Do, Kim Ji Hyun The three actresses concluded by encouraging viewers to watch the forthcoming drama, "Please look forward to seeing "Thirty-Nine" and give it a lot of attention! Be healthy and thank you!" JTBC's "Thirty-Nine" airs for the first time on Wednesday, February 16 at 10:30 p.m. KST. ICYMI, watch the teaser of "Thirty-Nine" here: KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. VALLETTA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A series of online lectures regarding traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was launched in Malta on Saturday, in a bid to provide local people with a better understanding of the TCM. In the first lecture on Saturday evening, Chinese physicians from the 17th China medical team for Malta, who arrived last October, gave a brief introduction about TCM. Thereafter, the team will hold online TCM lectures on different topics such as Qigong. The event was jointly hosted by the China Cultural Center in Malta and the China medical team. Mark Quinlan, one of the audience, likes practicing Qigong. "It is amazing, which triggers me to learn more," he told Xinhua. "We are glad to help more Maltese people get rid of illness," said Chen Weifeng, head of the China medical team. TCM is quite popular among Maltese people, especially acupuncture manipulation. The Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM), jointly established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994, opened in 2008 a TCM department at Mater Dei Hospital, a state-owned public hospital in Malta. That was the first time for TCM to be granted an independent department in a state hospital in the European Union (EU). Two Democratic members of the Senate Intelligence Committee have raised concerns about how the CIA has handled Americans' information collected incidentally as part of the agency's foreign surveillance programs, in what the lawmakers say amounts to "serious problems associated with warrantless backdoor searches of Americans." A Kelowna firm made 8,888 pieces of dog-themed digital art like this, then sold them on the Solana Network, a cryptocurrency trading platform. Forty percent of the sales, equivalent to more than $100,000, has been donated to the BC SPCA. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources confirmed Friday that the state won't be holding a wolf hunting season in light of a federal judge restoring protections for gray wolves Thursday. Wisconsin law requires the DNR to hold a hunting season from November through February whenever the wolf is not listed as endangered, but this winter's hunt was put on hold. Now it can't happen. The DNR said Wisconsin is no longer authorized to hold a hunt because of the new federal ruling. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White in Oakland, California, said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had failed to show wolf populations could be sustained in the Midwest and portions of the West without protection under the Endangered Species Act, so he reinstated them as an endangered species. The protection was removed in the waning days of the Trump administration and attorneys for the Biden administration had defended the Trump rule. There's a chance White's ruling could be challenged. The DNR said Wisconsin's wolf population remains "healthy and secure," but wildlife advocates had argued that state-sponsored hunting threated to reverse the gray wolf's recovery over the past several decades. But the recovery of wolves from near-extinction brought bitter blowback from hunters and farmers angered over wolf attacks on big game herds and livestock. They argued protections for the wolves are no longer warranted. The DNR is evaluating how the new federal protections affect hunters and trappers who purchased licenses for the fall 2021 wolf hunt, but it's clear that some actions are no longer allowed. Permits that allowed land owners to lethally remove wolves when experiencing conflicts with the animals are no longer valid, the DNR said. Permit holders will be contacted by the DNR. The DNR is no longer authorized to use lethal control as part of its conflict management program, but the department notes that it still has non-lethal tools. Training dogs to track and trail wolves is also no longer allowed, the DNR said. The DNR said it "remains committed" to helping people who have conflicts with wolves. "The department will continue its robust wolf population monitoring program to ensure the population remains healthy and sustainable into the future," the DNR said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Hopkinsville, KY (42240) Today Isolated thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy during the afternoon with thunderstorms likely. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 78F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 50F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. by Yosley Carrero HAVANA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Cuban visual artist Alfredo Chong, a 73-year-old Chinese descendant who admires China's traditional cultural values and national identity, is celebrating the Year of the Tiger with new paintings and artworks. He has recently finished a 1.80-meter-high Terracotta Warrior sculpture exhibited at Havana's Confucius Institute as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations in the Caribbean nation. Under the title "Cuban Terracotta Warrior," the paper mache sculpture pays homage to the bravery and strength of the Chinese people throughout the history. He spends three or four hours a day at home, in the Havana district of Arroyo Naranjo, depicting the huge diversity of Chinese culture through calligraphy and Chinese paintings. "Animals have a huge symbolism for Chinese zodiac and culture. I have portrayed rats, snakes, tigers and goats in my artworks," he said. Over the past few years, Chong's sculptures have been installed in public places across the city, including cultural centers, stores and the House of Chinese Arts and Traditions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he can only display his artworks at his home's big terrace surrounded by orchids, ornamental plants and fruit trees. Chong, who has never visited China, told Xinhua that his new sculpture could encourage future generations of Cubans to learn more about China's history. "This Terracotta warrior will continue defending the principles and values of the Chinese culture and people. From the bottom of my heart, I have travelled to China several times," he added. Ketchikan, AK (99901) Today Windy with periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Windy with periods of rain. Low near 40F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch. OTTAWA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday urged all protesters to go home, saying "everything is on the table" when it comes to ending the blockades paralyzing cross-border trade at multiple locations. "This unlawful activity has to end, and it will end," Trudeau said. "We hope these people will decide to go home. Otherwise, there will be an increasingly robust police intervention." Trudeau said that police and all levels of government are preparing to take action against the demonstrators behind the blockades in Ottawa, Windsor and elsewhere. Federal, provincial and municipal officials have been clear over recent days: the blockades and activities of the convoy are "illegal" and "unlawful," and must end. Trudeau said the protesters must stand down or face severe "consequences" for any illegal activities - consequences that include the possibility of criminal charges and steep financial penalties. He said the federal government will no longer tolerate activists who "take the economy hostage" and bring life to a standstill in the nation's capital. Authorities are prepared to hit protesters where it hurts the most by suspending commercial trucking licenses and pursuing charges that could result in jail time, Trudeau said, warning that criminal sanctions could be leveled that would stop the protesters from ever traveling internationally again. Trudeau said he spoke by phone with U.S. President Joe Biden earlier Friday. They discussed the blockade at Windsor's Ambassador Bridge in particular - a protest that has cut off the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of goods over the last five days. "The border cannot and will not remain closed," he said, describing the decision earlier in the day by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to declare a state of emergency as "responsible and necessary." Ford declared a state of emergency, saying he will use legal measures to enact orders, making it "crystal clear" that it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure. That includes protecting international border crossings, 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways. Fines for non-compliance will be up to 100,000 Canadian dollars and up to a year imprisonment. EUGENE, Ore. -- A man will be released from prison after serving more than 30 years for brutally murdering a woman in 1991. "He stabbed her multiple times and then proceeded to try and decapitate her," said Maynard Flormoe, the stepfather of Lisa Flormoe, who was killed in Wilsonville at the age of 22. Todd Davilla was 16 years old when he murdered Lisa. He tried to rape her, and when she resisted, he used a small knife to stab her in the throat multiple times. "He didn't have enough of a knife to get through her spinal cord, so that kept her head attached," Flormoe said. Flormoe said Lisa grew up in Eugene. He said she was interested in clothing and working in the industry. "She was just a vibrant, fun-loving person," Flormoe said. Davilla was originally sentenced to life in prison, Flormoe said. Throughout the years he was resentenced seven times. In 2020, the Oregon Court of Appeals overturned his 50-year sentence. Tuesday, a Clackamas County judge resentenced him to 25 years with credit for time-served. He has already served more than 30 years in prison and will be released in the near future. This comes at the same time as a push to reduce the amount of time people who commit crimes as juveniles spend in prison. A Senate Bill passed in 2019, allowing people who commit crimes as juveniles to get another look at their sentences after serving half of it or the chance to argue for parole after they've served 15 years. In October, Gov. Kate Brown commuted the sentences of more than 70 people who committed felonies when they were under the age of 18. Davilla was on that list. The commutations allow those people a chance to appear before a parole board to argue for their release. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald has passed on her congratulations to the Queen on a lifetime of service on her Platinum Jubilee. Mrs McDonald was reacting to the news that a tree is to be planted in the grounds of Parliament Buildings at Stormont to mark the jubilee. The republican party leader said: I think it is important that we are respectful of the identity of our citizens who are British. I think that is entirely appropriate and I welcome that decision. For those who will celebrate the jubilee, I wish them well and a good jubilee and for those of us that dont I believe we are now big enough, bold enough, generous enough to acknowledge the identity of others. She added: Can I also extend to the British Queen a word of congratulations because 70 years is quite some record. That is what you call a lifetime of service. Permission was granted by the Assembly Commission this week for the tree planting. The commission, made up of representatives of the main Stormont parties, has responsibility for Parliament Buildings. Last month, Finance Minister Conor Murphy ordered a review of the policy of which events can be commemorated in the Stormont estate following a row over a decision to prevent the tree planting. The DUP had called for an equality investigation and accused Mr Murphy of intolerance and disrespect. DUP Assembly member Joanne Bunting had originally sought permission to plant the tree on the estate as part of the Queens Green Canopy project, an initiative that encourages people across the UK to Plant a Tree for the Jubilee. Mr Murphy, whose department has responsibility for the grounds of the Stormont estate, insisted that official policy dictated that only international events could be commemorated with physical structures or planting. He then decided to review that policy. Last year, Sinn Fein vetoed a proposal put to the Assembly Commission to place a commemorative stone in Stormonts Parliament Buildings to mark Northern Irelands centenary. Sinn Fein insisted the stone had been designed and commissioned by representatives of one tradition and accused unionists of failing to consult with other parties about their plan. Last year, Mr Murphy also turned down a DUP request to plant a commemorative rose bush to mark Northern Irelands centenary within the Stormont estate. OTTAWA, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in the largest province of Canada on Friday to end what he called truckers' "illegal occupation" of Ottawa -- an Ontario city and the Canadian capital -- and their blockade of the Canada-U.S. border. Ford said that he would "urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure," including international border crossings, major highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways. Thousands of Canadian truckers and their supporters descended on Ottawa in late January to oppose the Canadian government's vaccine requirement for truckers crossing the border into the United States, which has the same policy. Hundreds of protesters have remained in the capital, and have no intention to leave until the vaccine mandate and other pandemic-related health restrictions are rescinded. The Canadian government does not intend to comply with such a request from the protesters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa on Friday, noting the protesters need to understand "it's time to go home." He told reporters that police at the federal, provincial and municipal levels will enforce the law. "Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end," said the prime minister. "Of course, I can't say too much more now as to exactly when or how this ends because unfortunately, we are concerned about violence. So we're taking every precaution to keep people safe." Trudeau was asked whether he would call in the army to assist the Ottawa Police Service, which has yet to receive all of the 1,800 additional officers requested from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Ontario Provincial Police. "Using military forces against civilian populations in Canada or in any other democracy is something to avoid having to do at all costs," the prime minister said. On Friday, Trudeau spoke to U.S. President Joe Biden about the truck blockades at three border crossings, including the one at Windsor-Detroit, which the prime minister said has resulted in six automobile-manufacturing plants having to shut down for several days because car parts could not get through the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Windsor. On late Friday, an Ontario judge granted an injunction sought by three vehicle manufacturers associations authorizing police to remove any vehicles that block access to the bridge, and arrest anyone who fails to comply with the court order that lasts for 10 days. Kokomo, IN (46901) Today Heavy rain along with thunderstorms in the afternoon. High near 70F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall may reach one inch.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low 47F. Winds NNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 40%. U.S. President Joe Biden has nominated a senior member of the U.S. foreign service, Philip Goldberg, as new U.S. ambassador to South Korea, the White House said Friday. "Philip Goldberg is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Ambassador, and currently is the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Colombia," the White House said in a press release. Ambassador Goldberg, if appointed, will replace Harry Harris who stepped down when Biden took office on Jan. 20, 2021. South Korean Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong welcomed Goldberg's nomination. "It turns out that he (Goldberg) is a highly respected diplomat at the state department," Chung said, speaking with reporters in Hawaii. "I have high expectations because he is a seasoned diplomat, a well-experienced diplomat. I hope his confirmation process will be completed quickly so he will come to South Korea at an early date," he added. Goldberg is a career ambassador, the highest diplomatic rank in the U.S. Foreign Service. Chung is currently on a visit to Hawaii for bilateral and trilateral talks with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, Saturday. Goldberg served as coordinator for implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1874 on North Korea in 2009-2010 before serving as U.S. ambassador to the Philippines between 2013 and 2016. His past Foreign Service posts include serving as ambassador to Bolivia, and the Philippines, as well as the assistant secretary of state for intelligence and research, according to the White House and the State Department. Goldberg has been serving as U.S. ambassador to Colombia since September 2019. (Yonhap) Home > 2022 > Political and Literary World of Phanishwarnath Renu | Arup Kumar (...) 2021 was the birth centenary year of Phanishwarnath Renu, who enriched Hindi literature by his unique style and language of writings. He was born in the village of Aurahi Hingana in Purnea district of Bihar in 1921. He led an active political life and got himself involved in several peasant movements as a member of the Socialist Party. He also played an active role in the revolt against the monarchy in Nepal. Renu was a close associate of Jayaprakash Narayan, and was arrested in 1975 for his opposition to government abuses under the Indira Gandhi regime. Broken health in the prison led to his tragic death in 1977. (See Indira Junghares Introduction in The Soiled Border (Maila Anchal), novel of Phanishwarnath Renu translated by her, Chanakya Publications, Delhi, 1991) In spite of his active political life, Phanishwarnath Renus literary journey was not vitiated by any narrow pollical vision: Although Renu reveals in his writings the contemporary political life of India and the effects of mismanaged democracy, politics and literature were for him, nevertheless, separate spheres. Renu rarely, if ever, overtly advocated a particular political position in his fiction. (ibid.) Renus literary journey started with the publication of his short story, Batbaba in 1946. However, publication of his first and most famous novel, Maila Anchal in 1954 brought him recognition as a major Hindi writer. The distinctiveness of the plot of Maila Anchal lies in the fact that it differed from the prevailing paradigm of the novel: Maila Anchal is not the story of one person or family, but rather the story of a village and all its residents. Therefore, there is no single sustaining plot to the novel but instead a series of sub-plots...The action takes place on many levels romantic, political, religious, social. (ibid.) The literary form and linguistic features of Maila Anchal also carried Renus own signature. To put it in the words of Indira Junghare: Another aspect of Renus characters is that they are humorous. The humor is conveyed through their manners of speech, their perceptions of the world, and relationships with others. This humor not only makes for more enjoyable reading but serves to create empathy for the character...Maila Anchal is difficult to understand even for native speakers of Hindi because of its linguistic complexity. The languages used in the novel range from standard and colloquial Hindi to regional dialects such as Maithili, Bhojpuri, Magahi, Nepali, and Bengali and the tribal language Santhali. This complexity in part reflects the complexity of the linguistic area of Northeastern Bihar and Purnea district...Renu, himself a native of rural Northern Bihar, is particularly skilled in portraying the linguistic diversity of this region and the patterns of village speech. (ibid.) To sum up Phanishwarnath Renus contributions to Hindi literature, Kathryn Hansen, who did her Ph.D. on the literary journey of Renu, argued: ...Renus fascinating experiments with language and the originality of his use of oral genres within the modern novel are apparent even to a Hindi reader unfamiliar with literary criticism...Renu has developed a style of Hindi based on rural speech. This language...differs primarily from standard literary language in the degree to which it brings the linguistic patterns of uneducated speakers of Hindi onto the written page. (Kathryn Hansen, Renus Regionalism: Language and Form, The Journal of Asian Studies, February, 1981) We are now living in a globalized world, miles apart from the political and literary worlds of Phanishwarnath Renu, and Indian writing in English occupies a hegemonic position in our literary world. Our urban modernity has colonized our rural world. In such a scenario, Renus literary journey offers valuable insights about the art of the novel, which have the potential of enriching our literary imagination about the complexities of village life in contemporary India. Kendallville, IN (46755) Today Rain with thunderstorms by evening. High 61F. ESE winds shifting to SSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.. Tonight Rain showers early with overcast skies late. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Angola, IN (46703) Today Rain and thunderstorms. High 58F. Winds E at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall possibly over one inch.. Tonight Rain showers early with overcast skies late. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Auburn, IN (46706) Today Rain with thunderstorms by evening. High 62F. ESE winds shifting to SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch.. Tonight Showers in the evening, then cloudy overnight. Low around 45F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. GWSN producer Swin Lee recently made a surprising revelation about his work on the album, "The Other Side of the Moon." Read to know more about what happened. GWSN Producer Says He Hasn't Been Paid For His Work Fans of GWSN known as GROOs have been asking the producer when the girl group would release another album. They are excited to hear new songs from their idols or even just an update. After all, "The Other Side of the Moon" was released on May 26, 2021, so it's almost been a year. how do producers keep not getting paid in kpop like its actually so insane https://t.co/lqWTQUShXP kitty (@kittyyongsun) February 9, 2022 However, the producer seemed upset over GROOs asking him the same questions over and over again. So, he took to his Instagram Story to explain that he can't give them any updates just yet because he hasn't even been paid for his work on last year's album. In his lengthy statement, Swin Lee said that he cares a lot about GWSN and he doesn't blame them for not being paid. But the producer also wants everyone to know that he worked on the album on his own and never got paid for it. He also said that he will always support GWSN but if GROOs will keep asking him for an update, it seems they've come to the wrong place. GROOs Side With GWSN Producer GROOs were quick to apologize to the producer. They also expressed their disappointment toward whoever is in charge of paying Swin Lee. what is wave ent doing at this point. the most recent comeback was their best selling yet producers and staff are coming out and saying they werent paid? where is the money going because there were little to no promotions for tosotm and we havent had a cb in almost a year. https://t.co/uRhYXzGwSO scout (@seoryoungluvr) February 9, 2022 In fact, some GROOs even started a fundraiser to help the producer get paid. But they immediately took it down following a backlash. i hope he sues like genuinely https://t.co/G4wl594sQO vince (ia) (@starfckrs) February 10, 2022 Others are also encouraging Swin Lee to sue whoever is in charge of paying him. GWSN Has Worked With 3 Agencies in Four Years GWSN, or Girls in the Park, is a South Korean girl group formed in 2018 by Kiwi Pop. On April 1, 2020, they moved to MILES agency before being handled by The Wave Music a year later. The group features Miya, Seokyoung, Seoryoung, Anne, Minju, Soso, and Lena. Miya, 28, serves as the main dancer, lead rapper, and vocalist of GWSN. She is joined by Seokyoung, 22, who is also the main dancer, vocalist, and rapper for the group. Seoryoung, 22, is the leader and main vocalist of GWSN. Anne, 21, is the main rapper and vocalist of the group. Minju, 20, is one of the youngest members of GWSN. She also happens to be the group's lead dancer, vocalist, rapper, and visual. Soso, 20, is the lead dancer and vocalist for GWSN. And the group's maknae is Lena, 19, who is also their main vocalist and center. Throughout the years, GWSN has already released a slew of albums like "THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part one," "THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part two," "THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part three," "the Keys," and "The Other Side of the Moon." Some of their most famous songs include "Like it Hot," "BAZOOKA!," "Pinky Star," "Puzzle Moon," "Night Aviation," and more. READ MORE HERE: GWSN Reportedly Making a Comeback With Soso in May Camille Heimbrod wrote this. KpopStarz owns this article. On February 12 KST, the Korean Business Research Institute announced this month's brand reputation rankings for boy groups. From BTS to NCT, read to know the full list of the most popular boy groups for February 2022! The brand reputation rankings are based on the total reputation index of a boy group by analyzing their consumer participation, media coverage, communication, and community awareness indexes from the big data collected from January 12 to February 12. The big data gathered for February 2022 is 67,823,738, which is an increase of 9.45 percent from the big data of 61,966,657 collected back in January. BTS is the No. 1 Most Popular Boy Group in February 2022 Snagging the top spot once again is none other than global superstars, BTS, who is the No. 1 most popular boy group for the month of February! According to the Korean Business Research Institute, the "Butter" hitmakers had accumulated a total brand reputation index of 11,984,394 for this month, with a participation index of 1,160,527, a media index of 3,407,872, a communication index of 3,328,477, and a community index of 4,087,518. YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN: 7 BTS Songs to Add to Your Self-Care Playlist Compared to BTS' brand reputation index back in January with 11,027,000, the seven-member boy group saw an increase of 8.86 percent this month. In addition, BTS' highest-ranking related terms are "increase," "thank you," and "surpass," while their highest-ranking phrases for keyword analysis are "Youtube," "Instagram," and "ARMY." In terms of BTS' positive-negative ratio analysis, the group's positive ratio was analyzed to be 76.05 percent. NCT and SEVENTEEN are in the Top 3 Most Popular Boy Groups in February 2022 Landing at no. 2 as the second most popular boy group for this month is NCT! For the month of February, NCT had accumulated a total brand reputation index of 3,964,297, with a participation index of 186,115, a media index of 976,508, a communication index of 1,469,517, and a community index of 1,332,159. This month, NCT saw an increase of 8.79 percent compared to their brand reputation index of 3,643,859 back in January. Coming in at No. 3 for as the third most popular boy group is the 13-member boy group, SEVENTEEN! IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: NCT Lucas Back on Instagram - Is He Hinting at His Return to Music Scene? SEVENTEEN's total brand reputation index for this month is 3,610,624, with a participation index of 437,852, a media index of 1,209,693, a communication index of 775,149, and a community index of 1,187,931. Compared to their brand reputation index of 3,665,984 in January, SEVENTEEN's brand reputation index saw a decrease of 1.51 percent this month. These are the Top 30 of the February 2022 Idol Brand Reputation Rankings: 1. BTS 2. NCT 3. SEVENTEEN 4. THE BOYZ 5. WANNA ONE 6. EXO 7. 2PM 8. Super Junior 9. ENHYPEN 10. SHINee 11. MONSTA X 12. ASTRO 13. BTOB 14. SF9 15. BIGBANG 16. PENTAGON 17. Stray Kids 18. INFINITE 19. TXT 20. WINNER 21. ATEEZ 22. NU'EST 23. TVXQ 24. VIXX 25. Shinhwa 26. 2AM 27. VICTON 28. Golden Child 29. Block B 30. TREASURE For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Robyn Joan BTS Jimin is once again proving his title as "King of Brand Power" after his outfit for his Samsung ad goes completely out of stock! Keep on reading to know more. BTS Jimin Proves Brand Power Title as His Samsung Ad Outfit Completely Sells Out Recently on February 10, Samsung released their new set of pictures and videos featuring global superstars BTS as their models through their social media, in an advertisement for the brand's new phone model, the Samsung Galaxy S22. Ahead of the Galaxy S22's sale, Samsung dropped several pictures of the members. In particular, Jimin's outfit in the advertisement were styled in brown and warm tones, exuding a calm and alluring atmosphere. The BTS member also gave showcased a "boyfriend" look and radiated a certain charm while advertising Samsung's new product. Following the release of BTS' advertisement for the new phone, Jimin's outfit immediately caught the attention of thousands of fans. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BTS Jimin Hints He's the Romantic Type for Recommending THIS Movie Multiple Times The cropped jumper that Jimin wore, from the luxury menswear clothing brand WOOYOUNGMI, went completely out of stock in all available sizes on the brand's official website not too long after. In addition, Jimin's high Chelsea boots from the same brand also became sold out on several online stores, such as SSENCE and ModeSens. In another set of pictures, Jimin wore a beige military short shirt jacket by the brand RECTO. The product, which retails for $420, immediately went out of stock as well. The brand drew in interest from fans as they even shared a picture of Jimin wearing their clothing from the advertisement on their official Instagram account. Samsung's Galaxy S22 Release Expected to be Successful With BTS' Influence With this, Jimin is showing just how influential he is by promoting several brands in one go, proving his title as the "King of Brand Power" and why he has been the No. 1 idol every month on the brand reputation index. In fact, Jimin has been showing an unpredictable yet explosive ripple effect when it comes to advertising, so it's not a surprise that he became the top idol in terms of brand influence for 37 months. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: BTS Jimin Acknowledged by These International Brands, Celebrities for His Talents In particular, when Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 3 was released in 2021, numerous fans revealed on their social media that they bought the phone due to Jimin, and it became a hot topic of disscussion among media outlets. Ahead of the release of Samsung's Galaxy S22, it is expected that Samsung will see a great sales figure and have a successful launch of the new phone model, given that BTS is their brand ambassador. Meanwhile, the Samsung Galaxy S22 will hit the market on February 25. For more K-Pop news and updates, always keep your tabs open here on KpopStarz. KpopStarz owns this article. Written by Robyn Joan A large flock of black-bellied whistling ducks take flight in the shadows of the Louisiana State Capitol at sunset on Capitol Lake, Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2022, in Baton Rouge, La. (Photo by Hilary Scheinuk, The Advocate) Entergys Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi, was taken offline Friday to address issues with its feedwater system. The next day, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator issued a notice to its utility members, including Entergy and Cleco, requiring them to ask their members to reduce their electricity use. Entergy Corp. LIVINGSTON, Mont. - Starbucks is coming to Livingston and locals are not happy about it. It'll be at the old Arby's building on Park Street. The Livingston Business Improvement District says they understand why tourists would like the addition, but say it would be bad for the city and small business in the area. "Livingston has a wealth of locally-owned small coffee shops and kiosks that not only fuel the community with caffeine and tasty treats but serve as community social hubs," Executive Director for the Livingston Business Improvement District said and Explore Livingston Montana Coalition said. "Many of the most vibrant conversations in town take place in our coffee shops." Right now, the closest Starbucks location to Livingston is Bozeman. Within the same parking lot that the Starbucks will be in, is a local coffee stand called Coffee Creek Espresso. According to King, local businesses support gives 250% more for the town than corporations, saying when you shop local, your dollar has a quadruple the effect on Livingston's economy than when you buy from a corporation. When you buy your coffee at an independent small business, you create jobs, maintain our town's historic downtown charm, get superior service and have access to unique goods," King said. "We are saddened to learn of plans for a Starbucks to go into the old Arby's space near exit 333, when there are already so many independent coffee shop options, including one in the same parking lot as the planned Starbucks location." A change.org petition, which calls to keep Starbucks out of Livingston, has more than 1,500 signatures. The petition reads: Livingston, MT is unique for its abundance of small businesses that make up our strong community. Larger franchises such as Starbucks diminish our small town's character and take business away from other locally-owned coffee shops in town. Help us say no to a Starbucks in Livingston by signing the petition below. One signature against the corporation reads: This town doesnt need a corporate Starbucks. We have many wonderful local coffee kiosks that need our support instead. We'd prefer to not have a Starbucks move to our town, but if it does, we encourage locals and visitors alike to continue to support small locally-owned coffee shops and businesses, King said. Wake Up Montana did reach out to the Starbucks Corporation and they sent us the following statement: Several Lake Geneva officials and residents are requesting that an inactive cemetery board be activated once again. The Lake Geneva City Councils finance, licensing & regulation committee dissolved the cemetery board in April 2021 and transfer its responsibilities to the public works committee. However, the proposal was never voted on by the full city council. That means, as of now, the cemetery board has not been eliminated, Public Works Director Tom Earle said. It is just inactive, and the public works committee has been assuming the cemetery boards role. Members of the cemetery board were responsible for helping to oversee the city cemeteries and the funds that were received from the sale of cemetery lots. The board consisted of five members who were appointed by the mayor to serve two-year terms. Alderman Ken Howell proposed last April to dissolve the board because the members were not meeting very often. According to the citys website, www.cityoflakegeneva.com, the cemetery boards last scheduled meeting was Dec. 11, 2019, which ended up being cancelled. There were no scheduled meetings for the board in 2020. Three of the five board seats were vacant at the time the board was disbanded. A proposal to re-active the board was discussed during the city councils public works committee, Jan. 24. Alderwoman Mary Jo Fesenmaier said she would like the cemetery board to be re-activated, because the board is still included in the citys ordinances. If you look at the minutes on the website, yes we voted to disband it in 2021, but they were meeting regularly, Fesenmaier said. Then in December 2019, the meeting was cancelled, then no one met again. So I find that mysterious. Fesenmaier said re-activating the board would relieve some responsibilities from the public works committee. That would take it off our plate, too, because it was thrown into this committee, Fesenmaier said. Mary Sibbing, Lake Geneva resident, said she also would like the cemetery board to be re-established, so residents could be involved with helping to oversee the citys cemeteries. I believe its important for both Oakhill Cemetery and Pioneer Cemetery to have one board made up of our citizens that overseas the day-to-day operations, which include record keeping, reporting and audits, she said. Sibbing said when she was a member of the citys communication ad hoc committee last year, she and other members were interested in helping to make improvements to the citys cemeteries. I believe our cemeteries are sacred lands where we go to pay respect for our loved ones that have gone before us, Sibbing said. Earle said in order for the cemetery board to be re-activated, the mayor would have to appoint new members. He said the public works department has always been in charge of the day-to-day operations of the citys cemeteries regardless of whether there was an active cemetery board. We have two full-time and one part-time employee dedicated to the cemeteries, Earle said. Alderwoman Cindy Flower said she will meet with City Administrator Dave Nord about the steps involved with re-activating the cemetery board. Flower said the issue probably will be discussed again during a future finance, licensing & regulation committee meeting. Fesenmaier said she feels people would be interested in serving on the cemetery board if it is re-activated. Im sure we would find people who would attend meetings again, Fesenmaier said. I think its very important to do this. Earle said the city previously had a cemetery commission, then around 2014 the city council approved to eliminate the commission and establish a cemetery committee. 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. Renovation work continues to move forward at the Lake Geneva Public Library, as the building is set to reopen in late March or early April. About $1 million worth of renovations are currently being completed at the library, 918 W. Main St. The project calls for installing new public restrooms; expanding the childrens area; updating the buildings heating, air conditioning and ventilation system; replacing floors and carpeting; installing new entrance doors; adding two new meeting/study rooms; opening lakeside windows for public view; establishing an outdoor patio area; and making the building more compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Work to the library began last summer. Members of the Lake Geneva City Council approved a $870,893 bid last August from the Selzer-Ornst Construction Company in Milwaukee to work on the general renovations, and a $69,450 bid from Hogan Environmental Cleaning LLC in East Troy for asbestos abatement. Some of the projects that have been completed already include demolition work, asbestos abatement, drywall installation and heating, air conditioning and ventilation system upgrades. Emily Kornak, director of the Lake Geneva Public Library, said some of the work that still needs to be completed includes installing new furniture and flooring and reinstalling and reconfiguring the librarys shelves after the construction work is completed. After that, well bring our collections back, which need to be cleaned, sorted and shelved, Kornak said. So we have some big projects still ahead of us. Kornak said the construction work is expected to be completed Feb. 25 with the library reopening in late March or early April. She said she is pleased with how the project has progressed. The library staff is very excited about moving back into the renovated building, Kornak said. So we will be working hard to reopen as quickly as possible. Library officials have conducted two capital campaigns to help raise money for the project, including a 100 extraordinary women campaign, in which a hundred women were asked to donate a total of $1,000 during a three-year period. The library also conducted a legacy paver program, in which donors could purchase a brick paver to be installed in the new outdoor patio area. Kornak said about $770,000 has been raised from the campaigns, so far. Our community has been incredibly supportive and generous, and I hope everyone will also be as happy about the refreshed layout as we are, Kornak said. The library is still accepting donations for the project. For more information, email Kornak at ekornak@lglibrary.org. During the renovations, since November, the library has conducted its operations and programs out of City Hall, 626 Geneva St. Kornak said she is thankful that city officials have allowed the library to use the building. We deeply appreciate the accommodations they made for us, Kornak said. Our patrons have been able to continue reserving items for checkout and browsing new books because of access to City Hall, and we have been able to collaborate with the police department on a childrens craft program, which was very fun. Kornak said she feels the renovations will provide a more enjoyable atmosphere for patrons and will give them more spaces where they can work quietly. She said the renovations also will increase the amount of light coming into the building and will provide more views of Geneva Lake. Our shelving and floor plan reconfiguration will benefit patrons by giving them quiet spaces, updated seating, a more convenient computer area with updated printing, copying, faxing, scanning capabilities and a youth area that has a larger lakeside preschool area, as well as updated teen space, Kornak said. Restrooms will be accessible at the front of the building as well. 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. TWIN LAKES All was not lost when the Driftwood restaurant in Twin Lakes was demolished in December. The restaurants award-winning pizza, and the nearly 50 years of experience behind it, lives on. Mark Wenzel can now be found tossing dough behind the counter at Due Laghi Pizzeria, 405 N. Lake Ave., located within the Trader Brothers Mini Mall. I make all my sauce and dough fresh, from scratch, daily, Wenzel said while cranking out the pies on a recent Wednesday night. We grind our own cheese, slice our own pepperoni, and all our vegetables are sliced fresh. Wenzels faithful fan base extends beyond Twin Lakes and its seasonal crowd. Many who worked at Great Lakes Naval Base will recognize his 16-spice signature sauce and famous BLT and Firebox (Italian beef) specialty pies served at Roman Coin Pizza. Wenzel, who started making pizza at the age 13 at the first two Little Caesars locations in the nation, went on to own a chain of 13 Roman Coin locations throughout northern Illinois. He also continues to draw former customers from south of the Illinois border who developed a craving for his pizza and baked-fresh submarine sandwiches at restaurants he owned in Antioch, Ill. (JCs and Kokomos) and in Lake Villa, Ill. (The Railhouse). The cheesy breadsticks have their own following, Sue Harms, who works the front end, said, adding any topping can be added. Fortuitous timing With the closing of Driftwood, Wenzel found himself without a location at the same time Mike Pusateri was looking for a food option at his mini mall. I was mainly directing it towards them, Pusateri said of his bid for potential partners. I have always wanted to have food here to help create foot traffic for the other vendors in the mini mall, which still has spaces for rent. Other tenants include Black Walnut Ridge artisan gifts, Keno Kicks footwear, Little Mountain Art, and BK Glass Bro, in addition to Pusateris buy, sell and trade store. Wenzel and Pusateri renovated the front of the building, which has its own entrance as well as an interior entrance to the mini mall. Due Laghi (Italian for two lakes) features a self-serve counter and indoor seating for 20. Patrons in the dining room can catch a glimpse of Wenzel the dough high in the air on in the kitchen. Busy from the start A not-so-soft opening on Dec. 18 the day Driftwood was demolished thrust them into business. It was like, bam, everybody saw us opening and came in, Pusateri, whose wife Bobbie is also a partner in the business, said. The rush has continued. Because Friday and Saturday night traffic has resulted in hour-long waits, they suggest trying a different day for those who want to dine in and to plan accordingly if ordering for pickup. We do slices for lunch from 11 to 2, Wenzel said. Thats a really big thing here. Slices are $3 each and are large (a 16-inch pizza nets six slices). The pizzeria is operating under winter hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. They said they hope to offer delivery in the future. Our intentional is to do that, Wenzel said. But were so busy now, we cant at this time. The ovens are full and backed up. Wenzel said he will also continue to support community events, such as Shop with a Hero and National Night Out, for which he has supplied pizza in the past. Youve got to give back to the community, he said. When the Kolb family that founded Kolb's Farm Store in Chester County, Pennsylvania decided to put their farm up for sale, they found a young, energetic farming family willing to take on the job of continuing the farm and the legacy of the store. New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI): In view of the substantial reduction in COVID cases in the country as well as in the poll-bound States, the Election Commission (EC) on Saturday gave several relaxations to political parties and candidates for campaigning. The Election Commission took a periodic review of the status of COVID in the country especially in the poll-bound states on Saturday. Also Read | Performing Against Australia Gives You Recognition, Says Shaheen Shah Afridi. "As per information received from the Union Health Secretary the ground situation of COVID has significantly improved and the cases are fast receding in the country. Even in the reported cases maximum cases are reported from non-poll going States. The poll going states are contributing a very small proportion of the total reported cases in the country," reads EC statement. EC said ban on campaign timings will be between 10 pm to 6 am instead of 8 pm to 8 am before. Political parties and candidates may campaign from 6 am to 10 pm following all COVID appropriate behaviour and protocols of State Disaster Management Authorities (SDMA). Further, political parties and candidates may hold their meetings and rallies up to a maximum of 50 per cent of the capacity of the designated open spaces or the limit prescribed by SDMA, whichever is lesser. Padyatras consisting not more than the permitted number of persons as per SDMA limitations and only with the prior permission of district authorities will also be allowed. (ANI) Also Read | Bajrang Dal Stages Protest at KFC, Dominos, Pizza Hut Joints, Hyundai, Kia Motors Showrooms in Ahmedabad Against Kashmir Solidarity Day Supporting Post on Social Media. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jalandhar (Punjab) [India], February 12 (ANI): With a week to go for the Assembly elections in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab Lok Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) alliance released a joint manifesto for the elections scheduled to be held on February 20. Addressing a press conference here, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the importance of a stable government with Punjab being the "sensitive border state". Also Read | Mamata Banerjee Has Been Using Pegasus Since She Came to Power in 2016, Says Anirban Ganguly. "Punjab is a very sensitive border state & it is important for the state to have people in power who themselves are stable," he said. Earlier, BJP President JP Nadda had announced that the BJP would contest 65 seats out of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab. Also Read | Goa Assembly Elections 2022: From CM Pramod Sawant To Michael Lobo, Here Are Five Key Candidates Contesting Goa Vidhan Sabha Polls. Captain Amarinder Singh's party and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa's party are going to contest 37 seats and 15 seats respectively. Meanwhile, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that the BJP alliance will script history in all the 117 seats including Patiala from where former Chief Minister and party ally Captain Amarinder Singh is contesting. Punjab will go to the poll on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bazpur (Uttarakhand) [India], February 12 (ANI): Ahead of the Uttarakhand Assembly elections, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that double engine government provided free ration, vaccines to people. "Double engine government provided free ration, vaccines to people. Our government launched several other schemes for people of different sectors and gave direct benefits to people," he said during a poll campaign in Bazpur, Udhampur Singh Nagar. Also Read | Assembly Elections 2022: Dry Day in Poll-Bound Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Goa on February 13, 14 in View of Vidhan Sabha Elections. "People have made their mind to make Bharatiya Janata Party win with full majority. Under our manifesto, we have promised to give 50,000 government jobs to the youth, three LPG cylinders to the poor every year in BJP is voted to power in the hill state," he added. "BJP's manifesto also promises that pregnant women living in hilly areas who can't work and earn their livelihood will be given Rs 40,000 and senior citizens' pensions will be increased to Rs 3,600," he stated. Also Read | India Reports 50,407 New COVID-19 Cases, 804 Deaths in Past 24 Hours. "We have decided that both Centre and state will provide Rs 6,000 each towards Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme that will extend a benefit of Rs 12,000 fund transfer to every farmer's bank account," he further stated. Dhami will contest the upcoming assembly elections from Khatima. Uttarakhand will vote on February 14 for the 70-member assembly, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party currently has 57 MLAs at present. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Shimla, Feb 12 (PTI) The Himachal Pradesh police has arrested two men from Punjab, who worked as drivers, in connection with the killing of two women whose bodies were found by the roadside on the Shimla-Chandigarh national highway in Solan district, it said on Saturday. The bodies, wrapped in bed sheets, were found near railway tunnel number 10 at Koti in Solan district on February 2, according to a press note issued by Director General of Police (DGP) Sanjay Kundu. Also Read | Goa Assembly Elections 2022: From CM Pramod Sawant To Michael Lobo, Here Are Five Key Candidates Contesting Goa Vidhan Sabha Polls. The accused -- Jatinder Pal Singh alias Vicky (43) of Kharar and Dinesh Kumar (31) of Ganguwal in Anandpur Sahib -- were arrested by a three-member special investigation team (SIT) on Friday, the press note said. The accused are residents of Punjab, it said, adding that Kumar worked as a driver at Baddi in Himachal Pradesh. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections 2022, Phase 2: List of Districts Going To Vote on February 14. A Tata Vista vehicle (registration number HR 03N 3403) used in the crime has also been seized in connection with the FIR registered under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Parwanoo police station, the press note said. The investigation of the case is at an important stage and more details cannot be shared at this stage, it added. The SIT, which was headed by DySP Yogesh Rolta (SDPO, Parwanoo) and also had Inspector Daya Ram (SHO, Parwanoo) and Inspector Rakesh Roy (SHO, Dharampur) as its members, collected and analysed digital, physical, oral and circumstantial data and evidence from multiple sources spread over a large geographical area, the press note said. The spot where the bodies were found was also inspected by a team from the State Forensic Sciences Laboratory in Junga. The press note said the deceased were identified through painstaking efforts by the SIT. The bodies were handed over to the family members of the deceased on February 6 after conducting post-mortem in the Department of Forensic Medicine, IGMC, Shimla on February 3, it added. IGP Southern Range, Shimla also visited the spot and reviewed the progress of the investigation with the Solan superintendent of police and the members of the SIT. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Mysuru (Karnataka) [India], February 12 (ANI): Mysuru Police has banned rallies, protests till Sunday in the wake of protests called by unidentified people over the Hijab row to maintain law and order. Prohibitory orders have been enforced under Section 144 of CrPC in the city. Also Read | Sikkim Lifts COVID-19-Induced Restrictions As Cases Decline. As per an order issued by City Police Commissioner Chandragupta, Prohibitory orders will be in force from February 12 (6 AM) to February 13 (10 PM). In the meantime, no protests or rallies will be allowed in the district. The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students were allegedly denied entry to college wearing hijab by Muslim women earlier this month. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Schools To Resume for Nursery to Class 8 From February 14 With COVID-19 Protocols. On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court also appealed to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is "watching" what's happening in the state and in hearing before the High Court. A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli said that they will see the issue at the "appropriate time" as the Karnataka High Court is seized of the matter and also suggested lawyers to not make it a national-level issue. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Srinagar, Feb 12 (PTI) Three persons were arrested for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl here, police said on Saturday. Police station Bemina received a complaint from a man on Friday that his minor daughter has been abducted by unidentified persons, a police spokesman said. Also Read | Performing Against Australia Gives You Recognition, Says Shaheen Shah Afridi. Accordingly, a case was registered and investigation was initiated, he said. A special team was constituted which acted swiftly and rescued the missing girl from TRC Srinagar, the spokesman said. Also Read | Bajrang Dal Stages Protest at KFC, Dominos, Pizza Hut Joints, Hyundai, Kia Motors Showrooms in Ahmedabad Against Kashmir Solidarity Day Supporting Post on Social Media. During the course of investigation, it surfaced that the girl was kidnapped by three persons and was also sexually assaulted, he said. Raids were conducted at several locations and all the three accused involved in the commission of the crime were arrested, the spokesman said. He identified them as Basit Ali, Irfan Ahmad Najar, both residents of Fruit Mandi in Parimpora, and Firdous Ahmad Angher, a resident of Beerwah in Budgam. Necessary medico-legal formalities were carried out and the girl was handed over to her legal heirs, the spokesman said. The car used in the commission of this heinous crime has been seized, he said. Further investigation in the case is in progress, the spokesman said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhopal, Feb 12 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh recorded 2,438 new cases of coronavirus and seven casualties due to the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the tally to 10,23,799 and toll to 10,689 on Saturday, an official from the state health department said. Also Read | Indian Railway Recruitment 2022: Apply for 756 posts in East Coast Railway RRC Bhubaneshwar at rrcbbs.org.in; Check Details here. The positivity rate stands at 3.2 per cent, which is a marginal drop from 3.4 per cent reported on Friday, the official said. Also Read | Hijab Row: Samajwadi Party Leader Rubina Khan Issues Threat, Says Will Chop off Hands of Any Man Who Touches Their Hijab. At least 6,220 patients were discharged from hospitals during the day, raising the count of recoveries to 9,90,720, he said, adding that the state is now left with 22,390 active cases. Bhopal and Indore registered 512 and 220 cases respectively in the last 24 hours, he said. With the addition of 73,901 samples examined during the day, the number of tests conducted in the state went up to 2,68,24,457, the official said. As per a government release, 11,21,93,074 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered in the state so far, including 2,02,751 on Saturday. Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 10,23,799, new cases 2,438, death toll 10,689, recoveries 9,90,720, active cases 22,390, number of tests so far 2,68,24,457. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Pauri Garhwal, February 12: In a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the identity of the Wayanad MP is 'doubtful' as "his great-grandfather used to call himself an accidental Hindu". Addressing an election rally in Kotdwar, Chief Minister Yogi said, "The person whose identity is doubtful now giving a definition of Hinduism. I was surprised that Rahul Gandhi gave the definition of Hinduism. He should be told that his great-grandfather called himself an 'accidental Hindu'. It does not suit someone, whose ancestors were not proud of being Hindus, to tell us its definition. Do not allow them to create the identity crisis of Uttarakhand that they had created for themselves." Also Read | Mamata Banerjee Has Been Using Pegasus Since She Came to Power in 2016, Says Anirban Ganguly. "Hindu is not a communal word. 'Hindu' is our cultural identity. If someone does not know the definition of 'Hindu' in Devbhoomi, then that party should not have the right to come to power," he said. Hurling personal attacks on the Gandhi family, Yogi Adityanath said the Congress party is finished and whatever remains are there would be ruined by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Also Read | Goa Assembly Elections 2022: From CM Pramod Sawant To Michael Lobo, Here Are Five Key Candidates Contesting Goa Vidhan Sabha Polls. "Uttar Pradesh sent four members of the (Gandhi) family to the parliament. But when the siblings go to Kerala, they criticize Uttar Pradesh and look down on the people of the state. When they go abroad, they raise their fingers at India. They do not believe in the people of India," said Chief Minister Yogi. He further added, "The Congress is completely submerged, wherever there is little existence, both 'brother and sister' are enough to push it down. So it should be left to its fate." Earlier on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid his visit to Siddhpeeth Shri Siddhbali Dham in Kotdwar. The polling for Uttarakhand Assembly Election will take place in a single phase on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Raipur, February 12: Commenting on the ongoing Hijab controversy, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that it is a very sensitive matter and should be resolved with discussion. He stated that one cannot approach the court for everything and make a political issue out of it. Speaking to reporters at the airport before leaving for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Baghel said, "The people who started this, don't know its outcome. This has become a national issue. Issues like this should be discussed with representatives of both religions." Karnataka Hijab Row: Refusing to Let Girls Go to School in Hijabs Horrifying, Says Malala Yousafzai. He further said, "It is very sad that Hijab protests are happening in that India where persecuted people from all over the world found refuge. This is how we are treating our people now. Bigotry, no matter from whose side it is, will surely affect the society." "This is a very sensitive matter and it should be resolved with discussion. You cannot go to court for everything and make a political issue out of it. Where is our country going, into which direction?" questioned Baghel. According to the CM, the leaders have the responsibility to resolve the Hijab issue instead of provoking it. Terming the Bijapur incident 'unfortunate', the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel that the CRPF jawan's "martyrdom" will not go in vain. Bhupesh Baghel said, "Our jawan's martyrdom will not go in vain. Our jawans have been entering the den of Naxals and battling against them, trying to push back the Naxalites. A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer was killed during an exchange of fire with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday. Speaking on BJP's allegation, Bahjel said, "While Dr Raman Singh was the Chief Minister for 15 years, Naxalites increased from three blocks to 14 districts. In the last three years, there has been a reduction in Naxals." During our rule, big Naxal leaders are surrendering with weapons, added the CM. "Our government is working as per policy and is able to build confidence in the Chhattisgarh public. This is why now when the Naxalites write letters, they say that they are facing difficulties in recruiting people," said Baghel. On the question raised by MP Ramvichar Netam in Rajya Sabha, Baghel said, "As far as Chhattisgarh is concerned, it is leading in all parameters." Taking a jibe at the BJP, the CM said, "Not a single airport was inaugurated during his tenure. During our tenure, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur airport started operating. The Ambikapur airport is also being developed. Union Minister Scindia has lied when he came to Raipur. We had already met the Union Minister and put forward our demands." According to him, Scindia came to Raipur to see what can be further sold. Speaking on the liquor ban, Baghel said, "Mohan Markam didn't say anything wrong, BJP does not read its manifesto, has just mugged up our (Congress) manifesto. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bulandshahr (UP), Feb 12 (PTI) Two workers were killed in a boiler explosion in a dyeing factory here on Saturday, police said. The incident took place at Jai Baba Industries in the Sikandrabad Industrial Area, they added. Also Read | Rahul Gandhis Identity Doubtful, His Great-Grandfather Called Himself Accidental Hindu, Says Yogi Adityanath. Due to the explosion, a portion of the factory collapsed and two workers were buried under the debris and died, Sikandrabad Sub-Divisional Magistrate Rakesh Kumar said. He said work of dyeing jeans clothing was being done in the factory. Also Read | Mamata Banerjee Has Been Using Pegasus Since She Came to Power in 2016, Says Anirban Ganguly. A probe has been launched into the incident, Kumar said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Rohtak (Haryana) [India], February 12 (ANI): Soon after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced that he would introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state if the BJP wins the state Assembly polls, Vishva Hindu Parishad Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain extending his support said that it is an important step forward towards fulfilling the poll promise the BJP had made ahead of the 2014 general elections. In a self-made video, Jain said, "We welcome this announcement by the Chief Minister. The BJP had included this in their manifesto in 2014. Dhami's announcement is an important step forward towards fulfilling that promise." Also Read | Punjab Shocker: 17-Year-Old Girl Raped by Neighbour in Guru Nanak Nagar; Accused Arrested. The VHP leader said that the founding fathers of the Constitution had clarified in Article 44 that it would be the duty of every state to introduce UCC "Our founding fathers of the Constitution had clarified in Article 44 that it would be the duty of every state to introduce UCC. The Courts of this country have said this time and again. The Central government has also emphasised on the need for the formation of UCC," he said. Also Read | Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel on Hijab Row: Should Be Resolved With Discussion, Cannot Go to Court for Everything and Make Political Issue Out of It. Jain said that some "hardliners" would protest against the UCC if it is introduced. "Some hardliners would protest against it. Does Goa not have Common Civil Code? Do people not accept the same laws for everyone?" he said. Earlier today, Dhami said in a press conference in Khatima, where he was campaigning, that soon after the swearing-in ceremony, the BJP government will form a panel that will prepare a draft of the Uniform Civil Code for the state. "Soon after its swearing-in, new BJP govt will form a committee including stakeholders, jurists, social workers, knowledgeable persons who will prepare a draft of Uniform Civil Code in the state," Dhami had said. BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar also extended support to Dhami and said that it is the right time to bring in the Uniform Civil Code in the country. Speaking to ANI on the matter, Deodhar said, "It is the right time to bring in the Uniform Civil Code, it is already getting too late. When it comes to society, people of all religions and castes practise different religious beliefs. When we come together as a society, there should be one law for everyone. It is the right time, especially when such a big controversy is on in the country on the issue of hijab." (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) [India], February 12 (ANI): A man was allegedly thrashed by his wife and son and was later thrown from the 7th floor of the building situated in the Amboli area of Mumbai, said Amboli police. Both the accused have been arrested, the police stated. Also Read | Twitter Receives Request To Shut Down Newly Formed Tehreek-e-Taliban India. A case of murder has been registered against them, added the police. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chennai, Feb 12 (PTI) A 24-year-old man was killed here by two workers of a bar who hit him with a log on his head after a quarrel with them over getting a drink, police said on Saturday. Also Read | Goa Assembly Elections 2022: Know How To Check Name in Voter List and Download Voter Slip. The duo was arrested, they said. On Friday, the youth visited the bar before it was opened and ordered for the drink. When two workers there said he could get the drink only at noon when the liquor outlet opens, he tried to attack them with stones and created a ruckus. Also Read | Uttarakhand Assembly Elections 2022: Know How To Check Name in Voter List and Download Voter Slip. The duo hit the man with the log. Subsequently, his father arrived and took him home. Soon, the man became motionless and his father called for an ambulance. After examining him, the health personnel in the ambulance declared him dead. Police arrested the two bar workers and produced them produced before a court which remanded them in judicial custody. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], February 12 (ANI): American video game publisher Activision is working on two big 'Call of Duty' initiatives for 2022, the company announced Friday. According to The Verge, one is a sequel to 2019's 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare', and the other is a "new Warzone experience," both of which will be "designed together from the ground-up," as per a blog post. Also Read | IPL 2022 Mega Auction: Complete List of Players Sold and Unsold During Indian Premier League Bidding Event. It's unclear if the new 'Warzone' experience is a full-on sequel or a major update in the vein of Fortnite's massive chapter changes. However, Activision is promising some big things. You can expect "a massive evolution of battle royale with all-new playspace and a new sandbox mode ," the blog says, and a new engine that powers "both the new Call of Duty game release and Warzone." Also Read | Punjab Shocker: 17-Year-Old Girl Raped by Neighbour in Guru Nanak Nagar; Accused Arrested. Development of the new 'Call of Duty' game and this new 'Warzone' experience will be led by Infinity Ward, the studio that made 'Modern Warfare', 'Infinite Warfare', 'Ghosts', and other 'Call of Duty' 'titles, including the original. Activision also announced changes on how it will improve the current 'Warzone' experience, which has been heavily criticized in recent weeks due to bugs, exploits, and the prevalence of cheaters. As per The Verge, in January, Microsoft had announced its intent to buy Activision Blizzard for USD 68.7 billion. While 'Call of Duty' would certainly be a valuable Xbox-exclusive property, statements from Microsoft since the acquisition news suggest the company plans to keep 'Call of Duty' and other Activision Blizzard games on multiple platforms. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Seoul [South Korea], February 12 (ANI): After initially announcing its entry-level Galaxy A03 in November, South Korean tech giant Samsung has finally released it early this year, and now the device is speculated to land in India before the end of this month. As per GSM Arena, the device is said to retail for around Rs 12,000. Only two of its three international colour options will make it to India: Red and Black. Also Read | Chennai Super Kings Team in IPL 2022: Players Bought by CSK at Mega Auction, Check Full Squad. Only two RAM/storage versions will be available 3/32GB and 4/64GB. The reports obtained by GSM Arena also revealed that the A03 is powered by the Unisoc T606 SoC with a 1.6 GHz octa-core CPU. Also Read | Goa Assembly Elections 2022: Know How To Check Name in Voter List and Download Voter Slip. The smartphone has a 6.5-inch 720x1600 PLS TFT screen, a 48 MP main rear camera and a 2 MP depth sensor, a 5 MP selfie snapper, and a 5,000 mAh battery and it runs Android 11. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Canberra [Australia], February 12 (ANI/Sputnik): Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has called on citizens of his country to leave Ukraine amid the escalation of tensions on the border with Russia. "We respect their decisions [Australians who stay in Ukraine], but our advice to them is very clear - this is a very dangerous situation and for your own safety you should seek to make your way out of Ukraine," Morrison said, as quoted by the News.com.au news portal. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: US President Joe Biden To Speak to Vladimir Putin Amid Fears Of Russian Invasion Of Ukraine; Here Are Five Latest Updates. He described the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border as serious. "We hope for peace, but in the event of conflict, we want to ensure that Australians have had the opportunity to remove themselves from Ukraine to a place of safety - and we have been saying they consistently now for many, many weeks." the prime minister added. Also Read | Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan Announces Scholarships, Fellowships for Indian Students. In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for an invasion. Moscow has repeatedly said that it is not threatening anyone and pointed to NATO military activity near the Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. (ANI/Sputnik) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Feb 12 (AP) President Joe Biden had zeroed in on a pair of finalists for his first Supreme Court pick when there were rumours last year that Justice Stephen Breyer would retire. But since the upcoming retirement was announced late last month, it has come with the rise of a third candidate, one with ready-made bipartisan support that has complicated the decision. Also Read | China Grants Conditional Approval for Pfizer's Paxlovid COVID-19 Pill. For Biden, it's a tantalising prospect. The president believes he was elected to try to bring the country together following the yawning and rancorous political divide that grew during the Trump administration and especially following the Capitol insurrection in January 2021. And a Supreme Court nominee with a raft of qualifications who has the vocal support of even one or two Republican senators could well attract the backing of other Republicans. Also Read | New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta Urges Citizens To Leave Ukraine Immediately Due to Heightened Tensions With Russia. That, in turn, could make for a smoother nomination process after some painfully partisan ones in recent years. This story is based on accounts from seven people familiar with Biden's decision-making who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to talk about private discussions. Two of the three judges now on Biden's short list were evaluated last year by White House aides, although that early vetting did not include deep dives into their opinions or backgrounds, formal interviews or FBI background checks. They are Ketanji Brown Jackson, 51, a recent appointee to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, where she has served since June 2021, and Leondra Kruger, 45, a California Supreme Court judge since 2015 who would be the first person in more than 40 years to move from a state court to the Supreme Court if she were to be confirmed. Jackson is seen as the top candidate. And she, too, has a proven record of bipartisan support: She was confirmed to the appeals court on a 53-44 vote. Republican Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina voted for her. But J. Michelle Childs has rapidly become a serious third candidate after House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, D.-S.C., publicly announced his support for her, as did the state's Republican senators, Graham and Tim Scott. Graham has made clear Childs is his preferred choice. The 55-year-old is a federal judge in South Carolina who has been nominated to serve on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. That nomination is on hold while she's under consideration for the high court. Childs lacks the elite law school credentials of many current Supreme Court justices she attended the University of South Carolina School of Law. But that's part of her appeal to Clyburn and others who question why Ivy League credentials are necessary. Eight of the court's nine current members attended law school at Harvard or Yale. Childs also has a master's degree from the school as well as a different legal degree from Duke. Among the three justices on Biden's short list, Childs is considered the most moderate, and she has been criticised by progressives and labour groups who say her record is not sufficiently supportive of worker rights. She was previously a state court judge and has served as a federal trial court judge since 2010. Jackson did attend Harvard Law School and has expertise that would bring considerable professional diversity to the high court. She worked as a public defender and served on the US Sentencing Commission before she was nominated to the federal bench by former President Barack Obama. She is the favourite of progressives. Kruger, 45, has been on the California Supreme Court since 2015. She was just 38 when chosen for the job by then-Gov. Jerry Brown. She's seen as a moderate on the seven-member court. She used to work for the Department of Justice. Breyer's replacement won't shift the ideological makeup of the court. So in some ways, that makes it easier for Republicans to back a candidate advanced by Biden. But Biden has also said bipartisan support is not a necessity; a razor-thin majority in the US Senate means he doesn't need it. Biden said earlier this week he was looking closely at about four candidates and was interested in selecting a nominee in the mold of Breyer who could be a persuasive" force with fellow justices. Although his votes tended to put him to the left of centre on an increasingly conservative court, Breyer frequently saw the gray in situations that colleagues to his right and left were more likely to find black or white. Biden, who is spending the weekend at Camp David, is studying a range of cases and other materials about the candidates, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday. His team, led by former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones, has compiled past writings, public remarks and decisions of the candidates, as well as learning their life stories. Psaki said Biden could begin meeting with top contenders as early as next week, noting that such interviews typically happen at the end of the vetting process. She said the president remains on track for an announcement by the end of the month. Going back as far as his campaign, Biden has pledged to nominate a Black woman for the slot. The Supreme Court was made up entirely of white men for almost two centuries. Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Thurgood Marshall are the only two Black men who have served on the court. There has never been a Black woman. Other possible candidates included US District Court Judge Wilhelmina Wright from Minnesota; Melissa Murray, a New York University law professor who is an expert in family law and reproductive rights justice; and Leslie Abrams Gardner, a US district judge for the Middle District of Georgia and the sister of Stacey Abrams, a powerful voting rights activist and nominee for Georgia governor. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [US], February 12 (ANI): US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the tensions around Ukraine with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after her visit to Russia earlier in the week, the US State Department said Saturday. "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss on shared priorities, including strong, united response to further Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Secretary and Foreign Secretary Truss agreed on the importance of reinforcing coordinated support amongst Allies and partners to impose consequences and costs for further Russian aggression towards Ukraine," said State Department Spokesperson Ned Price in a statement. Also Read | China Grants Conditional Approval for Pfizer's Paxlovid COVID-19 Pill. Blinken, in his tweet, further stressed the importance of the US working together with NATO allies and European partners to impose "swift, severe costs" on Russia in response to "any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine,". Taking to Twitter, Blinken said, "Spoke with @TrussLiz today and appreciate her strong coordination with the U.S., Allies, and partners to deter Russia's escalation against Ukraine. The U.S. and UK are in lock-step to ensure Russia will face severe costs if it further invades Ukraine."(ANI) Also Read | New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta Urges Citizens To Leave Ukraine Immediately Due to Heightened Tensions With Russia. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Islamabad, Feb 12 (PTI) Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Saturday said that it was important to break the nexus between militants and their supporters for defeating terrorism. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Bajwa visited Panjgur area of the restive Balochistan province and met with troops who repulsed a terrorist attack on a security forces camp on February 2. Also Read | China Grants Conditional Approval for Pfizer's Paxlovid COVID-19 Pill. The Army said in a statement that while interacting with locals of Panjgur, the COAS appreciated them for their support to law enforcing agencies in fighting the menace of terrorism. Breaking nexus between terrorists and their sympathisers/support base is imperative for defeating terrorism, General Bajwa said. Also Read | New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta Urges Citizens To Leave Ukraine Immediately Due to Heightened Tensions With Russia. He also assured the locals of Army's all out support for creating an environment for prosperity and development of the area, particularly in ensuring timely completion of ongoing socio-economic projects. The COAS said that terrorists won't be allowed to reverse the hard earned gains irrespective of the challenges. Bajwa emphasised on maintaining a high standard of operational readiness to fail hostile efforts to destabilise Balochistan and ensure safety and security of the local population. It was the second visit of Bajwa to the violence-hit region within a week after he visited Naushki along with Prime Minister Imran Khan on February 8. At least 20 militants and nine soldiers were killed in the attack on security forces in Panjgur and Naushki on February 2. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Yangon [Myanmar], February 12 (ANI): Myanmar on Saturday announced a pardon for 814 prisoners and seven foreign prisoners to mark the Diamond Jubilee Union Day, state-run media reports said. Myanmar's State Administration Council also closed the cases against 46 members and others concerned of the Arakan Army who are still being prosecuted in various courts in the country, Xinhua news agency reported. Also Read | Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan Announces Scholarships, Fellowships for Indian Students. The amnesty is to mark Diamond Jubilee Union Day and create humanitarian ground as well as in view of relations between the respective countries and Myanmar, the council said. According to a separate pardon order, the sentences for Nang Khin Htwe Myint, former Kayin State chief minister who was imprisoned, were reduced by half. Also Read | US To Evacuate Ukraine Embassy Amid Fears of Russian Invasion. The state of emergency was extended for six more months on January 31 after its first declaration in February 2021 and capture of power to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Since the military coup, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar security forces with thousands of others arrested. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Wellington, February 12: New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta called on New Zealanders in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible due to the "heightened tensions." "In response to heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the New Zealand Government is advising New Zealanders in the Ukraine to leave immediately while there are commercial flights able to get them home," Mahuta said in a statement, as quoted by the government website. Also Read | Russia-Ukraine Conflict: US President Joe Biden To Speak to Vladimir Putin Amid Fears Of Russian Invasion Of Ukraine; Here Are Five Latest Updates. The minister added that the country does not have a diplomatic mission in Ukraine, and the assistance that can be provided to citizens is limited. The security situation in Ukraine can change quickly, so New Zealanders should not rely on evacuation organized by their country, according to Mahuta. Also Read | Taliban Slam US President Joe Biden's Decision To Split Afghan Bank Assets. Earlier this week, Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, and South Korea also advised their citizens to leave Ukraine shortly after US State Secretary Antony Blinken claimed that Russia could attack its neighboring country even before the end of the Olympics, which are being held in China at the moment. Russia has repeatedly denied West's allegations about its preparations to invade Ukraine, saying it has no plans to attack any country but reserves the right to move troops on its sovereign territory as it sees fit. Russia has warned that NATO's plans to further expand eastward represent a direct threat to its national security. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Frankfurt [Germany], February 12 (ANI): About 40 activists of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a Pakistan based anti-Pakistan government movement, demonstrated in front of the Pakistani Consulate in Frankfurt on February 11 where they condemned Pakistan for its activities against Pashtuns. The protest was carried out under the leadership of Aqeel Ahmad. Mohd Zareef and Sultani were other prominent leaders who were present in the demonstration and addressed the gathering. Also Read | China Grants Conditional Approval for Pfizer's Paxlovid COVID-19 Pill. Demonstrators were carrying banners and placards. They were shouting slogans against Pakistan-- Pakistan: Stop killing Pashtuns, Pakistan is killing, The world is watching, Pakistan: A terrorist state, Pakistan: stop Pashtun genocide, Pakistan: stop terrorist attacks on Pashtuns. The international wing of the PTM, a Pakistan based anti-Pakistan government movement will further demonstrate against Pakistan in different European cities on February 13. Also Read | New Zealand Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta Urges Citizens To Leave Ukraine Immediately Due to Heightened Tensions With Russia. The protests will be staged to condemn the assassination attempt on PTM leader Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen. Fazal ur Rehman, a member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement said, "PTM Europe has announced a series of protests all over Europe including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Denmark to express anger and condemn the failed assassination attempt on PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen." "And I think it's a redline crossed by Pakistan because Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen has already been put on exit control list by Pakistani authorities but even in Pakistan, there is a ban on his movement in different provinces. So, it's really a violation of international law United Nations universal declaration and the relevant UN conventions because Pakistan wants to stifle his freedom of movement and freedom of expression," Rehman added. PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen's was attacked on February 2 in Pakistan's restive province Balochistan. The PTM accuses the Pakistan military of conducting the attack. PTM accuses Islamabad of employing brute high handedness to stifle their voice for rights. They even accused authorities of arbitrarily arresting PTM activists and leaders. They will hold separate protests to demand the release of those leaders. Rehman said, "PTM is organising a sit in front of the provincial assembly in Sindh for the release of PTM leader Ali Wazir, Hanif Pashteen and Owais Abdal because they have been arbitrarily arrested by the Pakistani authorities and even United Nations Human Rights Council under special procedures, seven rapporteurs have sent a letter to the government of Pakistan regarding Ali Wazir and even the inter-parliamentary union has also expressed its concern on the arrest of MNA Ali Wazir." "But Pakistani authorities are still applying the delaying tactics in the court to prolong the detention of these activists arbitrarily arrested by the Pakistani authorities. So, it's really a matter of concern. We will organise a protest all over the world to condemn these fascist acts of the state of Pakistan," added Rehman. Pashtuns, an ethnic minority blames Pakistan for marginalising them for years. They say they have not been accorded their rights. And their demand for the same has been brutally suppressed. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kabul [Afghanistan], February 12 (ANI): The UN Mission in Afghanistan has welcomed the release of the two reporters by Afghanistan's de facto authorities after more than four days in custody. Taliban had detained at least nine foreigners in Kabul, including one American and several British citizens, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing relatives of the detainees and sources familiar with the matter. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccines Have Reached Just Half of World Population, Says Report. Two of those detained, both journalists, were released late Friday. "UNAMA welcomes the release of the reporters by Afghanistan's de facto authorities. Time to end all arbitrary detentions. No Afghan or int'l journalist, nor civil society activist, should be picked up & held incommunicado. Time to free all those wrongly incarcerated," said UN Mission in Afghanistan. Also Read | Pennsylvania Horror: Man Stabs 6 Family Members at Philadelphia Home, Accused Arrested. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it is relieved to confirm the release in Kabul of the two journalists on assignment with UNHCR, and the Afghan nationals working with them. "We are relieved to confirm the release in Kabul of the two journalists on assignment with UNHCR, and the Afghan nationals working with them. We are grateful to all who expressed concern and offered help. We remain committed to the people of Afghanistan," said UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. On Friday, the UNHCR had confirmed the detentions after news of them began to leak on social media. The news came as concerns grow over reports of arbitrary arrests since the Taliban recaptured power in August. Earlier, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights raised concerns over an apparent "pattern of arbitrary arrests and detentions, as well as torture and ill-treatment" in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington [USA], February 12 (ANI): The United States is calling on all Americans in Ukraine to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours, US National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan on Friday (local time). "We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said, according to CNN. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccines Have Reached Just Half of World Population, Says Report. He said that if Americans stay they "are assuming risk with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and no prospect of a US Military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion." The National Security Adviser was speaking during a White House press briefing amid the ongoing situation in Ukraine. He also said that there is a credible prospect that Russian Military action in Ukraine would take place even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Also Read | Pennsylvania Horror: Man Stabs 6 Family Members at Philadelphia Home, Accused Arrested. "We continue to see signs of Russian escalation including now forces arriving at the border. As we've said before, we're in the window when an invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it. I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information but I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it will only happen after the Olympics," Sullivan said during a White House press briefing. He noted that the US forces' deployments in Germany, Poland, Armenia are not soldiers being sent to go fight Russia in Ukraine. "They are not going to war in Ukraine or fighting a war with Russia. They are going to defend NATO territory against aggression; defensive and non-escalatory deployments," he added. Meanwhile, CNN reported quoting Secretary of State Antony Blinken that a Russian invasion of Ukraine "could begin at any time," including during the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the United States continues "to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border." The top US diplomat made the comments alongside his counterparts from the Quad -- Australia, India and Japan -- following a day of meetings in Melbourne and after the State Department and Biden warned US citizens to depart Ukraine immediately. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Washington, Feb 12 (AP) A federal judge on Friday blocked the Biden administration's attempt to put greater emphasis on potential damage from greenhouse gas emissions when creating rules for polluting industries. U.S. District Judge James Cain of the Western District of Louisiana sided with Republican attorneys general who said the administration's action to raise the cost estimate of carbon emissions threatened to drive up energy costs while decreasing state revenues from energy production. The judge issued an injunction that bars the Biden administration from using the higher cost estimate, which puts a dollar value on damages caused by every additional ton of greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere. Also Read | COVID-19 Vaccines Have Reached Just Half of World Population, Says Report. President Joe Biden on his first day in office restored the climate cost estimate to about $51 per ton of carbon dioxide emissions after the Trump administration had reduced the figure to about $7 per ton. Former President Donald Trump's estimate included only damages felt in the U.S. versus the global damages captured under the higher estimate. The Biden administration's revival of a higher figure initially set under the Obama administration would be used to make future rules for oil and gas drilling, automobiles, and other industries. Using a higher cost estimate would help justify reductions in planet-warming emissions by making the benefits more likely to outweigh the expenses of complying with new rules. Also Read | Pennsylvania Horror: Man Stabs 6 Family Members at Philadelphia Home, Accused Arrested. Known as the social cost of carbon, the rule uses economic models to capture damages caused by rising sea levels, recurring droughts and other consequences of climate change. The $51 estimate was first established in 2016 and was used to justify major rules such as the Clean Power Plan President Barack Obama's signature effort to address climate change by tightening emissions standards from coal-fired power plants and separate rules imposing tougher vehicle emission standards. The Supreme Court blocked the Clean Power Plan before it ever took effect, and a more lenient rule imposed by the Trump administration was later thrown out by a federal appeals court. The carbon cost estimate had not yet been used very much under Biden, but is being considered in a pending environmental review of oil and gas lease sales in western states. Federal officials began developing climate damage cost estimates more than a decade ago after environmentalists successfully sued the government for not taking greenhouse gas emissions into account when setting vehicle mileage standards, said Max Sarinsky, a professor at the New York University School of Law. Not fully accounting for carbon damages would skew any cost-benefit analysis of a proposed rule in favor of industry, he said, adding that the social cost of carbon had been instrumental in allowing agencies to accurately judge how their rules affect the climate. Without a proper valuation of climate impact, it would complicate agencies' good faith efforts to make reasoned conclusions, he said. Republican attorneys general led by Louisiana's Jeff Landry said the Biden administration's revival of the higher estimate was illegal and exceeded its authority by basing the figure on global considerations. The other states whose officials sued are Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Texas, West Virginia and Wyoming. Landry's office issued a statement calling Cain's ruling a major win for nearly every aspect of Louisiana's economy and culture. Biden's executive order was an attempt by the government to take over and tax the people based on winners and losers chosen by the government, the statement said. The White House referred questions to the Justice Department, which declined to comment. A federal judge in Missouri last year had sided with the administration in a similar challenge from another group of Republican states. In that case, the judge said the Republicans lacked standing to bring their lawsuit because they had yet to suffer any harm under Biden's order. The ruling by Cain, a Trump appointee, follows a ruling by another Louisiana judge last summer that struck down a separate Biden attempt to address greenhouse gas emissions by suspending new oil and gas leases on federal lands and water. The judge in that case, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, is also a Trump appointee. In a sign of the shifting politics on the issue, a federal judge in Washington rejected a lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico conducted largely in response to Doughty's ruling. U.S. District Judge Rudolph Contreras, an Obama appointee, threw out the lease sale, saying the administration did not adequately take into account its effect on greenhouse gas emissions. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi, February 12: Valentine's Day, which is celebrated by sweethearts of all ages on February 14, is just around the corner. One of the things about Valentine's Day is that there are myriad ways to celebrate it, and different cultures have developed their own traditions around it. In some parts of the world, it's also observed as an occasion for expressing love between family members and friends, rather than just for romantic couples. Although it can be hard to find something that truly sums up your feelings for your special one, showering them with gifts is still a great way to say 'I love you'. However, most people often go for flowers and chocolates, but they are not enough. Also Read | Sunrisers Hyderabad Squad for IPL 2022: Bhuvneshwar Kumar Goes to SRH for Rs 4.2 Crore at Mega Auction. So, to save you from all the stress of choosing the perfect gift and let you enjoy this celebration of love, we've rounded up a list of V-Day presents that balance thoughtfulness and budget. 1. Love Journal The best Valentine's Day gifts aren't necessarily the most expensive ones. A little book of love notes isn't going to break the bank, but it will certainly leave a mark on his/her heart. Buy a journal and fill in the pages to create a personalised gift book that your loved one will want to read again and again. You can fill each page with lines that describe something you love about them. You can be as cheesy or as romantic as you like but it's guaranteed to be one of the memorable presents your partner will ever receive. 2. Fitness Wearable Whether or not your partner is into fitness, this Valentine's Day, gift them your care in the form of a fitness wearable or a smartwatch. Brands including Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, Xiaomi offer affordable options that monitor their sleep, steps, and heart rate. So for this Valentine's Day, surprise your partner by gifting them a fitness wearable that can help keep an eye out for the activities they do throughout the day. 3. Instant Camera When you are with the one you adore, every moment is special and every moment counts. There's no better way to capture those memories to remember than through a polaroid camera. The instant cameras bring that raw feel of photography and those prints are so compact and amazing. Pose, click, flip and voila, there's your printed moment. You can easily paste it up on the wall or add it to your photobook and cherish those memories for years to come. 4. Planters The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic absolutely reshaped our lives, and though it took us a lot of struggle, pain and time to adjust to the new normal, it also kind of made us more aware of our surroundings and nature. Hence, this V-Day, gift your partner planters that will add an extra element of life to their house and transform the energy in the space. 5. Books A good book is a better gift than candy and flowers combined, though books go great with chocolate and wine. Even if you are not able to determine the perfect book for your partner, think about the books that excite you the most. Or maybe even find one that the two of you can read together. In totality, it's the personal touch that makes giving a book so fantastically special and even the Cupid would surely agree. While celebrating Valentine's Day, it's important to understand that there are no rules. Ultimately, spending time with each other is what it's all about and if giving a gift is in your plans, we've got you covered with these options. All in all, whatever you might do, if you have a romantic partner, just make sure you're on the same page to avoid any disappointments. Happy Valentine's Day! (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Locals in Srinagar held a candle-light vigil on Saturday in memory of SPO Zubair Ahmad who lost his life in an anti-terror operation in Bandipora yesterday. Four other policemen were also injured during a grenade attack by terrorists in north Kashmirs Bandipora town on Friday evening. Check Tweet by ANI: J&K: Locals hold a candle-light vigil in Srinagar in memory of SPO Zubair Ahmad who lost his life in an anti-terror operation in Bandipora yesterday pic.twitter.com/XBUYQrt7ME ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 (SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter, Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user's social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.) The approval of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines for children under five years old hits another delay as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) needed more data. On Friday, the FDA said it had been reviewing new trial information that arrived after Pfizer and BioNTech requested emergency authorization in this age group, Reuters reported. The agency noted that more data is needed before weighing in on the authorization and may take at least two months before it releases its decision on the vaccine, which has a lower dose than the usual jab, for this age group. The FDA said it needed to wait for data on how well a third shot will work for children under five years old, Associated Press reported. In a statement, Pfizer said it expected the data by early April. Pfizer and BioNTech have already submitted data on their first two doses of what was planned as a three-dose jab for the said age group. The companies made their move upon the request of the FDA. "If something does not meet the standard, we can't proceed forward," FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research director, Dr. Peter Marks, said, adding that he hoped parents would understand the agency's decision. Marks added that they take their responsibility for reviewing these vaccines "very seriously," noting that they are "parents as well." READ NEXT: Life Expectancy in U.S.: New Data Reveal California, Hawaii Residents Tend to Live Longer Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Under 5 Postponed Despite the FDA's calls on parents to be patient and understand their decision, some of them were not pleased with the vaccine's postponements for this age group. Rachel Perera, a mother of an eight-month-old baby from Los Angeles, was one of the parents who hoped that the COVID vaccines for children under five would be administered this winter. However, her hopes will not come true due to the delays. "I'm just tired, and it feels like 'when is this going to end?... It feels like people around us are moving on with their lives, and we're being left behind," Perera said. Reuters reported that initially, the FDA planned to make a decision on the vaccine based on early trial data as soon as next week, with the government preparing to roll it out on February 21. The agency has asked Pfizer to speed up its application as the Omicron variant caused a surge of infections, including among kids. Although parents were not pleased with the FDA's decision on Friday, vaccine experts were delighted with the agency's move. Dr. Paul Offit from the Children's Hospital in Philadelphia said the agency's decision on waiting for the safety and efficacy data of all three doses to be available only "makes sense." "I think they made the right decision to be careful and wait for the third-dose data," former FDA Vaccine Chief Dr. Jesse Goodman said. CDC Says COVID Booster Shots' Efficacy Wanes A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study revealed on Friday that the efficacy of the Pfizer and Moderna booster vaccines wanes after four months, New York Post reported. According to the CDC study, protection against hospitalizations dropped from 91 percent during the first two months following the third dose to 78 percent four months after the shot, U.S. News Reported. However, the research also noted that the protection from the booster shots would only have 37 percent after about five months. The said study was conducted by CDC with cases across 10 states from August 26 last year to January 22 this year. The CDC then recommended that eligible individuals "remain up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccinations" to protect themselves from the coronavirus. READ MORE: CDC Recommends Pfizer COVID Vaccine Boosters for Children as Young as 12 This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Joshua Summers WATCH: FDA Delays Approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 Vaccine for Children Under 5 - From PBS NewsHour Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine said the so-called "drug tourism" could be fueling a new HIV outbreak in Tijuana, Mexico. In the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infection on Friday, the researchers noted that the HIV incidence rate among people who use drugs in Tijuana had risen to an unprecedented 11 per 100 100 person-years, which translates to 11 percent per year, Fox 5 News reported. On the other hand, the HIV incidence rate for people using drugs in San Diego who cross the U.S.-Mexico border to buy drugs was found to be lower. However, it was still high compared to the HIV incidence rate among drug users who do not cross the southern border. Steffanie Strathdee, associate dean of Global Health Sciences, said the rising rate happened when the U.S.-Mexico border was closed to nonessential travel between March 2020 and November 2021. Strathdee noted that people in the U.S. travel to Mexico, often for long periods, to buy and use cheaper and more accessible drugs. She said the undiminished "drug tourism" drove it. Strathdee noted that viruses do not require passports to spread, adding that "walls" do not keep out infectious diseases. She then went on to say that there is a need to boost HIV prevention efforts on both sides of the border. READ NEXT: Mexican National Guard Troops to Be Deployed in Cancun, Other Popular Resorts in Mexico As Violence Rises HIV Outbreak in Tijuana, Mexico For years, HIV incidence in Tijuana, Mexico had been stable or declining, partly due to a multi-million dollar effort by the Global Fund for HIV, according to Medical Express. However, that funding reportedly ended in 2013. Some Mexican government funding to community-based groups that provide HIV services to marginalized populations was also reduced in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 also diverted more funds away from HIV prevention and treatment efforts. Gudelia Rangel, a co-director of this study and a researcher at El Colegio de la Frontera Norte and U.S.-Mexico Border Health Commission, noted that it is vital to understand that public health issues like this are "binational in nature." Rangel said viruses do not stay in one place, so there is a need to work closely with partners on both sides of the border to find enough resources. The researchers said the findings highlight the urgency of restoring and expanding efforts on the matter, such as mobile needle exchange programs and greater access to health services and medicines that can significantly reduce the chances of HIV infection for persons at high risk. Drug Tourism in Mexico Drug tourism in Mexico has also brought drug cartels to tourist spots in the country, with dealers arriving at the beachside resort outside Cancun last month. Violence had started in the tourist spots, with shootings between rival drug cartels emerging. According to Washington Post, one security footage shows attackers running from the beach toward the $400-a-night hotel while tourists in bathing suits were trying to take cover in hallways. Lucio Hernandez Gutierrez, the security chief for Mexico's Quintana Roo state, said the main reason the cartels are swarming tourist spots is because of the large demand for drugs, especially among travelers. The security chief added that it was a "very difficult thing to stop." In October, a German and Indian tourist was killed by gunmen in Tulum. The following month, a shooting occurred at the Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun, leaving two cartel members dead. READ MORE: Armed Men Stormed Cancun Resort As Tourists and Staff Take Shelter; Shooters Suspected Drug Dealers in Mexico This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: Tourists Flee From Gunfight At Mexican Luxury Resort - From TODAY A federal court in Oakland, California recently restored Endangered Species Act protections for the gray wolf after they were eliminated by the Trump administration in 2020. The ruling orders the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to resume recovery efforts for the imperiled species. The decision redesignates the gray wolf as a species threatened with extinction in the lower 48 states with the exception of the Northern Rockies population (map), for which wolf protections were removed by Congress in 2011. READ NEXT: Mexican Gray Wolves Killed in New Mexico After Permission from Authorities, Ranchers and Conservatives React The most recent data from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and its state partners show only an estimated 132 wolves in Washington state, 173 in Oregon (with only 19 outside of northeastern Oregon), and fewer than about 20 in California. Nevada, Utah, and Colorado have had a few wolf sightings over the past three years, but wolves remain functionally absent from their historical habitat in these states. In 2020, Colorado voters directed the state to reintroduce wolves by 2023. "The science is clear that gray wolves have not yet recovered in the western U.S. By design, the Endangered Species Act does not provide the federal government the discretion to forsake western wolf recovery in some regions due to progress in other parts of the country," said Kelly Nokes, Western Environmental Law Center attorney. "Today's (Thursday) decision will bolster recovery of western wolves - a keystone species wherever they exist - and improve ecosystem health more broadly." From the decision: "...the Service did not adequately consider threats to wolves outside of these core populations. Instead, the Service avoids analyzing these wolves by concluding, with little explanation or analysis, that wolves outside of the core populations are not necessary to the recovery of the species... In so concluding, the Service avoided assessing the impact of delisting on these wolves." Opinion at 11. In delisting wolves, the Service ignored the science showing they are not recovered in the West. The Service concluded that because in its belief there are sufficient wolves in the Great Lakes states, it did not matter that wolves in the western U.S. are not yet recovered. The Endangered Species Act demands more, including restoring the species in the ample suitable habitats afforded by the wild public lands throughout the western U.S. Wolves are listed as endangered under state laws in Washington and California, and only occupy a small portion of available, suitable habitat in Oregon. "This ruling is a huge win for wolves in states like California, Oregon, and Utah where they have yet to achieve stable, robust populations," said Erik Molvar, a wildlife biologist and executive director with Western Watersheds Project. "We are relieved to have staved off premature delisting with this case, but there is still a huge amount of work ahead to protect wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming where they face some of their biggest threats." "The nation has witnessed the brutality that happens when 'management' of wolves is returned to anti-wolf states like Montana and Idaho, which have implemented an aggressive eradication agenda, including surrounding Yellowstone National Park," said Lindsay Larris, Wildlife Program director at WildEarth Guardians. "Restoring federal Endangered Species Act protections for wolves is essential to their recovery throughout their historic range, so while we are thankful for this ruling we also call on Secretary Deb Haaland to issue emergency relisting protections for the Northern Rockies wolf population to halt the senseless slaughter taking place." The conservation groups have long been active on wolf recovery issues in the western U.S., including working with western states to develop science-based wolf management plans, mounting cases to rein in rogue federal government wolf-killing programs, promoting recovery efforts in the Southwest for critically imperiled Mexican gray wolves, and working with local governments and landowners to deploy non-lethal tools that prevent wolf-livestock conflicts. "Over the past two winters, we lost icons of wolf recovery when OR-7 and his mate OR-94 passed away in southern Oregon's Cascades. These two wolves represent the first generation of wolves in western Oregon in nearly a century," said Michael Dotson with the conservation group Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center based in southwest Oregon. "Delisting is premature and obviously politically driven." "Wolves are an integral part in the health and resilience of western ecosystems," said Adam Gebauer, Public Lands Program director at The Lands Council. "Local land managers, state wildlife offices and the federal government must work together and rely on science and not politics to ensure their recovery. Wolves are our allies in the conservation of wildlands." "Today's victory injects hope and resources into ongoing efforts to restore wolves across their historic range," said Bethany Cotton, conservation director for Cascadia Wildlands. "We look forward to engaging with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to ensure wolf management is guided by sound science, not prejudice." "The politically driven delisting of wolves in the Northern Rockies by Congress incorrectly included all of eastern Washington, east of US Highway 97. It was an arbitrary decision then and it still is today," said Timothy Coleman, director of Kettle Range Conservation Group and former member of the Washington state Wolf Advisory Group. "Eighty-five percent of wolves killed in Washington were from the Kettle River Range, where unfortunately the gray wolf is still at risk despite the court's excellent decision. And though Washington has kept state endangered species protections for wolves, that clearly provides little protection. Had wolves retained federal Endangered Species Act protection, entire wolf families would not have been slaughtered and could have dispersed into unoccupied areas of the state with excellent habitat such as southwest Washington, Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park," Coleman added. "California's wolves are just starting to return home," said Tom Wheeler, executive director at the Environmental Protection Information Center. "Today's (Thursday) decision means these animals will have the help of federal wildlife managers to establish a true foothold in their historic habitat in the state." "We must learn to coexist with gray wolves. These highly intelligent and social animals play a key role in balancing entire ecosystems," said Kimberly Baker of the Klamath Forest Alliance. "Federal protection is paramount to safeguarding this nation's rightful heritage." Unfortunately, the decision will do nothing to stop the ongoing slaughter of wolves in Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming-including surrounding Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park. These states removed wolves' endangered species protections via federal legislation. The current war on wolves in the northern Rockies shows the stark reality of what happens when "management" is turned over to states hostile to wolves. In just the past few months, at least 23 Yellowstone wolves-more than 20 percent of the park's entire wolf population-have been killed outside the park, causing widespread outrage and condemnation from Yellowstone National Park's supervisor, wolf researchers, and wildlife professionals. Hunters in Montana and Idaho can lure wolves out of Yellowstone with bait, strangle them with snares, and shoot them at night on private land. Both states have established wolf bounties and in Idaho it's legal to run down a wolf with ATVs and snowmobiles. While celebrating the positive ruling for wolves, the groups also call on the Biden administration to immediately issue emergency relisting protections for the Northern Rockies population of the gray wolf under the Endangered Species Act. The Coalition of Western Wildlife Advocates Involved in this Legal Challenge The coalition of western wildlife advocates involved in this legal challenge includes WildEarth Guardians, Western Watersheds Project, Cascadia Wildlands, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Environmental Protection Information Center (EPIC), The Lands Council, Wildlands Network, Klamath Forest Alliance, and Kettle Range Conservation Group, represented by the Western Environmental Law Center. READ MORE: Saving the Mexican Gray Wolf in the US Portland, TN (37148) Today Mostly cloudy early with thunderstorms developing later in the day. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 82F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms during the evening, then cloudy skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. A mercy plea from a Latvian famer who was caught in this country with cocaine worth 2.5m to have his jail sentence cut short so he can return to his homeland has been dismissed by the Court of Appeal. Dmitrijs Venskovics (45), with a Latvian address, was jailed for eight years after he pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the 36kg of cocaine for sale or supply on April 24, 2020, at Maxol service station at Stafffordstown, Donabate, Co Dublin. He later appealed the severity of the sentence imposed by Judge Martin Nolan in Nolan in November 2020. At the Court of Appeal Friday, February 11 Damien Colgan SC, for the appellant, said his client was given around 200 to place a number of boxes containing the drugs in his lorry and that he wasnt the person who would have made any serious financial gain from the contraband. Counsel added that the admissions his client had made on his arrest were of considerable assistance to gardai. Mr Colgan, however, conceded that the appeal against the eight-year term imposed on his client was being made on an ad misericordiam basis. He said his client, who doesnt speak English, suffers from a heart condition and was recently transferred from Mountjoy Prison to the Mater Hospital for treatment. He should have had a portion of the sentence suspended so he could get out of this country and get back home, Mr Colgan told the court, urging the judges to go the extra mile in respect of his client. In response, Karl Finnegan BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions, said the eight-year term was within the ambit of previous sentences handed down for similar offences. Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy, sitting with Mr Justice John Edwards, presiding, and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, said the court could find no error in principle by the sentencing judge. Noting that Mr Colgans had been candid in stating his grounds for appeal, Mr Justice McCarthy added that it was not a proper basis for quashing the original term. Previous evidence. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court was told that Venskovics had been a beef farmer in his native land but was working as a lorry driver when he was stopped by gardai. He began working as an international HGV driver because his farm wasnt making enough money for him to feed his family, the court was told. Venskovics informed arresting officers via an interpreter that a Russian male approached him and told him he would be paid between 150 and 200 to take a consignment of boxes in his lorry. He said he was told they contained cocaine and was given an Irish phone number to call when he had parked his vehicle at a certain location. Judge Martin Nolan said he was satisfied that Venskovics role was that of a transporter and he didn't own the drugs. Garda Redmond O'Leary told Karl Finnegan BL, prosecuting, that Venskovics was kept under surveillance following a garda tip off. Officers saw the boxes being moved from Venskovics vehicle to a Ford Transit van before they moved in to search both vehicles. Gda O'Leary said while Venskovics own lorry was being searched, 36kg of cocaine was discovered in the Ford Transit van, the majority of which had been hidden in a concealed compartment. Venskovics was arrested and admitted that he had collected the boxes but said he had never handled them. Gda O'Leary agreed with Dominic McGinn SC, defending, that neither his client's DNA nor fingerprints were found on the boxes. He accepted that Venskovics had nothing to connect him to wider criminality and was on the lowest rung of the ladder in the operation. Mr McGinn said that while Venskovics' role was that of transporter he was a vital cog in the big machine. Laois Gardai have appealed to the public for their help in tracking down thieves responsible for robberies in the past week. Laois Offaly Gardai made the appeal in a statement. "Portlaoise Gardai are investigating two burglaries in Rathmore, Stradbally and Ratheniska village on Wednesday evening February 9 last," they said. They appealed for help in tracking any suspicious cars or persons in the area particularly between the hours of 8 - 9.30pm. Any information should be given to the Detective Branch, Portlaoise Garda Station on 05786 74135. The Garda division took the opportunity took the opportunity warn local people about a rise in burglaries from homes. "We have seen an increase in Domestic Burglary over the past number of weeks. We continue to work with communities to prevent and detect these crimes. "Keeping the burglar out starts with keeping gates closed. An open gate is an invitation onto your property, but if a criminal has to climb over a gate or wall, they know that trespassing increases their chances of getting caught. "Turn on lights, use timer switches, lock all doors and use an alarm to deter burglars. Cash and jewellery remain the target, so dont keep large amounts of cash at home and consider a certified safe if you have expensive jewellery. "Weve seen during the pandemic that burglars dont generally target occupied properties, so making your home look like there is someone at home is a great deterrent. Smart home security devices such as video doorbells are a great tool for protecting your property when youre not around. "More affordable than traditional CCTV systems, they can be self-installed and ensure you can view a live feed from the camera through your smartphone even when youre not at home. More importantly they allow you to remotely speak with a caller, giving the impression someone is at home," concluded the statement. A young Offaly girl from has finally received an essential operation after waiting for 29 months. Rosie Mortensen, aged 7, from Shinrone suffers from Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus, which is a deteriorating condition. Her parents Jessie and Gareth say her condition deteriorated massively during the last two and a half years and she is confined to a wheelchair. Finally, Jessie had had enough and refused to take no for an answer. She took her daughter to Temple Street Children's Hospital and refused to leave until she got her operation. "Rosie and I went into Temple Street on Friday January 7," she told the Midland Tribune. "We were told in the Emergency Department that the surgeon wasn't there and we should go home, and make an appointment with him afterwards. I refused to leave. I told them I wasn't going anywhere until I could speak to the surgeon in person." The hospital relented and allowed mother and daughter to stay the night in Temple Street. The next day they met their surgeon in person, who was sympathetic and agreed that Rosie should be treated immediately. "He booked us in for an operation the following Monday," Jessie continued. "We prepared for that. Rosie fasted for 13 hours. She was in her gown and her legs were marked. And then the operation was postponed at the last minute. It was postponed to the following Friday. It was postponed again when Friday came around. Finally, on Monday January 24th Rosie got her operation." Mother and daughter had lived permanently in the hospital since January 7 until the operation was over and they could go home. The operation went successfully. It means that Rosie's quality of life will be improved. She will however remain wheelchair bound. She will attend Birr Nursing Unit regularly for physio treatment. Rosie is a popular pupil in Shinrone National School and she loves playing with her brother Charlie, who is 11 years of age. Her mother says Rosie loves baking and has a smile that would light up any room. Jessie and Rosie first met with a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon in early 2019. We met again with him in September 2019 and he told us that he hoped to carry out the surgery on Rosie in December 2019; but nothing came of that." She received a date for October 4th last but this was cancelled. The reasons given for cancellations were bed shortages because of the RSV virus and staff shortages because of Covid. Jessie and Gareth came together with other parents to form a group of parents of children with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. The group wrote a letter to the Minister for Health asking him to make some changes for our children. The group has the names and details of 56 children who are waiting for orthopaedic operations. The group has also been heavily publicising its cause in local and national media. The Consultant Paediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon Connor Green, who was Rosie's surgeon, spoke about what the government could do to ensure timely access to care. He said the process could be sped up by transferring children for elective surgery to Cappagh Hospital in Dublin. Rosie's condition was of a minor nature when it began three years ago, but it became more and more serious until both her hips came out of place and, because of Scoliosis, her spine became curved. In early 2019 her mother noticed some tightness in Rosie's legs following on from multiple fractures of her femurs. Rosie was born with Spina bifida and it's likely that she will always be a full time wheelchair user. Jessie said the 29 month delay and the repeated cancellation of operations was "extremely upsetting for both Rosie, ourselves and our families." Jessie called on the government to provide an ironclad, rapid and achievable solution for the 56 children who need interventive surgery. Many of these children", she commented, are too complex and cannot travel abroad for treatment. They cannot wait for the new children's hospital to be built as they will deteriorate much quicker than children without their condition and they need a solution now." Rosie's surgeon Connor Green and Professor McCormack stood before an Oireachtas health committee on November 11th and Mr Green told them that these waiting list numbers have always been there since before Covid and before the cyber attacks. He later said in an interview that the solution to this problem was quite simple - they have found space in Cappagh hospital which will only be used for elective procedures. The problem with Temple Street is that they are both acute and elective so if an orthopaedic emergency comes in when an elective procedure is planned the acute case will obviously take priority. That wouldn't happen in Cappagh and Mr Green reckons that will increase the amount of paediatric surgeries by 400% and has costed it at about 5.1 million, which is, in the grand scheme of things, a drop in the ocean. Co-founder of the Scoliosis Advocacy Network Claire Cahill said children are going to school in pain, and called on the country's leaders to take action on the issue. These children are also living with emotional distress while the experience also puts huge pressure on a family. Taoiseach Micheal Martin said the delays are not because of a lack of resources but are due to a systemic failure. The website www.sbhpag.com outlines the issues and focusses on some of the children. Thousands attend the first ever Laois Chamber Jobs fair in Laois and now the county's business group has launched new plans to follow up with an even more successful event. More than 2,000 people attended the inaugural Laois Jobs Fair to apply for new jobs being created in the midlands county. Hundreds of positions were on offer from more than 35 companies, when the event took place in February 2020 - just before the pandemic hit. The businesses with stands includd Glanbia Cheese, Supermacs, Greenfield Global , Imagine , Dawn Meats , Enva, CJ Sheeran and Fingleton White, offering diverse jobs in Engineering , Manufacturing, Marketing, HR, Logistics, Customer care, Healthcare, IT, and Hospitality, as well as positions in new media and languages. The new Supermacs Motorway Plaza in Portlaoise had 120 roles to fill on the day. There was a separate area for the new co-working hubs around Laois as well as interview rooms for jobseekers and employers alike. Staff from Solas, the governing body for apprenticeships in Ireland, also attended. The Laois Offaly Education Training Board was also represented. more below link. Now, Laois Chamber CEO, Caroline Hoffman, hopes to repeat the trick "Following the success of the 2020 Laois Jobs Fair, we are delighted to announce that the Laois Jobs Fair will be returning again this year," say the chamber. MORE BELOW LINK The event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12 2022 in the Midlands Park Hotel. If you are you interested in exhibiting or supporting the event, please free to e-mail caroline@laoischamber.ie or telephone the Laois Chamber HQ on 085-2566522 This year is turning out to be a bumper year for beauty buffs, with tons of new brands cropping up, and lots of long-awaited international launches finally landing on our shores. But which are worth a spot in your daily routine? From much-hyped make-up and skincare essentials, to swoon-worthy perfume and hair heroes, weve sussed out collections and products that are destined for cult status. Meet the new kids on the beauty block 1. Rare Beauty View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez (@rarebeauty) Pop star and actor Selena Gomez launched her make-up brand stateside back in 2020 and now its finally stocked on this side of the pond at Space NK. Hurrah! Rare Beauty is all about dewy, glowy skin. American fans have been raving about the Soft Pinch Liquid Blush, which comes in eight shades. Gomez says her fave is coral-toned Joy. 2. Rawr Beauty View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rawr Beauty (@rawrbeauty_) Trendy London nail salon Rawr has launched its first product range, bringing the brands cool and colourful aesthetic to beauty blenders, make-up brushes, nail accessories and hair tools. For all your blow-drying and hair-styling needs, we love the pink and purple brush and comb set. 3. Confessions of a Rebel Mariya Nurislamova, founder of American subscription service Scentbird, decided to create her own unisex perfume range, because she was bored of smelling the same old notes in mass-market scents. Now available in the UK for the first time, Confessions of a Rebel is aimed at fragrance fans who want something a bit different. With wonderfully different (and sometimes sweary) names, these attention-grabbing juices are joyfully unconventional. 4. 17 Much-loved make-up brand 17 was discontinued a few years ago, but now its back with a whole new attitude. Featuring a huge line-up of budget-friendly, youth-focused products (prices start at 2), the revamped range includes shimmery eyeshadows and bold lip glosses, as well as skin- and brow-perfecting essentials. 5. Bondi Sands Everyday Skincare View this post on Instagram A post shared by Everyday Skincare (@bondisandsskincare) Aussie tanning specialists Bondi Sands have branched out with sub-brand Everyday Skincare. Not just for tan-aholics, the debut 12-piece collection has everything you need to cleanse, exfoliate, moisturise and protect your skin. 6. Goodhabit With aesthetically pleasing packaging and formulas designed to protect against stressors, Goodhabit is targeted at the new generation of skintellectuals, who know what they want from their skincare. Powered by bakuchiol (a gentler alternative to retinol), the Rest + Reset Mask provides intense hydration, and protects against blue light from digital screens. 7. Dermanda View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dermanda SkinCare (@dermandaskincare) Founded by cosmetic pharmacist practitioner Awatif Mandour, luxury skincare brand Dermanda harnesses the latest technology in its active-packed serums. For a quick skin fix, the Hydrating & Firming sheet mask drenches your skin with hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory extracts. 8. Evolve Together View this post on Instagram A post shared by evolvetogether (@we_evolvetogether) Another American import, Evolve Together is best known for its fabric face coverings, which have been worn during the pandemic by just about every A-lister you can imagine, from Justin Bieber to Charlize Theron. The eco-friendly brand also has a fantastic body range, which includes gorgeously scented natural deodorants and hand creams, all housed in minimalist, sustainable packaging. Naas Racecourse stages an eight-race National Hunt card on Saturday, with 116 horses entered on what is currently described as soft ground. The first race gets underway at 1.05pm, with the eighth and final race at 5pm - find all the latest odds at My Betting Sites. Five are declared for the feature race of the afternoon, the BAA Ireland Limited Opera Hat Mares Chase - with the two-mile Listed contest due off at 4pm. Elimay, the JP McManus-owned eight-year-old won the race last year for Willie Mullins and is a warm favourite to defend her crown. She finished a half-length second in last years Mares Chase at Cheltenham, as well as boasting form behind subsequent Ryanair Chase winner Allaho. Her latest showing came in the form of a half-length second to Mount Ida and given her winning form at the track, she will prove hard to beat and is the 1/8 favourite to do so. Court Maid won two of her Chase starts last term and finished behind Supreme Novices Hurdle winner Klassical Dream back over hurdles on her latest appearance - although she still has a fair bit to find with Elimay. La Chanteuse, Thats Lifebouy and Caddy Shack make up the small field. The 1.40pm Irish EBF Auction Novice Hurdle - over 2m 3f - consists of nine runners, including four last-time out Maiden Hurdle winners. Henry de Bromheads Journey With Me beat the likes of Minella Crooner and Kilcruit at Leopardstown in December and was an impressive Bumper winner on his first start under rules. That form has been boosted since with Minella Crooner tasting Grade One success at the Dublin Racing Festival and Kilcruit winning a novice event. Hi Ho Phoenix was an impressive winner at Fairyhouse in December and on that run warrants major respect in this field. Another fascinating runner is the Stuart Crawford-trained OToole. The six-year-old was second in a competitive bumper at the Punchestown Festival last term and made the perfect start to life over hurdles at Downroyal in December. Crawford feels OToole could be the best horse is ever trained and he therefore warrants respect along with Pinkerton who is unbeaten in two starts under Rules, backing up a debut bumper success with victory at Thurles in January. Another small, but seemingly competitive field line up in the opening race of the afternoon - the Rated Novice Hurdle (1.05pm) over two miles. Ben Siegel comes here off the back of a run in the Grade One Spring Juvenile Hurdle at Leopardstown - with little shame in finishing behind Vauban and Fil Dor. Before that, the four-year-old ran away with a Punchestown Maiden Hurdle, beating Brazil - who could only manage sixth. Feigh finished second subsequent Black Type filly White Pepper at Fairyhouse last time out, whilst, Delante ran well on very soft ground in France and Ebasari was good on heavy ground at Cork and can be forgiven his latest run. 24 runners compete for the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle (3.25pm) which looks a very open race and preference goes to the two winners last time out, Uncle Gerhard and Whiskey Lullaby. Age is catching up with 14-year-old Josies Orders, but this huge step back in trip may just rejuvenate him and if he can dictate the pace, he looks an interesting each-way contenders in one of the most competitive races of the afternoon. Another horse to watch on the card is Billaway for Patrick and Willie Mullins in the Hunters Chase at 4.30pm. The 10-year-old already boasts course and distance winning form at this track and has finished second in the last two runnings of the Foxhunters Chase at the Cheltenham Festival. He is a current 9/2 chance for that event at Cheltenham in March and he seeks a confidence boosting victory here. Naas Selections 1.05pm Feigh 1.40pm Journey With Me 2.15pm Harald Hardrada 2.50pm A Fortune Out West 3.25pm Whiskey Lullaby 4.00pm Elimay 4.30pm Billaway 5.00pm El Capitaine The Friends of Kinlough Church of Ireland group has extended a sincere thanks to everyone who has supported their recent fundraising drive to restore and preserve the beautiful church for the congregation and local community. The campaign was officially launched last October, with 22,887 of their 25,000 target having been raised to date. The monies, in conjunction with a grant of 20,000 from Leitrim County Councils Historical Structure Fund 2021, will contribute to the most significant renovations of the church in living memory including the restoration the clock tower and the waterproofing of the churchs roof. The church, also known by its titular title of Rossinver Parish Church, is in the heart of Kinlough Village and was built in 1820. Joan Regan, treasurer of the Churchs Vestry committee, noted how the congregation has been humbled by the response to the campaign. We have received donations from our congregation, from our local community, from all across Leitrim and the northwest, and from much further afield. Many people from abroad were also in touch to record their familys connections to the church, while many local people also spoke about the place it holds in Kinloughs cultural, social, and built heritage. We are thrilled with the response and hope to hit our tally of 25,000 in time for the end of March. The Friends of Kinlough group has indicated their intention to broaden the churchs use as a community amenity. The beautiful building at the heart of the village and community lends itself well to musical performances and talks, while the grounds are currently used for dog shows and occasional car-boot-sales. A well-attended presentation on Leitrims and Sligos experiences of World War 1, featuring Ballinamore historian Padraig Griffin, author of Leitrim Echoes of the Great War, and Simone Hickey, an expert on Sligos war experiences, took place in the church before the annual Remembrance Service last November. A jazz concert planned for December was scuppered by public health restrictions but further gigs will take place in 2022. GoFundMe page All donations are still welcome at the GoFundMe page as the group hopes to hit their fundraising target of 25,000 by the end of March. Go to if youd like to contribute: https://gofund.me/ba0b8692 You can keep abreast of all planned activities on the Churchs Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ Church-of-Ireland-Kinlough -107754342889486/ THE price-tag on the long-awaited Abbeyfeale traffic management plan has now been put at 12.5m, up from the 4m originally estimated in 2018 when the plan was first drawn up. Abbeyfeale councillor Liam Galvin has hailed it as a Rolls Royce job and an opportunity that few towns in Ireland would get. He is optimistic that work can begin on the project by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Cllr Frances Foley, also based in Abbeyfeale, believes it will give the town a lift. We need this scheme, he said. The increased cost was revealed to councillors at this months meeting of the Newcastle West Municipal District by senior executive engineer with the council, Robert Gallagher who said a number of changes to the scheme had been made since 2018. It is an excellent scheme, he said. But the reality, he told councillors, was that the council could not fund the scheme on its own. Transport Infrastructure Ireland had given a commitment in principle of 6-7m, Mr Gallagher said, and he was also pleased to say that the National Transport Authority were also willing to co-fund. However, in order to eliminate any potential risks arising from the changes to the original plan Mr Gallagher was proposing a re-run" of the planning process. Our hope would be that would allow us to begin construction towards the end of this year, he said. I know it is later than we were expecting. We need to be sure our planning is in place, he said. The concern, he told councillors, was that somebody could claim they had not been given the opportunity to object to any changes made. That is the risk that is out there. We are assessing that risk, he said. The planning section, was currently working on a compliance report and on the basis of that report, the decision would be made. Getting through the original Part 8 planning process wasnt easy, Cllr John Sheahan said and he didnt think it would be good to open it up again. But he wanted to know the chronology of how the project would be undertaken. What I hear is a great vote of confidence in the town, Cllr Frances Foley said. The business people are anxious to get this scheme up and running. I cant see many objections. We need this scheme. He raised local concerns about the condition of Riordans pub, which was bought by the council and due to be demolished to make way for off-street parking. Could the demolition happen before the summer, he asked. Cllr Michael Collins voiced concerns about the increase in costs. How much was down to new additions and how much to increases in labour and material, he asked. Mr Gallagher said it had been agreed to go for a high quality scheme and they would be going for a fixed price lump-sum contract. There is a certain amount of robustness in that estimate, he said. It could come in cheaper. The work, he said, could take from 12 to 15 months. We are after going from a Mini to a Mercedes here, declared Cllr Liam Galvin There are very few towns in Ireland will ever get it. If a new Part 8 planning is required, he said, it needed to be explained to people that it was just a rubber stamp for what had already been agreed. YOUNG student historian Bridgin ODonnell will be heading to the Dail in the coming months, as part of a nationwide student competition to commemorate the centenary of the Treaty Debate. I am very pleased, said Bridgin, a TY student at Colaiste Ide agus Iosef in Abbeyfeale. I have a great interest in history, especially Irish history. The Treaty Debates Research Project Competition was an initiative of the Houses of the Oireachtas and students were invited to carry out a research project on one or more of the members of second Dail Eireann who took part in the Treaty Debates from December 14, 1921 to January 7, 1922. Bridgin chose Limerick City TD Michael Patrick Colivet for her project and was awarded the Senior Cycle prize for Munster. She made very good use of this local link and combined very good writing skills with interesting and relevant resources, the judges said. Born in Limerick in 1884, Michael Patrick Colivet was commander of the Irish Volunteers in Limerick at the time of the 1916 Rising. He was later arrested and jailed and shared a cell with Eamon de Valera in Lincoln Jail. He was elected as a Sinn Fein TD in 1918 for Limerick City while still in prison and was re-elected in May 1921. In the Treaty debates, Bridgin explained, he was anti-treaty. He didnt have much to say but what he did say was vital. She will present her findings to members of the Oireachtas and other invited guests later this year. Four fellow TY students are also happy winners of another competition aimed at students about the Future of Europe and will be heading to Brussels next month with their teacher Mary Walsh Foley. The four, Emma O' Keeffe, Anne Marie Curtin, Amy Foley and Lily Daly began their journey at a workshop organised by MEP Billy Kelliher in Limerick where a number of themes were discussed and they got to voice their opinions on how the EU could be improved. Some time later, when a competition was announced, the four decided to enter a project and selected four topics: EU enlargement, Irelands role in the EU, Climate Change and Health. They developed a website and a powerpoint presentation for each of their four topics. We thought that Ireland should be a leader in sustainable energy, such as hydroelectric power, explained Anne Marie Curtin from Tournafulla who has a particular interest in climate change. We also thought all public transport should be electric. Among other recommendations, the group also called for water refill stands in shops and elsewhere to reduce plastic. On health, Amy Foley explained, they argued that some countries have very good health systems and felt that if there was a Health Union, it would bring other countries up to standard. She also said the group argued for EU enlargement but the key to its success would be communication. They were, she continued, very pleased to be heading off to Brussels. We werent expecting to win. It was a bit of a shock. We only had four or five week to complete it. We put a huge amount of work into it and we were very happy with the finished product. THE AUCTIONEER for a house in County Limerick which recently sold for 730,00 has said if he had five more he would sell them too. Mountain View, Rochestown, Grange popped up on the Property Price Register in January. It went on the market last autumn with auctioneer, Joe Wheeler, striking a deal in just three weeks. The B3 energy-rated 5,600 square feet house has five en-suite bedrooms on the first floor with generous living space on the ground floor. Outside there is a stable block with an apartment overhead, double car-port, garage, and three stud railed paddocks. Mr Wheeler said there was strong interest and, in particular, from those with an equestrian background. It was just the right distance from town for a lot of people. They are in the country but less than 10 minutes from town. It was built to a very high standard back in 2006. It was a family member from the original builders that sold it, said Mr Wheeler, when contacted by the Limerick Leader. He would not be drawn on the new owners. All he would say is they are first-time buyers. There were five interested parties. It was keenly contested. All the parties had an interest in the paddocks and stables. We have two very disappointed underbidders. We would love to find something comparable for them, said Mr Wheeler. The problem is they are not there. There is a heap of people who would like to buy within the environs of the city but they are just not there. Good quality detached housing is very scarce, said Mr Wheeler, who raised his concerns in this regard a year ago in the Leader. Auctioneers are very worried about the volume of listings this year. The stuff isnt there. If I had five Mountain Views Id sell them, he said. Regarding the price of 730,000, Mr Wheeler said the house is over 5,000 square feet. In relative terms it was still actually good value because the replacement of this house would be around 1.2m, concluded Mr Wheeler. MINISTERS are urging Limerick residents to voice their concerns around local water quality in a series of open public meetings. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh OBrien TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan TD are making the calls. The meetings will be held around the country as part of the public consultation on the draft River Basin Management Plan. The Plan sets out an increased ambition for how water quality is managed in Ireland as well as impacts of climate change on our water and biodiversity. Minister O' Brien said that with renewed urgency, the plan can "make improvements to our water quality." The consultation is open and members of the public or interested parties can make submissions online or through the Local Authorities Water Programme (LAWPRO), until March 31. LAWPRO will hold 62 consultation meetings throughout the country over the next month. The meetings for Limerick residents will take place on Tuesday February 22, 2022, at 7.30pm for Limerick City, Adare and Castleconnell and Thursday February 24 at 7.30 pm for Limerick County, Cappamore, Kilmallock and NCW. At these virtual meetings, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from LAWPRO representatives on the factors affecting water quality in their local area. There will also be an opportunity for local stakeholders and members of the public to share their views on the Governments draft River Basin Management Plan. There are 4842 water bodies in Ireland, organised in 46 catchment areas and 54% of all waterbodies are considered to be at risk of not meeting Water Framework Directive objectives by 2027. Minister of State Malcolm Noonan said that by getting involved, members of the public will be helping to shape the overall management of Irelands rivers, lakes and streams. By working together, we can develop a pathway to achieve our environmental objectives and deliver the clean waters and healthy freshwater ecosystems that are vital for protecting public health, supporting economic growth and restoring aquatic biodiversity. INDIVIDUAL women and groups from all over West Limerick have joined with individuals and groups from around the world in saying no to violence against women. And their message has been demonstrated in a colourful public display in Newcastle West (pictured below), where over 5,000 handmade stars spell out the word Hope. The project was part of the One Million Stars To End Violence project established by Maryann Talia Pau, a Samoan- Australian artist in response to the rape and murder of Irish woman Jill Meagher in Melbourne in 2012. In the Samoan culture, the star is a symbol of light, hope and solidarity, explained Stefanie Jaeger of West Limerick Resources who helped bring the project to life in West Limerick in partnership with various other groups such as West Limerick Primary Health Care Project for Travellers, ADAPT Domestic Abuse Services and the Hunt Museum. The challenge of creating 5,000 stars was taken up with enthusiasm, and exceeded, she continued, with contributions from individuals and from members of the West Limerick Mental Health Association, Athea Craft Group, Deel Arts Askeaton, Adare Womens 2020 Club, Crafty Corner Newcastle West and the 11th Limerick Newcastle West Scouts (pictured). Star weavers have reported many positive benefits from participating in the project including meeting new people, learning a new skill, getting more involved within the community and reducing isolation through an increased sense of belonging, Ms Jaeger said. By practising kindness in our personal relationships, our workplaces and neighbourhoods we can create a more inclusive and safer world. One in five women in Ireland have been abused by a current or former partner and Covid-19 saw an increase in the levels of domestic abuse. Women from every cultural and social background can and do experience violence, Ms Jaeger pointed out. "The cause of domestic violence is the same in all communities: it is an issue of gender equality and abuse of power and control. The term domestic violence, she stressed, goes beyond physical violence and can also involve emotional abuse, the destruction of property, isolation from friends and family, threats to others including children, stalking, and control over access to money, personal items, food, transportation and the telephone. Anybody who needs advice or support on abuse can contact ADAPT Domestic Abuse Services helpline on 1800 200504 The Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Irish citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately. The updated advice comes as fears grow that Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an invasion in the coming days. Ireland will keep its embassy in Kyiv open with a small number of essential staff remaining. A department statement said: Following intensive consultations overnight and this morning with EU partners in Kyiv and Brussels, and with other partners, the Department of Foreign Affairs has upgraded travel advice for Ukraine. We advise against all travel to Ukraine and ask citizens currently in Ukraine to leave immediately by commercial means. The updated travel advice is at dfa.ie/travel. Any Irish citizens requiring emergency consular assistance should contact the Department of Foreign Affairs at +353 1 4082000. The statement continued: In common with the Embassies of partner states, the Embassy of Ireland in Kyiv will remain open, with a small number of essential staff remaining. That situation will be kept under review. The department has been in direct contact with all of those scheduled to travel to Ukraine for surrogacy purposes in recent days. The department will continue to provide support to each of these individuals and families with advice relevant to their particular situation. A woman holds a childs hand as they cross from Ukrainian government to pro-Russian separatist controlled territory in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine We remain in ongoing contact at senior level with EU partners, as well as the UK and the US, regarding the wider political and security situation in and around Ukraine. The updated advice came as US secretary of state Antony Blinken warned further aggression from Moscow would be met with a resolute, massive and united transatlantic response, during a call with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov. US President Joe Biden and Mr Putin are due to discuss the crisis by phone on Saturday, as the Pentagon orders an extra 3,000 troops to Poland to support allies. UK Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said an invasion could come at any time, while US national security adviser Jake Sullivan said an attack before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20 is a credible prospect. Western leaders have threatened Moscow with a damaging package of sanctions in the event of a further incursion into Ukrainian soil. If you are planning to watch a movies on TV over the coming week, we've got you covered. Film guru Ronan O'Meara has been scouring the schedules and has picked 17 to choose from. 20th Century Women: Saturday, BBC Two @ 11.10pm Three generations of women living in late 70's California attempt to school a young man in the ways of life. He's a stubborn one. But they are too, in ways that will put him to shame. Annette Bening is fantastic as the free spirited Dorothea and leads a stunner of a cast that includes Greta Gerwig, Elle Fanning and Billy Crudup in a beautiful and quietly affecting story that will resonate with a lot of viewers. The Hand That Rocks The Cradle: Saturday, 5Star @ 11.40pm Peyton's husband is dead and had his name deservedly ruined before his passing. But she loved him and she's angry and someone is going to pay. That someone being his ex-patient Claire. The early 90's were the time of home invasion thrillers and here's one of the more memorable ones due to a gleefully nasty turn from Rebecca De Morney as the woman scorned. Annabella Sciorra and Ernie Hudson do good work too. Suburbicon: Saturday, RTE 2 @ 11.50pm Suburbicon. The ideal picture postcard 1950's town. One family is trying to hide the secrets within their own walls while another family is trying the survive the black underbelly of perfection. George Clooney's take on a Coen Brothers script is undeniably messy but it's a darkly comic (in places) look at the horrible side of the American dream. Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Noah Jupe lead an interesting cast. The Conversation: Sunday, BBC Two @ 1am Harry's a surveillance expert and he's got a new job. But the work is getting to him and his paranoia is at an all time high due to past events. Francis Ford Coppola's 1974 thriller is a cracker. A post Watergate classic seeped in the pervading atmosphere of a broken country. Gene Hackman is spectacular as a man coming apart at the seams and the late John Cazale as his partner is as always magnificent. A nerve shredding watch. Mulholland Falls: Sunday, RTE One @ 1.15am Four LAPD detectives have their own ways of dealing with the criminals the courts seem intent on freeing everyday but when a broken body is found that's connected to one of them their unique crime fighting manner is threatened. This 1996 thriller owes a HUGE debt to the works of James Ellroy and it wasn't warmly received on release but it's punchy, stylish and atmospheric story deserves new eyes. Nick Nolte, Melanie Griffith and Chazz Palminteri lead an impressive cast. The Innocents: Sunday, Talking Pictures TV @ 11.50pm When she's hired into the position of governess in a country estate, a woman called Miss Giddens begins to suspect something ghoulish is menacing the children she's supposed to look after so she sets out to protect them. This lovely looking and intelligent horror is 61 years old and still creepy as hell, using the power of suggestion in a brilliantly effective manner. Deborah Kerr and Michael Redgrave do great work. Rafiki: Monday, Film4 @ 1.30am Two girls, Kena and Ziki, meet and fall in love despite their family differences. Unfortunately for them they live in Kenya, a country where their relationship could see them killed. A delightfully acted and poignant story that's full of empathy for it's leading characters, who are played by Samantha Mugatsia & Sheila Munyiva. Not surprisingly it's been banned in the country where it was made. Mama: Monday, The Horror Channel @ 9pm Two young girls are found living a feral existence deep in the woods and no one can figure out how they survived. They are placed in the custody of their uncle and his wife but they've brought something strange along with them. Something primordial. Mama might lay on the cliche thick but it's old fashioned scares and suspense really work and are far more potent than any blood and guts. Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier and Isabelle Nelisse all put in a fine shift. Beautiful Thing: Tuesday, Film4 @ 2am Jamie and Steven are classmates living side by side in the concrete hell of a south London housing complex. They are also in love with each other but 1990's London is rather intimidating for young men who felt different. A nice watch, sensitive and touching but with plenty of room for fun too. Glen Barry and Scott Neal perform solidly as the lads but it's Linda Henry as Jamie's mam Sandra who really shines. Eaten By Lions: Tuesday, BBC Two @ 11.15pm When their mother dies in a manner given away by the film title, half brothers Omar and Pete find themselves shunned by their racist in-laws so head across England to find Omar's real father. A trip easier said than done. Parts of this 2018 comedy drama are as broad as any Carry On film but it uses easy humour to get in well aimed digs at bigotry while espousing the wondrous upsides of diversity. Antonio Aakeel and Jack Carroll are a memorable double act. Out For Justice: Wednesday, TCM @ 9pm Classic 90's action time as Brooklyn cop Gino Fellino searches the city for the man who shot both his partner and an innocent bystander for seemingly no reason. A blunt battering ram of a film but one that is so so entertaining. Steven Seagal kicks ass in his inimitable way but the film belongs to William Forsythe as the main villain. He's just deadly as a sleazy, slavering, murderous slimeball who burns up the screen. BTW, this is the most pro-mafia film ever. 30 Days Of Night: Wednesday, The Horror Channel @ 10.50pm Vampires descend on a small Alaskan town that is engulfed in darkness for the winter months. Things get bad fast. A full blooded roar of a horror film. This is as far from Twilight as a vampire movie can get.Vicious, terrifying stuff. If you are easily freaked out don't apply but if you like your scares red raw and dripping you'll love this. Melissa George and Josh Hartnett are likable leads but Danny Huston in a wordless role owns the film. Life Is Sweet: Thursday, Film4 @ 1.20am Wendy and Andy, Natalie and Nicola, parents and daughters living a quiet life in a London suburb. Mike Leigh's drama from 1990 mightn't sound very exciting but his look into the minutiae of family life and their everyday interactions is thoroughly absorbing. There's no need for fake drama here and you'll no doubt recognise many of the highs and lows of what you see onscreen. Alison Steadman, Jim Broadbent, Claire Skinner and Jane Horricks are magic. Robin And Marian: Thursday, Great! Movies @ 4.50pm This different but enjoyable take on the legend of Robin Hood is a grand way to spend a Thursday evening. Set a few decades after the original story, Robin has returned from the Middle East crusade to renew his relationship with Maid Marian but things are just never that simple are they. Sean Connery & Audrey Hepburn are a wonderful pairing and lead a stacked cast that includes our own Richard Harris. The aul' romantics among ye will adore it. The Terminator: Thursday, ITV4 @ 10pm A killer robot from the future stalks a woman to kill her for reasons unknown. The synopsis of this film always sounds silly but it is one of the best action film's, no sorry, best film's ever made. It's just perfect. Lean. Not a second wasted. A masterclass in tension and action and economical storytelling. Linda Hamilton hits the spot as Sarah Connor but Arnold Schwarzenegger is the boss here. I'm so jealous of anyone who hasn't seen this. Vinyan: Friday, Film4 @ 1.30am A couple have lost their son in a tsunami and the psychological turmoil is tearing them apart until one day Jeanne thinks she sees him in the distance. She persuades her husband Paul to search with her. What they find is.....troubling. Vinyan is one of those films that's best gone into cold. It's not a fun watch, in fact it's pretty disturbing and in places quite explicit but it's definitely an interesting journey. Emmanuel Beart and Rufus Sewell make for a believable pair. Videodrome: Friday, The Horror Channel @ 10.50pm Body horror par excellence from the master hands of David Cronenberg. A sensation seeking TV channel scheduler acquires a new programme that affects him both physically and mentally. James Woods is powerful in a film that's tough to watch in places but it's one that will scare you, nauseate you and totally intrigue you. Topical too what with all the attention seeking, do anything to be famous drivel on TV nowadays. As always visit hamsandwichcinema.blogspot.com/ for more film and tv chat. US President Joe Biden will speak to Vladimir Putin on Saturday after the United States warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin in days. The US had dramatically raised the alarm over Ukraine on Friday, saying a Russian invasion starting with civilians caught under aerial bombing could begin in days and telling US citizens to leave within 48 hours. An attack by the more than 100,000 Russian troops currently massed next to Ukraine "could occur any day now," White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters in Washington. Dismissing speculation that the Kremlin would never trigger the crisis while the Beijing Olympics were still underway in close Russian ally China, Sullivan said such an attack "could occur" before the Games end on February 20. The scenario of an imminent attack is "a very, very distinct possibility," Sullivan added. While stressing that it was not yet known whether Russian President Vladimir Putin had taken a decision, saying "we can't predict the exact determination," Sullivan made clear the United States was bracing for the worst, including a "rapid assault" on the capital Kyiv. "If a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians," he said. "Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible, and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours." Sullivan spoke shortly after President Joe Biden and six European leaders, the heads of NATO and the European Union held talks on the worst crisis between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War. A US official said Biden would speak with Putin on Saturday, while the French government said that President Emmanuel Macron would also be calling the Russian leader on Saturday. Underlining the bleak outlook, a string of countries joined the exodus of diplomats and citizens from Ukraine, while oil prices surged and US equities tumbled. - Western, NATO unity - Sullivan repeated warnings that Russia risks severe Western sanctions and said that NATO, which Putin wants to push back from eastern Europe, is now "more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than any time in recent memory." The Pentagon announced it was sending 3,000 more troops to bolster ally Poland. And US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba in a phone call "that Ukraine continues to have the United States' enduring and steadfast support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity," the State Department said. Following the earlier group phone call between US and European leaders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's spokesman said "the aim is to prevent a war in Europe." But if Moscow fails to pull back, "the allies are determined to jointly take swift and deep sanctions against Russia." These sanctions would target the financial and energy sectors, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said. Sullivan spoke to der Leyen's chief of staff Bjoern Seibert by video call on Friday to coordinate "the details of a potential transatlantic response, including both financial sanctions and export controls," according to a White House statement. - Russia surrounding Ukraine - Russian naval forces and troops, including units brought in from all over the vast country, now surround Ukraine to the south, east and north. Russia, which denies any plan to attack Ukraine, already controls the Crimea territory seized in 2014 and supports separatist forces controlling Ukraine's Donbas region in the east. The Kremlin says its goal is to get NATO to agree to never give Ukraine membership and also to withdraw from eastern European countries already in the alliance, effectively carving Europe into Cold War-style spheres of influence. The United States and its European allies reject the demands, insisting that NATO poses no threat to Russia. Adding to tensions, large-scale Russian military drills were underway Friday with authoritarian ally Belarus, which lies just north of Kyiv and also borders the European Union. Russia's defense ministry said Friday it was also holding military exercises near Ukraine's border in the Black Sea. According to the head of Norway's military intelligence service, Russia is operationally ready to conduct a wide range of military operations in Ukraine and the Kremlin just needs to make the call. The top US general and his Russian counterpart talked Friday by phone, the Pentagon said, giving no details of the discussion. And the European Union said its non-essential staff should leave Ukraine, while Israel said families of its diplomats were being pulled out. Norway joined Britain in telling its nationals to leave. - Shuttle diplomacy - The growing alarm comes despite efforts at shuttle diplomacy by European officials. Macron visited both Moscow and Kyiv earlier this week and Scholz is expected to do the same in the coming days. Scholz will also hold his first in-person meeting with Putin in Moscow. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace was in Moscow Friday for rare talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu. He was accompanied by the UK's Chief of Defense Staff Tony Radakin, and the pair will also meet Russia's top army general Valery Gerasimov. About 150 U.S. troops from the Florida National Guard who have been in Ukraine to help train Ukrainian forces are leaving the country as the threat of a Russian invasion increases, the Pentagon said on Saturday. Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the decision, first reported by Reuters, was made out of an abundance of caution and was informed by the State Department's decision to withdraw some staff from the U.S. embassy in Kyiv. "This repositioning does not signify a change in our determination to support Ukraine's Armed Forces, but will provide flexibility in assuring allies and deterring aggression," Kirby said in a written statement. The trainers will be repositioned within Europe, he said, but it was not clear exactly where. It was also not immediately clear what will happen with the small number of U.S. special operations forces in the country, according to a U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity. Reuters reported on Friday that the Pentagon will send 3,000 additional troops to Poland as Russia held military exercises in Belarus and the Black Sea following the buildup of its forces near Ukraine. Australia, New Zealand, Germany and the Netherlands on Saturday joined countries urging their citizens to leave Ukraine. Washington said on Friday that a Russian invasion, likely beginning with an air assault, could occur at any time. Moscow has repeatedly disputed Washington's version of events, saying it has massed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border to maintain its own security against aggression by NATO allies. (Reporting by Idrees Ali; Editing by Daniel Wallis) This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed. Lockport, NY (14094) Today Cloudy with occasional rain in the afternoon. High around 65F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 48F. E winds shifting to N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. If you do not have a current print subscription to the Lodi News-Sentinel, but want to view unlimited articles for the month, please choose this option. A man charged with producing a false driving licence has been convicted and fined a total of 520 following an appearance at last weeks sitting of Longford District Court. Julio Da Silva 56 Thomond Hall, Ballymahon, was stopped by Gardai at Thomond Hall on March 5, 2021, at 12.45pm. His drivers licence or certificate of exemption was demanded of him and he brought Gardai to his house and handed them a Spanish licence. Man (30s) appears in court charged with string of alleged thefts in Longford town A man has appeared in court charged in connection to a string of alleged thefts in Longford town earlier this week. On inspection, the licence aroused the suspicion of Gardai and was seized. A forensic examination later confirmed it to be false and, when Mr Silva was questioned by Gardai, he confirmed it was not genuine. Mr Silva, who has no previous convictions, was charged with having no licence and producing a false licence. His solicitor, Mr John Quinn, told the court that his client didnt hide anything from Gardai when he was questioned. He was introduced to a man who charged him 400. He thought it was genuine and he felt he was hoodwinked, said Mr Quinn. Does he not know there are licensing authorities to go to? asked Judge Bernadette Owens. He did and hes going through his permit to get his licence now, Mr Quinn replied, adding that his client is a hardworking man from Brazil who is currently working at Kepak, Ballymahon, and is father to one child. Judge Owens fined Mr Silva 400 for producing a false licence and 120 for driving without a licence. A special ceremony is being held in the grounds of the former Sean Connolly Barracks on the evening of Thursday, February 17 to mark the centenary of the handover of the barracks to the IRA. The event is being organised by Longford County Library, Heritage and Archive Services as part of the Decade of Centenaries Programme. The ceremony which takes place at 5pm, will begin with an ecumenical prayer service in memory of all who served in the barracks. It will also include a brief talk with local historian Hugh Farrell on the handover. Members of the Peter Keenan Branch of the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel will participate and Lieutenant-Colonel Joseph Mullins, from the Transport School in The Curragh, will represent the Defence Forces. Finally, a plaque will be unveiled at the entrance of the barracks to mark the occasion. On February 17, 1922, the 13th Hussars, the last British Army unit to occupy the barracks, withdrew. Soon after, the IRA took charge of both the cavalry barracks and the artillery barracks, which was on the site of Pearse Park. This is a very important centenary. We are marking the end of the British military presence in Longford and the beginning of a new era when Irish troops were based in town, said Cllr Peggy Nolan, the Cathaoirleach of Longford County Council. It is also an opportunity to reflect on our great military tradition and show how proud we are of our local soldiers, she continued. Chief Executive Paddy Mahon added, We look forward to many more opportunities for Longford to mark and remember its rich local history during 2022 in a safe and appropriate way, as this Decade of Centenaries continues. All are welcome to attend this outdoor ceremony. For further information, call Longford Library on 043 33 41124. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a high-stakes telephone call as a tense world watched and worried that an invasion of Ukraine could begin within days. Before talking to Mr Biden, Mr Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made towards cooling down the tensions. In a sign that American officials were getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, and Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine. Tanks and armoured vehicles move at the training ground during the Union Courage-2022 Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus Russia has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighbouring Belarus, but denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. The timing of any possible Russian military action remained a key question. The US picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a US official familiar with the findings. The official would not say how definitive the intelligence was. The White House publicly underscored that the US does not know with certainty whether Mr Putin is committed to invasion. However, US officials said anew that Russias build-up of firepower near Ukraine has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. A Kremlin statement about the Putin-Macron call referred to provocative speculations about an allegedly planned Russian invasion of Ukraine. Russia has consistently denied that it plans military action against its neighbour. Ukrainians attend a rally in central Kyiv Mr Putin also complained in the call that the United States and Nato have not responded satisfactorily to Russian demands that Ukraine be prohibited from joining the military alliance and that Nato pull back forces from eastern Europe. Mr Bidens closely watched call with Mr Putin was conducted from Camp David, the White House said. Mr Biden has said the US military will not enter a war in Ukraine, but he has promised severe economic sanctions against Moscow, in concert with international allies. US secretary of state Anthony Blinken said he told his Russian counterpart on Saturday that further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive and united transatlantic response. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to project calm as he observed military exercises on Saturday near Crimea, the peninsula that Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014. We are not afraid, were without panic, all is under control, he said. US defence secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu also held telephone discussions on Saturday. UK troops that have been training the Ukrainian army also planned to leave the country. A Ukrainian serviceman in the Luhansk region of eastern Ukraine Germany, the Netherlands and Italy called on their citizens to leave as soon as possible. A State Department travel advisory on Saturday said most American staff at the Kyiv embassy have been ordered to leave and other US citizens should depart the country as well. Further US-Russia tensions arose on Saturday when the Defence Ministry summoned the US embassys military attache after it said the navy detected an American submarine in Russian waters near the Kuril Islands in the Pacific. The submarine declined orders to leave, but departed after the navy used unspecified appropriate means, the ministry said. Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 US troops to Poland to reassure allies. Mr Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan said Americans in Ukraine should not expect the US military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Several Nato allies, including Britain, Canada, Norway and Denmark, also asked their citizens to leave Ukraine, as did non-Nato ally New Zealand. Mr Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. Soldiers train at the training ground in the Brest region during the Russia-Belarus military drills in Belarus Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action, he said, adding that Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine. Mr Sullivan said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv. Russia scoffed at the US talk of urgency. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favourite method of solving their own problems. Ms Zakharova said her country had optimised staffing at its own embassy in Kyiv in response to concerns about possible military actions from the Ukrainian side. In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that US officials say Russia has assembled along Ukraines eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week, Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. A Ukrainian tank moves during military drills close to Kharkiv, Ukraine Mr Sullivans stark warning accelerated the projected time frame for a potential invasion, which many analysts had believed was unlikely until after the Winter Olympics in China end on February 20. Mr Sullivan said the combination of a further Russian troop build-up on Ukraines borders and unspecified intelligence indicators have prompted the administration to warn that war could begin any time. We cant pinpoint the day at this point, and we cant pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility, he said. Mr Biden has bolstered the US military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on Natos eastern flank. The 3,000 additional soldiers ordered to Poland come on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The US army is also shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Russia is demanding that the West keep former Soviet countries out of Nato. It also wants Nato to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from eastern Europe demands flatly rejected by the West. Russian President Vladimir Putin wants the West to keep former Soviet countries out of Nato Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraines Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing the Crimean Peninsula and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed more than 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. Activate your all-inclusive access for print subscribers: Link your losaltosonline.com account to your print subscription here. Your account number is your one-line street address as printed on your newspaper use normal capitalization. Example: 138 Main St. When your current subscription expires later this year, you will be able to renew at losaltosonline.com/users/admin/service/purchase. If you have any trouble accessing your account or linking your subscription, our Subscription FAQ may have the answer you need. Contact howardb@latc.com or call him at (650) 397-5213 with any questions or to learn more. Ensure you get a print copy of the Loudoun Times-Mirror delivered weekly to your home or business! Complete online access is included with all print subscriptions purchased online. Plus, up to four other members of your household can share online access through this subscription with their own, individual linked accounts at no additional charge. (Are you a current advertiser? Ask your sales rep for our special advertiser rate code!) MANISTEE -- Manistee City Council could introduce a pair of amendments to the zoning ordinance during its next meeting. Earlier this month, the Manistee Planning Commission approved amending a portion of the zoning ordinance that pertains to viewshed. The amendment only clarifies language stating that viewsheds are not protected, it does not change or alter any existing rule, according to a memo from planning commission chair Mark Wittlieff to city council. City council members could introduce an ordinance for "text amendments to the zoning ordinance adding language addressing viewshed," according to the agenda. Two separate readings are required for ordinances. If introduced during the meeting, it could be adopted during the next regular meeting. An ordinance to consider the "text amendments to the zoning ordinance adding language addressing storm water and lot coverage" also could be introduced. "The waiver for lot coverage requirements, when no ill effects on storm water are present, allows for greater flexibility to developers when looking to create parking lots in Manistee.This also adds to the beautification of our city while mitigating negative impacts to the water surrounding us," reads another memo from Wittlieff. The language for this amendment also was approved by the planning commission. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in council chambers at Manistee City Hall. Other items on the agenda include: After approving the purchase of a plow truck and related equipment on Sept. 7 for $215,531, council could take action to enter into a four-year installment purchase contract for $169,000 with West Shore Bank, Truck & Trailer Specialties of Boyne Falls, Inc and D&K Truck Company to finance the purchase of the plow truck and related equipment. Council could introduce an ordinance to amend the city of Manistee's Codified Ordinances to add chapter 275 Neighborhood Restoration and Beautification Commission. Council members will consider action on a three-year collective bargaining agreement with the Command Officers Association of Michigan. Consideration of applications to the Historic District Commission and the Parks Commission. Tight Lines for Troops is making a comeback this year after the event was canceled for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic. If approved, the event will be held on May 20 and 21 at the public boat launch near First Street beach. A request has been made to hold the Run the Pier 5K Run/Walk from 7:30-11 p.m. on Aug. 13. The event -- which was first held in 2019 -- would start on Fifth Avenue and take participants to the North Pierhead Lighthosue at Fifth Avenue Beach and back. A report from Matt Biolette of Republic Services. A resolution of thanks for retiring Department of Public Works Administrative Assistant Kathie Boyle. City council's next study session is scheduled for 7 p.m. on March 8 at city hall with discussion on the economic development intake process. McAlester, OK (74501) Today Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 68F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early followed by scattered showers and thunderstorms later during the night. Low 57F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 40%. Meadville, PA (16335) Today Cloudy skies with periods of rain later in the day. High 66F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Showers and thunderstorms likely. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Meridian, MS (39302) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. Joe Welsh, director of Friends of Sinners, holds a plaque of the Gideons 300: Less is More Project that lists the amounts of the fundraiser since it started $20,351 in 2016, $13,929 in 2017, $39,967 in 2018, $35,610 in 2019, $12,779 in 2020 and $59,552 in 2021. Pictured with Welsh are current clients, from left, Douglas Dotson, Josh Biever, Brad Greenwell and Donnie Wooldridge. Pictured on the right are Austin White, Jordan Profitt, Franklin Ward and Jason Shirel. With the need for paramedics being felt across the nation, Owensboro Community Technical College has joined forces with the Daviess County Fire Department, Owensboro Fire Department and AMR Owensboro to create an accelerated program to train paramedics. Colter Tate, Owensboro Fire Department battalion chief, said the new one-year program offered through Owensboro Community Technical College officially launched in January 2022. The only students in it currently are employed by Owensboro Fire Department, Daviess County Fire Department and AMR Owensboro, Tate said. The course is being taught by instructors from those three agencies. Tate said the program features the exact same content of the traditional OCTC paramedic program that is taught over a period of 18 or 24 months, just condensed into 12 months. Brian Short, AMR Owensboro senior programmer, said students in the accelerated program are able to receive their certification in less time than the traditional paramedic program because they have eliminated all breaks typically associated with a college-level course. The normal program takes us 18 months, Short said. We have not condensed that. What we have done is we have taken away a lot of the breaks that a lot of the traditional colleges has. Ours runs straight through the full year. Short said he is hopeful the accelerated OCTC paramedic program will generate more first responders to serve Owensboro and Daviess County. Short said there is a very real nationwide shortage of paramedics, and AMR Owensboro started to see the trend even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020. It was starting to trend before, but I think the pandemic just pushed everything along a little faster, Short said. We are no different than any of the other medical fields that are experiencing shortages, as far as nursing and things like that. But you have high burnout rates in the medical field right now just because of the pandemic and I think that is just adding to the issue. According to an October 2021 letter to Congress, the American Ambulance Association, the nation is facing a crippling workforce shortage. A recent survey of 20,000 EMS employees across 258 organizations found that the average annual turnover for EMS agencies is between 20-30%. Statistics that high mean an ambulance service faces a 100% turnover over a four-year period. The pandemic exacerbated this shortage and highlighted our need to better understand the drivers of workforce turnover, the Congressional Letter said. You can look at the larger cities like Atlanta and Indianapolis; they currently are only able to staff half of the trucks that they need, Short said. We are not to that point yet, but we want to be proactive so that we do not get to that point. Tate said there are currently 11 students enrolled in the program, and they are all currently employed by Owensboro Fire Department, Daviess County Fire Department and AMR Owensboro. The course is being taught by instructors from those three agencies, he said. Tate said Owensboro Fire Department and Daviess County Fire Department do not require an individual to be a paramedic at the time they are hired. For the city of Owensboro, we will hire firefighters that have no firefighting training, no EMS training, Tate said. The paramedic (training) on top of the EMT training that we require all of our employees to have is just an extra for them; they are not required to do it. Tate said that while the Owensboro Fire Department currently has two open positions which have been posted to the city website for firefighters, the agency is not currently experiencing a staffing shortage. Not for us, it is not a staffing shortage, Tate said. We are in the process of becoming advance life support first response, similar to Daviess County Fire Department, and we are trying to build up the number of paramedics that we have by using our existing firefighter/EMTS, the ones that were interested in becoming paramedics, putting them through that program. In summer 2020, The New York Times coordinated a nationwide project to document the lives of Americans out of work because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study involved collaborating with 11 other local newsrooms around the U.S. The Messenger-Inquirer was the only newspaper from Kentucky in the collaboration. The resulting collection of stories was published Oct. 23, 2020, in the New York Times print edition and at nytimes.com/outofwork. The following list is the Messenger-Inquirer's local unemployment coverage from that time period; read more by clicking the "New York Times Project" header. Click on "Out Of Work In America" to go to the full FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 11, 2022 Contact: press@michigan.gov Gov. Whitmer Announces Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs Changing Name to Michigan Arts and Culture Council LANSING, Mich. - Gov. Gretchen Whitmer joined the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs to announce that the state's leading arts and culture agency is changing its name to the Michigan Arts and Culture Council (MACC) effective today. "For more than 30 years, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs has supported and nurtured Michigan's vibrant arts and culture-stimulating Michigan's economy, investing in communities, and enhancing quality of life," said Governor Whitmer. "The new name reflects the leadership role the Council plays in ensuring that every citizen and community in Michigan enjoys the civic, economic and educational benefits of arts and culture. The MACC will help us continue putting Michiganders first and building a state where every working family can thrive." "Arts and culture have a widespread impact on the economy and enrich the lives of all Michiganders," said Gretchen Gonzales Davidson, chair of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council. "As the MI Arts and Culture Council continues to work on our mission of supporting all zip codes in our great state, we want a name to be proud of. We are grateful to the Governor and her administration for their support and deep understanding of the arts and culture sector and the impact we have on our communities." The Michigan Arts and Culture Council, an agency within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, serves to encourage, develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Michigan. Through competitive grant programs, MACC encourages arts and culture organizations, cities and municipalities, educational institutions, and other nonprofit organizations to develop and facilitate an enriched environment of artistic, creative and cultural activity in Michigan.? In fiscal year 2021, MACC made a total of $9.1 million in 766 grant awards to arts and culture organizations in 72 of Michigan's 83 counties. Michigan's creative economy contributes nearly?89,000 jobs?in?more than 10,000 businesses, ultimately generating?more than $4.09 billion in wages?for Michiganders. "After years of knowing we needed to update our name, we are looking forward to moving ahead with a new name and soon, a new logo," said MACC Director Alison Watson. "Our name may have changed, but we are and will continue to be committed to ensuring that every citizen and every community in our great state enjoys the civic, economic and educational benefits of arts and culture." Arts and culture contribute powerfully to the vibrancy of Michigan cities and communities, creating great places to live, work, and visit, and destinations that attract talent and business investment. For example, with support from $215,649 in grant funds from MACC, the city of Holland is working collaboratively with local organizations, colleges, schools, and the private sector to enrich the quality of life for the residents through high-quality productions, educational programming, and a wide range of art exhibits and cultural events. "The support from MACC has been and continues to be a driving force for Holland and the Lakeshore area that we serve. We have been able to truly bring to life our mission of educating, engaging, and challenging the community through the arts," said Holland Area Arts Council Executive Director Lori Gramer. "In small communities like ours, collaboration is critical to creating a vibrant life. We are very grateful to the State's commitment to arts and culture." CultureSource, a member association for nonprofit arts and cultural organizations in Southeast Michigan, has received funding from MACC for operational support and also serves as a MACC Regional Regranting partner. Omari Rush, CultureSource executive director and immediate past chair of the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, said the new streamlined name more effectively represents MACC's efforts in championing arts and cultural organizations, initiatives, and artists throughout the state. "Although seemingly a small change, on behalf of the creative sector, I thank Governor Whitmer for acknowledging the opportunity to update the name of the Council to ensure that in all of its amazing work, it responsibly and respectfully makes artistic and cultural expression accessible to Michiganders statewide," Rush said. To learn more about the Michigan Arts and Culture Council, visit www.michigan.gov/arts. # # # About the Michigan Arts and Culture Council As the state's government's lead agency charged with developing arts and culture policy and grant-making, MACC recognizes the need for, and seeks out, a wide variety of public and private sector partners to help fulfill this mission to ensure that every citizen and community in Michigan enjoys the civic, economic and educational benefits of arts and culture. About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state's marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan's economy.?For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit?www.MichiganBusiness.org.?For Pure Michigan tourism information, your trip begins at?www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on:?Facebook,?Instagram,?LinkedIn, and?Twitter. When David Siev got the news the documentary he made about his family in his hometown of Bad Axe was named an official selection of the 2022 SXSW Film Festival, he was standing with his fiancee and producing partner underneath the big Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center in New York City in December. "I was, like, 'Wow, this is unreal,'" he said. His film, titled Bad Axe, is one of just eight selected for the festival's documentary film competition. The film will screen four times during the festival starting March 14, with an online screening on March 15. A promotional six-minute "sizzle reel" for the film features many familiar sights filmed during the summer of 2020, including Bad Axe Theater, downtown Bad Axe and a number of area businesses, as well as members of the Siev family, owners of Rachel's of Bad Axe. David's sister, Jaclyn, is one of the main subjects of the film, and the two recently sat down for a phone interview with the Tribune to talk about the documentary, their family and their hometown. David, who lives in New York, said he always wanted to share his family's story and specifically the story of his father, who came to the U.S. as a child from Cambodia to live out the American dream. When the COVID-19 pandemic started in March of 2020, he returned home to Bad Axe, and the situation provided the perfect opportunity to begin the journey of telling his family's story, he said. "The story unfolded in a natural way," David said. "With COVID and with (Black Lives Matter) and all the other crazy things that happened, it's kind of interesting that we were able to tell our story with the events that were going on around us." David had moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to pursue a career in filmmaking, working as an assistant and "just getting by," he said, and he would try to come home to Bad Axe to visit his family about once a month because they remained close even after he left Michigan. Returning home for visits became a little easier when he relocated to New York in 2019, and he has been splitting his time between Bad Axe and New York and LA ever since. "It's been kind of interesting living out of a suitcase for the past two years," he said. The Siev family moved to Bad Axe in 1998, and both David and Jaclyn would graduate from Bad Axe High School and later the University of Michigan. The siblings expressed their love for their hometown, describing how their family opened up the doughnut shop that would eventually become Rachel's of Bad Axe and the hard work it took to achieve that American dream. It was the closeness of their family and the opportunity afforded to them in Bad Axe that would make the dream a reality. "I would not have chosen any other place to grow up," David said. David and Jaclyn's mother, Rachel, is from the Upper Thumb, and after starting successful businesses in the metro Detroit area, Rachel and her husband, Chun, decided to move north to Bad Axe with their growing family. America represented more than just economic opportunity to their father, whose mother came with all six of her children to Michigan in 1979 after escaping the Cambodian genocide with the help of a church in Romeo. The genocide was the systematic persecution and murder of Cambodians by the Khmer Rouge, the Communist Party of the Cambodian state of Kampuchea, and its leader, Pol Pot. About 1.5 to 2 million people, or a quarter of Cambodia's population in 1975, were killed during a period lasting from 1975 to 1979. Chun's father was among the victims. "(My father) has a lot of memories," Jaclyn said. Considering what he experienced as a child, the instability resulting from the pandemic and civil unrest of 2020 had a profound effect on her father, she said. It's a subject that's addressed in the film. "My dad is someone who has seen what the power of hate and evil can do to people," Jaclyn said. "He knows how bad things can get." David pointed out that for most of 2020, none of us knew what was going to happen from week to week. He said an important part of the film touches on what it was like for someone like his father, with the traumatic things he experienced, and how his point of view was different than the average person's perspective. "Everything that happened (in 2020), we all kind of took our own experiences going into it," David said. Jaclyn, who lives in Bad Axe, said the film is ultimately about family, not about COVID or politics. "It's about achieving the American dream," she said. David first made his mark in the Asian American festival circuit with the debut of his award-winning short film, "Year Zero." The film would go on to win Best Narrative Short awards from the DC Asian Pacific American Film Festival, Vancouver Asian Film Festival, Manhattan International Film Festival, and several others. One of the film's executive producers is Jeff Tremaine, a director, screenwriter and producer best known for co-creating the MTV reality stunt show "Jackass" with Spike Jonze and Johnny Knoxville. Tremaine became something of a mentor to David. After moving to Los Angeles, David landed a job at Tremaine's production company, Gorilla Flicks, where he spent several years "finessing the art of guerrilla filmmaking." Described as "a jack-of-all-trades filmmaker," David holds producing, camera operating and consulting credits on films like "Bad Trip" with comedian Eric Andre and the rock and roll biopic "The Dirt." "I've had a rapport with Jeff for quite some time, starting as his assistant and eventually helping him produce his projects," he said. "So, it was neat that when I finally had a project I was directing, I was able to bring it to him and it wasn't even an ask. He just said, 'Let me know how I can help.'" David added the film wouldn't have been possible without the support of the Ford Foundation and the Center for Asian Americans in Media as well as supporters of a crowdfunding campaign, which included many members of the Huron County community. To watch the sizzle reel, visit www.badaxefilm.com. A data breach at Morley Companies in Saginaw is threatening the security of the personal information belonging to more than 521,000 current employees, former employees and various clients. "Morley has sent notification of this incident to potentially impacted individuals and has provided resources to assist them," the company said in a press release. The attack may have exposed names, home addresses, social security numbers, birth dates, client identification numbers, health insurance information, medical diagnostics and medical treatment information, according to the company. The data security incident prompted Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel to issue consumer protection reminders in a press release on Friday. While Morely's notification letters going to potentially affected individuals are legitimate, bad actors may take the opportunity to use the breach to access additional personal information, according to the Attorney General's Office. "Watch out for fraudulent emails, phone calls, and text messages seeking personal or banking information in connection to the Morley breach," Nessel said in the release. "As recipients of the notice will see in Morleys letter, the company will explain steps to take to protect the information, as well as access to free credit monitoring and identity theft protection services. If you receive other correspondence that asks you do to something like call a number to confirm your personal information, assume its a scam." The Attorney General's Office provides resources for consumers to review anytime on a variety of topics, including "Data Breaches: What to do Next Consumer Alert." Consumer complaints can also be filed online at the attorney general's website here. If you have questions, call 877-765-8388. MIDDLETOWN The city has set aside $50,000 to apply for a National Register Designation for the historic Beman Triangle, one of the first planned African American communities in Connecticut. The Middlesex County Historical Society, Wesleyan University, architects and other historians will collaborate on the ambitious project. The area was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Its named for the Beman family of abolitionists, including Jehiel Beman, who helped enslaved people escape via the Connecticut Freedom Trail. The new middle school also carries the name. The project will also include an update to the State Historic Preservation Office properties inventory list to make it more inclusive, municipal historian and historical society treasurer Deborah Shapiro said. The goal is to highlight the histories of traditionally marginalized societies. If you look at the listing, you wont find any obvious structures that are associated with underrepresented communities, historical society vice president and architectural historian Alain Munkittrick said. The state preservation office has a goal of retelling stories that were overlooked along the way, especially underrepresented communities, such as Native American tribes, he added. The area, first formed in the 1820s, is formally known as the Leveritt Beman Historic District and is already on the state Register of Historic Places. Middletown has a number of sites and districts on the list. The majority of the houses on Knowles Avenue, and Cross and Vine streets are owned by Wesleyan. They include four homes on Vine, which are part of the triangle. The college will also be partnering with Jesse Nasta, executive director of the Middlesex County Historical Society; former Wesleyan professor Sarah Croucher; and historical society board member Mardi Loman, the AME Zion Church historian. The freedom trail comprises approximately 130 sites, said Nasta, who is on the Board of Directors. Each sign has a shining lamp symbol referring to the Underground Railroad. In Middletown, the sign on Vine Street points south toward Wesleyan, however, the triangle has no signage. Thats expected to change if the designation is awarded, which will make it much easier for tourists and other visitors to find it, Nasta said. The triangle originally consisted of 11 lots, and there are now 22. The fact that several of the pre-Civil War homes are still standing and in good condition is remarkable, Nasta said. Munkittrick will conduct an evaluation of the houses, which he eventually hopes to study once students vacate them for the summer. He plans to take measurements and photographs as well as looking at the foundations to document whats there. We want to make sure there arent any more than five. We just dont know, Munkittrick said. There probably were more, but they were likely demolished, and others built in their place, he added. In many cases, smaller 19th-century houses were added onto pretty extensively such that there might be a portion of the older house within the newer house, Munkittrick said. That would be an exciting find that does happen occasionally. The Beman Triangle has two histories, Nasta said. The first century was an African-American neighborhood, and, the second, 40-year period during the 1920s to 60s was when it was occupied by working class white people, he added. Cross Street AME Zion Church, which was relocated a mile away to West Street, was on triangle until 2007. The congregation is as old as African-American property ownership at the area, Nasta said. One of the most significant discoveries during the 2013 archaeological dig led by former Wesleyan professor and archaeologist Sarah Crouch were glass medicine bottles, most of which were in pieces, Nasta said. The biggest takeaway was what medicine and healing looked like in the 1800s, he added. The bottles, some of which were intact, and other items were likely buried in pits because there was no trash service at the time, Nasta said. There are tons of broken glass, pottery, porcelain plates. The shards can be very revealing. The vials indicate there may have been some sort of pharmacy or apothecary there, Shapiro said. She will also be compiling a brochure with information on the area to promote positive stewardship of the structures. Once theyre done, the pamphlets will be given to students who live there. As part of the application process, Shapiro will conduct a title search of all the properties, one of which is privately owned. We have to figure how it all got divided up, who purchased them over the years; what part people played in the history of town, she said. Adding the residences to the citys record of general history, and that of New England, will indicate how unique the area is, Shapiro explained. The designation would clear the path for the area to qualify for preservation-related funding in the future, Munkittrick said. That cache could help to open that door. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) The U.S. says it will open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, laying out in unusually blunt terms a plan to increase its influence in the South Pacific nation before China becomes strongly embedded. The reasoning was explained in a State Department notification to Congress that was obtained by The Associated Press. The plan was confirmed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a visit to Fiji Saturday on a Pacific tour that began in Australia. Blinken left Fiji late in the evening bound for Hawaii, where he will host the foreign ministers from Japan and South Korea to discuss the threat posed by North Korea, amid rising concerns over its recent missile tests. The State Department said Solomon Islanders cherished their history with Americans on the battlefields of World War II, but that the U.S. was in danger of losing its preferential ties as China aggressively seeks to engage elite politicians and business people in the Solomon Islands. The move comes after rioting rocked the nation of 700,000 in November. The riots grew from a peaceful protest and highlighted long-simmering regional rivalries, economic problems and concerns about the countrys increasing links with China, after it switched allegiance from the self-ruled island of Taiwan to Beijing three years ago. Rioters set fire to buildings and looted stores. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare survived a no-confidence vote the following month, telling lawmakers in a fiery 90-minute speech that hed done nothing wrong and would not bow down to the forces of evil or to Taiwans agents. The U.S. previously operated an embassy in the Solomons for five years before closing it in 1993. Since then, U.S. diplomats from neighboring Papua New Guinea have been accredited to the Solomons, which has a U.S. consular agency. The embassy announcement fits with a new Biden administration strategy for the Indo-Pacific that was announced Friday and emphasizes building partnerships with allies in the region as a way to counter China's growing influence and ambitions. In its notification to Congress, the State Department said China had been utilizing a familiar pattern of extravagant promises, prospective costly infrastructure loans, and potentially dangerous debt levels, when engaging with political and business leaders from the Solomon Islands. The United States has a strategic interest in enhancing our political, economic, and commercial relationship with Solomon Islands, the largest Pacific Island nation without a U.S. Embassy, the State Department wrote. The State Department said it didn't expect to build a new embassy immediately but would at first lease space at an initial set-up cost of $12.4 million. The embassy would be located in the capital, Honiara, and would start small, with two U.S. employees and about five local staff. The State Department said the Peace Corps was planning to reopen an office in the Solomon Islands and have its volunteers serve there, and that several U.S. agencies were establishing government positions with portfolios in the Solomons. The Department needs to be part of this increased U.S. presence, rather than remaining a remote player, it wrote. During his visit to Fiji, Blinken met with Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and other Pacific leaders to talk about regional issues, especially the existential risk posed by climate change. It was the first visit by a U.S. secretary of state to Fiji since 1985. Sayed-Khaiyum said he welcomed the renewed U.S. engagement in the region and President Joe Bidens move last year to rejoin the Paris Agreement. He said that in the past, Pacific island nations had sometimes felt overlooked by larger nations as flyover countries. Small dots spotted from plane windows of leaders, en route to meetings where they spoke about us rather than with us, if they spoke of us at all, he said. Blinken and the Pacific leaders also spoke about the coronavirus pandemic and disaster assistance. But looming over the visit were the increasing tensions in Ukraine. We continue to see very, very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving around Ukraines borders, Blinken said. Blinken visited Fiji after leaving the Australian city of Melbourne, where he had a meeting with his counterparts from Australia, India and Japan. The four nations form the so-called Quad, a bloc of Indo-Pacific democracies that was created to counter Chinas regional influence. ___ Associated Press Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. U.S. troops in Ukraine are pulling out as U.S. officials are growing increasingly concerned of an impending Russian invasion. 160 Florida National Guard soldiers, the only known U.S. troops in the country, are being repositioned elsewhere in Europe, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement released Saturday morning. Those troops, assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, were a part of a previously planned training mission with Ukrainian forces, mostly operating far from the country's border where Russian President Vladimir Putin has amassed some 130,000 troops. U.S. troops from different units have been rotating to train Ukraine's military since 2015, with the Florida soldiers arriving in November as Russian forces were amassing. Read Next: Army Zeroing In on New Ways to Measure Body Fat that Could Kill the Tape Test Biden has pledged that U.S. troops will not fight in Ukraine, which is not a member of NATO. But the news comes as thousands of U.S. soldiers, alongside troops from other European powers including the United Kingdom and France, mobilize to bolster NATO's eastern flank. The Biden administration continues to escalate its warning about the likelihood of war. A senior State Department official told reporters Saturday that it is "past time" for Americans to leave Ukraine, saying routine embassy services, such as help with passports, in Kyiv will be suspended on Sunday as key personnel evacuate. "It appears increasingly likely this situation is heading toward active conflict...there are limits of what we can do in a war zone," the senior State Department official told reporters. On Friday, President Joe Biden ordered an additional 3,000 paratroopers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina to Poland. Those forces, along with the original 1,700 mobilized earlier this month, are expected to be in place within a few days. Roughly 1,000 U.S. troops with the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, a Stryker squadron based out of Germany, are in the midst of deploying to Romania. -- Steve Beynon can be reached at Steve.Beynon@military.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevenBeynon. Related: Thousands More US Troops Heading to Europe as Threat of Russian Invasion of Ukraine Grows How to use the mindat.org media viewer Click/touch this help panel to close it. Welcome to the mindat.org media viewer. Here is a quick guide to some of the options available to you. Different controls are available depending on the type of media being shown (photo, video, animation, 3d image) Controls - all media types Zoom in and out of media using your mousewheel or with a two-finger 'resize' action on a touch device. 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Nana Kottens 12.02.2022 LISTEN The Call Girl song by US-based Ghanaian superstar, Nana Kottens is expected to herald this years Valentines day celebration due to its resonance with the youth. Released a couple of months ago under the Sound Lions Records (SLR) and doing great on most musical charts in Ghana, the Call song which has elements of love and humanity has already been reverberating the airwaves both in Ghana and the United States. The song, which music video was released ostensibly as a tribute song for Valentine Day is expected to become a cynosure on the Day in terms of DJs play list and air-play. Noted for releasing tribute songs for international celebration as he did last two years with Mothers Day Celebration with Mama Don't Give up the Ghanaian American Superstar is optimistic that the music will take a semblance of a thriller in Manilla for Vals Day enthusiasts. Nana Kottens's Call Girl Music Video The long-awaited Call Girl music video by Nana Kottens, is now blazing on vevo, boom play and other channels, chalking an unprecedented feat that culminated into massive views in just 7 days after it was released. The colorful and scintillating production, interspersed with creative casts makes the music video a must watch one. It was therefore not surprising when the music video attracted so much views within a short moment, making it the most sought music video in recent times. With its current performance on the aforementioned channels, the Call Girl video is expected to hit an all-time crescendo, permeating in all facets of life. The Call Girl song whose instrumental was produced by 2x Platinum hit producer, Isaiah Darty aka Zero the Composer and Nana Kottens, was recorded, mixed and mastered by Sound Engineer Carey Goodspeed at Azmyth Recording studio, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA with Bradon Strode serving as a contributing sound Engineer. Written and produced by Nana Kottens ft. Lowekey, the music video reflects a story of people who invariably are quick to judge persons by their appearance and spreading fake news about them without recourse to the pain inflicted on them by that stereotyping. Contrary to how the Call Girl music video depicts, the motivation more importantly is to shed light on those false accusations or wrongful judgement against innocent persons. The Call Girl song has nothing to do with call girls, Nana Kottens told senaradioonline.com in an exclusive interview. The inroads the Call Girl is currently making is hinged on yet another successful song, Mama Dont Give Up which Nana Kottens released as a tribute song for the celebration of Mothers Day in 2021. Officially premiered on 4th February 2022 on Vevo, the Call Girl music Video is expected to take the music video space by storm owing to its quality and the serenading lyrics that throws music lovers into frenzy. Born, Lewis Nana Kofi Antwi, Nana Kottens has to his credit Mama Don't Give Up, Odo and the latest banger Call Girl. Source:www.senaradioonline.com Throw a glance at your social media during the Face of Ghana Youth Awards 2022 and youll probably notice the voluminous hair, dripping evening gowns, and a constant supply of super fit, beautiful women and men who graced the Accra Metropolitan Assembly Headquarters' Conference Centre. You may even engage in the age-old stereotype of brains or beauty, scroll past the social channels, and assume thats all these women have to offer but look closely, though, and the diversity, charisma, and intelligence exuded by the audience and especially women who outnumbered the male audience, is undeniable. The audience boasts seriously impressive backgrounds and career goals, and many have a lot to say about women in business and leadership roles, and about female empowerment, in general. NebuzzAfrica.com was backstage all weekend long to talk with the women, including the crowned winner, Miss Owusuwah Asamoah, a nutritionist with the Achimota Hospital in Accra. On Youth Empowerment and Entrepreneurship Miss Owusuwah Asamoah, who just graduated from the University of Ghana with a degree in consumer science, argues that contrary to popular belief, pageants help propel women and their communities further. Organizations like Miss Legacy Ghana are a great stepping stone in womens rights, equality and empowerment because it provides an opportunity for women to impact the entire world through our platforms in every way we can, she told NetbuzzAfrica.com. Even the contestants who have not been crowned Miss Legacy Ghana or Miss Ghana understand we have a responsibility to go back and change our homes and create more opportunities. "We need women at all levels, including the top, to change the dynamic, reshape the conversation and make sure women's voices are heard and heeded, not overlooked and ignored," she added. Although she's likely to support women empowerment, Owusuwah Asamoah will now focus on her platform to promote youth entrepreneurship and offer support and training to several youths in Ghana. She told NetbuzzAfrica.com that she now plans to focus on championing youth entrepreneurship in Ghana as well as propel her platform to raise funds to support these entrepreneurs and young people to grow their businesses and become successful. "We are on a mission to catalyze youth entrepreneurship and wealth creation across Ghana to create jobs and generate revenue." "I think every youth deserves to be equipped with skills that will enable them to be independent and self-sufficient especially in these times where job security is not promised." "Now it's my time to make a difference in society and reduce the unemployment situation." "Every single day I'm going to do my best to inspire people," she added. "Given the chance, women like me can conquer anything in this world because we have the power to paint the future and are the masters of our own lives." "The world has started to celebrate womanhood beyond the narrow definition of beauty pageants. Lets also travel less celebrated entrepreneurial pathways," she concluded. The Face of Ghana Youth Awards this year honoured Ghanaian Youths on Saturday,5 February in Accra. The awards scheme seeks to empower and recognize hardworking individuals and groups championing the development and making meaningful impacts on Ghanas socio-economic growth. 100-year-old African American Osceola Lewis Fletcher was awarded with the Legion d'Honneur on Thursday for his "utmost example of bravery and courage," following the D-Day invasions in Normandy during World War II. In a ceremony at France's Manhattan consulate, General Consul Jeremie Robert presented the veteran with the Legion d'Honneur award, France's highest honor. Robert also highlighted the dedication of Black soldiers in World War II, even in the face of discrimination. Born on 16 January, 1922 to a poor Black family in Brooklyn, Fletcher joined the army at age 21, and served on supply missions on the beaches of Normandy, a week after the D-Day invasions of June 1944. The general consul explained that while Fletcher was offloading cargo, he was repeatedly cut by debris in the water, and that in a separate event, his boat was hit by a German missile, leaving him with a large gash in the head. Fletcher's testimony appears in the documentary Sixth of June, which looks back at the Normandy invasion and the unequal treatment suffered by Black soldiers after World War II. "You risked your life to liberate my country, France, and to liberate Europe from the Nazis," said Robert. "Men such as you saved millions of lives. You saved our country. You saved our freedom, and you saved our values." Fletcher, sitting in a wheel chair, briefly spoke to the audience, and said the French "helped us to rescue them ... they were fighters." Fletcher's daughter, Jacqueline Streets, said in remarks at the ceremony that her father "has always loved France, the country, the language and the people," and noted that during his time in World War II, "he felt respected, befriended and appreciated by the French people." Speaking in French, she thanked the general consul for presenting the honor, as well as for "having shown to America that Black lives have always had importance." Founded by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honor includes 92,000 civilian and military members, chosen for their "eminent merits" in service of the French nation. (with wires) Smoke rises from a building set on fire at the height of looting and violence in South Africa in July 2021. - Source: RAJESH JANTILALAFP via Getty Images 11.02.2022 LISTEN South African president Cyril Ramaphosa's 2022 state of the nation address underscored the problematic role that government agencies and others had played in state capture and the 2021 civil unrest . The unrest and looting that followed the arrest of former president Jacob Zuma for contempt of court sparked widespread violence and destruction of property, and resulted in the deaths of more than 350 people. Most of the violence took place in two economically important provinces KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng . Read more: Why have South Africans been on a looting rampage? Research offers insights The violence took place in the context of rising levels of crime and unrest related to poor service delivery, and deteriorating socioeconomic conditions in poorer households. These were exacerbated by COVID-19 lockdown regulations. The latest quarterly crime statistics showed that criminal offending has continued to increase. There's also been a growing sense of insecurity fuelled by a spate of attacks. At the beginning of the year there was an arson attack on parliament which left the building gutted. This was followed by attacks on other buildings of symbolic significance . In his speech, Ramaphosa emphasised the dire levels of poverty, inequality, and unemployment affecting many South Africans. He suggested these factors combined with the poor quality of intelligence and policing had contributed to the civil unrest in July 2021. Related to this, the ability of the police and the State Security Agency to keep South Africans safe had been compromised by state capture and political interference . Looking to the future, Ramaphosa indicated that government would pursue a new consensus with a view to developing a comprehensive social compact. This would involve extensive partnerships with the private sector to tackle the country's numerous socioeconomic and service delivery challenges. However, as the July 2021 unrest and looting graphically showed, crime and lawlessness can debilitate and destroy government efforts to facilitate and support economic growth. President's interventions Ramaphosa outlined a series of measures that the government would pursue in 2022 to address crime. These included leadership reforms within the security agencies, support for community policing forums and the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-based Violence and Femicide . The leadership changes are important, especially within the South African Police Service. The national police commissioner has been under a dark cloud for a number of years. He has shown unwillingness to cooperate with important investigations by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate . And police response to the handling of the civil unrest was viewed as lacklustre . Experts and civil society have for years been calling for leadership changes in the South African Police Service as well as the State Security Agency . The agency is tasked with flagging domestic and foreign threats, potential threats to national stability and the safety of the nation. The appointment of highly competent, unbiased, and experienced police and intelligence leaders would address some of the key institutional failings. But more would need to be done to address the issue of trust. A 2021 study by Afrobarometer, the independent pan-African surveys network, indicated that 73% of South Africans trusted the police a little or not at all. Only 26% trusted the police somewhat or a lot. By means of crude comparison a 2021 Organisation for European Economic Cooperation and Development survey of its member countries indicated that on average, 78% of populations trusted the police. Studies of police reform have emphasised the importance of leadership change as a contributing factor to improving public faith. A report of the Khayelitsha Commission on Inquiry into poor levels of policing in Khayelitsha, Cape Town's largest township, in 2014 pointed out that such trust was mostly built and sustained at the police station level. It also depended on police behaviour towards residents. This points to the importance of involving communities. The government has long been aware of the need for cooperation between police and communities in building trust. The South African Police Service Act in fact requires that the police service establish and cooperate with community policing forums in all policing precincts. The forums were envisaged as representative committees of communities mandated to promote communication and cooperation between the communities and the police. They'd also engage in joint problem-solving between civilians and the police. They were also meant to facilitate transparency and accountability of the police, and improve delivery of police services. My research (with other policing experts) has highlighted the important roles that community policing forums play in building and sustaining partnerships between the police and local communities. The forums were found to be undertaking a variety of positive actions that contributed to preventing crime and improving community safety. But their role has often been hamstrung. A parliamentary hearing on community police forums in 2019 identified numerous difficulties, especially in poorer areas. These included: inconsistent and often problematic ways members were elected a lack of office space at police stations to accommodate the forums inadequate support and funding misunderstandings about the mandate and role of the forums. It's encouraging that Ramaphosa highlighted the need to reinvigorate and support community policing forums. But considerably more resources and expertise will be required to make them more effective. This is particularly true in high crime areas. It was also encouraging that Ramaphosa specified that the government would continue to prioritise the scourge of gender-based violence . Studies show that the presidential plan on this issue, if properly implemented, could result in reductions in femicide and the physical, sexual and emotional abuse of women and girls in South Africa. The need to prioritise fighting crime I believe that the interventions set out by Ramaphosa will likely lead to an improvement in safety and security in South Africa. But there is a caveat: a more comprehensive approach is required if the country is to see a significant positive change. Fortunately, the government has been engaged in an intense process of developing an Integrated Crime and Violence Prevention Strategy over the past ten years. This strives for a whole of government and society approach to the problem of crime. It also clearly specifies the prevention roles and responsibilities of all levels of government. It is essential that this strategy be prioritised too. Guy Lamb is Commissioner with the National Planning Commission. By Guy Lamb, Criminologist / Lecturer, Stellenbosch University The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, says the arrest of broadcaster Bobie Ansah by the police on Thursday night is a diversionary tactic by government to shift focus on the campaign against the controversial E-levy. He said Bobie Ansahs arrest is the third of similar actions taken by the State security apparatus against persons campaigning strongly against the levy. Speaking at the Accra Central Police Station after visiting Mr. Ansah before he was granted bail, the NDC leader said it will not be distracted by such moves by the government. In the past 3 days after we decided to embark on this demonstration against the e-levy, you will see that all forms of machinations have been put in place. Within a period of 72 hours, Oheneba, the ASEPA boss and Bobie who are all in the forefront of the agitation against this E-levy have been arrested. We believe that this is one of the diversionary tactic and we are not going to allow this one to distract us at all, he said. Mr. Ofosu Ampofo called on supporters of the party to continue to agitate against the proposed levy and stand in solidarity with those arrested. I want to urge teeming supporters of the NDC and the other coalition partners to stand shoulder to shoulder and continue with the agitation against the E-levy because this one cannot divert us or intimidate us in any way. He further said the NDC will make available its lawyers to provide legal assistance to all those arrested. We are putting the party legal team at the disposal of all those people who are being intimated to ensure that they are given the necessary legal support, he said. The broadcaster was picked up at the entrance of Class Media Group shortly after 10:00 pm on Thursday, just when his programme, 'The Citizen Show' which airs daily had ended. According to the police's charge sheet, the broadcaster on January 1, 2022, accused the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and the Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia of granting themselves state lands at AU Village, around the Kotoka International Airport for the construction of [the] Rebecca Foundation. It said Mr. Ansah went on further to call the First Lady a thief and that she has stolen state land around the Kotoka International Airport, a statement he knew was likely to occasion the breach of the peace of the country. Police say Bobie Ansah was invited several times to assist in investigations but failed to honour the invitations. ---citinewsroom Upper West Regional Minister, Dr. Hafiz Bin Salih has expressed concern over the adulteration of fuel and the increasing cases of smuggling to neighboring countries. He stated that the region is not only notorious for the smuggling of agricultural inputs but petroleum products as well. The Minister, therefore, called on the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to increase the pace of supervision and monitoring in the region. Dr. Bin Salih made the statement when the NPA Chief Executive, Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid called on him in Wa. Our region is notorious for not smuggling agriculture inputs but petroleum products as well. I want to assure you as chairman of the REGSEC, we will liaise with you to bring this issue to an end. People have been complaining about the quality of fuel in the region. I believe strongly that most of the fuel operators adulterate their fuel. So, I will want people in charge of quality assurance to up their game and go round frequently," he stated. Dr. Abdul-Hamid was accompanied by some directors of the Authority on a five-day working tour of five regions,namely, Upper East, Northern, Upper West, Bono and Ashanti Regions. In his brief remarks, the Chief Executive assured the Regional Minister that recently the Authority has taken stringent measures against fuel adulteration. He said some industry players have been sanctioned with hefty fines for fuel adulteration. Others have had their retail outlets locked up. He added that the new measure the Authority will adopt is publishing the names of such defaulting players so that the consuming public can make better decisions. On the smuggling, the Director of Security and Intelligence of NPA, Alhaji Haruna Kamel outlined the measures his office has put in place together with the Regional Managers to fight the menace. He said with the assurance of support from the Regional Minister, the fight against smuggling will be strengthened. The NPA Chief Executive and his entourage later called on the Overlord of the Wa Traditional Area, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo IV. They also visited the Upper West Regional Police Commander and the staff of NPA in the region. Some 30 heads of state from around the globe participated in the One Ocean summit in Brest, France on Friday, committing to do more to protect the world's oceans from harm. Hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, ideas were presented for an international treaty to combat plastic pollution, protect the French Antarctic, and develop marine protected places on the high seas outside of any one country's jurisdiction, among others. 2022 will be a decisive year, we should take here, in Brest, clear and firm commitments () Europe has a key role to play," said Macron, who created the event to coordinate with other conferences throughout the year on the sea. Among those present at the one-day summit were European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, US climate envoy John Kerry, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose country will host COP27 on climate in November, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo of Sousa, who is hosting a UN oceans summit in Lisbon in June. A number of other heads of state, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, joined via videoconference or provided a video message during the event. The Macron presidency announced after the summit that the 27-member European Union and 16 other countries had formed a coalition to formulate a high seas protection agreement this year. In a joint statement, France and the US said they would support launching negotiations at the upcoming UN Environment Assembly on a global agreement to address the full lifecycle of plastics and promote a circular economy. Our mission to protect the ocean needs to be as big as our shared responsibility. That is why we have come to Brest today to join forces and turn the tide. Europe can make a huge contribution, as a maritime power, von der Leyen said. Macron also introduced a joint plan with the US to expand and protect the French Antarctic territories. It is the ocean that makes life on Earth possible, produces more than half of the oxygen that we breathe and even that is at risk () the ocean and climate are inextricably linked, they're one and the same," Kerry said. Macron also called for an end to government subsidies that are contributing to overfishing, a major theme already on the agenda at the World Trade Organization. Where are the fishermen? Some 150 demonstrators outside the One Ocean summit in the French port town of Brest spoke about blue washing the issues about oceans, and expressed their dismay at the lack of other actors who are integral to the oceans. "No fisherman is invited when scientists tell us that the biggest impact on biodiversity is overfishing," says Thibault Josse of the Pleine Mer association, a group that includes regular people and artisanal fishermen. Those outside the centre held up signs that read, "No to the looting of the seabed", and "Protection of the oceans at the height of Macron's hypocrisy". Groups that advocate for the protection of oceans are concerned that France is looking into exploring the mineral-rich seabed, which could have a negative impact on the underwater ecosystem. The exploration of the mineral resources of the ocean () must not disturb biodiversity," said French oceanographer Paul Treguer. General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia has stated that there has been a decline in the freedom of expression under the government of President Akufo-Addo. In a press statement on February 11, 2022, he disclosed that President Akufo-Addo was famous for his human rights activism on the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law when he was Attorney General. He said the President's current disposition is not only odd but not in good stance with whom he is known to be. According to him, since President Akufo-Addo took over power from the Mahama administration numerous attacks on media personalities have gone without closure of justice. There has been a sharp deterioration in the expression of the right to free speech under the Presidency of a personality whose claim to fame as a human rights activist, was his work on the Criminal Libel Law when he was an Attorney General. Recent events however, expose duplicity and hypocrisy in Mr. Akufo-Addo. In short President Akufo-Addo speaks from both sides of his mouth. He stated. He added that the arrest of four journalists who suffered brutalities from the police and in some cases unfair justice was wrong. In the last few weeks, four journalists have suffered police brutalities and in some cases unfair judicial conviction. Journalists are being cowed into silence through the atmosphere of oppression and harassment. It is the modus operandi of autocrats and despots to create an atmosphere of fear to silence the voice of opposition and free speech. In all these the police appear complicit, aiding the oppressors to hound citizens of Ghana. He wrote. He further added that the NDC found the continuous arrests of journalists as an attempt at instilling fear in those opposed to the E-levy and to bring down the high of the Yentua Demonstration held on February 10. Asiedu Nketia called on civil society groups and the society especially the Ghana Journalist Association (GJA) whose members he says are under siege to speak up against the blatant acts of regression being perpetuated against our young democracy. Read full statement below: Friday, 11th February, 2022 For Immediate Release: President Akufo Addo Must end the Attack on Free Expression Now The National Democratic Congress has observed with utter dismay, the calculated onslaught on media freedom and free speech by the Nana Akufo Addo government, which is increasingly showing dictatorial and autocratic tendencies. The past few weeks have seen a dramatic upsurge in the criminalization of free speech as well as an unbridled attack on the journalism profession. There has been sharp deterioration in the expression of the right to free speech under the Presidency of a personality whose claim to fame as a human rights activist, was his work on the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law when he was an Attorney General. Recent events however, exposes duplicity and hypocrisy Mr. Akufo Addos. In short President Akufo Addo speaks from both sides of his mouth. The nation is yet find answers to the barbaric murder of an investigative journalist, Mr. Ahmed Suale, following his expose of the involvement of the President and his Vice in the Kwesi Nyantekyi - bribery scandal. The peoples demand for justice has remained an illusion. In the last few weeks, four journalists have suffered police brutalities and in some cases unfair judicial conviction. Journalists are being cowed into silence through the atmosphere of oppression and harassment. It is the modus operandi of autocrats and despots to create an atmosphere of fear to silent the voice of opposition and free speech. In all these the police appear complicit, aiding the oppressors to hound citizens of Ghana. Last week a Media General Radio and TV presenter, Captain Smart was in a Rambo-style dragged into detention, after he had been granted bail by a court. Last Tuesday another radio presenter, Oheneba Boamah Bennie of Power Fm/TV XYZ was incarcerated for statements he allegedly made against the President. A civil society activist, Mr Mensah Thompson was arrested, detained, sent to court on criminal charges, granted bail and yet again detained all for being critical of President Akufo-Addo. Another radio presenter Mr Kwabena Bobie Ansah of Accra Fm, was last night arrested and detained in connection with a story of looting of state lands by Mrs. Rebecca Akufo Addo. We consider the escalation of arrests and harassments as an attempt by the Akufo Addo junta to put fear in Ghanaians opposed to e-levy and douse the impact of the massive Yentua Demonstration held in Accra yesterday. The NDC assures the despotic regime of Akufo Addo, that we shall not relent in our effort both within and outside Parliament to stop the introduction e-levy. We are deeply worried by the loud silence of the Moral Society, large section of Civil Society and rather surprisingly the Ghana Journalists Association, whose members are under siege. We take this opportunity to call on these groups to speak out against the blatant acts of repression being perpetrated against our young democracy. These groups should take note of the rising political instability in the sub-region and speak out now and not wait to until matters get out of hands before they host series of belated interventions and seminars on what went wrong. Signed Johnson Asiedu Nketiah General Secretary The embattled Assin North Member of Parliament, James Gyakye Quayson, has said he remains unfazed amid the legal wrangling over his citizenship. In a brief interaction with the press in Parliament, he said he was in very high spirits. He added, An innocent person has nothing to fear." When pressed by journalists about being served for court, Mr. Quayson remained tight-lipped. I am not going to any extent to own up any information to you. All I will say to you is that, the matter is in court. He insisted further that he is conducting his parliamentary duties for the time being. The embattled MP has been the subject of court action, with the issuance of a criminal summons against him in the course of the week. He is facing charges of deceit of public officer, forgery of passport or travel certificates, knowingly making a false statutory declaration, perjury and false declaration for office. The Central African Republic's army, accompanied by a Russian paramilitary group, sparked panic earlier this week in the center of the country which prompted some of the population to flee, a UN source in New York told AFP on Friday. The source, who requested to remain anonymous, added that a contingency of the UN peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) was "blocked" on their way to "investigate and ensure the protection of civilians." MINUSCA reported on Wednesday that it had "observed movements of Central African armed forces and other security personnel" around the town of Bria, heading toward the nearby villages of Mouka and Samo-Ouandja, the source told AFP. The UN uses the term "other security personnel" to refer to the hundreds of Russian paramilitary forces who fight alongside the army, and who have helped them over the past year push back rebels from their strongholds. Western countries as well as the UN have claimed that the paramilitary forces are "mercenaries" working for the Wagner group, a private security company based in Russia, which has been accused multiple times over the past few months of committing human rights violations against civilian populations. The presence of the military forces "triggered panic and fear among the civilian population, causing displacement," the UN source explained. On January 21, the UN launched an investigation into a mass killing near Bria in which 30 people were killed during a similar operation to Wednesday's actions by the Central African army and Russian paramilitary forces. At the end of 2020, a coalition of armed groups -- which at the time controlled nearly two thirds of the Central African Republic's territory -- launched an advance towards the capital Bangui, seeking to oust the president, Faustin Archange Touadera, just before the presidential election. Touadera narrowly won reelection and called on Moscow to send reinforcements for his fledgling army. Shortly after, hundreds of paramilitary forces arrived in the war-torn country, which the UN identified as Wagner combatants, but which Moscow has described as "non-armed instructors." Since then, the Central African army and their allies have taken back most of the country, pushing rebels out of the major cities and their primary footholds. The rebels frequently unleash guerilla assaults against the security forces as well as civilians. French counter-terrorism forces based in West Africa have killed ten suspected jihadists accused of involvement in a massacre of police officers in Burkina Faso last November. This Thursday, the French chief of defence staff said in a statement that the suspected jihadists were from a group affiliated to the radical Ansarul Islam movement that has carried out "numerous attacks against civilians" in northern Burkina Faso. They were believed to have been involved in an attack in which a total of 57 people were killed on 14 November, when several hundred men stormed a police base in Inata near the Malian border. November massacre The November attack was the deadliest to target security forces in Burkina Faso since the start of an Islamist insurgency in 2015. The ambush caused an outcry in Burkina, where many people accused the government of leaving under-equipped soldiers at the mercy of the extremist groups which have established themselves across West Africa in the past decade. This comes as mutinous soldiers overthrew the country's president Roch Marc Christian Kabore in January, citing what they called his inept handling of the insurgency, among other factors. However, many observers believe that jihadism is only a symptom of the institutional crises across the Sahel. State failure at the heart of Sahel insurgencies "The main issue is to do with governance," says Marc-Antoine Perouse de Montclos from France's Research Institute for Development. "Whether it's military governance or civilian governance, it is the issue of impunity and the lack of social justice," that are is at the root of the socio-political problems in the region. Since independence from France, "the main problem in the Sahel is not jihadist groups, it's not terrorism. It is the state, it is the army," Montclos asserts. The jihadist insurgency that has swept across the Sahel since 2012 is a symptom of the crisis and goes far beyond military intervention. France is in the process of redeploying its Operation Barkhane force, more than halving troops to around 2,500 and moving more assets to its military HQ in Niger. France has also been leading the drive for European Takuba special forces to work alongside local forces. French reporter Benjamin Roger was recently expelled from Mali. The country has suspended its program granting accreditations to journalists. Benjamin RogerTwitter 11.02.2022 LISTEN Malian authorities should ensure that bureaucratic obstacles do not prevent international journalists from entering the country and covering it freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday. On Monday, February 7, police officers in the capital, Bamako, arrested French national Benjamin Roger, a reporter at the privately owned news outlet Jeune Afrique, who had arrived in the country hours earlier on a flight from France, according to news reports, a statement by Jeune Afrique, and Roger, who spoke to CPJ in a phone interview. The officers took him to the Judicial Investigation Brigade, which transferred him to the border police, who revoked his entry visa and forced him to leave the country, according to those sources. Border authorities said he did not have the required accreditation to report from the country. Harbert Traore, a technical advisor for the Ministry of Communication, told CPJ in phone interviews Thursday and Friday that, at present, accreditation processes for journalists had been suspended, but accredited journalists already inside Mali could continue working. CPJ was referred to Traore for comment by two government officials. There is no renewal of accreditation and there is no accreditation. All are suspended momentarily, he said, adding that accreditations were stopped while authorities modernize the accreditation system. He declined to say exactly when that suspension went into effect or when it would end. Authorities in Mali should act swiftly to ensure foreign journalists can work freely and without gratuitous red tape, said Angela Quintal, CPJs Africa program coordinator. It is unacceptable for a country to simply refuse to grant accreditations to the press in the name of updating their bureaucratic processes. Traore told CPJ that foreign journalists must have accreditation to work in the country and to obtain visas, but did not respond directly when asked about the penalties for working without an accreditation. He called the current situation a little pause for foreign journalism in Mali. Previously, in late January, authorities announced plans to change the countrys accreditation process, according to reports. Traore said that authorities were creating a new platform allowing journalists to apply for accreditations online, and expected that the platform could be finalized in the coming days. He added that he was focused on accreditation issues and did not know who was responsible for Rogers expulsion. Roger told CPJ that officers questioned him at the Judicial Investigation Brigade office for about 10 minutes about his work, and that he told the officers he was covering the political situation in the country. Roger has recently covered politics across West Africa. Tensions between Mali and France have increased in recent weeks; on Monday, Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga accused France of promoting insecurity and division in the country, according to media reports. A journalist who previously covered Mali for a foreign news outlet, who requested anonymity for professional reasons, told CPJ on Thursday that gaining permission to work in the country had previously been relatively easy. The journalist said they were planning another reporting trip to the country, but the current uncertainty was giving them second thoughts. We are trying to get accreditation and not getting it at the moment, the journalist said. The Ghana Police Service has confirmed the arrest of FixTheCountry convener Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor for threatening to stage a coup in the country. Last week, the activist in a post on his social media page noted that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament after the E-Levy cake controversy. The Police on Friday, February 11, 2022, caused the arrest of Mr. Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor at the Kotoka International Airport. Mr. Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on a social media platform to the effect that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament, part of a statement from the police confirmed on Saturday. According to the Police, the post from Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana. The public has been cautioned to avoid making pronouncements that may lead to a breach of the peace of the country as such acts contravene the laws of the country. Below is the statement from the Police confirming the arrest of Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor: 12.02.2022 LISTEN FixTheCountry convener, Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor will be arraigned before a court on Monday, February 14, 2022, after his arrest for threatening to stage a coup in the country. The activist was arrested on Friday at the Kotoka International Airport for a post on social media where he declared that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament. Mr. Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on a social media platform to the effect that he would stage a coup himself if the E-Levy Bill is passed by Parliament. The post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic of Ghana, a Police statement issued on Saturday morning has said. The statement continues to confirm that Mr. Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor will be arraigned before court on Monday, 14th February, 2022. Meanwhile, the Ghanaian public is cautioned to avoid making comments that would go contrary to the laws of the country and potentially affect its peace. We continue to call on the good people of Ghana to avoid making pronouncements that may lead to a breach of the peace of the country as any such acts contravene the laws of the country, the Police statement signed by DCOP Kwesi Ofori who is Director-General, Public Affairs concludes. 12.02.2022 LISTEN The Executive Director of the Media Foundation For West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah believes the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) might be drifting away from promoting democracy, given the increasing spate of arrests of journalists in Ghana. I think increasingly we have a government that is becoming despotic rather than democratic, and that is not helpful, Mr. Braimah said on Eyewitness News. Mr. Braimah made these comments while sharing his thoughts on the arrest of Accra FM's Kwabena Bobie Ansah over the publication of false news and offensive conduct. He said the arrest was uncalled-for, as the accused persons had the option of resorting to the court to address their grievances. If someone has said something that is defamatory, what prevents the First Lady from going to court? What we are seeing is tantamount to reintroducing the criminal libel [law], he said. He was, however, quick to add that the recent development should serve as a reminder for media houses to adhere to ethical standards in the discharge of their duties. Media organizations must also recognise their responsibilities. Media owners should instil a sense of professionalism and discipline among those who practice. According to the facts of the case as presented by the police, Kwabena Bobie Ansah on January 1, 2022, accused the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia of giving themselves state lands at AU Village, around the Kotoka International Airport for the construction of Rebecca Foundation. Kwabena Bobie Ansah has been granted a GH50,000 bail with two sureties. The Kaneshie District Court, where the case was heard on Friday, February 11, 2022, adjourned to March 14, 2022. citinewsroom In the bleakest State of the Nation Address he has delivered in four years at the helm, President Cyril Ramaphosa says South Africans are engaged in a battle for the soul of their country. Ramaphosa warned that the economy, which was a parlous state even before it was dealt the hammer blow of the Covid-19 lockdown, will not recover if South Africans are not able to beat the corruption that has become endemic. The path you choose now will determine the path the nation takes for generations to come, he said. The president was speaking in the Cape Town city hall because the National Assembly was reduced to ashes by a fire earlier this year. Courage and resilience Ramaphosa displayed the optimism that so infuriates his critics, saying he was confident that South Africans will show the courage and resilience that have enabled them to survive seemingly hopeless situations before. Opposition parties, including the Democratic Alliance (DA), Inkatha Freedom Party and the rightwing Freedom Front said they had heard it all before. Once against Ramaphosa had shown a deft hand at analysing the problems of a country in recession with rampant corruption, security services unable to protect the people and record-breaking unemployment approaching 55 percent, they said Call to action They also issued a call to action, saying Ramaphosa had to implement the corrective measures he had spelled out. DA leader John Steenhuysen said that the economic measures proposed by the president were the right measures as they were straight out of the DA playbook We must hope he can persuade his Cabinet colleagues to implement them, because the question now is one of implementation. Ramaphosa also put measurable deadlines on the steps he proposed. The hard left Economic Freedom Fighters' leader Julius Malema said the president had outsourced the solution to the country's many problems by effectively passing a motion of no confidence in his Cabinet colleagues. State capture Ramaphosa addressed two reports focusing on the problems gripping the countries. The first of these was two sections of the three-part Zondo Commission into State Capture which is local parlance for corruption. It is plain that there was state capture, he said. State owned enterprises have been looted by criminal officials. We must ensure that never again does this happen." He promised a plan of action by June, and pledged to bring the criminals involved to justice. I am confident that the National Prosecuting Authority will carry out investigations into the criminal network and bring the perpetrators swiftly to justice," he said. The private sector would help in providing skills in investigation and prosecution, he explained, and special court rolls would be set up to "prosecute those involved in state capture through corrupt contracts in fighting the Covid pandemic. To date, 224 official and 386 cases have been identified. There is a new intensity in the fight against corruption, he said. Ramaphosa admitted the report into the looting and anarchy in Gauteng and KwaZuluNatal provinces last July was deeply disturbing. Government had to take responsibility for the inept and poorly coordinated response from police to the deaths of more than 350 people and damages in excess of 2.9 billion euros. There will be changes in leadership, he said, without going into detail. There have been mounting calls for Police Minister Beke Cele to be sacked following the report. 12.02.2022 LISTEN Accra FM Presenter, Kwabena Bobie Ansah who was arrested and charged with publication of false news and offensive conduct has commended Ghanaians for the sense of national unity that was stirred up in them during his arrest. According to the Accra FM Presenter, Ghanaians reunited to speak against the suppression of rights of the citizenry. In a Facebook post on Saturday, 12 February 2022, the Accra FM Presenter noted that: At the tip point we all rallied around and repelled the enemy from overcoming us. The love was deep, that strong feeling of togetherness was resurrected and that sense of national cohesion was restored. Thank you Ghana. Several Ghanaians have condemned the arrest of the Accra FM Presenter and the recent arrests of journalists in the country. Former President John Dramani Mahama has said President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will leave behind a legacy of oppressing the people and criminalising speech when he exits office if he fails to curtail the trend of suppressing rights under his government. This was contained in a letter by the former President on Friday, 11 February 2022. following the recent arrests of journalists in the country. According to the former president, he is appalled at the growing criminalisation of speech and journalism in Ghana, under the watch, of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in this 21st century. Mr Mahama emphasised that: This is a dangerous blueprint you are fashioning for our dear nation and it must not be encouraged. Your actions as President have totally discredited your self-acquired accolade as a human rights lawyer and activist. Ghana has long emerged from the unfortunate past where journalists were cowed by incarceration and brutalisation. He added: I fear that if you do not take immediate action to arrest this unfortunate trend, when you exit the high office of President in January 2025, freedom of speech and a free media will certainly not be counted as part of the legacy you leave behind. While the editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has said the police arrest of Accra FM journalist Bobie Ansah over a defamatory statement was wrong. Mr Baako in a Facebook post noted that The State's (Police's) action/reaction is unsustainable and wrong-headed in the context of this particular case. He suggested that Let those whose integrity and reputation might have been damaged by the commission and omission of the journalist, proceed on the civil libel wavelength to cure the mischief and malice. In his view there is no need for criminal investigation or prosecution, unless of course, there's evidence of fraud, extortion and criminality, adding that no journalist and/or media practitioner or media house has immunity/indemnity if and when it comes to issues of extortion, fraud and criminality. Mr Bobie Ansah has been granted GHS50,000 bail by the Kaneshie Circuit Court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of publication of false news and offensive conduct. The case has since been adjourned to 14 March 2022. He is alleged to have accused the First Lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Vice Presidents wife, Samira Bawumia of fraudulently acquiring for themselves state lands at AU village around the Kotoka International Airport for the construction of the Rebecca Foundation. classfmonline.com 12.02.2022 LISTEN Dialogue with the people is radically necessary to every authentic revolution..It must be accountable to them, must speak frankly to them of its achievement, it mistakes, its miscalculations, and its difficulties. Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed I prefer dialogue but it would be uncharacteristic for the erudite Dr. Fahnbulleh to respond to anyone with contrary views or who quotes contrary views without the use of these patented words and denigrating that person; we all are used to that from you Doc, I am delighted that old age has not dampened your enthusiasm for use of the queens language - the unqueenly portion! Anyway, few day ago on the anniversary of the sad death of the late Gen Thomas Gonkama Quiwonkpa, I reminiscence on the circumstances of his debacle and used an old publication from a trusted and venerated progressive, James Fromayan, 70, concerning very cheap handset communication gadgets and the procurement process. Fromayan over a decade ago in reply to Dr.H. Boima Fahnbulleh, Jr. 72, made these revelations about how $22,000usd was given to same Dr. Fahnbulleh to purchase communication gadgets for the ill-fated invasion of November 12, 1985 but alleged that of that amount $18,000ud was pocketed to use his word by Dr. Fahnbulleh. It must be noted that such damaging information has never been challenged for over a decade by the Dr. Fahnbulleh. Dr. Fahnbulleh is known to be very robust and quick in responding to issues however as I stated in the little write up, surprisingly Dr. Fahnbullehn who has published numerous articles on the same blog, www.blojlu.worpress.com has never responded to this article which I clearly stated. The opportunity is still there to contend with the author, James Fromayan, his comrade, who himself is still alive and is well known to him. In elementary journalism and professional writing, attribution is a critical requirement; it ensure that the true author is known and that I did. And also when an allegation has laid in plain view for over a decade it inarguably can be quoted and relied on to make educated conclusions, inferences and foundation. And when such allegations synced with common historical facts it becomes solid gold upon which foundation can be erected to conclude. I have also heard that one Paulo Friere advised revolutionaries not to imitate and adopt the ways of the oppressors, of which I again confess I know absolutely nothing about, I am merely parroting, sir. Isnt it interesting to know that while the author who I merely quoted is alive I am bearing the bombastic blast of the learned Dr. Fahnbulleh all because I ascribe to the tenets of truth by making informed conclusion on an established document which is an ancient fundamental cornerstone of intellectual and educative exchanges? What would a Dr. Fahnbulleh do if the Fromayan piece I referenced by a foreign writer? Simple Facts Here Again Dr. Fahnbulleh: It is a fact that James Fromayan , a Liberian statesman, who is still alive wrote over a decade ago that he was part of the planning and execution of the November 12, 1985 invasion and further claimed that you pocketed $18,000usd of the full amount of $22,000usd given to purchase military grade communication gadgets for the November 12, 1985 invasion which publication has remained unchallenged until I wrote that piece; It is a fact that Gen Quiwonkpa communication system collapsed during the fateful hours; It is a fact that you, Dr. Fahnbulleh, remained behind in the hotel in Freetown and did not participate in the invasion; I am not surprised. I encountered you once and from that experience I know that when you have no answer this is your way of saying it. I remembered you made a presentation to the Joint Committees for the construction of a line of barracks stretching from Maryland County to Cape Mount County along our land frontiers with Ivory Coast, Guinea and Sierra Leone in the Conference Room of the House of Representatives in your capacity as the National Security Advisor to the President. I asked you, how many barrack are you talking about and what is the estimate cost? Your reply, I am not a carpenter to know these details. I smiled and said: I do not think President Sirleaf will appoint a carpenter as the National Security Advisor, but I find it difficult that the National security Advisor will bring such a brilliant plan to the legislature for funding support but have no idea of what it takes and how many of it is needed. If I were in your position I would know a figure for the cost and the amount of barracks needed and perhaps the locations. I recalled you flustered when colleagues supported my argument and you apologized. So I know you. Inarguably thats how the invasion was planned like the line of barrack- a grand theoretical construct lacking practical foundation, failing to account for the enemys capacity and capabilities too. It is good that you are now replying to James Fromayans allegation made over a decade ago; in communications usually when an allegation lies unrefuted for such a long time it is assumed to be truthful and I am of the conviction that given James Fromayans reputation he is not going to put such in the public purview especially on such historic matter if it were not true. Your response and the manner of putting it forth have reinforced this belief in the Fromayan revelation about the handsets (walkie-talkie) its true. But I am sorry to disappoint you as I grew up in a village and normally do not reply to anything in your language in any exchanges; I once told a Robert Kpadeh in 2017 that no amount of the mess from the Soniwhen river in Monrovia, you know it is stinks and stinks, if thrown at me in an argument will make me to reply in similar manner. There in Gwealay, men my age are custodians of the culture; I also enjoyed two famous election victories earning a path to statesmanship through democratic peaceful means not via the fiery bullet and bloodshed; so I remained a cultured villager and a statesman in that regard and choose to reply in the language and manner as my cultured, tradition, status and Christian faith dictate. So I will reply to all your arguments always in this manner, I am really sorry to disappoint you as I know you are expecting same. I choose to deal with facts and fair analysis of facts and historical issues based on facts and reports of actors of which Fromayan is one on an objective basis; I never read of you discounting his claim of being in Sierra Leone. And if I explore an ahistorical path, I also examine the path availability to the actors of history before I conclude upon their action. In any case no amount of your charming writing can reverse the events of November 12, 1985; however, for us the task of getting at the actual facts continues, we want to know what happened that Liberia plummeted so badly to thirteen years of bloodbath and whatever information that comes from key actors like you, James Fromayan and others and whatever manner it comes in will be welcome. I am happy that you have made contribution; and please my good doctor, someone wise said and others have informed me that any society that does not know its history is doomed to repeat it. If this be true then how do we prevent ourselves from repeating the mistakes of history if we do not know it because the historical actors choose to conceal it? And thus I continue to check for the truths of our historical events of 1980 and 1985; any information would be appreciated even if laced with bitterness. Worlea Saywah Dunah [email protected] 12.02.2022 LISTEN The underlisted Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) note with deep concern the apparent resurrection of the discredited criminal libel regime through a series of recent arrests and prosecution of persons for statements made or published in the media. In the latest of such episodes, the Executive Director of the Alliance For Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mr. Mensah Thompson, is being prosecuted on a charge of publication of false news for making a post on his Facebook page on or about January 8, 2022, alleging that certain relatives of the President traveled to the United Kingdom on the official presidential jet for pleasure and shopping during the Christmas season. It is noteworthy that, following discussions with the Ghana Armed Forces and in apparent anticipation of an official refutation of the allegation, Mr. Thompson publicly retracted the allegation and apologized to the Ghana Armed Forces on or about January 9, 2022. His original post had called on the Ghana Armed Forces, among others, to explain the circumstances of the alleged use of the presidential jet by the Presidents alleged family members. Mr. Thompson was reportedly arrested and detained at the Teshie District Command of the Ghana Police Service on Wednesday, February 9, 2022. He was subsequently charged with the publication of false news and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace. On Thursday, February 10, 2022, he pleaded not guilty to these charges and was granted bail by the Kaneshie District Court. We are deeply troubled by the growing use of the prosecutorial and judicial power of the State to punish criminally speech that allegedly falsely injures or damages the reputation of other persons or of an institution of state. Instructively, during the heyday of the criminal libel law in the 1990s, the criminal law was used in precisely the way it is now being used: to prosecute and punish journalists and public speakers for allegedly false or defamatory statements against certain family members or associates of the President. Our legal system provides noncriminal or civil avenues for dealing with uses of free speech that injure or infringe on the rights of others. The abolition of criminal libel in the aftermath of the Rawlings regime in 2001, a move popularly championed by President Akufo Addo during his tenure as a private lawyer representing journalists and media houses and, later, in his capacity as Attorney-General, left injured parties free to resort to civil alternatives and remedies to deal with false and libelous publications. Moreover, the law provides offending parties the prospect of avoiding even civil liability by retracting the offending publication and rendering appropriate apology to the injured or offended party. As a tool for regulating speech, the criminal law is fraught with the danger of politicization and selective prosecution, as it leaves it to a party-aligned attorney-general, an appointee who serves at the pleasure of the President, to determine which or whose allegedly false speech or publication to prosecute and which or whose speech to ignore. A return to the use of criminal law enforcement and prosecution to regulate and punish speech would take us back to a bygone authoritarian era where journalists and others public speakers were jailed for politically disagreeable libel. We implore the Attorney-General to discontinue the prosecution of Mr. Thompson and take steps to stop all persons acting under his authority from re-introducing in another guise the long-discredited and abolished criminal libel regime. We also urge media practitioners and users to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric that has contaminated our public square and airwaves, desist from knowingly or recklessly making or publishing false statements, and use, to the extent possible, the Right to Information Act and its processes to access information from public authorities. Signed: Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) IMANI Africa Africa Center for International Law & Accountability (ACILA) Contacts: 12.02.2022 LISTEN The tension on the grounds between Ukraine and Russia is increasing. Prime Ministers, Presidents, Foreign Ministers and much more travel in and out of Russia and Ukraine and their eastern European partners. The phone line Putin is going to use later today to talk with US President Joe Biden is the string of a puppet to dance to Russian tunes. The obvious is the buildup of an army along with the Russian Ukraine border substituted by serious rhetoric from both sides. Even most Journalists fall into the trap of a ruthless President that cares for power more than for moral values and a great vision for his people. Vladimir Putin all his life was and is only interested in his own life to better it each year and day. It follows a pattern deeply rooted in the spirit of the country and its leaders as history had proven over and over again with few exceptions like German-born Katherine the Great or in Europe trained Peter the Great. Age is catching up with Vladimir Putin and his end stands before his very own eyes. His last phase on earth has started. Therefore he has two main targets to achieve and complete: to demonstrate to the world his historic relevance but more so to protect his stolen wealth once his time in office will be over but power controlled by possibly someone that wants to prosecute him to make his mark in the book of history. Trapped between these two options he has decided to set himself free using the Western World to support him in his endeavour. Whether or not the feared invasion will come Vladimir Putin is already the heroe his people should see him protect his legacy of power and stolen money beyond his life on earth. The West plays to his tune as planned. Not doing anything the better reaction? A very critical idea but a lesson to learn from history. Afghanistan was invaded by the Russians and fifteen years later they had to leave the country in shame for the Western powers to take control. The USA invaded Vietnam to fight communism only to see their defeat taking thousands of dead American soldiers back home. Vladimir Putin is laughing in the Kremlin about the reactions of his moves very similar to the scenes of happiness when Adolf Hitler heard of the news USSR Dictator Stalin had signed the cooperation treaty over dividing Poland. In a famous video, he was dancing like a madman so cheerful. A more quiet reaction with less nervous rhetoric but more of behind the scenes interactions and preparation would bring down the victory Vladimir Putin has already achieved in the eyes of the Russians. Guwahati: All Assam Engineers Association (AAEA) appreciates the latest initiative taken by both the Union government in New Delhi and State government in Dispur to encourage the use of green fuel in all kinds of automobiles and urges the concerned authorities to launch a public awareness campaign about the alternative fuel for the benefit of automobile users across India. It may be mentioned that Union road transport & highways minister Nitin Gadkari has been advocating for ethanol mixed fuel (mostly with patrol/gasoline) for the vehicles. Lately the minister asked the carmakers in the country to introduce flex-fuel engines on a large scale. He argued that the ethanol mixed patrol will be cheaper and it would reduce the air-pollution drastically. India today spends around rupees eight lakh crore annually for importing crude oil, gas and other petroleum products and the PM Narendra Modi-led central government decides to reduce the amount with the use of ethanol, methanol, bio-diesel, compressed natural gas, green hydrogen, electric arrangements. The optimum use of ethanol (also called ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol) in patrol-powered engines would financially benefit the farmers as the inflammable organic and colourless compound is prepared from the agricultural produce like grain, sugarcane, hemp, molasses, potato, etc. Presently India has a maximum of 9 percent ethanol blended petrol in use. Ethanol (symbol C 2 H 5 OH) burns in a cleaner way than patrol which usually leaves a significant volume of toxic carbon-monoxide (CO is generated due to incomplete combustion of fuel) in the air. Moreover, the low-level blend like 10% ethanol and 90% patrol can be used in conventional patrol engines. However, the increasing percentage of ethanol content (above 20) would need certain engine modifications. Assam government should formulate a pragmatic flex-fuel policy so that the local farmers can get higher benefits out of the initiative. We urge State chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma to take the lead with necessary inputs from agriculture scientists, qualified engineers and other stakeholders, said a statement issued by AAEA president Er Kailash Sarma, working president Er Nava J. Thakuria and secretary Er Inamul Hye. Why do many African leaders often put journalists behind bars? Is John Mahama, the former Ghanaian leader, not only intelligent but also physically and psychologically strong than Akufo Addo, the current Ghanaian leader? Why do I have to ask these questions? The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has announced a record number of journalists in various countries who are under arrest or serving prison sentences for their normal activities. It seems to me that very soon, Ghanas name may appear on the list because the Ghanaian president, Nana Akufo Addo has declared war on journalists. Akufo Addo describes his leadership as a democratically elected leader since he took office five years ago but his allergy to criticism is driving the country into a sort of dictatorship regime with the zeal to clamp down on journalists who are not interested in his government. When Akufo Addo was hungry for power, he had whole anti-Mahama tribalistic journalists behind him who took to the social media to call john Mahama a thief, corrupt, incompetent, and other horrible names but he did not react. John Mahama, the former Ghanaian leader, submitted to free expression of the Ghanaian media without putting any journalist behind bars, this is something tormenting Akufo Addo after five years in power Despite what Mahama achieved for Ghana, in terms of development, including uncompleted projects abandoned by the jealous and hateful Akufo Addo, he assimilated every insult without putting any journalist behind bars. Time has passed to tell us today after five years in power that Akufo Addo is more corrupt than John Mahama, more importantly, the NPP government is not even one percent close to what Mahama achieved before losing the 2016 presidential race. There were many such journalists, including Nana Aba Anamoah, Manasseh Azure Awuni, and Nana Akua Acheampomaaa Sarfo-Adu, that took to the social media with fabricated lies and false stories against the former Ghanaian leader, yet Mahama didn't put any of them behind bars. The latter on November 11, 2019, on a program KANAWU, the presenter attacked the Mahama verbally in an unprofessional manner but she wasnt arrested and put behind bars. Akufo Addo even insulted the former Ghanaian leader in November 2019, saying God would not be so wicked as to allow the NDC to return to the office," but I will tell Akufo Addo today that God will be so kind to kick his ass from the seat even before 2024. Listen to what Ken Agyapong said against Mahama without any arrest to appear in court or be put behind bars Whatever goes around comes around. What the president and his tribal-links media did against John Mahama, has revisited them but overwhelmed with fear, cowardliness, and anxiety, Akufo Addo tries to silence all the journalists against him in the country. After Captain Smart, the latest is Bobie Ansah. Akufo Addo is not the only African leader tormenting journalists he considers a threat to his government. Nigeria, Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Cameroon, Benin, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, and Egypt, are some of the countries that have put journalists behind bars. The Ghanaian government continues to punish the most influential of the freedom of the press in the country to silence fearless journalists. Unfortunately, he is wasting his time because he has many issues, such as his corruptible deals, reckless spending, the high rate of unemployment, and his infidelity outside marriage to deal with. 12.02.2022 LISTEN An aspiring candidate for the Ejisu Constituency NPP chairmanship has cautioned the citizenry not to be deceived by the sudden "holier -than-thou" posture of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC). The Ejisu chairman hopeful said Ghanaians before falling for any deceptive proposals from the NDC must be informed by the county's past political history. Mr Kwadwo Otchere Duah sounded the caution with reference to the mischievous "Yentua" propaganda by the opposition against the passage of the E-Levy Bill. He observes that the 1992 Republican Constitution, for the sake of sustainable democracy grants citizens the right to demonstrate. The aspirant however argued that such rights must always be exercised in good fate and with intentions beyond reproach. He on this note described the recent demonstrations and press conferences by the opposition as "cheap political gimmicks aimed at inciting the public against the government". The 60-year-old politician emphasized that any group or individual that incites the public against potential development initiatives of any government must be seen as the devil rather than a Missiah. He said the NDC has a track record of playing party politics with issues of national interest especially policies that promise citizens wellbeing and national development. Mr Otchere reflected how the NDC party took the same "sit on the fence" posture during the passage of the talked time tax under the former President J. A. Kuffour in 2008. He recalled the heavy criticisms, backlashes name callings that the NDC subjected Mr Kuffour and his administration to at the time. He also recalls the false hopes nurtured in the people that the talk time tax would be scrapped off under their regime, only to increase from 5% to 9 percent after winning power. He further reminded Ghanaians of promises to facilitate one-time premium payment of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) introduced by President J. A. Kuffour The incoming chair also made reference the hardship and frustrations that of the of Ashanti region endured when the NDC decided to pilot the "Capitation Policy of the NHIS in the heavily populate region. The chairman fateful said he was therefore not surprised that leadership of the NDC at a press conference in Accra yesterday promised scraping the E- Levy off if they win elections in future. The senior customs officer said the NPP led by President Nana Akuffo Addo and Dr Bawumia has managed the Ghanaian economy well despite global impacts of COVID-19. Mr Kwadwo Otchere- Duah pointed that the NPP and its leadership will never introduce policies that undermine the socio-economic development of the people. He called on Ghanaians to have faith in the government and reject the lies and falsehood that the NDC is trying to feed them with and treat them will the contents they deserve. Just like our current normal booklet passport you will need ICAO to approve and capture the data into their Public Key Directory (PKD) for certification before any country can accept it as official travel documents. Such key ceremony certification as was done on 9th February in the case of the Ghanacard is the ultimate step to take before any national identity card/passport can be used for travelling purposes. Ghana has crossed this stage with respect to the Ghanacard making it officially certified as having the right qualities to be admissible by receiving countries as e-passport subject to country-to-country bilateral agreements. Through the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), official communication has gone to all border ports that Ghana as a receiving country is accepting holders of the Ghanacard into Ghana. The statement by ICAO that Ghana has crossed the major millstone in efforts to provide for more international acceptance of its biometric electronic travel documents is therefore not inconsistent with official communication from government. In practical terms, the holder of a Ghanacard will be allowed to board a flight to Ghana (receiving country) from any airport, just as with the normal biometric passport, without the need for a visa. Also, Diasporan Ghanaians who hold the Ghanacard will not require a visa to travel to Ghana. Within ECOWAS the Ghanacard can be used to travel to any country. Traveling outside ECOWAS however, will require that you use your normal biometric passport which will contain your visas. In the not-too-distant future, we expect that electronic visas will be issued under ICAO 2.0 protocols. When this starts, electronic visas could be issued on the Ghanacard under bilateral arrangements with other countries. Source: Kingdomfmonline.com The Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed, has condemned the arrest of Accra FM Journalist, Kwabena Bobie Ansah. Speaking to Citi News, Murtala Mohammed said the arrest is part of a grand scheme by government to gag the media. I expect you journalists to be the loudest in speaking out against this police state that the government is attempting to create, he said. For me, I see it as a deliberate attempt to gag the media. They haven't been able to gag us as NDC and some civil society organisations The only weapon left for them is to use the state apparatus to cower all of us into submission, the MP said. Kwabena Bobie Ansah was arrested for the publication of false news and offensive conduct on Thursday evening. He has since been granted GH50,000 bail with two sureties. The Kaneshie District Court, where the case was heard on Friday, February 11, 2022, adjourned to March 14, 2022. According to the facts of the case as presented by the police, Kwabena Bobie Ansah on January 1, 2022, accused the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo and the Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia of giving themselves state lands at AU Village, around the Kotoka International Airport for the construction of Rebecca Foundation. Citi Newsroom Embattled broadcaster, Bobie Ansah, can go back and host his radio show after meeting his bail requirement and release from police custody. This is according to his lawyer, Victor Kojogah Adawudu. Speaking on Eyewitness News on Friday, Mr. Adawuda said his client is in good spirits and is free to continue his work since it is his right as guaranteed by the constitution. He has satisfied the bail requirements, and he has gone home now. He is in good spirits. I think my client should always do his job. There is nothing that bars him from doing his job. The allegations do not stop him from exercising his right. He has a right to work, Mr. Adawudu said. Bobie Ansah was picked up at the entrance of Class Media Group shortly after 10:00 pm on Thursday, just when his programme, 'The Citizen Show' which airs daily, had ended. According to the police's charge sheet, the broadcaster on January 1, 2022, accused the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and the Second Lady, Mrs. Samira Bawumia, of granting themselves state lands at AU Village, around the Kotoka International Airport for the construction of [the] Rebecca Foundation. It said Mr. Ansah went on further to call the First Lady a thief and that she has stolen state land around the Kotoka International Airport, a statement he knew was likely to occasion the breach of the peace of the country. Police say Bobie Ansah was invited several times to assist in investigations but failed to honour the invitations. But Adawudu has challenged the polices claim. He said the police must prove that his client intended to breach public peace by his utterances. He further said he was baffled that there was no complaint in the case levelled against Bobie Ansah. The prosecution would have to prove beyond reasonable doubt that what was done with the intention to likely breach the peace of this country. We think that it is contrary to what has been presented. What is circulating on Facebook is not what is before the court, it is what is before the court that will be examined. The police in their fact is saying that reports, reaching them from social media Weve not been told anybody is the complainant. citinewsroom The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has debunked reports that it has accepted the Ghana Card issued by the National Identification Authority (NIA) as ePassport. In a statement on the ICAO Twitter page providing clarity, it explains that although it gives recognition of Ghanas national ID Card, it is not in its place to provide certification as an ePassport. ICAO is aware of recent and incorrect media reports claiming that ICAO has agreed that the Ghanaian ID card is equivalent to an ePassport. However, it is not ICAOs role to certify the use of a States Identity Card for international travel in place of a passport, a post on the Twitter page of ICAO has said. ICAO notes that the decision to accept the Ghana Card as an ePassport is depending on the receiving country. A number of States worldwide accept specified national ID cards as identity documents during air travel based on bilateral agreement between issuing and receiving states. *Any* decision to accept such alternative travel identity documents is made by the receiving state itself. Ghanas successful conclusion of its key ceremony on 9 February is a major milestone in its efforts to provide for more international acceptance of its electronic travel documents, ICAO notes in its statement. Find more in the attachment below: The Executive Director of the Community Focus Foundation, Ghana (CFF), Richard Kasu has alluded that it appears President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has finally accepted the tag as a dictator. In a statement, Mr. Kasu notes that the incessant politically motivated arrests under the current government need to be a cause of worry to Ghanaians and the international community. Truth be told, the gross abuse of the peoples power and authority by Mr. Akuffo Addo and his cronies has to come to an end. In fact, majority of Ghanaians are wondering if NADAA has truly accepted to be called 'A Dictator in a Democracy, parts of the statement from Richard Kasu reads. According to the CFF-Ghana Executive Director, if things do not change, President Akufo-Addo will leave a very bad legacy when he finally vacates office in 2025. My only advise to Mr. President as citizen who refuses to be a spectator is to think of life after the presidency. Especially his legacy must be of a great concern to him than the usage of brute force to gag critics from demanding accountability from him, Richard Kasu says to conclude his statement. Read the full statement below: Richard Kasu of CFF-GHANA writes. Has NADAA truly accepted the tag ''A Dictator in a democracy"? The incessant political motivated arrests under the self-acclimated Human Rights Lawyer, H.E Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, need to be a cause of worry to Ghanaians and the international community. In 2022 alone, a number of citizens critical of the government have been arrested for demanding political accountability from Mr. President and his government, something the President has freely and fiercely done in the past even under military rulers without any intimation or harassment whatsoever as being experienced today under his watch. The question is what brought us here? Truth be told, the gross abuse of the people's power and authority by Mr. Akufo-Addo and his cronies has to come to an end. In fact, majority of Ghanaians are wondering if NADAA has truly accepted to be called 'A Dictator in a Democracy'. My only advise to Mr. President as citizen who refuses to be a spectator is to think of life after the presidency. Especially his legacy must be of a great concern to him than the usage of brute force to gag critics from demanding accountability from him. Well, it is said that in matters of life, man has a choice but often chooses wrongly. I pray and hope Mr. President listens to my wise counsel. Respectfully submitted! KASU As part of efforts to empower females in the country, Karpowership Ghana has held a mentorship program for students at the Archbishop Porter Girls Senior High School to mark International Day of Women and Girls in Science. The mentorship program for second year students at the SekondiTakoradi based school sought to encourage them to develop interest in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM), and serve as agents of change. The programme was under the global theme for the celebration of the day: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: Water Unites Us. Speaking at the programme, Communications Specialist at Karpowership Ghana, Ms. Sandra Amarquaye, said Karpowership Ghana pays special attention to empowering young girls as part of efforts to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5 on achieving gender equality. The science field is mainly dominated by men in our current dispensation; however, encouraging more girls and women to get interested in this field is a must for sustainable development, Ms. Amarquaye said. She reiterated Karpowerships commitment to ensuring that they give their stakeholders value in every aspect of their operation and urged the young girls to see the mentorship project as a stepping stone to great future in science-related careers. She said Karpowership Ghana also runs a campaign known as GIRL POWER that has the same objective of empowering females. Dr. Ohenewaa Kakra Dankwa, a petroleum engineer and a lecturer at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa and Dr. Jemimah Etornam Kassah, also a lecturer at the Department of Biology Education, University of Education, Winneba, enlightened the mentees on various career opportunities that exist for girls in science. They also spoke to the students on the need for them to see themselves as possible agents of sustainable change in the country. The Headmistress of Archbishop Porter Girls SHS Mrs. Charlotte Asiedu observed the programme was very essential for the students as it will help them build up their confidence. One of the beneficiary students Rukaya Abanga said her dream was to become a mechanical engineer in future and the programme has put her on the path to achieving that. Last year, Karpowership Ghana held a similar mentorship program for students of Sekondi College in Takoradi. 12.02.2022 LISTEN Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has criticised the police administration over what he says is the poor handling of the arrest of Oliver Barker-Vormawor, one of the conveners of social campaign group, #FixtheCountry Movement. He says the manner in which Barker-Vormawor was apprehended at the Kotoka International Airport can best be described as a mockery of the power of arrest. The convener of the social movement was picked up by the police on Friday night over a social media post on Facebook announcing a plot to stage a coup should the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy (E-levy) be passed. But Martin Kpebu, who was contributing to discussions on Citi FM/Citi TVs weekend news analysis show, The Big Issue, condemned the arrest and argued simply that the police should have invited the accused, used tact in dealing with him other than the arrest. Oliver is just doing advocacy against the prolificacy of the government, and the police say they have arrested him to investigate the coup? He is arriving in the country so put him under surveillance and then if you need him, you invite him openly. But now, if anybody says anything, we arrest the person? This is not how we arrest a person. When he was coming, did he bring in guns? This was someone who openly came through the airport. This arrest is high-handed and a very over-bearing one. It lacks finesse, and what the police have done is a mockery of the power of arrest. The arrest should be defined not in a Rambo or Gestapo style, he decried. Mondays court appearance also problematic Oliver Barker-Vormawor, will be arraigned on Monday, February 14, 2022, following his arrest over a threat to stage a coup. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Director-General of the Public Affairs Unit of the Ghana Police Service, DCOP Kwesi Ofori. The statement explained that the Cambridge PhD Student's arrest was a result of a social media post . But Martin Kpeku has taken issue with the time set by the police, pointing out that, it is in clear breach of the laws on the detention of persons in police custody. For him, the Ghana Police Service should have put the suspect before court by Sunday instead of the scheduled Monday date. It doesnt even lie within the powers of the police to take him to court on Monday. It is supposed to be Sunday. The Supreme Court has said that the police have the right to keep a suspect and take him to court within 48 hours and not the expiration of the 48 hours for court processes to begin. So if the police say it has exercised its powers to arrest, which I have my gravest doubt, then they should also apply the next law by the Supreme Court[Article 14 (3)]. They cannot pick and choose. The police have no power to hold Oliver for 48 hours. That will be a gross violation of the constitution. So the police should do the needful to have part of its credibility restored because this arrest is making them unpopular. The post contained a clear statement of intent with a possible will to execute a coup in his declaration of intent to subvert the constitution of the Republic, the police said in its statement. Oliver Barker-Vormawor had made the threat after pictures of the Majority Leader's 65th party showing an E-levy-designed cake emerged. The Police Service cautioned citizens against making comments that could compromise peace in the country. We continue to call on the good people of Ghana to avoid making pronouncements that may lead to a breach of the peace of the country, as any such acts contravene the laws of the country. citinewsroom National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi has lambasted NPP communicators for making political capital of the Ghana Card turned E-passport acclamation. He said they are either fools or went to school for nothing. This is in reaction to the clarification from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) refuting claims from Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia that the Ghana Card is now equivalent to ePassport. According to Sammy Gyamfi, it is now clear that the Vice President of Ghana does not only have lies embedded in his DNA but is also allergic to the truth. I have now come to the conclusion that our jocular Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia is allergic to truth. Its like he has lies embedded in his DNA. That man can lie ooo, a post on the Twitter page of Sammy Gyamfi reads. In another post on his Twitter page, the NDC firebrand indicates that anyone who believes Dr. Bawumia is either a fool or went to school for nothing. If you are one of the NPP social media dunderheads who believed Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia lie that the Ghana Card in its current form is the same as an epassport, then it is either you went to school for nothing or you are simply a fool," the Tweet from Sammy Gyamfi reads. Some three Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are dep immediate stop to what they say is the apparent resurrection of the long abolished criminal libel law in the country. The groups Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), IMANI Africa and the Africa Center for International Law & Accountability (ACILA) say their concerns follow the recent series of arrests and prosecution of individuals whose statements have been captured in sections of the media and are said to pose some security threat. In particular, they mentioned the case of the Executive Director of the Alliance For Social Equity and Public Accountability (ASEPA), Mr. Mensah Thompson, who is currently facing criminal charges over the publication of false news about the family of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. In a joint press statement, the organisations were not happy with the manner some persons are being prosecuted, saying it has heightened fears over the possible return of the age-old criminal libel law in the country. We are deeply troubled by the growing use of the prosecutorial and judicial power of the State to punish criminally speech that allegedly falsely injures or damages the reputation of other persons or of an institution of state, the statement read in parts. Instructively, during the heyday of the criminal libel law in the 1990s, the criminal law was used in precisely the way it is now being used: to prosecute and punish journalists and public speakers for allegedly false or defamatory statements against certain family members or associates of the President, the CSOs further added. The CSOs, therefore, asked for the use of the various legal channels rather than the wanton abuse of power against the rights of the ordinary Ghanaian. Our legal system provides non-criminal or civil avenues for dealing with uses of free speech that injure or infringe on the rights of others. The law provides offending parties with the prospect of avoiding even civil liability by retracting the offending publication and rendering an appropriate apology to the injured or offended party. A return to the use of criminal law enforcement and prosecution to regulate and punish speech would take us back to a bygone authoritarian era where journalists and other public speakers were jailed for politically disagreeable libel. Discontinue case against Mensah Thompson CDD-Ghana, IMANI Africa and ACILA also asked the Attorney General not to continue the criminal prosecution against Mr. Mensah Thompson. We implore the Attorney-General to discontinue the prosecution of Mr. Thompson and take steps to stop all persons acting under his authority from re-introducing in another guise the long-discredited and abolished criminal libel regime. But the CSOs were quick in cautioning the media, to tone down the inflammatory rhetoric that has contaminated our public square and airwaves, desist from knowingly or recklessly making or publishing false statements, and use, to the extent possible, the Right to Information Act and its processes to access information from public authorities. citinewsroom The Minority in Parliament has again called out President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for travelling outside the country with a private jet. President Akufo-Addo on Thursday left Ghana for a 10-day five-nation trip to Europe. But according to the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa who is also the Minority's Spokesperson on Foreign Affairs, the Presidents latest travel is the height of insensitivity to the suffering of the citizens at the time, the controversial Electronic Transfer Levy is being rejected. In a media engagement in Parliament on Friday, Mr. Ablakwa claimed that the Presidents ongoing trip amounts to GH14,000 per hour, totalling almost GH5 million and must not be tolerated by Ghanaians. This latest conduct of the President happened at a time, thousands of Ghanaians were out there on the streets demonstrating against regressive, obnoxious and dreaded E-levy. We are totally livid that a time the people of this country are saying enough is enough [that is the time the president decides to travel abroad]Many Ghanaians are saying that this is a government that does not like to be accountable, that is profligate and wasteful. We have the millions of Ghana cedis lost in these trips under a president who promised to protect the public purse, and now we cannot even see the purse at all. But the Deputy Majority Leader and the MP for Effutu, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, says the concerns raised by his colleague MP are unnecessary. This is rather essential to trouble this argument of means of travel. We as a country must also be bold and address it. Democracy will require institutional pillars and resources to build what we call a workable democracy, so if an MP says why [will the President travel] but use that money for something else, it really wont add up. We must agree that certain structures must be in place. So I wont question anybody demanding accountability or asking for a certain line of travel but to create an impression as though the President travelling on an aircraft other than what is procured by the state is insensitive will rather beg the question and I disagree. The North Tongu legislator has in the last year mounted pressure on the government , accusing President Akufo-Addo of wasting taxpayers' money on luxurious private jets for his trips abroad. Efforts by Mr. Ablakwa to get government officials to reveal the cost of President Akufo-Addo's foreign trips have yielded no positive results. citinewsroom Can a person become a lawyer without attending law school or earning a law degree? In the U.S., the answer is yes. It is possible for a person to become a lawyer in four of the states in the U.S. without attending law school or earning a law degree. This article may be useful to some Ghanaians in the U.S. or elsewhere and others who may be interested in becoming lawyers in the U.S. but may not want to attend law school. Typically, to become a lawyer in the U.S., a person must obtain a 4-year bachelors degree in any course, subject or major from an accredited institution in the U.S. or its foreign equivalent; obtain an acceptable score on the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT); gain admission to law school; attend law school for 3 years; graduate from law school with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree; and pass the bar examination. In addition, the aspiring lawyer must be a person of good moral character who possesses the required fitness to practice law. One does not need to be a U.S. citizen to study or practice law in the U.S., and there is no upper age limit. There are more than 230 law schools in the U.S. that award J.D. degree. Accreditation of law schools are handled by the various states and the American Bar Association (ABA). According to the ABA, there are 199 ABA-accredited law schools in the U.S. that award J.D. degree. (https://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/aba_approved_law_schools/). The rest are accredited solely by the various states. Each of the law schools prepares students to take the bar examination to become lawyers. Graduates of ABA-accredited law schools may take the bar examination and be licensed in any of the various states. However, students who attend non-ABA-accredited law schools (found mostly in California) may only be licensed by and practice in the states that accredited the law schools they attended, with few exceptions. There is no national law licensing authority in the U.S. Each of the 50 states or the District of Columbia decides its own law licensing or bar admission policies. A lawyer in the U.S. is admitted to practice law only in the state that licenses him or her. If a lawyer wants to practice law in another state, he or she has to apply to be licensed in that other state as well, unless there is a reciprocity arrangement between some of the states. Four states in the U.S. provide an alternative means for aspiring lawyers to satisfy the legal education requirement for taking the bar examination. Instead of requiring aspiring lawyers to attend law school and earn a J.D. degree, these four states California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington have made provisions for apprenticeships or training programs that satisfy the legal education requirement. The information below was copied directly from the sources indicated by the various states. The State of California. Under the California Law Office or Judges Chambers Program, a person may study law diligently and in good faith for at least four years in a law office or judges chambers. This must be done during regular business hours for at least eighteen hours each week for a minimum of forty-eight weeks to receive credit for one year of study or for at least eighteen hours a week for a minimum of twenty-four weeks to receive credit for one-half year of study. The supervising attorney or judge with whom the applicant is studying must be admitted to the active practice of law in California and be in good standing for a minimum of five years. Before beginning the study of law, the person must have completed at least two years of college /university work or demonstrated equivalent intellectual achievement. (A) Two years of college work means a minimum of sixty semester or ninety quarter units of college /university credits (1) equivalent to at least half that required for a bachelors degree from a college or university that has degree-granting authority; and (2) completed with a grade average adequate for graduation. (B) Demonstrated equivalent intellectual achievement means achieving acceptable scores on Committee-specified examinations prior to beginning the study of law. (Source: Rules of the State Bar of California - Admissions and Educational Standards , California Business & Professions Code 6046; Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 3, Rules 4.25, 4.26, and 4.29. https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Portals/0/documents/rules/Rules_Title4_Div1-Adm-Prac-Law.pdf). The State of Vermont. The State of Vermont has the Law Office Study Program (LOS Program). The LOS Program requires the aspiring lawyer to work under the supervision of an experienced Vermont judge or attorney for four years and to follow a systematic course of study. To be eligible for the LOS Program, you must have earned either (1) a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S., or (2) an equivalent undergraduate degree in a foreign jurisdiction if you can establish that the degree is equivalent to a bachelors degree from an accredited institution of higher education in the U.S. (Source: Vermont Law Office Study Program. https://www.vermontjudiciary.org/attorneys/admission-vermont-bar). The State of Virginia. The State of Virginia has the Law Reader Program. Among other things, the aspiring lawyer must have received a bachelor's degree, other than a bachelor of laws, from an accredited baccalaureate institution of higher education; if requested, LSAT results, and appear for an interview. The person shall study law for three (3) calendar years. Each calendar year shall consist of at least 40 weeks, with a minimum of 25 hours of study each week, at least eighteen (18) of which hours of study must be within the confines of the Supervising Attorney's office in Virginia, either (i) during regular office hours between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. weekdays, or (ii) at such other times outside of regular office hours when both the reader and the Supervising Attorney are physically present together in the office. The Supervising Attorney shall give personal supervision to the law reader for at least 3 hours each week. The Supervising Attorney shall be an active member in good standing of the Virginia State Bar whose full time is devoted to the practice of law in Virginia for at least ten (10) of the twelve (12) years, or a retired circuit court judge who served the Commonwealth as a circuit court judge for a minimum of ten (10) years. The reader may not be employed by and may not receive any remuneration or perquisites from the Supervising Attorney, any firm of which the Supervising Attorney may be a member associate, or anyone with whom the Supervising Attorney may share office facilities. The Supervising Attorney is not precluded from charging reasonable monetary compensation in return for instructing the reader; but the law reader program is not to be used as a means for a Supervising Attorney to obtain inexpensive labor. (Source: Law Reader Program. https://barexam.virginia.gov/reader/readerrules.html). The State of Washington. The State of Washington has the Law Clerk Program as an alternative to law school. It is a four-year program designed to provide educational and practical experience through a combination of work and study with an experienced lawyer or judge who is referred to as tutor. The aspiring lawyer must have a bachelor's degree, and a regular paid full-time employment in Washington State with a lawyer or judge who has at least 10 years of active experience and will serve as the applicant's primary tutor. Applicants find their own employment. Once you are enrolled, a fee payment is required each calendar year (currently $2,000/year). The law clerk and tutor study independently. A minimum of 32 hours per week performing the duties of a law clerk, including work and study, is required. The tutor is required to give at least three hours each week of personal supervision to the law clerk, which should include discussion of the law and cases and the critical analysis of the law clerk's written assignments. (Source: Rule 6 of the Washington Supreme Courts Admission and Practice Rule (APR) 6 . https://www.wsba.org/for-legal-professionals/join-the-legal-profession-in-wa/law-clerk) Bonus information: The State of New York, home to many Ghanaians and other immigrants, has a slightly different program called Law Office Study / Clerkship Program. The program requires completion of a minimum of 28 credit hours (first year of law school) in an ABA-accredited law school before one can participate, and the program duration is 4 years, including the first year requirement (Source: Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law, Section 520.4. https://www.nybarexam.org/Rules/Rules.htm#520.4). Additional Bonus Information. Aspiring lawyers interested in attending 100% Online JD law schools may consider St. Marys School of Law in San Antonio, Texas, and Concord Law School at Purdue University Global in Los Angeles, California. St. Marys is the first and only fully online JD law school accredited by the ABA. Concord Law was the first fully online law school accredited by a state - the State Bar of California - and does not require LSAT. (Sources: https://www.stmarytx.edu/2021/online-jd-launch/ and https://www.concordlawschool.edu/). These opportunities may be helpful to those interested in legal education and the legal profession in the U.S. For example, the 100% online JD law schools may enable a person living outside the U.S. to study U.S. law entirely online and be licensed to practice law in California where California law permits admission to the State Bar of persons referred to variously as undocumented noncitizens, undocumented individuals, undocumented immigrants, unlawful, unauthorized, or illegal immigrants etc. (See In re Sergio C. Garcia on Admission, 58 CAL.4TH 440, 165 CAL.RPTR.3D 855). Alternatively, to avoid immigration problems, a person could live outside the U.S. and be licensed to practice law in California as a member of the State Bar of California. Further research is necessary. In summary, those who want to become lawyers in the U.S. without attending law school have opportunities to do so in California, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington. Persons who complete any of the above-mentioned programs are eligible to take the bar examination and become lawyers in their respective states just like their counterparts who attend and graduate from law school. Dr. Daniel Gyebi, Attorney-at-Law, Texas, U.S.A., is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the State Bar of California. Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor, Head of Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Ghana Medical School has called for more research into potent and perfect vaccines to fight Pneumococcus, which he described as a public health burden. According to him, The enormous public health burden associated with S. pneumoniae underscores the importance of its control through vaccination. At present, two types of pneumococcal vaccines are available: conjugate vaccines and the pure polysaccharide vaccine (unconjugated)Most of these limitations have been overcome by the relatively new conjugate vaccines, in which purified capsular polysaccharides are conjugated to a nontoxic variant of the diphtheria toxin. Delivering an Inaugural Lecture on the Topic; The 130 Year War Between Man And Pneumococcus; Who Is Winning?, Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor explained that pneumococcus, was first isolated in 1881 and recognized as one of the most infectious microbial pathogens, recording case fatality rates of up to 66% and that pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs), he said consist of 10 or 13 capsular types and have been introduced into the immunization programme of about 146 countries. He said, following the introduction of PCVs, there has been a dramatic decline in pneumococcal infections in vaccinated children and a herd immunity effect in other age groups. However, this success has been tempered by serotype replacement for ongoing invasive pneumococcal disease. Speaking in an exclusive interview after the lecture, Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor said research into Pneumococcus had informed the introduction of PCV 13 Vaccines in Ghana but there is the need for further research to find out if there are new strains emerging so as to find suitable vaccines to fight it. According to him, Pneumococcus kills 500,000 children every year and 60 out of every 100 children who have Pneumococcus will not see their 5th birthday, that he said is the danger of Pneumococcus. He also mentioned that the current vaccines are not perfect vaccines; hence there is the need for research into the discovery of potent vaccines. Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor also called for surveillance, stressing that The war is ongoing; the pace of the war is being dictated by Pneumococcus and if more is not done to get potent/perfect vaccines to fight it, I am afraid the war will turn in favour of the Pneumococcus. Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor thus provided an in-depth review of pneumococcus, delivering insights into the biology and pathogenicity of the organism. Globally, he stressed, there are about 14.5 million episodes of serious pneumococcal disease among children less than 5 years of age each year, resulting in approximately 500,000 deaths, the majority of which occur in low- and middle-income countries. He also averred that the public health burden related to pneumococcus is further heightened by the increasing resistance of the organism to essential antimicrobial agents particularly penicillin, cephalosporins and macrolides. Prof. Eric Sampane-Donkors works applies concepts from several fields to help address the global infectious disease challenge through research. His current research interests focus on understanding the dynamics of infectious pathogens in at-risk populations, such as patients with stroke, sickle cell disease and diabetes and prospect of the development of new, more effective drugs for a range of deadly diseases. Ghana Advocacy Group (GAG) Award The Ghana Advocacy Group (GAG), a think tank with the objective of conducting research and advocacy on issues in Ghana relating to socio-economic, socio-political policy, health, technology, and cultural understanding, has honoured Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor for his works and achievements in the medical field. GAG is a diaspora led platform of Ghanaian professionals, diplomats, and academics from a wide range of backgrounds, living in Ghana as well as the diaspora building foremost platforms which provides an avenue for Ghanaians in the diaspora to engage on different issues of development, leveraging their skills, network and resources to provide constructive solutions to challenges confronting the people. Members of GAG presented a citation and other items to Prof. Eric Sampane-Donkor for his outstanding contribution to medical science. Awo Tsumasi, a member of the Ghana Advocacy Group (GAG) who led some members of the Group to the event to present the honours to Professor Eric Sampane-Donkor on behalf of their President, Kwame Boakye Danquah (Toziah Kbd), told the media in an interview that GAG is a Non-Governmental Organization consisting of like-minded Ghanaians both living in abroad and in Ghana who want to see Ghana do better. Awo Tsumasi further explained that, GAG is a think tank with the objective of conducting research and advocacy on issues in Ghana relating to socio-economic, socio-political policy, health, technology, and cultural understanding. We are here today to support one of our members, Prof. Eric Sampane-Donkor for his remarkable achievements. And we are just proud of him for what he is doing for Global infectious disease research and work. Congratulations to him, she said. She also explained that Prof. Eric Sampane-Donkor studied abroad and worked in the US and other part of the world, and as a member of the Group, he is back in Ghana and making real time impact on the healthcare delivery system of the country. Awo Tsumasi said; He is making sure that we have the Pneumococcal vaccines on the list of immunizations is no easy thing, congratulations to him. The Supreme Court on Friday held that an insurance company cannot reject a claim on the basis that there was a delay in communicating the theft of a vehicle to it. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Bela M. Trivedi said: "When the complainant had lodged the FIR immediately after the theft of the vehicle, and when the police after the investigation had arrested the accused and also filed challan before the concerned court, and when the claim of the insured was not found to be not genuine, the insurance company could not have repudiated the claim merely on the ground that there was a delay in intimating the insurance company about the occurrence of the theft." The bench said the accused were also arrested and charge sheeted, however, the vehicle could not be traced out. "Of course, it is true that there was a delay of about five months on the part of the complainant in informing and lodging its claim before the insurance company, nonetheless, it is pertinent to note that the insurance company has not repudiated the claim on the ground that it was not genuine," it noted. The top court set aside an order by the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), which was passed on a petition by Oriental Insurance Company Ltd challenging the direction to pay the insured sum to Jaina Construction Company Ltd in connection with the theft of Tata Aiwa Truck. The bench said: "In that view of the matter, the court is of the opinion that the NCDRC should not have set aside the orders of the District Forum and the State Commission by holding that the repudiation of the insurance claim by the insurance company was justified. The impugned order being erroneous and against the settled position of law, deserves to be set aside, and is set aside, accordingly." The insurance company disowned the liability on the claim, saying there was a breach of condition number one of the policy, which mandated immediate notice to the insurer of the accidental loss or damage. The company said the theft was intimated to it after the lapse of more than five months. Rejecting this contention of the insurance company, the top court said in the instant case also, the FIR was lodged immediately on the next day of the occurrence of theft of the vehicle by the complainant. The district consumer awarded Rs 10,000 compensation and Rs 5,000 litigation expenses to the complainant. This order was challenged by the insurance company in the state commission, which dismissed its appeal. Later the insurance company moved the NCDRC, which ruled in its favout. Jaina Construction Company moved the top court challenging the NCDRC order. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. In a first of its kind inter-state investigation, the Maharashtra Goods & Service Tax Department has arrested a Gujarat-based couple for evading GST of a whopping Rs 450-crore in this state through a fake ITC scam, an official said here on Friday. The accused - Prima Mhatre of Dolphin Overseas and Sanjeev Singh of Prime Overseas - were caught in Surat with help of the Gujarat Police and brought here by a Mumbai Police team. The duo was produced before the court this morning which sent them to 14 days judicial custody, said a GST official. The official said the couple had been evading GST in Maharashtra since August 2021 and despite repeated summons, they failed to appear before the concerned authorities. At one point at the start of the investigations, Mhatre and Singh even fled from the GST sleuths on medical grounds and remained untraceable since then. Based on comprehensive analytics, the GST Department continued its probe and finally in a meticulously-planned operation over the past two days, caught them from their luxurious flat in the diamond hub of Surat on Thursday. During the probe, the sleuths detected a collective GST evasion of around Rs 111 crore by the duo and understood their modus operandi, said the official. They floated many bogus firms in the names of unknown persons, accepted fake invoices of around Rs 482 crore and fraudulently availed input tax credits of Rs 111 crore by this method. Since both Mhatre-Singh continued to abscond and dodge the GST notices, the GST Department took the help of Mumbai Police and started a joint probe against them. After collecting all the evidence, a team of Mumbai Police and GST left for Surat late on Wednesday, took help of the Gujarat Police and effected a dramatic arrest of the couple yesterday afternoon. The entire successful operation was overseen by GST Joint Commissioner Sampada Mehta, Deputy Commissioner Vinod Desai, Assistant Commissioner Rishikesh Wagh, Tax Officer Swati Shinde and their teams. A state Finance Department officer termed it the development as a "historic moment" for the GST Department as this is for the first time they have arrested tax-evaders from another state who were perpetrating GST frauds in Maharashtra and depriving the state exchequer of its rightful dues. "This will definitely serve as a strong warning to all scamsters that the Maharashtra GST Department will not spare anybody evading taxes and they would face action from us wherever they may be," said the officer. Disclaimer: Information, facts or opinions expressed in this news article are presented as sourced from IANS and do not reflect views of Moneylife and hence Moneylife is not responsible or liable for the same. As a source and news provider, IANS is responsible for accuracy, completeness, suitability and validity of any information in this article. Novartis India Ltd announced that it would transfer the sales and distribution of its products to Dr Reddys Laboratories for a few of its established medicines, including the Voveran range, the Calcium range and Methergine. While Novartis claims that the arrangement aims to broaden access to these medicines beyond the current geographies to benefit many more patients, it would lead to the sacking of approximately 400 employees. The latest in a series of decisions taken over the years to weaken the Indian listed company and strengthen the unlisted entities of Novartis, this is a glaring example of poor governance, according to some shareholders. The annual report of Novartis India, the listed entity, claims to have 539 employees. If 400 are laid off, what remains of the listed entity? The company's press release does not mention this, nor does it say how the move would benefit the minority shareholders. Novartis claims that it has over 10,000 full-time employees. This means after the move, 98.5% of employees will be in the unlisted entities. The latest action is in a series of decisions taken over the years, inimical to minority shareholders. Novartis India is owned by Novartis AG, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland. The Indian pharmaceuticals market has been growing in double digits over the same time, with multiple businesses showing 15%+ growth per annum over the past decade. Multinational pharma companies have a robust business model as they are expected to introduce their existing franchise and product portfolio to address more customer segments and acquire new molecules or expand the business. For Novartis India, however, it is disappointing to see that sales and profits have been consistently declining over the last five-year period. The trend is similar for even 10 years. Some shareholders allege that it is a deliberate strategy of hollowing out the listed entity. Over the past five years, sales have declined by 13% and net profit by 22%. Potential Conflict of Interest with Unlisted Wholly-owned Subsidiary Novartis AG has a wholly-owned subsidiary in India Novartis Healthcare Pvt Ltd (NHPL). Over the years, this company has been going from strength to strength, as is clear from the table below. The growth rate of NHPL, even after excluding the service revenues, has been much healthier than that of the listed entity. We asked Novartis the following questions How many products have been launched in India through NHPL compared to the number of products launched through the listed entity? Is there anything that the management wants to communicate on how the product portfolio of the listed company differs from NHPL? What is the basis for deciding the split across product portfolios? However, our e-mail to the investor relations department of the listed entity as well as to the media department highlighting our queries were stonewalled. The media relations team replied: Thanks for reaching out. As you are aware NIL is a publicly listed entity and follows all corporate governance norms. There is no conflicting businesses between NIL and NHPL. Attached, please find the annual report for your ready reference. Overlap in Management for Both the Entities One of the whole-time directors of NHPL is also the managing director at Novartis India Ltd. From disclosures in the annual report, we observe that Mr Sanjay is drawing remuneration as follows NHPL gross salary of Rs4.5 crore for 2020 Novartis India Rs0.72 crore for FY2021 How should the investors view the fact that the remuneration drawn from Novartis India for the MD is so far below market standards for listed companies in India? Would it not result in the MD prioritising his responsibilities at NHPL over those at Novartis India? In a spirit of transparency and high levels of corporate governance, Novartis India should consider appointing an independent CEO or MD who can look into the objectives and priorities of the entity full time. Good corporate governance demands that the management of both entities should be separate. Absence of Investments in Novartis India Novartis India has invested less than Rs40 crore cumulative into fixed or intangible assets over the past decade. This is a very low level of investment into the business by any yardstick within the pharma, life sciences and healthcare segments. Starting from 2013, the employee headcount is only reducing with the years. From an employee base of almost 1,300 in 2013, Novartis India today has only 539-odd employees. Out of this, 400 jobs will be terminated. Even from a brand building point of view, the spend on advertising, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of revenue, has only been reducing through the years. For a pharma sales force the costs are more or less fixed, while revenue depends on the availability of a strong product portfolio. We observe that other MNC pharma companies in India can deliver much higher sales force productivity and revenue per employee since they have been investing in launching new products in India. Sharing of Infrastructure with NHPL and Commission Income From the related parties disclosure in the annual report, we observe transactions between Novartis India Ltd and NHPL for many years. We requested clarity on the following What is the nature of engagement between Novartis India and NHPL? Towards what scope of work is the commission income being charged to NHPL by Novartis India Ltd? What risks does the Novartis India Ltd business assume on behalf of NHPL? What kind of due diligence is being done by the auditors of Novartis India Ltd to ensure that the transactions are happening on an arms length basis and not on terms that are preferential to NHPL? Why is the auditor remuneration the same for Novartis India Ltd and NHPL though the scale of the business is vastly different? NHPL revenue and scale of operations is almost nine times that of Novartis India Ltd. Novartis India has not yet replied. Lack of Clarity on Management Communication Relating to New Launches We request that any public release or media communication management interview, henceforth, clearly mention the entity through which any new product launch will happen. It is very confusing for shareholders to assess whether the specific product launch will contribute to the business of NHPL or Novartis India. Clearly, shareholders of the listed entity have been systematically shortchanged over the years. Of course, especially pharma MNCs have a long history of treating their publicly-listed companies as stepchildren and launching new and profitable products through their unlisted 100% subsidiaries. Pfizer of US, one of the worlds most respected drug companies, had applied and, after each rejection, mulishly reapplied to the foreign investment and promotion board (FIPB) to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary in India not quite a fair deal for its local shareholders. But Novartis seems to have set a glowing example. The Novartis India board, which is a party to these decisions, consists of Christopher Snook, chairman; Sanjay Murdeshwar, vice chairman & managing director; Monaz Noble, CFO; and independent directors Jai Hiremath (promoter of Hikal Ltd), Sandra Martyres and Sanker Parameswaran. In a country with low financial literacy, the government has a duty to explain its stand clearly and unambiguously when it takes the first step towards taxing or regulating a new and confusing financial asset. The numbers are large enough to warrant clarity, especially when the government expects to collect taxes on income from the product. However, typical of how the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) functions, it first delayed a decision on regulating crypto currency for too long and, when it finally took a decision, it put taxation before legislationa bit like putting the cart before the horse. According to the crypto industry, there may be as many as 20mn (million) crypto investors in India. This is equal to the number of investors we have had in the capital market (including mutual funds) for over two decades, right until the COVID pandemic. Their total investment is estimated at around US$6bn (billion). These are industry estimates. The Budget has not even put out any official numbers on the size of the industry or trading volumes. The finance ministers (FMs) decision to impose a 30% tax on profits from crypto transactions and 1% tax deduction at source (TDS) was seen as legalising crypto currency in India. It also opened the doors to a deliberate and cynical attempt by the crypto industry to mislead the gullible. Founders of crypto exchanges, miners , influencers and public relations (PR) companies are out in force declaring that a decision to tax equals legalising crypto; especially since it was accompanied by the announcement that the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) will launch its digital currency this year. There is also a misguided social media petition lobbying for a reduction in tax which is approvingly re-circulated among blind followers. 1. (@BuddhaSource) tweeted on Budget day: The clarity on crypto tax is such a positive move by our government. This essentially removes doubt of illegal vs legal for those who are still wondering. Now waiting for Banks to support us. The clarity on crypto tax is such a positive move by our government ???? This essentially removes doubt of illegal vs legal for those who are still wondering. Now waiting for Banks to support us. Siddharth ( WazirX ) (@BuddhaSource) February 1, 2022 @NischalShetty of WazirX a crypto exchange, and a big campaigner for spreading the crypto cult, tweeted: Todays budget has ensured a very bright future for Indian Crypto ecosystem A few notable outcomes: - Government has legitimised industry - No more fear to BUIDL - Everyone can participate Over 1188 days of 2.@NischalShetty of WazirX a crypto exchange, and a big campaigner for spreading the crypto cult, tweeted: Todays budget has ensured a very bright future for Indian Crypto ecosystem A few notable outcomes: - Government has legitimised industry - No more fear to BUIDL - Everyone can participate Over 1188 days of #IndiaWantsCrypto Its been worth it! Next, lets Build For Crypto. Todays budget has ensured a very bright future for Indian Crypto ecosystem A few notable outcomes: - Government has legitimised industry - No more fear to BUIDL - Everyone can participate Over 1188 days of #IndiaWantsCrypto Its been worth it! Next, lets Build For Crypto ?? Nischal (Shardeum) ?? (@NischalShetty) February 1, 2022 3. @BlockBulletin : Crypto in India is legal from now on with India's finance minister revealing plans for CBDC and 30% tax on cryptocurrencies profits. Crypto in India is legal from now on with India's finance minister revealing plans for CBDC and 30% tax on cryptocurrencies profits. #India #Crypto #Tax #Legal #CBDChttps://t.co/ItdkrFpght Blockbulletin (@Blockbulletin_) February 7, 2022 RBI and the finance ministry, that have a presence on social media, cannot have failed to notice thousands of tweets declaring that India has legalised crypto. Instead of clarifying the situation, the finance ministry is only adding to the confusion. On 2nd February, finance secretary (FS) TV Somanathan told Bloomberg Television ( India says crypto not illegal as its taxed like gambling win ), They are in a grey area. Its not illegal to buy and sell crypto. Two days later, on 4th February, the same FS told PTI that cryptocurrency will never be a legal tender and that RBIs digital rupee would alone be a legal tender in India. Couldnt FM Nirmala Sitharaman have said this unambiguously in the Budget? But wait, the FS himself goes on to muddy the waters in the very same interview. Asked why crypto legislation is not listed for the Budget session of parliament, he says, "We are in a democracy. In a democracy, the government starts with something but then there is feedback. Government is listening to that feedback; based on that feedback they are yet to conclude how it should be done. Meanwhile, the questions of tax clarity cannot wait forever because volumes have become very large. So his unambiguous initial statement may not even hold water a few months down the road. How then should we read his emphatic will never be a legal tender? Does never, in the finance ministrys lexicon, mean until there are wider consultations that may change their mind? Or does it mean that they may even introduce a Bill in parliament and roll it back after a few months if there are protests, outrage and losses? According to the FS, Legal tender means by law it is accepted in settlement of debts. The tweets quoted above show that the industry is telling investors something different and the government is not offering any clarity. While the FS spoke about having to take into account the international consensus since there would be cross-border transactions, the fact is that, with the exception of El Salvador, no other country has accepted crypto as legal tender. Taxed but Not Legal Most people understand taxation as a simple binary: That government can only tax what is legal; if it is illegal, they expect the government to punish it and force disgorgement of ill-gotten gains. Otherwise, doesnt the State become a partner in crime? Taxation works very differently. Unfortunately, investors only listen to self-proclaimed gurus in the crypto echo-chamber. So let me point to an example that should ring a bell. The most famous case of successfully taxing illegal income is the nailing of Chicago crime boss Al Capone in the US. It was not fiction. Tax laws around the world are based on this principle. Global precedents ( https://taxguru.in/income-tax/taxability-of-fraudulent-income-earned-under-income-tax.html ) on this issue go back to the 1927 case of Minister of Finance vs Smith (1927 AC 193 PC) where Lord Haldane observed that the Income-Tax (I-T) Act is not necessarily restricted in its application to lawful business only. The revenue merely looks at an accomplished fact. It brings the profit to tax but it does not condone or take part in the illegal enterprise. Prosecutions for the offence will not disentitle the I-T department from taxing the profits arising out of the commission of the offence. Tax expert HP Ranina explained this in a column in February 2009. Section 2(24) of the Income Tax Act, 1961, he wrote, creates an obligation to pay tax on all income received. He cites several cases that were eventually decided by the Supreme Court. In Dr TA Quereshi vs CIT (287 ITR 547), the Court held that cases are to be decided by courts on legal principles and not on moral views. Law is different from morality. The primary function of the Act is to bring the income of various kinds into the tax net. The income tax authorities are not concerned about the manner or means of acquiring income. The income might have been earned illegally or by resorting to unlawful means. Any illegality tainted with the earning has no bearing on its taxability Allowing such income to escape the tax net would be nothing but a premium or reward to a person for doing an illegal trade, he wrote. It was further iterated that the I-T department cannot act like the police to prevent the commission of unlawful acts; but the tax machinery can tax such income. The Act considers the income earned legally as well as tainted income alike. There is nothing like an illegal income so far as the tax collector is concerned. Even if the assessee is prosecuted by law enforcing authorities for commission of offence, the income earned by the offender would be income liable for assessment. It is not a defense in such cases that the State is also becoming a party to the illegal act by sharing the booty. The Madras High Court also upheld this view in CIT vs K Thangamani (309 ITR 15) where a tax practitioner was claiming TDS refunds by filing bogus returns in the names of fictitious persons. The substantial questions of law are decided ( https://taxguru.in/income-tax/illegal-income-is-taxable-madras-high-court.html ) in favour of the revenue, setting aside orders by the tax tribunal. Globally, the US has accepted this principle since 1961 and illegal income, such as theft, embezzlement and drugtrafficking, are included in gross income. It has been argued that the government needs money to operate; hence, although it does not condone illegal activity, it doesnt let that stop it from getting its fair share of the income earned. Interestingly, the law also allows assesses to claim deduction on expenses related to that illegal activity and tax only net income. This is because the US Supreme Court said that the tax code was not meant to punish unlawful behaviour but only to collect tax. The Canadian government specifically audits people accused of criminal behaviour to check if they have paid taxes on illegal income ( https://taxpage.com/articles-and-tips/income-from-illegal-activities/ ). Such earnings are taxed as business income with similar deductions as allowed by the US, plus penalties for delayed filing, etc. Europe has similar laws. In effect, there are plenty of global precedents, which could have been explained to people. A new twist to the Indian situation is that many misguided youngsters are already accepting payments in crypto currency, since the government has yet to decide on its legality and regulation. There is no clarity on how the 1% TDS would apply on this after April 2022. There is no clarity on the impact and mechanism for such deduction, especially for traders, since crypto exchanges themselves are not legal. Another unanswered question is whether the 30% tax will be applicable on such income, irrespective of whether people being paid in cryptos are in the tax bracket or not. A simple reading of the finance ministrys statement would suggest that it will, indeed, be taxed at 30%, because the government sees its decision as a smart move to collect revenue in a legally ambiguous situation. The issue of expenses on business income would be decided based on established precedents, unless the tax department decides to disallow such expenses and have the issue decided by the court. All this suggests that those earning in cryptos may be forced to go underground and accept illegal payments that fly below the tax radar, while those with taxable income and earnings may be in for a harrowing time until the government sorts out, what is smugly seen as a canny move to collect taxes from trading that has attracted 20 million Indians, largely youngsters. February 12, 2022 U.S. Sends Nuclear Submarine To Harass Russia Near Japan Since October 30 2021 the U.S. is warning of a Russian military buildup and a potential invasion of the Ukraine. Over the last days the screaming over Russian exercises on Russian grounds has again increased. The U.S. Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense have both called their Russian counterparts. President Biden will later today call President Putin. But if the situation is really as dire as the U.S. claims why is it doing this (machine translation)? An American submarine entered Russian territorial waters in the Kuriles region, and special means were used against it, the Ministry of Defense said. "On February 12, 2022, at 10:40 Moscow time, a U.S. Navy submarine of the Virginia type was discovered in the area of the planned exercise of the Pacific Fleet forces in the territorial waters of the Russian Federation near Urup Island of the Kuril Ridge," the agency said. The crew of the submarine was given a message in Russian and English via underwater communication: "You are in the territorial waters of Russia. Surface immediately!" The foreign warship ignored the demand. "In accordance with the guidelines for the protection of the state border of the Russian Federation in the underwater environment, the crew of the Pacific Fleet frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov used appropriate means," the message says. The American submarine used a self-propelled simulator to double the target on radar and acoustic control means and left Russian territorial waters at maximum speed. A detachment of ships of the Pacific Fleet continues exercises and controls the underwater environment to prevent violation of the state border. In connection with the incident, the Defense Ministry called the military attache at the US Embassy in Moscow. The Kuril islands are north east of Japan and part of Russia. During the Yalta conference on February 11 1945 U.S. President Roosevelt had conceded the Kuril islands, then completely under Japanese control, to the Soviet Union in exchange for the Soviet Union joining the war against Japan. In its typical non-agreement-capable manner the U.S. has since disputed the agreement and supports Japanese claims, repeated recently, on the southern islands on its side of the 1855 border. The dispute has prevented the signing of a peace treaty between Russia and Japan. Rahm Emanuel, the very new U.S. ambassador to Japan, used the issue to piss off his Russian colleague: The Russian ambassador responded by doubting Emanuel's knowledge of the issue. The U.S. will probably claim that the submarine was in Japanese waters when the Russian navy repelled it. Russia believes that the new Japanese push on the Kuril islandw issue has been instigated by the U.S. as a part of its current general harassment of Russia. Today's submarine incident will be taken as proof of that thesis. During the call between Biden and Putin the Russian side will certainly mention the submarine incident. I do not expect any public results from the call. But there are without doubt some background negotiations about the demands Russia has made and which the U.S. so far has rejected. The submarine incident could have developed way more badly. The current U.S. behavior is extremely dangerous but being dangerous may well be its intent. Michael Tracey @mtracey - 19:14 UTC Feb 11, 2022 Like clockwork, a new round of warnings from US media and government officials is having the effect of exacerbating rather than allaying tensions. Jake Sullivan just declared that any Americans should flee Ukraine. Everything they're doing suggests an intent to trigger war. Posted by b on February 12, 2022 at 17:20 UTC | Permalink Comments next page Moultrie, GA (31768) Today Partial cloudiness early, with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 88F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. James Durbin Crude prices broke out of a holding pattern Friday, surging 3.6 percent as tensions between Ukraine and Russia soared and the US warned a Russian invasion could happen as early as next week. Those developments have some analysts expecting prices to reach $100 soon. West Texas Intermediate on the New York Mercantile Exchange jumped $3.22, or 3.6 percent, to close at $93.10 per barrel after two days of inching up 30 cents and 22 cents respectively. Prices had fallen below $90 on Tuesday by dropping $1.96. The posted price ended the week at $89.58 per barrel. This is the eighth consecutive weekly rise for crude prices. Muskogee, OK (74401) Today Cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy later in the day. High 67F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later at night. Low 54F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Although some groups have resumed meetings, others schedules may have changed because of pandemic restrictions. It is recommended you contact the group in advance to verify details. Any changes in meeting schedules can be emailed to JJCsocial@myjournalcourier.com. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS 217-370-4002 Jacksonville locations: First Baptist Church, 1701 Mound Ave. Wheelchair-accessible. Club HOW, 638 S. Church St. Monday Closed discussion, 7:30 a.m. at Club HOW. Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at First Baptist Church. Bowen Group. Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Tuesday Open discussion, noon at Club HOW. Womens open meeting, 5:30 p.m., First Christian Churchs Fireside Room. VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 7 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, Main and Washington streets. ROODHOUSE: Closed discussion, 12-step/12 traditions, 8 p.m. at Grace Center, 114 W. Palm St. Wednesday Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Thursday Closed discussion, 7:30 a.m. at Club HOW. Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Newcomers Group. Friday Closed discussion, noon at Club HOW. TGIF Group. Closed discussion, 5:15 p.m., Big Book Study at Club HOW. VIRGINIA: Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at United Methodist Church, 401 E. Broadway Ave. Saturday Open speaker, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. Open meeting, noon at Club HOW. Sunday Closed discussion, 8 p.m. at Club HOW. 12 & 12 Group. Closed discussion, 10 a.m. at Club HOW. (Second Sunday is open) SPRINGFIELD: AA for Women, 10 a.m. at Discovery Club, 313 W. Cook St. AL-ANON Meetings are nonsmoking and open to anyone. The only requirement is that there be a problem of alcohol with a loved one or friend. 217-248-6434. Wednesday Al-Anon, 7:30-8:30 p.m. at Centenary United Methodist Church, 331 E. State St. (use Morgan Street entrance). Thursday Al-Anon, noon at First Presbyterian Church, 870 W. College Ave. (open meeting). NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS All meetings are nonsmoking. Not affiliated with any religious organization. Jacksonville locations: First Christian Church, 2106 S. Main St. (enter through far southeast door). 217-883-1975. Lutheran Church for the Deaf, 104 Finley St. (enter through back door). 217-883-1975. Wednesday Open discussion group, 8 p.m. at Lutheran Church for the Deaf. Friday Open discussion group, 7:30 p.m. at First Christian Church. OTHER MEETINGS Monday Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. at Faith Tabernacle, 571 Sandusky St. Use side entrance to church hall. PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 7-8 p.m. in the basement of Subway in Pittsfield. 1-800-323-1388. Tuesday American Legion Post 279, first Tuesday of every month, 7 p.m. at 903 W. Superior Ave. Wednesday Breastfeeding support group, 6 p.m., Passavant Area Hospital, Meeting Room 2. ROODHOUSE: Women with Hearts of Love (WWHOL), 6-7 p.m. at House of Restoration, 208 W. Franklin St. 217-602-1670. Thursday Jacksonville Area Chess Club, 6-9 p.m. at Jacksonville Public Library. 217-370-0882. Jacksonville Kiwanis Club, noon at Hamiltons. WHITE HALL: Addicts Victorious, teens 5:30-6:30 p.m.; adults 7-8 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of New Life Church, 626 Curtis St. Friday Jacksonville Rotary Club, noon at Hamiltons. PITTSFIELD: Addicts Victorious, 6 p.m. at Assembly of God, 575 Piper St. 800-323-1388. Saturday Jacksonville Amateur Radio Societys Net, 9 p.m. Transmitted on K9JX repeater. K9JX.com. He was a ground-breaker in more ways than one, and he helped thousands of central Illinoisans along the way. Dr. Alonzo H. Kenniebrew was the first African-American to own and operate a hospital in the United States, running New Home Sanitarium in Jacksonville for nearly two decades in the early 20th century. A disciple of Booker T. Washington, Kenniebrew succeeded despite a lifetime of roadblocks because of his race. Born in Shorter, Alabama, on May 5, 1875, Kenniebrew was the son of a former slave. He graduated from the prestigious Tuskegee Institute, as well as Central Tennessee College and Meharry Medical College, a predominately black medical school in Nashville. Kenniebrew earned a degree from Meharry in 1897 with a thesis titled Dementia Paralytica. From 1897 to 1902, Kenniebrew served as Tuskegees medical director, surgeon-in-chief and instructor of physiology. At Tuskegee, Kenniebrew formed relationships with the some of the most accomplished African-Americans of the day. He was not only Washingtons close friend and personal physician, but he also was well acquainted with the remarkable George Washington Carver. He then settled in Jacksonville, first residing at 950 Morton Ave. In September 1902, advertisements in the Daily Journal promoted his medical office at 221 W. Morgan St. Kenniebrew had telephones at both his home and office, amenities that many other local doctors did not have. As years passed, he expanded his services and moved to 323 W. Morgan. A 1906 ad in the Journal offered his expertise in diseases of the stomach, women and children. At the time, Kenniebrew conducted office hours 9-11 a.m. and 2-5 and 7-8 p.m. weekdays and 9-11 a.m. Sundays. Because Kenniebrew was unable to obtain medical privileges at Jacksonville hospitals, he took the unusual step of opening his own hospital on April 12, 1909. Dubbed the New Home Sanitarium, the facility began as a small, six-room cottage with one trained nurse, one surgeon, three beds, an operating room and, as one account reported, a few miscellaneous articles. Kenniebrews skill and determination, however, won out. By 1922, the facility was described as a large, modern building of 33 rooms, with four sleeping porches (and) three laboratories with a staff of seven nurses, three surgeons, and eight associate surgeons and physicians. The sanitarium placed special emphasis on surgery and obstetrics. In World War I, the U.S. War Department used the hospital as a training facility for Army surgeons. Patients flocked to Jacksonville from across the nation for Kenniebrews services. In 1920, the New Home Sanitarium registry included patients from 21 states and Canada. Though every staff member was black, a Buffalo newspaper reported in 1922 that the facility had treated 2,553 patients, all but 105 of them white. The sanitarium eventually grew to 67 rooms and Kenniebrew solidified himself as a nationally respected physician. His advertisements in the Jacksonville papers reflected his common-sense approach. A display ad in the Journal on Christmas Eve 1920 touted the New Home Sanitarium as the most unique institution in the state and the only purely surgical hospital equipped and devoted to surgery and obstetric surgery outside of Chicago. The sanitarium had never asked nor received a penny outside its own income, and its death rate was the lowest because of its equipment and devotion to surgery only. The following March 2, a Journal ad implored residents that your last chance should not be wasted just because someone ... told you that your time has about come to answer that roll which only angels understand. At the New Home Sanitarium, the nurses and surgeons ... are never happier than when relieving the suffering or extending leases on borrowed physical frames. Kenniebrew endured a stroke in 1927, forcing an extended absence. The color of his skin also remained an issue. In 1929, he came back to Jacksonville to reopen the sanitarium, but the city seized the property to extend a street. That same year, he also sought membership in the Sangamon County Medical Society, because he apparently had hospital privileges in Springfield. The society then decided privileges for hospital admission should be tied to membership and Kenniebrews application to join the society was not granted. Around that time, he left for Evanston, where he practiced medicine and published the weekly Evanston Informer. Kenniebrew and his first wife, Lenora, a former dean of women at Tuskegee, divorced after settling in Jacksonville. Prior to his move to Evanston, he married the former Jessie Schultz, his bookkeeper and medical stenographer, who was 31 years younger than Kenniebrew. The union produced two children. In a 1993 interview, Jessie remembered that Kenniebrew was flamboyant, first driving a carriage with high-steppin horses while wearing custom-made white gloves, then later driving flashy automobiles. In 1933, Kenniebrew returned to central Illinois, opening a practice on East Washington Street in Springfield. He later moved his practice to East Jackson Street. However, an advertisement in the Daily Journal in March 1938 indicates that he also was regularly seeing patients at 514 S. West St. in Jacksonville. While in Evanston, he earned membership in the Cook County Medical Society, which he tried in 1934 to transfer to Sangamon County Medical Society. Again, he was denied. While in Springfield, Kenniebrew resumed his publishing interests, creating the weekly Illinois State Informer. He finally retired amid health issues in 1940 and died in Springfield on May 20, 1943. Kenniebrew is buried in East Cemetery in Jacksonville, below a tombstone that notes a handful of his accomplishments. His widow, Jessie, later remarried and became a cherished member of Springfield society until her death in 2006 at age 99. She was honored as Springfields First Citizen in 1976. Today, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield hosts the Alonzo H. Kenniebrew, M.D., Forum, an annual event to discuss disparities in health and similar factors. In 2008, the Sangamon County Medical Society issued a formal apology for its failure to extend membership to Kenniebrew. What's new at Jacksonville Public Library: "Light Years from Home" by Mike Chen: Evie Shao and her sister arent on speaking terms. Fifteen years ago on a family camping trip, their father and brother vanished. Their dad turned up days later, dehydrated and confused and convinced hes been abducted by aliens. This story is the perfect combination of action, imagination and heart, a touching drama about a challenge as difficult as saving the galaxy: making peace with your family ... and yourself. Adult Nonfiction "A Brief History of Timekeeping" by Chad Orzel: A virtual journey through the science that grew up alongside centuries of human efforts to measure the passage of time, this book provides an intriguing story with elements of politics, philosophy and history. The author gives us a grand tour of something we all take for granted. DVD "Ride the Eagle": When Leifs estranged mother dies, she leaves him a conditional inheritance. Before he can move into her picturesque Yosemite cabin, he has to complete her elaborate and sometimes dubious to-do list. Leif and Nora, his canine BFF, step into Honeys wild world as she tries to make amends from beyond the grave in this hilarious and heartfelt comedy. Young Adult Fiction "This Woven Kingdom" by Tahereh Mafi: The best-selling author is back with the first book in a brand new series inspired by Persian mythology. Though she is the long-lost heir to an ancient Jinn kingdom, Alizeh hides in plain sight as a servant, waiting to enact the prophecies that foretell her return to the throne and the death of the crown prince. Juvenile Fiction "The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse" by Mac Barnett: In this winner of the E.B. White Read Aloud Award, beloved authors and illustrators Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen have teamed up to create a story reminiscent of long-shared folktales. What at first seems eerie soon turns silly as the mouse meets the duck in the belly of the wolf and they get to partying. Did you know? The library will play host for its second Family Art Night event at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. We will be making paper sculptures. A home in the 7100 block of Sunny Drive in Barnhart on Thursday, Feb. 10, was extensively damaged by fire and deemed uninhabitable. From January 17, 2022 to January 23, 2022, unvaccinated people were 5.9 times more likely to get COVID-19 than people who received their booster dose. View Photo Tuolumne County Public Health reports the death of a woman in her 70s due to Coivd-19. There are 83 new Covid cases, 46 are community cases, active community cases increased 20 to 260 including 11 people who are hospitalized. There are 37 newly identified inmate cases at the Sierra Conservation Center since Thursday. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) reports 177 active inmate cases, the fourth most at any prison in the state. There have been 2,373 inmate cases according to Tuolumne Public Health, and the prisons inmate population is currently 2,957. The newly reported community cases include seven cases age 17 or younger and 12 cases age 60 or older. The new Covid cases demographics: three girls and three boys age 11 or younger, one girl age 12 to 17, four women and two men age 18 to 29, seven women and one man in their 30s, three women and two men in their 40s, two women and six men in their 50s, three women and four men in their 60s, and three women in their 70s and one woman and one man in their 80s. The total current case rate, a 14-day average for Tuolumne County decreased to 67.3 from 69.9 per 100,000 population. The case rate reached a high of 174.8 on January 24th. A total of 24 were released from isolation in all 9,778 have been released from isolation. The 7-day test positivity rate is 11.1% and 62% of the population eligible to get vaccinated has been vaccinated. Vaccination details per case are no longer reported, the state vaccination trends are here. You can help slow the spread of COVID-19 by self-isolating when you have symptoms or a positive test result. Also, notify any close contacts youve had from 2 days before you became ill or got tested. Any close contacts should follow current quarantine guidance and get tested 3-5 days after exposure. If you are at high risk of severe disease or hospitalization, you can contact your doctor to discuss potential treatment options. If you are not symptomatic, have not tested positive for COVID-19 recently, and are not in quarantine, public health officials recommend getting vaccinated or boosted. Calaveras County Public Health reports 38 new cases since Thursday, February 10. There are 13 more active cases for a total of 74 active cases including seven Covid hospitalizations. Calaveras reports positive cases age 17 and under are at 1,400 or more, and cases age 65 and older remain at 1,100 or more, specific numbers are no longer provided. There are 51 more counted as recovered for a total of 6,765 and 56.97% of the eligible population is fully vaccinated in the county. California Department of Public Health updated health orders and guidance, masks are only required on public transit, in schools (update here), and in care/hospital settings and indoors for those not vaccinated as of February 16. Surgical masks or higher-level respirators (e.g., N95s, KN95s, KF94s) with good fit are highly recommended: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/COVID-19/guidance-for-face-coverings.aspx Details are also in the news story here. Mega events guidance, long term care, hospital visitation, skilled nursing and care facilities visitation guidance are in yesterdays report here. COVID-19 Testing Free tests can be ordered at covidtests.gov or at usps.com/covidtest. The first tests will ship by the end of January. Tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering through the U.S. Postal Service. USPS reports shipping times of 1-3 days for its first-class package service in the continental United States. The White House emphasized that the website is in beta testing when it made tests available for ordering for the first time today. Public health recommends scheduling an appointment to get tested 5 days after possible exposure and if you are having any symptoms, to get tested right away. The Tuolumne County State testing site schedule is 7 days a week from 7 AM to 7 PM at the Mother Lode Fairgrounds. Appointments can be made at www.lhi.care/covidtesting or by calling 888-634-1123. Testing is also available at pharmacies, at Rapid Care, and the hospital emergency department if you are experiencing any symptoms, or contact your healthcare provider. More details are here. COVID-19 Vaccine the Tuolumne County Public Health Department has planned a Saturday clinic for school age children to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The Pediatric Pfizer vaccine will be offered to children ages 5 to 11 at their office at 20111 Cedar Road North in Sonora, from 9-11:45 AM and 12:30-2 PM on Saturday, February 12. Appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins will be welcome. Patients may register at MyTurn.ca.gov or call 209-533-7440 for more information. Tuolumne Public Health officials update an Emergency Use Authorization request for the Pfizer vaccine for children 6 months to 4 years old is anticipated to receive approval next week. The approval process includes several steps including review by the FDAs Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC), CDCs A dvisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), and the Western States Scientific and Safety Review Workgroup. Vaccines may become available for this age group as early as the week of February 21st. More information will be shared as it becomes available. The CDC recommends people receive a booster shot if they completed a Pfizer series at least five months ago, or the Moderna series at least six months ago, or a J&J vaccine at least two months ago. Vaccine appointments for children ages 5 to 11 can also be made through myturn.ca.gov, or by calling 833-422-4255, or through local pharmacies, more details are here. For ways to manage a fear of needles or a phobia and help others with it, view the CDCs information guide here. Learn more about self-care strategies by visiting namica.org County Date New Active (Hospital) Total 2022 All Cases (All Deaths) Amador 2/10 (M/Th) 50 239 (18) 1,538 5,704 (67) Calaveras 2/11 38 74 (7) 2,288 6,946 (107) Mariposa 2/11 10 43 (20) 1,014 2,877 (20) Mono 2/11 2 N/A 971 2,941 (8) Stanislaus 2/11 264 6,579 (193) 31,242 116,047 (1,588) Tuolumne 2/11 83 260 (11) 4,548 12,576 (165) Reported cases at end of 2021 and 2020 Amador updates Monday and Thursday. Ione, CA A South Carolina fugitive wanted for attempted homicide ended up being caught at an Amador County home, armed with a gun. Just before 8 p.m. Friday (Feb. 11) a caller reported a man in his living room armed with a handgun. Deputies raced to the residence in the 5500 block of Park Circle in the Ione area. Once there, they determined that all inside had run from the home except the suspect and the elderly homeowner. Just as deputies were surrounding the house in hopes of rescuing the homeowner, the suspect came out of the house onto the front porch and he was arrested without incident. The suspect has been identified as Austin McDonald of South Carolina, who had a warrant for his arrest for attempted murder in that state. No further details were released regarding that alleged crime. Also, it is unclear if McDonald had a relationship with someone in the house or randomly chose to enter the home. McDonalds can now tag on charges of a felon in possession of a firearm, criminal threats, intimidating a victim to deter from reporting a crime, brandishing a firearm, and attempting to conceal evidence along with the attempted homicide warrant. He is being held without bail due to the murder warrant. San Antonio leaders hosted a virtual town hall meeting to discuss the proposed project to remove over 100 trees from Brackenridge Park on Thursday, February 10. Here's a breakdown of the major takeaways from the town hall meeting. According to the San Antonio Parks and Department, the city needs to cut down several trees to repair a 1920s wall that runs along the bank of the river and restore some of the historical features at Brackenridge Park. It will help establish a new event terrace at the Historic Pump House and put water in the historic raceway, as well as reveal arches that are covered up by soil pavers, paving and trees. Homer Garcia III, the director of the parks and recreation department, said the project is part of the master plan for Brackenridge Park 2017, which was discussed through various public meetings and engagement surveys beginning in the summer of 2015. The master plan was approved in the bond from 2017. How many trees are projected to be pulled? Out of the 105 trees being removed, 10 are heritage trees, while others are dead and invasive species. The parks department said 136 total trees will be preserved and about 400 to 600 trees will be planted for the project. All the trees planted will be of native species. Bill Pennell, park planning assistant manager at the city of San Antonio, said the trees that are coming out are all dealing with historical and cultural features. He said the trees are either up against walls, up against buildings, and having an impact on structures the city wants to restore. Pennell said those issues can't be fixed without removing the trees. He said they have looked at this project in all different ways. He said this is the best option they can all come up with after a concerned citizen asked if they can either move walls or structures. Concerns for the birds? Many citizens are worried about how the removal of the trees will affect the birds. Jessica Alderson, an urban biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife, said in the town hall meeting that they are working on doing some management to get the birds that are nesting there to move to a more desirable location away from Brackenridge Park. "They do not harm the birds. It just is a simple noise deterrent or visual deterrence, and they get them to move to a more desirable location," Alderson said. "It still allows them to nest, it does not prevent them from nesting, so they're still able to move to a new location and be able to thrive just as they would if they were in the same spot that they were in a previous year." What is next? The project must be approved by the city's Historic Design and Review Committee. San Antonio District 2 Councilmember Jalen McKee-Rodriguez shared information about the project was pulled from last week's agenda and is rescheduled for Wednesday, February 16 at 3 p.m. McKee-Rodriguez noted he does hope HDRC can amend the project and only vote to remove the trees that have a direct implication on the safety of visitors. City leaders added HDRC can approve a portion of the trees without approving all if they see fit. Garcia said they will create another opportunity for residents to speak on their concerns at 2 p.m. on Saturday, February 12 at Joske Pavilion at Brackenridge Park. The walking tour, led by the parks department and District 1, will "provide information on the restoration and preservation of the parks historic assets including the 1776 Upper Labor Diversion Dam, 1870s Brackenridge Park Pump House and the 1920s River Walls," as well as give an update on site preparation and tree work. More details can be found here. If you need more information, the parks and recreation department has created a page where it has uploaded several links and details at sanantonio.gov. Yves here. Sadly, this post provides support for the old fogies belief that it isnt just job pressures and challenges raising kids in two income households that have contributed to the weakening of community ties. The Internet has apparently had a direct impact. No wonder the 5G rollout is such a priority. By Andrea Geraci, Assistant Professor in Economics, University of Pavia; Mattia Nardotto, Associate Professor, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; Tommaso Reggiani, Lecturer in Economics, Cardiff University-Cardiff Business School & Masaryk University-MUEEL lab; and Fabio Sabatini, Professor in Economics, Sapienza University of Rome. Originally published at VoxEU Social capital, including networks and relationships, civic engagement, and trust, is central to a well-functioning society. This column examines the relationship between social capital and internet access in the UK. The findings show that following broadband take-up, civic and political engagement systematically declines with increasing speed of Internet connection. Time-consuming activities oriented to the pursuit of collective welfare, such as engagement in associations, suffer the most from broadband penetration, while relationships with family and friends are less affected. The Covid-19 crisis has strained social relationships to unprecedented levels. Social distancing measures have prevented many forms of engagement in public affairs for two years now, often resulting in undermined cohesion and trust in institutions (Daniele et al. 2020). However, the erosion of British social capital is anything but a new phenomenon, with indicators of trust, social interaction, and civic engagement reportedly declining since the second half of the 1990s. What Is Social Capital? Economists refer to social capital as all the features of social life, such as networks of relationships, civic engagement, and trust, that enable individuals to act together more effectively to pursue shared objectives. Civic networks can nurture members concern for public welfare and willingness to live by the norms of the community and punish deviant behaviours. From an economic perspective, the cooperative attitudes that stem from social capital can reduce transaction and monitoring costs, encourage investments, and improve the allocation of resources (e.g. Algan and Cahuc 2007, Bazzi et al. 2018). Why Has Social Capital Been Declining for Three Decades? In his bestseller Bowling Alone, Robert Putnam (2000) suggested that television may have displaced relational activities in individuals leisure time in the last decades of the 20th century. In line with this argument, it seems plausible that the Internet, which provides on-demand content and allows for interactive communication, might have induced an even more powerful substitution effect in more recent years. Does the time we spend online displace our civic engagement and political participation? Is the Internet weakening our willingness to comply with social norms of cooperation and mutual respect, making us more self-centred and isolated than before? New Study on the UK In a recent paper (Geraci et al. 2022), we answer these questions by constructing a unique dataset on Internet access in the UK and matching this to survey data on social capital. We first collect the geolocation of the network nodes and the blocks served by each of them. This allows us to calculate the distance between each survey respondents telephone line and the relevant node of the voice network, and therefore to study how the topology of the old telephone network made of copper wires affected broadband penetration. To assess the causal impact of fast Internet on social capital, we match these data on Internet access with geocoded, longitudinal survey data collected annually between 1998 and 2018 by the British Household Panel Survey and the UK Longitudinal Household Study (Understanding Society). The distance between each survey respondents telephone line and the relevant node of the voice network is a critical factor in the use of fast Internet. Broadband access long relied on the digital subscriber line (DSL) technology, allowing data transmission over the old telephone infrastructure made of copper wires. However, the speed of a DSL connection rapidly decays with the distance of a final users telephone line from the network node serving the area, also called the local exchange. When the network was designed in the 1930s, the length of the copper wire connecting houses to local exchanges did not affect the quality of voice communications. However, the introduction of DSL technology in the 1990s unexpectedly turned distance from the local exchange into a critical determinant of broadband access. This technical change caused exogenous variation in the quality of Internet access, as access to a faster connection was increasing in the proximity to a node of the network (Figure 1, left panel), and stimulated greater use of the Internet (Figure 1, right panel). Figure 1 Note: The x-axis measures the residuals of a regression of the distance between the house and the respective local exchange on the socio-demographic control variables. The y-axis of the left panel reports the residual of a regression for the presence of broadband at home on the socio-demographic control variables. The y-axis of the right panel reports the residual of a regression for the time spent online on the socio-demographic control variables. The Impact of Broadband Internet on Bridging and Bonding Social Capital Our empirical analysis shows that fast Internet substantially displaced several dimensions of social capital in the UK. After broadband take-up, civic and political engagement started to systematically decline with inhabitants proximity to the network node serving the area, i.e. with the speed of the Internet connection. Time-consuming activities oriented to the pursuit of collective welfare, such as engagement in associations, suffered the most from broadband penetration. Putnam (2000) labelled associational life as a form of bridging social capital that bridges people with different backgrounds, fosters cohesion, and encourages cooperative attitudes. Figure 2 illustrates the event study analysis supporting these conclusions. The effect is statistically significant and sizable. A 1.8 km reduction in respondents distance from the local exchange, resulting in a faster connection, caused a 4.7% decline in the likelihood of participation in associational activities between 2005 and 2017. For political parties, broadband availability caused a statistically significant 19% reduction in the probability of involvement. For volunteering associations, the likelihood of people participating in these organisations reduced by 10.3%. Figure 2 Note: Each panel plots the coefficients and 90% confidence intervals associated with the interactions between wave dummies and the Distance variable, using the first available wave as baseline. Standard errors are clustered at the level of the LSOA. Nonetheless, the displacement spared relationships with family and friends, which is generally labelled as bonding social capital in the literature. Social scientists often blame bonding social capital for pushing individuals to focus on particularistic goals, potentially harming trust in others, cohesion, cooperation, and development (Muringani et al. 2021). In this context, while bonding social capital seems resilient to technological change, bridging social capital proves fragile and vulnerable to the pressure of new media on users time allocation choices. This result suggests an adverse effect of technological progress by undermining an essential factor of social capital and the well-functioning of democratic institutions, possibly paving the way for the rise of populism. However, the pattern that we document for the British case may be case-specific, and will not necessarily hold in other contexts. Results for the UK must be understood in connection with previous, conflicting evidence on the outcomes of broadband penetration, suggesting that fast Internet did not displace social capital in Germany (Bauernschuster et al. 2014). The behavioural and societal impact of fast Internet may vary depending on the initial stock of social capital, institutional background, and activities users perform online. See original post for references My Nashville Post role has evolved since 2000 when I joined the now-defunct The City Paper. TCP became a Post sister publication in 2008 (when I began doing some Post work) and folded in 2013. I have been managing editor of the Post since late 2011. Follow William Williams 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 (Natural News) It wasnt that long ago when Big Tobacco bribed thousands of doctors and ran full-page ads in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), claiming, More doctors smoke Camels than any other cigarette! For decades, the medical and scientific establishment in the United States was ruled by Big Tobacco. Doctors were taught that smoking cigarettes was good for oral health and could improve cognitive performance. This was considered the science of the time, and anyone who disagreed with the science was smeared, attacked and found blacklisted from the industry (just like today). Those who declared that smoking was good for your health were said to be the medical and science leaders of the time. The science is settled, the world was told by Big Tobacco-sponsored medical journals, medical training events and science magazines. The following full-page ad that ran in JAMA declared that cigarettes were good for your T-Zone (T for Throat, T for Taste). It declared, The doctors choice is Americas choice! Full-page ads declared that the science on smoking was settled. No adverse effects on the nose, throat and sinuses were recorded in smokers even after ten years of regular smoking, declared this ad for Chesterfield cigarettes: And this tobacco ad from Tipalet cigarettes promised that if you blow smoke in the face of a sexy woman, shell follow you anywhere: All these propaganda lies from Big Tobacco were framed in the language of science. And the science lies havent really changed that much in the decades since. In fact, if you compare the lies of Big Tobacco to the lies of Big Pharma and modern-day vaccine propaganda, they are nearly identical: Big Pharmas days are numbered the industry of death will be dismantled just like Big Tobacco Big Tobacco profited from killing people with a toxic, deadly product that promoted heart disease, lung cancer and vascular disorders. For decades, they infiltrated the science industry and dominated medical journals and media coverage. Cigarette manufacturers advertised in magazines, on television and at sporting events. They paid Hollywood script writers to place cigarettes in movies and make them look cool. But they got caught faking the science. Tens of millions died from smoking, and when the real medical science became clear, Big Tobacco was largely dismantled by Attorneys General and prosecutors who took the industry to task for its deadly products and science scams. Big Pharma is much like Big Tobacco but far more deadly and dangerous. Covid vaccines are destroying hearts and vascular health at a pace that even cigarette smoking could never match. mRNA injections force the body to manufacture deadly biological weapons inside its own cells and release them into the bloodstream where they cause systemic damage to the vascular system, neurological system, reproductive organs and immune system. While smoking cigarettes might require years or decades to kill you, a covid vaccine injection can kill you in hours or days. The truth is coming out with each passing day. The vaccines have already killed millions around the world, and millions more are permanently injured, condemned to a life of suffering. Over the next decade, the covid vaccines that have already been administered around the world will claim the lives of hundreds of millions of victims if not more. We the People must demand that prosecutors hold these criminals responsible for their mass slaughter of innocent humans via deadly vaccines As the globalist depopulation war on humanity is being beaten back by courageous citizens everywhere, we must now make sure we hold the covid criminals accountable for their vaccine crimes against humanity: Their fraudulent science, media lies, censorship of truth and deliberate effort to mass murder millions of innocent human beings. The criminal prosecutions will target pharmaceutical companies (and their executives), Big Tech leaders who censored the truth, Big Media propagandists who were paid to push deadly, fraudulent products on the public, and even government regulators at the FDA and CDC who betrayed humanity and approved deadly, dangerous vaccines to be unleashed on the public. In addition to the prison time that will no doubt be dealt to those found guilty of crimes against humanity, the prosecutors will demand financial reparations for those who were injured or killed by these toxic, deadly vaccines. And this means the hundreds of billions of dollars in assets currently held by Big Pharma will be subject to confiscation and redistribution, much like with Big Tobacco (but on a much larger scale). Big Pharma corporations will be financially gutted. Their top executives will have their assets seized as they are sentenced to multi-decade prison sentences. Hospitals that profited from pushing vaccines and withholding ivermectin will be stripped of their profits and condemned to certain bankruptcy. Doctors who pushed deadly vaccines and ventilators while refusing to treat patients with ivermectin will see their medical licenses revoked while facing criminal charges. This process will take many years to unfold, and it will meet tremendous resistance from Big Pharma in exactly the same way Big Tobacco fought to maintain its control over the science. But the real evidence eventually won out. Over the next few years, the truth about the vaccine holocaust will become undeniable. And those responsible for carrying it out will be named and investigated: Journo-terrorists, government regulators, corporate executives, hospital administrators, vaccine-pushing doctors, pharmacists, drug distributors and more. All those who were complicit in the vaccine holocaust against humanity will be named and held to account via legal (criminal) proceedings that span the globe. There will be a day when all those who were paid by the CDC to pimp vaccine propaganda on their social media accounts will be desperately scrubbing their entire online history. But the internet never forgets. You cannot erase your role in these crimes against humanity. As attorney Thomas Renz told me in a recent interview, Were coming for you. He means the lawyers and prosecutors are coming for the vaccine criminals. And hes right. They will not escape the prosecutions. Their crimes against humanity will be documented forever. Their names will join the wall of shame of those who took part in the vaccine holocaust against humanity, and they will be decried as traitors to the human race for centuries to come. Todays Situation Update shares more details on all this. Its a powerful look at how the covid plandemic is now turning a corner as the governments of the world drop covid restrictions and realize they were wrong all along. Brighteon.com/41a0eeea-8610-4fb3-8ce2-e9f6c9bb5832 Find more information-packaged podcasts each day, along with special reports and emergency updates, at: https://www.brighteon.com/channels/hrreport Also follow me on: Brighteon.social: Brighteon.social/@HealthRanger Telegram: t.me/RealHealthRanger Gettr: GETTR.com/user/healthranger Parler: Parler.com/user/HealthRanger Rumble: Rumble.com/c/HealthRangerReport BitChute: Bitchute.com/channel/9EB8glubb0Ns/ Clouthub: app.clouthub.com/#/users/u/naturalnews/posts Join the free NaturalNews.com email newsletter to stay alerted about new, upcoming audiobooks that you can download for free. Download my current audiobooks including Ghost World, Survival Nutrition, The Global Reset Survival Guide and The Contagious Mind at: https://Audiobooks.NaturalNews.com/ (Natural News) A 19-year-old black female college student at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) is now facing disorderly conduct charges over lying to police after she reported a hate crime incident in her dorm last month that led to two white students being initially accused. It was after extensive resources and manpower were deployed for an investigation, that officials concluded it was the accuser who allegedly faked the hate crime in the first place. (Article by Nick Monroe republished from ThePostMillenial.com) Although false reporting of racial and bias incidents is isolated and rare, this case should remind every member of our community how important it is to preserve and protect due process and fairness in our procedures and communications. Seeking and confronting the truth and acting in accord with the facts must be at the heart of a just community, wrote SIUE when sharing the news. This incident also involved an anonymous text message thread from 2021 that is said to have racist content, but this isnt mentioned in the final charging documents that the hoaxer now faces. Back on Friday, per The College Fix, black female college student Kaliyeha Clark-Mabins now faces three disorderly conduct charges for filing a false police report over the matter. The two white students falsely accused were cleared of wrongdoing after an investigation that involved the Madison County States Attorneys office, as well as US Secret Service. According to the charging documents, the summary of the incident is that she falsely reported on January 23, 2022, she was the victim of a Hate Crime, in that she reported that two notes were posted on her dormitory room door, located at Room 119, Woodland Hall, SIU-E Campus, Edwardsville, Illinois, saying BLACK PEOPLE DONT BELONG and DIE B*TCH and Kaliyeha Clark-Mabins knew at the time of this transmission there was no reasonable ground for believing that such an offense had been committed. Chief of police for Southern Illinois University Edwards told the outlet that the Secret Services involvement included analysis of the handwriting on the notes in question. The variations on the three disorderly conduct charges entail the fact that she lied to police in the first place, as well as making a false accusation against two others for the apparent staged act. The initial incident, when students thought it was a white person who did it, led to a racial justice protest on campus where demonstrators raised awareness for protecting black students. David Daniel of the Black Student Union at the time said the person being accused of putting up the notes and sending racial slurs and threats via text message shouldnt even have been allowed on campus. A now-closed change.org petition calling for the expulsion by some white teens on campus garnered over 1,800 signatures before the hate hoax situation was realized. In addition, SIUE police had increased their patrols on campus during that time of initial investigation because they were under the impression there was a potential threat. The SIUE hate crime hoax situation is the latest in recent months. The most prominent in terms of media attention was the Jussie Smollett trial last year where the Empire actor was found guilty for his high-profile fabrication of being assaulted by MAGA country racists on a cold winter morning in Chicago. Read more at: ThePostMillenial.com (Natural News) In a February 1, 2022 letter addressed to DOD leader Lloyd Austin, Senator Ron Johnson cites the dramatic increases in medical diagnoses among military personnel, as well as evidence that the diagnoses of myocarditis had been removed from the database. (Article by Renee Nal republished from RairFoundation.com) Senator Ron Johnson has been fighting for answers from Secretary Lloyd Austin of the Department of Defense (DoD) after three whistleblower doctors represented by attorney Thomas Renz came forward under penalty of perjury. The whistleblowers provided devastating information about likely vaccine injuries in the military, as well as a cover up of rampant myocarditis diagnoses that were scrubbed from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED). In a February 1, 2022 letter addressed to DOD leader Lloyd Austin, Johnson cited the dramatic increases in medical diagnoses among military personnel, as well as evidence that the diagnoses of myocarditis had been removed from the database. All Cause Mortality Skyrockets The findings of the DOD whistleblowers are consistent with remarks from OneAmerica CEO J. Scott Davison, who stated during a call hosted by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce and the Indiana Hospital Association that working age people (18 to 64) are dying at a rate that is 40% higher than prepandemic rates. Were seeing right now the highest death rates we have ever seen in the history of this business, he said. Watch the clip: J. Scott Davison, who requires vaccine mandates at his company, does not attribute the deaths to the Covid vaccine but appears to blame the coronavirus pandemic. See a chart from a skeptic who acknowledges the trend after looking at Centers for Disease Control (CDC) data: Journalist and commentator Daniel Horowitz, who spoke with attorney Thomas Renz before the panel discussion, explained in an article published January 26th that the doctors queried the numbers for hundreds of codes from 2016 through 2020 to establish a baseline five-year average. An alarming increase in cancer, miscarriages and myocarditis was found in addition to many other diseases (as outlined in Senator Johnsons letter): Hypertension 2,181% increase Diseases of the nervous system 1,048% increase Malignant neoplasms of esophagus 894% increase Multiple sclerosis 680% increase Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs 624% increase Guillain-Barre syndrome 551% increase Breast cancer 487% increase Demyelinating 487% increase Malignant neoplasms of thyroid and other endocrine glands 474% increase Female infertility 472% increase Pulmonary embolism 468% increase Migraines 452% increase Ovarian dysfunction 437% increase Testicular cancer 369% increase Tachycardia 302% increase Read the letter here (transcript below): Senator Ron Johnson letter to Secretary Lloyd J. Austin February 1 2022 by Noyb Nal on Scribd The bombshell information was first publicly exposed during Senator Johnsons recent panel discussion titled COVID-19: A Second Opinion. Whistleblower Doctors Samuel Sigoloff, Lt. Col. Dr. Peter Chambers, and Lt. Col. Theresa M. Long gleaned the information from the DMED. Watch the segment: According to an official military website, the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database consists of up-to-date and historical data on diseases and medical events pulled from the Defense Medical Surveillance System (DMSS). But according to Jeff Cercone of the left wing propaganda outlet Politifact, there was a glitch in the data. The entire DMED database was wrong from 2016 to 2020, according to DOD spokesperson Peter Graves. DMED has been taken offline to identify and correct the root-cause of the data corruption. The data for 2021, however, was perfectly fine. So just like that they say that all of the epidemiological data in the militarys national security epi system for 6 freaken years happened to be wrong until Thomas Renz pointed it out, Daniel Horowitz exasperatedly said on social media. If you believe that, you deserve the tyranny, he continued. Americans must support Senator Ron Johnsons efforts to demand answers from the Department of Defense. Watch the full hearing: Transcript of Letter: COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS WASHINGTON, DC 205106250 February 1, 2022 The Honorable Lloyd J. Austin III Secretary Department of Defense Dear Secretary Austin: On January 24, 2022, I held a roundtable featuring world renowned doctors and medical experts who shared their perspectives on COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and safety and the overall response to the pandemic. At that roundtable, I heard testimony from Thomas Renz, an attorney who is representing three Department of Defense (DoD) whistleblowers, who revealed disturbing information regarding dramatic increases in medical diagnoses among military personnel. The concern is that these increases may be related to the COVID-19 vaccines that our servicemen and women have been mandated to take. Based on data from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database (DMED), Renz reported that these whistleblowers found a significant increase in registered diagnoses on DMED for miscarriages, cancer, and many other medical conditions in 2021 compared to a five-year average from 2016-2020. For example, at the roundtable Renz stated that registered diagnoses for neurological issues increased 10 times from a five-year average of 82,000 to 863,000 in 2021. There were also increases in registered diagnoses in 2021 for the following medical conditions:? Hypertension 2,181% increase Diseases of the nervous system 1,048% increase Malignant neoplasms of esophagus 894% increase Multiple sclerosis 680% increase Malignant neoplasms of digestive organs 624% increase Guillain-Barre syndrome 551% increase Breast cancer 487% increase Demyelinating 487% increase Malignant neoplasms of thyroid and other endocrine glands 474% increase Female infertility 472% increase Pulmonary embolism 468% increase Migraines 452% increase Ovarian dysfunction 437% increase Testicular cancer 369% increase Tachycardia 302% increase Renz also informed me that some DMED data showing registered diagnoses of myocarditis had been removed from the database.? Following the allegation that DMED data had been doctored, I immediately wrote to you on January 24 requesting that you preserve all records referring, relating, or reported to DMED. I have yet to hear whether you have complied with this request. At the roundtable, Renz revealed the names of the brave whistleblowers who uncovered this information in DMED: Drs. Samuel Sigoloff, Peter Chambers, and Theresa Long.? Any retaliatory actions taken against these individuals will not be tolerated and will be investigated immediately. In order to better understand what, if any awareness DoD has about COVID-19 vaccine injuries to service members, I request you provide the following information: Is DoD aware of increases in registered diagnoses of miscarriages, cancer, or other medical conditions in DMED in 2021 compared to a five-year average from 2016-2020? If so, please explain what actions DoD has taken to investigate the root cause for the increases in these diagnoses. Have registered diagnoses of myocarditis in DMED been removed from the database from January 2021 to December 2021? If so, please explain why and when this information was removed and identify who removed it. Please provide this information as soon as possible but no later than February 15, 2022. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Sincerely, Ron Johnson Ranking Member Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Read more at: RairFoundation.com (Natural News) An unnamed ninth-grader fell victim to Pfizers Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in December 2021. The teen from Phu Tho province in Vietnam was immediately taken to the Ha Hoa District Medical Center, where she received treatment and recovered. She was allowed by healthcare workers to take her second dose on January 17 despite her mothers warnings about the side effects she experienced with her previous dose. Twenty minutes after her shot, the girl experienced tightness in her chest, dizziness, difficulty breathing and seizures. She also received emergency treatment from medical officers at the site before she was transferred to the Ha Hoa District Medical Centre. However, her condition rapidly deteriorated upon her arrival at the hospital, and she started vomiting blood. She fell into a coma and died shortly after. (Related: Panicked parents storm hospitals and attack doctors in India over false Facebook post linking polio vaccine to childs death.) The teen is the sixth in Vietnam to have died due to the Pfizer vaccine. Her death comes after Vietnams consideration for administering COVID-19 vaccines to children aged five to 11. The countrys health ministry has recently submitted a tentative vaccination plan for the younger population, which is currently waiting for approval from the government. However, the World Health Organization has yet to formally issue guidance for vaccinations for younger children. Vietnams Ministry of Health has to work carefully on the basis of reference to inoculation programs of all countries, said Health Minister Nguyen Thanh Long. (Related: Doctor mocks vaccine skeptics, then DIES after covid vaccine, as media scrubs wrongful death case.) Vietnam in the process of vaccinating children Vietnam is in the process of vaccinating around nine million children from the 12 to 17 age group, with 5.3 million doses administered by December 6. Of this number, over 936,200 children have received two doses. According to the ministry, only 0.3 percent of children show common symptoms such as fever, pain at the injection spot, muscle pain, headache and tiredness. But deaths are a concern. A 15-year-old boy in the northern province of Son La died in December after receiving his Pfizer shot. The boy, a resident of Thuan Chau District, received his first dose on December 4 and did not show unusual symptoms an hour after the injection. However, he felt dizziness and nausea two days later. He was taken to the district hospital before being transferred to the Son La General Hospital, where he died the following day. There are others, as well. A 12-year-old from the southern province of Binh Phuoc, a 16-year-old boy from the province of Bac Giang and a ninth-grade girl in Hanoi all died after being inoculated by the Pfizer vaccine in November. The Health Ministry said that these deaths were caused by an overreaction to the vaccine, and not linked to the quality of the vaccine or the vaccination process. Healthy children and teenagers are said to be at low risk for serious illness if they catch COVID, yet governments are pushing on vaccinating them because the immune response triggered by vaccination is said to be more consistent and predictable. However, vaccination does not protect individuals entirely against infection, nor prevent them from transmitting it to other people. Most adolescents received the Pfizer-BioNTech doses, with side effects and deaths reported. Safety monitoring data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the initial wave of the vaccine rollout, between December 2020 and July 2021 showed that there were over 9,000 adverse events reported. In this period, 863 serious adverse events were reported, including chest pain, increased levels of troponin that indicate damage to the heart and myocarditis. An increase in myocarditis and pericarditis cases have also been reported during the clinical trials for the Moderna vaccine in adolescents. More related stories: Matrixxx Groove: COVID vaccine is a bioweapon that is killing kids. Child deaths in the UK surge after COVID-19 vaccine rollout. Judge in Ohio essentially sentences man to DEATH by covid vaccine for minor weapons violation. Pfizers COVID vaccine causes miscarriages, stillbirths. The COVID vaccine is causing the COVID variants. Watch the video below for more information about the race to inject children with dangerous vaccines. This video is from the Free 2 Shine channel on Brighteon.com. Follow Pandemic.news for more updates related to the coronavirus pandemic. Sources include: DailyExpose.uk E.VNExpress.net Gavi.org CDC.gov Brighteon.com (Natural News) In Nov. 2021, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided the home of James OKeefe, the founder of the investigative journalism organization Project Veritas. OKeefe believes that raid proves the government sees his organization as a threat to the status quo. The FBI raid on OKeefes home in Mamaroneck, New York, on the early morning of Nov. 6 was a court-ordered search that was the latest in the bureaus attacks against the organization. Just two days earlier, the homes of two of OKeefes associates were also raided. Most people dont want to do what I do, and [the government is] starting to deter people from doing what I do by doing things like this, said OKeefe, talking about the raid on his home to One America News journalist John Hines. (Related: DOJ documents confirm Pfizer and FBI are communicating about Project Veritas.) The FBI raided OKeefes and his associates homes in search of the diary of Ashley Biden, the daughter of President Joe Biden. According to OKeefe, this diary was given to him by an anonymous source. But OKeefe refused to publish anything written in the diary because he could not properly authenticate whether the diary is real. And so, as a journalist, he could not bring himself to publicize its contents. And even if I could [authenticate the diary], which I couldnt with one hundred percent certainty, I couldnt authenticate if what she wrote about actually occurred, said OKeefe. I didnt want to take that chance. So, we did the most ethical thing journalists should do, which is then, we said, Okay we shouldnt publish this, but maybe lets reach out to the Biden campaign for comment on the one percent chance, or whatever, that they corroborate it, which they didnt. Raid on OKeefe a threat to journalists everywhere The Biden administrations raid on OKeefe became a cause for concern for journalists all over America, as many rightfully saw it as an attack on First Amendment rights. This is just beyond belief, said Jane Kirtley, a law professor at the University of Minnesota and a former executive director of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Im not a big fan of Project Veritas, but this is just over the top. I hope they get a serious reprimand from the court because I think this is just wrong. Journalism isnt a shield against lawbreaking, and if Mr. OKeefe committed a crime in obtaining the diary, he is subject to prosecution. We dont agree with or practice all of Mr. OKeefes methods, but what he does is reporting that qualifies as journalism, wrote the editorial board of the Wall Street Journal. They also noted that it is not a crime to publish information obtained unlawfully, and that it is clear the FBIs raid was a punitive action since the organization was already in the process of complying with a subpoena. This raid has shown the world how much of a threat Project Veritas is, said OKeefe. Our whistleblowers come to us, and what they say is, James, theres nowhere else for us to go. Its important for us to stand our ground. More related stories: Twitter slaps down Proejct Veritas moments after exposing major Fauci gain of function research lie with ban from platform. FBI tactics against Project Veritas cause concerns about freedom of the press. Corrupt Biden, Justice Department, FBI raid homes of Project Veritas journalists for the crime of doing their jobs and exposing malfeasance. Watch this clip from One America News introducing James OKeefe as a modern-day muckraker. This video is from the Excellent Podcasts & Real News channel on Brighteon.com. Learn more about journalists like James OKeefe and all the people in Project Veritas who hold governments accountable by reading the latest articles at Journalism.news. Sources include: Brighteon.com OANN.com NYTimes.com Politico.com WSJ.com (Natural News) The Heritage Foundation released a damning report blasting censorship and showing that it has jumped fully into the fight against Silicon Valley speech controls. (Article by Joseph Vazquez republished from NewsBusters.org) Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts didnt mince words about his organizations commitment against Big Tech efforts to silence conservatives: Big Tech is the enemy of the people, he said in a statement on the reports release. The Heritage report, headlined Combating Big Techs Totalitarianism: A Road Map, called for aggressive reforms to ensure that Big Tech is held accountable, provide scrutiny and oversight, and constrain its ability to reshape society. The list of nearly two dozen proposals, outlined by Heritage Research Fellow in Technology Policy Kara Frederick, included everything from federal to state action, to internal reforms by the Big Tech companies themselves. At the federal level, Heritage proposed removing Section 230 liability protections if the companies censor content based on views guarded by the U.S. Constitution and holding Big Tech companies accountable for ties to communist China. Frederick also specifically called for independent investigations into state and local policies that provide special treatment to Big Tech firms at the state level. Frederick railed against Big Tech for exercising pervasive control of information and access to the digital space in ways that undermine freedom and a functioning republic. Heritage, founded in 1973, greatly influenced late President Ronald Reagan on policies including taxes, regulation, trade and national defense. Heritages declared involvement in the Big Tech free speech war is a seismic occurrence of epic proportions. Today, @Heritage goes on offense against Big Tech. (?THREAD ) Kara Frederick (@karaafrederick) February 7, 2022 In a follow-up statement headlined Heritage Calls for Sweeping Reforms to Hold Big Tech Accountable, Heritage said its proposed reforms counter the grave threat Big Tech poses to Americans basic rights and the health of our republic. Roberts proceeded to throw down the gauntlet against companies like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Amazon: These powerful corporations undeniable service to leftist ideology eerily mirrors oppressive behavior by totalitarian governments to silence opposition and relegate those with whom they disagree to second-class citizens. Every single American should be concerned by Big Techs manipulation of the free market to exploit consumers, censor conservatives, target children, expand chilling surveillance programs, and selectively limit access to the modern public square. Its going to take all of us to fight back against Big Tech and ensure these companies are held to account for their unchecked, flagrant abuses of power and undermining of the common good. Frederick slammed the growing symbiosis between Big Tech and Big Government. The Biden Administration is attempting to circumvent the Constitution by pressuring private tech companies to take down content under a broad and politically biased definition of misinformation, the report stated. When Big Tech companies do the governments bidding by removing users and content that the government tells them are objectionable, they are essentially acting as government agentsa potential violation of the First Amendment. The proposals Heritage is endorsing are fundamental, and include nuking Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which allows social media platforms to avoid legal liability: Remove Section 230 liability protection if tech companies censor based on views protected by the Constitution (with clearly outlined exceptions) or favoring or disfavoring speech based on viewpoint. Allow American citizens to hold tech companies accountable for inconsistent application of policies via the judicial system. Prohibit the government from using social media platforms as their agents to chill speech. Impose costs for ties to the Chinese Communist Party and other adversary foreign governments. Require transparency on algorithmic impacts and content moderation transparency. Read more at: NewsBusters.org (Natural News) The doctor who discovered the omicron variant of the Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) said government officials in Europe instructed her not to reveal the strains milder nature. Dr. Angelique Coetzee, the chairwoman of the South African Medical Association (SAMA), made this revelation during her interview with German newspaper Die Welt. According to her, she was told not to say omicron-infected patients presented milder symptoms than those who caught earlier COVID-19 variants. I was told not to publicly state that it was a mild illness. I have been asked to refrain from making such statements and to say that it is a serious illness, [but] I declined, Coetzee told the paper. The physician based in Pretoria one of South Africas three capitals did not elaborate on the identities of the officials who told her to keep quiet. She added that while officials in her home country did not try to pressure her, health authorities in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands criticized her. What I said at one point because I was just tired of it was in South Africa, this is a mild illness; but in Europe, it is a very serious one. Thats what [their] politicians wanted to hear, added Coetzee. The SAMA chairwoman continued: Based on the clinical picture, there are no indications that we are dealing with a very serious disease. The course is mostly mild, [but] Im not saying you wont get sick if youre mild. Coetzee referenced the World Health Organizations definition of mild COVID-19, which indicates that patients can be treated at home without the need of oxygen or hospital care. A serious illness is one in which we see acute pulmonary respiratory infections: people need oxygen, maybe even artificial respiration, she added. We saw that with delta, but not with omicron. So I said to people, I cant say it like that because its not what were seeing.' (Related: Doctor who discovered omicron reveals she was told to label the variant as serious.) Coetzee denounces overreactions to omicron Virologist Jaap van Dissel was among those who criticized Coetzee for her remarks toward omicron. The head of the Dutch Outbreak Management Team said it was really too early to determine if the variant first identified in South Africa was indeed mild. You dont know yet what new variants are going to emerge after omicron, he said. In a January interview with Austrian station ServusTV, Coetzee revealed that European scientists and officials pressured her to keep omicrons mild nature a secret. She was approached by these authorities after explaining that the panic surrounding omicron was a storm in a teacup. The SAMA chairwoman also mentioned during her ServusTV appearance that 99 percent of people who contracted the variant had developed only minor symptoms. Its similar to a cold or the flu, she said. Coetzee had been espousing the mild nature of omicron ever since it was first identified in November 2021. During an interview that month, she said that COVID-19 cases in health care workers are extremely mild and that they dont need to be hospitalized for now. Were not saying this is not going to cause severe disease. It will cause severe disease, but if this can cause to more than majority of people mild symptoms [that are] easily treatable at home [and require] no need for admission, thats a first prize. A month later in December 2021, Coetzee criticized what she called an overreaction by the U.K. and other countries to omicron. These symptoms presenting in those with omicron are very, very mild compared with those we see with the far more dangerous delta variant. In overreacting to omicron, we are in danger of missing out on the benefits of a variant that could be a friend rather than a foe. More related stories: EPIC HYPE FAIL: WHO admits omicron variant has so far caused ZERO deaths. South African health workers: Symptoms associated with omicron are very mild. Top South African doctor says COVID-19 omicron variant symptoms are mild. No need to panic: South African doctor says omicron has MILD symptoms. Russian scientist claims omicron strain could end COVID pandemic. Watch Dr. Peter McCullough discussing the omicron variant on the Brighteon.TV program Steel Truth. This video is from the BrighteonTV channel on Brighteon.com. Visit Pandemic.news for more stories about the omicron variant. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com FreeWestMedia.com TheSouthAfrican.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Four states represented by their respective attorneys general (AGs) pushed back against Googles illegal location tracking. Led by D.C. AG Karl Racine, they sued Google for continuing to monitor users location even though they already opted out. Racine is joined by Texas AG Ken Paxton, Washington AG Bob Ferguson and Indiana AG Todd Rokita. Paxton and Rokita are Republicans while Ferguson and Racine are Democrats. Google falsely led consumers to believe that changing their account and device settings would allow customers to protect their privacy and control what personal data the company would access, Racine said in a statement. Contrary to Googles representations, it continues to systematically surveil customers and profit from customer data. In a separate interview, the D.C. AG alleged the Big Tech firm uses tricks to continuously seek to track a users location. According to Racine, the lawsuits filed by him and the three other AGs is an overdue enforcement action against a flagrant violator of privacy and state laws. These companies have become massive and powerful to an extent where theyre able to forestall reasonable regulation. That time of trickery for profits is over. Rokita concurred with his counterpart from D.C., saying: Google has prioritized profits over people. It has prioritized financial earnings over following the law. Google spokesman Jose Castaneda denounced the lawsuits from the top attorneys, saying the suits are based on inaccurate claims and outdated assertions. He added: We will vigorously defend ourselves and set the record straight. According to Castaneda, the search engine giant has always built privacy features into our products and provided robust controls for location data. He cited Google limiting data collection when users search for something: Data is now obtained from a general area instead of a precise location. The spokesman also mentioned that since 2019, Google has allowed users to automatically delete location data regularly. Google duping users since 2014, Racine finds Racines lawsuit against Google filed on Jan. 24 argued that the tech giant has a powerful financial incentive to obscure the details of its location data collection practices and to make it difficult for customers to opt out of being tracked. His suit added that Google still tracked users through other means even though they turn off the location history option on their settings. Furthermore, Racine alleged that Google misled users from at least 2014 to 2019 by saying that the unauthorized tracking stops when location history is turned off. This proved to be untrue as the web and app activity option which remained on still allowed Google to collect location data. The D.C. AGs investigation and subsequent legal action were prompted by an August 2018 article by the Associated Press (AP). According to the piece, researchers at Princeton University in New Jersey found that Google still continued to track users despite location activity turned off. The article included a map of places visited by Princeton researcher Gunes Acar, which was determined through his mobile phone. The company lets you pause a setting called location history [which] will prevent the company from remembering where youve been. That isnt true. Even with location history paused, some Google apps automatically store time-stamped location data without asking. Its possible, although laborious, to delete it, the article stated. According to Princeton computer scientist Jonathan Mayer, storing location data against a users preference is wrong. If youre going to allow users to turn off something called location history, then all the places where you maintain location history should be turned off. That seems like a pretty straightforward position to have, he told AP. Racine concluded his lawsuit: Googles ability to amass data about consumers translates to better advertising capabilities and a greater share of the multibillion-dollar digital advertising market. The companys exhaustive surveillance practices are most effective and therefore most lucrative when consumers have no clear idea how to limit Googles access to their personal information. More related stories: How to stop Google Chrome from mining your personal information. Report: Google Android lets apps track you regardless of permissions. Arizona sues Google for illegally tracking location data for Android users. Google caught secretly recording conversations through your mobile device. Google employees listen in on private conversations between users and Google Assistant. Watch Paul Joseph Watson talking about Googles illegal location tracking below. This video is from the InfoWars channel on Brighteon.com. Visit EvilGoogle.news for more about Googles unauthorized location tracking. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com NYTimes.com ChildrensHealthDefense.org CNBC.com APNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Sweden put an end to its Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) testing scheme on Feb. 9. The termination of the free polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing scheme also applied to those showing symptoms of COVID-19. According to the Associated Press (AP), Swedens mobile city-square tent sites, drive-in swab centers and home-delivered PCR tests provided key data to track the spread of COVID-19 before the testing scheme was halted. Only hospital workers, elderly care facility staff and the most vulnerable who show COVID-19 symptoms will be entitled to free PCR tests moving forward. While COVID-19 antigen tests are available throughout the Scandinavian country, their results are not reported to Swedish health authorities. The AP report added that private health care providers can still perform PCR tests and offer certificates for international travel. However, both the government and health insurance will not cover the cost of these procedures. Karin Tegmark Wisell, director-general of the Swedish Public Health Agency, defended the decision to narrow down the free testing scheme. We have reached a point where the cost and relevance of the testing are no longer justifiable. If we were to have extensive testing adapted to everyone who has COVID-19, that would mean half a billion kronor ($54 million) a week and two billion kronor ($219 million) a month, she told state broadcaster SVT. AP said the Stockholm region alone spent more than $320 million on PCR tests in 2021, The money could have been better spent elsewhere, according to the Swedish government. Dr. Bharat Pankhania of the University of Exeter Medical School in the United Kingdom lauded the Scandinavian country for its move. Sweden is leading the way and other nations will inevitably follow. We dont need extensive testing for the sake of testing, but we must look nevertheless in sensitive settings such as hospitals, nursing homes and other places where there are very vulnerable people, he said. Pankhania added that an informed, educated and knowledgeable population can be trusted to isolate themselves the moment they show COVID-19 symptoms. This, he argued, eliminates the need for wholesale testing that is not going to be value for money. (Related: More foolish examples of widespread COVID-19 testing.) COVID-19 testing is fraudulent to begin with Swedens previous use of the PCR test to determine if someone has COVID-19 appeared to be an imprudent move. It made headlines for its hands-off response, eschewing lockdowns or business closures. Swedens reliance on individual responsibility to address the spread of SARS-CoV-2 contributed to the countrys low COVID-19 mortality rate compared with other European countries that locked down. Kary Mullis, the inventor of the PCR test, spoke out against how his creation was utilized. He pointed out that the tests can be amplified making them unreliable for diagnostic testing. The Nobel Prize-winning scientist who died in August 2019 aptly described the PCR test as a process to make a whole lot of something out of something. With PCR, if you do it well you can find almost anything on anybody. Because if you can amplify one single molecule up to something that you can really measure, which PCR can do, then theres just very few molecules that you dont have. That could be thought of as a misuse of it, just to claim that its meaningful. Mullis noted that the PCR test allows scientists to take a very minuscule amount of anything and make it measurable, and then talk about it like it is important. He continued: It doesnt tell you that youre sick. It doesnt tell you that the thing you ended up with really was going to hurt you or anything like that. More related stories: FDA document admits covid PCR test was developed without isolated covid samples for test calibration, effectively admitting its testing something else. CDC withdraws fraudulent PCR testing protocol that was used to falsify covid positives to push the plandemic. Fraudulent PCR testing led entire world into lockdown tyranny; treasonous politicians to blame. PCR testing a fraud: Government uses faulty testing to amplify COVID case numbers. Inventor of COVID test calls Fauci a liar, says it doesnt tell you that youre sick. Watch Kary Mullis in the video below explaining what the PCR test is all about. This video is from the Contrainfo channel on Brighteon.com. Pandemic.news has more about large-scale COVID-19 testing in Sweden and other countries worldwide. Sources include: WND.com APNews.com YouTube.com Brighteon.com Mars, the 4th planet from the Sun in our solar system, has been a fascination of space exploration and a possible future settlement for humans over the century. However, the current climatic situations of Mars are not entirely conducive for humans to live. However, the notion of Mars being an inhabitable planet is not entirely true; for it is known that the planet once had ocean waters and a magnetic field, which are one of the key indicators for life to thrive there. In a new study, experiments were made to determine how Mars lost its oceans. Mars, a Future Human Settlement? Mars is also known as the 'red planet' because iron minerals on the planet's soil oxidize or rust, resulting in the reddish look of the Martian atmosphere and surface, as per the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The red planet is also one of the most explored heavenly bodies in our solar system. Unlike other planets, Mars is the only one where we have sent space rovers for exploration and the Martian landscape has been subjected for possible human settlement in the future. In a new study published in the journal Science News on February 8. Researchers found that the behavior of the red planet's molten metal in its core may have caused both the formation and disappearance of its magnetic field and also its ocean waters. Also read: Earth Organisms Could Survive on Mars Central Questions Surrounding the Study Kei Hirose, a professor from the University of Tokyo - Department of Earth and Planetary Science, proposed several questions on Mars, and these questions were the main themes where the study revolved on: Was there a magnetic field around Mars? Why was there a magnetic field on the red planet? Why was it there so briefly? To answer Hirose's questions, the study's lead author Shunpei Yokoo, a Ph.D. student at Hirose's lab and the University of Tokyo, organized a team to simulate the conditions of Mars at a time when it has a magnetic field. Experiment: Simulating the Core of Mars Yokoo and the other researchers conducted experiments involving the recreation of the conditions of Mars' core billions of years ago. The experiment found that the molten metal inside the planet briefly gave Mars a magnetic field (similar to Earth) but was set to disappear. It has long been thought that the mechanisms of planetary cores and magnetic fields of other planets work the same way similar to Earth. In the case of Mars, the researchers found that seismic readings from NASA's InSight probe showed Mars' core is larger and less dense than we have previously thought. Based on NASA's data, the research team implied that there is a presence of additional lighter elements such as hydrogen in the red planet's core. They conducted an experiment involving iron, sulfur, hydrogen, diamonds, lasers, and Fe-S-H, to simulate Mars' core. The team then placed the elements between the two diamonds-which served like Mars' core. The diamonds were then compressed and heated the diamonds with an infrared laser. Disappearance of Magnetic Field and Oceans The result was the homogenous Fe-S-H element split into two different liquids, one rich in sulfur, and the other rich in hydrogen, which has not been seen ever since. The researchers rationalized that the phenomenon involving the splitting of Fe-S-H may explain the beginning and disappearance of the magnetic field around Mars, specifying that it may have caused convection currents capable of evaporating and trapping water in an atmosphere around Mars. Convection currents affect all of a planet's wind in the atmosphere, tectonic plates in the geosphere, and ocean currents in the hydrosphere, according to the University of California, Berkeley. The study concluded that Mars may have lost its ocean waters when it lost its magnetic field. Its researchers suggested a further seismic study of Mars should be conducted to verify if the red planet's core is truly in distinct layers as they predict. Related article: Blue Color Found on Mars, Dominates the Other Side of the Red Planet Gray wolf protections under the Endangered Species Act were reinstated by a federal judge on Thursday, saying that when the Trump administration stripped the species of protection in 2020, it overlooked constant dangers to smaller, more isolated wolf populations. An Ongoing Struggle The U.S. In their struggle with the federal government over whether wolves still need ESA protections, District Judge Jeffrey White's decision is a significant victory for environmental and animal rights groups. Andrea Zaccardi, a lawyer with the Center for Biological Diversity, stated in a report in HuffPost: "This is an important day for wolves all around the nation. Over the last decade, the Fish and Wildlife Service has attempted to eliminate federal safeguards on several occasions, and each time they have done so in violation of the law." The Fish and Wildlife Service of the United States and the Department of the Interior stated they are currently weighing the options. Declaration In 44 states, the verdict declares gray wolves an endangered species, removing those governments' authority to control wolf numbers through killing and trapping. The Great Lakes states, including Wisconsin, which was the location of a contentious wolf hunt last year that blew through the state's quota of 200 wolves in three days, have been relisted, according to Wisconsin Public Radio. In a statement, Bonnie Rice, a senior Sierra Club spokeswoman, stated, "Today's verdict reinstating much-needed federal safeguards ensures that wolves will have a chance to completely recover and carry out their crucial ecological and cultural responsibilities across the country." Related Article: Wolf Slaughter: Wolf Hunting Laws May Have Driven Gray Wolves Back to Endangered Species List Wolf Hunting Wolves in the Northern Rockies, such as Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, were removed from the ESA in 2011 by Congress. These states have relaxed hunting and trapping regulations in a contentious attempt to control wolf numbers. By the early twentieth century, unregulated killing and government poisoning efforts on cattle interests had practically wiped off gray wolves in the lower 48 states. Since then, they've become one of the most successful cases in the history of the Endangered Species Act. Gray wolves have flourished in some locations since their reintroduction in 1994, which began in Yellowstone National Park and Idaho. Both Idaho and Montana have populations nearly ten times larger than the minimum of 150 that states must maintain to stay protected under the Endangered Species Act. In the Great Lakes area, wolf numbers have also increased. In addition, wolves in smaller numbers have continued to move into new habitats, notably on the West Coast and in the Central Rockies. Wolf Populations The Fish and Wildlife Service said that wolf populations across the continental United States had been restored under the Trump administration by pointing to areas where wolves thrived. However, outside of the few locations where they've thrived in the previous two decades, that argument neglected to consider how wolves might do without ESA protection. Moreover, it contradicted the agency's last wolf population geographic classifications and dismissed new scientific data revealing that wolves in enclaves outside the major recovery zones are genetically unique. "With no reason or study, the Fish and Wildlife Service decided that wolves outside of the core populations are not required to the recovery of the species," White said in his judgment. Disagreements Long-standing disagreements about managing large animals, particularly in the West, are expected to reappear when the Trump administration's delisting of wolves is overturned. Ranching interests and certain hunting organizations have backed state control as a strategy to deter wolves from destroying livestock and big game animals. Liberal and urban constituencies, on the other hand, have tended to prefer allowing wolves to thrive. According to Earth Justice, 1.8 million individuals wrote to express their displeasure with the Trump administration's decision to remove wolves from the endangered species list.. The state's parks and wildlife division must restore gray wolves under a law approved in Colorado in 2020. It's unclear if President Joe Biden's Fish and Wildlife Service would appeal Thursday's decision and continue its decades-long battle to remove gray wolves from the ESA. However, in the face of intensive hunting and trapping efforts, his administration's interior secretary, Deb Haaland, looks more amenable to relisting wolves. Legislation Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a recent op-ed in USA Today that new state legislation in Idaho and Montana are risking decades of work in the northern Rockies to rehabilitate gray wolves. "If necessary, we will reinstall federal protections under the ESA for the gray wolf of the northern Rocky Mountains," she wrote. Also Read: A Third of Wisconsin's Wild Wolves Killed in 60 Hours After Being Removed From Endangered List For the most recent news about animal conservation, don't forget to follow Nature World News! On Wednesday, the orange county legislator introduced a bill to put a stop to California offshore drilling. The bill was introduced due to the damages caused by a major oil spill off in Huntington Beach, California. Introducing a Bill to End California Offshore Drilling The bill is likely to face a lot of opposition and challenges from petroleum industry, as per Phys.org. Eleven oil leashes from both the orange and Ventura counties will be affected. The State Lands Commission will negotiate with some agencies to cease or withdraw the leaches before the state takes action. According to State Sen. Dave Min, an Irvine Democrat, to prevent a large amount of oil spill like the one that happened in october, it is necessary to take these actions because another oil spill will hugely affect the environment causing a lot of damages and might also lead to shutting down of the beach which will affect the economic status of the orange costal county communities. But this proposal will decrease oil supply and burden California taxpayers, according to Kevin Slagle, a spokesperson for the Western States Petroleum Association, he further stated that the elimination would lead to the government taking compensation of these companies. Also Read: Old Oil Rigs: Would It Be So Bad to Leave Them in the Sea? Opposition to the Proposal More concerns on these bills kept on increasing as its disadvantages and advantages are almost the same. On Wednesday, Min said, "It is clear to me, and I think clear to anyone who looks at the sort of status of these rigs, that it's a ticking time bomb. You're asking for more and more spills, and we know that this is just horrific for our coastlines, for our coastal tourism economies, for our marine ecosystems." Also, the president of the State Building and Constructions Trades Council of California, President Andrew Meredith, expressed more concerns about reducing local oil production. According to Meredith, this reduction will cause more stress to the California ports because reducing this oil will require the importation of more oil using tanker ship, increasing the stress at the crowded ports. What Could be the Cause of the Spill? On october, about 25,000 gallons of oil was spilled from a submerged pipeline in the huntington beach, the cause is still unknown and is still under investigation but officials suspect the pipeline leakage might have been caused by anchor of container ships, as per Los Angeles Times. During this incident, senator min talked about proposing this bill. According to Min, the bill will only affect three active oil platforms off the Orange County coast that are operated by two leaseholders, the California Resources Corp. and DCOR oil companies but will not affect other 26 in the federal waters and this include the pipeline recently affected in october. The supposed loses of these oil operations being shut down are still yet to be released but the estimated cost of oil rigs might be between $25 million to $50 million per oil rig which is manageable from the giving budget. According to Min and other lawmakers, the operation is necessary because if these oil continues to spill offshore facilities will be abandoned and might cost alot to the government if bankruptcy protection is filed. Related Article: California Lawmakers Call to Halt Offshore Drilling After Disastrous Orange County Spill For more news, updates about oil spill and similar topics don't forget to follow Nature World News! Early Thursday, a wildfire sparked by blustery Santa Ana winds erupted in hills along the coast of Southern California, burning near residences. Flames Bursting The fire erupted over the gated Emerald Bay subdivision in Laguna Beach, roughly 45 miles southeast of Los Angeles. It's not clear if there's been any damage. According to the Orange County Fire Authority, the incident was reported just after 4 a.m. with a total area of 7 acres (2.8 hectares) Emerald Bay and the Irvine Cove neighborhood have been ordered to evacuate by the city of Laguna Beach via Twitter. The evacuation of North Laguna was ordered. According to the local school district, all schools have been closed. In the predawn darkness, television news helicopters showed a helicopter dropping water on the flames and multiple fire vehicles in the neighborhood. The fire broke out with strong winds and suffocatingly low humidity levels as Southern California was wracked by a winter heat wave that sapped vegetation's moisture. With a population of 23,000 people, Laguna Beach is surrounded by beautiful beaches and coves that attract millions of visitors each year. In the exact location in 1993, a wind-driven fire destroyed over 300 houses and damaged over 500 more. Read More: Record-Breaking Heat Across L.A. Makes the Hottest Super Bowl Kickoff Ever Wildfires Unlike planned burns, wildfires are unintentional flames that occur in natural settings such as woods, meadows, and prairies. Not only may these deadly flames harm communities, but they can also devastate wildfires and natural regions. A wildfire, also known as a forest fire, ablaze, a wildland fire, or a rural fire, is a fire that starts in both rural and urban settings and is uncontrolled, unintentional, and unattended. A wildfire can also be described as a forest fire, brush fire, bushfire (in Australia), desert fire, grass fire, hill fire, peat fire, prairie fire, vegetation fire, or veld fire, depending on the kind of vegetation present. You may get notifications in a variety of ways. Get real-time reports from the National Weather Service for up to five areas around the country by downloading the FEMA app. Be aware of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA), which do not need registration, and sign up for community alerts in your region. Evacuation If you need to escape fast, make sure everyone in your family knows what to do. A wildfire might force you to flee as soon as possible. Learn your evacuation routes, practice with your family and pets, and plan your journey. Follow the directions given by the authorities in your area. They'll provide the most up-to-date suggestions based on the threat to your neighborhood's safety as well as the necessary precautions. Fireproofing When building, renovating, or repairing, use fire-resistant materials. Find a hose that can reach any part of your property and an outdoor water supply. A room that can be closed off from the outside air should also be designated. Turn off all lights and shut all windows and doors as soon as possible. Set up a portable air cleaner to reduce inside pollution to a minimum when it's hazy outside. Also read: Mysterious Phenomenon: How Do Trees 'Explode' During Texas' Freezing Storms? As the heat subsides in the West, a major shift in the weather pattern for the eastern United States will bring above-average temperatures. However, there will be some drawbacks to the shift. Big Storm Expected to Take Shape Next Week Forecasters are monitoring a major storm expected to form in the middle of the country's midsection next week. Some areas may see snow, while others are likely to face an outbreak of severe weather, as per AccuWeather. There has been a northward bulge and a southerly dip in the jet stream for at least the last four to six weeks. Temperatures have fluctuated in the Eastern states, while those in the West have remained largely dry and mild. This weekend's jet stream pattern will undergo a complete 180-degree turn. Next week, the East will see a rise in temperatures and the West will see a fall. There have already been many warm days this week, with temperatures ranging from 30 to 40 degrees F in the South and East. However, a late-week heat wave is expected to add 10 to 20 degrees and bring temperatures as high as 50 to 70 degrees F to many parts of those regions on Thursday and Friday. Northeast might experience its warmest temperatures since December in many parts of the region. High temperatures in February range from 57 degrees Fahrenheit (Atlanta) to 47 degrees Fahrenheit (DC) to 41 degrees (NYC) to 38 degrees (Boston). According to the National Weather Service, this week's record-breaking warmth west of the Rockies will be replaced by more usual highs in the 30s to 60s and low 70s in coastal Southern California.By the end of next week, parts of the Southwest might see their coldest temperatures since December. Also Read: Bomb Cyclone: Atmospheric Scientist Explains Everything You Need to Know About This Winter Storm Places to Experience Freezing Temperatures Low-elevation rain and light to moderate snow are expected in the Cascades, Sierra Nevada, and central and southern Rockies when temperatures fall below freezing at the lower elevations, as per . Over the southern Plains and Rockies, a large storm is expected to form because of the new jet stream structure. Once it reaches the Great Lakes region next week, it will travel across the central states. East of the Rockies, a storm is forming that will bring in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico, which will assist feed a variety of precipitation types. Near Texas and Oklahoma's panhandles and maybe into Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as possibly Chicago, the storm's frigid northwestern edge is expected to bring heavy snow and hazardous travel conditions. Interstates 29, 35, 70, 80, 90, and 94 could be affected by a slick travel zone in the middle of the country due to snowfall. Shipping could also be affected by the cold weather. The southern Plains and areas of the Midwest and Northeast may see a narrow band or pockets of ice just south and east of the snow area and just ahead of the advancing storm. The Storm May Bring Heavy Rain to Some Areas Unlike the cross-country storm in early February, which brought snow and ice to most of the southern Plains and middle Mississippi and Tennessee valleys, this storm is expected to bring rain. From eastern Texas and Louisiana through southern Michigan, the central Appalachians, and the northeastern United States, torrential rain and flooding are forecast along the storm's warm and southern side. Tornadoes are possible in several parts of the South Central states as thunderstorms develop. According to AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist, Michaela Heeren, the chance of severe thunderstorms from central Texas to central and eastern Oklahoma next Wednesday is moderate, and threats are expected to shift or increase eastward through the lower Mississippi Valley on Thursday. Meteorologists at AccuWeather will keep a close eye on the recent shift in the country's weather patterns and the potential development of a significant storm in the Midwest in the coming days. A particularly powerful eruption of Mount Etna has created a volcanic storm that sent bolts of lightning dramatically across the sky over eastern Sicily. Volcanic storm at Mt. Etna Volcanic experts at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology of Italy say that such volcanic storms are rare on Friday, but can occur especially during heavy eruptions or at volcanoes near the sea. According to Arab News, volcanologist Boris Behnke told AP news agency that a flash of volcanic lightning was observed on Mount Etna once in 2021 and earlier in 2015. The eruption just before midnight on Thursday did no damage. However, it shot ashes in the air 10 kilometers (more than 6 miles) above sea level. Read more: World's Largest Volcano 'Mauna Loa' is Waking Up, Scientists Caution People to Prepare for Eruption How volcanic storms are formed In a report in Discovery, experts claim that the geological phenomenon in which magma erupts from below the earth's surface to form volcanic rocks is simply called volcanism. Magma collects in the space between the Earth's hot liquid core and the crust and is pushed upwards by buoyancy compared to the surrounding rock and gas pressure, which is denser. A flow of gas, ash, and rock known as lava, also known as hard rock, erupts through cracks in the crust called vents. As per National Geographic, scientists' clues about an upcoming volcanic eruption come from a network of seismometers that measure the Earth's many shakings. However, because such equipment is expensive to install and maintain, it is impossible to connect more than 1,500 potentially active volcanoes on Earth. Volcanoes come in many shapes and sizes. Cinder cones are the simplest type and form when magma erupts from a vent and then falls to the ground, forming a cone of crushed slag. Types of volcanoes Stratified volcanoes, or complex volcanoes, are tall, steep volcanic mountains that we often imagine, such as Mount Fuji in Japan or Mount St. Helens in Washington. They consist of repeated flows of lava, ash, ashes, and volcanic bombs (hot pieces of rock, also called tephra). As published by Discovery. Volcanic lightning is formed from a volcanic plume, the cylinder-shaped column of volcanic ash emitted by erupting volcanoes. Volcanoes in Hawaii are more likely to eject fluid lava fountains than thick plumes of ash. Densely packed particles rub against each other as they are forcefully ejected by volcanic columns. This interaction is called friction. As a result of friction, ash particles gain or lose electrons. They will be charged. As per National Geographic. As the charged particles rise above the less dense volcanic column, the column experiences charge separation. Positively charged particles are increasingly separated from negatively charged particles. When the charge separation is so great that the air cannot resist the flow of electricity, lightning strikes through the volcanic column, connecting positively and negatively charged particles. Read more: Krakatoa: Volcano Strong Enough to Change the Climate Erupted Today in Indonesia Sign up to get breaking news, weather forecasts, and more in your email inbox. Sign Up Now New Castle, PA (16103) Today Cloudy skies with showers and a possible thunderstorm in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High near 70F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 57F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Help support your local hometown newspaper/website. Independent local news reporting matters. Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription, for as little as $3, so we can continue to provide independent local reporting on our communities. In honor of National Space Day on May 6, Stacker has compiled a list of key astronomy and astrophysics terms that are out of this world! Click for more. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Thunderstorms in the morning, then variable clouds during the afternoon with still a chance of showers. High 66F. SSW winds shifting to WNW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy. Low 43F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Longview, TX (75601) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 82F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 67F. Winds light and variable. In Germany, liver cirrhosis has the highest mortality rate of any chronic disease requiring hospital admission. When diagnosed as a comorbidity of other chronic diseases, liver cirrhosis at least doubles the mortality rate. Overall, the number of patients hospitalized with liver cirrhosis has increased throughout Germany despite the introduction of very effective drugs for treating hepatitis, and alcohol abuse remains by far the most common cause. These are the results of a study headed by Prof. Jonel Trebicka at the University Hospital Frankfurt, which observed patients over a period of 14 years. Cirrhosis, a disease of the liver in which tissue becomes dysfunctional and scarred, is the final stage of most chronic liver diseases and the fourth most frequent cause of death in central Europe. However, until now hardly any current findings have been available on its epidemiological profile in Germany. For this reason, Prof. Jonel Trebicka and his team of researchers investigated the data sets from the German Federal Statistical Office on the approx. 250 million hospital admissions taking place from 2005 to 2018 in Germany for any reason, and categorized them according to the Tenth Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10). They found that 0.94 per cent of these hospitalized patients had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, which in the majority of cases occurred as a comorbidity and not the primary disease. In absolute figures, admissions of patients with liver cirrhosis rose from 151,108 to 181,688 during the observation period. The primary end point of the study was the mortality rate from liver cirrhosis in hospital. This did indeed exhibit a welcome fall from 11.57% to 9.49% during the investigation period, but it is still much higher than the respective rates for other chronic diseases such as cardiac insufficiency (8.4%), renal failure (6.4%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (5.2%). In cases where liver cirrhosis was comorbid with another chronic disease, it increased that disease's mortality rate two to threefold; the greatest effect was observed with infectious respiratory diseases. Thanks to the introduction of direct-acting antivirals to combat Hepatitis C, the proportion of HCV-related cirrhosis fell during the observation period to around one-third. On the other hand, the frequency of cirrhosis caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease quadrupled during the same period, in parallel with a rise in the number of obese patients. However, despite these etiological trends, cirrhosis caused by alcohol abuse continues to dominate. It accounts for 52 per cent of all cirrhoses in the study, and the absolute number is still rising. Gastrointestinal bleeding is becoming increasingly rare as a complication of liver cirrhosis in hospital patients, presumably due to the treatment guidelines that continue to be applied in German hospitals, including endoscopic procedures or the administration of non-selective beta-blockers. By 2018, bleeding from esophageal varices had shrunk to one-tenth of its original level in 2005. On the other hand, deterioration of symptoms owing to ascites or hepatic encephalopathy caused by insufficient detoxification by the liver has increased. The number of portal vein thromboses doubled in parallel with the intensified use of imaging diagnostics. The patients admitted with cirrhosis were much younger than those with other chronic diseases: half of them were under the age of 64. Higher hospitalization rates and in-hospital mortality rates were recorded in the eastern German states than in western Germany. Across the country, around two-thirds of patients hospitalized with liver cirrhosis were men. Many of them died while in their fifties or younger, which explains the large number of disability-adjusted life years and the enormous socio-economic burden caused by liver cirrhosis, as men in this age group still account for the majority of the labor force. The results of our study show that the decision-makers and financing bodies in the health system should invest much more in the prevention of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis. They also point up how important it is to recognize and treat liver cirrhosis as a comorbidity of other chronic diseases." Prof. Jonel Trebicka, University Hospital Frankfurt Researchers at the University and the University Hospital of Bonn have developed a method that could be used to diagnose atherosclerosis. Using self-learning software, they were able to identify vascular changes in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD), often at an early stage. Although these early stages do not yet cause symptoms, they are nevertheless already associated with increased mortality. The algorithm used photos from an organ not normally associated with PAD: the eye. The results have now been published in the journal Scientific Reports. Poets consider the eyes a window to the soul. But more prosaically, they could also be called windows to our vessels. The fundus of the eye is very well supplied with blood. It has to be, so that the more than 100 million photoreceptors in the retina and the nerve cells connected to them can do their work. At the same time, the arteries and veins can be observed and photographed through the pupil without much effort. It may be possible to detect early signs of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) with such an examination in the future. In this case, chronic remodeling processes lead to narrowing of the vessels and hardening of the affected arteries. It is the main cause of heart attacks and strokes, the most frequent causes of death in western industrialized nations, as well as peripheral arterial disease (PAD). More than four million people in this country suffer from PAD. "Because it usually does not cause any symptoms in the first few years, the diagnosis is often only made when secondary damage has already occurred," explains Dr. Nadjib Schahab, head of the angiology section and one of the authors of the study. "The consequences can be dramatic. In the long term, progressive circulatory problems in the legs and arms may even result in amputation. In addition, the risk of a fatal heart attack or stroke is significantly increased - even in the early stages of the disease." Early diagnosis is therefore very important in order to be able to treat those affected in time. The interdisciplinary project of the Department of Informatics at the University of Bonn and the Department of Ophthalmology and the Heart Center of the University Hospital Bonn starts exactly there. "We photographed 97 eyes of women and men who suffered from PAD," explains Dr. Maximilian Wintergerst from the University Eye Hospital in Bonn. "In more than half of them, the disease was still at a stage where it did not cause any symptoms." In addition, the team took camera images of the background of 34 eyes of healthy control subjects. Neural network detects early vascular changes They then used the images to feed a convolutional neural network (CNN). This is software that is modeled on the human brain in the way it works. If such a CNN is trained with photos whose content is known to the computer, it can later recognize the content of unknown photos. For this to work with sufficient certainty, however, one normally needs several tens of thousands of training photos - far more than were available in the study. "We therefore first carried out a pre-training with another disease that attacks the vessels in the eye," explains Prof. Dr. Thomas Schultz from the Bonn-Aachen International Center for Information Technology (b-it) and the Institute for Computer Science II at the University of Bonn. To do this, the researchers used a dataset of more than 80,000 additional photos. "In a sense, the algorithm learns from them what to pay particular attention to," says Schultz, who is also a member of the Transdisciplinary Research Areas "Modeling" and "Life and Health" at the University of Bonn. "We therefore also speak of transfer learning." The CNN trained in this way was able to diagnose with remarkable accuracy whether the eye photos came from a PAD patient or a healthy person. "A good 80 percent of all affected individuals were correctly identified, if we took into account 20 percent false positives - that is, healthy individuals whom the algorithm incorrectly classified as sick," Schultz explains. "That's amazing, because even for trained ophthalmologists, PAD can't be detected from fundus images." In further analyses, the researchers were able to show that the neural network pays particular attention to the large vessels in the back of the eye during its assessment. For the best possible result, however, the method needed digital images with a sufficiently high resolution. Many CNNs work with very low-resolution photos. That is sufficient to detect major changes. For our PAD classification, on the other hand, we need a resolution at which details of the vascular structures remain discernible." Prof. Dr. Thomas Schultz, University of Bonn The researchers hope to further improve the performance of their method in the future. To do so, they plan to cooperate with ophthalmology and vascular medicine centers worldwide that will provide them with additional fundus images of affected individuals. The long-term goal is to develop a simple, rapid and reliable diagnostic method that does not require concomitant procedures such as the administration of eye drops. Participating institutions: The B-IT and Institute for Informatics II of the University of Bonn, the University Eye Hospital Bonn and the Clinic for Cardiology and Angiology at the University Hospital Bonn were involved in the study. When comparing outcomes for acute ischemic stroke patients treated at various levels of stroke centers, patients who received care at Comprehensive Stroke Centers (CSC) or Thrombectomy-capable Stroke Centers (TSC) were more likely to receive rapid treatment with clot-busting medication and/or mechanical clot removal and be discharged home or to rehabilitation centers than patients treated at Primary Stroke Centers, according to preliminary research to be presented today at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2022. The conference is a world premier meeting for researchers and clinicians dedicated to the science of stroke and brain health being held in person in New Orleans and virtually, Feb. 9-11, 2022. Stroke occurs when a blood vessel to or in the brain either becomes blocked or bursts, preventing blood and oxygen from reaching the brain. Treatment to quickly restore blood flow to the brain is essential to improve outcomes and survival. Certification status of the center where a stroke patient receives care matters, and it's important to know that the specific requirements to become a CSC or TSC are validated by these data. The quality of care is higher in these centers, as also confirmed by our findings." Radoslav Raychev, M.D., F.A.H.A., lead author of the study and vascular and interventional neurologist and assistant professor of neurology, University of California, Los Angeles Primary Stroke Centers (PSC) are hospitals with the necessary resources to manage patients with acute ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke that is caused by a clot blocking an artery supplying blood to areas of the brain. CSCs are hospitals that meet specific standards for managing more severe ischemic and hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokesthat require advanced endovascular and surgical interventions including endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), which is a highly effective procedure for mechanically removing a clot that is blocking an artery. TSCs meet all the rigorous standards for performing EVT and are essentially the same as CSCs in treating acute ischemic strokes. However, unlike CSCs, TSCs may not have the necessary resources to treat the less common and more complex hemorrhagic strokes. "TSC is a relatively new designation, introduced in 2018 by the accreditation agencies in cooperation with the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association," Raychev said. "This is the first study to include the new thrombectomy-capable designation when comparing outcomes in the treatment of ischemic stroke at the different levels of stroke centers." Researchers compared outcomes and quality of care indicators for 84,903 patients (median age 70, 49.2% female) with ischemic stroke treated between 2018 and 2020 at stroke centers participating in the Get With The Guidelines (GWTG) - Stroke Registry. The study analyzed 185 CSCs, 29 TSCs and 169 PSCs in the registry. As part of their treatment, each patient had received either intravenous clot-busting medication or EVT to restore blood flow in a blocked artery. Among their findings on quality-of-care measures, the study found more patients treated at a CSC or TSC had: intravenous clot-busting treatment started within the target time period set by GWTG than those treated at a PSC; and the EVT procedure started within the target time period set by GWTG compared to patients treated at a PSC (however, the difference between TSC and PSC timing was not statistically significant). "Our data indicates that nearly one-quarter of all EVTs in the United States are being performed in Primary Stroke Centers. This is unfortunate because PSCs are not required to have close oversight and implementation of EVT-specific American Stroke Association standards. We hope that clinicians recognize the importance of the certification status and its impact on the quality of acute stroke care, and we hope they advocate for appropriate changes within their institutions," Raychev said. Patients also had better outcomes if they were treated at a CSC or TSC, with the analysis finding: CSC and TSC patients were more likely to have their blood flow successfully restored after EVT than PSC patients. Fewer patients treated at CSC and TSC died or were discharged to hospice than PSC patients. More CSC and TSC patients were discharged to their homes or to rehabilitation facilities than PSC patients (however, the difference between TSC and PSC rates was not statistically significant). Overall, there was no significant difference in outcomes between CSC and TSC patients. The data noted differences in the baseline characteristics of the stroke patients at each center status. The patients treated at TSCs and CSCs tended to have more severe strokes. They were also more likely to have been transferred from another hospital because they required a higher level of care, and they arrived at the centers after a longer time since the onset of their stroke symptoms. "Our findings demonstrate that patients with acute ischemic stroke receive a better quality of care and have a higher chance of improved outcome when treated at a Comprehensive or Thrombectomy-capable Stroke Center. Patients should keep this in mind when researching the level of stroke care available in their area. The good news is that, in most parts of the country, the emergency medical systems of acute stroke care are designed to triage and expedite patients to appropriate centers based on the severity of their stroke symptoms. Patients and their loved ones should always remember to call 911 when there is a suspected stroke," Raychev said. The study's results underscore the value of participating in the certification process to improve stroke care. "Everyone involved in the acute stroke chain of survival should be aware of the importance of certification status. One of the biggest challenges in achieving TSC-level status is that a PSC must perform 15 or more EVTs a year. In our study, the median volume at PSCs was 32, therefore, most PSCs far exceed the minimum EVT volume requirements. Advancing certification for PSCs that meet the volume requirement is very feasible, yet it does require coordinated efforts and additional resources. Our data should serve as strong evidence for initiating such important changes and ultimately elevate the standard of acute ischemic stroke care nationwide," Raychev said. The analysis is limited by the relatively small number of TSCs included in the registry. Another limitation was that the sample only included centers certified by 2 accreditation agencies, The Joint Commission and DNV (Det Norske Veritas) Healthcare. Centers that have received state-specific designations or were certified by other national accreditation agencies were not part of the study. Data in the research was collected from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association'sGet With The Guidelines- Strokeregistry. GWTG is the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association's hospital-based, quality improvement program that provides hospitals with the latest research-based guidelines to make it easier to provide consistent quality care. Developed with the goal of saving lives and hastening recovery, Get With The Guidelines has touched the lives of more than 10 million patients since 2001. According to the American Heart Association's Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics 2022 Update, when considered separately from other cardiovascular disease, stroke ranks No. 5 among all causes of death in the U.S., causing 150,005 deaths in 2019. Kevin Krupski will be honored with the Nolen C. Allen Man of Distinction Award for his work with The Center for Women and Families. (Newser) "There is a race to deforest the Amazon," said a researcher at Brazil's Federal University of Minas Gerais. It's becoming clearer that the Amazon is the loser. Trees in the Brazilian Amazon were cut down in an area five times the size of the deforested land in January 2021, the BBC reports. It's the biggest January impact since recordkeeping began in 2015. The toll equaled 166 square miles, satellite data from Brazil's space agency show. President Jair Bolsonaro and his government are drawing fresh criticism for the trend; he's weakened environmental protections and said deforestation can help reduce the nation's poverty, especially through commercial farming and mining. Under pressure, Bolsonaro recently has promised to take action to slow the damage to the forest. The area deforested in January alone is more than seven times the size of Manhattan. "The new data yet again exposes how the government's actions contradict its greenwashing campaigns," said an official with Greenpeace Brazil. The Environment Ministry told Reuters that month-to-month comparisons aren't the best gauge, saying that deforestation from August to January was slightly lower than that in the same period a year ago. Officials also said they're stepping up efforts against environmental crimes this year. But the Climate Observatory reported Tuesday that the environmental protection agency spent only 41% of its enforcement budget last year. A political scientist at the University of Brasilia said government officials have changed their rhetoric about deforestation but not their policies. She and the university researcher said the only thing that will stop deforestation is Bolsonaro losing his attempt at reelection in October. The rainforest is important to slowing climate change, per Phys.org. (Read more Amazon rainforest stories.) (Newser) Embla Ademi hasn't had an easy time of it. The 11-year-old has been the brunt of bullying at her elementary school in Gondivar, North Macedonia, due to the fact that she has Down syndrome, a genetic condition that can cause learning disabilities and health issues, and that's accompanied by particular facial features, a spokesperson for the nation's president, Stevo Pendarovski, tells CNN. That's why on Monday, Pendarovski decided Embla would have a friend back her up and walk her to schoolhimself, holding her hand. Before their stroll to school, shown here, a gift-bearing Pendarovski sat down with Embla and her family, chatting about "the challenges she and her family face on a daily basis," per a release out of his office, which includes pictures of their time together. Pendarovski told the Ademis that it was "unacceptable" for anyone to endanger the rights of children, "especially when it comes to children with atypical development," and that kids like Embla should not only not have their rights infringed upon, but also should feel welcome and included at school. "The key element in this common mission is empathy," the release notes. The president himself added: "We are all equal in this society. I came to give my support and to raise awareness that inclusion is a basic principle." The release adds that Pendarovski has given a thumbs-up to a newly opened investigation into Embla's case by the Commission for Protection Against Discrimination, per Euronews. (Read more uplifting news stories.) (Newser) Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the US announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Before talking to Biden, Putin is to have a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. US officials told the AP that the State Department plans to announce Saturday that virtually all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave. The State Department wouldn't comment. The department had earlier ordered families of US Embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave, though it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, urged all Americans in Ukraine to leave, emphasizing that they should not expect the US military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Several NATO allies, including Britain, Canada, Norway, and Denmark, also are asking their citizens to leave Ukraine, as is non-NATO ally New Zealand. Russia has massed troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, but it insistently denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. Biden has said US troops won't enter Ukraine to contest any Russian invasion, but he has bolstered the US military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on NATO's eastern flank. On Friday the Pentagon said Biden ordered a further 3,000 soldiers to Poland, on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The timing of any possible Russian military action remains a key question. The US picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a US official familiar with the findings. The official wouldn't say how definitive the intelligence was, and the White House publicly underscored that the US doesn't know with certainty whether Putin is committed to invasion. However, US officials said anew that Russia's buildup of offensive air, land, and sea firepower near Ukraine has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. "Yes, it is an urgent message because we are in an urgent situation," he told reporters at the White House. "Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action." Sullivan added: "Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine." He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the US talk of urgency. "The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever," said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. "The Anglo-Saxons need a war." Sullivans stark warning accelerated the projected time frame for a potential invasion, which many analysts had believed was unlikely until after the Winter Olympics in China end on Feb. 20. (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) (Newser) Since late 2020, Muzzafer Kayasan has taken 78 COVID-19 tests. Every one has come back positive. The result is that he's spent 14 months in isolation, either in a Turkish hospital or at home, Business Insider reports. The 56-year-old leukemia patient, who's home now in Istanbul, has gotten used to isolation but is tired of seeing his children and grandchildren only on FaceTime or through a window. He wants that to change, and he's asked the government for help. "I have no problem here other than being unable to touch my loved ones," Kayasan said. "It is very hard." His wife and son have stayed with him at times, and both tested negative. Kayasan now would like to be exempted from Turkey's COVD-19 rules, which end self-isolation after a weekit was two weeks until last monthif the patient tests negative. But Kayasan never does. His doctors said he keeps testing positive because leukemia has left him with a weak immune system, per the National. "I was recovered, but I still have the remnants of COVID-19 in my body," Kayasan said. "This is the only explanation I was given for the positive tests." (Read more COVID-19 stories.) (Newser) In an hourlong phone call Saturday, President Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin that though the US is prepared to keep working toward a diplomatic solution to the impasse over Ukraine, "we are equally prepared for other scenarios." A White House statement said, "President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia." Such a step by Russia "would produce widespread human suffering," the statement said, per the Washington Post. An administration official said that the conversation was substantive, per the Hill, but that "there was no fundamental change in the dynamic." An aide to Putin described the call as "businesslike" but dominated by what he called US hysteria over fears of an invasion. There were other phone calls Saturday. France reported that President Emmanuel Macron and Putin talked for more than 90 minutes. Russia said Putin also spoke to Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko. Belarus and Russia are conducting large military exercises that could turn into an attack on Ukraine. In their call, Biden also warned Putin that invading Ukraine would diminish Russia's standing in the world. Russia said its diplomatic staff is leaving Ukraine, as is the US corps. A spokesperson said the move was out concern for possible provocations by the Kyiv regime and third countries." In Budapest, Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has sought close ties between Hungary and Russia, joined the calls Saturday for a peaceful settlement. Orban said in a speech that it's in Hungary's interest to "avoid war." A Russian invasion of Ukraine could send refugees fleeing into his country and damage the economy, he said, per the AP. He also spoke against punishing Russia with "sanctions, punitive policies, lecturing or any other kind of arrogance on the part of the great powers." (Read more Russia-Ukraine conflict stories.) Please purchase a subscription read this premium content. If you have a subscription, please sign up for a digital website account or log in. Airman 1st Class Stephen Knotts, 436th Aerial Port Squadron ramp services apprentice, drives a cargo loader with palletized ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Jan. 24, 2022. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $5.4 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including security and non-security assistance. The United States reaffirms its steadfast commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in support of a secure and prosperous Ukraine. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Balik) (Roland Balik) TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A Royal Humanitarian Foundation delegation visited Bahrain Primary Mixed School in Abu Nacir in the Jordanian capital of Amman. The visit was for learning about the services provided by the humanitarian and relief projects of the Kingdom for Syrian refugees in Jordan. The project is as directed by His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister and HH Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the representative of HM the King for Humanitarian Works and Youth Affairs. Dr Mustafa Al Sayed, the RHF Secretary-General, said that more than 900 students are studying in the school in Abu Nacir established on an area of 10,000 square meters. The solar-powered school have 2,135 square meters of building area for 12 classrooms, a science lab, and a modern library. Dr Al Sayed said he held a meeting with the officials of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to measure the results achieved after establishing this school. Director of Education for the University, Dr Yousra Al-Arwan, said the project contributed significantly to relieving the pressure off the education system in Jordan. SOUTHBURY An investigation has been opened an investigation into the finances of the Pomperaug District Department of Health, the agency said in a statement this past week, after a financial review found significant anomalies. The announcement comes as the health district is re-branding itself as the Housatonic Valley Health District, and is expanding to combine with the towns of New Milford and Washington. The district already includes Oxford, Southbury and Woodbury. In an effort to increase efficiencies in the delivery of our services to the district, a routine review of the Districts finances was initiated following a change in leadership during the summer of 2021, the statement said. This review led to the discovery of significant anomalies, and consequently, an ongoing law enforcement investigation. The districts former director, Neal Lustig, was suspended in June of last year after a complaint was lodged against him and an office incident that occurred on the day of his suspension. An outside investigation later found many years worth of misconduct on the part of the director: unprofessional behavior, retaliation, breach of confidentiality, bullying, lack of leadership, and general dysfunction within the office environment, according to documents obtained by Hearst Connecticut Media. Lustigs attorney could not be reached for comment. It was not immediately clear what agency is leading the investigation and authorities have not commented further. Connecticut State Police, which oversees the Southbury Police Department, said they have no record of an investigation into the health department. A spokeswoman for the health district declined to comment further, including which agency is heading the probe into the finances, and whether it was related to the prior investigation. Once this came to light, we were deeply saddened and angered by this, and most importantly, hurt by how past decisions may have impacted our community, the statement said. Though it was not the outcome anyone expected, it became a top priority to embrace this as an opportunity for real change to ensure that those past actions are never repeated. Past reporting by Staff Writer Currie Engel contributed to this story DANBURY When Marian Anderson and her husband tried to buy a 50-acre property in Danbury, they were forced to purchase the other 50 acres adjacent to it. The sellers had tried to stop the purchase after they learned Anderson, the famed contralto singer who performed across the world, was Black. The sellers were saying if we sell you the property then the property around that would have no real value, says Samuel Hyman, the former president of the Danbury NAACP, in a new documentary about Anderson. Shes prominent, and shes still viewed as a threat to the community because of her race, he added in an interview with Hearst Connecticut Media. Called Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands, the documentary includes rare archival footage and audio recordings of Anderson that offer a deeper look into her talent and achievements, as well as the racism she faced. The documentary aired this past week on PBS in honor of Black History Month and Andersons upcoming 125th birthday on Feb. 27. Its available to stream for free online through March 9. It details her story from her birth in Philadelphia in 1897 a year after Plessy v. Ferguson established the separate but equal doctrine to her concerts and travels across the globe, to her famous 1939 performance in front of the Lincoln Memorial, to her years in Danbury. Director Rita Coburn said she combed through the University of Pennsylvania's Marian Anderson collection, which includes 4,000 photographs and 6,000 letters, some of which are read by reenactors in the film. The Danbury Museum and Historical Society contributed archival material, as well. The documentary features archival interviews and 34 cassette tapes of interviews recorded in the 1950s, when she was preparing to write her memoir, My Lord, What a Morning. When I listened to them, I felt it was important for her to have more agency in the telling of her story, said Coburn, who has also created a documentary about Maya Angelou. In doing so, she drew attention to Black history in a format that best suits telling stories about the Black experience. Most of the time our history was left out of the books and was not taught mainstream, said Coburn, a Black woman. So in order to get to our history, you have to use the oral tradition, people tell you something. For us, more than some other races and ethnicities, not all, the history is best viewed through a person. The film relies on audio and video of her performances. The music that they used in the documentary was really beautiful and varied, said Laura Flachbart, president of the Danbury Music Centre, where Anderson was a member and patron for decades. The centres recital hall is named after her, while the organization is having a portrait painted in her honor. It really did show off that vocal range. I found myself being moved to tears several times during the documentary listening to her. Breaking color barriers Anderson is best known for her groundbreaking performance on Easter Sunday 1939 at the Lincoln Memorial in front of an interracial crowd of 75,000, while millions listened on the radio. The Daughters of the American Revolution had prevented her from performing at Constitution Hall because of the color of her skin, so First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, Howard University and the NAACP arranged for her to sing at the Lincoln Memorial instead. But the documentary dives deeper into the racism she faced. Anderson was acclaimed across the globe, performing for kings and queens, who lavished her with praise, according to one newspaper clipping shown in the film. But when she returned to the United States, she was forced to sit in the back of the train car or eat her meals in her hotel room. She said she didnt want to be embarrassed in the dining room. After being denied a room at a hotel in New Jersey in 1937, she stayed with Albert Einstein each time she visited the area. You cannot be expected to give as good a performance as you would hope to if your mind is on the fact that you are some place, but you're certainly are not wanted there, Anderson says in one of the archival recordings. And you're trying to sing to a group of people as if your heart is full of love and happiness, and it isnt completely. In one of the archival materials that didnt make the documentary, Anderson described needing to iron her dress in the alley outside of the hotel she stayed in the deep South, Coburn said. Through her sheer will and entrepreneurial spirit, Anderson found her agency in Jim Crow America, the director said. She could never be irrelevant as long as we are continuing to fight racism in areas of arts, areas of politics, and just day to day living, Coburn said. Andersons achievements include being the first Black soloist to sing in a leading role in New York's Metropolitan Opera in 1955, singing at the inaugurations for President Dwight D. Eisenhower and President John F. Kennedy, and earning various awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963. She served as a delegate to the United Nations, as well. Her performance at the Lincoln Memorial, however, helped inspire the 1963 March on Washington where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous I have a dream speech. Anderson sang at the march, traveling to Washington, D.C. with a group from the Danbury NAACP including Hyman, he said. Life in Danbury It was a blessing that Anderson and her husband bought the property that became known as Marianna Farm on Joes Hill Road in Danbury, said Brigid Guertin, executive director of the Danbury Museum and Historical Society. At home in Danbury with her husband Orpheus Fisher, Anderson liked to be known as Mrs. Fisher, Guertin said. She performed at local events such as high school graduations and served as narrator for Aaron Coplands A Lincoln Portrait with the Danbury Symphony Orchestra for the citys 1976 Bicentennial concert. She was inspiring on on a personal level and professional level, Guertin said. I think that's what makes her story resonate so much generation after generation because she managed to touch people in their hearts and their minds and to make such a profound impact because she was so personally accessible, at the same time as she was so professionally adored. Her husband served on the board of the NAACP in Danbury, and the two hosted fundraising events for the organization at their home, Hyman said. They attended New Hope Baptist Church in Danbury. Danbury plans to create a mural in her honor downtown, while Western Connecticut State University is raising money to rename its School of Visual and Performing Arts after her. The Danbury Museum and Historical Society is celebrating her birthday with Marian Mondays, where the organization shares Anderson photos and archival materials on social media, Guertin said. The museum, NAACP and library will host a Zoom program on her birthday, as well. Hyman said Anderson wasnt pretentious and would ask about his wife when they bumped into each other at the supermarket. He described her as gracious and kind. She was just an ordinary person, an ordinary citizen, he said. I do think she carried herself in such a way that everyone sort of looked up to her. As per an order issued by City Police Commissioner Chandragupta, prohibitory orders will be in force from February 12 (6 AM) to February 13 (10 PM). In the meantime, no protests or rallies will be allowed in the district. Mysuru Police has banned rallies, protests till Sunday in the wake of protests called by unidentified people over the Hijab row to maintain law and order. Prohibitory orders have been enforced under Section 144 of CrPC in the city. As per an order issued by City Police Commissioner Chandragupta, prohibitory orders will be in force from February 12 (6 AM) to February 13 (10 PM). In the meantime, no protests or rallies will be allowed in the district. The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes. During the protests, some students were allegedly denied entry to college wearing hijab by Muslim women earlier this month. On Tuesday, the Karnataka High Court also appealed to the student community and the public at large to maintain peace and tranquillity while hearing various pleas challenging a ban on hijab in the state. The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is watching whats happening in the state and in hearing before the High Court. A Bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli said that they will see the issue at the appropriate time as the Karnataka High Court is seized of the matter and also suggested lawyers to not make it a national-level issue. US National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan said that there is a credible prospect that Russian Military action in Ukraine would take place even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. The United States is calling on all Americans in Ukraine to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours, US National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan on Friday (local time). We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours, Sullivan said, according to CNN. He said that if Americans stay they are assuming risk with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and no prospect of a US Military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion. The National Security Adviser was speaking during a White House press briefing amid the ongoing situation in Ukraine. He also said that there is a credible prospect that Russian Military action in Ukraine would take place even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. We continue to see signs of Russian escalation including now forces arriving at the border. As weve said before, were in the window when an invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it. I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information but I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it will only happen after the Olympics, Sullivan said during a White House press briefing. He noted that the US forces deployments in Germany, Poland, Armenia are not soldiers being sent to go fight Russia in Ukraine. They are not going to war in Ukraine or fighting a war with Russia. They are going to defend NATO territory against aggression; defensive and non-escalatory deployments, he added. Meanwhile, CNN reported quoting Secretary of State Antony Blinken that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin at any time, including during the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the United States continues to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border. The top US diplomat made the comments alongside his counterparts from the Quad Australia, India and Japan following a day of meetings in Melbourne and after the State Department and Biden warned US citizens to depart Ukraine immediately. NEW HAVEN Elena Grewal cant help but feel like something is missing from her long walks around East Rock Park: an ice cream cone. Grewal returned to her hometown of New Haven several years ago after living in San Francisco. She loved the East Rock neighborhood, she said, but she missed having an ice cream shop within walking distance. One day, as she passed a vacant storefront, a lightbulb went off: If an ice cream shop were to open at 829 Orange St., her problem would be solved. Thats how Grewal, a data scientist by trade, ended up working to establish Elenas on Orange, which would offer soft-serve ice cream and other treats. Her application for a site use variance, which went before the Board of Zoning Appeals this week, remains pending It all started because I love ice cream. Its very simple, Grewal said. I grew up in upper Westville and I would walk my sister to Bills Carousel or convince my parents to take me to Ashleys. An ice cream enthusiast, Grewal picked her San Francisco apartment because of its proximity to ice cream, she said. She loves how easily the treat brings people joy. Whenever I had a bad day I would go get ice cream, she said. A former Airbnb executive, Grewal knows her way around the business world, she said, but she knows less about making ice cream even if she has plenty of experience taste-testing brands and flavors. When she pondered the possibility of opening a store in East Rock, she sought advice from the founder of her favorite place to get a cone in San Francisco, an ice cream truck called Twirl and Dip. I owned an ice cream truck in San Francisco, and Elena was a fan of mine, said Meg Hilgartner, adding that she had not known Grewal beforehand. When (Grewal) started thinking about doing this project, she looked me up because she wanted to ... pick someones brain. The timing happened to be right for Hilgartner to do more then offer advice: she ended up coming on board the venture. After selling Twirl and Dip in 2018, Hilgartner said, she went back to school to improve her pastry skills. She then got a job in pastry production in an upscale restaurant, Hilgartner said. But the pandemic hit, taking its toll on the food industry. For that and other reasons, Hilgartner ended up returning to New York state, where she grew up. When Grewal eventually asked whether Hilgartner would help her launch the business, Hilgartner said yes. After sort of losing my job and not working for a little while, this seemed like just an absolute dream come true, Hilgartner said. It was so amazing. I was like, I guess I have to do this now, Grewal said. It kind of fell into place that (Hilgartner) had the availability to do it with me. Initial soft-serve offerings will include vanilla, chocolate and vanilla-chocolate swirl, Grewal said. Data shows vanilla is the most popular, Grewal said with an tinge of disappointment. I personally love chocolate. She also expects to offer rotating flavors, she said. Hilgartner said she is working to develop dairy-free recipes, one using oat milk and another that is nut-based. The latter idea came from Grewal, inspired by a delicious macadamia nut soft serve she once had. For the business to survive the winter, Grewal expects it will need to serve more than ice cream. While the final menu remains up in the air, Hilgartner is developing recipes for pastries that will pair well with coffee. And the duo hopes to serve up what may be unconventional find at an ice cream parlor: wine. The concept came to them via a post from the chef David Lebovitz about a store in Paris that sells wine and ice cream, Grewal said. Grewal has applied for a use variance to allow ice cream and beer and wine service at 829 Orange St. The Zoning Board of Appeals referred the proposal to the City Plan Commission. While many community members expressed support during Tuesdays meeting, Grewal said, there were concerns about the liquor license and noise that could be associated with it. But Grewal pointed out that the restaurant Caffe Bravo, which sits on the same block, already serves alcohol. Our sense is that if we do want to offer wine its very much in keeping with whats in the neighborhood, she said. Were really excited about ice cream and I think it was clear there was a lot of support. Im happy to talk to anybody who has questions, she said. meghan.friedmann@hearstmediact.com WEST HAVEN The citys $1.2 million allocation of CARES Act funding received in late 2020 has been a source of controversy since at least last summer, when some residents questioned whether it was appropriate for department heads collectively to receive roughly $60,000 in payouts for compensatory time earned during the COVID-19 pandemic. The controversy became a scandal when former Democratic state Rep. Michael DiMassa was arrested in October 2021 and charged with wire fraud after allegedly falsifying invoices to reroute $636,000 of that funding to a shell company. The Register obtained invoices showing that much of the remaining funding was spent on vaccination clinics, cleaning and personal protective equipment although some expenditures raised eyebrows, such as payment for a New York-based marching band during the citys Memorial Day parade. A question that also has raised concerns centers around not how federal relief funding was spent, but rather how it wasnt spent and how nobody appeared to notice for nearly a year until the month of DiMassas arrest. If half of the money was stolen, as federal authorities have alleged, then how did city officials not notice the money was not going toward programs and relief efforts? Mayor Nancy Rossi said the urgency with which the relief funding went out meant the city had not formulated a plan for it. It was more of a quick thing: they dropped the money, you had until X time to spend it, heres what you can spend it on, she said. They wanted to get the money out quickly because people were really suffering. This was before vaccinations or before we had any protections. American Rescue Plan Act funding, a second round of federal funding intended to assist with pandemic recovery, has more rigid rules around how it can be spent. Rossi is working on a plan for the citys $29 million, she has said, but has not submitted one yet to the City Council for approval. Rossi said the city also pulled back on some community programs during the earliest months of the pandemic out of health concerns, so there were fewer programs being funded generally. Bridgette Hoskie, chairwoman of the City Councils finance committee, said a large part of the reason that it escaped the notice of finance and budgetary officials that money was not going to community services was the lack of a plan and that officials entrusted the wrong individuals. There was no plan. Mike DiMassa was in charge of oversight and nothing that I am aware of was in place. He was charged with disbursing it, she said. In December 2020, the City Council voted to authorize Rossi to extend the CARES Act money with DiMassa and Finance Director Frank Cieplinski as appropriate designees. Hoskie said she believes the City Council should have more oversight around ARPA planning as a precautionary measure. We should be allowed to see every penny being spent and we should be allowed to get input as to how these monies are being spent, she said. It should not just be the mayors plan and the people she assigned to oversee it. That didnt work the last time. City Hall officials also say the lack of staff and internal procedures mean the city relies on its employees to be trustworthy. In 2017, the city came under control of the states Municipal Accountability Review Board, which maintains approval authority over some of the citys finances. As West Haven regularly was struggling with budget deficits, Rossi oversaw a restructuring of City Hall that would lead to the elimination of several positions in order to keep down costs. Although the city has shown positive fund balances for several consecutive years now, officials say they are doing too much with too little. Patrick Egan, risk manager for the town of Fairfield and a member of the MARB, questioned whether the state board should be more proactive in the midst of a forensic audit spanning several months. When are we going to take some action here to ensure theres not things being paid that shouldnt be paid? he said at a recent meeting. I dont need an audit to know there were invoices submitted that were signed off on that were paid when they shouldnt have been. Sal Luciano, executive director of Council 4 of AFSCME AFL-CIO and a board member, questioned whether the city has procedures to verify it actually received the services that appear on invoices submitted to the finance department. Cieplinskis signature appears on the invoices under question. He responded to Egan that he relies on department heads to submit accurate representations of services rendered. Every single payment that comes to finance with a voucher on it is signed off by a department head. That signature indicates to finance that products were received, services were received, he said. There was a breakdown because an individual of trust was signing off on things and finance accepted that his signature meant these were being reviewed and his signature was accurate. Cieplinski said he does not have the bandwidth to scrutinize every single invoice. Recently, the city has interviewed candidates to build up the citys purchasing department to three employees; currently, it has the hourly equivalent of half of one employee. We have reached out to departments heads and told them in no uncertain terms they will be responsible for any bills sent to us that are not accurate, Cieplinski said. Short of that, other than tripling the size of finance or to put one person in finance to scrutinize everything, I dont know what the answer is. At some point, accountability has to be with the departments. The state Office of Policy and Management has a contracted employee that works on-site in West Havens finance department: Michael Milone, a former town manager of Cheshire and controller of New Haven. As a contractual employee of the State Office of Policy & Management I am not in a position to comment on this matter, Milone said in an emailed comment. Barry Lee Cohen, a former Republican councilman who served on the finance committee and challenged Rossi in the 2021 mayoral election, said the city lacks the standard operating procedures that would lead to officials discovering that money is not reaching residents. There were no standard operating procedures in place and there continues to be no standard operating procedures in place, he said. You dont need to have MARB or anybody else from Hartford to tell a city of our size to have standard operating procedures. The idea were shorthanded just doesnt cut it, simply because this is COVID money. This is money meant for everything from mental to public health concerns, he said. Cohen, who currently is involved in an ongoing court case with the city over claims of illegitimate absentee ballots in the election, said Rossi should have been more accountable as mayor and as a certified public accountant. I dont get involved in the day-to-day activities of the budget, Rossi said. I know thats difficult for people to understand because I am a CPA, but when Im here I am the mayor: its a segregation of duties. The mayor doesnt usually sit at the finance desk. Rossi said she expects that plans to beef up the purchasing department would provide an assurance that there is more oversight over the citys finances and that the city only approves payments for services that were actually provided. brian.zahn@hearstmediact.com Niagara Falls, NY (14301) Today Cloudy with rain developing later in the day. High 61F. Winds E at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Periods of rain. Low 48F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a half an inch. The National Executive Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will commence a two-day meeting at the University of Lagos, Ak... The National Executive Committee of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will commence a two-day meeting at the University of Lagos, Akoka, today, to finalise the unions decision on an impending strike. ASUU will make the final decision on the strike to be reached by voting known at the end of the meeting on Sunday. The union had expressed grievances over the failure of the Federal Government to fulfill some of the agreements it made as far back as 2009. ASUU had on November 15, 2021 given the Federal Government a three-week ultimatum over the failure to meet the demands. The lecturers threatened to embark on another round of industrial action following the alleged governments unfaithfulness in the implementation of the Memorandum of Action it signed with the union, leading to the suspension of the 2020 strike action. After the unions National Executive Council meeting at the University of Abuja on November 13 and 14, ASUU President, Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke, lamented that despite meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on October 14, 2021, on issues, including funding for revitalisation of public universities, earned academic allowances, University Transparency Accountability Solution, promotion arrears, renegotiation of 2009 ASUU-FGN agreement, and the inconsistencies in Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system payment, none of its demands had been met. Following the threat, the Minister of State for Education, Emeka Nwajiuba, promised that the union would be paid. A few weeks after, ASUU suspended the planned strike as N22.1bn earned allowances was paid to lecturers in federal universities. On the heels of the unions renewed agitations, the co-chairmen of the National Inter-religious Council, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Abubakar III, and the President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Dr Samson Ayokunle, visited the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), last month over the lack of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding the government signed with ASUU in 2009 and others. At the meeting, Buhari said the government remained committed to fulfilling the promises made to ASUU. The President also stated that he had mandated Ngige, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, and his (Buharis) Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, to look into the demands of the union. But Osodeke in an interview with newmen insisted that the Federal Government could not be trusted despite the promise of the President. Longest strike in history? The union consequently declared Monday, February 9, 2022 as a lecture-free day to mobilise its members ahead of what it described as the longest strike in history. Several chapters of the union embraced the directive and had held several congresses where they told the public to hold the government responsible if the union decides to embark on strike. A final decision on the looming strike will be reached this weekend as ASUU NEC meets from February 12 (today) and February 13, at UNILAG.\ Another NEC revealed that the decision on strike would be put to voting and all the members present would vote either for or against it. He said, The president of our union is not the one to decide on the strike. Also, none of the officers is expected to unilaterally decide on it. The issues at stake are to be tabled and debated at the meeting. Then, all the NEC members will vote either for or against the strike. Whatever we decide on Sunday would form the next line of action. Asked if there are enough grounds for the lecturers to go on strike, the source answered in the affirmative. Yes, we have even started the strike earlier than now. But as parents, we have been waiting for the government to yield the ground and fulfil the agreements it voluntarily entered with us, the source added. Efforts to reach Adamu proved abortive as he neither picked calls nor replied to a text message sent to his phone number. But Nwajiuba declined to comment on the unions meeting, where the ultimate decision on the impending strike would be taken. Meanwhile, Ngige has promised to step into the dispute between the Federal Government and ASUU if the Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission fail to resolve the issue. The minister revealed on Friday that his ministry could only perform a reconciliatory role as it is not the employer of the lecturers. He said, The Ministry of Education is their employer and we have handed over the necessary tools to them. The major issue with ASUU now is the deployment of UTAS which is under the purview of NITDA which is under the Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy. The NUC also has its own role to play. My role is to play a reconciliatory officer. If their employers and the NUC fail to reconcile them, then I step in as the reconciliatory officer. Its not more than that. But I know their employers are finding ways to resolve these issues. Food items, including yam, grains, among others, worth over N200 million, have been destroyed by fire outbreak, which occurred in the early ... Food items, including yam, grains, among others, worth over N200 million, have been destroyed by fire outbreak, which occurred in the early hours of Saturday, in Wukari Local Government Council of Taraba State. It was reported that the incident, which cause could not be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, occurred when the traders had all retired home. Visibly dejected, the chairman of the Yam Market, Anthony Agbu, confirmed that the incident which started at about 12a.m. on Saturday, led to massive destruction of their goods. Stressing how the inferno will tell negatively on the people, as well as the farmers, he said the need for the relevant authorities, to as a matter of urgency, provide succor to the affected traders, had become necessary. As you have seen, our yam market and all our goods have been razed down by the fire incident that occurred here early this morning, he said. Some victims, including Justina Theophilus, Emmanuel Gani, Chindo Magaji and Margaret Adashu, who spoke with newsmen, said all their resources have been destroyed. Also devastated by the incident, the Council Chairman of Wukari, Dr. Daniel Adigrace, said, when I was called last night that this market was on fire, I quickly mobilized my team and rushed to the scene. Lamenting the level of damages, he called on both the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), as well as the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) to wade in. Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, has handed over the duties and responsibilities of the Force Public Relations Department to ... Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba, has handed over the duties and responsibilities of the Force Public Relations Department to his Deputy, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi. Adejobi takes charge of the department with immediate effect, said SP Benjamin Hundeyin of the Public Relations Department at the Force Headquarters on Saturday. The statement was titled, CP Frank Mba hands over to deputy as he proceeds on course at NIPSS. It partly read, This change of baton follows CP Mbas nomination by the Inspector-General of Police for the Senior Executive Course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. Olumuyiwa Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, is an alumnus of the prestigious University of Ibadan where he studied Archeology and Geography (Combined Honours). He also holds a Masters Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same University. He was the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the Ogun State Command from 2008 2016; PPRO Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, in 2016 and PPRO Lagos State Police Command between September 2020 and August 2021. CSP Olumuyiwa is an experienced communicator and image manager who has achieved great strides in his previous appointments. The Adamawa State Police Command has launched investigation into a reported case of an officer who allegedly threatened the life of a neighb... The Adamawa State Police Command has launched investigation into a reported case of an officer who allegedly threatened the life of a neighbour. Social media had it earlier in the week that a certain deputy commissioner of police, a northerner, who has a house in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, rejected the buyer of a house beside his own because the new neighbour is from the southern part of the country. In response to the development, the Adamawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, has ordered investigations, a statement from the state police command indicated Saturday evening. The CP has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department to ascertain the veracity of the allegations for further necessary action, the police said in the statement signed by Police Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Nguroje. The police did not disclose the name of the officer in view, but when the story first broke on the social media, one Deputy Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Babazango, who owns a house at a commercial district in the heart of Yola, Jimeta, reportedly threatened violent attacks against the new buyer of a house beside his own house, Vincent Umeh. The police officer, who hailed from Adamawa State, had allegedly said he did not want a southerner as his next-door neighbour. DCP Ibrahim Babazango, currently attached to Lagos State Police Command, was reportedly infuriated to learn that someone from the South East had become his neighbour. Vincent Umeh, who is Director of a private business empire named Vikings Limited, bought the house in question, located at 33, Mohammed Mustapha Way, part of Yolas Central Business District, previously belonging to one Ismail Mamman. Babazango was said to have warned Umeh to reverse the purchase deal or face bitter consequences, including risk to his personal safety. Were a homogeneous community, I dont want you; you cant be my next door neighbour, I swear. What sort of insult is this? Can any northerner move now to the South-East, say Onitsha and just bump into any neighborhood to buy a property; just like that? the DCP reportedly queried in an audio recording. Narrating his ordeal, Vincent Umeh had told a news medium, I acquired the property late last year from one Ismail Mamman. I was surprised to receive a call from a man who introduced himself as DCP Ibrahim Babazango, a neighbour of Ismail Mamman who sold the property to me. He threatened that I should abandon the property because he could not guarantee my safety as his neighbour. Given his threat, I reported the matter to the police. It was further gathered that Babazango was angry that his former neighbour sold the property to Umeh without offering him (Babazango) the first right to buy. On his part, the former owner of the house in view, Ismail Mamman, said, The property is mine and I sold it to Mr. Vincent Umeh. I had approached my former neighbour, DCP Ibrahim Babazango, that I wanted to sell my property. He said he would contact his brother but I didnt get his feedback; so I sold it to a ready buyer. I have no problems with the buyer at all. Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to speak with his US and French counterparts on Saturday after the United States warned that Moscow ... Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to speak with his US and French counterparts on Saturday after the United States warned that Moscow could invade Ukraine in days. The United States had dramatically raised the alarm over Ukraine on Friday, saying a Russian invasion starting with civilians caught under aerial bombing could begin in days and telling US citizens to leave within 48 hours. In a diplomatic flurry to head off a possible invasion, Putin will speak with Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron on Saturday. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he will also speak to Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov the same day, terming this a pivotal moment in the crisis and that his government was prepared for whatever should happen. We continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving around Ukraines borders, Blinken said at a press conference in Fiji. If Russia is genuinely interested in resolving this crisis of its own making through diplomacy and dialogue, were prepared to do that, he said. The White House had earlier warned of an attack by the more than 100,000 Russian troops currently massed next to Ukraine, even while the Beijing Olympics were still underway. Blinken added that dialogue would only be possible if accompanied by de-escalation. So far, weve only seen escalation from Moscow, he said, adding Russia has yet to respond to some of the ideas floated by Washington. Ill be asking Mr Lavrov if we can anticipate a response in the coming days, to see if we can carry the dialogue forward. Blinken declined to confirm whether the United States would be evacuating its embassy staff from Kyiv: Well have more to say about that in the coming hours, he said. On Friday, White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan called on Americans to immediately leave Ukraine, warning a Russian attack is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians. While stressing that it was not yet known whether Putin had taken a decision, saying we cant predict the exact determination, Sullivan made clear the United States was bracing for the worst, including a rapid assault on the capital Kyiv. Sullivan spoke shortly after President Joe Biden and six European leaders, the heads of NATO and the European Union held talks on the worst crisis between the West and Russia since the end of the Cold War. A US official said Biden would speak with Putin on Saturday, while Paris said Macron would also be calling the Russian leader on Saturday. Underlining the bleak outlook, a string of countries joined the exodus of diplomats and citizens from Ukraine, while oil prices surged and US equities tumbled. Sullivan repeated warnings that Russia risks severe Western sanctions and said that NATO, which Putin wants to push back from eastern Europe, is now more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than any time in recent memory. The Pentagon announced it was sending 3,000 more troops to bolster ally Poland. Following the earlier group phone call between US and European leaders, German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs spokesman said the aim is to prevent a war in Europe. But if Moscow fails to pull back, the allies are determined to jointly take swift and deep sanctions against Russia. These sanctions would target the financial and energy sectors, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said. Sullivan spoke to der Leyens chief of staff Bjoern Seibert by video call on Friday to coordinate the details of a potential transatlantic response, including both financial sanctions and export controls, according to a White House statement. Russian naval forces and troops, including units brought in from all over the vast country, now surround Ukraine to the south, east and north. Russia, which denies any plan to attack Ukraine, already controls the Crimea territory seized in 2014 and supports separatist forces controlling Ukraines Donbas region in the east. The Kremlin says its goal is to get NATO to agree to never give Ukraine membership and also to withdraw from eastern European countries already in the alliance, effectively carving Europe into Cold War-style spheres of influence. The United States and its European allies reject the demands, insisting that NATO poses no threat to Russia. Adding to tensions, large-scale Russian military drills were underway Friday with authoritarian ally Belarus, which lies just north of Kyiv and also borders the European Union. Russias defence ministry said Friday it was also holding military exercises near Ukraines border in the Black Sea. According to the head of Norways military intelligence service, Russia is operationally ready to conduct a wide range of military operations in Ukraine and the Kremlin just needs to make the call. Top US general Mark Milley and his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov talked Friday by phone, the Pentagon said, giving no details of the discussion. The President, Muhammadu Buhari, in a drastic move on Saturday, approved the appointment of former lawmaker, Muhammad Zorro, as the Senior... The President, Muhammadu Buhari, in a drastic move on Saturday, approved the appointment of former lawmaker, Muhammad Zorro, as the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs and Strategy, Office of the First Lady. This is as the President temporarily redeployed three aides of the first lady to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Saturday titled, President Buhari Approves Sami Zorro SSA to First Lady, Redeployment and Disengagement of Others. At the insistence of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, the president also approved the immediate redeployment of three of the political appointees in her office to the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, pending their assignment to some other government departments or agencies. Adesina said, Those affected by the redeployment are: Dr. Mohammed Abdulrahman, who was Senior Special Assistant to the President on Health and Development Partners and Personal Physician to the First Lady; Hadi Uba, who was Special Assistant to the President on Administration; and Wole Aboderin, who was Special Assistant to the President on Non-Governmental Organisations. Also approved with effect from February 11, is the disengagement of Zainab Kazeem, the Special Assistant to the President on Domestic and Social Events, Office of the First Lady. Zorro, a famous journalist, brings to the new job decades of experience in media practice, publishing, and unionist leadership. He was at various times President, Nigeria Union of Journalists, West African Journalists Association, and the Federation of African Journalists. He was in the House of Representatives, where he chaired the committee on Internally Displaced Persons, Refugees and Initiatives in the North-East. Although the reason for the reshuffle remained unknown as of the filing of this report, it came barely 48 hours after the First Lady was spotted on an evening train returning from Kaduna to Abuja. The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, says the glory of North-East Nigeria and other parts o... The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, says the glory of North-East Nigeria and other parts of the country troubled by terrorists will be restored. He stated this on Saturday in a Facebook post after the Light Up Nigeria outreach in Gombe State which was organised as part of activities to mark the clerics 80th birthday. Adeboye wrote, The Glory of the North Eastern Part of Nigeria will be restored by Gods grace. I use Gombe state as a point of contact: that as the light of God came down powerfully during the @reach4christ Crusade, the light of God descends upon every troubled parts of our dear Nation Nigeria. Revall that the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, said the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit uncovered 123 companies, and 96 others linked to terrorism financing in 2021. Earlier in 2021, the regime of the President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), had arrested 400 alleged Boko Haram sponsors and financiers including bureau de change operators but about a year later, the office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has not prosecuted the moneybags behind the nefarious activities of the bloodthirsty marauders who have viciously mauled thousands of Nigerians in the North-East for over a decade. Experts have argued that terrorism financing is a criminal offence and Nigerians have nothing to do with the information that the terror sponsors had been uncovered. Instead, the government should arrest and swiftly prosecute them. A former Navy Commodore, Kunle Olawunmi, last August, had said that Boko Haram terrorists mentioned names of current governors, senators and Aso Rock officials as sponsors during interrogation but the President demonstrated an unwillingness to go after the high-profile politicians for reasons best known to him. The Boko Haram war has lingered for over a decade. Thousands of innocent Nigerians and soldiers had been killed by the insurgents in war-wracked North-East Nigeria including Gombe, Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. Though the government of the day has repeatedly insisted that the terrorists had been decimated and technically defeated, the ferocious fighters continue to wreak unprintable havoc on the Nigerian state. Abdulaziz Yari, a former Governor of Zamfara State, was on Saturday, flown to the United Kingdom in a wheelchair. According to Saha... Abdulaziz Yari, a former Governor of Zamfara State, was on Saturday, flown to the United Kingdom in a wheelchair. According to SaharaReporters, the former Governor was in a bad shape medically when he arrived the international airport ahead of the flight to the UK. Yari was reported to have departed Nigeria in a British Airways aircraft. Ex-Governor Yari is flying to the UK on British Airways flight for a medical trip. He was even brought in a wheelchair, a source at the airport told SaharaReporters on Saturday. Recall that Yari, who was Governor of Zamfara State from May 2011 to May 2019, was detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in April 2021, over alleged illegal financial dealings and misappropriation of funds. A Federal High Court in Abuja also ordered the final forfeiture of funds belonging to him, domiciled in Zenith and Polaris banks. Watertown, NY (13601) Today More clouds than sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 67F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Rain. Low 53F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall near a half an inch. Yes. Gov. Hochul chose Mr. Benjamin, and she's stuck with him through the election. No. The state should have the option to remove someone under criminal indictment. Vote View Results Andrew Lu grew up outside Lafayette. His father is from Vietnam and his mother is from China, and they worked in a family restaurant, where Lu got his first experience in the kitchen. He pursued a culinary degree at the Louisiana Culinary Institute in Baton Rouge and came to New Orleans, where he has worked at Kingfish, Gianna and Cavan which promoted him to executive chef a year before the pandemic. During the pandemic, he started his pop-up Get Your Mom + Dim Sum, which features Chinese food with Louisiana accents. His pop-up is at New Orleans breweries and music spots throughout the week. Find its weekly schedule and menu on Instagram, @geturdimsum. Gambit: How did you start your pop-up Andrew Lu: (During the pandemic) the city was hurting. Everybody was struggling, either with sickness or financially. I thought about it for a few months, and the pop-up circuit seems to be able to help people the most. Not only do you get creative freedom to play around and do what you want, but I personally now have three employees, and I can pay them more than what they were making when we were working together in restaurants. Thats huge helping people financially. I started out at The Broadside. Nobody knew about us. Fortunately, I had Milkfishs Cristina Quackenbush to help me get started. She was a mentor for me in the pop-up industry. She has been doing this for a long time, and she explained how things worked. I helped her with Milkfish for a month or two, and then she kicked me out of the nest. She said youre doing great, youve got to do your own thing. I started on Get Your Mom and Dim Sum in April (2021). We were at The Broadside during a live music event. We had crab rangoons. I had shrimp cakes. I did a noodle dish, the kung pao noodles. We had like four items, and since then weve grown. The pun is dim sum. Weve had to explain that its Chinese small plates, usually dumplings. And people are like, Oh, I never had that. Thats because it doesnt really exist here. There are like three dim sum places in the city. Gambit: What kinds of dishes do you like to put on the menu? Lu: I like doing Asian food and putting a little Southern twist on it. Chinese sticky rice is traditionally wrapped in bamboo leaves and steamed, and it has heavy Asian flavors, like dark soy. They use Chinese sausage. I think its similar to jambalaya, so I do chicken and sausage with a little Cajun seasoning on the chicken, and instead of steaming it in bamboo, I serve it in a bowl. Our black pepper beef dumplings are Southern. Its a fried beef dumpling we serve on top of mashed potatoes. Its a home-style plate with heavy Asian flavors but served in a style people are comfortable with. Our dan dan dumplings dan dan is a peanut butter chili oil sauce served with noodles. Sometimes theres ground pork fried off and served on top. I took that and put it all together in a dumpling. I was one of the opening sous chefs at Gianna. I took a lot of that pasta making that we did and moved it to what were doing. Our dan dan is in the shape of tortellini. I take a Southern approach, theres a lot of braising, theres a lot of layering to build flavor. It is a culture mix. Weve kept the staples like the crab rangoons and the noodles, but I try to change seasonally as much as I can. I am into preserving, so I just bought all the kumquats that I could find. They have a very short season. I went to the purveyor and said, I want them all. I am preserving them so well have like a traditional orange chicken. Ill have a Southern fried chicken and do a kumquat marmalade and turn it into a sauce that people are more used to. It wont be so sweet, because kumquats are a little sour. But thats not on the menu yet. For spring, I also want to take a crawfish boil and make it easier to eat. A pound of crawfish is like three ounces of meat. I can fit that into an order of dumplings easy. Change up the textures a little, but you get the same flavors. Gambit: What do you think about Chinese food in New Orleans? Lu: There is an Asian population in Lafayette. They opened Chinese restaurants. In New Orleans, Blue Giant does Chinese, but the mom-and-pop (restaurants) arent doing too well. Thats something my generation is dealing with. My mom and dad were telling me, no, you cant go into the restaurant industry. My mom said, We didnt come to America and struggle for you to do what were doing. You need to be a lawyer or a doctor or an engineer. It turns out all my friends listened, and now theyre doctors and engineers, and I am the one butting heads and trying to stay in the restaurant industry. I heard David Chang talk about it. There is no generation to take over the Chinese restaurants. Chinatowns all over the country are struggling, like in New York and California. They are a shadow of what they used to be. Once the moms and dads retire, thats kind of it. Its important to me to keep it going, because thats the food I grew up with. I want to be able to share that with future generations. New Orleans rapper Kr3wcial has been relying on the words of his glbl wrmng cohort Sleazy EZ when describing his new EP, Less Than Three. As Sleazy puts it, the EP is a collection of reflection. Specifically, Kr3wcial is looking back on several years of romantic relationships on the five tracks that make up Less Than Three. With dynamic, soulful style, Kr3wcial rhymes about attraction, compatibility, rejection, sex and breakups and all the emotions associated with love and lust. Its easy to feel the emcees happiness, passion, anger, confusion and frustration through the music. Its a bunch of emotional expressions, Kr3wcial says. Its only 15 minutes, but all of them, I feel like they tell a story in a gradual walk through in a relationship process. It stops. It starts again. You end up dating kind of the same people. Its low-key like a journal, some mental health-type shit without being too head-on with everything Im saying. The relatable themes and vulnerable style isnt too far off from More Love, Kr3wcials longer, exceptional 2020 album produced by Chad Roby. On Less Than Three, Kr3wcial produced two tracks and worked with Roby, Cronos, Ghazi Ghamali, Niyo and friendkerrek of Bag Season Records. And the EP features vocalist BLU, Chicago rapper Mick Jenkins, Montreal artist KaliPop and rapper Pell who also co-founded glbl wrmng. Less Than Three was released on Feb. 11, and along with the album appearing on the big streaming sites, Kr3wcial is debuting the album in a 3D space he designed and is calling the Kr3wniverse. Built through the 3D website platform Muse, Kr3wcials space, which is now accessible through his website, looks a lot like an art gallery. Photos and art from the album line the walls, speakers set up in corners of the virtual space are playing songs from the album and lagniappe sprinkled around the room will take users to Instagram, Facebook and his merch shop. The space is accessible through both a virtual reality headset and a computer and is explorable. If youre on a laptop, for instance, you can use the mouse and directional keys to walk around and check everything out. A self-described computer nerd, Kr3wcial started working with VR toward the beginning of the pandemic. That grew into building 3D websites. And he sees the opportunity in the future for NFTs and other digital content for his music. When theres an Oculus [VR headset] on my friends head or watching them enjoy 3D stuff it makes your brain go pop. And its been a while since brains went pop, he says with a laugh. Weve seen pictures on Instagram. Weve seen cool music videos. But have you been in virtual reality? Later this month, Kr3wcial who grew up on the West Bank and started releasing music in 2012 will be supporting Pell on a short string of tour dates, finally getting to perform the songs on Less Than Three in front of an audience. And on March 26, glbl wrmng the collective of New Orleans-centered rappers, producers and music industry professionals will perform together at the BUKU Music + Art Project. As I reflect on each piece of Less Than Three, it opens me up to more of myself, Kr3wcial says. Find Less Than Three, the Kr3wniverse and more from Kr3wcial at ikr3wcial.com. The Krewe of Alla will mark its 90th anniversary when its parade rolls Friday, Feb. 18. Although it now follows the Uptown route, the krewes roots are in Algiers, which is how it got its name. Alla combines the first two letters of Algiers and the abbreviation for Louisiana. A group of businessmen formed the krewe in 1932 as the Westside Social and Carnival Club. According to krewe historian Al Robichaux, there was only one float for the first parade on Fat Tuesday 1933. It was rented from the Krewe of Proteus through an arrangement with their float builder, Soulie and Crassons. Roy Kern, father of legendary float builder Blaine Kern, helped embellish the float to better fit the theme of the first Alla parade: Liberty. In the years that followed, Alla grew in size and began designing its own floats, built by the Kerns. Blaine Kern would serve as captain of the krewe beginning in 1959. He helped revive the krewe in 1977, when its membership had dropped to just 40 people. According to Robichaux, Kern organized a partnership between Alla and the Krewe of Gryphon, forming the Golden Gryphon Society and presenting parades on par with the superkrewes of Bacchus and Endymion. As an example, in 1982 Alla created the largest float ever built at that time, the 70-foot-long Alla-Gator. In 2014, Alla moved to the Uptown parade route and joined with the military-themed group Legion of Mars, opening the parade to men and women. This weeks parade will roll with 550 members and the theme Alla Dives Deep. Parents at 14 St. Tammany Parish public schools received calls Friday afternoon asking them to pick up their children if possible after 62 school bus drivers called in sick as tension over pay continued to escalate. Some drivers called in sick Friday morning, St. Tammany Parish school district spokesperson Meredith Mendez said. By 1 p.m., 62 drivers were out. Principals were directed to notify parents and ask them to pick up their children where possible and to expect delays if they had to rely on bus service, Mendez said, adding that other schools might have had some delays as well. The schools affected were across the parish, she said, ranging from Mandeville High School to Salmen High School in Slidell. 'Wildcat strike' Brant Osborn, president of the St. Tammany Federation of Teachers and School Employees, called it a "wildcat strike" that blindsided union officials. The union has a no-strike clause in its contract, he said. "Right now, we're trying to avert the crisis," Osborn said Friday afternoon. He said there are 380 drivers in all; 340 who own their own buses. Friday's sickout followed a contentious St. Tammany Parish School Board meeting Thursday night, when bus drivers and other employees turned out to complain that the board had refused to put several issues on the meeting agenda, despite being emailed by 168 employees. They included: A stipend for bus driver owner/operators Restoring days off for COVID-19 Holding collective bargaining sessions in open meetings Addressing a lack of substitute teachers The Key Academy Charter School for children with dyslexia recently approved by the state Demands for additional pay by bus drivers have been simmering for months, and the issue came to a boil at a recent School Board committee meeting, when schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia said that the union had turned down an offer for extra money for drivers. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up Osborn said that drivers, who had previously met with Jabbia without a union representative, said that the administration's proposal -- $200 a month from February through June -- was insulting. Drivers told Osborn said that Jabbia had mentioned a higher figure when they met -- $500 to $700. The union's counter proposal was $579 a month but retroactive to the beginning of the fiscal year and for a full 12 months rather than five, a total of $2.7 million. The state portion of the bus drivers' operational pay -- which is to cover operation and maintenance -- has not increased since 1986, Osborn said. In St. Tammany, starting salaries for bus drivers are $25,850 a year for 177 work days. Bus driver Barbara Sharp accused the School Board of kicking the can down the road Thursday night. The employees are blocking the road now, she said. Bus driver Mark Ernst said that he hoped no one on the School Board or anyone working on their behalf would attempt to kill legislation aimed at increasing the state's operational pay for drivers. If yall think its bad now, its going to get worse, he said. Parent Lauren Heiman said Thursday that her two sons, who attend Lake Harbor Middle School and Mandeville Elementary, have to sit on the cafeteria floor for an hour every afternoon because their are too few buses. We are not a poor parish, she said. I dont understand why my kids are relegated to a cafeteria floor every day. But the union demands also got some pushback at the meeting. Linda Begue, a retired business owner and grandparent, said that the union was engaging in strong-arm tactics, using the school bus driver issue to push for negotiating in open session, which she opposes. How dare you try to intimidate my representative on this board. Its the same as trying to intimidate me, all mothers, all parents, all grandparents and great-grandparents, Begue said. The School Board went into executive session at the end of Thursday's meeting to discuss the issue, and two dates have been set for talks with the union: Feb. 23 and March 9, both at 1 p.m. Contract negotiations will take place later this spring. Carnival parade routes are getting shorter. The average wait for a New Orleans police officer in an emergency is the longest its been in at least a decade. And soon, the city may need to pony up more money in retirement costs to make up for partially dissolving its police force. The New Orleans Police Department is leaking blue, and its beginning to leave a stain. Halting efforts over several years to restock and grow the NOPD have failed to produce any lasting gains, data show. Officer departures have accelerated since the start of last year, slipping NOPD staffing to its lowest point in several decades as violent crime surges. Whether more cops would mean less crime is doubtful, experts caution. But the mounting losses and their impact on Carnival season and response times have begun to lay bare the citys reliance on police officers to do work that many seem to no longer want. This week, Mayor LaToya Cantrells administration began waving new financial incentives to attract fresh recruits to the NOPD and hold onto some of the officers it has, though its far from clear if pay boosts are the answer. Police departments across the country are facing similar troubles keeping and hiring cops, with the pandemic and anti-police sentiment often cited as factors fueling recent declines. City Communications Director Beau Tidwell said in an email the city was working to use its existing force more efficiently, and planned to push more money toward recruitment. But he said the department faced headwinds that went beyond New Orleans. "This is not unique to the NOPD, or even to the policing profession. Every law enforcement agency in the country is grappling with this," Tidwell said. "We are simultaneously working through the seismic changes the pandemic brought with it --- the 'Great Resignation' --- and major cultural shifts regarding the role of police work." Low staffing, long response times Despite a relatively high pay scale, the NOPD appears to stand alone in Louisiana for the scale of its losses, as officers retire, leave the field or bolt for other agencies in droves. About 150 officers left last year for one reason or another. That's far more than in previous years, when officer separations hovered around 100 or lower. The city also managed to hire just 33 new officers last year, the fewest in nearly a decade. After a net increase of 27 officers in 2019, NOPD staffing declined by 39 officers in 2020 and 117 more in 2021 a 10% reduction in a single year. The decline of 117 officers last year alone qualifies the NOPD as a partially dissolved police force under state law, potentially making the city liable for an additional share of pension costs to cover the losses. Ben Huxen, executive director and general counsel for the Municipal Police Employees Retirement System, said the losses in New Orleans exceed the 50-officer threshold for deeming a large police forces to be partially dissolved. NOPD can contest that designation, however. The shortage may be felt most acutely by those left waiting for an officer. Since the start of this year, more than half of victims spent more than 10 minutes waiting for the cops to arrive after calling 9-1-1 with an emergency that warranted the use of lights and sirens to speed the response. On average, including some lengthy waits of up to 17 hours, it has taken officers about 33 minutes to arrive on those scenes. By either metric, wait times for officers are longer now than in 2015, when an investigation by the New Orleans Advocate and WWL-TV in calls left languishing led to public outcry and prompted NOPD brass to pledge improvements. Those efforts led to a new metric that acknowledged the importance of officers responding to emergencies quickly, with a goal of responding to 90% of high-priority calls within 7 minutes. Fewer than 1 in 3 emergency calls got that quick of a response since the start of this year. The elusive 1,600 Meanwhile, data on separations from the NOPD show that about half of the 150 officers who left last year were hired after 2013, when then-mayor Mitch Landrieus administration relaunched a recruiting effort for new cops after a years-long freeze that Landrieu imposed to close a yawning city budget gap from the Nagin years. Those younger officers came into a department operating under rules of a federal consent decree overseen by a federal judge. But the number of veteran New Orleans officers putting in for retirement also is growing, the data show, as a surge in hires from the 1990s hits retirement age. Landrieu set a goal of 1,600 sworn officers, a figure that former NOPD Superintendent Ronal Serpas said was based on an analysis of crime rates and other factors, but amounted to a failed campaign pledge. The city never came close, barely topping 1,200 officers, including recruits, before falling again. NOPD Superintendent Shaun Ferguson most recently placed the agency at 1,050 sworn officers, a few hundred below where it stood in 2013, when the city launched a big national campaign and a Web site to attract recruits. Top stories in New Orleans in your inbox Twice daily we'll send you the day's biggest headlines. Sign up today. e-mail address * Sign Up The hiring push seemed to gain traction. A few years later, the city managed to field five police academy classes into a 12-month span, ultimately hiring 105 new officers in 2016, records show. But only about 60 members of that 2016 class were still on the force at the start of 2022. Many of those hires fell under harsh scrutiny in 2017, when federal monitors slammed the city for failing to properly vet numerous candidates they found with red flags such as drug use and prior arrests. Serpas, now a Loyola University professor, said the 1,600 figure was based on an analysis of serious violent and property crimes, calls for service and the unique needs of the French Quarter. It allowed for proactive policing, and a cushion to keep response times down, he said. If youre not building a department bigger than reactive calls for service, youre never going to be able to proactively fight crime, and thats where we are today, he said. The spike in crime over the past several months has been an intense topic of debate between the Cantrell administration and the City Council, though much of the discussion so far has focused on programing and performance by police and prosecutors. But Council member Helena Moreno said NOPD needs to be looking at reorganizing itself and its priorities as well to deal with its current situation. Though the council has already backed plans to free police from having to respond to mental health emergencies, Moreno also proposes cutting the number of police districts in the city to free up officers now working behind desks to respond to calls. She also said NOPD could make greater use of civilians and online forms to take reports on incidents such as minor auto crashes and car break-ins that dont require an emergency response, and that it could turn over responsibility for accidents on Interstate 10 and Interstate 610 to Louisiana State Police or other state agencies. A council analysis this week showed that the 5,000 interstate crashes in 2021 took a bare minimum of 7,000 police hours to clear, not including situations where multiple officers were tied up with a single accident. Many similar programs have been tried in the past, though have not remained a prominent part of NOPDs strategies. Officers seek better opportunities Outside groups have been looking to work past bottlenecks in the hiring process since Landrieus administration, aiming to speed up the process and get recruits into the academy, said Greg Rusovich, the past chair of the Police and Justice Foundation and current chair of the Metropolitan Crime Commission. Rusovich said he was speaking for himself and not for either of those organizations. The bonuses unveiled by the city earlier this week could help attract candidates who might otherwise be drawn to other major southern cities where the starting pay was higher, he added. But while NOPD doesn't suffer from a shortage of applicants, Rusovich said the current process is hampered by the need for out-of-towners to fly into New Orleans to take an aptitude test, and by the city's lack of effort to woo candidates. If someone applies they need to be very aggressively called, they need to be nurtured, they need to be welcomed into New Orleans, Rusovich said. Theyre probably applying to several police departments. If they dont hear from somebody in 30 or 60 days, theyre off to the next job. The administration plans to put $1 million from Wisner Trust funds toward a recruitment and retention effort in partnership with the Police and Justice Foundation, Tidwell said. Data show at least 77 resignations, 48 retirements, eight terminations and four officer deaths last year. Of the resignations, a better job was the most commonly offered reason. For one officer who left the NOPD last year, the grass was greener on the north shore despite what he described as a significant pay cut. Hed joined NOPD in 2019 after serving as a jailer in Mississippi, and patrolled in the department's 6th and 7th districts. If I was going to be a policeman, I wanted to be in the city where youd get all the crime, said the officer, who declined to be identified out of concern for his new job. But the officer said restrictions under the federal consent decree that governs reforms to the NOPD, along with what many officers perceive as draconian discipline by the department's Public Integrity Bureau, set his sights elsewhere. Somebody said it best: Im pretty much a secretary with a gun, he said of the NOPD. All I do is take reports. If you mess up and (the Public Integrity Bureau) gets involved, youre guilty until youre proven innocent. The former officer noted tight restrictions on vehicle chases and warrantless searches. He pointed to one incident that he said grounded his decision. I was on I-10 going towards Slidell, right past Michoud, and some guy in an older Cadillac was going 80 mph. I tried to stop him, he slows down to 60, I get in the middle lane to look at him, he ends up flipping me the bird and keeps driving, he said. By policy, I cant chase him. I had to turn my lights off and watch this guy ride. Meanwhile, Bruce Reilly, deputy director of the local advocacy group Voice of the Experienced, cautioned against the idea that having a cop on every corner is going to take away the stress, trauma and poverty dilemmas that cause crime. Reilly wondered if the NOPD hasnt oversold the job or overloaded officers with ill-fitting tasks. If you cant hire and keep people, it aint the cops fault, Reilly said. You have to lay it at the foot of the administration: Why have you created a job that nobody wants? A man accused of fatally shooting two friends while they were playing video games in their Metairie house was arrested Friday, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office said. Cody Labranche, 27, allegedly let himself into Jonathan Pizzuto's side of a double in the 600 block of Rosa Avenue on Jan. 17 at about 9 p.m. and opened fire on Pizzuto, 37, and William Mitchell, 36. Friends who arrived at around 9:20 p.m. discovered the killings and called authorities. The Sheriff's Office said its officers, deputy U.S. marshals and Tangipahoa Parish sheriffs deputies arrested Labranche at his Ponchatoula home on warrants for first-degree murder. Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the killings nor any evidence linking Labranche to the crime. While investigating the killings, detectives discovered that Pizzuto's dog, Dro, was missing. Investigators now think the dog was abandoned in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, and are seeking information on the canine. Wind-whipped flames are marching across more of New Mexicos tinder-dry mountainsides, forcing the evacuation of area residents and dozens of patients from the state's psychiatric hospital as firefighters scramble to keep new wildfires from growing. The big blaze burning near the community of Las Vegas has charred more than 217 square miles. Residents in neighborhoods on the edge of Las Vegas were told to be ready to leave their homes. It's the biggest wildfire in the U.S. and is moving quickly through groves of ponderosa pine because of hot, dry and windy conditions that make for extreme wildfire danger. Forecasters are warning of extreme fire danger across New Mexico and in western Texas. Norman, OK (73070) Today Some clouds in the morning will give way to mainly sunny skies for the afternoon. High 68F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early. Scattered thunderstorms developing later at night. Low around 55F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Harrisburg, Pa. -- The sale and cultivation of ravenna grass, glossy buckthorn, and common buckthorn will be banned in Pennsylvania beginning April 5, 2022. The Department of Agriculture added the plants to the state's list of noxious weeds due to their aggressive spread and non-native status. The plants are especially prone to taking over wooded areas and fields. Enforcement on the ban will be phased in over the next year. Suggestions for alternatives are available here. Pennsylvania property owners are advised to consider eliminating these plants and finding native alternatives for their landscaping. Ravenna grass (Tripidium ravennae), also known as hardy pampas grass, is a six-foot tall, perennial, ornamental grass commonly sold in nurseries. Its seedy plumes allow it to spread rapidly, choking out native plants and reestablishing easily. The department will begin enforcing the ban on its commercial sale in September 2022. Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus) is a small tree or shrub whose berries are eaten by birds, spreading the plant. It aggressively spreads in wetlands, taking over native plant and animal habitats. It has a commercially available cultivar called rhamnus fine line. The department established an exemption procedure for breeders who own the rights to varieties that have been researched and proven sterile, and will consider exempting these varieties from the ban. The department will begin to enforce the ban on glossy buckthorn sale in 2023. Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica) is a deciduous tree that reaches 22 feet high, with dark green leaves and berries. It forms dense thickets, choking out native ecosystems. It is not sold commercially. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Lewisburg, Pa. Steve Barilar, former chief of public safety at Bucknell University, was supposed to retire at the end of January, but was listed on the website Tuesday as special advisor to the general counsel. Barilar is currently under investigation by the Attorney General's office after a former public safety officer, Colby Snook, initiated a complaint regarding Barilar's alleged mishandling of a sexual harassment case on campus. In January, Snook filed a lawsuit against the university claiming the university had violated the Pennsylvania Whistleblower Law. The lawsuit claims that Barilar, as well as general counsel and human resources at the university, made it a hostile work environment for Snook after he reported Barilar's alleged misconduct. Related Reading: Former Bucknell University public safety officer sues university for violating whistleblower law Barilar allegedly gave a student an opportunity to erase cell phone evidence of a sexual harassment incident last May in which the student allegedly was involved. Barilar chose not to press criminal charges against the student, who had a history of similar offenses on campus, according to the lawsuit. By Tuesday afternoon, the title listed for Barilar on the website was changed to Casual Public Safety after a NorthcentralPa.com reporter contacted the university's media relations office. "The title listed on the website was in error," said Mike Ferlazzo, Director of Media Relations at Bucknell. Ferlazzo said there was a short-term extension of Barilar's retirement so that he could conclude work on a student discipline case, unrelated to the situation outlined in the lawsuit. However, several parents of Bucknell students are upset with the decision to extend Barilar's employment at the university. They voiced their concerns Friday in a letter that was sent to University resident John Bravman, Karin Rilley, general counsel, and Pierre Joanis, vice president of human resources, along with screenshots of Barilar's listing with the special advisor to general counsel title before it was changed. In the letter, signed by three mothers of university students, the women said it was "a travesty" that the university and Rilley in particular would hire Barilar as an advisor. Rilley met with Snook in July, after he initiated the complaint against Barilar for the alleged misconduct, and she allegedly threatened him about his future employment with Bucknell. The letter also referred to a harassment incident last spring at Fran's House, an LGBTQ house on campus in which fraternity members reportedly attempted to break in and threatened the residents. It was reported that when public safety officers arrived, they laughed and joked with the suspects. Related Reading: Fraternity members attempt to break into home, harass LGBTQ students at Bucknell University "The University says it wants to instill trust between students and parents and various departments, including Public Safety. Rewarding a former employee who overlooked harassment claims with the attitude of 'boys will be boys' with a cushy new job is not the way to do that. The optics alone should have made that clear," the women wrote in closing. The Attorney General Office's public corruption unit continues their investigation at Bucknell. Snook had contacted the Union County District Attorney's Office last June who referred the case to the Attorney General. Snook claims in the lawsuit that the hostile work environment that he was subjected to after reporting the misconduct forced him to resign as of Nov. 16, 2021. Snook had worked for the university's public safety department for six years. The lawsuit filed in Union County is not the first time Barilar had been accused of misconduct. In 2000, when Barilar worked for Pennsylvania State Police, charges of obstruction of administration of justice and intimidation of a witness were filed against him. Court documents outline a situation in which Barilars wife was pulled over by a state trooper and was issued a speeding ticket. Barilar later talked with the trooper and allegedly pressured him into presenting only partial evidence in court, so that the judge would throw the case out. In January, Bucknell announced that a new chief of public safety, Anthony Morgan, was hired after a nationwide search. His first day was Feb. 1. Barilar was to retire at the end of January after 11 years of service, according to a Bucknell press release. Barilar's retirement "had been planned long ago," according to a recent email from Ferlazzo. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Williamsport -The United States Attorneys Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced that Ronald Hertzog, age 59, of State College was indicted on Feb. 10, 2022, by a federal grand jury for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon. According to United States Attorney John C. Gurganus, the indictment alleges that on or about February 3, 2022, in Centre County, Hertzog possessed multiple rounds of ammunition in various calibers and two rifle receiver lowers as a previously convicted felon. The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the State College Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney George J. Rocktashel is prosecuting the case. This case is being prosecuted as part of the joint federal, state, and local Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program, the centerpiece of the Department of Justices violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime. If convicted, the maximum penalty under federal law for this offense is 10 years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a fine. A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get Our Free Newsletters Never miss a headline with NorthcentralPa.com newsletters. Sign Up Today! Morning Headlines: Would you like to receive our daily morning newsletter? Afternoon Update: What's happening today? Here's your update! Daily Obits: Get a daily list straight to your email inbox. Napoleon, OH (43545) Today Rain and thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 67F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near an inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms during the evening followed by occasional showers overnight. Low 47F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Froma Harrop: Is the virus really over? We each get to decide. Police in Northwest Indiana have saved more than 100 people since a training program began five years ago designed to teach them how to use a tourniquet to save themselves or their fellow officers if they've been shot. Monday marked the first time in those five years that a tourniquet was used to save an officer's life, said Lori Postma, emergency preparedness educator for Franciscan Health in Hammond, Munster and Dyer. Gary officer Donald Briggs used Sgt. William Fazekas' belt as a tourniquet to slow Fazekas' bleeding after Fazekas was shot twice in the shoulder during a traffic stop about 1 p.m. Monday in the 600 block of Johnson Street. Postma said she didn't think Briggs was among the more than 2,000 police officers in Northwest Indiana trained as part of the Indiana District 1 Hospital Emergency Planning Committee's Save a Cop program. But Briggs' life-saving actions were an example of just how vital such training can be, she said. "We teach them this training is to save themselves or their partners," Postma said. "But knowing what to do, they have saved so many people." Law enforcement agencies in Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton and Jasper counties have recorded more than 100 lives saved because of the training, but some of the larger departments have told the District 1 hospital group they've stopped counting, she said. The training also has helped save lives in other emergencies, such as crashes and traumatic injuries. "They feel empowered to help others in a different capacity than they normally do as a police officer," Postma said. The training is fast-paced and puts officers through different scenarios. "We train them at entry level. It's not like they need to have any medical knowledge," she said. "Sometimes, they're learning to put these tourniquets on blindfolded or in the dark with strobe lights going. We try to put them in realistic situations to make it muscle memory." Postma said members of the hospital group know Fazekas personally, so news that he'd been shot hit home. Fazekas' decision to motion for another officer to keep chasing the suspect, despite his own injuries, were commendable, she said. "That just shows that our police officers are willing to die to save others," Postma said. The hospital group began offering an eight-hour tactical medical training course to local law enforcement officers after Gary McKay, a manager of emergency preparedness for Community Healthcare System and former Kokomo, Indiana, police officer, came to Posta with an idea following the death of Howard County sheriff's Deputy Carl Koontz. Koontz died in March 2016 after he was shot while helping to serve arrest and search warrants, and his fellow officers didn't have access to the hemostatic gauze that could have saved his life. Every officer who completes the training course has received a kit containing a one-handed tourniquet, hemostatic gauze and other first-aid tools. Officers who use the their tourniquets to save a life can have them replaced for free by Region hospitals, Postma said. Each kit costs $115, so the hospital group accepts donations and works with businesses to sponsor the Save a Cop program, she said. Donations to the nonprofit group are tax-deductible. Checks can be mailed to District 1 HEPC, P.O. Box 188, Schererville, IN 46375. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. GARY Gary's first African American police chief leaves behind a powerful legacy that has opened the doors to many others in law enforcement, officials and family said. Charles Boone, 91, died Wednesday from congestive heart failure, according to family. On behalf of my family and the residents of Gary, I offer our condolences on the passing of former Gary Police Chief Charles Boone," said Mayor Jerome A. Prince. "Our hearts and prayers go out to his family and friends." Prince described Boone as a trailblazer for African Americans in the city of Gary. When Boone became the first African American chief of police in Gary in 1970, he said, "I'm the first but I won't be the last." He began his police career with the Gary Police Department in 1957. During this time, he served as a detective and an assistant chief, and he held the ranks of corporal and sergeant. He led the force until 1979 and Boone later retired in 1980. I was aggrieved when I heard the news of Chief Charles Boone passing," Gary Police Department Chief of Police Brian Evans said. "As the city of Gary's first African American chief of police, he was an inspiration. His successful and lengthy tenure realized a dream that every position, including the top executive ones were accessible to black law enforcement officers. On behalf of all staff and personnel at the Gary Police Department, you have our deepest condolences." His daughter, Irene Boone Phillips, of Merrillville, said her father was a hardworking and compassionate man who served as an example for others. "He was also a kind man," Boone Phillips said. "He would reach out and be humble to people of all kinds. That's what I will always remember. He treated everyone with dignity, respect and compassion." Boone Phillips said her father worked his way up in the police department ranks starting from the bottom and later used his position as chief to lift others up. She said adding more inclusion, diversity and women into law enforcement and ensuring everyone was treated with equality was paramount to her father. "He understood the importance of his position and he took it on as a mission," Boone Phillips said. "He knew he was in that position to open doors to others and he would reach back and pull other people through the door." Boone Phillips said her father started the Police Community Relations Division and its related programs. In addition, Boone sought to build a police code of ethics based on the idea community service. Going back to his earlier years, he graduated Roosevelt High School in 1949 and was a Rhodes Scholar graduate. He served in the U.S. Navy and was a founding member of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives and was also a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Boone notably spent time with Dr. Martin Luther Kind Jr. and Mrs. Coretta Scott King during their visits to Gary and surrounding areas. After his career at the Gary Police Department, he founded B & W Security Agency in 1981, which operated for more than 30 years. Dad saw some turbulent times in our society," Boone Phillips said. "He persevered through many challenges, and he faced numerous heartaches including the loss of three sons. But he faced it all with integrity, courage, and compassion for others. That is the lesson his life leaves for us all. Boone had three children and 13 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, with two more on the way, his family said. Boone Phillips said her dad continues to be an inspiration to new generations. "Since this is Black History Month, I'd like share a sentiment from my dad's grandchildren," she said. "'We all have written essays about Charles Boone when told to write about our heroes during Black History Month to reflect on the contributions many have made to life and society. Heroes come in all shades, shapes and sizes. They change the world with their presence. Some wear capes, medical coats and some wear badges. But the biggest heroes of them all, are the ones also called Grandad.'" Due to pandemic concerns, his funeral service will be a private event on Feb. 19 in Hampton, Virginia. Boone Phillips said a local memorial service will be planned at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family said donations can be made to the Urban League of Northwest Indiana for a scholarship in Boone's honor by going online to www.ulonwi.org and clicking the donate button, as well as putting in the note, "Chief Boone." "Chief Boones legacy can be seen in the diverse ranks of the Gary Police Department, and we all are appreciative of his service and dedication, Prince said. To receive information about the future memorial service, individuals can enter their contact information online at https://linktr.ee/cboonememorial. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING] pamela paul What happened to Justin Shetler, a 30-something adventurer who disappeared in the mountains of India? Harley Rustad will be here to talk about Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas. And what would happen if the state could penalize mothers for not being good enough parents? Jessamine Chan will join us to talk about her best-selling novel, The School for Good Mothers. Alexandra Alter will be here to talk about whats going on in the publishing world. Plus, my colleagues and I will talk about what were reading. This is the Book Review Podcast from The New York Times. Its February 11. Im Pamela Paul. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING] Harley Rustad joins us now from Toronto. He is the author of Big Lonely Doug: The Story of One of Canadas Last Great Trees, and his latest book is called Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas. Harley, thanks so much for being here. harley rustad Thanks so much for having me. pamela paul Lets start with the key figure in your book. Who was Justin Alexander Shetler? harley rustad So, Justin was a 35-year-old American traveler who arrived in India in the summer of 2016, and unlike a lot of travelers who visit that country, he wasnt immediately drawn to places like the Taj Mahal or, you know, the beaches of Goa, but to the mountains, to the Himalayas, and this one tiny corner specifically, called the Parvati Valley, which is named after the Hindu goddess of love and devotion. And three years before, Justin had quit his job, gave away his belongings and set out on this really indefinite journey by motorcycle, initially around the U.S., and then internationally, all the while building up this sizeable at that time sizeable following on social media, on Instagram and YouTube, and this journey that ultimately led him to India. And he arrived with, really, a deep intention, a very specific goal of going to the mountains and living in a cave, these sites that have been, throughout history, places of great transformation and revelation, to test himself, to push himself. And in the valley, he found not only his perfect cave that he lived in for a month, but this pilgrimage, this guide, a Hindu holy man, a sadhu, to lead him on this journey to the glacial source of the Parvati River, this place called Mantalai Lake, which is where Justin ultimately vanished. pamela paul Im going to wind way back on that path to the tech start-up, 2013. What was he doing there, and why did he leave? What made him become, as you described him, a traveler, and a traveler of a very particular type? harley rustad He was the kind of person that was sort of constantly reinventing himself and, a bit like a chameleon, would put on a new skin to see what kind of expressions could be found in that occupation or in that place. And so he grew up, when he was a teenager, he grew up in these wilderness circles, these academies of survivalism, and wilderness awareness, and natural study, and he threw himself into that and worked his way up very successfully within those circles, and then moved to San Francisco and started a punk band, this quite successful punk band called Punch Face in San Francisco. Ultimately, did that for a few years. And then he, once again, was presented with this opportunity to be the traveling face of this tech company based out of Miami, which he was originally from Florida, and moved there, and for three years, lived this life of glitz and, you know, high flying, staying in fancy hotels, and eating in Michelin-starred restaurants, and making quite a lot of money, and, ultimately, realized that none of that was deeply fulfilling him, and had this moment of what truly fulfills me is independence and freedom and a life on the road and exploration. And so he had this, in some ways, quite classic break from the path that had been set before him, and gave up everything, and hit the road. pamela paul But it sounds like there was a little bit of this in his childhood experience. I mean, what were these wilderness programs? Who were his parents? harley rustad His parents separated when he was 11, and he was largely raised by his mom through his teenage years, but very quickly got into these wilderness schools, and so was boarding at this school just outside of Seattle, in Washington state, and, in some ways, found that elusive father figure, that elusive mentor, within these schools, in these legendary figures within these circles, and that had a deep impact on him, not only kind of crystallizing his worldview but also shaping his spiritual attitude as somebody who was brought up in a very religiously fluid household, influences from his father, who had these big experiences in India, incorporated Hinduism and Buddhism into his life, and his mother, who was this follower of Eckankar, a slightly obscure religion. In part, Justins search was to try to make sense of all of these questions that had long been in his mind: Is there a higher power, and what is my connection to that? pamela paul To what extent would you say that the spiritual component motivated his journeys? harley rustad I think a large part. I think, since he was a young kid and a teenager, there was this longing to understand his place in the universe, and if there was a higher power out there, be it God, or Shiva, or Mother Nature, or what have you, and to be able to really feel that. I think he was a skeptical person. I think he was a very curious person. And I think he represents a lot of things that are quite universal right now, these people who identify not as religious but as spiritual, in this kind of great spectrum of, what makes sense for me, and I will take different parts from different religious teachings and different parts from around the world to create this spiritual conglomerate of what do I believe in? And I think Justin, in part, his travels were a means to that end, to find these teachers, to find these expressions, to put together something that really resonated within him, a worldview, his own spirituality and his own perspective on him and his relation to something bigger. pamela paul So theres that, and then theres this curious mix with the tech start-up side of himself and with his social media presence, which is still up there. Well talk about that more later. And you look at his Instagram, for example. Hes this you just have to say it like, very good-looking, muscular guy who seems to be aware of his physical presence, and hes in a lot of these photos. Its not just of the scenery. Talk a little bit about how he approached social media and the relationship between that and the spiritual journey. harley rustad He was a very good-looking guy, and I think, if you go to his Instagram account, which is still active and still live, I think hes somebody that could potentially be quite easy to roll your eyes at and write off. You know, there are a fair amount of shirtless selfies on his Instagram account. But I think its quite easy for people to write him off as somebody who is just out there for fame and recognition, to have an enormous following and to kind of reap the personal and potentially financial benefits of what that could bring you. But I dont think thats entirely a truthful read of who Justin was, and I think that is a very common thing. We all present ourselves as a larger-than-life figure, or we at least curate what we want to present ourselves to the world, and thats not necessarily truthful. Thats not necessarily accurate to who we are. And its almost like Justin, and because he was entering this world in 2013, really, Instagram influencers were just starting to monetize their content. It was just starting to really explode, and it was almost as if he had put himself onto this train and it was starting to run away with him, and he had no idea whether or not this was going to end up as a force for good or a force for evil. And I think there was something that he was deeply trying to search for, and that his social media accounts, while they gave him a platform to potentially inspire people, something that he really, really longed for and struggled with was solitude. And right now, its almost impossible to achieve that true solitude in this world of deep, profound connectivity. And so, as much as he validated and found value in that platform, it also was impossible. It created this barrier for him to achieve something pure isolation, and what can be found in those moments of solitude. pamela paul I didnt mean to sound overly dismissive of his Instagram, adventuresofjustin, because one thing that struck me, at least, in looking especially at those last posts, its haunting to see his presence there in those last posts. Can you just describe a bit about what those final posts say and ultimately told you and your research, figuring out what happened in his last days? harley rustad So essentially, wherever he traveled he posted photographs and stories to Instagram. He created these, you know, really quite beautiful wordless videos that he uploaded to YouTube, and, you know, he was interviewed by blogs and all sorts of stuff as his name grew. And as a journalist, as a reporter whos trying to piece together this puzzle of somebodys life, his social media was a very rich resource. It had time stamps, and locations, and people that I could interview who are tagged in his posts, and it was this enormous resource for somebody who was following his trail. But it also presented a problem, as I said, about where the truth lies in what is posted. Was that picture posted at that exact time, and is the story that it is representing and presenting truthful and accurate? And so there were some challenges there, and I had these moments where he told a story online that I then had to pick apart, and I found flaws and inconsistencies in that story, and I found that deeply, deeply fascinating, and added this whole other layer to his story. pamela paul When and how did you first encounter Shetler and his story? harley rustad Really, I encountered the place before the person. I first went to India in 2008 as kind of this classic post-university graduate, having no idea what I want to do with my life, you know, head to India, and hopefully I will find some answers and direction. And at that time, during that trip, I had heard about this place called the Parvati Valley, and I never went during that trip, but it was presented as this place of unparalleled beauty of kind of classic Himalayan life, this intimacy with the mountains, but also this place with this really dark, tragic history, a place where, since the early 1990s, dozens of international backpackers have mysteriously vanished, almost one every year. And so, in the fall of 2016, because I had spent a couple of years in India, had kept in touch with the Indian media, and came across the latest person to disappear in the Valley, and when I found his social media, I realized that this was a story not just about one person who had disappeared, the latest person in this tragic, dark history, but about somebody who had a fascinating backstory, had a very complicated backstory, and whose story raised a lot of very current issues. And so, very quickly, it drew me in very intensely. pamela paul What are some of the issues that it raised for you, his story? harley rustad One of the ones that weve talked about is how we present ourselves online today and the differences between how we want to live an authentic, truthful life that is honest to ourselves, and to our history, and to our identity, but how we present ourselves online, and where those discrepancies are, where those flaws are. I was just fascinated by that, and Justin spoke to that so perfectly. I think it also was this, in some ways, a classic story of an adventurer gone missing, and, you know, lots of parallels can be made to Into the Wilds Christopher McCandless and, you know, people like Everett Ruess, another young man to disappear at that time in the American Southwest in the 1930s. And in some ways, it was that classic story. But, to me, what really drew me in was that this was sort of an updated 21st-century version of that story that talked about the challenges of presenting yourself on social media, this kind of deep longing to better understand ourselves spiritually, and also this new generational angst that I think Ruess spoke to, McCandless spoke to, and I think Shetler speaks to that as well, these very 21st-century issues that we all kind of struggle with in terms of connectivity, finding isolation, the challenges of social media, the pressures of social media, enormous pressures on social media that I think deeply affected Justin. pamela paul So there are two threads here that I think are of perpetual interest. One is that eternal interest that some people have to go off to have this journey of self-discovery, to travel, to leave home, to have this great adventure. And then the second, related one is our desire to read about those stories, especially when the adventures go wrong. And Im curious to what extent those two threads played into this narrative. harley rustad In some ways, its the universality of those stories, that there are forces, that there are issues that these people represent and that I think we all can kind of relate to, and I think that touches something really human and really draws people into these types of stories. And what I think also deeply affects us is that they are sometimes the more extreme versions of something that weve all thought about. Theres a long, long history of people who have dreamed of going to live in an ashram in India, or meet their guru, and a lot of people who have done just that, in literature, tons and tons of stories, this deep history of that. What Justins story represents, and he may have taken that desire, that kernel, and taken it to its furthest extreme, to an extreme that I think a lot of people wouldnt necessarily take it. But I think what that taps into for most people is an expression of something that we all hold quite dear, which is this searching, this desire, this curiosity to better understand the world and our place in it, and that is something that everybody feels, regardless of where youre from. We all want to know where we fit into this great maelstrom, this great kind of chaos of the world. Where do we fit into this? What is our place? What is our role? What legacy are we going to leave behind, whether thats family, or a career, or what have you. And I think its those types of things that the average person can pick up, and latch onto, and really identify with, even though these people may take it to the wilds of Alaska or, you know, the deep Himalayas in India. pamela paul I think we all want to know what happened to Justin Alexander Shetler, but Im not going to ask you to reveal that on this podcast. People can read the book. But just one quick question about that legacy. When you look back now at his Instagram and his social media presence, having researched the book and written the book, what strikes you about it now that maybe you didnt see the first time? harley rustad I first reported on this story for Outside magazine, and that article was largely an investigation into what happened in India and the search to find answers. His family flew to India, and his friends flew to India, and theres this enormous search in the U.S. to try to find clues, and I detail that in the book. When I started working on a much bigger version of that story, a much deeper one, I think what surprised me were some of those relatable aspects to it. For me, looking at, you know, a budding social media star, I dont see a lot of myself, necessarily, in that, and I grew up, really, in a nonreligious household, and so I didnt necessarily think that I was going to connect so deeply with some of those torments, really, some of those issues that Justin was grappling with, quite as deeply as I did working in this book. And, in part, that had to do with the research I did, the reading I did, but also to really put myself in Justins shoes, and in certain experiences, and in certain perspectives that he had, and that really opened my eyes to some of these conflicts and some of these issues that he was working through that I never really felt like I would come across, or I was always, perhaps, hesitant to, and that really did surprise me. pamela paul All of that comes through in the narrative. I will leave it to listeners to discover the rest of the story themselves. Harley, thank you so much again for being here. harley rustad Thank you so much for having me. pamela paul Harley Rustads new book is called Lost in the Valley of Death: A Story of Obsession and Danger in the Himalayas. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING] So heres a request for our listeners. I get lots of feedback from you, some complaints, lots of kind words. Really appreciate it. You can always reach me directly at Books@NYTimes.com. I will write back. But you can also, if you feel moved to do so, review us on any platform where you download the podcast, whether thats iTunes, or Stitcher, or Google Play, or somewhere else. Please feel free to review us, and, of course, email us at any time. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING] Jessamine Chan joins us now from Chicago. Her debut novel, and already a best seller, is called The School for Good Mothers. Jessamine, thanks so much for being here. jessamine chan Thank you so much for having me on the show. pamela paul So, this book has such a delicious, I cant believe nobody has done this yet premise. Give us the setup of your novel. jessamine chan Well, my novel is about Frida Liu, a Chinese-American single mom who loses custody of her toddler daughter, Harriet, after having one very bad day, and in order to get Harriet back, she has to spend a year at a government-run institution for moms from all over the county whose transgressions range from benign to horrific. So, if the mothers dont pass the schools tests, theyll lose their parental rights. And the readers will follow her journey through the school and her struggle to hold on to her integrity while being indoctrinated. I like to describe the book as a little bit like 1984, but for moms. pamela paul So this is the most obvious question, but I have to ask it. Where did the idea come from? Because it felt like you took all these threads of things weve seen recently theres a lot of conversation around foster parenthood and why kids get taken away, and it reminded me of Kim Brookss Small Animals, which is a memoir that came out a few years ago, and I think youve mentioned that a story by Rachel Aviv in The New Yorker was one of your direct inspirations. So can you talk a little bit about that story, what struck you about it, and other influences? jessamine chan Well, Fridas very bad day definitely grew out of a very good writing day that I had in early 2014. So Im definitely not someone who sits down with a plan to say, Today, Im starting a novel, but what happened was that I was entering my late 30s, and I was very, very stressed out about the decision to have a baby or not, and feeling the time pressure of choosing one of those paths. And a few months before my very good writing day, Id read the Rachel Aviv article called Where is Your Mother?, which appeared in The New Yorker in late 2013, and that story is about a single mom who leaves her toddler son at home, and the neighbors call the police when they hear him crying, and after that day she never gets him back. And I think something about that story just lodged in my mind. I didnt have it next to me when I started drafting, and I didnt necessarily think about it on a daily basis, but I think it just left a kernel of rage inside me, and I felt like what happened to that mom was so unfair, and I really wanted her to have another chance to raise her son, and it really made me think a lot about the question of the government, or anyone representing the government, setting a set of universal standards for parenting, or trying to measure things like tenderness or love by some set of data. So those were the threads that led to the book. pamela paul You mentioned that your protagonist, Frida Liu, is Chinese-American, and you mentioned the government dictating family. I cant help but think that there may be a link between Communist Chinas oversight of parents, and until recent, one-child policy, and its involvement, and the way it dictated family life. Was that something that informed this idea as well? jessamine chan I think, somewhere in my family history, and in my mind, it was informing it. It was not directly informing, in the sense that I dont think I was super conscious of it, but the Cultural Revolution definitely affected my familys life, and my father, and his siblings, and his mother escaped China to move to Hong Kong right before the Cultural Revolution, and he was affected by world events like the Great Leap Forward. So that was definitely part of my familys life that has never really been talked about too much, but its something that I read about a lot when I was younger and always had a kind of terrified fascination with the idea of mind control and re-education. pamela paul So you mentioned that you felt this rage when you were reading that Rachel Aviv story. What was the source of rage for you? jessamine chan I felt such rage that it felt like the mom in that story could never do anything right, because the standards kept changing, and it felt like they were really judging her by a very Western, very American set of parenting standards. So, for example, I think they were critiquing her on her tone, like, when she spoke to her child, or how much she hugged and kissed him, and that sort of judgment cant help be biased. And so something about that just really stuck with me, and I think I ended up becoming kind of obsessed with the subject, and going down the rabbit hole of reading the other books and articles that she cited, and starting to read more about how the government encroaches on family life. pamela paul What does it mean to be a bad mother in the invented world of this novel, and a good mother? jessamine chan Well, the standards in the book are purposefully set up to be impossible to sort of draw attention to the way that our culture and society and government sets up such punishing standards for moms. So, if the moms do succeed, its really by chance. Its not really clear that there is a way through the system. So the tests are meant to be impossible. Theyre taking a little bit of truth from real life, like, the idea to pay close attention to your child, but in the world of the book, they can never, ever look away, and their level of eye contact is measured, for example. So, really, the net for what constitutes a bad mother could really be anything. It could be the obvious, which is leaving your child at home, hitting your child, like, classic cases of child abuse and neglect, to things like complaining about them on Twitter. So I folded in a much broader range of offenses. pamela paul You mentioned that, in addition to governmental interference, control, demands, of parents, and of mothers in particular, also the social and cultural demands, and Im wondering, in what ways are those dual forces the same and different, both in real life and in the novel? jessamine chan Well, Im going to try to answer this question, but it might be a little bit circular. I think one thing that struck me as I was contemplating becoming a mother and thinking about American parenting culture was the expectation that moms have to be happy all the time, and that theres sort of no room for them to have thornier feelings. I think whats exciting is that the book is coming out at a time when there is a lot of conversation about motherhood. The sad thing about the time in which its being published is that the world has never been more punishing for parents and for moms than it is right now. But I think that, 10 years ago, for example, the books that are coming out about motherhood, like Nightbitch, for example, there wouldnt have been as much room for them as there are now. pamela paul You began this book before you had kids, and were still writing it, right, when you became a mother? jessamine chan Yes. I had to rewrite the whole thing, pretty much. pamela paul I was going to say, how did that change the book? jessamine chan I think its probably not the average journey to parenthood to feel freaked out about having a baby and then start a dystopian novel about motherhood, but that is where my mind went, and Im sure my daughter will have things to say about that when shes old enough. But I started the book in 2014, and then my daughter was born in early 2017, and it took me about 10 months to get back to writing, but when I started writing again, I found that I had to pretty much reconceive a lot of the lessons. I had to change a lot of very basic things that I got wrong. Like, in the earlier drafts, Frida and Harriet had these incredibly long conversations, because I had an 18-month-old speaking in paragraphs. I didnt understand the level of language acquisition. I didnt necessarily understand a toddlers size, so I had the moms bathing the babies in sinks, for example. I had the moms running through actual fire, because I didnt know that I could have the dolls do something simple, like trying to not drop food on the floor. It would be much harder than running through fire. pamela paul I mean, those are all sort of practical considerations. Was there anything deeper or more emotional that you felt like, you know what, I didnt get that quite right before? jessamine chan Oh, definitely. When I say I had to rewrite everything, I mean completely rewriting it. So, I think what really changed was I think Fridas relationship with Harriet became much richer, and it became much more possible for me to render a mothers love for a child on the page. I definitely came to motherhood just very nervous about the whole thing. Everyone told me how much I was going to love my child, but thats a very abstract notion, until I was actually holding my daughter in my arms and thought, oh, OK, I get it. I get the thing that everyones trying to tell me about. But I think I was also able to make Frida more loving, more vulnerable. She became much warmer, and, also, she became a much more competent parent, because I think I had imagined myself failing on every level once I had a baby, just because, as anyone whos read my book can tell, Im a fairly anxious person. So I think I didnt understand that I would enjoy some of the rituals, like bathing her, combing her hair, or, like, helping her get dressed in the morning. So I think some of the simpler joys also made it into the book. pamela paul How do you think your own anxiety comes through in this work of fiction? Like, do you think that readers can detect your anxiety as an author through this book? jessamine chan Its a pretty high-anxiety read, I think, from what Ive been told. Ive been describing it to people as not the most relaxing read, but hopefully worthwhile, because Ive definitely been hearing from a lot of people about just how much they cried at the end, and I just thank them for feeling all the feelings with my characters. But I wove my experience of depression and anxiety into the book, because one thing that really changed during the writing of the book was I was encouraged by my internist to completely go off antidepressants before trying to get pregnant, which led to this whole mental health crisis during the writing of the book. And so that was one of those things that was completely terrible in real life, but great for the project, in the sense that my real-life suffering became more material for the actual narrative. pamela paul Tell us a little bit more about your main character, Frida. jessamine chan Well, Im going to have to quote my agent, Meredith Kaffel Simonoff, because she always puts these things best, and she put it best by saying that Frida is a character driven by love. So Frida is in her late 30s. Shes newly divorced. Shes in a city where shes very isolated from friends and family. She doesnt have a support network. She is working in a job that she doesnt particularly like, and shes definitely just struggling to get by, not sleeping, under a lot of stress. But I also think of her as the Chinese-American heroine that I always wanted to read. Shes really flawed and desirous and selfish and vulnerable, but I think she has her heart in the right place every step of the way, even if she makes a lot of mistakes. pamela paul See, there are so many things driving this narrative, and different things will strike different readers, but for you as a writer, what most interested you in the story? Was it the plausibility of the idea? Was it how will Frida respond, how will this end? What kind of kept you going as a writer? jessamine chan The thing that kept me going over the years was writing a story that came from a really personal inquiry. I felt very oppressed, I think, by American parenting culture and the expectations on moms, and I felt very conflicted about entering this culture and having a child, and so the questions and the feelings driving the book definitely came from me, and so there were things that I just wanted to say and ask about our world and how we treat moms, so that really kept me going. It wasnt necessarily that I was trying to write the most realistic story, but I guess I wanted to draw attention to some of the things that I read about that really troubled me, the fact that the government does take children from parents, thousands of them, all around us, and it only rarely makes the front-page news. And so I wanted to draw attention to that issue, while also talking about American society. pamela paul I was going to say, there are some very realistic components to this book, and I dont want to give anything else away about the plot, so I think we will leave it there for readers to discover. It also has this really beautiful, kind of Giorgio de Chirico-type cover. jessamine chan Its the cover of my dreams. pamela paul Oh, is it? jessamine chan Yes, its definitely I mean, Im completely obsessed with it. pamela paul Well, how so? Actually, just tell us a teeny bit about that, and then well end there. jessamine chan Well, I love the pink, which is an important thread in the book, but I also love the idea that readers are entering a portal to another world, because there is a jump in the book from a strictly realistic world to a slightly different world, so I like the idea that the readers are going to go through the doorway with me. pamela paul All right. We will leave potential readers there. Jessamine, thanks so much for being here. jessamine chan Thank you so much. pamela paul Jessamine Chans new novel, her debut, is called The School for Good Mothers. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING] Alexandra Alter joins us now with some news from the publishing world. Hey, Alexandra. alexandra alter Hey, Pamela. So weve talked for, lets see, two years now about the pandemic and the impact that its had on the publishing industry, which has not always been even or negative. Theres been some real upside, seeing people buying more books and book sales surging across all formats. But one thing that Ive been watching and waiting for is more literary fiction that addresses or confronts what has occurred since coronavirus hit, and given the gestation period of a novel, were just starting to see the first trickling of literary fiction from really prominent writers that tackles the pandemic in interesting ways. Some of the books that I am looking forward to or have read in early copies include Anne Tylers French Braid. Thats coming out this March from Knopf, and its very much an Anne Tyler classic. It looks at generations of a single Baltimore family, but it concludes in the contemporary era, when families have been separated and struggled to come together, so that was kind of interesting to see how she, in her own style, with the same preoccupation she always has, with weaving the pandemic into this novel. Other ones that are coming out this year include Roddy Doyles short story collection, Life Without Children, which looks at the impact of the pandemic on everyday life, and he has, by doing a short story collection, its interesting, he can zoom in and out on different kinds of characters with different kinds of jobs, the effect on a husband and wife, for example, who maybe had been looking past each other for years, but get to know each other during quarantine, a delivery person who suddenly finds themselves on the front lines, a nurse. And he talked to me about how he felt like he was working on this novel that suddenly, when the pandemic hit, just didnt feel realistic anymore, so he had to switch gears, and a number of the writers that Ive spoken to who have decided to write about the pandemic said similar things, like, this became such a life-transforming event for almost everyone on the planet that it couldnt be ignored in fiction. Of course, that presents other interesting narrative problems. You cant always control the timing of a book. I think theres some concern about, are people going to want to read about the pandemic next year or later this year? Are people done with it? Do they want to read more escapist fiction? How much do you make your book about the pandemic, or do you just try to capture the atmosphere? Some writers I spoke to said they wrote the novel that they would have written in any case, but theyre kind of adding little details, like characters putting on a mask to go into a store, or something like that, to signal to the reader that this is a pandemic-time novel, but its not necessarily a pandemic novel. So theres this fine line that writers are trying to walk, and this has already become, just like the pandemic itself, a kind of polarizing subject. There was an interesting op-ed in The Los Angeles Times that the writer Tom Bissell published where he basically admonished people not to write pandemic novels. He pointed out, and I did a little research, and, you know, he was correct about this, that the 1918 flu pandemic produced very little in the way of literary fiction. Writers were not directly responding to that pandemic in their work. I think people wanted to move on. It was so traumatic. It was right after the war, and there was just so much exhaustion from mass global trauma. So you did see the 1918 flu come up in works later, but these were often decades later, and if it was evoked, it was very subtle. People would talk about ringing the church bells for the dead, or something like that, but they wouldnt directly write about it. So Tom Bissell argued theres a reason theres not a lot of literature, because a mass disease is not a great organizing principle for a novel. Its not a very good adversary. Its random. Its invisible. It affects everyone. He was saying, dont do it. Stay away from it. And, of course, then you have other writers chiming in on Twitter where else? like Gary Shteyngart, who wrote a pandemic novel, Our Country Friends, that came out last fall, got great reviews. He said, counterpoint, write whatever the bleep you want. I cant say it on our podcast, but you can fill in the blank. So it started an interesting debate, I think, about how do you take this really insane world event and weave it into a story? Is it a distraction? Is it part of the atmosphere? Can you leave it out, or is that weird? So its something that a lot of writers are thinking about, even in their next books that theyre planning for 2023. pamela paul Well, Im going to mention a book that Ive mentioned at least four times on this podcast over the years, but it is so good, which is William Maxwells They Came Like Swallows, which was about the 1918 pandemic, specifically about his mothers death, and it was an autobiographical novel, so one of the few good things, fiction-wise, to come out of that tragedy. But the other thing, and Im curious how you feel about this, Alexandra, is looking at TV as another form thats trying to grapple with, like, to what extent do you have things take place during the pandemic or not? Like, what is it like for you, watching TV shows where theres no pandemic? I sometimes have this kind of knee-jerk reaction of, like, where are your masks? How are you all sitting around just talking? alexandra alter I do have that reaction too, and Im one to lean into anxiety, so I inhaled all of Station Eleven. I binged it. This is an adaptation of Emily St. John Mandels pandemic novel, which actually came out in 2014, but the show, on HBO, came out this year, and so they actually had to make it during the pandemic, and I think it really changed the experience for the showrunners and all the actors. So, yeah, I like to embrace the anxiety. And sort of the other thing thats great about her novel and the show is that their pandemic is much worse than ours, so, in some ways, it can make you feel better. I did read a really interesting piece from our TV critic, James Poniewozik, looking at how shows are either putting the pandemic in the past by ignoring it, or he used the example of the Sex and the City reboot on HBO. They sort of flick at it by saying, Remember when we all had to stand six feet apart? So sort of giving the viewer clues that were not in the pandemic anymore. Were in some indefinite future, in the near future, which, you know, Ill take the optimism. Whether its good narratively or for TV, Im not as sure. But itll be quite interesting to see the work that comes out of this pandemic. It took fiction writers a few years, sometimes, to metabolize 9/11, but you saw some really interesting fiction about that tragedy, and I think, similarly, writers say, its our job to process these huge world events and what they mean for everyday life. And so some people are going to do that by just telling an individual story and not necessarily addressing what the pandemic meant on a big societal or political or global health level, but looking at what it meant to live through it, and what it felt like, so Im looking forward to a lot of these books. Another one I forgot to mention that was announced recently, but wont come out until the fall, is Ian McEwans novel. Knopf will be publishing that in September, and its titled Lessons, and its this entire life story of this man whos roughly McEwans age. Hes in his 70s. He lives in London. And so, in the final sections of the novel, the pandemic has occurred, and hes reflecting back on his life. pamela paul Well, maybe itll prove more enjoyable to read about the pandemic than to live in a pandemic. alexandra alter Hopefully! Im betting it will be. pamela paul All right. Alexandra, thanks so much. alexandra alter Thanks for having me. [INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING] pamela paul My colleagues Greg Cowles and John Williams join us now to talk about what were reading. Hey, guys. john williams Hey, Pamela. greg cowles Hi, Pamela. john williams Hi, Greg. greg cowles Hey, John. pamela paul Greg, lets start with you. greg cowles Well, Im still reading 2666, by Roberto Bolano, but its going slow, and Im not at the femicide section yet, so as I have said previously on the podcast, Im not going to talk about that one just yet. What Ive also picked up in the meantime, partly because of Janet Maslins review of it, and partly just because this is an author Ive never read that I know, Pamela, you like, and our colleagues Tina Jordan and Liz Egan really like her a lot also, is Jennifer Haigh, who has several novels behind her now, and her new one is called Mercy Street. It is set in Boston, on Mercy Street, a small street off of the Common that Anne Sexton wrote a poem called Mercy Street about that street, about trying to find a house that she remembered there. And in this Jennifer Haigh novel, Mercy Street is where a womens clinic is, an abortion clinic, where the main character, Claudia, works as a phone counselor and an intake counselor, bringing clients in. So its a book very much about abortion and about womens rights. And I was a little bit hesitant to pick it up because of that. Theres always a danger, with these kind of hot-button, topical, political subjects, that the author will feel the need to preen and soapbox, but Janets review, and Janet herself, in talking to her about this book, convinced me that thats not what Jennifer Haigh is all about, and, in fact, shes not at all. We really get a lot about Claudias background. She grew up poor in Maine, in a trailer, and Jennifer Haigh specifies its a single-wide trailer, not a double-wide trailer, which makes all the difference in the world its essentially like a shipping container with a mother who was very badly equipped to be a mother, and took on lots of foster children, just because the state gave her money to raise them. It was the only way that she knew of to make a living, but really not much of a caretaker, not much of a mother at all. And so Claudia has had to make a life for herself, and after a brief stint working at a womens magazine in her 20s, she quits. She moves to Boston. She starts volunteering at this clinic, and then is hired, and as the book opens, shes been there for, like, nine years. The book opens on Ash Wednesday, and theres a fairly large group of protesters outside the clinic, which, apparently, is the case every Ash Wednesday. It starts the Lent protest season at abortion clinics. So you have this immediate sense of conflict and tension, and that theres going to be a run-in, and then Jennifer Haigh subverts that expectation. It pulls you along expecting the conflict and theres lots of conflict in the book but its not what you expect. Its not the violent sniper or bomb attack or anything like that. And in fact as much as we go into Claudias life, we also go into the backgrounds and lives of many of the protesters, one in particular, a guy named Victor, who has, over the years, become more and more radicalized, listening to right-wing radio, and hes very much a loner. He is, in fact, a former army sniper. And the book is set in 2015, and you really get the feeling that shes as interested in Victor and his radicalization as she is in standing on a soapbox for freedom of choice, and shes looking at this whole question of how somebody becomes radicalized, and so it feels not accidental that its set in 2015, before the 2016 election, when political polarization was so much in the forefront of everybodys attention. So thats what Ive been reading, John. How about you? john williams I am about halfway through a novel by the British writer Sarah Perry. Its her first book. Its called After Me Comes the Flood, which I love as a title. It was published in 2014 in the U.K. It was published to really strong reviews over there as a debut. I think it even won the Guardians first novel prize, and I think it was only published in the U.S. a couple of years ago, after she became a bit more well-known here for her ensuing novels, one of which is called The Essex Serpent, and one of which is called Melmoth. So I picked this up because someone online had recommended it somewhere, and its unlike things that I usually read. Its quite gripping. Its a mystery, almost. Its, like, a metaphysical mystery. Theres this guy named John Cole, who owns a bookstore in London, and he closes up shop one day and he goes to visit his brother on the coast during a heat wave and a drought. And on his way there, his car breaks down, and he walks through these woods, and he comes upon this very large, ramshackle, but once stately mansion, or home. And as he gets to the door, someone opens it and greets him very enthusiastically, as if theyve been waiting for him, and they even say his name, and hes quite confused. And he walks in, and as he gets the lay of the land, he realizes that this group of people who live there theres a matronly type, theres an older guy, there are a few young people, and its unclear what their relationship to each other is but that they all have been expecting someone with his name to come and stay in a room there. And he doesnt really take the opportunity ever to disabuse them of this idea that hes the wrong guy. And hes wondering whats happening. Hes trying to figure out, you know, where he is and what this is. At the point Im at, hes becoming closer to this young guy named Alex, who and this is where the title of the book comes from, as far as I can tell believes that a nearby reservoir is going to burst, the dam is going to burst, and that the water is going to flood the house away. And its a little bit Gothic, as you can probably tell. Its very subtle. There are portents, and there are feelings of dread, but its not done in capital letters, and in some ways, its just a kind of quiet story about these people who live in this house, and who they are, and him getting to know them. Im glad Im only halfway through, because it means that I literally cant spoil it, and I wouldnt want to be tempted to, because I dont know if it will end with some clear description of what is actually happening, and whether this is a dream, or real, or who they think he is, but, either way, its that central thing that keeps you reading. And I found it very engaging. I have wanted to read her other novels, and Im sure Ill get to them someday, but Im starting with this one. Pamela, what about you? What are you reading these days? pamela paul Well, I finally finished Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens, and I feel like I could devote four podcast conversations to the novel, but Im going to try to keep it to one. So this is Dickenss last complete novel, so late Dickens, and it is 800 pages. It really gets going, I would say, at around page 375, but then, you know, it really moves along. And, you know, like so many Dickens novels, very multi-character, lots of digressions. This one is about the way in which money corrupts, and it starts off with a really atmospheric scene, for those of us who like things like the rivers and people who collect stuff along the rivers, which is, like, I think, a whole subculture. This starts off with a scene of the people whose job it is to collect dead bodies out of the Thames, and it begins with a body thats discovered, and there is a case of mistaken identity that forms, really, the biggest plot device of the book, is someone who is not who he seems, as it so often is, not only in the works of Dickens but everywhere else. And theres lots of eccentric characters. I think my favorite characters in the book well, no, I wont say my favorite, but one couple that I really like are the Lammles, Arthur and Sophronia Lammle, who have been married by, and heres a Dickensian name, the Veneerings. The Veneerings, this very rich, obviously, superficial couple, has introduced the Lammles to one another, and they are each under the impression that they are marrying into money, whereas neither of them have any money, and its on their honeymoon where they realize that, not only did neither of them very rich, but, together, theyre broke. And so theyve been tricked into this, hoodwinked into it by the Veneerings, and so decide to basically spend the rest of their marriage united in scheming, and revenge, and just trying to get by financially. And Im just going to read a teeny little paragraph describing them at the end of a night of scheming. And thus the Lammles got home at last, and the lady sat down moody and weary, looking at her dark lord engaged in a deed of violence with a bottle of soda-water, as though he were wringing the neck of some unlucky creature and pouring its blood down his throat. As he wiped his dripping whiskers in an ogreish way, he met her eyes, and pausing, said, with no very gentle voice, Well? Ill end there. So theres a lot of really great descriptions. Theres another character, Podsnap, Mr. Podsnap, and the chapter that introduces him is called Podsnappery. Im going to read to you from the introduction of the character Mr. Podsnap. Mr. Podsnap was well to do, and stood very high in Mr. Podsnaps opinion. Beginning with a good inheritance, he had married a good inheritance, and he had thriven exceedingly in the marine Insurance way, and was quite satisfied. He never could make out why everybody was not quite satisfied, and he felt conscious that he set a brilliant social example in being particularly well satisfied with most things, and, above all other things, with himself. Thus happily acquainted with his own merit and importance, Mr. Podsnap settled that whatever he put behind him he put out of existence. There was a dignified conclusiveness not to add a grand convenience in this way of getting rid of disagreeables which had done much towards establishing Mr. Podsnap in his lofty place in Mr. Podsnaps satisfaction. I dont want to know about it; I dont choose to discuss it; I dont admit it! Mr. Podsnap had even acquired a peculiar flourish of his right arm in often clearing the world of its most difficult problems, by sweeping them behind him and consequently sheer away with those words and a flushed face. For they affronted him. I just thought, you know what john williams Thats great. pamela paul Not only are there so many Podsnaps out there, but, you know, theres something a little bit alluring about living the life of a Podsnap. john williams Yeah. I mean, I wish I was a Podsnap. pamela paul Thats right. john williams I have to admit that I am vastly underread in Dickens. I read Great Expectations in high school, but I havent read anything else. pamela paul You know, I think I have a new Christmas tradition of reading either Dickens or something Victorian around Christmas time. I used to go up to this house that we would rent in Vermont over the Christmas holidays, mostly to ski, but also to read by the fire, and that ceased during the pandemic. We could no longer rent that house. But it was there that I started the habit, I think, with Bleak House, which I read by the fire, and now I realize, you know what, Im just going to make a fire at home, dammit, and pick up my Dickens novel here, so thats what I did. john williams Each of the past three years or so, Ive started each year with a particular friend promising that wed read Bleak House together, and it hasnt happened yet, but hopefully soon. pamela paul Oh, its worth it. Its worth it. And a few other things I just want to mention really quickly about this book. One is, in this book, he, Dickens, I think, tries to make amends for the perceived, and probably actual, anti-Semitism of Oliver Twist, which, of course, he later went back and rewrote Fagin a little bit to address some of those anti-Semitic stereotypes. But, here, he creates an entire character. Some might say he overcorrected, and that the Jewish character in this book is a paragon of goodness. And then another character this was sort of intriguing, but ended in disappointment theres a character in the book named Jenny Wren, who is born with some kind of very serious physical disablement. She cant really walk, and her father is a drunk. Its a really, very, actually, modern description of alcoholism and her father. And so, from a very young age, shes assumed the role of parent of her own father, and very blatantly treats him as a child, and he is like a child. And her name is Jenny Wren, and I mention that because, simultaneous with finishing this book, I was watching the Beatles documentary, the Peter Jackson Beatles documentary, Get Back, and probably like many people, after seeing the episode in which Paul McCartney, you know, writes Get Back in the space of, like, 10 minutes of just kind of sheer and overwhelming genius, I went down a Paul McCartney rabbit hole on Spotify, and he wrote a song called Jenny Wren, and I was just all set to discover this hidden Dickens fan in Paul McCartney, especially after having interviewed Paul Muldoon on the podcast and looked at his book of lyrics, and I thought, well, maybe. You know, theres no reason why he wouldnt write a song about the character Jenny Wren from Our Mutual Friend. But to my disappointment, its really about kind of a bird, like, a woman slash bird. Its not about Jenny Wren of Our Mutual Friend. But the song has been in my head ever since. All right. Lets quickly run down the names of the books we read this week, starting with you, Greg. greg cowles Im reading Mercy Street, by Jennifer Haigh. john williams Im reading After Me Comes the Flood, by Sarah Perry. pamela paul And I read Our Mutual Friend, by Charles Dickens. archived recording (paul mccartney) (SINGING) Like so many girls, Jenny Wren could sing. pamela paul Remember, theres more at NYTimes.com/Books, and you can always write to us at Books@NYTimes.com. I write back; not right away, but I do. The Book Review Podcast is produced by the great Pedro Rosado from HeadStepper Media, with a major assist from my colleague John Williams. Thanks for listening. For The New York Times, Im Pamela Paul. For the first year of the pandemic, I routinely received questions from friends, family, patients and acquaintances about how to think about risk in different situations before making decisions, Eisenberg said. Now, hardly anyone asks those questions and most people have settled on their own conclusions about what works for them. Are you ready? We recently asked readers: Are you ready to live with the virus? Its a hot topic: Nearly 3,000 of you wrote in. Thank you to everyone who shared their thoughts. If youd like to continue the conversation, you can tell us how you feel in the comments section here. Its time to start living with Covid by normalizing it. Its a virus. It will keep mutating. Its never going to be over, no matter how long we make concessions. And if its never over, as a nation, we cant grieve, find closure, adapt and help each other and our kids find silver linings and hope. We need to begin the healing process. We need to allow the healthy to start living. Ariele Taylor, Bay Area, Calif. If living with the virus means letting down my guard, then NO. Im not remotely ready. Im prepared to wear masks for the rest of my life, if need be. Im not going to get casual about Covid. Im 74. Im already dealing with fibromyalgia. I dont want long-Covid on top of that! For me, masking up when I go out is an inconvenience I can live with. Kathryn Janus, Chicago Yes, we need to stop dividing citizens over vaccination choice and vaccine passports for good. We havent been able to enjoy restaurants, festivals, museums or any kind of travel because of this requirement, due to different vaccine statuses in our family. I am sympathetic to the most vulnerable and immunocompromised, but unless the government can approve more viable treatments for Covid, they are not the only people fighting to survive this pandemic. We have exhausted teachers, business owners, restaurant staff, grocery store clerks, pharmacists, retail workers all bearing the brunt of restrictions that they need to enforce on an equally exhausted population. By living with the virus, we are equipped with knowing what to do if we get infected, we have new protocols to self-isolate, to wear masks, or even get vaccinated if one feels unsafe. Beyond that, there is not much more we can do as a person. Dahlia, Montreal I am ready! I want to travel with my family, do my job in full capacity and have my child in school without a mask if they choose. It has been long enough and its time to let people start choosing which precautions they want to take. You can wear a mask for the rest of your life should you choose. No one will ever stop you from doing that. Stacy Foster, Portland, Ore. The protest also emerged as Canadians, like people in many other countries, grappled with the fallout of two years of pandemic restrictions. Research shows depression, loneliness and anxiety are at their highest in Canada since the start of the pandemic. Following a new wave of lockdowns enforced in many provinces because of the Omicron variant, a recent poll found that more than half of respondents in late January were ready for all restrictions to end an increase of 15 percentage points since the start of the month. Early in the demonstrations, nearly one in three Canadians said they supported the truckerss cause. You had a set of I dont know how legitimate but authentic concerns that were very quickly then co-opted by the far right, said Barbara Perry, a professor of criminology and director of the center on hate, bias and extremism at Ontario Tech University in Oshawa. It was a slow-moving snowball that made its way across Canada, and it picked up all sorts of other flotsam and jetsam and all sorts of other grievances. Many truckers are putting their finances and freedom at risk in the protests. But by the time the first trucks reached Ottawa on Jan. 28, the demonstration had self-proclaimed organizers none of them in the trucking industry. One, Tamara Lich, was once a member of the short-lived Yellow Vest movement in Alberta, whose rallies in 2019 featured speakers who offered antisemitic conspiracy theories, attacked immigration and railed against Mr. Trudeau. Until this week, when she stepped down to devote to full attention to the protest convoy, she was a founding member and secretary of the Maverick Party, a far-right group that calls for sweeping constitutional change or, failing that, the separation of most of Western Canada from the country. Ms. Lichs GoFundMe campaign for the truckers raised about $7.8 million before being shut down by the company. Today, approximately a dozen New York City firefighters are among countless other New York City employees that are facing termination for refusing to get vaccinated on New York City vaccine mandate program. These firefighters spent a career in service to the city, protecting the lives and property of New York City residents at the risk of their own lives, health and safety. Most, if not all, of them became infected with Covid directly from their work for the city, and it is appalling to myself and many others that natural immunity that was gained by the infection from working for New York City was then ignored by New York City as an acceptable alternative vaccination. The irony of this situation is that since the beginning of the mandate, tens of thousands of New York City employees filled the reasonable accommodation out, then went to work unvaccinated anyway, and they were allowed to test each week. Currently, this wave of the pandemic is winding down, and those of us that refuse to submit to the vaccine now will lose their jobs. To those of my members facing termination, I have to say I am proud of you for holding the line, but I still encourage you to get the vaccination before its too late. In the end, Im hoping that the decision you make in the long run is the right decision for you and your family. And if you choose not to get vaccinated, please get your affairs in order with the department, and resign on your own terms before New York City fires you. New York City on Friday is expected to fire as many as 3,000 municipal workers who have refused to get coronavirus vaccines. They make up a small fraction of the citys employees less than 1 percent. But they would probably represent the most drastic example of a work force reduction tied to a coronavirus vaccine mandate. Mayor Eric Adams has said that he would prefer not to fire the unvaccinated, but by remaining so, they were quitting. They are not going quietly. Hundreds marched across the Brooklyn Bridge on Monday, chanting that the city should end the mandate and carrying signs that said Unvaccinated Lives Matter and Fire Fauci. Mr. Adams has reaffirmed the citys ultimatum: They will be the ones fired unless they get at least one shot. The mandate, put in place by Mr. Adamss predecessor, Bill de Blasio, has been effective: About 95 percent of the citys 370,000 workers have received at least one dose of the vaccine, an increase from 84 percent when the mandate was first announced in October. Cisco Systems, the technology conglomerate, has held discussions with the software company Splunk about buying it, although no deal is currently on the table, two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times on Friday. A deal may not happen at all, but if talks resume, Cisco could pay more than $20 billion for Splunk, one of the people said. Splunk, whose stock price has fallen by 30 percent since its chief executive, Doug Merritt, unexpectedly stepped down in November, has a market capitalization of around $18 billion. Ciscos market capitalization is $227 billion. The people requested anonymity because the information is confidential. Cisco did not immediately respond to a request for comment, while a spokesperson for Splunk said the company did not comment on rumors or speculation. The Wall Street Journal reported the potential deal earlier on Friday. Now, he is trying to bring all that knowledge to bear as he makes his own historic choice of the first Black woman to be nominated to serve on the high court, a selection that will be a significant element of his presidential legacy. Whether all that personal history pays off will become evident within the next two weeks if Mr. Biden sticks to his timeline of disclosing his choice before the end of the month, touching off a Senate process that has become one of the capitals most closely watched rituals. This is a committee that Joe Biden knows so well, said Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois and the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, who will be presiding over a Supreme Court confirmation for the first time. He chaired it. He lived in this committee. He has been through so many battles and he understands what were facing. As the panels chairman in 1987, Mr. Biden led the charge against President Ronald Reagans nomination of Judge Robert H. Bork, whose slash-and-burn confirmation hearings set a precedent for later confirmation fights. And in 1991, he presided over explosive hearings to confirm Justice Clarence Thomas. Those hearings featured sexual misconduct charges that left some accusing Mr. Biden and his all-white, all-male committee of having mistreated Anita Hill, who had accused Justice Thomas of sexual harassment. Mr. Biden has since expressed regret to Ms. Hill. Norman W. Baylor, a former director of the F.D.A.s vaccines office, said the agency had been reactionary on a highly delicate issue, perhaps because of public pressure. A lot of parents, he noted, had been saying, I dont care, just give my kid the two doses and even if its a little bit and theyre not protected fully, thatll do the trick. But we dont know that until the data are reviewed, he said. Dr. Baylor and some other experts questioned whether any coronavirus vaccine developer had yet figured out an effective dose for the youngest children, or how durable protection would be for them. Moderna, the other major vaccine manufacturer, is currently testing a stronger dose than Pfizers for children under 5. But so far, Modernas vaccine has only been authorized for adults. Some parents on Friday expressed anguish over the news. Im feeling despair, despondent, frustrated, confused, said Rachel Perera, a graduate student in Los Angeles and mother of an 8-month-old son. I feel like the goal posts have been moving. Ms. Perera said that she had been hoping to make a long-awaited trip to the East Coast this spring to see friends and introduce them to her son. She and her husband have been avoiding most contact with others during the Omicron wave in order to protect him. I was hoping that we would have some hope, that it would help us get some semblance of normalcy, she said of the vaccine for children under 5. I feel like the world is moving on without us, the parents of little kids. The F.D.A.s most recent vaccine decisions have been highly fraught. Top Biden administration health officials pushed hard for authorization of booster shots in the fall, only to be forced to scale back their plans. But they were vindicated, some experts say, when the Omicron variant showed that it could more easily evade two-dose protection than its predecessor, the Delta variant. At least several members of the F.D.A.s outside advisory panel were skeptical of the two-dose plan for children under 5, and it was not clear that the panel would have recommended it. The panels advice is not binding, but the F.D.A. usually follows it. Hoy 10 de febrero el Primer Ministro de Tailandia, Prayuth Chan Ocha, en su calidad de Presidente del Foro de Cooperacion Economica Asia-Pacifico @APEC, anuncio la oficializacion del Peru como economia que ejercera la Presidencia de #APEC en el 2024. ?? https://t.co/MJyAdIMFgM pic.twitter.com/qx9C4Rdaoi NEWARK Schkeema Troutman had just started describing the many difficulties of trying to raise a family in a city with high levels of lead in its drinking water when Vice President Kamala Harris noticed the mother of three was not being heard. Ms. Troutmans microphone was not working, limiting her voice to nearly a whisper at a round-table discussion here on Friday. So Ms. Harris stood and handed her microphone over to amplify Ms. Troutmans story. You have so many different things to worry about, Ms. Troutman said of owning a home near lead service lines, and the dozens of people in the room could hear her. Thats the thing, Ms. Harris responded. You should not have to worry about that. The brief exchange highlighted the vice presidents aim in traveling to Newark, which the administration views as a model of how a community can overcome water contamination after years of neglect. But for Ms. Harris and the White House, the trip was also an opportunity to amplify issues directly affecting underserved communities, particularly amid rising anxiety from civil rights advocates and grass-roots organizations after seeing President Bidens sprawling proposals centered on racial equity slimmed during negotiations with a divided Congress. WASHINGTON It is a puzzle at the heart of the crisis over Russias threat to invade Ukraine: Why has President Biden, more than one year into his presidency, failed to name an ambassador to Kyiv? Neither the Biden administration nor Ukraines government is providing a clear explanation for a delay that career diplomats say would be baffling and inexcusable even in ordinary times, never mind at a moment when the U.S. relationship with Ukraine is as consequential as it has ever been. Experts say that the presence of a full-time ambassador could help to smooth awkward relations that have emerged between the Biden administration and the government of President Volodymyr Zelensky despite Ukraines heavy reliance on Washington for its defense against Russia. But it is also unclear how eager the Ukrainians are to receive an envoy from Mr. Biden, who submitted a candidate to Kyiv for approval weeks ago. The position comes with an extra dose of intrigue, given that it has remained empty since 2019, when President Donald J. Trump removed its last full-time occupant, Marie L. Yovanovitch. That action, which is the subject of a federal investigation, contributed to Mr. Trumps first impeachment by Congress on charges that he abused his foreign policy leverage over Ukraine for political purposes. The electorate in 1993 is completely dissimilar to the electorate in 2022, said Sonja Diaz, the director of the Latino Policy & Politics Initiative at the University of California, Los Angeles. Were talking about two different Los Angeleses. Homelessness along with the constellation of thorny issues it touches, including crime, public health, transit, the cost of living and the environment is likely to be a dominant concern. The contest is already stacked with big-name contenders, all Democrats, seeking to succeed Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is awaiting Senate confirmation to become U.S. ambassador to India and cannot run again after serving the maximum two terms. Representative Karen Bass, the former chair of the Congressional Black Caucus who was on President Bidens short list for vice president, has perhaps the broadest base of support in the city, where she started as a community organizer in the 1990s. She has backing both from progressive activists and from members of the political establishment. Kevin de Leon, a councilman and former State Senate leader, is another well-known progressive in the race; he has touted his background as a son of Guatemalan immigrants in a city that is 49 percent Latino. Joe Buscaino, a city councilman and a former police officer, has tried to position himself as a moderate, in the vein of New Yorks new mayor, Eric Adams. Mr. Buscaino and Mr. Caruso could find themselves fighting for many of the same voters, in a race that is likely to require a runoff after a June 7 primary. But at least one of the announced candidates, the local business leader Jessica Lall, will not be on the ballot; as speculation mounted that Mr. Caruso was about to enter the race, she announced on Tuesday that she was dropping out. And his use of cellphones to conduct official business has led to large gaps in the official White House logs of his calls on Jan. 6, 2021, hampering investigators efforts to construct an accurate record of what he was doing during the riot. If he failed to preserve cellphone records and turn them over to the National Archives, that, too, could run afoul of the law. Heres what the Presidential Records Act is, and why Mr. Trumps behavior may have violated it. Presidents dont own their documents. In 1978, after Watergate, Congress enacted the Presidential Records Act, which made a presidents documents the property of the United States, not his personal property, and laid out a process for ensuring that Congress and the public could eventually gain access to them. It was aimed at preventing future presidents from doing what Richard M. Nixon wanted to after he resigned in disgrace, when he planned to destroy recordings that documented steps he and others took in response to the Watergate investigation. The law requires that a presidents records be turned over to the National Archives once he leaves office, and that they be made available to the public 12 years later though certain entities, such as congressional investigators, can obtain them sooner. The act excludes a presidents personal records identified as those of a purely private or nonpublic character from preservation requirements and grants a president a high degree of discretion over what materials are to be preserved, according to the Congressional Research Service. Despite the joy she found in dance, she was not always enamored of the dance life. She found the training tedious. She often got headaches, she had excessive, unexcused absences, and she would make rude gestures toward teachers she felt were pushing her too hard. Her star turn with City Ballet onstage counted for naught in the classroom. The summer before Stephanie turned 13, the school asked her to withdraw. She was devastated. Admitting that she had been rejected would be humiliating. Stephanie was not just another young woman who decided that the boot-camp-like demands of dance were not for her; she was the heroine of a beloved book that had elevated her to unimaginable heights. She decided, with her mothers support, that rather than reveal her rejection, she would tell people that she had quit. She wanted to go to college, she would say; dance would only get in the way. That was the story she told for decades, until a Times reporter, Helene Stapinski, tracked her down in Wyoming in 2011 and wrote an article about Ms. Selbys life. Stephanie acknowledges that she might have had troubles in life regardless of her association with ballet and the book, Ms. Stapinski wrote, but says her experience as a child no doubt contributed to her depression later in life. Stephanie Mary Selby was born on Oct. 14, 1965, in Manhattan. Her father, Frederick, who went by Fritz, was an investment banker and an adventurer. Her mother, Linn (Howard) Selby, who had studied modern dance, carried on the family tradition of installing the annual Neapolitan creche and Christmas tree at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Stephanies parents divorced when she and her older siblings, Andrea and Christopher, were very young. All four survive her. But how true to life is this telling? I took a look at what the series gets right and wrong, drawing from my own experience and research, which included conversations with Sorokins lawyer, Todd Spodek, and friend Neff Davis, and a series of recent phone interviews with Sorokin. (A few minor details here are based solely on Sorokins word, so given her history, use your own judgment.) She has served her minimum sentence and is now being held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at a corrections facility in Goshen, N.Y. (She is facing deportation but has appealed the order.) Turns out the truth is sometimes better than fiction. The journalism For a show that includes a reporter among its producers, the writers pay little attention to what true or at least ethical reporting looks like. Yes, office politics can influence decisions and relationships within publications, as in most workplaces. And yes, good reporting can include flattering and even befriending sources only to air their dirty laundry. But the series hinges on a moment when Vivian convinces Anna to forgo a generous plea deal and go to trial against the advice of her lawyer, all so Vivian can score a career-redeeming article. In the real world or at least in the journalism world that could have been the storys biggest scandal. In the series, Vivian is a disgraced journalist at the fictional Manhattan magazine who is looking for a big break. (She has been banished by her editors to Scriberia, the part of her newsroom where old writers are put out to pasture.) Seeing Annas story as her shot at redemption, Vivian curries Annas favor by bringing underwear to her at Rikers; by helping catalog evidence (Let me be part of the team! she says, also unethical); and by loaning Anna a white dress to wear during closing arguments, the better to project an image of innocence. In 2020, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission released a summary of an investigation into these practices at IBM, which found that there was top-down messaging from IBMs highest ranks directing managers to engage in an aggressive approach to significantly reduce the head count of older workers. But the agency did not publicly release evidence supporting its claims. The newly unsealed documents which quote from internal company emails, and which were filed in a statement of material facts in the lawsuit brought by Ms. Liss-Riordan appear to affirm those conclusions and show top IBM executives specifically emphasizing the need to thin the ranks of older workers and hire more younger ones. We discussed the fact that our millennial population trails competitors, says one email from a top executive at the time. The data below is very sensitive not to be shared but wanted to make sure you have it. You will see that while Accenture is 72% millennial we are at 42% with a wide range and many units falling well below that average. Speaks to the need to hire early professionals. Early professionals was the companys term for a role that required little prior experience. Another email by a top executive, appearing to refer to older workers, mentions a plan to accelerate change by inviting the dinobabies (new species) to leave and make them an extinct species. A third email refers to IBMs dated maternal workforce, an apparent allusion to older women, and says: This is what must change. They really dont understand social or engagement. Not digital natives. A real threat for us. Mr. Pratt, the spokesman, said that some of the language in the emails is not consistent with the respect IBM has for its employees and does not reflect company practices or policies. The statement of material facts redacts the names of the emails authors but indicates that they left the company in 2020. Both earlier legal filings and the newly unsealed documents contend that IBM sought to hire about 25,000 workers who typically had little experience during the 2010s. At the same time, a comparable number of older, non-Millennial workers needed to be let go, concluded a passage in one of the newly unsealed documents, a ruling in a private arbitration initiated by a former IBM employee. The Supreme Court on Friday rejected an emergency request that it consider an appeal by a group of New York City teachers seeking to block a vaccine mandate over what they said was a discriminatory religious exemption policy. The decision, issued by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, was the latest in a series of legal defeats by opponents of New Yorks vaccine requirement for municipal workers and it came the same day as the deadline for such workers to get vaccinated or face dismissal. The plaintiffs in the case had argued that the citys vaccination requirement amounted to religious discrimination because it unfairly denied applications and did not offer exemptions for employees with unorthodox religious beliefs. Justice Sotomayor, who oversees cases in the Second Circuit, which includes New York, Connecticut and Vermont, had rejected a challenge to the citys vaccine mandate in October, when the mandate went into effect for public schoolteachers. By reading literature like To Kill a Mockingbird, children learn to think critically, to imagine, to solve problems. They become caring, thoughtful people. You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view until you climb into his skin and walk around in it, Atticus tells Scout. Ultimately, Harper Lee wanted us to see that good may not triumph over evil. But each and every one of us has the opportunity to make that choice. She told us, in Scouts words to Jem: I think there is just one kind of folks. Folks. Laurian Pennylegion Redmond, Wash. To the Editor: Let the librarians do their job. Books do not end up on library shelves by accident. Librarians have guidelines that include reviews, awards, school curriculums and other factors that they take into consideration before deciding if a particular title is worth adding to the collection. It is important that a well-balanced collection is developed that will meet the needs of all and not just reflect a single point of view. Every library needs to have in place a well-defined protocol to use when there is a complaint from a member of the community. It usually includes a committee of people who have actually read the book and can discuss its value to various patrons. Calls by politicians and others to ban books they often have not read is censorship. What about parents rights? Monitor what your children are reading and talk to them about it. Tell them to stop reading it, if that is the right choice for your child. You do not have a right to speak for everyone in your community because you do not like the book and oppose the topic. At the age of 6 I declared that I would one day become a pastor. It might seem odd that someone barely able to read chapter books would commission himself to proclaim the word of the Lord. But I come from a long line of preachers. If you visit the cemetery on the plantation that hosts the graves of my mothers side of the family, you will see names with Reverend etched into the tombstones going all the way back to the 1800s. My ancestors, slaves and later tenant farmers, would leave the cotton fields after a long day of work, put on their best pair of overalls and preach the good news to other weary Black folks looking for a modicum of hope. It would be dishonest to say that I never wavered in that aspiration. But by the time I reached my early 20s my course was set. I would pastor some little church in Alabama and do what my ancestors had done. I would carry on a tradition that would make my family proud. It was a good plan. But it never came to be. Things changed when I met the woman who would become my wife. She complicated the path to fulfilling my dreams. This is not because of religious differences. She was a church girl. The problem was her dreams conflicted with mine. When we met during our senior year in college, she had already decided to become a pediatrician for the U.S. Navy. I did not know much about the military, but I did know that they moved you around often. That reality makes it hard to lead a congregation. Who would want a clergyperson who could commit to stay for only a couple of turns of the calendar? Committee members at my local church, who considered whether I should be ordained, recognized this problem when I was in seminary. They initially declined my application because they did not see how my life and my wifes would work together. In a sense they were correct. Our lives together meant that both of us would have to change. 17:00 | Lima, Feb. 11. Within this framework, the Cabinet member indicated that his mission is to restore the principle of authority in Peru, including unsafe cities by working with local and regional authorities, as well as neighborhood councils. "From the Government, all efforts are being undertaken to address the population's problems such as (those related to) vaccination, the return to (in-person school) classes, and to allow connectivity in remote areas," he expressed. In this sense, the high-ranking official pointed out that the construction of an airport in the Pichari area, Cusco region, will contribute to generating a development pole in four Peruvian regions. "We are working so that the vaccine reaches out to everyone. The Peruvians who live in Purus (Province) have the same right as the rest of us," he noted. Likewise, the minister mentioned that the Government is working on the agreement so that helicopters are available to regions to enable them to face emergencies such as those related to healthcare services for the population. "If we have an emergency, we can transfer a child, and we manage to save his life, the life of that child who could be our son has already paid the price of that helicopter," he emphasized. Remarks were made to the press outside the Government Palace in Lima. (END) JCC/MVB If you had to distill the ambitions of the Democratic Party down to a single word, you might well choose Denmark. But France would also work. Or Germany. Any Western European nation, really, with the social insurance options many of us envy: universal health care and affordable child care, to name but a few. Much of modern American liberalism is designed to close those gaps, to build here what already exists there. I hope to close those gaps, too. But what about building here what does not already exist there? Over the past few years, social insurance programs did much to ease suffering, but it was mRNA vaccines that did the most to protect human life. And this points toward a place where American liberalism could dream bigger dreams. Most liberals can list the programs they want the government to create or expand. Fewer can name the five technologies they want the government to finance or the five scientific challenges they want to see it mobilize to solve. But technology is central to how we make the future look different from the past. To leave that to the market, or to think it apolitical, is abdication. In an important speech at sigh Davos, Janet Yellen, the treasury secretary, began building a framework for those questions. The Biden administration, she said, was pursuing a modern supply-side economics. She argued that the economy isnt growing as it could because it doesnt have enough of what it needs. We need more workers, we need more roads and bridges and airports and broadband, we need more scientific breakthroughs oh, and we need a stable climate, too. And to get all that, we need government. Thats a change. Supply-side economics has traditionally been the redoubt of Republicans. They, too, said the economy didnt have what it needed to grow as it could. But they believed the problem was too much government, and too little private capital and dynamism. The rich needed more reason to work. The poor needed more punishment if they didnt work. Corporations needed more reason to invest. Their prescription followed logically: tax cuts for the rich, spending cuts and work requirements for the poor and a bonanza of financial and environmental deregulation. NATIONAL Because of a production error, an article on Friday about President Bidens prediction that he would have Republican support for his Supreme Court nominee included columns of type that were out of order. ARTS A film review on Thursday about the documentary Ronnies misstated the location of the Three Deuces jazz club in New York City. It was on West 52nd Street, not East. MAGAZINE An interview on Page 13 this weekend with the actor Christopher Walken refers incorrectly to the Apple TV+ show Severance. It is a series, not a limited series. OBITUARIES An obituary on Friday about the virologist Luc Montagnier, who shared the 2008 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for discovering the virus that causes AIDS, misstated the surname of the Nobel committee member who introduced the winners of that award at a ceremony in Sweden that year. He is Prof. Bjorn Vennstrom, not Bennstrom. For them, the year 2000 is like ancient history, and so trying to get them to understand that the 1960s werent that long ago, its baby steps, he said. But under a new law, teachers in Texas must frame slavery as a deviation from the founding principles of the United States. And the law limits the teaching of The 1619 Project, an initiative by The New York Times Magazine that explores the continuing legacy of slavery in the United States and highlights the contributions Black people have made to American society. But, Mr. Ring and other educators said, classrooms are not the only places for students to access information; smartphones are always at their fingertips. I think that some of the legislation being passed disregards young peoples ability especially this generation to accept new information and process it, without feeling shame or guilt, Mr. Ring said. Holly Reynolds, a high school social studies teacher in Salt Lake City, said the rules approved by Utahs board of education last year which echoed those of other states were hard to follow because they were so vague. That has made her nervous about being targeted, she said, but she has tried to keep those fears out of the classroom. If anything, it has strengthened my resolve that this is important work, and I need to keep doing it, she said. Mr. Parker said that despite his concerns about Oklahomas new law, he hoped to hold on to his job while being open to the questions and opinions of his students, many of whom are English language learners approaching American history with fresh eyes. Dave Chappelle has had an outsize influence on Yellow Springs, Ohio, in recent years, attracting A-list celebrities to outdoor comedy shows and parties he organized in the village, which is home to some 3,700 people. But this week, he exchanged glitz and glamour for the staid procedures of a Village Council meeting. Mr. Chappelle attended the three-hour virtual meeting on Monday to oppose a new housing development that had been set to include affordable housing. His appearance at the meeting has raised questions about why one of the most famous comedians in the world is involved with a small-town zoning battle. What actually happened on Monday? The Village Council held a meeting to allow residents to comment on an update to an existing plan for a housing development before the Council voted on the changes. The revised plan would have included duplexes, townhouses and 1.75 acres of land reserved for affordable housing in a development that was originally going to include only 143 single-family homes, according to a memo from Brian Housh, the Village Council president. In 1974, Mr. Forte pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and was sentenced to a year of probation. Lieutenant Brutosky said that Mr. Forte had sexually assaulted a woman in 1974 in an area used for coal mining and in a recent interview, she told the police that she thought she would have been killed during the attack if not for a person who saw what was happening and stopped it. In 1978, Mr. Forte was charged with recklessly endangering another person and harassment. The police said they did not have further details on that case. The police tied Mr. Forte to Marises case with the aid of DNA testing and research by a teenage genealogist who approached the police in 2020 and volunteered to help. Eric Schubert, the teenager, said he had helped in other cold cases and spotted Marises story while looking for something new to work on. Mr. Schubert, now 20 and a student studying history at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pa., identified possible relatives using an earlier DNA match made in the case. In 2007, investigators created a DNA profile of the suspect using body fluids found on Marises jacket. In 2019, Parabon NanoLabs, a DNA technology company, helped the police upload the DNA profile to a genealogical database, leading to a match with a distant relative of the suspect. Mr. Schubert was able to build out a family tree from that match, which led to a relative considered to be a family historian. Investigators interviewed some family members and took voluntary DNA samples, which narrowed the list of potential suspects to four. It is, according to some strategists, a full-fledged information battle. I think it is great, said Beth Sanner, a former top intelligence official who regularly briefed President Donald J. Trump. My guess is that these disclosures are freaking the Kremlin and the security services out. And, more important, it can narrow Putins options and make him think twice. The Ukrainian government has expressed unease with the American disclosures. President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Saturday that too much information about a possible Russian offensive was sowing unnecessary fear. For all the disclosures, the Biden administration has provided no evidence of the disinformation plots they say they have uncovered. Intelligence officials have argued that sharing details would give Russia clues to how they work. That, in turn, would allow Moscow to plug the leaks and would amount to disarming in the middle of an information war, officials said. Those concerns show how difficult it is for any democracy to go toe-to-toe with an autocratic state, like Russia. Unconstrained by truth, the Kremlin is simply better at such unconventional warfare. Remember, Vladimir Putin is a K.G.B. guy. He doesnt think like Biden does, said Daniel Hoffman, a former Moscow station chief for the C.I.A. Putin comes from Mars and Bidens from Venus. Vladimir Putin is playing his own game and his chess games may be a little different than ours. During many of his recent military forays, Mr. Putin has used disinformation to create doubt about what he is doing. Such tactics have slowed international responses and allowed Mr. Putin to more easily achieve his aims. When masked men began taking over government buildings in Crimea in February 2014, Moscow said they were part of a locally led pro-Russian uprising. Only after Crimea was taken over was it clear the little green men were Russian military forces. Showing its ease with information warfare, Moscow responded quickly after Biden administration officials warned lawmakers this month about the enormous possible human costs if Mr. Putin launched a full invasion. Madness and scaremongering continues, Russias deputy ambassador to the United Nations, Dmitry Polyanskiy, wrote last Saturday on Twitter. What if we would say that US could seize London in a week and cause 300K civilian deaths? All this based on our intelligence sources that we wont disclose. One night, at a barbecue in Wilkinsburg, Pa., near Pittsburgh, in 2016, a gunman fired at the partygoers, driving them to a houses back porch, where a second gunman picked off victims with an assault-style rifle. They killed five people, including a woman eight months pregnant, in what the police called a methodically planned massacre. Investigators quickly arrested two men, Robert Thomas and Cheron Shelton, charged them with six counts of criminal homicide and kept them in detention for four years while awaiting trial. But on Feb. 3, 2020, on the first day of trial, prosecutors dismissed the charges against Mr. Thomas, citing a lack of evidence against him. Mr. Shelton was acquitted less than two weeks later at trial. Now, both men are accusing the police in Allegheny County of misconduct, saying they relied on three confidential informants even though their statements contradicted the evidence. RIO DE JANEIRO Itamar Vieira Junior, whose day job working for the Brazilian government on land reform took him deep into the impoverished countryside, knew next to nothing about the mainstream publishing industry when he put the final touches on a novel he had been writing on and off for decades. On a whim, in April 2018, he sent the manuscript for Torto Arado, which means crooked plow, to a literary contest in Portugal, wondering what the jury would make of the hardscrabble tale of two sisters in a rural district in northeastern Brazil where the legacy of slavery remains palpable. I wanted to see if anyone saw value in it, Mr. Vieira, 42, said. But I didnt have much hope. To his astonishment, Torto Arado won the 2018 LeYa award, a major Portuguese-language literary prize focused on discovering new voices. The recognition jump-started Mr. Vieiras career, making him a leading voice among the Black authors who have jolted Brazils literary establishment in recent years with imaginative and searing works that have found commercial success and critical acclaim. Torto Arado was the best-selling book in Brazil in 2021, with more than 300,000 copies sold to date. The previous year, that distinction went to Djamila Ribeiros A Little Anti-Racist Handbook, a succinct and plainly written dissection of systemic racism in Brazil. PARIS Around a table much smaller than the 20-foot-long oval slab across which he confronted President Vladimir V. Putin in Moscow, President Emmanuel Macron gathered a few journalists this week to confide that the crisis in Ukraine was taking up more than half my time, the bulk of my time because the world stands at a tipping point of history. The table was some six miles up in the air, on the presidential plane that whisked Mr. Macron to Moscow, Kyiv and Berlin this week, where he warned of irreversible damage if Russia invaded Ukraine, and said it was imperative not to surrender to fate. Mr. Macron is convinced that the current crisis, marked by Russian revanchism after its perceived humiliation by the West, reflects a failure to rethink Europes collective security after the end of the Cold War. On that, at least, he and Mr. Putin seem to agree. The formidable task before the French president is to figure out what could possibly replace it, and convince others, including the United States, of its virtues. By the end of the week, the standoff with Russia, which conducted military exercises all around Ukraines borders, looked as menacing as ever. Yet just nine weeks from a presidential election, Mr. Macron has made the risky bet that he can coax Mr. Putin toward dialogue and that French voters will be more taken with his global stature than alienated by his inattention. BURIN, West Bank The Israeli settlers streamed down the hill toward Palestinian farmland, some waving sticks, some throwing stones, all masked. They began beating a group of Palestinian villagers and Israeli rights activists, who had been planting olive trees on the edge of a Palestinian village. One settler threw a flammable liquid across an activists car and set it ablaze. At least seven people were injured. The mob attack outside the village of Burin last month, captured on video by human rights advocates, was part of an escalation of civilian violence across the occupied West Bank in the past year. In 2021, the number of injurious attacks by settlers on Palestinians, and by Palestinians on settlers, reached their highest levels in at least five years, according to the United Nations. Settlers injured at least 170 Palestinians last year and killed five, U.N. monitors reported. [Update, Feb. 22, 2022: One of the five Palestinians was killed in self-defense, and one in unresolved circumstances, according to the U.N.] The South Korean authorities have banned its citizens from traveling to Ukraine due to rising tensions on the border with Russia, the country's Foreign Ministry website said, TASS reported. February 12, 2022, 09:41 South Korea bans its citizens from traveling to Ukraine STEPANAKERT, FEBRUARY 12, ARTSAKHPRESS: "Due to the recent situation in Ukraine, the government has decided to urgently declare a Level 4 travel warning (travel is prohibited) for the entire territory of Ukraine from 13 February," the statement says. The Korean Foreign Ministry also urged fellow citizens in Ukrainian territory to immediately leave for their home country or other safe countries and reconsider their plans for future travel. Earlier it was reported that the Dutch ambassador to Kyiv, Jennes de Mol, urged his fellow citizens to leave Ukraine as soon as possible. He said that it was not about evacuation, but a voluntary choice to leave the country due to security threats. The Japanese authorities also called on fellow citizens to do the same. Walmart said on Friday that fully vaccinated employees would no longer have to wear masks unless state or local rules required it. The change is effective immediately, the giant retailer said in a memo to its staff. Unvaccinated employees must continue to wear masks in its stores and offices until further notice, the memo said. Walmart said it had made the decision after closely monitoring Covid trends across the country. It came at the end of a week in which Democratic governors from Connecticut to California began to lift statewide masking policies as coronavirus cases fueled by the Omicron variant were dropping precipitously, and it is in line with similar announcements from other companies. Amazon said on Thursday that vaccinated employees in warehouses in states that had dropped mask mandates could opt out of wearing masks as well. Walmart, which has about 1.6 million employees in the United States alone, was among the first private employers at the start of the pandemic to mandate that its workers wear masks. The company eased the mask requirement for vaccinated workers and shoppers for several months in the spring before reimposing it yet again for some workers when the Delta variant posed a significant threat. Then, in December as new cases driven by Omicron began to surge, the company again required masks for all workers. Ireland is set to be hit with more wet weather on Sunday according to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland. Met Eireann has issued a Status Yellow Rainfall Warning for seven counties with the south east set to see the worst of the rain. According to Met Eireann, Sunday will start wet in many parts, with the risk of spot flooding in the south and southeast where the rain may be thundery. The rain will ease off through the afternoon as brighter spells and showers follow into the west and southwest. However, cloud and outbreaks of rain will linger in parts of the north and east, and some sleet may fall over higher parts of Ulster in the evening. Highs of 5 to 9 degrees, cooler at times in the afternoon, as light to moderate variable winds become northwesterly and increase moderate and gusty. According to Met Eireann, any residual rain will gradually clear eastwards leaving a night of clear spells and scattered showers. The showers will mainly be mostly confined to northern and Atlantic coasts, with some turning wintry especially over higher ground. Lowest temperatures of 0 to 4 degrees, with some frost and icy patches possible. Westerly winds veer north to northwest and increase moderate to fresh by morning. According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast, a good deal of dry weather is expected on Monday along with good sunny spells. Scattered showers will still occur, mainly in the north and northwest but they will ease through the afternoon. Chilly with highest temperatures of just 5 to 9 degrees, coolest in Ulster, with an added wind chill factor in moderate to fresh northwest winds, but the winds will ease light to moderate as they back southwesterly by evening. British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in December of conspiring to recruit and groom teenage girls to be abused by Jeffrey Epstein, must air her bid for a new trial out in the open, a federal judge in the US has ruled. US District Judge Alison J Nathan on Friday denied Maxwells request to keep her motions for a new trial temporarily under seal, saying doing so was not in the public interest. The judge said public access to the documents and any ensuing publicity would not violate Maxwells right to fair proceedings. The court is unpersuaded by the defendants concern that media interest in the motion warrants temporary sealing of the documents in their entirety, Judge Nathan wrote in her ruling. Maxwells lawyers have raised concerns about the truthfulness of one of the jurors who convicted Maxwell in December of conspiring to procure and groom teenage girls to be abused by Epstein. Her lawyers contend that the juror failed to disclose that he was a victim of sexual abuse. In interviews to news outlets, the juror described a moment during the deliberations when he told fellow jurors that, like some of the victims of the late financier Epstein, he had been sexually abused as a child. He also said he convinced other jurors that a victims imperfect memory of sex abuse does not mean it did not happen. Meanwhile, Maxwells lawyers asked the court to vacate her convictions and acquit her, arguing that despite the jurys verdicts on multiple counts, prosecutors failed to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. Offaly Local Development Companys CEO, Brendan O'Loughlin and team leaders Siobhan Broderick and Roisin Lennon, recently welcomed Senator Pippa Hackett to a presentation of a report titled Mapping our Sustainable Goals An Offaly Local Development Company Perspective 2021. For many of us the sustainable development Goals are a new concept and one that we perhaps leave to others to interpret and implement. We may not realise that in the work we do in our communities and to help others around us, we are achieving some of the goals in our everyday lives. What started as a curiosity to explore whether and how Offaly Local Development Company meets the Sustainable Development Goals developed into a mapping exercise of OLDC programmes over a three year period 2018-2020. The report is the result of the review of actions of Offaly Local Development Company to reach the SDGs. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were developed in response to a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. 193 UN Member Countries including Ireland adopted the SDGs in 2015, with 169 targets and around 17 high level goals. The SDGs are applicable to all countries, developed and developing, and action is required for their implementation both domestically and internationally. Ireland is committed to implementing the SDGs, and published its first SDG National Implementation Plan 2018-2020 in July 2018. In putting these principles into practice, Ireland pledges that no one will be left behind and that we will endeavour to reach the furthest behind first The outcomes of these programmes were mapped against the SDGs: Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP), Leader, TUS and Rural Social. These actions included individuals and communities across Offaly and SDGs achieved include: Quality education, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, reduced inequalities. Welcoming the report, Senator Hackett added I think its really important to highlight how we are reaching those SDGs in our work and welcomed the recommendations in the report which suggest ways of recording achievements and reporting to national level within the programmes. Brendan O Loughlin outlined two case studies focused on a sustainable future for Offaly that are included in the report; Green Offaly and the development of community wetlands Tullamore River. These projects demonstrate that in-depth collaborative work is underway in Offaly to innovate and provide platforms for further achievements against SDGs. For further information on the report please contact info@offalyldc.ie What's Included With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please call our customer service team at 716-372-3121 or email nfinnerty@oleantimesherald.com. A Ukrainian soldier trains during military drills close to Kharkiv, Ukraine (Andrew Marienko/AP) (AP) Foreign Office advice has been changed to urge UK nationals to immediately leave Ukraine by commercial means while they still can. With other Nato allies issuing the same advice to their citizens, the shift represented a heightening of concerns in the West that Russia could mount an invasion. What is the cause of the tension in the region? The current difficulties date back to the overthrow in 2014 of the pro-Moscow Ukrainian government of Viktor Yanukovych, prompting fears in the Kremlin that the country was moving into the orbit of the West. President Vladimir Putin responded by sending in troops to annex Crimea while Russian-backed separatist rebels seized territory in eastern Ukraine in bloody fighting with the Ukrainian military. Russian president Vladimir Putin wants Nato to draw back forces from eastern Europe (Matt Cardy/PA) (PA Archive) Why is the West so concerned now? For months, the US and other Nato allies have been warning of a massive Russian military build-up on the Ukrainian border, triggering fears that it is preparing another incursion against its southern neighbour. Latest estimates suggest Moscow has 130,000 troops massed in the border region and in neighbouring Belarus, close to the strength some analysts believe would be needed to mount a full-scale invasion. Russian and Belarus forces are embarking on large-scale military exercises which, some believe, could provide cover for an attack. Will the West intervene militarily if Russia does attack? It is very unlikely. Ukraine is not a member of Nato and so there is no obligation on alliance members to come to its defence and there is little appetite in Western capitals for a military conflict with Moscow. Boris Johnson in Kyiv last week for crisis talks with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky (Peter Nicholls/PA) (PA Wire) Some allies have been sending military support to Kyiv Britain has despatched 2,000 anti-tank missile launchers and a small group of military trainers, but they are expected to leave over the weekend. There have also been moves to bolster alliance forces in Natos eastern members with the UK sending additional troops to Poland and Estonia. However, the main response has been the threat of crippling economic sanctions including measures targeting the private wealth of President Putins cronies in the West. Story continues How has Moscow responded? Mr Putin has repeatedly insisted that Russia has no intention of carrying out an invasion. He has however issued a series of demands intended to curb the influence of the West in eastern Europe, in what Moscow traditionally regards as its sphere of influence. They include calls for guarantees Nato will not admit any new members including Ukraine and the drawback of alliance forces in the region. Boris Johnson during a meeting with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg (Daniel Leal/PA) (PA Wire) What is the reaction to that in the West? Nato has been adamant it will not accept limits on the nations that it admits to the alliance. Boris Johnson has however said there is a conversation to be had about force dispositions in eastern Europe. More controversially, French President Emmanuel Macron, who held talks with Mr Putin in Moscow, has raised the idea of the Finlandisation of Ukraine, with Kyiv becoming neutral in the way Finland was during the Cold War. And the advice to British citizens in Ukraine? On Friday night, the Foreign Office said all British nationals in Ukraine should leave now while commercial means are still available. British ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons was remaining with a core team in Kyiv, but some embassy staff and their families were being withdrawn. But UK nationals were warned by armed forces minister James Heappey that the RAF would not carry out Kabul-style airlifts for any citizens who do not leave before fighting begins. The White House has also urged US citizens to flee Ukraine, as have Nato allies Canada, Norway and Denmark, as well as non-alliance ally New Zealand. So will there be war? With an estimated 130,000 troops on Ukraines borders, some analysts believe the Russian build-up has gone too far for there not to be some kind of military incursion. Ultimately, however, it comes down to President Putin and what he calculates are the potential risks and benefits as the West struggles to put on a united front. Accesswire 02 May 2022 *VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE/ May 2, 2022 /* The Power Play by The Market Herald has announced the release of a new interview with.. Donetsk, formerly known as Aleksandrovka, Yuzivka, Stalin and Stalino, is an industrial city in eastern Ukraine located on the Kalmius River in the disputed area of Donetsk Oblast. While internationally recognized as in Ukraine, the city is under the de facto administration of the Donetsk People's Republic, which claims it as its capital city. The population was estimated at 905,364 in the city core, with over 2 million in the metropolitan area (2011). According to the 2001 Ukrainian Census, Donetsk was the fifth-largest city in Ukraine. Schweikert was previously fined $50,000 by the House Ethics Committee in 2020 for misusing taxpayer money and other violations of House rules. The congresswoman has not attended any major Republican Party functions in Wyoming in over two years, according to The New York Times. Top diplomats and defense officials from the US and Russia spoke by phone in an effort to defuse the crisis on the border to Ukraine. The calls come as more and more governments tell their citizens to leave Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke directly with US President Joe Biden, in the latest attempt to diffuse tensions. The call comes as more and more governments tell their citizens to leave Ukraine. After fresh warnings of a possible Russian military campaign against Ukraine, nations are urging their citizens to get out of the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has asked allies not to stoke panic. City Gary A. Hamm, 33, 19 McMaster St., Room 219, Auburn, was charged Feb. 7 with aggravated family offense, endangering the welfare of a child and third-degree assault. Allan M. Laury, 28, 7445 County House Road, Sennett, was charged Feb. 7 with third-degree falsely reporting an incident. Shielah M. Weber, 44, 48 Central St., Moravia, was charged Feb. 7 with driving while intoxicated with a previous conviction in the last 10 years, first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and use of a vehicle without an interlock device. Michael L. Davis III, 23, 112 6th North St., Syracuse, was charged Feb. 9 with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Riley F. Milton III, 26, 23 West St., Apt. 1, Auburn, was charged Feb. 9 with petit larceny. Lindsay M. Mitchell, 28, 39 Johnson Drive, Aurelius, was charged Feb. 8 with petit larceny. Shaliece E. Larrabee, 21, 7 Grover St., Auburn, was charged Feb. 9 with trespass and resisting arrest. Shane M. Wilcox, 21, 9814 Route 38, Conquest, was charged Feb. 10 with driving while intoxicated-first offense and refusal to take breath test. Kathryn M. Lusk, 34, transient, Auburn, was charged Feb. 10 with petit larceny. Daniel R. Pasik, 36, 2030 W. Genesee Street Road, Aurelius, was charged Feb. 10 with petit larceny. Edwin M. Roberts, 40, transient, Auburn, was charged Feb. 11 with third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, false personation and possession of a mislabeled dangerous drug. County Thomas E. Ivery, 18, 2763 Route 370, Ira, was charged Feb. 9 with criminal mischief, fourth-degree criminal mischief, menacing and fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. State Bevin C. Thousand, 38, Phoenix, was charged Feb. 8 with driving while intoxicated-first offense and aggravated driving while intoxicated. Ramases P. Ramacus, 46, Weedsport, was charged Feb. 8 with fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon. Patricia A. Fauth, 62, Auburn, was charged Feb. 9 with driving while intoxicated-first offense. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 2 Two journalists, including one who used to work for the BBC, have been released after they were detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The papers see echoes of World War Two and its aftermath as Russia launches an assault on Ukraine. BBC News 25 Feb 2022 The British prime minister is being investigated over parties being held at Downing Street in defiance of COVID restrictions. Johnson will have seven days to respond to the email from the Metropolitan Police. PM Justin Trudeau described the decision of Ontario Premier Doug Ford to declare a state of emergency as "responsible and necessary". The prime minister has issued a warning to Australians in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible as the situation there is very dangerous. President Biden plans to speak to President Vladimir Putin of Russia today in a bid to defuse the crisis over Ukraine. Officials have intelligence that Russia is considering Wednesday as a date for the start of military action, according to those briefed. Heres the latest. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Russia is ready to attack at "no notice", says James Heappey, as British citizens are urged to leave now. Before his conversation with Biden, the Russian president will also talk with French President Emmanuel Macron in a bid to avert the crisis from escalating further. Berlin has closed its Donetsk consulate and asked German nationals to leave Ukraine unless their presence in the country is "absolutely necessary." If you are joining a company remotely or only occasionally seeing your team in person, here are some ways to get to know them better. Germany has closed its Donetsk consulate and asked nationals to leave Ukraine unless their presence is strictly required. The US, Belgium, Britain, Denmark, Estonia and Latvia have also urged their citizens to leave. Newsy 25 Feb 2022 Watch VideoWith a military intervention in Ukraine off the table, and countries around the world looking to heap more financial.. Manchester United must settle for another 1-1 draw after being left frustrated by an impressive Southampton in the Premier League. Rumble 25 Apr 2022 Police fired tear gas and charged protesters as clashes erupted in the French capital after the exit polls were announced and.. About 50 police officers moved into position Saturday morning near protesters who had been blocking the Ambassador Bridge for six days. Russian president Vladimir Putin spoke directly with US President Joe Biden, in the latest attempt to diffuse tensions. The call come as more and more governments tell their citizens to leave Ukraine. France cement their position as Six Nations favourites by holding off Ireland in a pulsating heavyweight encounter at the Stade de France. SoccerNews.com 13 Feb 2022 Pep Guardiola admits he does not know whether Raheem Sterling will sign a new contract with Manchester City, but he would love.. In urgent talks with his Russian counterpart, US President Joe Biden has issued a warning about the severe costs of a potentially imminent invasion. With the US and allies bracing for Russia to invade Ukraine, USA TODAY takes a look at what caused the crisis and the potential outcomes. The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has released the data of electric two-wheeler sales in India in 2021. India's growing electric two-wheeler market saw a rise in sales in 2021. With more than 1.43 lakh units sold, the high-speed electric two-wheeler segment has seen a staggering growth of more than 425 percent last year. With more and more electric vehicle startup launching in India, the latest being the Ola Electric, the market is expected to grow further in coming days. Leading the pack of electric two-wheeler manufacturers in 2021 is Hero Electric, the EV wing of the Hero MotoCorp. Here is a look at the top five electric two-wheeler manufacturers in India who made the most last year. Hero Electric: Hero Electric Vehicles remains the leading electric two-wheeler manufacturer in India with market share of more than 30 percent. In 2021, Hero Electric sold 46,260 units of electric scooters. In December alone, Hero sold 6,058 units of electric two-wheelers. Hero Electric currently sells nine electric scooters in India. These include the Photon Hx, Optima Hx (dual battery), Optima Hx (single battery), NYX HX (dual battery), Optima LX, Optima LX, Flash LX and Atria LX. The price range of these electric scooters range from 46,640 to 74,240. Okinawa Autotech: Electric two-wheeler maker Okinawa finished 2021 as the second largest manufacturer in the segment. Okinawa currently has a market share of more than 20 percent in the electric two-wheeler space. Okinawa sold 29,945 units last year. However, it emerged as the leading manufacturer in December with 6,098 units sold. Okinawa currently offers as many as six models for the Indian customers. These include electric scooters like i-Praise, Praise, Ridge Plus, R30, Lite and Dual. The price of the scooters range from 59,000 to up to 1.09 lakh. Ather Energy: Bengaluru-based EV startup Ather Energy has grown in stature to become one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in India now. Ather sold 15,921 units of its electric scooters last year and holds a market share of more than 11 percent. In December last year Ather Energy sold 1,810 units of its electric scooters. Ather Energy offers only two models in India presently. These include the 450 and 450X models. The price ranges between 1.40 lakh. Ampere Vehicles: Ampere Vehicles, which is part of Greaves Cotton company, is the fourth largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer in India. In 2021 the company sold 12,470 units of its electric scooters in India with a market share of more than eight percent. In December, Ampere outsold Ather Energy with 3,343 units. Ampere currently sells five models for the Indian customers. These include Reo, Reo Elite, Magnus EX, Magnus Pro and Zeal. Pure EV: PuREnergy, an electric two-wheeler startup which made its debut just five years ago, has climbed up the ladder in a short span of time. The two-wheeler manufacturer under the Pure EV brand has emerged as the fifth largest electric two-wheeler manufacturer in India last year. It sold 11,039 units in 2021 and has a market share of more than seven percent. In December last year, it sold 1,684 units. The company currently sells four models in India which includes EPluto 7G, Etrance Neo, Etrance and Etron Plus. First Published Date: Night curfew to contain the spread of the Covid-19 virus was lifted from Tuesday night. All other pandemic curbs imposed have.. DNA 23 Feb 2022 Death on the Nile docks on the wrong side of every nautical quip in the metaphoric movie review harbor. There's no wind in this story's sails. Its protagonist can't scrape through the scum. Bow to stern, it sinks dragged into the icy depths by strange editing, cumbersome dialogue, goofy CGI, and dangling details that just... The Foreign Office updated its travel advice on Friday evening to urge UK nationals to "leave now while commercial means are still available". Journalist Andrew North, was being held along with several others, has been freed. Foreign Office advice has been changed to urge UK nationals to immediately leave Ukraine by commercial means while they still can. Boris Johnson will be invited to address the Scottish Conservative conference in March, the party has said. President Joe Biden has again called on President Vladimir Putin to pull back more than 100,000 Russian troops massed near Ukraines borders. Rumble 08 Mar 2022 On todays Breitbart News Daily podcast, host Alex Marlow starts with, yes, an update on whats going on in Ukraine; but.. The State Department warns Americans that it's "past time" to leave Ukraine. Most embassy staff have been ordered to depart. And 160 National Guard members will move elsewhere in Europe. LOS ANGELESWoodhull Freedom Foundation, as part of its Human Rights Commissions program, has released its findings on the oft-repeated warnings of a spike in sex trafficking at the Super Bowl. After partnering with SOAR Institute to conduct a careful analysis of the situation, Woodhull concludes that the purported dangerous uptick in sex trafficking is a myth, long-encouraged by law enforcement, state/national governments and the media, that has been continually disproven but continues to circulate, leading to confusion on all sides of the issue. With Super Bowl LVI set to take place on Sunday in Los Angeles, experts are highlighting how this debate interacts with the broader socio-political landscape, the conflation between sex work and human trafficking, and the fulfillment of sex worker rights. The reports findings include: While ads for sex may increase during the Super Bowl, instances of commercial sex and trafficking do not. Researchers from the University of Texas, Austin, and the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, found that claims about increases in sex trafficking during the event are false and may reflect false socio-cultural fears about sexuality and sexual exploitation that depict men as aggressive and autonomous, and women as victims in need of rescue or as criminals who should be arrested. The myth helps serve as a narrative to benefit nonprofits and NGOs fighting trafficking around these events, virtual signaling national/state/local governments, media and those who want to justify their social control measures such as increased policing and migration controls based on anti-prostitution ideology. The true victims of the Super Bowl sex trafficking myth are human trafficking victims themselves. 80 percent of cases are in labor sectors outside of commercial sex. Trafficking hysteria around the Super Bowl causes host cities to increase police surveillance and, thanks to the conflation between adult consensual sex work and human trafficking, much of these resources are used to police and arrest sex workers rather than engaging in prevention at the expense of those experiencing exploitation. Criminalization prevents those participating in commercial sex from reporting crimes committed against them for fear of arrest. Even trafficking survivors participating in commercial sex because of force, fraud or coercion fear criminal justice penalties if they come forward as a result of the massive stigma and risk of arrest surrounding sex work. In a criminalized environment, sex workers also have less agency to engage in safe sexual practices and less access to medical care. Increased policing has disproportionate consequences for communities with inter-sectioning vulnerabilities. Members of LGBTQ communities, communities of color, the unhoused, and immigrants are among those disproportionately targeted by law enforcement as sex workers. Black adults make up over half of the people arrested for loitering for the purpose of prostitution in Los Angeles, even though they are only 8.9 percent of the citys population. Human trafficking is a problem that persists year-round. As the Polaris Project pointed out in 2019, encouraging hysteria around specific events detracts from the need to establish effective, holistic policy responses rather than sensationalized rhetoric. Woodhull Freedom Foundation is dedicated to fighting back against laws that suppress sexual freedom and advancing sexual rights. For more information, visit WoodhullFoundation.org. Newsy 12 Feb 2022 Watch VideoA man who shot his ex-girlfriend at a Phoenix home early Friday ambushed the first officer on the scene, seriously.. On Friday, White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan warned that a Russian military invasion of Ukraine might start at any time and advised Americans in the country to evacuate immediately. Days-long rallies against Covid-19 vaccination mandates have picked up in numbers in New Zealand and Australia, with protesters blocking roads and disrupting the life of the countries' capitals. French police fired tear gas at demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees avenue and other places in Paris on Saturday after a vehicle convoy demonstrating against COVID-19 restrictions made it into the capital. French police fired tear gas at demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees avenue and other places in Paris on Saturday after a "Freedom Convoy" protesting against COVID-19 restrictions made it into the... #champselysees #demonstrators #freedomconvoy The Central Council of Messianic Jews in Germanys representative for messianic Jews in Eastern Europe, Mr. Dima Fisher, calls on those religious minorities represented by the council to leave Ukraine immediately. In case a complete departure from Ukraine is not possible, attempts should be made, at the latest within the next 24 to 48 hours, to find refuge in small towns in western Ukraine, from which the border with neighboring Oskaloosa, IA (52577) Today Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low around 40F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. LOS ANGELES The MON App , a new social audio platform catering to the sex-positive community, is centering the conversation around prominent Black Voices during Black History Month in February, with in-depth discussions, no holds barred conversations and special guestsall month long at The MON, a new social audio platform catering to the sex-positive community, is centering the conversation around prominent Black Voices during Black History Month in February, with in-depth discussions, no holds barred conversations and special guestsall month long at themonapp.com MON will open up the dialog to stories and first-person accounts of Black Sexual Identity and Expression, as well as talks with sex workers, advocates and activists who are bringing their personal experiences exclusively to this growing and thriving community. The BLACK XXXPRESSION series on The MON App focuses on discussing the experiences of Black and African Diaspora communitiesfrom the sex positive, celebrating identity, preference and desire to the challenges PoC Kinksters, Lifestyle Enthusiasts and Sex Workers may face, said King Dom (YOURGOD to submissive clients), a CashMaster HypnoDOM and Online Fantasy Provider who specializes in uninhibited exploration of lust and desire. "Since I first came on to The MON App I was pleasantly surprised how the community there's supports various topics of discussion. It seemed like not doing this would be a disservice to all communities represented on MON if I didn't do something like BLACK XXXCELENCE during BHM." Black Men In Gear has a duty and purpose of continuing to provide a safe space for Black men in the gear community online and outside of that. On The MON App , we will chat about why creating Black/POC kink safe spaces is important and what are you doing to be an ally, said Pup, a New Kinkster, Pup, Gearman and founder of the growing online community. Being black isnt a choice for us, its just who we are; MON helps us to project that through its audio services, as well as create a safe space for others to hear and participate! Woof! Mehgan Sapphire, a popular radio personality and podcaster who has worked for CBS Radio, Sirius XM, iHeartMedia as well as Playboy Radio and Vivid, said, As a Black woman whos always been vocal about sex positivity, its extremely important for people outside of my race and community to get an understanding of the experiences we face. With the MON app , we have the opportunity to sit down virtually with others who may in real life never be able to ask, listen, and learn. The MON App Founder/CEO Caleth Jones said, We want to bring in fresh voices that address these experiences in a positive, meaningful way and are proud to build such a diverse community so quickly, and excited to help amplify these essential voices in our sex positive community and provide a safe space for such important conversations." To learn more about MON, visit themonapp.com and download on Apples App Store Follow King Dom on Twitter at @serveyourgodkde. Follow Pup / Black Men in Gear on Instagram @rangsof.Saturn and @Blkmeningear. Follow Mehgan Sapphire on social media at @MsRadioSapphire, @SapphiresEarplay (Instagram). Ottumwa, IA (52501) Today Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 51F. Winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight A few clouds. Low around 40F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. Do you appreciate the work we do as the only independent media outlet dedicated to serving OU students, faculty, staff and alumni on campus and around the world for more than 100 years? Then consider helping fund our endeavors. Around the world, communities are grappling with what journalism is worth and how to fund the civic good that robust news organizations can generate. We believe The OU Daily and Crimson Quarterly magazine provide real value to this community both now by covering OU, and tomorrow by helping launch the careers of media professionals. If youre able, please SUPPORT US TODAY FOR AS LITTLE AS $1. You can make a one-time donation or a recurring pledge. MANISTEE Republicans from across the state, including candidates for Michigan attorney general, secretary of state and governor, were in Manistee this week. The annual Lincoln Day Dinner on Thursday was hosted by the Manistee County Republican Party and drew over 100 conservatives to the Blue Fish Kitchen and Bar. Opening speaker, Adam Dontz said that attendance for the event was the largest in nearly 30 years. I believe the catalyst igniting new vigor in the Manistee County GOP was our government blurring the lines between medical science and political science, Dontz said at the dinner. As you can recall nearly 18 months ago, an indoor gathering of this nature would have been prohibited. Proceeds for the event help support Republican candidates, get out to vote and signature gathering campaigns. Several candidates seeking their party's nomination in the August primary turned out to meet with local officials and activists. They include Tudor Dixon, who is one of 13 Republican candidates seeking to unseat Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) in November. Others in attendance included former state Rep. Tom Leonard who is running for Attorney General and Secretary of State candidate and state Rep. Beau LaFave. Republican candidates for the new 102nd District of the Michigan House of Representatives, Phil Morse and Andrew Sebolt, were also in attendance. The recently redrawn district includes southwest Manistee County, northern Muskegon County and most of Oceana and Mason counties. If elected, Sebolt told the News Advocate that he would seek an end to public health mandates and other policies, which he says are disincentives to work. What you're seeing here is just a little bit of a thing called freedom after two years, Sebolt said of the Lincoln Day Dinner. Other areas in Manistee County such as Onekama, Bear Lake, Kaleva, Arcadia, Marilla and Brethren are now part of the 104th District, which also includes most of Benzie County, such as Frankfort, Honor, Benzonia and Elberta. Keynote speaker for the event was Manistee High School graduate and former state Rep. Dennis Cawthorne. Cawthorne is also the longest-serving chairman of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission, and a former U.S. delegate to international conferences in China, Belgium and Russia. Dennis Cawthorne has quietly yet effectively influenced many of our state's most important legislative decisions for decades, said Dontz. Local elected officials including Manistee County Sheriff Brian Gutowski and Manistee County Board of Commissioners Chair Jeff Dontz were also in attendance at Thursdays dinner. Adam Dontz said that between the dinner and a freedom event held in August, the Manistee County GOP received support from over 400 individuals, who donated in excess of $13,000. A 6-year-old boy, Mikey Almeida, who recently died from his injuries after being struck by a dirt bike in Florida, has many family members in Sanford missing him. He was so sweet, he loved big and gave the best hugs, Nicole Kramer, of Sanford, said of her nephew, Mikey. He was always full of energy and enjoyed playing sports with his siblings." Mikey was born in North Carolina and never got to visit Sanford. He had two older sisters. Mikey had just gotten off of a school bus in Bartow, Florida, on Feb. 4 when he was hit in a crosswalk by an 18-year-old riding a dirt bike. He was hospitalized with several broken bones and extensive brain damage. He died on Feb. 10. His father, Brandon, reported that his son had received an award from his teacher the day of the crash and was excited to show it to his mother. Brandon called his son one firecracker of a lovable child. TV station WFLA of Florida reported that the rider of the dirt bike is in critical condition and the crash remains under investigation. Six of Mikey's relatives left Sanford on Friday morning, heading to Florida to attend his memorial, which is set for Sunday afternoon. Im doing OK, obviously heartbroken that my nephew is no longer with us, said Kramer, who was also impacted by the 2020 flood. She said Mikey's parents are being embraced by family and community members. Many people loved the boy. A GoFundMe is set up for Mikey's memorial expenses and so far has raised $3,565 out of a goal of $5,000. It can be found at https://bit.ly/3szMgzh. The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum at Saginaw Valley State University presents a new exhibition, Tradition Interrupted opening to the public on Saturday, Feb. 19. Tradition Interrupted, organized by Bedford Gallery at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, California, explores how artists weave contemporary ideas with traditional art and craft to create thought-provoking hybrid images and objects that have caught the worlds attention. The 12 artists in this show and their traditions hail from every corner of the globe: Faig Ahmed (Azerbaijan), Dinh Q. Le (Vietnam), Serge Attukwei Clottey (Ghana), Jaydan Moore (Virginia), Camille Eskell (New York), Ronna Neuenschwander (Oregon), Mounir Fatmi (France and Morocco), Ramekon OArwisters (California), Ana Gomez (Mexico), Anila Quayyum Agha (Pakistan), Shirin Hosseinvand (Iran), Jason Seife (Florida), Suzanne Husky (France and California), and Steven Young Lee (Montana). From rugs and mosaic to metalwork and ceramics, they are merging age-old art and craft customs with innovative techniques that interrupt tradition while still collaborating with the past. The artists featured in 'Tradition Interrupted' show how they use memories and past experiences, especially family and cultural traditions, to create works of art that speak of them in a personal way, stated Andrea Ondish, curator of education. These artists not only are influenced by arts and crafts of their cultural past but merge it with innovative techniques of today to create a whole new visual culture. This becomes a new art history it is powerful and enlightening." The artists have shared the trepidation they felt when they conceptualized and created their art, but in the process of unraveling tradition, these artists are embracing it and bringing it forward. Ancestral memories and political history at risk of being forgotten in our fast-paced, digital world take center stage here. Its harder to lose sight of something that is staring right at you. Pakistani-American artist Anila Quayyum Agha integrates elaborate Islamic patterns with textile processes such as embroidery and silk-screen printing to create architectural light installations. Her large-scale sculptures mimic Moorish mosques, spaces women are often prohibited from entering, yet the materials she uses often reference a practice of art making historically dominated by women. Through this irony, Agha works through both the beauty and suffering tied to cultural traditions. Artist Mounir Fatmi uses discarded tech and media objects such as typewriters and VHS tapes as materials in his work to interrogate religion, collective memory and the dichotomy of East versus West. His installation Maximum Sensation is comprised of 14 skateboards, each covered with a fragment of a Muslim prayer rug. This mashup of Western popular culture and Eastern religion implores viewers to rethink potential commonalities between the two, as well as emphasizes how globalization makes this cross-pollination possible. The artists of Tradition Interrupted attempt to reconsider the universal, ageless truths as well as the comfortable and uncomfortable histories of their heritage. By doing so, they unearth transmissions of the past as a means to explore the future. The final task is left to the viewer: to consider aspects of the past, embrace current and future traditions, and reflect on what these shifts and changes mean to all of us moving forward. Tradition Interrupted will be on view at the Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum from Feb. 19 through June 18. An online version of the exhibition will also be available. Exhibition programming includes the following events. Each session will take place 1-4 p.m. April 9: Create & Take a photograph weaving like artist Dinh Q. Le. May 7: Create & Take a paper mosaic collage like artist Shirin Hosseninvand June 4: Create & Take a weaving and mixed media sculpture like artist Ramekon OArwisters. This exhibit is made possible with grant support from the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. The Marshall M. Fredericks Sculpture Museum is located on the campus of Saginaw Valley State University, 7400 Bay Road, Saginaw, MI. Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 989-64-7125 or visit the Museums website at www.marshallfredericks.org. Almost every year since the first I Heart Pluto Festival in 2020, Lowell Observatory scientists and staff members have met with brewers at Mother Road Brewing Company for a very important mission: concocting the perfect beer. From the genesis of the festival, which marks Clyde Tombaughs 1930 discovery of the planet (re-designated as a dwarf planet in 2006), the two local institutions have come together for this annual boozy collaboration. The first year saw the release of Lowell and Mother Roads Pluto Porter, nitrogenized in reference to Plutos 98 percent solid nitrogen surface. Then everything shut down due to COVID-19 and the festival moved online without a signature beer. This year, however, I Heart Pluto and Mother Road are back with the Lowell Lager. A Mexican-style beer brewed with pilsner and a dab of honey malt, Lowell Lager also contains flaked maize that lends notes of masa, tortilla chips and a slight sweetness. Lemondrop and Cascade hops offer a hint of citrus and spice too. The idea was to make a beverage that Mother Roads Billy Miller called easy-drinking. It came from the desire to create a beer that would reach the widest amount of people possible, Miller said. The collaboration between the two local organizations goes far beyond the bubbly malt beverage, however, with beer being just one vessel through which to connect with the community. Thats what Lowell tries to do is make astronomy and stargazing reach the widest possible audience, they educate and get as many people as possible interested in it, Miller said. So that was reflected in the flavor of the beer, that easy drinking. For Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory historian, the festival is largely about bringing organizations outside of the sciences into the fold in order to connect to the larger community and build interest and connection. We are two organizations that are really community-minded, Schindler said of Lowell and Mother Road, next quoting the brewerys slogan: Building community one pint at a time. We do very different things but we have a common desire to be community-oriented and collaborate with one another, Schindler said. The I Heart Pluto Festival is slowly building toward the 100th anniversary of the dwarf planets discovery, set for 2030. Each festival includes renowned panelists and keynote speakers as well as art displays, interactive activities for kids and adults alike and of course, the signature, limited-edition brew, which the brewery and observatory will continue producing for all foreseeable festivals. In this way the I Heart Pluto Festival is not only an educational opportunity but a direct nod to the sense of pride surrounding Pluto in Flagstaff. Our community is proud of our science heritage and I Heart Pluto involves not just science organizations but restaurants and breweries and businesses, Schindler said. It celebrates not just the discovery of Pluto but that Flagstaff is the home of Pluto, every major discovery related to Pluto has ties to Flagstaff. From early research of Pluto and its discovery by Tombaugh to the discovery of its largest moon Charon, which was made using pictures from the US Naval Observatory, plus NASAs New Horizons mission All have ties to scientists working here in Flagstaff so the beer every year helps build on that idea of Flagstaff as the home of Pluto, Schindler said. Love 3 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 The following list includes recent reports from the Midland County Sheriffs Office and the Midland Police Department. Compiled by reporter Collin Periatt. Thursday, Feb. 10 10:48 p.m. Officers investigated a call of domestic assault on East Indian Street. 10:19 p.m. Officers investigated a call of domestic assault on Dublin Road. 8:44 p.m. Officers performed a warrant arrest on Friar Lane. 8:01 p.m. A 42-year-old Geneva Township woman called the Sheriff's Office regarding a possible complaint about threats made. 7:01 p.m. A deputy spoke with a Warren Township woman after her roommate/landlord changed the locks on the residence. The caller asked that the male landlord be contacted and spoken to about the legal way to evict someone. The deputy attempted to contact the man but was unable to make contact. 5:29 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to a Warren Township location for cows and goats loose on a roadway. Deputies and bystanders were able to get the cows and goats secured. 1:56 p.m. Deputies were contacted by an anonymous caller advising they had witnessed an assault in a Porter Township residence. Deputies checked the residence and no one was home. Deputies were able to call the 26-year-old Porter Township woman who was the homeowner. She advised she was not at home and had not been assaulted. A local union and Dow have both approved a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA). The agreement was voted on and approved by United Steel Workers (USW) Local 12075 on Thursday. Kyle Bandlow, spokesperson for Dow, said the CBA is effective immediately for bargained-for employees and will last for four years. Dow is pleased that on Feb. 10, USW Local 12075 bargained-for employees voted to accept the new CBA, Bandlow said. One of the main points in the negotiations was Dows Total Rewards Program, which Bandlow said includes Dows new retirement savings programs, enhanced paid leave for birthing and non-birthing parents, additional wellbeing programs, re-establishing Dows employees stock purchase plan, and a new healthcare assistance program. The retirement plan has caused some strife with the union, due to Dow's previous announcement that it would phase out pension plans for future employees and freeze current plans. USW 12075 President Kent Holsing said the union committee recommended a "yes" vote to union members. Despite some previously expressed frustrations from the union regarding pensions, he said this agreement was the best outcome the union could reach. (USW) 12075 believed we reached the best agreement we could reach with (Dow) with all the considerations taken, Holsing said. The change to pension benefits is consistent with what most other companies have already implemented and will not take effect until January 1, 2024, Bandlow said. "The changes to Dows retirement savings program and pension benefits, taken together, are expected to deliver higher total retirement savings for more than 85% of USW 12075 colleagues at Dows Michigan Operations facility," Bandlow said. Holsing also said Dow and the union reached agreements on non-economic topics, including issues regarding training and development. In a related development, Holsing said the union recently overwhelmingly rejected a CBA proposed by DuPont, and both sides are looking at potential dates to get back to the negotiating table. Independence Village of Midland is thrilled to receive A Place for Moms 2022 Community and Provider Engagement Award in addition to its Best of Senior Living Award. Only the top 1% of senior living and home care providers across the United States and Canada earn this top honor from seniors and their families. A Place for Mom is the premier ratings and reviews site for senior care providers in North America, featuring over 14,000 senior living communities and trusted by over 300,000 families every year. Their annual awards recognize the best of the best out of those 14,000 communities, and the Community and Provider Engagement Award is their most exclusive honor. Its only given to providers that have received an average rating of 4.5/5 across 25 or more reviews by seniors and their families. According to A Place for Mom, the areas that separate winning communities from the rest are: personal connections between staff and residents, mouthwatering and nutritious food, and activities and care that improve mental and physical wellbeing. All of which touch on the pillars Independence Village of Midland strives to give our residents every day: safety, belonging, something to look forward to and peace of mind. Even though this years criteria were more stringent than ever, Independence Village of Midland is proud to be a part of a senior living family that had 71 of its communities receive awards far and away the most of any operator in North America. Independence Village of Midland offers independent living, assisted living and memory care services. The community is located at 2325 Rockwell Drive in Midland. With over 40 years of experience developing and operating senior housing communities, Independence Village Senior Living is the premier choice for seniors and families looking for an individualized, purposeful and engaging senior living setting. Independence Village, along with its sister communities, operates across Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Each location offers unique independent senior living options with select locations offering enhanced living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing options. Courtesy of Northwood University Northwood Universitys DECA team earned more first-place awards than any other school during this years DECA State Competition, which was held in a virtual format. I am most proud of our Collegiate DECA Team members for their amazing grit! They struggled through two-plus years of pandemic hardships. Yet, despite the setbacks and challenges, they put in the work, maintained and positive attitude, and demonstrated true GRIT that resulted in our best State Collegiate DECA performance in the history of Northwood DECA, stated Advisor John Gustincic. Their success in DECA, combined with their unique Northwood educational experience, will undoubtedly result in future career success. In Michigan, residents tend to be familiar with seasonal expectations that come with the winter months. Many residents begin to dust off their ice-scrapers to prepare for snow-covered car windshields, and children's winter clothes are released from the garage or basement. But some residents may not anticipate a seasonal change in their overall mood. It's estimated, though, that between 10% and 20% of people living in northern climates experience seasonal affective disorder, or S.A.D. MyMichigan Health defines S.A.D. as a form of clinical depression with a specific timeframe that typically arrives during the colder or winter months when there is less access to sunlight. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the Great Lakes Bay Region can experience variations in the amount of sunlight received, depending on wind direction and lake effect. "Through the winter months, these cold air masses cloud up easily when the lakes are open," NWS meteorologist Dave Cook said. "So, we get a lot of lake effect clouds, which keeps us pretty cloudy throughout most of the winter." A behavioral health therapist's analysis of S.A.D. MyMichigan behavioral health therapist Meghan Dahl said most people with S.A.D. have a diagnosis of clinical depression with a seasonal affective subtype, meaning that is the way that their depression presents itself more often. "I think we can all kind of relate to some extent that a sunny day just kind of brightens our mood a little bit," Dahl said. "If we're in an area of Michigan where there's just more cloudy days, then we're more likely to be at risk for that (S.A.D). Also, if you already have depression, or other difficulties in mood, then you're going to be more at risk for seasonal issues." Dahl said symptoms can vary from mild symptoms, or the so-called "winter blues," to significant experiences tied to depression. Some symptoms related to a more significant or severe experience can vary from reduced levels of concentration to suicidal thoughts. Those experiencing thoughts of suicide or harm should contact a mental health professional and/or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255. Dahl noted that recent contextual factors, such as the pandemic, could also impact the experience of symptoms. With the pandemic, some people have had to adapt to the loss of, or changed experience with, their typical coping tools. "It's worsened seasonal changes because we have less access to activities that would get us out of the house more, and more people are working from home virtually," she said regarding some of her experiences with clients. "We have less exposure to sunlight (and) social situations that would offset those symptoms." Symptoms of S.A.D. could approach during the fall season, but the disorder is widely associated with the winter. Dahl said some symptoms begin as early as September, and she noted that in November, the Daylight Savings time change could also hasten the onset of symptoms. Dahl said experiences relating to S.A.D. could extend until May. In terms of obtaining a diagnosis, Dahl said residents should see a physician, psychiatrist, psychologist or a therapist, like herself, to better understand the length of time and how intense symptoms can and do manifest themselves. It's unclear just how many people in the Great Lakes Bay Region, and in Midland County, are impacted by mental health conditions, such as seasonal affective disorder. Michigan 211 is a statewide resource for people looking to access assistance in their local community. In 2021, only 0.482% of calls from Midland County were made to the hotline in relation to mental health assessment and treatment(s). Calls for help to law enforcement According to the Midland County Sheriff's Office, there hasn't been an uptick in mental health-related calls in recent years. The annual average is about 63 calls over the last four years. Last year, Midland County Sheriff Myron Greene said 70 calls relating to mental health were made to the sheriff's office, which serves Midland County at large. He said people typically reach out to law enforcement during a mental health crisis. "Most often, people want law enforcement to come and de-escalate a situation, which we can and often do," Greene said. "They are resolved safely with someone getting the help that they need," he added of the recent mental health calls to his office. He also acknowledged that, depending on the individual seeking assistance, an authority figure or someone in uniform could potentially aggravate a situation. Director of Content and Operations Spencer McKee is OutThere Colorado's Director of Content and Operations. In his spare time, Spencer loves to hike, rock climb, and trail run. He's on a mission to summit all 58 of Colorado's fourteeners and has already climbed more than half. Christopher Shafia knew he and his wife, Kiarah Jones-Pavico, had to make a choice -- accept a vaccine protocol they weren't comfortable with or lose the nursing jobs that they loved. They knew the consequences when they told their supervisors at the Flagstaff Medical Center that they refused to get the COVID-19 vaccine ahead of the set deadline, violating the hospital's vaccine mandate. Both Shafia and Jones-Pavico were "voluntarily terminated" in January, losing their jobs, income and security just months after their son, Barrett, was born. They were terminated 19 days before their two-year contract with the hospital ended -- only nine working days for Shafia. For that, Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) administrators are now telling the couple they have to pay $5,000 each. "I'm not one to complain -- until you take away my livelihood and my ability to provide for my wife and kid. You don't want me at your hospital? I get that," Shafia said. "But now they're just telling us, 'Goodbye, and don't forget to pay us that $10,000.' I feel extorted." The $10,000 bill is a result of both Shafia and Jones-Pavico violating their contract. The contract requires employees to work for two years or else they have to pay the fee to recoup the hospital's education costs for training new nurses. Shafia called the requirement exploitative. A spokesperson for Northern Arizona Healthcare said they're still evaluating individual circumstances. "For employees who have left NAH prior to the end of the commitment period due to the vaccine-related policies, NAH has been evaluating each employees circumstance on an individual basis to determine if a forgiveness of the repayment obligation is appropriate," NAH said in a statement issued to the Arizona Daily Sun on Thursday. They declined to speak to Shafia and Jones-Pavico's situations specifically, saying that NAH will inform each employee of any decision "through direct communication. 'We're not anti-vaxxers' Both Shafia and his wife signed on with Northern Arizona Healthcare in February 2020 shortly after graduating from Northern Arizona University. The COVID-19 pandemic hit and they were in deep. Shafia's unit soon turned into a complete COVID unit and it stayed that way for months. Eventually, things calmed down and he described the experience as "the best time I could have being a healthcare worker during a literal pandemic." Shafia and Jones-Pavico married in 2021. They found out she was pregnant as the vaccine first rolled out to the public, as well as the data and accompanying research. Shafia said his wife wanted to wait to get the vaccine because they didn't know then how the vaccine could impact pregnancy and he supported her. They both had already had COVID at that point and were already regularly exposed through their work. "We thought, 'We'll just wait,'" he said. "We went to nursing school, we studied hard and we learned what we need to do to stay healthy and that was our decision." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history. Then NAHC announced all unvaccinated employees would lose their jobs unless they had a religious or medical exemption. Shafia and Jones-Pavico's son was born soon afterward and the couple again hesitated, especially since there was little research at the time on breastfeeding and the vaccine. They both applied for religious exemptions, explaining that his stance was based on personal freedom. They both were denied. Shafia said he knows of multiple people who were exempted for a religious reason and were allowed to test regularly as an alternative to the vaccine. He questioned why he wasn't allowed to do the same. He told his supervisors he wasn't completely opposed to the vaccine, but just needed more time to consider everything and see how the research played out. He was taken off the schedule starting in December and was terminated in January, as was Jones-Pavico. "We're not anti-vaxxers," Shafia said. "My son got his vaccines. We're scientists. I just wanted more time to find out what was right for me and my family, and I supported my wife 100%." 'You only get one life' The $5,000 fee was always a possibility. Shafia said he was aware of it when he signed the contract and he discussed it with his managers in his final months. At first, there were talks of prorating it as it was so close to the end of his contract date. That didn't happen, though, and he was recently informed they had until March 2 to pay or it would be sent to collections. He hasn't heard anything from NAH since. "They're giving me 30 days to make $5,000 -- $10,000 since it's both of us," he said. "I don't make that in two months, let alone one." Shafia hasn't stopped working. He turned to travel nursing in early 2022 as there were no other options locally. He is currently temporarily living and working in New Hampshire, sharing a one-bedroom apartment with another travel nurse. His wife and newborn are still in Flagstaff for now. They're not sure what's next, but Shafia says he stands by his decision. "You only get one life and at the end of the day you have to live with that," he added. "All those choices you makeyou should feel good about it and proud of your convictions." Reporter Bree Burkitt can be reached at 928-556-2250 or bburkitt@azdailysun.com. Love 5 Funny 10 Wow 8 Sad 6 Angry 31 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. Paducah, KY (42003) Today Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High near 75F. Winds WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Funeral service for Joseph Harold Patt, 83, of Palestine, TX. passed away on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 in Palestine. Viewing will be held on Friday, April 29 at Emanuel Funeral Home of Palestine from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Funeral will be held on Sunday, May 1 at Emanuel Funeral Home in Palestine a Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - A demonstration was organized here Friday rejecting the appointment by the House of Representatives (Parliament) of a new Prime Minister Bamako, Mali (PANA) - The Malian High Court of Bamako's Commune IV, announced here Friday the opening of preliminary investigations into the activities of some personalities by "the public prosecutor's office for attacking or attempting to attack and aiding and abetting the internal and external security of Mali", an official source told PANA Photo: (Photo : Getty images ) Rescue workers retrieved the body of a five-year-old boy who was trapped in a 100 ft well since February 1, a tragic end to a rescue operation that has gripped Morocco, Aljazeera reported. Moroccan King Mohammed VI expressed his condolences to the boy's parents. The boy died before rescuers could save him, the Royal Palace said. A tragic end as rescuers staged a four-day operations to save a Rayan Awram, a five-year-old boy trapped in a well in northern Morocco on Saturday. By Saturday evening, the rescue effort was on the final stage and "the most delicate" stage of its operation as mechanical diggers and workers had reached within a meter of where Rayan was located. The boy was at the bottom of a 32-meter (100-ft) deep well in the hills near the City of Chefchaouen. The rescuers were digging towards the boy and found the lifeless body of the boy on February 5. Read Also: Woman Gives Birth to a Baby on a Flight from Ghana to the US Most delicate stage of the rescue operation Abdelhadi Thamrani, the lead rescuer, said that the rescuers were in the tunnel, and the stage is the most delicate of all stages. As of Saturday, Reuters reported that rescuers cut through the last narrow section of rock and earth. Any wrong move of the rescuers could trigger a landslide, Thamrani said. In operation, rescue workers in helmets and high-visibility vests transported ropes, tackle, stretchers, and other equipment down into the trench as rescuers dug an access tunnel parallel to the well. The rescuers are less than a meter from the boy. The mixture of rocky and sandy soils discouraged rescuers from opening the water well's narrow opening, finding the effort too dangerous. Instead, a huge trench was dug next to the well using bulldozers. Rescuers then started digging horizontally to get to the boy. The rescue team has been working round-the-clock for the past three days. Mohamed Yassin El Quahabi, the Chefchaouen Association of Caving and Mountain Activities president, told the BBC that volunteers and rescue workers tried to gain access through the well's opening at the start of the operation. The attempt failed because the hole diameter was small, 25cm (9.8 inches). The depth became smaller at 28 meters, El Quahabi said. The rescue operation is in a small northern town of Tamorot, around 100 km from the city of Chefchaouen. Saving Rayan As of Saturday, rescue officials are unsure if Rayan is still alive. Tamrani said that a camera showed that he was lying on his side, but it was not possible to determine the child's condition at all this time. On Thursday, a video of the camera lowered into the well showed that the boy was alive and conscious, although he seemed to be suffering from a minor head injury. The rescuers managed to communicate with the child at the early stages of the rescue operations. The rescuers waited for a minute and saw that the boy had begun using the oxygen, Red Crescent volunteer Imad Fahmy said. As of Friday, USA Today reports that Medical staff with a helicopter were on standby to attend to the boy. Khalid Agoram, the boy's father, said that he had been looking for his son for hours on Tuesday before discovering that the boy had fallen into the well. The rescue operation has gripped Northern Africa for days. #SaveRayan has been trending as thousands of people monitor the updates from local media and local onlookers at the scene on social media. Related Article: Meet Africa's Richest 9-Year-old and His Dad, Who Flaunt Their Wealth on Social Media Photo: (Photo : JONAS EKSTROMER/AFP via Getty Images) The unsafe infant loungers of Leachco have come to heed as the Oklahoma-based maker of infant loungers is involved in a lawsuit filed by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after the company refused to recall and refund over 180,000 products following the death of two babies. In a statement, the CPSC said that it's not going to turn a blind eye to the refusal of Leachco to take their products out of the market. CPSC Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric noted this was their last resort after the company failed to respond to the safety concerns. Earlier, the CPSC has warned parents to stop using Leachco infant lounger models like the Bummzie, Podster, Podster Playtime, and Podster Plush after the death of a 4-month-old baby in 2015, who was placed on the lounger at a daycare center. Another incident in 2017 involved a 17-day-old infant who also died due to the complications of accidental asphyxia or suffocation. The CPSC said the infant loungers obstruct the baby's airflow when they roll or lie down in a position that covers their mouth or nose. The consumers' actual usage of the product as a replacement for a bed or crib was also a factor in determining that the loungers were defective, even if there were warning and instruction labels on the products. Read Also: Families Sue Peloton for Injuries and Burns of Two Children Leachco Rejects CPSC's Warning to Parents Leachco sold at least 180,000 models of these loungers, which came with padded inserts and a removable cover made from polyester, cotton and polyester blend, nylon, and spandex blend. Aside from recalling the products in the market, the CPSC ordered the Oklahoma company to advise every consumer who bought the infant loungers of the recall and issue a full refund. According to Consumer Reports, Leachco defended its decision not to recall the products and stated on its website that the infant loungers had the necessary product safety warning for parents or caregivers. They claimed that the warning clearly stated that the loungers should not be used as a replacement for a bed or crib. The company also said that they do not recommend using infant loungers for unsupervised sleep. Leachco also said that CPSC was wrong to advise their customers to stop using their products when it should be telling the parents that "no lounger is safe for unsupervised sleep." However, the company also acknowledged the deaths of the babies and extended their sympathies to the families. Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association said that the actions of the CPSC were a "regulatory overreach" as it should be focused on educating the parents. However, many consumer groups hailed the CPSC's lawsuit and said that the agency was doing its job to ensure products that pose risks to infants should never be in the market, per CBS News. Infant Loungers Are Not Sleep Products Meanwhile, the CPSC has been reminding parents that infant loungers are not sleep products like cribs. This lawsuit comes after the CPSC also asked Boppy, a Colorado-based company, to recall over 3.3. million of its popular baby loungers. Boppy has complied with the order. Hoehn-Saric also said in an interview on "Money Watch" that consumers should not assume that a product is safe when it's on the shelves. There are regulations for manufacturers to use as guides before they put their products out in the market. However, compliance with these regulations is voluntary. Thus, the CPSC staff needs to check and oversee any reports and complaints and then issue recalls if the risks are determined valid. The CPSC head said that their staff on the field regularly check and inspect for harmful products. Some of these are tested and evaluated further by teams. They base the investigations on consumer complaints. Related Article: Boppy Recall: Parents Urged to Stop Using Loungers After Death of 8 Babies Photo: (Photo : Paula Bronstein /Getty Images) A mom allergic to her second baby had wondered why she was having blisters during her pregnancy and continued skin discomfort after giving birth. Fiona Hooker from the U.K. developed a rare autoimmune disorder that causes her to have allergies to her baby. Only 50,000 women worldwide have this condition that occurs during the second or third trimester of the pregnancy. Hooker was pregnant with her second child when she started having these stinging sensations on her skin at 31 weeks. She was not yet aware that she may have allergies to her baby. Her condition got worse and turned into blisters by the time she was in her final trimester of pregnancy. According to the New York Post, Hooker was initially prescribed standard steroid creams to get some relief from the skin sensations. However, the stinging welts became so severe that she and her husband had to rush to the emergency room one time. Doctors could not figure out what was wrong with Hooker, but she was able to safely give birth to a son, Barney, in June 2021. However, the blisters didn't stop, and she noticed that she was having a skin reaction where the baby would touch. The mom said that she would get temporary relief if she scratched the blisters, but this left her skin raw, painful, and red. She also didn't enjoy the newborn stage of her son because she was physically hurting from the allergic reaction. Read Also: What Is Parosmia? Know the Effects of Long COVID for People Who Cannot Enjoy Good-tasting Food What is Pemphigoid Gestationis? Hooker said that she had no such skin conditions when she had her first pregnancy and gave birth to a daughter, Phoebe, who is now three years old. This baffled the doctors even more. Eventually, following a series of blood tests, Hooker was told by a specialist that she has a rare autoimmune disorder known as pemphigoid gestationis that causes her immune system to create antibodies that attack her skin. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, pemphigoid gestationis was originally referred to as herpes gestationis, but it has no links to the herpes virus. The condition is more similar to autoimmune diseases like Grave's disease. It's not known why the body makes antibodies that attack the skin. However, studies have shown that allergies may be triggered by a protein found in the placenta. In Hooker's case, doctors told her that they suspect it might have to do with the DNA of the baby's father, Warren Hooker. "My son must have a gene from his dad that my daughter got from me instead," Hooker told the Daily Mail. "Because I didn't have it with my first pregnancy." Six Months of Recovery Most cases of pemphigoid gestationis are usually mild and treated with topical steroids. In some severe cases, stronger oral steroids or immunosuppressive therapies may help control the blisters, alongside antihistamines. The mom, however, dealt with her allergies to her baby for six months post-birth. She occasionally uses the steroid cream, especially when she has her period, which usually causes a flare-up. However, she believes her body is slowly getting over pemphigoid gestationis. She and her husband had decided that they will not have any children anymore, especially after the mom admitted her experience put her off getting pregnant ever again. Related Article: New Mom Burst Some Blood Vessels for Pushing Hard During Childbirth Photo: (Photo : KAREN BLEIER/AFP via Getty Images) A date has been set for the trial of the first-ever climate change lawsuit led by 16 kids who are suing the state of Montana over its continued use of fossil fuels. Per NBC News, Held V. State of Montana will go on trial at the Lewis and Clark County District Court on Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, or three years after 16 young plaintiffs lodged the climate change lawsuit in March 2020. The complaint is led by Rikki Held, who is joined by other children between the ages of 2 to 18 years old at the time of the filing. The group has the backing of Our Children's Trust, which has also filed a separate climate change lawsuit against former Gov. Steve Bullock, Montana's Department of Environmental Quality, the state's Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, and the state's Department of Transportation and Public Service Commission. Read Also: Unsafe Infant Loungers: CPSC Sues Leachco for Refusing to Recall the Product Judge Denies Lawsuit Dismissal In August 2021, the state filed a petition to have the lawsuit dismissed, but Judge Kathy Seeley denied the request and said that a trial must proceed in recognition of the young plaintiffs who are experiencing and witnessing the effects of climate change in the environmental, economic, physical, and mental aspects of their health and well-being. The judge also said that the children have the right to sue the state for expanding the fossil fuel industry. Grace, one of the young plaintiffs, expressed relief that the judge didn't dismiss their case. She vowed to continue the fight and "defend our constitutional rights," per the Western Environmental Law Center. Montana's state constitution mentions the people's environmental rights in Article IX. It is one of six states in America with such a provision in its local constitution. Melissa Hornbein, one of the lawyers helping out the kids, said that Montana has been relying on fossil fuel energy for a long time and has exacerbated the climate change problem. She believes that the progression of the case is an affirmation of the children's plight and the need to address the issue. However, this is still not a win for the 16 kids. Their lawyers have to prove that the state's policies and statutes on fossil fuel use have significantly impacted children's lives. But Held is looking forward to the trial next year and said this was a "long time coming." Alaska Youth Loses Climate Change Lawsuit It comes as the Alaska Supreme Court dismissed another climate change lawsuit filed by 16 young locals in January this year. According to the Alaska News Source, three judges sided with the state, while two judges ruled in favor of the lawsuit. Sagoonick v. State of Alaska, which also had the backing Our Children's Trust, was originally lodged in 2017 with the same claims that the state's reliance on fossil fuel energy has worsened climate change. The plaintiffs have filed an appeal to rehear the case. However, the judges who voted to proceed with a trial have retired. Related Article: Wrongful Death Lawsuit: These Parents Are Suing for Losing Their Sons Photo: (Photo : KERRY SHERIDAN/AFP via Getty Images) According to the latest data from the U.S. National Center for Health Statistics, among the 50 states in the U.S., it is the people in Hawaii that enjoy the longest life expectancy at an average of 80.9 years old. Hawaiian women live even longer at 83.9 years old, while the life expectancy for women in all of the states went up for this period using the death and population data from 2019. The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics also ranked California, New York, Minnesota, and Massachusetts as part of the top five states, along with Hawaii, with the longest life expectancy for both male and female residents. On the other hand, the Southern states comprising Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, West Virginia, and Mississippi were at the bottom of the list, with the latter's residents having the shortest life expectancy at 74.4 years, according to CBS News. The average life expectancy for the whole country is 78.8 years old and is largely unchanged compared to the data from 2018. Read Also: New Mom Burst Some Blood Vessels for Pushing Hard During Childbirth Not the First Time for Hawaii In 2019, Hawaii was also the top state with the longest life expectancy based on death and population data from 2016, per USA Today. The Aloha State has been consistent in the rankings as it has the second-lowest rate of obesity in the country. Hawaii is also low in smoking and has a substantial ratio of doctors and dentists to the patients. The rankings didn't include reports on the poverty level per state, but Mississippi has one of the biggest percentages of residents who live below the poverty line at 19.5 percent. Similarly, the other low-ranking states are also some of the poorest areas in the country, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Elizabeth Arias, who led the creation of the report, said that life expectancy in the U.S. is usually linked to the individual's socioeconomic status. She said that the poor and disadvantaged areas in the country also have higher cases of cancer, stroke, and heart diseases. On the other hand, Hawaii has only nine percent of residents living below the poverty line. Other factors impacting life expectancy include access to health care, lifestyle, and education. Dr. Susan Rogers of the Physicians for a National Health Program said that the report highlights the crucial aspect of Medicare coverage for every American. Life Expectancy Dips in COVID Meanwhile, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that general life expectancy among Americans fell in 2020 when the pandemic struck. The decline has been the largest since the Second World War, and it's even worse for the Black and Hispanic Americans' population. The CDC said that over 3.3 million died in 2021 due to COVID-19, the highest of any deaths in the history of the country. Sociologist Mark Hayward noted that this decline is catastrophic for the population. However, aside from COVID-19, drug overdose and homicides, especially among Black and Hispanic residents, have also led to the life expectancy decline in recent times. Related Article: Families Detail Health Issues, Seek Answers for Tap Water Contamination in Hawaii This service applies to you if your subscription has not yet expired on our old site. You will have continued access until your subscription expires; then you will need to purchase an ongoing subscription through our new system. Please contact the Parsons Sun office at (620) 421-2000 if you have any questions This service is a courtesy for our print subscribers to give them access to our online edition at no additional cost. If you haven't registered on the new site, you must do it now before you do anything else. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. The Abena Dokua Educational Foundation (ADEF), a non-profit organization has refurbished the Junior High School block of the Kyebi Basic School in the East Akim Municipal District of the Eastern Region. The renovation became necessary because, for some years now, the four-unit JHS block has not gone through any major renovation. This, through an appeal by the school authorities drew the attention of ADEF, which in turn made significant donations towards giving the school a facelift. It forms part of the 20th Anniversary celebrations of the passing of Madam Abena Dokua, whose foundation is embarking on a humanitarian exercise as a means of giving back to society in honor of her. Addressing the pupils and teachers at the premises of the school in a brief ceremony, President and Founder of ADEF, Kwaku Boateng said there is nothing as important as giving back to society than investing sustainably in the future of children through education. This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the passing of our beloved mother, Abena Dokua. So we decided to do a memorial celebration for her. As part of the memorial celebrations, we have among other things refurbished a four-classroom block for the Kyebi Presby JHS by changing all their blackboards into whiteboards. We also painted the classroom block and donated exercise books, teaching aides and other materials that the teachers will use to teach the students. So as part of the 20th Anniversary celebrations, the foundation made sure that it is not just a celebration but also an occasion that we can use to impact the lives of others, he added. He appealed to management of the school to take proper care of the renovated classroom block to extend its life span and enable it to serve its intended purpose. He also encouraged the pupils to study hard to enable them to achieve their dreams and become responsible citizens of the country in the future. The Foundation earlier this week also donated money in the sum of GHS 5,000 to the Mampong Childrens Home in the Ashanti Region. Further, it donated GHS 15,000 towards the construction of Kyebi Presbyterian Churchs Mission House all as part of the 20th Anniversary celebrations of the late Madam Abena Dokua. ADEF was established 10 years ago in honor of the late Madam Abena Dokua. Over the years, they have succeeded in helping numerous young individuals to realize their dreams and assisted various schools with aide. The goal of ADEF is to champion the quality of education through the provision of basic logistics and educational supplies for the needy in different parts of Ghana. For more information, visit their website at www.adefghana.org Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyeremanten has informed Parliament that over the last four years the government has facilitated the setting up of a total of 278 companies and projects across the 16 regions of the country. He explained that out of this number, 106 companies were currently in operation, 148 are under construction and 24 are at the mobilization stage. Mr Kyeremanten made the observation when he appeared before the House to respond to a question by Mr Murtala Mohammed Ibrahim, Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamale Central on the number of factories set up in the last four years under the One District One Factory (1D1F) programme and how much government spent for their establishment. Mr Kyeremanten also indicated that since the start of the 1D1F initiative the government has successfully mobilized loans for 1D1F companies from the Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) totaling GHC2.69 billion. He said this amount has been leveraged through the disbursement of an amount of GHC260.9 million by government as a subsidy to de-risk loans and support interest payment for beneficiary 1D1F companies and projects. Mr Kyeremanten also explained that the 1D1F initiative is private sector-led but facilitated by the government. He said the role of the government on the initiative includes payment of interest subsidy on loans granted to 1D1F companies and projects by Participating Financial Institutions granting of incentives such as Waiver of Import Duties on capital goods and raw materials and facilities of access to infrastructures such as electricity, water and roads. The trade minister also explained the 1D1F initiative does not only include facilitating the setting up of new companies but also facilitates the revamping and restructuring of existing companies He maintained that the interest of the government in introducing the programme is to be able to create jobs in the rural and peri-urban areas. It makes sense for us where there is evidence of companies that are already existing but require support for them to become competitive to be assisted rather than to leave those existing companies to die and insist on the private sector to set up new ones he added. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has launched the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project (GLSERP) with a call on the chiefs and people of the five northern regions, especially farmers, to own it and ensure its success. The $54.5 million GLSERP project seeks to mitigate the effects of climate change on the fragile ecosystem of the Northern Savannah Landscape as well as improve the shea value chain, especially for the hundreds of thousands of women engaged in the entire value chain. Performing the launch in Tamale on Friday, February 11, 2022, Vice President Bawumia said the Shea Landscape Project will be the second emission reductions programme to be implemented under the REDD+ process in Ghana, after the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+, and focuses on the northern landscapes which are currently undergoing rapid deforestation and degradation including the loss of valuable shea trees. The GSLERP, therefore, provides a unique opportunity to engage on a bigger scale in the Shea commodity and its by-products, which are important income-generating activities for over 600,000 women and has gained prominence as a preferred ingredient in the cosmetics and food processing industry globally, he added. Ghana is currently the fourth-largest producer of Shea in the world. I believe this project if successfully implemented will change this status with the planting of over 1.7 million shea trees over the 7-year project period. Government has since 2017, supported scientific research on the shea plant geared towards making the shea a reliable income-generating product. This work, undertaken by the COCOBOD, has led to important breakthroughs, including reducing the gestation period of the shea plant from over 20 years to an average of 3 years, the Vice President disclosed. It is against this background that the government committed in the 2022 budget statement to embark on projects and programme that will promote the cultivation of shea in the north, just as cocoa in the south, to transform the local economies of the shea region. The implementation of GSLERP is crucial. This is so because the project addresses about nine Sustainable Development Goals, including goals on; no poverty, zero hunger, gender equality, economic growth, climate action and life on land. This project will address at first-hand the financial constraints of shea farmers, ensure that gender equality prevails in shea-production systems, promote the business development of shea farming among natives, and cause a decreased deforestation and enhance fire management covering almost 500,000 hectares. It is estimated that the Ghana Shea Landscape Emission Reductions Project will achieve 6.1 million tonnes in emission reductions and removals over the first seven years of the projects lifetime and 25 million tonnes in emission reductions over 20 years. This can only be achieved when stakeholders fully commit to the project at every point in time through collective ownership Dr Bawumia stressed. I, therefore, call on all stakeholders and beneficiaries of the project in the 5 regions of the north to collaborate to achieve this and build ecosystem resilience. Government will continue to create a climate-responsive atmosphere through the right policy, technical and financial commitments. I also entreat everyone here to support this project and all other climate-related projects and programmes in our communities. Finally, I appeal to all farmers especially Shea smallholder farmers and local communities, to own this programme and contribute to its success. The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor, expressed Governments gratitude to the chiefs for banning the harvesting of wood and the burning of same into charcoal, saying it would go a long in the fight against climate change. His Ministry, he assured, would also continue with aggressive afforestation programmes. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghanaians have been urged to patronize and consume chocolate and cocoa products to promote socio-economic growth and the transformation of the country. Mr Henry Yeleduor, the Upper East Regional Director, Ghana Tourism Authority, said apart from the huge foreign exchange cocoa exports brought to the country, the consumption of made-in Ghana cocoa products such as chocolate would boost the growth of the local economy. This, he said, would lead to increased production, employment creation and reduction in poverty. Currently, cocoa is one of the major foreign exchange earners for Ghana, always competing with gold and once we consume, we are eating what we grow and that would bring money into the economy, those who farm it, those who retail and the general economy. Mr Yeleduor made the appeal at Jordan Mosque in Bolgatanga after chocolate and other cocoa products were distributed to the Muslim community in the area as part of the celebration of this years National Chocolate Week. The commemoration which is in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the Cocoa Board and the Cocoa Processing Company is on the theme, Eat chocolate, stay healthy, grow Ghana with its sub-theme as our chocolate, our health, our wealth. The Regional Director explained that the month of February was dubbed as the month of love and encouraged the citizenry to show love to their relatives and friends by buying chocolate and other cocoa products for them. He said apart from the fact that chocolate symbolically represented love, research had shown that chocolate had various health benefits and should be consumed regularly. We are told that cocoa-based products and chocolate boost our immune system, slow down aging, control Blood Pressure and other health conditions. So, we are telling the general public that this is what we have, Ghana-made cocoa and chocolate products and that let us consume what we have, he added. Mr Yeleduor appealed to the hospitality industry including the hotels, restaurants and other eating places to join the campaign to promote the consumption of cocoa-based products and chocolates for them to stay healthy and contribute to the growth of the economy. He revealed that the directorate had over the years celebrated the Chocolate Day with the vulnerable, donating chocolate and other cocoa-based products to the orphanages and hospitals among others but had decided to extend the campaign to include the general public. Chief Iman for the Jordan Mosque, Umar Abubakar, expressed gratitude to the Ghana Tourism Authority for the love extended to them and appealed to his congregants to patronize cocoa products to stay healthy and contribute to the growth of the local economy. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kasapreko Company Limited, producers of Awake Purified Drinking Water have donated a whopping sum of GH150,000 to the Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. The Kasapreko company, through its "One4Life" charity-driven project, had over the years provided hope and supported patients with heart conditions, especially children who could not pay for the surgery bills. Mrs Linda Amartei, Brands Manager at Kasapreko Company said the company since 2016, had donated GH75,000 quarterly to the Centre as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility. She said the recent presentation was for two quarters of 2021, emphasizing that an amount of GHC 1,000, 000 was raised from 2016 to 2019, urging Ghanaians to support them by patronizing the Awake Purified Drinking Water to save lives. Dr Lawrence Sereboe, the Executive Director, Cardiothoracic Centre, Korle-Bu Hospital who received the cheque disclosed that the support of the Kasapreko Company from 2016 to 2019 to the Centre has saved 53 lives through corrective surgery. Dr Sereboe said over 10,000 children were born with one form of a whole in heart condition every day, stressing that contributions from such corporate organisations like Kasapreko Company, under its Awake Purified Drinking Water life saving initiative has helped to conduct corrective surgery to save lives. He advised the public to avoid excessive drinking of alcohol, smoking, and conduct regular check-ups to know their blood pressures and cholesterol level and sugar level for prompt attention. Ghanaian Gospel Musician and reigning VGMA Artiste of the Year, Diana Hamilton who is also the Brand Ambassador for Awake Purified Drinking Water expressed excitement to partner with Kasapreko Company to undertake such an impactful initiative to put smiles on the faces of patients with heart conditions. She pledged her unflinching support to the project in ensuring that Ghanaians become healthy and contribute productively to the growth of the country. The "One4Life" campaign which is a life-saving initiative, sets aside 10p from the purchase of every 500ml of Awake Purified water to the National Cardiothoracic Centre. Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Alphabet unit Google (GOOGL.O) on Friday became the target of an antitrust complaint by the European Publishers Council over its digital advertising business, which could potentially strengthen EU antitrust chief Margrethe Vestager's investigation into the issue. Google made $147 billion in revenue from online ads in 2020, more than any other company in the world, with ads including search, YouTube and Gmail accounting for the bulk of its overall sales and profits. read more About 16% of its revenue came from the company's display or network business, in which other media companies use Google technology to sell ads on their website and apps. The European Commission opened an investigation in June into whether Google favours its own online display advertising technology services to the detriment of rivals, advertisers and online publishers. read more The publishers' trade body, whose members include Axel Springer (SPRGn.S), News UK, Conde Nast, Bonnier News and Editorial Prensa Iberica, took its grievance to the European Commission, alleging Google has an adtech stranglehold over press publishers. "It is high time for the European Commission to impose measures on Google that actually change, not just challenge, its behaviour," EPC Chairman Christian Van Thillo said in a statement. "Google has achieved end-to-end control of the ad tech value chain, boasting market shares as high as 90-100% in segments of the ad tech chain," he said. Vestager, who has fined Google more than 8 billion euros ($9.2 billion) in recent years for anti-competitive practices in three cases, last year launched the investigation into Google's digital advertising business. Google has said it would engage constructively with the Commission. Source: REUTERS Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Managing News Editor of the Daily Dispatch Newspaper, Ben Ephson has called on the leadership of the ruling New Patriotic Party to take a conclusive decision on the Member of Parliament for the Dome-Kwabenya constituency, Sarah Adwoa Safo. Speaking in an interview with Evans Mensah on Top Story on Thursday, the pollster indicated that, the continuous absence of Adwoa Safo in Parliament, poses a huge threat to the fortunes of the party. Mr. Ephson said the legislators posture should not be condoned, and therefore called for her replacement if her conduct persists. Clearly if the records there at Parliament show that she has absented herself without permission or health reasons, I think somebody should trigger that and the party should sack her for a by-election to be held. Its going to be very difficult for her to win as an independent candidate, unlike the situation in the Ashanti region. She won the NPP primaries by eight; single eight votes. Not eighty, eight votes. That is a relatively safe seat for the NPP. So she can decide that she dares the party. If theres proof of days without excuse of health reasons, they should ask her. And she can decide to go independent and be a second independent candidate. Theres no way shes going to win that seat as an independent candidate. Thats a relatively safe NPP seat, and she won the partys primaries by eight votes, against Mike Oquaye Jnr, Ben Ephson stated. He also added that, Well, I think Im sure she brought proof of some medical condition. But I think that she crossed the line of political decency and comradeship. I think the President should sack her and if she has not fulfilled the rules for being absent for these number of days, they should sack her; have a by-election and she can contest as independent and she come to Parliament and perhaps vote for NDC. So they should call her bluff and sack her from Parliament. Shes shown disrespect to the party that brought her to power. The comments by Ben Ephson follow reports that the Dome-Kwabenya MP is using her seat as a bargaining chip to frustrate government business. A livid New Juaben South MP, Michael Okyere Baafi, who made the allegation, said the leadership in Parliament is also evasive when it comes to her issues. All the problems government is facing are attributable to Adwoa Safo. Clearly, her intention and posture show that she wants to sabotage NPP, he said in an interview on Kumasi-based Hello FM on Thursday. He also revealed how they had to beg Miss Safo on countless times to come to Parliament due to their limited numbers. Knowing her critical role in getting government bills passed in Parliament, the New Juaben South MP said Adwoa Safo has decided to use that to frustrate the government. She said she will not come to Parliament if she is not given the Deputy Majority Leader position. All 136 NPP MPs are always in Parliament except Adwoa Safo. One person cannot hold the party to ransom, he added. Mr. Okyere Baafi therefore urged Adwoa Safo to relinquish her seat if she is no more interested in serving her nation. Member of Parliament for the Assin Central constituency, Kennedy Agyapong has also criticised Adwoa Safos behaviour and urged her to demonstrate more collaboration for the good of the party. According to him, the NPP should not allow certain individuals to grow into thin gods within the party. Meanwhile, the Majority in Parliament has said that the Electronic Transaction Levy (E-levy) will be approved with or without the presence of the Member of Parliament for Dome-Kwabenya, Adwoa Safo. According to the Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu, a number of bills have been passed into law without the Majority having its full numbers in the House. Its not cast in stone that without the presence of Adwoa Safo the e-levy will not be passed, he said. Mr iddrissu also rejected claims that the delay over the approval of the e-levy is due to the absence of the Dome Kwabenya MP from the Chamber. The Dome Kwabenya MP since the resumption of Parliament this year has failed to show up in the chamber. This has led to concerns that the NPP is unable to champion governments agenda because of the shortfall in their numbers. But the Deputy Majority Whip, Habib Iddrisu has denied that the absence of the Dome Kwabenya MP is negatively impacting on their numbers. In an interview with JoyNews on Thursday, he confirmed that the revised bill will reduce the levy from 1.75% to 1.50% and added that it will not be tabled before the House tomorrow due to the ongoing townhall meetings. The e-levy will definitely be approved because it is something that is very necessary for the development of this country. It is something that is very necessary so that government will be able to develop, he said. Source: myjoyonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Managing Editor of the Insight newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr has asked the ruling government to find practical ways of reducing the hardship Ghanaians are facing. Contributing to a panel discussion on Peace FM morning show 'Kokrokoo', Kwesi Pratt said: "talk of GDP, KWZ... but the majority of Ghanaians are used to the economics of former President Kufuor; he says all the calculations are in your pocket and if we look inside our pocket, the situation is very bad. For those of us who enjoy kenkey; within two months a ghc1.50 kenkey is now ghc3...so international conditions, global conditions, world economy, and so on (doesn't help)...we are even tired of hearing such jargon" Listen to him in the video below Source: Peacefmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The National Chairman of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced the formation of a legal team to assist all journalists and persons who feel intimated in their line of duty. Mr. Samuel Ofosu Ampofo made this announcement while speaking to journalists at the Greater Accra Regional Police command when he visited Accra FMs Nana Kwabena Bobie Ansah, host of the Citizen Show who was arrested for the alleged publication of false news last night Thursday, February 10, 2022. Our team of lawyers are at the disposal of all journalists as well as persons who feel intimidated by the government in the wake of the protest against the controversial E-levy, he said. As a party we have seen all sorts of machinations ongoing in the past 72-hours all in an attempt to intimidate the front runners in the agitation against the E-levy. This cannot actually intimidate us in the fight against E-levy, he added. Meanwhile, Kwabena Bobie Ansah has been whisked to the Kaneshie Circuit Court to face trial. The journalist was arrested in connection with an alleged case of publication of false news and offensive conduct. Bobie Ansah was arrested by security operatives Thursday night after he ended his show at about 10:00pm. He was picked up and taken to the Nima Police Station and later transferred to the striking force. He becomes the third journalist to be arrested in the past month. This follows Captain Smart of Onua TV who was also arrested for some utterances he had made on TV and is currently facing trial for alleged extortion, and Power FMs Oheneba Boamah Bennie, who is in jail for two weeks and fined GHS3,000 for contempt of court, in a case in which he allegedly made false claims against President Akufo-Addo and the justices of the Supreme Court in relation to the 2020 election petition Source: classfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Former Deputy Minister for Information under the erstwhile National Democratic Congress government, Felix Kwakye-Ofosu, has called out Second Lady of the State, Hajia Samira Bawumia following the arrest of Accra FM journalist, Bobie Ansah. Bobie Ansah was arrested and detained on Thursday night and according to the police, it had investigated claims by the journalist that the first and second ladies of Ghana had appropriated some state lands to themselves. The claims, following investigations were established as untrue. He was thus arraigned before the Kaneshie Magistrate Court on Friday on charges of publication of false news and offensive conduct. But reacting to the development in a Twitter, Kwakye-Ofosu accused the second lady of having double standards and being a hypocrite. Mr. Ofosu shared a 2016 publication by GhanaWeb, in which the second lady during a campaign event, tagged then President John Dramani Mahama as corrupt. The former deputy minister pointed out the similarity between the 2016 statement by the second lady and that made by the embattled journalist. In 2016, Samira Bawumia launched this senseless attack on Prez Mahama. She was neither arrested nor put on trial. Bobie Ansah is on trial for saying something about her, Kwakye-Ofosu tweeted. In a statement on Friday morning, the police said Bobie Ansah "on January 11, 2022, while hosting the Citizen Show on Accra FM, together with three others, allegedly made several statements against some individuals." According to the police, while its investigations into the said allegations made by Bobie Ansah and his guests established same to be false, several attempts to get the journalist and his guests to honour an invitation to assist in investigations failed, hence his arrest. A video of the January 11, 2022 show hosted by Bobie Ansah as sighted by GhanaWeb indicates the said allegations by the journalist and his guests were made against the first lady of the Republic, Mrs Rebecca Akufo-Addo. Bobie Ansah, during the show, accused the first lady of appropriating state lands to herself for the use of her private foundation. "Do you know that Rebecca Akufo-Addo and Samira have appropriated for themselves the aviation lands?" he questioned in a short video of the programme obtained by GhanaWeb. "As I speak to you today, there are Chinese nationals working on the aviation lands that were acquired by Kwame Nkrumah for the state for the expansion of the aviation sector for its growth. Rebecca Akufo-Addo has had the guts to apportion the state land to herself and is putting up a project in the name of her foundation an NGO," he added. While raving about the allegations, Bobie Ansah, who is known to be an ardent critic of President Akufo-Addo, further accused the first lady of joining the president in what he described as thievery and corruption. "I used to think it was Akufo-Addo and his family members alone who were doing evil to the nation, but the woman has also joined. Per documents I have received... the bad and evil she wants to do to the nation.. the thing is Rebecca is a thief," his rant was interrupted by one of the guests on the show who was prompting him to exercise restraint in his comment. While Bobie Ansah was being prompted by one of the guests, the remaining two of the three guests urged him on. The show then continued with the host showing a video of the supposed project site of the alleged Rebecca Foundation construction. Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has described the journalist's arrest as a confirmation of a growing criminalization of speech and journalism under the current government of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. According to Mr Mahama, he deems the situation under the current administration as appalling. The former president made this known in an open letter addressed to his successor on Friday, February 11, 2022, following the journalist's arrest. Meanwhile the journalist appearing before the Kaneshie Court on Friday was granted a GHC50,000 bail and has been asked to reappear on Monday, February 14, 2022. In 2016,Samira Bawumia launched this senseless attack on Prez Mahama.She was neither arrested nor put on trial.Bobie Ansah is on trial for saying something about her.https://t.co/gs42b3nNLV Felix Kwakye Ofosu (@FelixKwakyeOfo1) February 11, 2022 Source: ghanaweb.con Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Founder of Danquah Institute, Gabby Otchere-Darko has said that Ghanaians are unaware of the projects government is undertaking with taxpayers money to better their welfare. In a tweet on February 11, Mr. Otchere-Darko noted that government has not been transparent enough on how domestic revenue generated is spent in the country. According to him, citizens want to see greater transparency in how their taxes are spent. Greater evidence in seeing that, indeed, Government is cutting down spending and reducing waste. More transparency that our revenues are being managed better. We want to see our taxes working for us, he said. His comments come at a time when the Minority in Parliament and some members of the public have opposed the introduction of the Electronic Transaction Levy (e-Levy) by government. They have argued that the implementation of the levy will destroy several businesses that thrive on electronic transactions and worsen the plight of Ghanaians. The critics of the levy have also contended that government has not been able to account for taxes that are already being paid. Government, on the other hand, has said the e-levy will ensure that there is enough revenue to invest in entrepreneurship, youth employment, security, digital and road infrastructure. It has also considered reducing the rate from 1.75% to 1.5% But the Minority says it wants the government to withdraw the e-levy entirely. On Thursday, February 10, the Youth Wing of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) hit the streets of Accra to protest the passage of the E-levy Bill. The group was joined by aged citizens, head porters also known as Kayayei, Coalition of Concerned University Students (CoCUS) among others. Clad in black and red, they marched while holding placards with inscriptions such as Sika no w) he oo! ak)kora b)ne! and E-levy is a no brainer to economic recovery and we insist that Yentua! Meanwhile, government is leveraging town hall meetings to educate the populace on the need to support the implementation of the levy. Through the Information Ministry, government held the third meeting at Tamale in the Northern Region on Thursday. What Ghanaians want to see is greater transparency in how their taxes are spent. Greater evidence in seeing that, indeed, Government is cutting down spending and reducing waste. More transparency that our revenues are being managed better. We want to see our taxes working for us. Gabby Otchere-Darko (@GabbyDarko) February 11, 2022 Source: twitter/myjoyonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video One of the most prized items in the Billings Public Library's collection isn't a book it's a painting. Famed Montana artist C.M. Russell painted his work "Lone Warrior" in 1896 to pay off a $25 debt to Billings attorney Jack Hereford. It ended up in the Billings Library art collection in 1949 when Hereford's son Whitney sold it to the library for $750. (About $9,000 in current dollars). Similar Russell watercolors from the period have recently sold for as much as $200,000. Today, "Lone Warrior," along with six works by famous western artist Joseph Sharp, sit in a special protective vault at the Yellowstone Art Museum where they're seldom pulled out for display. Displaying the works is labor intensive and requires the involvement of the library's insurance agency. Still, the collection is something the library is eager to bring to the public. "It's the people's collection," said Joe Lanning, the media and reference librarian at the Billings Library. "We really want people to be able to see it." Lanning has spent hours searching records and archives at the library to find out why it has so much artwork valuable, culturally significant artwork in its collection. "Those are the pieces I'm trying to put together," he said. "Why is it here?" Some of it may have been a function of Billings' size and location in its early years, a relatively small city with no art museum, far from other urban centers in the West. It was also trendy; many public libraries in the first half of the 20th century regularly procured and displayed art, Lanning said. Looking for answers, Lanning discovered while searching the archives that the library's Sharp paintings were the result of a direct connection Sharp had to the library. Sharp lived in Crow Agency in the early 1900s after Theodore Roosevelt commissioned him to paint the portraits of 200 Crow warriors who fought in the Battle of Little Big Horn. To do it, Sharp wanted to build a small cabin in Crow Agency where he could work and live, and so he sought help from Samuel Reynolds, the U.S. Indian Commission agent in the area. Reynolds lived in Billings and his wife, Carrie Brown Reynolds, was a member of the Parmly Billings Library board. The Reynoldses became good friends with Sharp and using that connection, would put on exhibits of his work at the library, Lanning said. That friendship led to Sharp gifting the library his revered painting of the Little Big Horn battlefield, Lanning said. Decades later, Carrie Reynolds would donate her entire collection of Sharps to the library. It was also Carrie Reynolds who helped facilitate the sale of Russell's "Lone Warrior" to the library. Whitney Hereford had left Montana and was living in Oregon by the 1940s, and Reynolds helped put him in contact with the library. She was instrumental and clearly motivated to see the library build its collection, Lanning said. In 1922 the library purchased nine photographs from celebrated Miles City photographer L.A. Huffman; eight of the prints are still in the library's possession. Huffman moved to Miles City in 1879 to work as the post photographer at the Army's Fort Keogh. His photography would capture the quickly evolving landscapes of Eastern Montana between 1880 and 1900, the area's great herds of buffalo were killed off, the railroad came in and ranchers organized the prairie, establishing ranches, introducing cattle and building miles of fencing. Through most of the 20th century the library regularly displayed artwork, first at its original Montana Avenue location when it was the Parmly Billings Library (which now houses the Western Heritage Center) and then in its location on Broadway when the library moved into the old Billings Hardware warehouse. The new library, built a decade ago, was designed to be a modern space, conducive to various forms of media, technology and community gathering. The trouble, Lanning said, was that it wasn't designed to showcase historically and culturally significant artwork the building is filled with UV light and other environmental factors damaging to artwork. And so the library is eager to find other ways to showcase the art. Lanning has applied for a grant from the Montana Memory Project to help him digitize the library's art collection in high resolution and place it online where anyone can access it. Taking the idea further, Lanning and Courtney Lujan, an assistant cataloger for the library, have planned a new program to showcase contemporary artists from the region. Called ART X BPL, or Art By the Billings Public Library, the program will bring in local artists to demonstrate their craft and showcase their work. Already lined up for this spring are artist Harry Koyama and Tyler Murphy, owner of Montana Gallery. Murphy will be there on March 31; Koyama is still finalizing his date. "This is a beautiful, free public space that's just yearning to be utilized," Lanning said. "The library is a cultural beacon for the city." Love 7 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The editor-in-chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has described the arrest of broadcaster Kwabena Bobie Ansah as misguided. He said this is a wrong approach to address the alleged false publication leveled against him. According to the maverick journalist, the aggrieved persons can proceed to the court to cure any mischief and malice. In a Facebook post, the veteran journalist said the arrest of the broadcaster is unsustainable. The states action or reaction is unsustainable and wrong-headed in the context of this particular case. Let those whose integrity and reputation might have been damaged by the commission and omission of the journalist, proceed on the civil libel wavelength to cure the mischief and malice, Kweku Baako said. The polices charge sheet noted that the broadcaster on January 1, 2022, accused the First Lady, Mrs. Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and wife of the Vice President, Samira Bawumia of fraudulently granting themselves state lands at AU Village, around the Kotoka International Airport for the construction of [the] Rebecca Foundation, a non-governmental project. The charges sheet added that the polices subsequent investigations into the alleged publication revealed that the accusations by Bobie Ansah were false. According to the Police, the accused person failed to honour several invitations from the police to assist with investigations. Bobie Ansah was picked up at the entrance of Class Media Group on Thursday night just after he had ended his how, The Citizen Show. But Kweku Baako believes the police investigations into the matter are uncalled for. No need for criminal investigation or prosecution. Unless of course, theres evidence of fraud, extortion and criminality! No journalist(s) and/or media practitioner(s) or media house(s) has/have immunity/indemnity if and when it comes to issues of extortion, fraud and criminality, the Facebook post added. Meanwhile, the Kaneshie District Court has granted the presenter a GH50,000 bail with two sureties. He has been charged with the publication of false news and offensive conduct after he was picked up by the Police on Thursday night. Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Ghanaian actress Emelia Brobbey has called on the government to work towards reducing petroleum prices in the country as the frequent rise in petrol prices is affecting businesses. Emelia who owns a water producing company said the petrol prices is having a toll on her water business. Speaking on Accra FM on Thursday, 10 November 2022, Ms Brobbey said Ghana is tough, petrol prices have increased over 10 times and it has affected my water production business. The workers dont really care about the hike in petrol prices and that means as the business owner, Ive to re-invest my interest into the business. The petrol increment is just too much. Ill call on the government to do something about the frequent hike in fuel prices. They say dumsor is over but in Kumasi, one of my pure water machines broke down and I had to spend about GHS7000 instantly because of the power fluctuations so they must also take a look at the electricity situation in Kumasi, she added. Earlier this week, the Chief Executive of the Association of Oil Marketing Companies, Kwaku Agyeman Duah noted that if the current trend on the world market, among other things remain the same, then consumers will be buying a litre of fuel for GHS8 in March. Emelias latest work is Heroes of Africa which premieres on 13 February 2022 at the Under-Bridge Event Centre, East Legon, Accra. Emelia who is also a musician, is currently also promoting her single titled 'Emilia' produced by Kuami Eugene. Source: classfmonline.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The RCMP logo is seen outside Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division Headquarters, in Surrey, B.C., on Friday April 13, 2018. Police say they are investigating after a man was found dead at a north Nanaimo business on Feb. 12, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck Logansport, IN (46947) Today Rain with thunderstorms by evening. High 68F. SE winds shifting to WSW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%.. Tonight Rain showers early with overcast skies late. Low around 45F. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Montana has faced many health care challenges existing long before the pandemic, and historically indigenous and rural communities bore the brunt of those health inequities. Montana State University is rolling out a unique program to help identify and understand the health needs for rural and Indigenous Montanans. A new Doctor of Philosophy in Indigenous and Rural Health program aims to address the health needs in these communities, as identified by the students in the program, according to program director Dr. Vanessa Simonds. We want students to do real, practical research that pertains to their communities, Simonds said. (The program will) strengthen research in indigenous and rural health." The program is unique in that it was built with resources and expertise that were already available on campus, resulting in a multidisciplinary model. Faculty members from the College of Agriculture, the Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing, Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the College of Letters and Science will all be teaching courses and advising students. During program development, Simonds and her colleagues brought in members from the community to help design the coursework, again making the program distinctive from others in the country. The program was designed for people like them, so we talked about their needs, Simonds said, adding that a remote learning option was key to serving those in indigenous and rural communities. The remote track allows students to keep their jobs and stay entrenched in the communities that will eventually benefit from the findings. It makes the work more meaningful to the students, Simonds said. Building a sense of community for both in-person and remote students was also at the forefront of development. Postgraduate programs are often known as high stress environments that can be very isolating. Simonds wants to avoid that as much as possible in the new program. Recent doctoral graduates were interviewed during the design process to assess their needs during postgraduate work. As a result, a cultural of wellness plan was developed. We want to prioritize community and create an environment where faculty and students can support each other, Simonds said. Rose Bear Dont Walk plans to submit her application for the remote program by the end of February. The remote option is meaningful to Bear Dont Walk not only because she recently moved to North Carolina, but because it aligns with cultural ideas of wellness within indigenous communities. The core of indigenous ideas of wellness focus on connectivity, Bear Dont Walk said. Were connected with the land, culture, language, family, friends and relationships, Bear Dont Walk said. Bear Dont Walk got her masters of science at University of Montana where her research focused on indigenous concepts of what it means to be healthy. Indigenous practices have a preventative focus and a whole body focus when it comes to health, which differs significantly from western medicine. The opportunity to address health care delivery issues through an indigenous lens will open the door to improving health outcomes and longevity in indigenous communities. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Michael Coard, Esq. can be followed on Twitter, Instagram, and his YouTube channel as well as at AvengingTheAncestors.com. His Radio Courtroom show can be heard on WURD 96.1 FM or 900 AM. And his TV Courtroom show can be seen on PhillyCAM/Verizon Fios/Comcast. The views expressed in this column are not necessarily those of The Philadelphia Tribune Thank you for reading the Philadelphia Tribune. You have exhausted your free article views for this month. Please press the "subscribe" button below and see our introductory price of $0.10 per week for 10 weeks. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you next month. Vermillion, SD (57069) Today A few clouds early, otherwise mostly sunny. High 61F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 39F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. A Circuit Court judge has denied an appeal involving the mayoral election in Wagener last November. But Courtney Clyburn Pope wrote in her order that Travis Kennedy, who filed the protest, may seek relief through other avenues. One option would be to ask the Circuit Court for a declaratory judgment, according to Pope. We dont know yet, said Robert Thuss, Kennedys attorney, when asked Friday morning what he and his client would do. She (Pope) left the door open. She says it should be a declaratory judgment, but I havent talked with Travis. There are a couple of routes (we could take). Right now, I dont have anything to say about it. Pope heard the appeal virtually, via Webex, in the South Carolina Second Judicial Circuits Court of Common Pleas on Feb. 1. Pope signed her order electronically Wednesday, and it was filed electronically Thursday. Incumbent Mike Miller won the Wagener election with 68 votes. There were 61 votes for Kennedy and 34 for Christopher Nathan Salley. In addition, one write-in vote was received. Soon after the election, Kennedy filed a protest, claiming that Salley was not eligible to run for mayor because he didnt live in Wagener. Kennedy wanted the election results to be overturned and a new election to be held without Salley as a candidate. The Aiken County Board of Voter Registration and Elections subsequently met to consider the protest. Following a hearing and after going into executive session to get advice from legal counsel, the board voted unanimously to deny Kennedys challenge. Board Chairman Andrew Marine gave several reasons for the decision. Basically, there was no formal withdrawal of the candidate (Salley) of his candidacy, and there was no formal protest filed by anybody (prior to the election) as to his residency, Marine said. Also, Marine continued, there was no proof presented that any voters who supported Salley would have chosen Kennedy if Salley had been declared ineligible or would select Kennedy if they were given another opportunity to vote for mayor. In addition, Marine said, it would be up to a court to determine if Salley is legally a Wagener resident. Specifically, according to Marine, it would be a Circuit Court issue. Thuss, on behalf of Kennedy, then filed an appeal in the Second Judicial Districts Court of Common Pleas. In her order denying Kennedys appeal, Pope referred to South Carolina law and other court cases in explaining her decision. County boards and election commissions are granted the authority to determine the legal qualification of all applicants for registration (emphasis added), Pope wrote. The Legislature also has granted citizens of South Carolina the ability to challenge the residence of an elector. However, this appeal seeks to establish the qualifications of a candidate for municipal election not an elector. According to Popes order, the Aiken County Voter Registration and Elections Board never had any authority to determine Christopher Salleys qualifications at any point. Therefore, because the Board did not have that authority, this matter is not, at present, properly before this Court on appeal. Aiken County Attorney Brad Farrar represented the Board of Registration and Elections when Kennedys appeal was heard. The court affirmed that the boards decision was appropriate given its jurisdictional limitation in terms of reviewing a candidates residence, said Farrar on Friday. Were not jumping up and down (celebrating the decision). We just responded to the appeal. We understand his (Kennedys) concerns. Its just that our board was not the one to rule on his particular claims. Kennedy is an employee of Aiken County's Emergency Medical Services Department. S.C. Attorney General Alan Wilson's office published a legal opinion Feb. 11 stating that physicians across the state have the authority to prescribe "off label" drugs to treat COVID-19. State Sen. Shane Martin, R-Pauline, and Rep. Bill Taylor, R-Aiken, had specifically asked Wilson's office if doctors can prescribe Ivermectin or hydroxychloroquine or other off-label drugs to treat coronavirus, expressing concern that hospitals in South Carolina were refusing to let them do so. "We advise that there are no easy answers to any of these questions. Each is fact-specific," Wilson's office wrote in response to the lawmakers. "Moreover, we generally do not advise with respect to questions concerning federal law. However, we note that the physician-patient relationship is given constitutional dimension by the courts and broad if not absolute deference in a doctor's prescribing medications to his or her patient, whether such prescriptions relate to off-label use or not." "Off label" prescriptions generally describe the use of FDA-approved medications to treat symptoms or diseases for which they were not originally intended. Botox, for example, was originally approved more than 30 years ago to treat a muscular eye disorder. Today, it is commonly prescribed by dermatologists for cosmetic purposes. The use of "off label" prescriptions is both "legal and common," according to the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. "In fact, one in five prescriptions written today are for off-label use," the agency's website explains. Most of these "off label" uses aren't consider controversial. That hasn't been the case when it comes to treating COVID. Ivermectin is already approved by the FDA to treat some parasitic infections in humans, though it is more commonly used to treat horses, cattle and other farm animals. Hydroxychloroquine is FDA-approved to treat malaria caused by mosquito bites. Neither drug has been proven effective in treating coronavirus and the World Health Organization advises that Ivermectin, specifically, should only be used to treat COVID in the context of a clinical trial. Numerous medical groups, including the American Medical Association and the American Pharmacists Association and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, have issued similar statements since the start of the pandemic. The AMA last year urged "physicians, pharmacists, and other prescribers ... to warn patients against the use of ivermectin outside of FDA-approved indications and guidance, whether intended for use in humans or animals, as well as purchasing ivermectin from online stores. Veterinary forms of this medication are highly concentrated for large animals and pose a significant toxicity risk for humans." Even so, Wilson's office said South Carolina law allows physicians to prescribe the drugs to their COVID-positive patients, contingent on the patient's consent. "The opinion says it is beyond the (attorney general) offices expertise to comment on whether 'off-label' medications are appropriate for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19 specifically," a statement issued by Wilson's office explained. The opinion goes on to state that South Carolina "law strongly protects the medical judgment of the physician in this circumstance. It is clear that an attending physician possesses especially broad discretion to prescribe what he or she deems the appropriate medication in a given situation. The statement issued by Wilson's office pointed out that the S.C. General Assembly passed a joint resolution last year granting "limited immunity to physicians who prescribe off-label drugs for COVID-19." Data related to COVID-19 cases and deaths in South Carolina are typically released by the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control every weekday. Due to "issues with the receipt of data charts into our system," DHEC explained the numbers on Feb. 11 were to be delayed. Moncks Corner, SC (29461) Today Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Critical race theory is not currently taught in Wyoming classrooms, and one lawmaker is seeking to make sure it stays that way. Casper Rep. Chuck Gray filed a bill Friday that explicitly seeks to block critical race theory from being taught in Wyoming classrooms. Broadly, the "Ban on teaching and training critical race theory" prohibits preschool through 12th grade students from "instruction that presents any form of blame or judgement on the basis of race ethnicity, sex, color or national origin." More specifically, teachers are also not allowed to teach students that a person, because of their "sex, race, ethnicity, religion, color or national origin," is inherently responsible for actions committed in the past by other members of the same "sex, race, ethnicity, religion color or national origin," nor are they allowed to teach students that the U.S. is "fundamentally or systemically racist or sexist." Former President Donald Trump used similar language in a 2020 executive order, in which the Trump administration banned federal contractors from teaching that "the United States is fundamentally racist or sexist." Its pivotal that we ban critical race theory in Wyoming," Gray said. "Critical race theory is inconsistent with our values and we need to ban it in Wyoming." Gray also told the Star-Tribune that he spoke to educators about the topic. An official with the Wyoming Education Association, which represents the state's public school teachers, expressed concern over the bill. It is definitely a substantial concern that it seems like, again, political expediency around inflammatory rhetoric and not data driveneducation policy," said Tate Mullen, the group's director of government relations. Critical race theory is an academic framework for examining how racism is embedded in U.S. institutions and society. As the bill title implies, the draft also moves to prohibit state, town, and county agencies from requiring employees to undergo training on the same topics that are prohibited in the teaching section of the bill. This legislation would also give those that are taught or trained in a way that violates this law the power to sue over the matter. Teachers, administrators, school districts or state agencies can be fined $5,000 per violation. At least 35 states have introduced anti-critical race theory legislation so far, according to ABC News. This is the second bill to be filed for the upcoming budget session that is related to critical race theory. Sen. Ogden Driskill, R-Devil's Tower, and the Senate President Dan Dockstader, R-Afton, filed a bill earlier this week that requires school districts to create an online directory listing all teaching materials and curriculum used in each school by grade-level and subject. This bill never uses the phrase critical race theory, and Driskill maintains that it does not have to do with that fraught topic. But the former Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow linked the bill to critical race theory at the press conference held on the legislation in the fall. Nationwide, weve seen K-12 school board meetings engulfed in hostile debate about critical race theory in classrooms, Balow said. It is time that we take a stand and action in Wyoming to address this very topic. Balow has since resigned her post to take on the same job in Virginia in Gov. Glenn Youngkins cabinet, a politician whose campaign was heavily focused opposition to critical race theory. These two measures will be presented to lawmakers at the upcoming budget session, at which point both bill drafts will need to clear a two-thirds vote to be introduced. Only bills related to the budgets and redistricting do not have to clear the supermajority vote. Read Gray's full bill here. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 The only budget motel in the heart of downtown Charleston's tourist district has changed hands for a hefty sum to a buyer affiliated with a household name who's one of the wealthiest individuals in the world. The now-closed Days Inn at 155 Meeting St. fetched $40.5 million in a sale to Pinnacle Mountain Holdings, according to county property records. The buyer shares the same Kirkland, Wash., address as Cascade Investment, which was set up years ago to manage the personal fortune of Microsoft Corp. co-founder Bill Gates and that just happens to own a controlling stake in a top luxury hotel chain. Given its location, just down the street from the historic City Market and within walking distance to many of downtown's main tourist draws, the motel site is ripe for redevelopment. But the new owner has not disclosed plans for the property. Pinnacle Mountain formally declined to comment through a spokesperson this week. Both the city and the state's tourism department said they weren't aware of any formal plans for the property. But others familiar with Charleston's hot hospitality real estate market have speculated a high-end hotel could be in the works. Cascade made news in the tourism world last fall when Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts said the Gates-controlled investment fund was significantly increasing its ownership in the luxury lodging chain to more than 71 percent from 47.5 percent. Four Seasons was one of the high-end brands cited in a marketing brochure for Charleston Place last year as one of the luxury flags that was a potential buyer when the peninsula's largest hotel just a short walk up the street from the former Days Inn went on the market. It was later sold to a company led by local billionaire Ben Navarro. As for Gates, his net worth has been estimated at about $130 billion, making him the fourth-richest person in the world. Cascade, which was incorporated in 1995 in Washington state, has over the years invested his money "in farmland, hotels, stocks, bonds, even a bowling alley," according to a May 2021 article about the firm in The New York Times. Pinnacle Mountain's recently acquired site is at the corner of Horlbeck Alley, next to the Meeting Street Inn and across from a group of office buildings that house banks, law firms and other businesses. The Days Inn by Wyndham closed in late 2021, shortly after the sale. The previous owner, M&M Hotel Investments LLC, had owned it since 2003, when it paid $12.6 million to buy it. The property includes a restaurant thats leased to Toast All Day, a breakfast and brunch spot owned by Charleston Hospitality Group. CEO Sam Mustafa said this week he's renting the space on a month-to-month basis and hopes to stay. He said the Meeting Street restaurant does great numbers and that the plan is to keep Toast there as long as they allow us. As a Days Inn, the property was a rare budget accommodations option in the heart of Charlestons tourist district thats predominantly populated by pricey luxury and boutique-style hotels. Last year, amid a greater need for housing during the COVID-19 pandemic, the city of Charleston reached a $200,000 deal to use federal funding so people without homes could stay at the hotel as they transitioned to rental housing. At the time, the city praised its convenient location the same feature rated highest by most online reviews for the Days Inn before it closed. The first hotel at 155 Meeting opened in 1968 as the Golden Eagle Motor Inn, which Days Inn acquired in 1983, according to news archives. Previously, a gas station operated on the property, according to a remediation plan filed with the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Under a voluntary agreement with the state agency, Pinnacle would evaluate conditions at the site and remove any contaminants it finds, the notice said. One of the Port of Charleston's biggest ocean carriers is expanding its cargo-moving subsidiary in Mount Pleasant and relocating an office from the Northeast to the East Cooper site. MSC USA, the U.S.-based shipping arm of Mediterranean Shipping Co., said it will spend $13.7 million to add 25,000 square feet of space to its current 45,000-square-foot office complex at 700 Watermark Blvd., near Interstate 526 and Bowman Road. The expansion and relocation will add 135 jobs, bringing the site's workforce to 500. The expansion is scheduled for completion in 2023. The jobs that are being moved to South Carolina are now in a New York City office that will remain open. "Our Mount Pleasant branch, like many other MSC USA branches in the United States, is set to grow exponentially," CEO Fabio Santucci said in a written statement. The amount of containerized cargo at Charleston's port has increased by nearly 15 percent this fiscal year, largely due to a glut of imports as consumers started buying more goods and fewer services during the pandemic. Loaded import containers are up by 24 percent. Mediterranean Shipping is second to its shipping alliance partner Maersk Line in terms of financial importance to the South Carolina waterfront, accounting for 13 percent of the State Ports Authority's revenues in fiscal 2021, or roughly $40.6 million. The Geneva, Switzerland-based company's vessels are used on a dozen of the port's 32 regular container services. "MSC is a longtime partner of ours in facilitating international trade," said Jim Newsome, the SPA's president and CEO. MSC USA opened its current Mount Pleasant office around 2008, after relocating within the town, to oversee its South Atlantic operations in Charleston, Savannah and Jacksonville, Fla. At the time, the nation was in the depths of the Great Recession and the port had seen a decline in cargo, with Maersk threatening to pull out of the market altogether. "It will be very nice to offer jobs to local people in this situation when the economy is so bad," a company executive told The Post and Courier at the time. He said MSC doesn't worry about expanding during tough times because, "We run on a very tight budget." The turnaround for the local maritime industry since then has been dramatic, and the company's "economic impact on our community is profound," said Teddie Pryor, chairman of Charleston County Council. The expansion will be eligible for state tax credits from the S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development that the company can claim if it meets specific hiring thresholds. The agency also approved a $1.2 million grant to Charleston County to help pay for sitework and construction costs. Founded in 1970, privately held MSC has 524 offices across 155 countries with more than 100,000 employees worldwide. The carrier's U.S. division opened in 1985 and has access to an integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources that stretch across the globe. The shipping line sails on more than 230 routes, calling at more than 500 ports. A new apartment development is in the works for West Ashley. Whitfield Construction Co. plans to build 296 multifamily units called The Exchange at West Ashley Circle on part of a 45-acre site near Bees Ferry Road and Glenn McConnell Parkway. The property sits on the northeast corner of West Ashley Circle near Church Creek, where nearby residents have expressed concerns about flooding in recent years. The proposed development's site plans show 18.5 acres of high ground after accounting for wetlands preservation and utilities. The project proposes about 40,000 square feet for restaurant and retail space along Bees Ferry while the apartments would be built just off West Ashley Circle. The acreage closest to Church Creek would be preserved as wetlands. Changing hands Four Walgreens pharmacy sites in South Carolina are now under new ownership. Covestre Capital LLC, a Delaware company, bought the drug store operations in Bamberg, Beaufort, Chapin and Williston for $6.06 million from C3 Investments Inc., according to Jack Owens and Will Sherrod of the commercial real estate firm NAI Charleston, which handled the transaction for the seller. Sign up for our real estate newsletter! Get the best of the Post and Courier's Real Estate news, handpicked and delivered to your inbox each Saturday. Email Sign Up! Eric Wasserman with Acropolis Commercial Advisors LLC represented the buyer. "The rural markets in the Carolinas and Georgia continue to perform well, and this portfolio sale, at asking price, shows the investment interest from groups outside of the Southeast," Sherrod said. On the move Commercial real estate giant JLL is the latest tenant to announce it is moving into a Charleston office building now under construction. The global firm's local outpost will occupy 4,642 square feet on the seventh floor of the nearly 150,000-square-foot Morrison Yard building being built at 850 Morrison Drive at the base of the Ravenel Bridge on the peninsula. The firm said it needs more space because of its growth in the Charleston market, including the recent addition of lines of business for property management and capital markets. Chicago-based JLL set up shop in the Charleston market in 2014, when it went by Jones Lang LaSalle. The 12-story structure, with 10,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, is set to be completed in July. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 83F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy skies early will become partly cloudy late. Low 69F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. For the past four decades, February in Charleston has become synonymous with wildlife art, outdoor demonstrations and the first big influx of visitors of the year. The Southeastern Wildlife Exposition, an annual weekend that celebrates art and conservation, turns 40 this year. What started with several thousand attendees in 1983 quickly ballooned into a major destination attraction that now draws tens of thousands to the city each winter. The 2022 edition kicks off Feb. 17. Our event, in my view, has grown to what it is because Charleston has grown to what it is, said Jimmy Huggins, the president and CEO of SEWE whos been involved with every show since its debut. The outdoors extravaganza traces its origins back to three Columbia men who wanted to recreate a Southeast version of Maryland's now 50-year-old Waterfowl Festival. They looked at several cities, including Columbia, Savannah and Charlotte. "Thankfully, they chose Charleston," Huggins said. The organizers were all affiliated with Ducks Unlimited, an international nonprofit focused on wetlands and waterfowl conservation. Back then, they were known as the duck people, Huggins said. DU is still a collaborator it has been all 40 years but the event now counts dozens of other organizations and corporations as partners. SEWE Then The first Southeastern Wildlife Exposition was held in 1983. During that first year: About 5,000 people attended people attended There were 100 artists and exhibitors. artists and exhibitors. The Francis Marion Hotel was the anchor venue. was the anchor venue. Admission cost $3 for one day or $7.50 for a three-day pass. Source: Southeastern Wildlife Exposition Over the years, SEWE has become a giant in the world of wildlife art. There are just a few shows left like it in the U.S., and the next largest is maybe a quarter of SEWE's size, Huggins said. Our event became the event for these artists across the country and really across the world, Huggins said. The first SEWE featured about 100 artists and exhibitors, and a crowd of about 5,000 people attended, according to the organization's figures. General admission tickets were advertised in The Post and Courier that year as $3 for one day or $7.50 for a three-day pass. This year, about 40,000 attendees are expected to descend on the peninsula for a weekend featuring 100 artists and 300 exhibitors, generating an economic impact of about $50 million, according to organizers. SEWE grew exponentially in its early years, overtaking the other wildlife art events that the founders had sought to replicate. Attendance has been about at its capacity of 40,000 eight times the size of that first event for most of its 40-year run, Huggins said, give or take some depending on the weather. "I don't know if they thought it was going to go over as big as it did, but, boy it took off," SEWE artist Art LaMay said of those early years. Like SEWE itself, LaMay hasn't missed a February in Charleston since the event began, except for 2021 when it was called off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. LaMay is one of three artists who showcased their works during the inaugural weekend and will be on hand this year, too. LaMay, a watercolorist who was SEWE's featured artist in 1986, said he's seen many changes over the years in both the event itself and in its host city. "Charleston had the room for expansion," LaMay said. "So, they expanded it. Everybody wanted to come to downtown Charleston." From the start, SEWE was planned to coincide with the winter lull in Charlestons tourism season and help lure an influx of visitors to the peninsula to fill hotel rooms, book up restaurants and visit attractions. Forty years later, its still the first big event on the calendar each year. The historic Francis Marion served as the first anchor venue, hosting the shows fine art gallery for the first several years. On display at the King Street hotel that first year were "original paintings priced at more than $500, an outstanding exhibit of carvings and sculpture" and a "complete collection of federal duck stamp prints," according to a Post and Courier report at the time. While Charleston Place has been a key SEWE venue for most of the event's history, it wasnt around in 1983. The transformative downtown hotel project was in the works at the time but wouldnt be completed and opened until November 1986. The property hosted its first SEWE fine art gallery just a few months after, in February 1987. Charleston Place was key to taking the event to the next level, said Helen Hill, CEO of Explore Charleston, the region's primary tourism marketing organization. It gave the city a "centralized hub" for the event and added a "world-class hotel experience" for visitors, she added. John Powell, SEWE's executive director, agreed that the addition of Charleston Place was one of the major turning points. Another, he said, was making SEWE a nonprofit. The move opened up opportunities to secure local accommodations tax funding and more corporate partnerships. This year, SEWE has about 50 corporate partners, Powell said. Another key turning point happened earlier in the event's run, after Hurricane Hugo hit the South Carolina coast in September 1989. Huggins said damage from the powerful storm necessitated some venue changes and also got organizers to focus on fewer locations downtown. SEWE also helped the tourism industry begin its recovery from Hugo, as it was the first big opportunity to invite visitors back to Charleston, Hill of Explore Charleston said. The event was a show of resiliency then, Hill said, in a similar way that it is now, after two years of a pandemic that dealt a major financial blow to the region's hospitality business. Powell, the executive director, noted that SEWE is always something of a reunion for friends, for business relationships, for artists, for loyal buyers but after a year without an event, that's even truer this time around. Kingstree, SC (29556) Today Partly cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 89F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low near 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Hemingway police officer Cassandra Dollard, accused of shooting and killing an unarmed motorist, has been fired, the Williamsburg County's town administrator said Feb. 11. Dollard was fired two days after she was arrested and charged with voluntary manslaughter after Robert Langley was fatally shot at the end of a high-speed car chase Feb. 6. Dollard's firing leaves Hemingway, a town of roughly 500 residents, with two active officers including one who started the day after the shooting. The chase started when Langley rolled through a stop sign in Hemingway in the early morning hours of Feb. 6. He raced off at speeds of up to 100 mph on S.C. 261 while disregarding traffic signals and failing to stop for the officer. Eight miles outside of Hemingway, Langley drove into a ditch at the intersection of Schoolhouse and Choppee roads in Georgetown County. Langley, a 46-year-old father of 10, was not armed when he was shot in the chest while leaving the car, according to Dollard's arrest warrant. Dollard was freed from the Georgetown County detention center Feb. 10 soon after a judge set her bond at $150,000. If convicted on the voluntary manslaughter charge, she faces up to 30 years in prison. This marks the third time Dollard has been fired by a police department during a career spanning close to 30 years. Dollard was fired in 2014 from the State Transport Police, which oversees enforcement of commercial motor vehicles, after 8 years for unspecified violations of rules, conduct unbecoming a state employee and negligence, according to state records. She also was fired from the Johnsonville Police Department after eight years in 2002 for "poor performance," records show. Dollard started with the Hemingway Police Department less than five months ago, according to state records. She has also worked for the St. Stephen and Lake City police departments and the Williamsburg County Detention Center. Hemingway Police Chief Alex Edwards declined to comment on why Dollard was hired despite being fired from two other departments. Asked if Dollard had any issues while on the job in Hemingway, Edwards said the department was conducting an internal review. Dollards arrest warrant said she did not have jurisdiction to arrest anyone outside of Williamsburg County. Hemingway is on the edge of Williamsburg, Florence and Georgetown counties, and it is not uncommon for the police to occasionally enter those jurisdictions, officials said. It all depends on the investigative purposes, Edwards said. Since I've been chief, I have investigated cases here and I have gone to other jurisdictions to investigate cases. Edwards and Town Administrator William Freeman referred further questions to the State Law Enforcement Division, which investigates all police shootings in South Carolina. The Hemingway Police Department is down to two active officers Edwards and one other officer who started on Feb. 7. The town has one other officer who is completing training. The department is considered fully staffed with the chief and four officers. The public is not going to see us as much until we can reassess with Administrator Freeman, said Edwards, who has been on the job in Hemingway for seven months. As far as what we're going to do moving forward, were in conjunction with the (Williamsburg County) Sheriff's Office. Deputies have helped provide enforcement in Hemingway since late May because of the town's short staffing, Williamsburg County Sheriff Stephen Gardner said. That coverage will continue with Dollard's firing, he added. Freeman said he appreciated the assistance from the sheriff: "They've helped us before, they're helping us now." SUMMERVILLE More guns were determined to be stolen by a former evidence technician from the Summerville Police Department than originally reported, but no other items were found missing in audits of the department's evidence room, according to the police chief. Summerville Police Chief Doug Wright said at a news conference on Feb. 11 that two internal audits, as well as an independent audit by the State Law Enforcement Division, revealed no additional items were missing from the evidence room. He said the department has implemented reforms to better protect evidence, including installing new leadership to oversee the evidence room. Wade Rollings, a former Summerville crime-scene technician, was accused of stealing at least four guns last year, but Wright said at the news conference the total number of guns stolen was determined to be seven. "I think we've gone above and beyond to show that we're going to hold our people accountable," Wright said. "And we're going to make sure that it [the evidence room] is the most secure place in this entire building." The Summerville Police Department spent most of the past year auditing its evidence room after Rollings was accused of stealing almost $7,500 in cash from the department in December 2020. The audit began soon after and continued until July, when investigators determined several guns were missing. An internal investigation revealed that Rollings had sold 11 firearms to a pawn shop on Dec. 14, 2020, two days after he was arrested in the money theft. Seven of those guns were stolen from the evidence room, Wright said. He said the other four guns were not taken from the department. Rollings was charged with official misconduct in office in the missing money case in December 2020. In October, SLED announced new charges of grand larceny and misconduct in office related to the gun thefts. SLED said in a news release at the time "at least four firearms" were stolen by the evidence technician. Wright said Feb. 11 he could not comment on the specifics of the case, but the investigation was "fluid" at that time, and they uncovered more information after charges were filed. The department previously said the guns were discovered missing in August, but Lt. Chris Hirsch clarified it was actually July. The department conducted a second audit beginning on Oct. 4 that was completed Dec. 13. SLED then conducted its own independent audit last month. Wright said the department is entrusted with more than 21,000 pieces of evidence. Evidence theft or tampering can create huge headaches for police officials and potentially imperil criminal prosecutions. Police departments are required to carefully document the movement and control of evidence from when it is collected until it is disposed. Prosecutors rely on the "chain of custody" process to prove the integrity of evidence at trial. Summerville police officials have said none of the stolen evidence was tied to ongoing cases. Wright has been with the department for 25 years. He was appointed police chief in April after former Chief Jon Rogers announced his retirement. Wright said at the news conference that, before Rollings' arrest, evidence audits were not being conducted as frequently as required by South Carolina Law Enforcement Accreditation. Going forward, the department will conduct evidence audits every year, as required by the state accreditation agency, and SLED will conduct independent audits of the evidence room for the next three years, the chief said. The department has also taken steps to improve the evidence room's security and prevent future thefts. Sgt. Shannon Sharp was appointed to replace Rollings and is responsible for overseeing the evidence room. Wright said he chose Sharp because of his experience in criminal investigations and organizational skills. Sharp and Hirsch oversaw last year's audits. Security cameras and a key card reader have been installed in the evidence room, Wright said. Currency is deposited in a restricted bank account, rather than kept on site, and two employees must be in the evidence room together at all times. The police chief must sign off on all items labeled for destruction, and a new refrigeration unit was purchased to store biological evidence, among other changes. The department has also updated its evidence management policy. The most pro-Trump state in the country may get a little bit Trumpier ... at least in Casper. Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, and some of his conservative colleagues filed a bill Friday to rename the entirety of Wyoming Highway 258 the "President Donald J. Trump Highway." The bill would spend $2,800 of state money for the project if it is ultimately passed. The bill draft also allows the Wyoming Department of Transportation to accept and spend any donations given to the department specifically for the renaming. Those donations would offset state funding. Wyoming Highway 258 or Wyoming Boulevard is a highly traveled 10.58-mile-long state highway that spans the western, southern, and eastern edges of the city of Casper. It's also called Outer Drive. Trump remains popular in the state. In both the 2016 and 2020 elections, Wyoming had the highest proportion of voters cast ballots for Trump in the nation. In 2020, nearly 70% of the electorate voted for the former president. The former president has never visited Wyoming in a campaign capacity, but he is likely going to hold a rally in the state over Labor Day Weekend. One of the venue options is Casper's Ford Wyoming Center, the largest events venue in the state. Trump has played a major role in arguably the nation's most-watched 2022 House race: the contest between Rep. Liz Cheney and her Trump-endorsed challenger Harriet Hageman. Cheney voted to impeach the former president and has repeatedly rebuked him for lying about the legitimacy of the election and his role in the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Cheney's statements and actions have invited the toughest primary challenge in her history, with the former president setting out to unseat her. The highway renaming bill will need to clear a two-thirds vote to be introduced at the upcoming budget session, which begins Monday. Only bills related to the budgets and redistricting do not have to clear the super-majority vote for introduction. Gray is joined by seven other representatives and one other senator in co-sponsoring the bill. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 4 I fell in love with the idea of independent redistricting commissions back in the 1980s, when a Republican state senator from Lexington County named Joe Wilson perhaps you've heard of him? was hawking it. Today the argument comes almost entirely from Democrats, and its increasingly shrill, and desperate: In order to protect black people from being Jim Crowed and our democracy from being destroyed and a permanent Republican hegemony unfairly installed, we have to wrest district-drawing authority from state legislatures. Through an act of Congress. The volume ratcheted up another couple of decibels on Monday, when the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a lower court order requiring the Alabama legislature to create a second black-majority district, allowing that states existing districts to be used until the justices decide the underlying challenge next year. We can talk another day about the role the courts have played in district drawing, or about how the best way to get your agenda through any legislative body is to advocate ideas that will attract more rather than fewer people to vote for your candidates. For today, I want to talk about a dramatic but largely overlooked change thats occurring as legislatures across the nation redraw their congressional district lines and what that change tells us about the one-sided effort to get the gerrymandering out of election-district drawing. Everybody knows that the S.C. Legislature has made it virtually impossible to elect a second Democrat to the U.S. House. Well, unless Katie Arrington pries the Republican nomination from Nancy Mace in the 1st District. And even then, the Legislature has manipulated the district to make a Democratic win a much longer shot than it was when Ms. Arrington managed to turn the district blue four years ago. And we know that Georgias legislature likely gave Republicans a ninth seat in the U.S. House, and North Carolinas legislature passed a plan designed to more than double the number of Republicans in its delegation, although the N.C. Supreme Court threw it out. And we know that the pattern of growing GOP victories in map rooms rather than on the campaign trail has repeated in Republican state legislatures, of which there are more today than Democratic legislatures. What isnt getting talked about much is whats happening in the legislatures controlled by Democrats: essentially surprise the same thing in reverse. The election-focused website FiveThirtyEight.com reported Wednesday that it is actually Democrats who have gained ground from the process at this point. The redistricting plans approved so far have created 11 new Democratic-leaning, three fewer Republican-leaning and eight fewer "highly competitive" seats nationally. Democrats arent just playing the same game theyve (correctly) denounced Republicans for playing. In some cases, theyre even bucking the redistricting-commission process theyve championed. The New York state legislature rejected maps from its independent commission and approved a new plan this month that halves the number of Republicans likely to represent the state in Congress. Meantime, as the D.C. newspaper The Hill reported Monday, Democrats in North Carolina and other Republican-majority states are using state courts to block GOP gerrymanders. Of course, the opposite could happen in Democratic states, where Republicans are turning to state courts to try to overturn Democratic gerrymanders. And with 10 states still drawing their maps and many of the others in litigation, we cant say for sure whether the Democratic advantage will hold. Moreover, some of those wins could be on paper only. The Associated Press reports that Democrats are making big gambles in some states by trading fewer super-safe Democratic seats for more barely Democratic seats, which means they could win more races but also that their incumbents could be more likely to lose. That last part, by the way, is pretty exciting, not because I care in general whether Republicans or Democrats win but because more balanced districts mean extremists of either party are less likely to get elected. (See: Arrington, Katie.) And over time, it means that unless theyre just stupid, primary voters will be less likely to nominate extremists. Thats also the best-case scenario of what could happen if state legislators werent drawing congressional and state election districts. Which brings us back to those independent commissions. As Democratic state legislatures across the country are reminding us, the reason we need to get the politicians out of the job of district drawing isnt to protect black people and other minorities. Just as it wasnt to protect Republicans back when Mr. Wilson was advocating it in a still-blue S.C. Legislature. The reason we need to get politicians out of the job of drawing election districts is to protect the voters, regardless of their political preferences. Because partisans are going to be partisans, regardless of the party. Obviously its too late for South Carolina to turn district drawing over to an independent commission for the 2022 elections unless a court throws out our new districts. But its not too early to start preparing for the next round of district drawing. And its not too much to ask that both parties support the idea. Because as Joe Wilson and Republicans in a lot of blue states can tell you and despite what you might think if you listen to congressional Democrats and their supporters, its not an anti-Republican idea. Its a pro-voters idea. If a parent doesnt like her childrens school bus driver, should the taxpayers be required to pay for an Uber to take these children to and from school instead? If a child doesnt like the schools cafeteria food, should taxpayers give him money so he can order a pizza delivered to the lunchroom? And if you arent satisfied with, say, how often the police cruise your neighborhood, should taxpayers be required to pay for a private security system to make you feel safer? If you answered yes to any of these questions, youre going to love what the leadership of the S.C. House has planned for your tax dollars. On Wednesday, the House Ways and Means Committee approved legislation that would give $75 million to parents who want to send their kids to a private school or a different public school. Passage in the full House later this month is considered a foregone conclusion, as is the inclusion of $75 million to pay for three years of school vouchers in the 2022-23 state budget bill the same committee is drafting. Rep. Bill Whitmire, who up until now has opposed paying parents to abandon the public schools, pronounced the legislation the most reasonable school choice bill Ive seen. We understand where hes coming from and agree this legislation is less objectionable than previous iterations, although wed turn his assessment around: Its the least unreasonable private-choice bill weve seen. What makes H.4879 less unreasonable than its predecessors and from S.935, which a Senate Education subcommittee has debated for weeks is its far more limited scope. The Senate bill would start small, providing vouchers of around $7,000 to 5,000 families who make as much as twice the income that the federal government considers poverty. But the number of available vouchers would increase each year until the annual cost reaches as much as $2.9 billion in 2026-27. Although Senate Republican Leader Shane Massey has promised to work with critics to ensure his bill doesnt cost $2.9 billion a year, the cost of H.4879 couldnt grow: Rather than creating a permanent new entitlement, the House measure creates a three-year pilot program to provide vouchers for up to 5,000 students at a total three-year cost of $75 million. The vouchers would also be smaller $5,000 max and family income would be capped at a slightly lower 185% of poverty. Another big difference: The Senate measure, like earlier proposals, would be funded with money that otherwise could go to the public schools. By contrast, chief sponsor and Ways and Means Chairman Murrell Smith says all the funding for his measure would come from one-time surplus funds money the Legislature cant responsibly use for salaries or other ongoing expenses. So yes, thats less unreasonable. But less unreasonable isnt the same as reasonable, and H.4879 is anything but reasonable. What would be reasonable is for the Legislature to give the state Education Department the tools and the mandate to fix our public schools that arent getting the job done, since all but the most determined public school opponents acknowledge that the vast majority of children will always receive their education from the public schools. What would be reasonable is giving parents more choices within the public school system an idea that has been stymied for years by voucher supporters who fear it would undercut support for defunding the public schools. What would have been reasonable was for the Legislature to intervene a lot earlier and a lot more forcefully to ensure that school districts let kids back into the classroom early in the 2020 school year, when we knew how to keep them safer in school than anywhere else. But why do that when you can just stir up more dissatisfaction with the public schools youre responsible for, and more support for funding private schools that arent the least bit accountable to the public, no matter how much of our money they receive? Even if "less unreasonable" sounds OK, its important to recognize what supporters have in mind when they propose a three-year pilot program: the proverbial camels nose under the tent. Absent either a political sea change in the Legislature or a major scandal in the program and perhaps even with a scandal, as we learned with the private-school scholarship program for special-needs students lawmakers would feel compelled after three years to make this a permanent program. And then they soon would feel compelled to expand it beyond just poor kids as would also happen with the Senate bill. They wouldnt feel compelled to do this because most South Carolinians demanded it. They would feel compelled because a majority or what they perceive as a majority of South Carolina's GOP primary voters (about a third of all state voters) demanded it. Because everybody knows the best way to get reelected is to throw tax money at your constituents pet projects. In that sense, and by S.C. legislative standards, H.4879 is a perfect way to spend one-time revenue just like all those tens of millions of dollars lawmakers spend for parks and museums and arenas and other local projects that dont benefit the state as a whole but help their sponsors get reelected. H.4879 would spend more of our tax dollars irresponsibly while not doing the hard work needed to improve the education we provide to all children in South Carolina. Seven student-run companies created and sold products as part of this school years Junior Achievement Guam program, but it was Fouha Crafts that came out on top as the Company of the Year. The program challenges students to come up with a product and a business plan to market and sell it. As with other businesses, COVID-19 made it difficult for the young entrepreneurs to meet, market and even sell their products. Delays in shipments created additional hurdles. The student entrepreneurs took it all in stride and kept going, said Erlinda Alegre, from Bank of Hawaii, board vice chairperson and emeritus of Junior Achievement Guam. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Congratulations to all of our winners, Alegre said. Just for participating and completing the program, this is a testament to your tenacity and grit, to learn and grow and strive to be a better version of yourself. That, to me, makes you all winners. There were seven student companies created by the 150 high school students who joined this years competition, according to the press release. There were teams from Tiyan High, Southern High, and Okkodo High schools. Corporate mentors included United Airlines, Title Guaranty of Guam, The Post, GTA, Bank of Guam, Bank of Hawaii, Community First Guam and Bank of Guam. Winning teams, individuals The Company of the Year competition kicked off in September 2021 and concluded with the virtual Award Ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 12. JA Guam announced the winners in various categories: Company of the year: First: Fouha Crafts, sponsored by Title Guaranty, won the 2021-2022 JA Guam Company of the Year Second: The Movement Guam, sponsored by United Guam Third: GTAs The Amare Project President of the Year First: Mark Wang of Fouha Crafts Second: Grace Dela Cruz of The Amare Project Third: Sophia Espaldon, Gatbun Tinifok Product of the Year: Gatbun Tinifok, The Guam Daily Post Best Annual Report: The Movement Guam Best Business Video Presentation & Best Financial Management: Fouha Crafts Best TV Pop Up TV Commercial: Lending Hands Best Trade Fair Display: Bank of Hawaiis SPARK Vice President of Finance of the Year: Sebastian Lee, Fouha Crafts VP Marketing of the Year: Haani Sanchez from Serein, Tiyan High School VP Production: Justin Joseph Whats next? As first and second place winners of the Company of the Year, Fouha Crafts, and The Movement Guam will represent Guam at the JA Asia Pacifics annual competition which highlights the achievements of young entrepreneurs in 11 JA country members, according to the press release. Pinki Lujan, JA Guam executive director, commended students for the products they came up with. The products were amazing this year, from go-green products to products that addressed COVID-19 (protection, to) mental health awareness, Lujan said, adding that Getnon Tinakpoks washable & reusable bags made from paper will be continued. Youre going to see future version so that with our new JA logo thats going to be launched (soon). All the products created through this years program will have additional opportunities as JA Guam will be hosting a Pop-Up Company Program. (Company of the Year) is our flagship program, but JA worldwide thought it would be cool to offer one just for the pop-up industry, she said. So thats coming up. Alegre thanked the company sponsors and advisors who led their student teams through the program. It was and continues to be a very challenging time, she said. It wasnt easy but it was a success because of everyones contribution so thank you, Pinki, advisors, judges and board, and everyone who made this a success. JA Guam also thanked: GEDA, GRMC, the GCC DECA Marketing program, Bank of Hawaii, GEDA and Bank of Guam, SBDC, United and GTA. We are thrilled to have been able to host our Annual Company of the Year Program in a hybrid format and during these challenging times. We are in gratitude of our very own Executive Director Pinki Lujan, our company partners, our board members, the mentors, the judges and most especially the students who have worked tirelessly to make this program a success, said JA Guam Board chairperson Joey Miranda III. Abraham Lincoln stands not only as Americas greatest president but also as its greatest lawyer. At the time of his election to the presidency in 1860 he was the most prominent practicing lawyer in the state of Illinois. As a politician and as president, Lincoln was a profound student of the Constitution and constitutional history. Perhaps most important, Lincoln was Americas indispensable teacher of the moral ground of political freedom at the exact moment when the country was on the threshold of abandoning what he called its ancient faith that all men are created equal. How can it be that lawyers know so little of the giant of their profession? Former federal judge Herbert Stern is himself a prominent practicing attorney who has found much to learn from Lincolns legal career. As a teacher of practice skills to trial lawyers he frequently asks a rhetorical question: would you rather have an edge in the facts of a case, an edge in the law of a case, or Abraham Lincoln for your lawyer? In his view, the practitioner who can learn to emulate Lincoln as a lawyer holds the key to greatness in the profession. But Lincoln is such an imposing figure that his stature obscures the man. As we view him historically, from the end of his life to the beginning of his career, he remains a figure whose greatness makes him difficult to know or understand. If we can follow him as a young man, as he finds his vocation and his calling, he may become a more familiar and accessible if no less admirable man. The young Lincoln In 1831 Lincoln left home at age 22 to strike out on his own in the struggling frontier town of New Salem, Illinois. He had no trade and few prospects. The single most striking fact about him as a young man is his genius for friendship. As one of his New Salem contemporaries recalled (as recorded in the interview notes of William Herndon quoted by David Herbert Donald), Lincoln had nothing[,] only plenty of friends. He was obviously one of the most likable men who ever lived, a man who radiated decency. Moreover, the better his acquaintances got to know him, the more they liked him. Those who got to know him best, such as the acquaintances with whom he shared boarding rooms as an impoverished young man, became lifelong friends. The student of Lincoln who can see him through the eyes of these friends will have a similar experience. His genius for friendship manifested itself in memorable ways. As a young man, for example, Lincolns physical stature and strength made him a formidable wrestler. He made friends by wrestling, although this was not the kind of wrestling that is a branch of show business or in which the outcome of the match is agreed upon by the contestants in advance. Upon his arrival in New Salem, he was challenged to a match by Jack Armstrong, the leader of a gang called Clarys Grove Boys. The match is famous in the annals of Lincoln lore and was examined in extraordinary detail by Lincoln scholar Douglas Wilson in the first chapter of his book Honors Voice. Although several conflicting eyewitness accounts of the match exist, the accounts generally agree that Armstrong narrowly escaped losing to Lincoln by some sort of sharp practice. The match ended in rancor, but Lincoln and Armstrong immediately became fast friends. Their friendship had momentous consequences in Lincolns legal career. Lincoln joined the Illinois militia to fight in the Black Hawk War in 1832. He later claimed only to have been bloodied in the course of his service by a few mosquitoes. In his militia company, Lincoln apparently made friends by wrestling and was elected the captain of the company (the first election he ever won). Armstrong served as a sergeant in Lincolns company. Candidate for office Discharged later in the year, Lincoln returned to New Salem and ran for the state legislature at age 23. He lost the race while receiving an enormous vote of confidence from his fellow townsmen who knew him best. In the town of New Salem, Lincoln won an astounding 92 percent of the vote, receiving 277 of the 300 votes cast. It was the only direct election that Lincoln ever lost. Lincoln proceeded to win every succeeding election (eight in all, including two for president) in which he stood for office before the public. The only races he lost (closely) were those for the Senate in 1854 and 1858, in which he sought election by the state legislature. Following his 1832 loss, Lincoln ran again for the state legislature in 1834 and won. He was reelected in 1836, 1838, 1840 and 1854. In the legislature Lincoln was a ferociously partisan Whig who quickly became a skilled debater and party leader. During his service in the legislature, Lincoln studied law and became a lawyer. Upon leaving the legislature in 1842, Lincoln devoted himself to legal practice full time and rapidly became recognized as an accomplished practitioner. While practicing law he remained active in politics. In 1846 he was elected to Congress. Although Lincoln wanted to run for reelection to Congress, he did not do so. He felt bound to honor an informal agreement among the Whigs in his district to serve only one term and he therefore stood down. In 1854, Lincoln reentered politics to oppose the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the handiwork of Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas. Lincoln denounced the Kansas-Nebraska Act in his great Peoria Speech of 1854, making a comprehensive case against the repeal of the Missouri Compromise and the expansion of slavery into the territories. He resigned the seat in the state legislature that he won that fall to seek Illinois open Senate seat, but narrowly lost to anti-Nebraska Act Democrat Lyman Trumbull when Lincoln threw his support to Trumbull in the last round of balloting. Friend in need Lincolns law practice grew apace with the national political crisis of the 1850s. In 1857, immediately prior to Lincolns ascent to the national political stage by virtue of his epic battle with Senator Stephen Douglas in the senate race the following year, Lincolns friendship with his former wrestling foe Jack Armstrong led to the most famous trial of Lincolns legal career. On the evening of August 29, 1857, in a moonlit grove in central Illinois, two assailants beat James Metzger in what seems to have been a drunken brawl. He died two days later and his attackers James Norris and William Duff Armstrong were charged with murder. According to the charge, Norris and Armstrong had assaulted Metzger in concert and inflicted fatal blows to the head, Norris from behind with a wooden piece of a wagon frame and Armstrong from the front or the side with a slung-shot (a lead ball encased in leather with a cord attached for swinging). Following the indictment Armstrongs lawyer moved for a change of venue (Norriss did not). Armstrongs motion was granted and venue was transferred from Mason to Cass County. Tried first, on November 7, 1857, Norris was promptly convicted of manslaughter after a one-day trial. Four eyewitnesses at the trial placed the time of the attack at 11:00 p.m. and claimed to have observed the attack under the light of a bright moon high in the sky. Medical testimony established that the blow to the back of the head by Norris had been fatal. Armstrongs father Lincolns old friend Jack Armstrong died shortly thereafter. It was said to have been his dying wish that his wife Hannah do whatever was necessary, including selling the family farm, to secure their son a defense. Hannah Armstrong wrote Lincoln, now practicing in Springfield and the most prominent lawyer in the state. She sought his representation in the defense of Duff Armstrong. Lincoln immediately undertook the defense as a token of his old friendship and declined all offers of compensation. Friend in deed When the case was called for trial in Cass Countys courthouse in Beardstown, Illinois, Lincoln made his first courtroom appearance for Armstrong. The prosecution moved for a continuance. This motion too was granted and the case was not called for trial again until May 1858. Historian John Evangelist Walsh has now gathered virtually every scrap of evidence regarding the trial in his book Moonlight: Abraham Lincoln and the Almanac Trial. The book wildly charges that Lincoln committed misconduct in connection with the trial. Perhaps because of the familiarity of the trial story Walsh felt compelled to wring a new charge of scandal out of evidence that simply does not support it. More notably, however, reliable evidence also provided by Walsh on the contrary demonstrates Lincolns utter probity as a trial lawyer. Immediately before the trial, for example, Armstrongs brothers arranged for the disappearance of Charles Allen, the prosecutions critical eyewitness; Lincoln promptly ascertained the circumstances of Allens disappearance together with his whereabouts and assured his attendance at the trial. Walsh also establishes Lincolns sheer doggedness in the preparation of Armstrongs defense. Following his retention, and with the time afforded by the continuance until May, Lincoln carefully investigated the case the prosecution had introduced against Norris and calculated how best to use it to his advantage. He procured expert medical testimony establishing that Norriss blows to the back of Metzgers head by themselves could account for all Metzgers traumatic injuries. He interviewed witnesses including the owner of the weapon with which Armstrong had allegedly attacked Metzger. In what seems to constitute a fine piece of detective work, he ascertained that the owner would testify that the weapon remained in his possession at the time of the murder. He found eyewitnesses who would testify that, although Armstrong had attacked Metzger, he had done so harmlessly with his bare hands. And Lincoln did not rest in his efforts until he discovered how he could raise reasonable doubts about the credibility of the critical eyewitness testimony of Charles Allen. Moonset At trial the prosecution introduced eyewitness and medical testimony supporting the charge against Armstrong, climaxing in Allens testimony. As the closest observer of the assault, Allen was the star witness in the prosecutions case. Allen testified that in the moonlight overhead he had seen Armstrong attack Metzger frontally with the slung-shot and in the conclusion of the direct examination dramatically demonstrated the manner of Armstrongs attack. In Armstrongs defense Lincoln introduced the eyewitness and medical testimony of the witnesses he had found to rebut the prosecutions case. He called the owner of the alleged murder weapon to testify that the weapon had been in his possession at the time of the murder. In unorthodox fashion Lincoln concluded his defense of Armstrong by recalling Charles Allen, the prosecutions star witness, for cross examination. Lincolns cross examination of Allen is the stuff of legend. Lincoln elicited Allens distance from the assault 50 to 60 feet or upwards and focused on Allens ability to see what he had described, questioning him repeatedly about the location of the moon at the time of the attack. Allen steadfastly responded that the moon was bright and just past its highest point overhead at the time of the attack. With Allen emphatically committed to the location of the moon at the time of the attack, Lincoln pulled a copy of the Jaynes Medical Almanac for 1857 from his briefcase showing the time of moonset in central Illinois on August 29, 1857. Lincoln showed that according to the almanac moonset that evening had occurred at 12:03 a.m., just one hour after the time Allen testified he had seen the assault under a high moon. Courtroom observers exploded in laughter. As Allen was reduced to a laughingstock, Lincoln passed the almanac to the jurors. (Walsh includes a copy of the relevant almanac page in the books illustrations.) The jury concluded its deliberations in an hour with a verdict of acquittal. (Lincoln sat for the photograph at the top immediately after the jury returned its verdict. It is the only photograph of Lincoln wearing a white coat.) Into history The following month Lincoln returned to politics. On June 16 he stood before the state Republican convention in Springfield and accepted its nomination to run for the Senate against Stephen Douglas. In his famous speech accepting the nomination, Lincoln electrified the convention, asserting that the institution of slavery had made the United States a house divided against itself. Slavery would either be extirpated or become lawful nationwide, Lincoln predicted, provocatively quoting scriptural authority to the effect that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Having fulfilled the offices of friendship as an attorney in the trial of Duff Armstrong, Lincoln stepped straight into history as the hero of Americas freedom and the martyr of its ancient faith. (First published in slightly different form in the September 2000 issue of Bench & Bar of Minnesota. Posted annually in honor of Lincolns birthday.) A working paper by a Johns Hopkins economics professor and two other economists found that covid lockdowns did very little, if anything, to reduce the number of covid deaths. The paper has received a fair amount of attention from conservative media, but has been largely ignored by mainstream outlets. The mainstream medias lack of attention to the study is unfortunate. But then, conservative outlets generally ignore covid studies that find positive effects from lockdowns, masking, and the like. Go figure. Although the paper by the three economists deserves attention, Im not persuaded by its finding that lockdowns have had very little, if any, impact on covid deaths. I do agree, however, that the damage caused by lockdowns probably outweighed their positive on health, even in the pre-vaccine period. Here are my observations about the economists paper. First, the paper isnt really a study in the normal sense. Rather, its a study of studies. It takes more than 18,000 studies of the impact of lockdowns on covid deaths and selects 24 it deems methodologically acceptable. It derives its conclusions from these 24, most of which apparently are studies by other economists, not epidemiologists. Had the authors ruled out fewer studies, or different ones, they likely would have reached a different conclusion. For example, the study of studies discussed here, which was almost as ruthless in excluding studies, appears to have reached a different conclusion about the effectiveness of lockdowns. The three economists were transparent about their exclusion criteria, but I lack the expertise to evaluate their decisions in this regard. Samir Bhatt, professor of statistics and public health at the Imperial College London, questions the exclusion of synthetic control method papers, some of which have found a significant impact by lockdowns on mortality. A critique of the papers inclusions and exclusions can be found here. The critic, epidemiologist Gideon Meyerowitz-Katz, finds that the authors exclude many of the most rigorous studies, including those that are the entire basis for their meta-analysis in the first place. The working paper by the three economists has been criticized because it isnt peer reviewed (not yet, anyway) and is the work of economists not scientists. Most covid research at Johns Hopkins comes from its Coronavirus Resource Center which is run out of the universitys medical school. But the Center wasnt involved in producing the paper. I understand that John Hopkins didnt even issue a press release when the paper came out. Whatever else might be true of the paper, it should not be referred to as the Johns Hopkins study. The authors have basically acknowledged as much. The lead author of the paper, Steve Hanke, is a senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute. He has consistently opposed lockdowns. He hates them so much that, reportedly, he recently posted a cartoon in which Justin Trudeau, dressed up as Adolph Hitler, is run over by a truck. These criticisms shouldnt be considered fatal. A paper can reach correct conclusions even if it hasnt been peer reviewed and even if it doesnt have a seal of approval from the Johns Hopkins medical program. Economists can reach correct conclusions about epidemiological questions based on an analysis of studies. An authors strong predisposition against lockdowns doesnt necessarily mean his analysis of them isnt fair minded. But given the degree to which the papers conclusion is driven by which studies the authors included, and given the exclusion of nearly 99.9 percent of all studies initially considered, I would have much more confidence in its conclusion if the paper had been peer reviewed, was the work of at least one epidemiologist, had some connection to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, and wasnt spearheaded by a libertarian who hates lockdowns. Other than the inclusion/exclusion criteria, what are the substantive objections to the paper, though? One revolves around what it counts as a lockdown. The paper defines a lockdown as one of more mandatory non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). This includes wearing a mask. (In one of the tables, though, the authors apparently revert to the more common definition of lockdown.) Different studies have reached different conclusions about whether masking is an effective anti-covid measure. However, there should be no controversy about whether a mask mandate is a lockdown. It isnt. The definitional problem doesnt end there. As I understand the papers definition, a country whose only anti-covid measure was a five-day mandatory quarantine is treated the same way as a country with curfews and blanket closures of public venues. This doesnt make much sense. There are other objections, as well. One is that some countries locked down before seeing exponential growth in spread and therefore saw no reduction in deaths. In addition, mortality lags behind the spread of covid, so that one is unlikely to find much reduction in death in a comparison of mortality a month before and a month after a lockdown. The study has also been criticized for looking at too small a slice of the pandemic. When studies conflict, along even with notions of what a good study looks like, it isnt amiss to apply common sense to the question at hand. Common sense tells me that limiting person-to-person contact will limit transmission of (and therefore deaths from) a communicable disease. Experience tells me the same thing. Until 2020, there had never been a calendar year in which I didnt catch at least one cold or flu. Yet, I havent been sick in two years. Many friends tell me basically the same thing. Surely, the change isnt due to good luck. It must be due to a substantial reduction in the amount of contact with other people, especially in places like restaurants and bars. (Im not happy with the tradeoff, but there it is.) How could reducing the amount of close human contact not reduce the likelihood of catching a communicable disease? I understand the argument that nearly all of us will come down with covid eventually. It might even be true. But the three economists didnt analyze eventually. They analyzed a slice of so far. And even if were all going to catch covid eventually, there are major advantages to getting it later rather than sooner. Its better to catch it after being vaccinated or after it has mutated to a less lethal variant. This reduces the chances of dying or becoming seriously ill. Similarly, its better to get covid after the ability to treat it has improved, whether due to new medications or more hospital capacity. And if eventually turns out to be five years, high risk populations will benefit from the passage of time itself. Some members will live significantly longer thanks to lockdowns. In sum, and to be clear, I dont reject the idea that, on balance lockdowns are a bad idea. But Im not persuaded that they contribute little or nothing when it comes to preventing covid deaths. Its fine to hate lockdowns, but highly dubious to deny that, like nearly all policies, they have pluses and minuses and therefore entail tradeoffs. Today is of course the anniversary of the birth of Americas greatest president, Abraham Lincoln. As a politician and as president, Lincoln was a profound student of the Constitution and constitutional history. Perhaps most important, Lincoln was Americas indispensable teacher of the moral ground of political freedom at the exact moment when the country was on the threshold of abandoning what he called its ancient faith that all men are created equal. In 1858 Lincoln attained national prominence in the Republican Party as the result of the contest for the Senate seat held by Stephen Douglas. It was Lincolns losing campaign against Douglas that made him a figure of sufficient prominence that he could be the partys 1860 presidential nominee. At the convention of the Illinois Republican Party in June, Lincoln was the unanimous choice to run against Douglas. After declaring him their candidate late on the afternoon of June 16, the entire convention returned that evening to hear Lincoln speak. Accepting the conventions nomination, Lincoln gave one of the most incendiary speeches in American history. Lincoln electrified the convention, asserting that the institution of slavery had made the United States a house divided against itself. Slavery would either be extirpated or become lawful nationwide, Lincoln predicted, provocatively quoting scriptural authority to the effect that a house divided against itself cannot stand. Demonstrating how it changed the course of history, Harry Jaffa calls it [t]he speech that changed the world. On July 9 Douglas responded in a campaign speech to a raucous throng from the balcony of the Tremont House hotel in Chicago. Lincoln was in the audience when Douglas prepared to speak and invited Lincoln to sit on the balcony. In his speech Douglas sounded the themes of the momentous campaign that Lincoln and Douglas waged that summer and fall for Douglass Senate seat. Douglas paid tribute to Lincoln as a kind, amiable, and intelligent gentleman, a good citizen and an honorable opponent, but expressed his disagreement with Lincolns June 16 speech to the Illinois Republican convention that had named him its candidate for Douglass seat. According to Douglas, Lincolns assertion that the nation could not exist half slave and half free was inconsistent with the diversity in domestic institutions that was the great safeguard of our liberties. Then as now, diversity was a shibboleth hiding an evil institution that could not be defended on its own terms. Douglas responded to Lincolns condemnation of the Supreme Courts Dred Scott decision a condemnation that was the centerpiece of Lincolns convention speech. I am free to say to you, Douglas said, that in my opinion this government of ours is founded on the white basis. It was made by the white man, for the benefit of the white man, to be administered by white men, in such manner as they should determine. Lincoln invited Douglass audience to return the next evening for his reply to Douglass speech. Lincolns speech of July 10 concludes with an explanation of the meaning of the American creed with incomparable eloquence and insight, in words that remain as relevant now as then: * * * * * We are now a mighty nation, we are thirtyor about thirty millions of people, and we own and inhabit about one-fifteenth part of the dry land of the whole earth. We run our memory back over the pages of history for about eighty-two years and we discover that we were then a very small people in point of numbers, vastly inferior to what we are now, with a vastly less extent of country,with vastly less of everything we deem desirable among men,we look upon the change as exceedingly advantageous to us and to our posterity, and we fix upon something that happened away back, as in some way or other being connected with this rise of prosperity. We find a race of men living in that day whom we claim as our fathers and grandfathers; they were iron men, they fought for the principle that they were contending for; and we understood that by what they then did it has followed that the degree of prosperity that we now enjoy has come to us. We hold this annual celebration to remind ourselves of all the good done in this process of time of how it was done and who did it, and how we are historically connected with it; and we go from these [Independence Day] meetings in better humor with ourselveswe feel more attached the one to the other, and more firmly bound to the country we inhabit. In every way we are better men in the age, and race, and country in which we live for these celebrations. But after we have done all this we have not yet reached the whole. There is something else connected with it. We have besides these mendescended by blood from our ancestorsamong us perhaps half our people who are not descendants at all of these men, they are men who have come from EuropeGerman, Irish, French and Scandinavianmen that have come from Europe themselves, or whose ancestors have come hither and settled here, finding themselves our equals in all things. If they look back through this history to trace their connection with those days by blood, they find they have none, they cannot carry themselves back into that glorious epoch and make themselves feel that they are part of us, but when they look through that old Declaration of Independence they find that those old men say that We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, and then they feel that that moral sentiment taught in that day evidences their relation to those men, that it is the father of all moral principle in them, and that they have a right to claim it as though they were blood of the blood, and flesh of the flesh of the men who wrote that Declaration [loud and long continued applause], and so they are. That is the electric cord in that Declaration that links the hearts of patriotic and liberty-loving men together, that will link those patriotic hearts as long as the love of freedom exists in the minds of men throughout the world. [Applause.] Now, sirs, for the purpose of squaring things with this idea of dont care if slavery is voted up or voted down [Douglass popular sovereignty position on the extension of slavery to the territories], for sustaining the Dred Scott decision [A voiceHit him again], for holding that the Declaration of Independence did not mean anything at all, we have Judge Douglas giving his exposition of what the Declaration of Independence means, and we have him saying that the people of America are equal to the people of England. According to his construction, you Germans are not connected with it. Now I ask you in all soberness, if all these things, if indulged in, if ratified, if confirmed and endorsed, if taught to our children, and repeated to them, do not tend to rub out the sentiment of liberty in the country, and to transform this Government into a government of some other form. Those arguments that are made, that the inferior race are to be treated with as much allowance as they are capable of enjoying; that as much is to be done for them as their condition will allow. What are these arguments? They are the arguments that kings have made for enslaving the people in all ages of the world. You will find that all the arguments in favor of king-craft were of this class; they always bestrode the necks of the people, not that they wanted to do it, but because the people were better off for being ridden. That is their argument, and this argument of the Judge [Douglas] is the same old serpent that says you work and I eat, you toil and I will enjoy the fruits of it. Turn in whatever way you willwhether it come from the mouth of a King, an excuse for enslaving the people of his country, or from the mouth of men of one race as a reason for enslaving the men of another race, it is all the same old serpent, and I hold if that course of argumentation that is made for the purpose of convincing the public mind that we should not care about this, should be granted, it does not stop with the negro. I should like to know if taking this old Declaration of Independence, which declares that all men are equal upon principle and making exceptions to it where will it stop. If one man says it does not mean a negro, why not another say it does not mean some other man? If that declaration is not the truth, let us get the Statute book, in which we find it and tear it out! Who is so bold as to do it! [Voicesme no one, &c.] If it is not true let us tear it out! [cries of no, no,] let us stick to it then [cheers], let us stand firmly by it then. [Applause.] * * * * * Thank you, Mr. Lincoln: Let us stick to it then, let us stand firmly by it then. (First posted on Lincolns birthday 2005.) An officer with Nigerias secret police, the State Security Service (SSS), has provided a heart-wrenching account of how a female job-seeker, Iniubong Umoren, was raped and brutally killed by her alleged attacker, Uduak Akpan, last year in Uruan, Akwa Ibom State. The officer, simply identified as Okeke, is the 10th prosecution witness in the ongoing murder trial of the accused person, Mr Akpan, 20. The 26-year-old Ms Umoren was lured out of her home by her alleged killer with a fake job offer. Mr Okeke, in his testimony before a State High Court in Uyo, told the court how Miss Umoren was faced between life and death when her alleged attacker insisted on having sex with her, and how she begged him to use a condom if he must rape her, according to a report by the Punch newspaper. The officer, who testified on Wednesday before Justice Bassey Nkanang, said Mr Akpan in his statement to the SSS admitted threatening to kill Miss Umoren if she would not let him have sex with her. He (Akpan) also told us that even when he overpowered the deceased, she told him she would allow him (have sex with her) only if he used a condom, Mr Okeke said in court. The first accused person also told the investigation team that in the process of having sex with the deceased, he removed the condom and the deceased started struggling with him again. He said while he was still on top of the deceased, she carried an iron, and hit him on the forehead. He said that, in order not for the deceased (Ms Umoren) to shout, he, Uduak-Abasi, now collected a black cloth, stuffed (it) into her mouth, and tied her mouth. He said he then used a standby stabilizer and hit her on the abdomen. From that point, the first accused said the deceased started bleeding profusely. He told us that he became afraid as if she had already died. The first accused also said he used the jeans-trouser of the deceased to strangle her completely, the officer said. Mr Akpan, the officer said, dug a shallow grave within his family compound where he buried the victims remains. He told the investigating team that he wrapped her (Ms Umoren) body with a blanket, and with her mouth still tied, and the Jeans on her neck and buried her in the grave. He further told us that the incident happened between 13:00 hours to 20:00 hours, on the 29th of April, 2021. The officer said Mr Akpan and the two other accused persons made their statement voluntarily and that the SSS also analysed their phones. Mr Akpans phone and the two Nokia phones belonging to the second accused were submitted and admitted as exhibits by the court. The victims phone, which was retrieved from her alleged killer, was also presented and accepted as exhibit. Mr Akpans lawyer, Samson Adula, objected to his confessional statement being tendered as exhibit, claiming it was made under duress. The case was adjourned to February 15 for the court to conduct a trial-within-trial to determine if Mr Akpans statement was made under duress or not. It is election day in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. Residents of the nations capital will go to the polls to elect chairmen and councillors for the six Area Councils. The Area Councils are Abaji, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja Municipal (AMAC). The election will see the emergence of six chairmen for each area council, and 62 councillors. Over 400 candidates and their running mates are currently vying for these positions. They are drawn from 14 political parties cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to participate in the poll. However, many believe the contest for the different positions is between the candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This is majorly because the two parties dominated in the previous FCT elections in 2019. The APC had won the chairmanship seats in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada and AMAC while the PDP won in Kuje and Bwari. Over 1.3 million voters are expected to vote across 2,229 polling units in the FCT. INEC has said elections will not hold in 593 polling units as they have no registered voters. Also, no materials were produced for these units and no personnel would be deployed to them. Voting will take place in all the other polling units. For congested polling units, INEC would deploy more BVAS (Card Readers) to ensure speedy accreditation of voters. Besides the imbalance in the distribution of polling units, many have raised concerns over the poor representation of women in the candidacy. Of the 55 candidates vying for chairmanship positions, only three are women and only eight females for the vice chairmanship position. Also, there are only 31 females of the total of 363 candidates for councillorship positions. PREMIUM TIMES will be bringing you live updates on the election from the six area councils. The two major political parties in Ekiti State, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) have picked their flagbearers for the June 18 governorship election in the state. The primaries conducted on January 26 and 27, respectively by the two parties to produce the candidates, were markedly different in the forms and procedures but bore inherent similarities in notions and innovations. The APC went for the direct primaries which, expectedly, got members of the party at their respective 177 wards to vote for their preferences. In this case, 107,000 members of the party came out to cast their votes for their candidate. The PDP, on the other hand, relied on statutory and automatic delegates, which were about 1,187. The Ayo Fayose-backed Olabisi Kolawole, a former Chairman of the PDP in the state, emerged as the candidate at the end of the voting process, just as Biodun Oyebanji, a former Secretary to the Ekiti State Government, who was the anointed candidate of Governor Kayode Fayemi was announced the winner of the APC primaries. There were cries of irregularities from both sides, despite the claims that they were free and fair by the winners and organisers. The power brokers held fast to their reins and ensured the outcomes were as predetermined, without breaking the laws. The invisible presence of the masters ensured the voters fell into specific lines and the adversaries had only to whine over the restraints they suffered in the entire game. The Coalition of Ekiti State Civil Society Organisations(COESCSOs) described the process as a game of godfathers. Watching from an elevated neutral position, the group said the process was devoid of violence and allowed delegates to freely make their choices. Its conclusion of the involvement of godfathers apparently creates a milieu of self- contradiction. The Chairman of the coalition, Christopher Oluwadare, while giving the preliminary report of the coalition in Ado Ekiti, said the fact that the elections didnt witness bloodshed, killing and violence made them more acceptable and better than the previous years. For PDP and APC indirect and direct primaries, those who have a stake, I mean the godfathers controlled the process, Mr Oluwadare said. We feel that we must neutralise the overriding powers of individuals so that they wont be the sole determinants of who becomes what in our parties. PDPs unjust primaries The above observation informed the withdrawal of the PDP aspirant, Biodun Olujimi, who blamed the party for stripping her of delegates who, ordinarily, should have voted for her at the polls. Ms Olujimi, a senator representing Ekiti South and serial governorship aspirant, gave insight into the thinking processes of the average politician and the dispositions of godfathers. The aggrieved aspirant said delegates from four of the six local governments in her senatorial district had been given to former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayoses group, leaving only 12 delegates to vote in her local government, Ekiti East, and only 10 to vote in Gbonyin Council, a total of 22 where ordinarily at least 155 ought to have voted. I thought it was very unfair, it was unjust, it was disenfranchising me because of my gender or because the party feels I have not done enough for it, Mrs Olujimi said. Going forward from there would mean that I am condoning what is wrong, she said, while advancing her reason for pulling out of the contest. So I thought my best was just to pull out and I pulled out. I did not step down. They can continue with it, I will also internalise the problem; there will be some introspection, then I will make a decision. For the PDP, it has always been a battle for the strong and swift. Allegations of vote-buying is a little sophisticated and complicated when it comes to primaries. The delegates are gathered together and hijacked, by camping them in hotels removed from the reach of other aspirants. The aspirants with fewer delegates, like Mrs Olujimi, know the outcome from the beginning. The powerful takes all and the process is compromised right from the ward congresses where it is distorted in favour of the godfather and those in power. A former governor, who aspired on the platform of the PDP, Segun Oni, had reasons to raise dust over the process of the primaries. The Director-General of his campaign, Yemi Arokodare, alleged that the delegates register was mutilated and many delegates names were missing from the register. Advertisements According to him, 32 automatic delegates, who were accredited, were not given tags and were not allowed to vote. He said Emmanuel Udom, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, who chaired the primaries committee, had threatened to arrest and lock up all of the aggrieved delegates if any of them attends the exercise. The campaign organisation accused Mr Udom of allowing Mr Fayose and his aides to stay in the hall after they cast their votes, thereby intimidating delegates. The campaign DG, on the account of that, rejected the results of the poll. Others have alleged that some delegates were seen showing their ballot papers to Mr Fayose while queueing to cast their votes, an action that would not have been possible had he been out of the hall after casting his vote. Despite the protests by the PDP aspirants, the party headquarters in Abuja has gone ahead to present the certificate of return to Mr Kolawole. The partys spokesperson, Debo Ologunagba, has maintained that the governorship primary was free, fair and credible. However, the partys reconciliation committee headed by former Senate President, David Mark, has been saddled with the burden of reconciling aggrieved parties and the issues arising from the primaries. The nine-member committee has Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, as co-chairman. Other members are former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara; Zainab Kure; Charles Akitoye; Sergeant Awuse; Bala Mande; Shuaibu Oyedokun; and Sanusi Daggash (Secretary). Mr Ologunagba said the committee is charged with the sole mandate of reconciling all our stakeholders in Ekiti State including all aspirants in the just concluded governorship primary election in the state. The NWC urges all aspirants, leaders, critical stakeholders of our party in Ekiti State to remain focused on the success of the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in the state, he added. APCs aggrieved parties The APCs situation was not as complicated as that of its rival, PDP. The battle for the governorship is largely shaped by the politics of the 2023 presidential election. The two broad groups at fray are the Pro-Tinubu groups riding under the South West Agenda for Asiwaju 2023(SWAGA) led by a former senator, Dayo Adeyeye, squaring up against the Pro-Fayemi group, which is largely made up of the state executive of the APC in Ekiti. Messrs Adeyeye, Kayode Ojo, Bamidele Faparusi and Femi Bamisile, who aspired for the APC ticket, have all rejected the outcome of the process, claiming that it fell short of minimum democratic standards. They claimed to have withdrawn from the race after alleging that Ekiti APC, in collaboration with the state governor, ensured that their political associates were appointed as presiding and returning officers of the primary election. The matter was said to have been laid before the primaries committee Chairman and Jigawa State governor, Abubakar Badaru, who failed to address the issue. The aggrieved aspirants have vowed to fight what they described as unfair and manipulative activities perpetrated at the election. It was for the fear of manipulations and highhandedness of the incumbent that some people within the party, particularly, Mr Adeyeye and his followers, demanded the adoption of direct primaries to elect the partys flagbearer for the governorship election. Although there was an initial apprehension on the demand, the party eventually decided it would be direct primaries. This was in spite of the failure of the President to accept the direct primaries clause in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2021. The battle was lost and won last year when the party carried out two crucial exercises to reposition itself for the election. First, the party undertook the revalidation of membership in the party. During this period, those watching the Ekiti politics believe the governor seized the opportunity to fortify his stronghold. Analysts say he did this by ensuring those in the register across 16 local governments were in his control. He also ensured that his adversaries lost out in the congresses held at the ward and local government levels. He used his position as the leader of the party in the state to ensure only his loyalists emerged as party executive members at the various levels. The governors alleged moves widened the crack within the party. The governor has consistently denied involvement in party decisions in the state. The Pro-Tinubu group were the biggest losers at the congresses and had called for their cancellation, as they are now calling out on the primaries. Despite the angst by the opposition within the APC regarding the Ekiti primaries, a preliminary report by the Nigerian Human Rights Community (NHRC) described the primaries as a demonstration that direct primary remains the best option for the partys internal democracy in Nigeria. Although the group acknowledged that the process was fraught with a few challenges, it held that it was proof that direct participation of members of political parties in choosing the partys candidate was the way forward. It submitted that the election represented the wishes and aspirations of the majority of members of APC in Ekiti State. It urged Nigerians to disregard reports being released by people who did not witness or monitor the election that it was manipulated. Response to allegations Mr Badaru had since reacted to the allegations levelled against him by seven of the aspirants. He insisted that the elections were held in 166 wards of the state, but results from 11 wards were cancelled because the process was disrupted. Mr Badaru also denied the withdrawal of the seven aggrieved aspirants, explaining that the allegations of using party loyalists were addressed. What they are alleging, probably party members loyal to the governor, were chosen to serve as returning officers in various wards and local governments; and they raise that at the meeting, said Mr Badaru. I asked them, the guideline is to use the party people to do the job. We cannot hire or take people that are not from the party. But they can also give us 20 each from the party people they believe will do justice to them. And they provided a list of 20, which we incorporated into returning officers. And this was communicated in the early morning to them because they send their own list very late and that was what even delayed us that night. We managed to incorporate all the 20 people each they sent to us to participate also in the exercise. But you can see from what happened that they are supposed to have agents in all the 177 wards. And these 11 wards that the primaries were disrupted were wards that had relationships with most of the aspirants. So, you can see if they have that power to stop the congress, they could have done it also in the 166 wards. While Mr Badaru has submitted his committees report, the seven aggrieved aspirants already have their protest letter before the national secretariat, calling for the cancellation of the election. A former deputy national publicity secretary, Yekini Nabena, told PREMIUM TIMES that the aggrieved persons would be required to send their petition to the appeals committee, which would take a look at it and file a formal report to the secretariat on the matter. However, Mr Nabena knocked the aspirants for withdrawing from the process while it was ongoing. He said it did not show seriousness on their part, seeing that they had put in for the contest and should have walked the length of it. Moving forward The elected candidates of the two parties have work to do. Mr Oyebanjo said he was making efforts to reach out to the aspirants, hopefully, to pacify them and win them back to the fold. It has also been reported that Mr Kolawole has already reached out to Mr Oni and other aspirants to broker a truce over the rancour arising from the primaries. Both parties have tasted the bitter consequences of approaching an election divided. Both Messrs Fayose and Fayemi are familiar foes. They have fought on the tuff tensely in 2014 and 2018. Now they will be fighting as generals of the political field by proxies. As leaders of their respective groups, a victory or defeat would depend on their abilities to muster the collective forces of their political parties. 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 took 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 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Saturday said he is willing to succeed the President Muhammadu Buhari but does not want to offend him. Mr Tinubu said this during his visit to the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Michael Gbadebo. Mr Tinubu, who was on a consultation tour in Ogun State over his presidential aspiration in 2023, also visited the Awujale and paramount ruler of Ijebu land, Sikiru Adetona, in Ijebu-Ode. Afterwards, he headed to Ilaro in Yewa, Ogun West Senatorial District. The two-term Lagos governor had informed Mr Buhari of his plan to contest the 2023 presidential election. At the palace of the Alake, Mr Tinubu said his aim is to become the President of Nigeria. I clocked 50 on the seat of governor, he said. I have done crusades to return Nigeria to democracy rule, before I started hearing the voices of the people that I should contest for President, I have thought about it deeply, but I cannot think about it alone. The people said, this time around I should run for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I told them that we have elected someone there and I dont want to pull the carpet from his feet. I told the President I want to replace you and I dont want to offend you. I told the President that I want to step in his shoes but not step on his toes. As the number one citizen, I should start my bid by informing you first, and he (Buhari) told me to inform the whole world, and I have done that. I want to seek the permission of the Kabiyesi, I want to seek his blessings and his prayers and seek the blessings of other chiefs. Im here to tell you (Alake) that, I want your prayers and I want to inform you that I want become the President. In his response, Mr Gbadebo welcomed the presidential hopeful and prayed that God would grant his desires of becoming the President. On his way out, Mr Tinubu told journalists that he will make Nigerians happy if elected president. He, however, admitted that the country is passing through difficult times. Troops of Operation Thunder Strike, a formation of the Nigerian Air Force, have intercepted and killed at least 20 bandits who were advancing towards the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna. A report by PR Nigeria revealed that the bandits, riding on over 50 motorcycles, were seen on Thursday evening, pushing towards the military institution. The development came few months after a group of bandits successfully attacked the academy. In that attack, aside from the officers killed and kidnapped, some others suffered gunshot injuries. Tip off According to the report on Thursdays foiled attack, the bandits were intercepted following a tip-off on their movement through the military schools general areas. The Nigerian Air Force helicopter gunships were said to have been dispatched to engage the criminals, who had taken off from Damari village in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State. The bandits were sighted in makeshift tents and motorcycles numbering about 50. On sighting the aircraft, the bandits started fleeing into the fringes of the forest. This brought about an objective and very decisive rain of hell from above on the miscreants as surviving bandits seen to be scampering for safety from the superior air presence were effectively mopped up. Moreso as it is customary, feedback received on Friday after the operation from both the ground forces and local sources, revealed that the bandits were effectively disoriented and suffered a loss of about 20 bandits. READ ALSO: Also, their plans of harassing and shaming the Nigerian Defence Academy and the Government of the day was effectively thwarted, he said. Air Force spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet, did not respond to calls and SMS seeking confirmation of the incident. Troubled Kaduna The attempted attack on the military facility came amidst heightened insecurity in the North-west zone, with Kaduna State as epicentre. Hundreds of students have been kidnapped in various schools across Kaduna in the past months as the state governor, Nasir El-Rufai, stood his ground on his no-ransom-payment policy. Recently, there were intelligence reports that Boko Haram flags were sighted at the Afaka Forest close to NDA and Kaduna Airport. The Afaka campus of NDA was officially opened in February 2007. The old site in Angwan Kanawa in Kaduna town is now for postgraduate and short service cadets. Security agents have tightened security at the FCT quarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Central Business District (CBD), as the Area Councils Election commences on Saturday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that as of 7.30 a.m. police and other paramilitary vehicles were stationed at the entrance of the commission, while security personnel had taken charge of movements in and around the premises. A visit to some polling units in the CBD revealed that both INEC officials and election materials were arriving ahead of the election. At polling units, 007, 008, 005, 011, located in Area 2 Shopping Centre, security officials and election materials had arrived, while INEC officials were setting up the polling units for the election as at 8.18 a.m. In polling unit 006, election materials and staff were yet to arrive at 8. 20 a.m., though security personnel were already at the centre awaiting their arrival. A total of 475 candidates nominated by 18 political parties, including the APC and PDP, were featured in the chairmanship and councillorship election in the six area councils of the FCT comprising Bwari, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja Municipal Council (AMAC). Election is end by 2.30 p.m.(NAN) The Tricycle Owners and Operators of Nigeria (TOOAN), on Saturday, called for a different identity for tricycle riders to enable them to address their peculiar issues and improve their welfare. The Lagos State Chairman of the association, Azeez Abiola, said the time is ripe for a separate and independent association for tricycle riders. Mr Abiola, popularly known as Istijaba, made the call while addressing journalists against the backdrop of recent clashes between members of TOOAN and members of the Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Lagos State. He appealed to the state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to wade into the matter. Our union has been existing for over 20 years now, but there was a time we experienced leadership crisis and we were called upon to choose between NURTW and Road Transport Employers Association. We were then affiliated with the NURTW, and since then, we have been paying our dues and other levies directly to the union. It spanned the two previous administrations of NURTW executives. However, while we are affiliated with the NURTW, we have our activities controlled by our local executives until recently when the newly-appointed NURTW boss, Alhaji Musliu Akinsola, popular known as MC Oluomo, called for the dissolution of our executive committee. After the dissolution by the incumbent administration of NURTW, caretaker administrators were imposed on us, those that are not directly involved in our business, he said. Mr Abiola said that the TOOAN had to write a petition to the national body of NURTW in Abuja, to state its plight and it was resolved amicably. We wrote a petition to the national body of NURTW in Abuja and we were called for a parley together with the NURTW Lagos executives; we stated our claims, and we, as TOOAN members, were asked to go back to status quo. The resolution of the meeting, which had in attendance all the management of the NURTW national body, was that we should choose executives among TOOAN members for Lagos chapter since we are an affiliate of NURTW. We were also instructed to pay all our dues and levies to the Lagos State chapter of NURTW; we all assented to a copy of the resolution in the meeting. Under the new arrangement and resolution, I was chosen to be the new Chairman of Lagos State Chapter of TOOAN on Feb. 9, and the national body of NURTW directed that we should continue to operate in our existing state office, he said. Mr Abiola, however, alleged that the Lagos State Chapter of NURTW failed to honour the resolution made in Abuja and sealed TOOANs office in Lagos. After the successful deliberations with the national body of NURTW in Abuja, I was summoned by the Lagos State Chapter of NURTW for a meeting which turned out to be a different reaction from the Abuja parley. (NAN) The police in Ogun State have arrested a couple with fresh human parts in Abeokuta. Kehinde Oladimeji, 43, and his 35-year-old wife, Adejumoke Raji, allegedly hid the human parts inside a plastic bowl in their room. They were caught when the odour became unbearable for neighbours. According to the state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, the couple, residing at 72, MKO Abiola Way, Leme, Abeokuta, were arrested by operatives from Kemta Divisional Headquarters after the community head, Moshood Ogunwolu, reported the matter. Mr Ogunwolu had told the police that one pastor, Adisa Olarewaju, who is a co-tenant with the suspects, informed him of offensive odours coming out from the room of the suspects. Upon the complaint, the DPO Kemta Division, CSP Adeniyi Adekunle quickly led his detectives to the scene where a search was conducted, Mr Oyeyemi said. On searching the room, a plastic bowl containing fresh, different parts of human beings was discovered in the room, and the couple was promptly arrested. On interrogation, the suspects confessed they were herbalists and that the human parts comprising hands, breasts, and other parts, were given to them by one Michael, who they claimed resided in the Adatan area of Abeokuta. All efforts to locate the said Michael proved abortive as the suspects could not locate his house. Mr Oyeyemi recalled that a dismembered body of an unknown person was found in a swamp at the same Leme, a week ago. He, however, said it was not clear whether the parts are that of the found body or not. The Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, ordered the transfer of the suspects to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for investigation. Hundreds of voters scampered for safety on Saturday as security operatives fired gunshots at a polling unit in Abaji Local Government Area of Abuja. PREMIUM TIMES was present at PU 03, Ward 02 (Abaji North East) in the area council when police officers fired into the air six times to disperse voters, who they said were getting uncomfortably too close to the ballot boxes. The event happened at exactly 1:47 p.m. when some voters were waiting to cast their votes. Not clear to what warranted the gunshots, this reporter approached a female officer who admitted there were gunshots. If you were close enough, you would have understood why the bullets were fired, she told this reporter before walking away. A member of Special Forces, a branch of Nigerian police, who preferred not to be named by the platform, explained why his colleagues fired the gunshots amidst armless civilians. No. There was no attempt to snatch the ballot box. They (voters) have choked the voting point and they almost pushed each other. They are disturbing them (INEC officials) from doing their job and we warned them to move back but they were not listening. So, the MOPOL guy had to shoot three times and some of them did not even move until we formed a wall to push them back, the skinny officer, dressed in black, explained to PREMIUM TIMES. Despite the gunshot that sent many people scampering for safety, this newspaper can report that the voters at the PU still stayed to cast their votes. PREMIUM TIMES can also confirm that the BVAS malfunctioning also played a significant role in the slow pace at which voting processes were done at the PU 003, which is one of the most populous in Abaji North-east. With 2,181 registered voters, the Anyura/Gidan Ayura PU is the second-largest PU across the 9 Wards under Abaji North and South East. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given a pass mark on the conduct of Saturdays Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council election. Yahaya Bello, the INEC FCT Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that the poll commenced early in most polling units in the territory. It is our collective gratitude to that Almighty God that after all this time that we have been preparing for the election, it has been successful. We started since March 31, 2021 when we gave notice of the election. Between then and now every other programme to do with this election has been completed. Today, we are at the polls, we want to assure people that by the grace of God this election will be fair, free, credible, acceptable and inclusive. The poll has opened, all over the FCT we have feedback that people have been casting their votes, he said. Mr Bello said reports received so far from the field have indicated that there have been no hitches. He said the commission had stationed Registration Area Centre (RAC) technicians in locations to ensure rapid response in case of breakdown of the Bi-modal Voting Accreditation System (BVAS). He said it took only two minutes to accredit voters with the BVAS adding that all the commissions facilities were working perfectly. He said all INECs facilities were being secured by security operatives so there was no need for fear and urged voters to come out and vote for candidates of their choice. Terungwa Awuhe, Coordinating Supervisor, FCT, Election Operation Support Centre (EOSC), said the centre was a platform for managing elections. Mr Awuhe said the centre was one of the innovations introduced by the commission. It comprises of three tools, the election operation support centre, the election risk management and the election management support. Here what we do basically is that we track our compliance to the commissions planned activities for election day commencing from the eve of the election up to coalition and declaration of results. We also track threats, we receive reports of threats in the field and we provide intervention mobilise response to those areas, he said. Mr Awuhe, however, said so far no negative report had been received. Some voters expressed mixed feelings on the conduct of the election. Danjuma Tanko, a voter at the Dankogi polling unit in Apo said that the BVAS has been slowing down the accreditation process. Mr Tanko, who after several futile attests, called on INEC to be more proactive in electoral matters. The experience here was that there was a problem with the card reading, the voters are ever ready to vote, we have been here since 6.a.m. It is surprising that in spite of the assurance by INEC, that there wont be any hitches, yet we are experiencing it, he said. Hassana Jonathan, said although she came as early as 6 a.m., she has not been able to vote because accreditation was slow at the beginning but it picked up later. NAN reports that polling units visited Karmo, Saburi, Life camp and Gwarimpa witnessed large turnout of voters. Advertisements (NAN) The All Progressives Congress (APC) has lost the Saturdays Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council area elections in the polling unit of the senator representing the capital city in the National Assembly. It lost the polling unit to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party to which the FCT senator, Philip Aduda, belongs. Mr Aduda is registered to vote during local and national elections at the polling unit. Announcing the results of the election, INEC presiding officer for the unit 004 Ung Gina Health Centre in Karu, Abuja, declared that the PDP scored 140 votes for chairmanship to defeat the APC which polled 35 votes. ALSO READ: PDP chairmanship candidate wins own polling unit by landslide Results of the councillorship election showed the PDP polled 123 votes to defeat the APC which got 57 votes. Karu where the polling units is located is under the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) which hosts the Nigerian seat of power. The council area is currently under the control of the APC. Results are still trickling in from various polling units of the council area. A mother of a two-year-old has narrated how a school teacher flogged her two-year-old child. Faustina Ohamadike told PREMIUM TIMES on Friday that the teacher whom she identified as Aunty Joy flogged her toddler at the Unic Vilos Montessori, a private school in the Maza-Maza area of Lagos. Photos shared on social media by a Twitter user, @WakaWakaTailor, showed bruises on the childs back. According to the mother of four, the toddler had just resumed school after one week of absence due to an illness. She is still in pain, she is the one crying. It happened on Monday. My daughter is not feeling fine. I took her to the hospital, so it was on Saturday (February 5) that she took her last dosage. They always flog them on their forehead or under their palm, Mrs Ohamadike said. So, when I got home Isaw her lying down, I held her hand, she screamed, I was shocked, I wanted to touch the other hand she also screamed, I had to drop my bag and (turn) on my phone torch. I removed her clothes and there are so many bruises all over her back. I was like who did this to this girl? I dont have a cane in my house. Mrs Ohamadike said she confronted the proprietress who told her that her child was flogged because she was asked to read and she refused. I said this one is too much, mama I will not take it. Who flogged her? She now said Ms Joy, I said mama bring Ms Joy out. She said the teacher wasnt around. let her give me the reason why she will flog this girl, this girl that is not feeling fine. And my son said that she fell as they were flogging her and she was crying, she said. Mrs Ohamadike said that she plans to withdraw her children from the school, adding that the proprietress (and others) came to her residence on Friday but she didnt open the door for them. School reacts Contacted, the schools proprietress confirmed that the toddler was beaten by the teacher. The teacher was teaching in the class, the girl was doing something wrong, she was inserting her hand in her private part, so the teacher said she turned, saw her and cautioned her, the third time she was still doing the same thing, she now flogged her and asked her to stop, said the proprietress who refused to say her name. The proprietress said she heard the girl cry and immediately went into the class to find out (what happened). I held the baby and told her that what she did was wrong and she nodded her head. I said dont do that again, she said. The proprietress, who is also Mrs Ohamadikes neighbour, said that around 9 p.m., Mrs Ohamadike came to her house to report the issue and she followed her back to see the child. I pulled the clothes, I saw the cane (marks), I said no I dont like this, just two lines but I said I will caution the teacher tomorrow. As her husband was coming she started wearing the girls clothes back, and she didnt want her husband to see it, she said. I said okay, we discussed, she even offered me malt and bread and I ate it. Then I left for my flat. The proprietress said the teacher apologised to Mrs Ohamadike publicly on her knees adding that the teacher has been suspended. She also said that she and some teachers went to Mrs Ohamadikes house on Friday and knocked for a good five hours but she refused to let them in. My landlady went to her house this morning, she refused to open the door even the church members came to her house this morning, she refused to open the door. She said she didnt want to see anybody, the proprietress said. The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced plans to amend some sections of the its constitution about two weeks to the national convention. This was contained in a statement by the interim National Secretary of the party, John Akpanuodehede, in Abuja on Friday. The governing party said it arrived at the decision after considering the relevance of its constitution to the current realities within its fold. The national convention of the party is scheduled to hold on February 26. The Convention, in accordance with the constitution, approves any amendments to the document. The APC constitution took effect in 2014, a year after the successful merger of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA.). Some sections of the document were amended in October 2014 during the tenure of John Odigie-Oyegun as national chairman. Since its emergence as the ruling party in 2015, the party has witnessed a series of internal crises, some of which have been directly linked to obvious gaps in its constitution. In accordance with Article 30 (iii) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Constititution, the Governor Mai Mala Buni-chaired Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) has served a notice of proposed amendments to the Partys Constitution on members of the National Convention. Article 30 (iii) stipulates that the notice is served at least fourteen (14) days before the date of the National Convention at which the proposed amendments is to be considered. APC Constitution 2014 has been in effect for almost eight years and together with judgments from Courts of competent jurisdiction, administrative experiences have revealed flaws in the Constitution. It became imperative to conduct a review of the Partys Constitution, Mr Akpanudodehe said. The party statement also said it established a Constitution Review Committee under the chairmanship of Tahir Mamman (SAN), to thoroughly review the Constitution in accordance with Article 30 which provides for Constitutional amendments. It said the committee adopted an all-inclusive approach which led to the draft proposals. Proposed amendments The amendments being proposed by the Governor Mala Buni-led Caretaker Committee are in the areas of the organs of the party, fair distribution of income among its structures nationwide and creation of zonal congresses. Altogether, there are 21 items spread across 33 Articles of the Constitution that will be amended, according to the document containing the proposed areas of amendment. Also, there are at least 25 new provisions being introduced in the Constitution, especially in terms of functions and functionality of party organs, while some sections were also expanded to accommodate other realities. Among the striking provisions found by this newspaper in the proposed amendments is the request for a switch of the partys slogan from Change to Progress. The APC rode to power in 2015 through its promises of Change across all sectors, a campaign promise some Nigerians believe have not been kept, given the prevailing insecurity and other economic inconsistencies The party is also proposing a change in the title of its Board of Trustees (BoT) in Article 11 of its existing constitution to the National Advisory Council (NAC). The functions of the organ remain the same although the party has not appointed members of the Board since it was floated in 2013. The APC is also proposing the creation of Zonal Congresses. This will be in addition to the State, LGA and Ward levels of congresses its members are familiar with. With this, the zonal leaders will be elected at the zonal congress. The proposed Zonal Congress shall be for each of the six geo-political zones of the country, comprising its chairman, past zonal chairmen, serving and past governors, senators among others. Also in the proposed amendment, the party expanded the composition of the zonal executive committee, state, LGA and ward to mandatorily include persons with disabilities. Advertisements There is a provision for a new wing for women, youth and persons with disabilities in the party, among others being introduced in Article 12 of the Constitution. Attached is a copy of the proposed constitutional amendment. All Progressives Congress (APC) Constitution The Divisional Police Station, Uli, in Ihiala Local Government Area, Anambra, was on Friday attacked by some yet-to-be-identified assailants. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the gunmen launched an attack on the community on Thursday but were repelled by a combined team of policemen and vigilantes. According to the source, the gunmen later regrouped and attacked the police station in retaliation for the humiliating experience. Confirming the incident, Tochukwu Ikenga, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the command, said the attack was foiled. Mr Ikenga said the station has been secured there was no loss of personnel, adding that one of the operational vehicles, a Lexus 330, used by the assailants, was recovered at the scene. The station is in good condition and no personnel or arms were lost, Mr Ikenga revealed. He said Mr Echeng Echeng, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, had commended the personnel for their gallantry. He assured of the commands firmness and readiness to enhance public safety and peace in the state. Due to the superior firepower of the police operatives, the attackers abandoned one of their operational vehicles, a Lexus 330 black colour, and fled the scene. Meanwhile, the area has since been fortified by the operatives of the command and operations are ongoing, he said. (NAN) Over 2,000 voters have yet to cast their votes at PU 004, Bonugo Primary School, Kwali as of 12:00 p.m. This is majorly because the BVAS (Card Readers) has not been functioning for almost an hour. Voters in the polling units, who turned out in large numbers, have since verified their names on the register and are waiting to vote, their frustration visible. A member of the cabinet of Kwali Area Council, Aliyu Adamu, told PREMIUM TIMES that the BVAS had not worked for over 40 minutes. He said electorates, who have voted so far, are not up to 40 in a polling unit with over 3,000 registered voters. Mr Adamu, who said the malfunctioning device has left voters frustrated and disenfranchised, expressed his disappointment at the electoral umpire, INEC, for doing almost nothing to salvage the situation. Similarly, a PDP agent, Silas Emmanuel, said he is disappointed in Nigerias electoral processes. He also accused INEC of lying to Nigerians about the device. We are frustrated. Honestly, I am disappointed in the election process in this country. The normal card reader we were using before is way better than this thing. We had five polling units here before now they merged into one. See the crowd, not up to 40 people have voted. I dont know why INEC lied and said they tested it and its working, he said. At the moment, INEC officials and security personnel are writing and distributing numbers on a piece of paper. This, they said, is to help organise the crowd. The voting exercise is being delayed and voters are considering going back to their houses. The polling unit at Bonugo Primary School is one of those with the largest number of registered voters. An election observer group, Yiaga Africa, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to extend the election time to 4:30 p.m. Voting commenced late at various polling units across the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Saturday. Malfunctioning BVAS and late arrival of INEC officials were experienced at various council areas during the exercise. Voting has ended in some polling units and results are already trickling in. But, in a statement signed jointly by the executive director Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, and a board member, Ezenwa Nwagwu, it called for an extension of the voting till 4.30p.m. Given the late opening of polls and glitches with the BVAS machines, INEC should extend the voting time to 4:30 pm especially in pollings with a high turnout of voters, the statement read in part. Commenting on the operational deficiencies, the group noted, provide a compelling need for a comprehensive audit of the voter register, BVAS technology, elections logistics and distribution of voters to polling units. It recommended, among others, training of security personnel to act accordingly during electoral process. It added that political parties and their members should coordinate properly to avoid disrupting the process Security agencies should ensure that their personnel act with utmost professionalism and remain impartial throughout the conduct of this election, the statement said. Yiaga Africa said its observers reported disenfranchisement of voters as a result of missing names on the voter register that was deployed to the polling unit. It called on INEC officials to act in the utmost sense of integrity, transparency and professionalism in the collation and declaration of election results. Voters want INEC to extend voting time in Gwagwalada Meanwhile, some voters in Dobi Ward of Gwagwalada Area Council, have appealed to the INEC to extend voting time in the FCT Area Councils Poll, to allow them cast their votes. The voters spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Dobi, Gwagwalada, saying that the use of Biomodal Verification Accreditation System (BVAS) had slowed down the accreditation and voting process. Sule Agada, a businessman, said that no matter the time spent on the queue, he must cast his vote for his preferred candidate. No matter how long it takes, I must cast my vote and make sure that I watch as my vote is being counted. The INEC officials cannot leave here if we dont vote, because the problem is not from us but from them, he said. Jubril Balarabe, a farmer, said that the voters appeared more prepared than INEC officials. The people came well prepared for the election, but INEC is discouraging us with the slow process of accreditation, because as you can see, the queue is well organised. Women are on their side, while men are on their sides too, but yet the voting process has been slow and we must vote. Hussana Hussan, a petty trader, said that she was willing to stay on queue until the last person on the queue was attended to. I will wait with my sisters and brothers until the process is finished, she said. Other voters, however, lauded INEC for the early arrival of materials, but called for solutions to the BVAs hiccups. NAN reports that as at 11.30a.m., about 350 voters had cast their votes at polling unit 001 and 002 in Dobi. Advertisements The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure effective and timely upload of polling unit results on its result viewing (IREV) portal. The Director of CDD, Idayat Hassan, made the call on Saturday in a statement. Ms Hassan noted that when election results are uploaded on the electoral umpires portal in time, it would enhance transparency, credibility and confidence in the process. She also called on the security agencies to demonstrate neutrality by creating the enabling environment for a fair contest by all contestants in the race. Recalling the Anambra governorship election where the security agencies received huge commendation from all and sundry, the director charged the security officers on duty to be above board in their dealings before, during and after the poll. She said the organisation had deployed observers to the six area councils to monitor the poll and ensure improved and quality election. According to her, observers help build public confidence in the honesty of electoral processes. Ms Hassan said that the CDD also unveiled an Election Analysis Centre (EAC) for the FCT poll to provide accurate and real-time analysis of events in the build-up to the polls, election day and post-election period in a more captivating, enriching and systematic manner. The News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) reports that 478 candidates drawn from 14 political parties will contest chairmanship and councillorship positions across six council areas in the FCT local elections. The six area councils in the FCT are Abaji, Kwali, Bwari, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abuja Municipal (AMAC). NAN reports that the parties that are fielding candidates in the election include Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP). Others are the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), African Action Congress (AAC) and Labour Party (LP). Christopher Zakka, the chairmanship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) election, has defeated his closest challenger and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Murtala Karshi, alias Yamarayi, in his polling unit. Mr Zakka, alias Maikalangu, recorded the resounding victory in his polling unit 004 at Ecwa Church Garki village. The presiding officer in the unit counted 183 votes in favour of Mr Zakka against the 11 votes polled by Mr Karshi of the APC. PDP also won the councillorship election in the unit with 155 votes, as APC polled only 32 votes. Efforts are being made to get results from Mr Karshis polling unit. The Supreme Court confirmed Mr Karshi as the APCs chairmanship candidate of the APC on Thursday, barely 48 hours to the local elections holding in all the six council areas of the FCT on Saturday. The verdict of the Supreme Court resolved the partys intra-party rancour that had left it without a definite chairmanship candidate for AMAC, the council area that hosts the Nigerias seat of power, until just two days to the election. AMAC chairman calls on voters to be calm Meanwhile, the outgoing chairman of AMAC, Abdullahi Candido, who also of the APC, on Saturday, urged voters to remain calm as they cast their votes for their preferred candidates in the FCT Area Council polls. The chairman said this after he cast his vote at about 11:20 a.m. in polling unit 002, Jiwa ward in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Saturday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that it took Mr Candido, who was in company with his wife, few minutes to cast his vote. Mr Candido, who spoke with journalists shortly after he cast his vote, applauded the voting process. I am happy that the voting is going on smoothly. The officials are on ground and the voters are conducting themselves well. I am glad that democracy is being deepened, however, I wish to advice voters to be calm and vote for their preferred candidates or party of their choices, according to their conscience. Nobody should feel intimidated. Vote for your preferred candidates for true service to be consolidated from where we stopped, he said. (NAN) The spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Frank Mba, has handed over the duties and responsibilities of the Force Public Relations Department to his deputy, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, according to an official statement. Mr Adejobi, whose appointment takes immediate effect, will serve as substantive FPRO, a statement from the Force Headquarters said on Saturday. He takes over from Frank Mba, who was nominated for the Senior Executive Course at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos. Mr Adejobi, a Chief Superintendent of Police, is an alumnus of the University of Ibadan where he studied Archeology and Geography. He also holds a Masters Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same University. He was once the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the Ogun State Command as well as Lagos State Police Command. The statement said Mr Adejobi is an experienced communicator and image manager who has achieved great strides in his previous appointments. He is a member of several professional bodies and associations which include: Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); International Public Relations Association (IPRA); Pointman Leadership Institute, USA; International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA; and the Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria, the statement read. He can be reached by the general public on 08037168147. When I drove past Idi-Ape area of Ibadan on Wednesday, there wasnt any sign that the arena would soon metamorphose into a theatre of blood. What occupied my mind while moving along the busy lane was a picture of the city as a medley of forgotten, blossoming and aborted dreams. There was the frustrating jeremiad of a motorcyclist lamenting the biting effect of the fuel scarcity conundrum, the tiny voice of the Muezin spreading out from a nearby mosque, the innocence of teenage hawkers maneuvering their ways through snake-like traffic snarl, the sound of exhausted car engines whistling endlessly under the full glare of the afternoon sun, and the dangerous demeanors of Ibadan Micra drivers racing impatiently to nowhere. From Iwo Road to Gate, the city was alive in all of its chaotic beauty. But 24 hours later, Idi-Ape fell into the hands of marauding gunmen. They shot. They maimed. They fled. Whodunit. The robbers came with dreadful eyes, dared an innocent Okada rider, dueled security operatives, and left in their trail sorrows, tears, and blood. They struck in broad daylight, defying the illuminating aura of the afternoon sun. They didnt come in the night, yet attempt to unravel their identity has thrown us all into the dark. Whodunit. Reports said a bullion van was heading towards Gate when the armed gunmen, who were in a Toyota Sienna, overtook the van and opened fire on the occupants and the police escorts. Some residents claimed the Police engaged the robbers in a gun duel, but that narrative remains fuzzy. What has been established is that two policemen and a civilian were shot dead. And then the marauding men escaped. Whodunit. The Idi-Ape robbery underscores yet again the troubling state of security across Nigeria. The man whom Nigerians thought would help flush out criminals, insurgents, and bandits has answered their call with aloofness and insouciance. In the North West, bandits enjoy state-like legitimacy and dictate how peoples daily affair are being conducted. In the North East, insurgents continue to run wild. News items from the North Central arent complete without macabre tales of farmer-herder clashes. The South East and the South-South have remained under the tyranny of violent secessionists and moneyed militants. In the South-West, kidnappers, armed robbers and state-sponsored thugs have remained a thorn in the flesh of innocent residents. Across the country, the spectre of death and killing trails villagers and city dwellers alike. For the umpteenth time, the Idi-Ape robbery and numerous other related attacks in Enugu and elsewhere this week make the case for a long-time demand quite imperative: State Police. Vast swathes of Nigerias huge landmass remain grossly under-policed, and there is an urgent need to rejig the policing architecture to address local security concerns. But much more importantly, beyond the impotence of our federal policing system, there is a peculiarity to the Idi-Ape heist and the general climate of local insecurity in Ibadan and Oyo State that should worry every well-meaning resident. On Thursday, almost at about the same hour that the marauding gunmen turned Idi-Ape into a river of blood, men of the Oyo State Park Management System (PMS) were locked in a gun battle with another group of miscreants known as Federal Boys. By the time the dust settled, a known PMS member had been reportedly shot dead, properties destroyed, and scores of people injured. The gun duel reportedly lasted for about four hours on Thursday and was resumed on Friday, leaving residents scampering for safety. Whodunit. Penultimate week, no fewer than 150 men suspected to be political thugs were arrested by men of the 32 Artillery Brigade in Ekiti State. The armed men were said to be heading to Ado Ekiti from Ibadan ahead of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries in that state. Sahara Reporters later claimed that Governor Seyi Makinde and officials of the PMS sent a delegation to the Ondo State Police Command to pressurise the Nigerian Army to release the 150 armed thugs, said to be PMS members. The government never dissociated itself from the PMS thugs, nor did it bring them to book. Whodunit. Last year, at the Iwo Road phone mart, a few metres away from Idi-Ape, a young man was killed allegedly by marauding men of PMS. Nothing significant has been done with regards to justice in that case till date. Whodunit! So in essence, there is the atmosphere of warmth and coziness that the Oyo State Government has built for thugs and other criminal elements in the state. By its naked fraternatisation with moneyed ex-convicts and its laissez faire treatment of the excesses of marauding outlaws such as men of its Park Management System (PMS), ostensibly as a trade-off for political support during electioneering, the government contributes significantly to the cloudy atmosphere of chaos and insecurity in the state. Whats most disturbing is that by some weird design, the government gets away with almost all of these misdemeanors, while everyone continues to play the ostrich. Of course there is a ready-made army of juvenile propagandists, including meddlesome dingbats that are far detached from Ibadan, who are always there to shut down and blackmail critics. The romance between the government and hoodlums has so far been elevated as a part of pop culture, with their theatrics now instagrammed in our peoples subconscious. On radio stations in Ibadan, for instance, presenters glamorise and throw around buzzwords popularized by murderous thugs as though they are addressing folks at motor parks. Its almost the same in informal conversations among people on the streets. Given how much culture influences everything, its a tad worrisome. In deconstructing the Idi-Ape heist, there is a crucial point to make about the proliferation of illegal arms in the aftermath of the numerous jailbreaks witnessed across the country in recent months, including the one in nearby Oyo town. There is also the after-effect of the #EndSARS protests, where hoodlums infiltrated law-abiding protesters, unleashed mayhem on security operatives, burnt down police stations, and carted away guns and other weapons. Ironically, in Oyo state, very little has been done either to address the demands of the #EndSARS protesters or to boost the morale of Policemen who suffered harassment and were even cannibalised at the height of the protests. In effect, the spectre of that dangerous episode still haunts the security operatives in the state. This has manifested significantly in the spate of robbery attacks and the lukewarm response of the Police in places like Agbowo, UI, and environs. The Oyo state government, in its trademark manner, has addressed these issues with grand mendacity and hypocritical showboating. The starting point is for the government to launch a genuine war against thuggery, radically wean itself of state-sponsored hoodlums, and, without resorting to media mendacity, genuinely engage the Police and other security operatives for better synergy. Beyond needless politicisation of tragedies, the Idi-Ape heist should scare every resident of Ibadan, if put in proper context. Around the scene of the robbery, there are key security landmarks like the Officers Mess, the Police Area Command at Testing Ground, and more than four key Police Stations. The Government House is equally located just a stones throw away from the scene. The state government has a security control room in Jericho and its quite worrisome that the robbers could escape from such a congested hub without traces. All hands must be on deck to fish them out, and make them face the full wrath of the law. If such daredevilry could be staged unchallenged in such a busy, strategic spot as against some lonely bush path in the countryside danger looms. Whodunit. Iboms Iberibe-ism Last Saturday, I returned to Lagos from Uyo via Ibom Air. The airlines reputation of timeliness and excellent in-flight experience preceded it, and I was quite excited. The take-off was timely, to be sure, but the flight experience was a huge disappointment. First, the series of disappointing moments began from Uyo. The airport runway needs serious attention. It was bumpy and rough. But thats by the way. When the aircraft got into the skies, we realised that it had a faulty AC. At some point when the AC was put on, it sent panic down the spine of everyone. When we eventually began our descent into the Lagos airport, it was put off and everyone began to sweat profusely. What many passengers found rather disappointing was that no apology nor explanation was offered by the crew, despite the stuffy, suffocating experience. It was heartbreaking because in Nigerias disappointing air industry of late arrivals of aircraft and flight cancellation, Ibom Air stands out. The airline can, and should, do better. Advertisements That was classic Iberibe-ism. Oladeinde Olawoyin tweets via @Ola_deinde. Dishonesty both in thought and deed were the prime bases of the Nigerian troubles. Robert Collis, Nigeria in Conflict, p.187 (1970) Most people with a sense of smell in political economy would easily know that Nigeria is in serious trouble but many dont know how bad it is. In the past week, two voices who should know have piped up about how bad the situation is. Penultimate Governor of the Central Bank, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, lamented on a visit to Abeokuta, Ogun State in South-West Nigeria last week that the country is in an even deeper hole than we were in 2015 and is living in extra-time. His Deputy Governor at the Central Bank, Kingsley Moghalu, in a separate assessment, said Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb waiting to explode. In the same interview, Professor Moghalu explains that what went wrong didnt start with the Muhammadu Buhari presidency. It only got worse in the Muhammadu Buhari presidency, astronomically worse. In a country founded on short memories, the story of how Nigeria got into its current funk will be lost on especially the young people most of whom have not been afforded the capacity to cultivate a memory or sense of history of the country. So, a short primer on Nigerias long descent into sovereign insolvency is useful, not merely because it should inform choices ahead of a consequential poll in 2023 but, even more, it should remind us how a country that cannot count harms itself. Nigeria is a crisis of a country that cannot count and because it cannot count, refuses to account. The first crises of post-colonial Nigeria arose with the 1962/63 national census, the federal elections of 1964, and the elections in the old Western region in 1965. Successively compromised by dis-honest counting, these three events ultimately preceded the descent into military rule, mass atrocity and war between 1966 and 1970. As Robert Collis observes in his Nigeria in Conflict, this atmosphere was.the main reason for the two coups and the civil war. The end of the civil war was quickly followed by post-Arab-Israeli (Yom Kippur War) Oil Boom. Many may not remember but from December 1970 and September 1973, official oil prices jumped from $1,21 to $2,90 per barrel, while spot values topped $5,00, representing an increase of over 413%. Following the Arab-Israeli (Yom Kippur) War of October 1973, the posted price would further rise by another 387% by the end of 1973. The country was awash with money that it did not know how to count. In two years, from 1973 to 1975, Nigerias trade surplus suddenly spiked by 400 per cent from $1,5billion in 1973 to a record $6billion. Nigerias military Head of State then, Yakubu Gowon, still in his 30s and the countrys first four-star Army General, infamously boasted that Nigerias problem is not money, but how to spend it. There was a national census in 1973 which, as Karl Maier recalls, proved to be farcical. The results were never published. Intoxicated with liquidity hubris, the government of General Gowon initiated an ambitious public infrastructure project that required massive importation of cement whose quantity we didnt care to know. Led by rulers who were un-schooled in the complicated mechanics of international commercial credits, the country received an inundation of useless sand imports that it had not ordered and did not need. The government which needed 2.9 million metric tons for its own projects, ordered more than 16 million. The sudden demand came at a cost: Nigeria was paying about $115 for a ton of cement, nearly three times the world price at the time. The cement came from just about everywhere. An oversupply of overpriced cement became the least of the governments problems as half the worlds supply of the building material diverted towards Nigeria, vastly outstripping the Port of Lagos capacity. In reality, much of the import turned out to be overpriced sand. It necessitated massive commitments in demurrage, lost maritime contracts and revenues, and the leasing of port space in neighboring countries. Nigeria lost a lot of money (no one has ever computed how much) and those that ran the country appeared to lose whatever marbles they had. In one of historys most expensive piques of martial fit, Nigerias then military government repudiated its payment obligations under the original commercial arrangements. Sued before courts in several European countries (including England, Germany, Switzerland and Austria), Nigeria unsuccessfully pleaded sovereign immunity in support of its attempt to repudiate the contracts. It failed and, in so doing, changed international law on sovereign immunities. Armed with judgment debts that became due for payment together with accrued interest payments various international creditors easily enforced their judgment debts against Nigerias assets overseas. By the turn of 1980, the country became unable strictly speaking to finance its foreign commitments. As the English Court of Appeal put it with characteristic understatement in the most famous of these cases in 1977, this kind of mess could only have been caused by some mis-management somewhere. Rather than find out and fix the source of this obvious mis-management, Nigerias leaders sought new frontiers for money without adjusting the way government business was conducted. While the full import of this debacle was unfolding, the military turned over power to a civilian administration following elections in which the counting was characteristically tainted by the sort of vote-rigging and intimidation that have marred all post-independence Nigerian Polls. Faced with national bankruptcy, the civilian government of President Shagari declared Austerity in 1980. To ameliorate the resulting difficulties for working Nigerians, his federal government in 1981 established a taskforce, headed by then Transport Minister, Umaru Dikko, to import and distribute rice at subsidized prices to Nigerians. In todays language, it would have been called palliative. The quantities were undetermined. Cement Armada was now replaced by Rice Armada and a few more millionaires were made at the expense of the public interest. Import licensingfor rice was in those days what the Petroleum Subsidy racketeering has become today. In four years between 1979 and 1983, the country burnt a reputed four billion dollars on the Rice Armada and another 12 billion to sundry acts of official plunder. In those days, the Naira was stronger than the US Dollar. Under the combined assault of these various difficulties, the Nigerian economy reportedly shrank at an annual average of two percentage points or a cumulative eight percentage points in the four-year period from 1979 to 1983. The elections of 1983 were even more flawed than those of 1979. In a familiar reprise of our incapacity to count, the ruling party, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), manufactured what it called a landslide characterized, as Karl Maier tells it by rigging, violence, bribery, and wildly inflated voter turnouts. Promising to put the country (and then President, Shehu Shagari) out of our collective miseries of leadership and institutional ineptitude, the military overthrew and replaced the civilian regime on 31 December 1983. After the inconclusive interregnum of the innumerate Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahima Babangida, another General, took over power in August 1985, with a promise to initiate dialogue with the Bretton Woods institutions to assist Nigeria with a facility of $2 billion to alleviate its lingering balance of payments crisis. In return, they required economic liberalisation. The fallacy was to assume that economic liberalization could happen without political, institutional and ethical renewal of government and how it was constituted and run. To prolong himself in power, General Babangida contrived to corrupt politics and politicise corruption. In 1991, he made another unsuccessful attempt to conduct a national census. Meanwhile, the General was unable to count or account for the enhanced earnings windfall that accrued to Nigeria from the spike in international oil prices that followed the first Gulf War between 1992-1993. A subsequent investigation led by the economist, Dr Pius Okigbo, allegedly estimated that about $12 billion of these earnings were not accounted for, but the report remains officially not published. In June 1993, when it seemed Nigeria had for once broken the curse of a people that could not count with an election that was widely viewed as credible, Ibrahim Babangida inexplicably nullified the outcome. In the ensuing crisis, he was forced to step aside on August 27, 1993, whereupon he left the country in the hands of the hapless Ernest Shonekan, a lawyer and former Chief Executive of the United African Company (UAC) Nigeria PLC, then the biggest conglomerate in Nigeria. The country had come full circle from its first contact with British colonial expedition a little over a century earlier when, in 1886, the company started in 1879 by George Taubman Goldie as United African Company (UAC) received a Royal Charter to administer the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. Shonekan lasted all of 84 days, overthrown in November 1993 by General Sani Abacha, who, in under five years in power contrived to appropriate to himself an estimated 3-5 per cent of the countrys GDP. No one has ever quite managed to put a firm figure on how much he actually stole but, according to former Attorney-General of the Federation, Bola Ige, Abacha and his collaborators are estimated to have embezzled assets of at least $5 billion. The story was about to take off and Nigeria is still paying the price. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer and teacher, can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu. The stage is set for todays election in the six Area Councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in what appears a litmus test for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2023 general elections. The February 12 election is the first major election to be conducted by INEC in 2022. Abuja is unique compared to Nigerias 36 states as it has no elected governor but a minister who is appointed by the president. Also, unlike in the 36 states where state electoral commissions conduct the council elections, Abujas are conducted by INEC. Here are seven major things to know about the election: 1. Political parties and candidates Fourteen political parties will compete for 62 councilorship and six chairmanship seats in FCT Area Council election when polls open on Saturday. Political parties that are fielding candidates in the election include Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), African Action Congress (AAC) and Labour Party (LP). Saturdays election will be held in the 68 wards/constituencies spread across Bwari, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Kwali and Abuja Municipal Council (AMAC) area councils of the FCT. As published in its final list, the INEC noted that a total of 473 candidates sponsored by 14 political parties will participate in the poll with 55 of them seeking to be chairpersons of the six area councils. Ahead of the election, participating political parties have signed a peace accord. The representatives and candidates of 14 political parties, including Nigerias ruling APC and the main opposition PDP last week at the Nigerian Air Force Conference Centre, in Abuja, agreed to a violence-free election. 2. Polling units and Voters The number of registered voters in the FCT are 1,373,492, while the number of polling units are 2,822, including the newly created ones. According to INEC, the expansion of voter access to polling units resulted in the creation of 593 new polling units from the existing polling units in the FCT, making balloting more accessible to voters and less likely to be encumbered by lengthy queues. But the election umpire noted that Saturdays elections will only hold in the old 2,229 polling units as no materials or officials would be deployed to the 593 newly established polling units because no voters have yet been registered in those areas. 3. INEC preparation INEC had announced the deployment of 2,822 Biometric Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) for Saturdays FCT council elections. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman, at the distribution of sensitive materials to the area councils on Wednesday, said that 12,000 ad hoc staff had also been deployed for the elections. Mr Yakubu said the sensitive materials were collected from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and brought to INEC FCT office, for distribution to the area councils. The materials were received from CBN and are being taken to the area councils starting with the farthest, Abaji, Kwali to Gwagwalada area councils, he noted. INECs National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education (IVEC), Festus Okoye, said the deployment of the sensitive materials was being observed by representatives of political parties, civil society groups and the media. Abdulrazak Yusuf, the director in charge of electoral operations, said the sensitive materials included result sheets and ballot papers customised in different colours according to the area councils. Mr Yusuf said INEC had a checklist containing the names of all polling units and ballot papers with their serial numbers and the number of result sheets that would be used. The FCT INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Yahaya Bello, said that all was set for the conduct of the FCT area council elections. He said the Registration Area Centres (RACs) had been prepared, secured and ready for work and that the RACs would be opened on February 11 to accommodate all the ad hoc staff. Advertisements Mr Bello said all the BVAS devices had been well configured and the commission had also trained what it called RAC Techs. According to him, there are technicians who are going to take care of the machines in the event of any breakdown. 4. Security preparation Towards ensuring adequate security during Saturdays election, the FCT Police Command on Thursday announced that there will be restriction of movement from 12 midnight of Friday, February 11 to 4 p.m. on Saturday in Abuja. The police, on Friday, however, announced a relaxation of the restriction, saying residents were now free to go about their legitimate businesses on election day. The FCT police command also announced the establishment of an emergency response team codenamed 9 sector re-enforcement team, to curb any violence that may arise during the Area Council elections. The security outfit comprising police officers and sister security agencies, located in all the area councils and perceived hotspots, would, among others, provide an immediate response to cases of emergency in their places of deployment and prevent security breach, the command said. 5. Voter Apathy and Vote buying There have been concerns about voter apathy and vote-buying during the elections. Both situations have been recorded during past FCT area council elections, prompting concerns from election observers. Analysts say there is very poor awareness ahead of the polls, which may lead to voter apathy. They argue that FCT residents have lost interest in Abuja politics, saying that majority of them are not even aware that an election will be held Saturday. On its part, INEC warned political parties to shun vote-buying during the election or face the full weight of the law. 6. FCT minister Ahead of the polls, FCT Minister Muhammad Bello called for the active and peaceful participation of FCT residents. In a statement Friday to FCT residents, Mr Bello said that since the return to democracy in 1999, the FCT Area Council elections have held unfailingly every three years leading to the entrenchment of an enduring democratic culture where the wishes of the people have prevailed. According to the minister, conducting a smooth election is not the responsibility of the Independent National Electoral Commission alone, but also those of the electorate working in tandem with all stakeholders, including security agencies, civil society groups, the mass media, community and religious leaders and organisations. He also reminded residents that the attention of the national and international community is focused on the FCT Area Council elections. 7. Few female candidates According to INEC data, only 9 per cent of candidates for the various posts are women. Women groups and gender-focused civil society organisations have decried the poor participation of women in the election. They also noted the relatively low number of women registered voters compared to their male counterparts. The Director, Gender and Inclusivity Department of INEC, Blessing Obidegwu, said that as of the 2019 general elections in FCT, about 743,238 males and 61,618 females were registered in the FCT. Accreditation of voters in most polling units in Lugbe on the Airport Road for Saturdays FCT area council poll was delayed, following the late arrival of INEC officials and election materials. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who went around polling units in Lugbe Federal Housing Estate, Gosa, Trade Moore, and Galadimawa, reports that the accreditation which was supposed to start by 8.30. a.m., could not start as at 10.15 a.m. NAN also reports that INEC officials were absent from most of the units as of 10.15 a.m. However, security operatives were on ground in most polling units visited with no visible presence of voters. At Galadimawa Primary School polling unit, a handful of voters and security operatives were on ground, waiting for INEC officials to arrive. Some motorists also used the opportunity to fuel their vehicles at filling stations on the Airport Road. INEC had deployed 12,000 ad hoc staff members to cover the election in the six FCT Area Councils of AMAC, Abaji, Gwagwalada, Bwari, Kwali and Kuje. (NAN) Plattsburgh, NY (12901) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. High 66F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Rain showers in the evening will evolve into a more steady rain overnight. Low around 50F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. Rainfall near a half an inch. DUBAI, UAE, Feb. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The trend of residency and citizenship by investment (RCBI) continues to grow throughout the world. More high net worth individuals (HNWIs) are looking to obtain a second passport to help offset the risk of political and economic instability within their own countries. This trend has especially skyrocketed within the African continent, and Nigeria, the most populated and second wealthiest African country, is proving a massive market for RCBI. Nigeria ticks the three boxes needed for any given market to become a large one in terms of RCBI, which are: The availability of wealth The need for investment migration The availability of RCBI services A Rich Nation With A Struggling Economy Nigeria is in a paradoxical situation. The nation's economy is one of the largest in Africa and one of the most influential in the region, yet its political instability continues to affect its economic landscape. The Nigerian currency has dropped more than 100% in the last decade, while poverty is on the rise. However, when it comes to the country's elite, the vast resources and opportunities in Nigeria mean they continue to do business on the highest level. The number of HNWIs with over a million USD in Nigeria is expected to grow a staggering 19% in the upcoming five years, while ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWIs), those with net worths above 30 million USD, are expected to grow 14% within that same time period. The Nigerian market continues to grow, regardless of currency fluctuations or the political landscape, and that creates a vast client pool for Residency & Citizenship by Investment Services. A Need For A Better Life Life in Nigeria is a mixed bag, but one can understand why Nigerians consider obtaining a Plan B in terms of a second citizenship. Political instability, safety concerns, and an array of sanctions have left Nigerians looking for a contingency. Quality of life in the African country is not what its residents hope it would be. The United Nations's Human Development Index, a methodology to assess the standard of living, infrastructure, education, healthcare, and economy of a country, among other things, provides ample proof of the country's status. But it isn't just about the quality of life, as global mobility also plays a huge role in why Nigerians are seeking out a second passport. The Antiguan passport provides visa-free travel to 150 destinations worldwide , more than three times that of its Nigerian counterpart. It also offers visa-free travel to areas such as the United Kingdom and the EU. It is no surprise that Nigerian applicants to the Antiguan citizenship by investment program increased tenfold between 2017 and 2018. But it is not just Antigua & Barbuda that is getting more Nigerian applicants; Vanuatu's Citizenship by Investment Program saw almost eight times more Nigerian applicants in 2019 than in the year before. Access to RCBI Services The last box Nigeria must tick to become a large RCBI market is accessibility to RCBI services, which is something we at Savory & Partners provide our Nigerian clients with in abundance. We provide our Nigerian clientele with comprehensive second citizenship solutions that meet their needs, objectives, and budget. We understand the challenges they face on a daily basis, and we have the expertise to find solutions to their problems. Our work in the African continent has cemented us as the best RCBI service provider in the region, and Nigerians can access that pool of expertise at any time simply by contacting us and booking a free, comprehensive consultation with one of our second citizenship experts. Savory & Partners is an accredited agent for multiple governments where citizenship by investment is offered. Founded in 1797, the agency has evolved from pharmaceuticals to family assets and legacy protection through second citizenship and residency. The company's professional, multinational staff is made up of expert advisors who have guided thousands of clients, including many North African investors, on their journey to find the most suitable CBI program for them. The Savory & Partners team will be happy to answer your enquiries in English, Arabic and French. For more information, please send an email to contact@savoryandpartners.com . You can also call +971 04 430 1717 or send a WhatsApp message to +971 54 440 2955. Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1738007/Savory_and_Partners_Logo.jpg SOURCE Savory & Partners HONG KONG, Feb. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global independent marketing and communications firm, FINN Partners, reported that FINN Asia, now approximately 80 people in the region, has seen 20% revenue and 20% talent growth in 2021 over 2020. On the heels of strong momentum, FINN announced today the expansion of its global footprint with the opening of a new FINN office in Beijing, as well as two key executive promotions in Singapore. Jason Cao, Senior Partner, to lead FINNs new Beijing Office "FINN's momentum in the Asia Pacific region is a testament to the strength of our leadership team, integrated capabilities and trusted partnerships with clients across a breadth of sectors, from technology and B2B to consumer, lifestyle, travel, hospitality and wellness," said Peter Finn, CEO and founding managing partner. "This is a strategic market for FINN and expanding our presence and leadership bench will position us to continue our growth trajectory and serve clients across the spectrum of business needs." FINN Opens Beijing Office; Hires Jason Cao as Market Leader Building on the agency's fast-growing Asian presence, FINN expands its footprint in China with a new office in Beijing led by Communications veteran Jason Cao. As Senior Partner, Cao is tasked with driving growth for FINN in the health, technology and consumer sectors in China. With over two decades' experience in corporate communications, crisis management, digital marketing and training, Cao has held key leadership roles in Greater China with renowned international PR firms, working with MNCs, SOE, media, regulators and NGOs by navigating the complexity of corporate affairs and issues, as well as serving inbound and outbound clients. He has counseled C-suite leaders and communications teams in various industries including high-tech and B2B, healthcare and pharma, FMCG and hospitality, with clients such as Microsoft, Honeywell, Johnson Controls, OTIS, Eaton, Osram, Ecolab, Texas Instruments, ARM, Linkedin, Amazon, Oracle, Business French, Bloomberg, KPMG, Bayer, Merck, Takeda, Volvo Group, Caterpillar, Syngenta, Invisalign, L'Oreal, Beyond Meat, Lenovo, ZTE mobile, and TCL. "Beijing is obviously a very important global market and one that we've been looking to enter for quite some time now," said Cathy Chon, Managing Partner, FINN Partners. "We were very fortunate to be introduced to Jason, who has had great success throughout his career, particularly in client relations and business development. We are very excited about the possibilities for this new office." Singapore Office Fuels Strong Growth; Bolsters Leadership with Key Promotions FINN is also expanding its leadership bench on the heels of record growth in its Singapore office. In 2021, FINN Singapore recorded its best-performing year to date, with an over 25% growth in fees year on year. The impressive performance is attributed to the agency's strategic restructuring to meet increasing client demand for integrated marketing services, encompassing strategy, public relations, digital, content, analytics and technology solutions. Integrated Marketing Communications comprise approximately 75% of Finn Partners Singapore's overall business. Said Naeema Ismail, Managing Partner, FINN Singapore, "There has been a confluence of factors driving real and needed change in our industry. An ever-increasing mix of paid and owned channels contrasted with a diminishing traditional, earned media pool, has increased the need for marketing professionals to keep up with a multitude of platforms and technologies. FINN's integrated model has driven tremendous growth over the past several years, including new clients in 2021 such as Accenture, Cybereason, Engie Impact, General Electric, Sodexo and Trend Micro. We offer the ability to not only create exciting campaigns, but to also measure effectiveness in this intense business climate." To support this momentum, FINN Singapore has promoted two senior executives. Safina Samian has been named Partner and Head of Integrated Marketing Communications, from her previous role as Vice President. Samian has an enviable portfolio of in-house and agency roles over more than 20 years, having held leadership roles agency-side where she led key accounts in corporate, healthcare, aviation, finance and retail. With a passion for disruptive technology, she has worked with leading technology brands such as AT&T, Avaya, Dell/Dell Technologies, Google, Salesforce and SAP. FINN Singapore has also promoted industry veteran Vincent Leong from Vice President to Partner. Leong leads an Integrated Marketing Communications team focused on supporting technology business clients across Asia Pacific, including Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Commvault, Denodo, Nutanix and Sensormatic Solutions. Prior to joining FINN in 2013, Leong served as Asia Pacific Japan PR Lead at Akamai Technologies, Director of Corporate Communications for Southeast Asia at SAP, and held roles at Lotus Development (currently IBM Software) and Tyco Fire and Security. Early in his career, he worked as a journalist covering healthcare, healthtech and wellness news. About FINN Partners, Inc. Founded in 2011 on the core principles of innovation and collaborative partnership, FINN Partners has grown from about $24 million in fees to almost $170 million in fees over ten years, becoming one of the fastest growing independent public relations agencies in the world. The full-service marketing and communications company's record setting pace is a result of organic growth and integrating new companies and new people into the FINN world through a common philosophy. With over 1,000 professionals, FINN provides clients with global access and capabilities in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. In addition, FINN provides its clients with access to top tier agencies around the world through its membership in the global network PROI. Headquartered in New York, FINN's other offices are in Atlanta, Beijing, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Detroit, Dublin, Fort Lauderdale, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Honolulu, Jerusalem, London, Los Angeles, Munich, Nashville, Paris, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, Southern California, Vancouver and Washington D.C. Find us at finnpartners.com and follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @finnpartners. Contact: Celia Jones Global Director of Marketing Communications [email protected] Cathy Chon Managing Partner [email protected] Naeema Ismail Managing Partner [email protected] SOURCE FINN Partners At PrayForChina2022.com, believers can commit to participate to pray for persecuted Christians in China. Tweet this According to The Voice of the Martyrs ' 2022 Global Prayer Guide , China is classified as a restricted nation. The "restricted" designation is assigned to countries where government-sanctioned circumstances or anti-Christian laws lead to Christians being harassed, imprisoned, killed or deprived because of their witness. This designation is also used for countries where government policy or practice prevents Christians from obtaining Bibles or other Christian literature. In recent years China's government has forcibly closed hundreds of churches, arrested or detained hundreds of pastors and church members, and prohibited the online sale of Bibles. Church leaders are subject to intense pressure to join the state-sanctioned protestant church organization, the government-controlled Three-Self Patriotic Movement, and submit to the control of Communist Party officials. Todd Nettleton, VOM's spokesperson, said, "It's incredibly encouraging that tens of thousands of people have committed to pray for China during these Olympic Games." "What is even more exciting is to see 144 countries represented," Nettleton said. "The Body of Christliterally all around the worldhas joined hands to lift up our spiritual family members in China. I think we're seeing in action what the Apostle Paul called in Phillippians, "the fellowship of Christ's suffering." Nettleton encouraged Christians to join this prayer campaign. "Add your name at PrayForChina2022.com to join with Christians around the world who are committed to pray for persecuted Christians in China each day during the Olympic Games," said Nettleton. The Voice of the Martyrs is a nonprofit, interdenominational organization serving persecuted Christians in more than 70 nations around the world. Founded in 1967 by the Wurmbrands, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commissionno matter the cost. For more information, visit VOM.org . SOURCE The Voice of the Martyrs The North Dakota Supreme Court is weighing whether to further delay the public release of about 16,000 documents relating to construction security for the Dakota Access Pipeline. Justices also will be deciding in a separate but related case before the high court whether to give pipeline developer Energy Transfer a second avenue to try to block the records from the public. The court already has temporarily stopped any disclosure, and justices are now deciding whether to continue that order while Energy Transfer appeals a state district judge's determination that the documents are open records under North Dakota law. The temporary Supreme Court order means that the 62,000 pages of documents deemed by the judge late last year to be public will remain off limits for now to anyone, including several news organizations that have requested them. The Intercept, a nonprofit online news outlet, sued in November 2020 to get access to the documents to continue investigative journalism on the extensive and sometimes violent pipeline protests in southern North Dakota in 2016-17. The convoluted nature of the dispute that has dragged on more than a year was on display during a Supreme Court hearing this week, with Justice Daniel Crothers asking an attorney if two appeals are necessary, and Justice Lisa Fair McEvers inquiring of another lawyer: "This is not a usual case of an open records request, is it?" Private or public? The 16,000 documents are being held by the North Dakota Private Investigation and Security Board, which obtained them during an administrative case involving the operations of TigerSwan, the North Carolina company that Energy Transfer hired to oversee security during pipeline construction. South Central District Judge Cynthia Feland in late December ruled that the documents are public and subject to the state's open records law. And last month she refused to delay their release while Energy Transfer attorneys appeal her December ruling. That meant the documents were available to the public, including the media. But Energy Transfer appealed to the Supreme Court before anyone could obtain them. The company maintains the documents should remain private because they're privileged, confidential and proprietary" -- something Feland concluded company attorneys hadn't backed up with specific evidence. Energy Transfer late last month asked the Supreme Court to put Feland's order on hold while its appeal plays out, arguing that "Once ... (the) documents are disclosed to the public, that disclosure can not be undone." The court on Feb. 2 granted the request "until further order" and put a Feb. 7 deadline on written responses. Arguing on delay Both the state board and The Intercept filed written objections, while TigerSwan supported Energy Transfer. The responses relate only to the temporary order delaying public release of the documents, not to the full appeal. Intercept attorney Tim Purdon argued in part that Energy Transfer's filing of six documents with the Supreme Court as purported examples substantiating its claims of confidential information comes too late. "This court should reject ET's belated attempt to manufacture a record on appeal that it failed to develop" in the lower court, he wrote. Feland had stated in her January refusal to block the public release of the documents that Energy Transfer "has failed to provide sufficient information to assess the validity of a claim of privilege or exception that would prohibit the disclosure of even a single document." The Supreme Court is allowing Energy Transfer to file the six documents under seal, meaning they're not available to public review. Court documents indicate they are emails involving Energy Transfer and TigerSwan dealing with matters including attorney consultation and the location of pipeline valve sites. Public disclosure of those sites could lead to vandalism or terrorism, Energy Transfer maintains. Company attorneys argue in their appeal that there is no evidence "establishing any link or association between the (16,000) documents and public business or the use of public funds." TigerSwan attorney Lynn Boughey backed up that assertion in his response filing with the Supreme Court this week, arguing that "There is no question that the documents and materials provided by TigerSwan to the board were the private records" of Energy Transfer. Assistant Attorney General Courtney Titus argued on behalf of the state board that any of the documents found to be exempt from open records law could be redacted. She also noted in her filing this week that the documents have been withheld from the public for more than a year and that "open records law safeguards more than just the public's right to request and receive public records, but also (to) have the records produced in a timely manner." Lengthy litigation The records became entangled in multiple lawsuits involving the Intercept, TigerSwan and Energy Transfer. An Energy Transfer breach of contract claim against TigerSwan is unresolved. Feland in her ruling last month said even if the documents are publicly released, "Energy Transfer will still have an ongoing cause of action for damages against TigerSwan for its original release of the disputed documents to the board." Energy Transfer attorneys in their appeal take issue with Feland's contention on several grounds, including that the company's claim against TigerSwan "is a separate claim from its claim against the board. Energy Transfer has no option to seek damages from the board, whose production of documents that are not 'records,' and are confidential and privileged to Energy Transfer, will harm Energy Transfer." Boughey argues that TigerSwan can't be held liable for damages because the company was required by court order to turn over the documents to the state board. Energy Transfer has taken the documents dispute to the state Supreme Court twice. The company also wants the right to intervene in the now-closed administrative case involving TigerSwan and the board so that it can seek a protective order for the documents. Oral arguments in that case were held Thursday, and a decision is pending. Titus argued during the hearing that Energy Transfer waited too long to try to intervene in the case. Energy Transfer attorney Jennifer Recine disputed that and reiterated that the company's interest is only in the documents, not the outcome of the case. The administrative case focused on whether TigerSwan operated illegally in the state in 2016 and 2017, when thousands of pipeline protesters gathered near the pipeline's Missouri River crossing just north of the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, and law enforcement made more than 750 arrests. The administrative case culminated with a settlement in September 2020 under which TigerSwan agreed to pay $175,000 to the board but did not admit to any wrongdoing. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 JURUPA VALLEY, Calif., Feb. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- GenBody America reaffirms its well-established commitment to providing accurate and reliable COVID-19 rapid antigen testing. To date, GenBody America has provided millions of COVID-19 rapid antigen tests throughout the United States, and all clinical trials of GenBody's POC tests have consistently yielded accurate results. On Sunday, February 6, 2022, GenBody was contacted by the Utah Department of Health (UDOH) with a concern that the GenBody test was not performing as expected. After investigating those concerns, David Yoo, CEO and founder of GenBody America, said, "the figures cited by the State of Utah conflict with our experience in the remainder of the country and in our clinical trials." GenBody America's highest priority is to provide people with a highly reliable method for accurate COVID rapid antigen testing which when handled and administered in accordance with the Instructions for Use (IFU) affirmed by the clinical trials - provide public health officials and those they serve with the information they need to make wise decisions about their health and to navigate their lives during these challenging times. "As soon as we became aware of discrepancies in Utah's testing results which we haven't seen elsewhere we immediately reached out to help identify and solve any issues there may be," said Yoo. "So far, our due diligence has shown no reason to believe that there is any issue with the test itself." GenBody America has offered and looks forward to working with the State of Utah to better understand the process the State created and implemented related to the administration of our test. Understanding the State's procedures will allow us to ascertain any factors that may have led to the figures cited by the State of Utah. The IFU for any rapid antigen test is designed to insure the sensitivity and specificity of that particular test, and the IFU for the GenBody COVID-19 Ag test - affirmed by the clinical trials - is the only method to consistently ascertain precise results. Yoo emphasized, "GenBody America and its customers have every reason for great confidence in the GenBody POC test and its ability to provide necessary and accurate results, and the concerns expressed by Utah are not the result of any product defect or shortcoming when used properly in accordance with the IFU." About GenBody America GenBody America is the U.S. manufacturer for GenBody, Inc., a leading South Korean manufacturer of rapid diagnostic tests and reagents for point of care applications for COVID-19 and other diseases. Based in Southern California, GenBody America sells and distributes GenBody's visually readable, direct nasopharyngeal and anterior nasal swab COVID-19 antigen test kits to point of care providers, CLIA-certified labs, and facilities with CLIA waivers across the United States. GenBody's COVID-19 antigen test is one of a handful of visually readable tests that is EUA authorized by the FDA. GenBody has over 20 years' experience in the diagnostic industry and vast networks with several key institutes, universities, and hospitals. GenBody's core strength remains in R&D, while supplying point of care providers throughout the world with reliable rapid antigen tests. GenBody is constructing a U.S. factory that is expected to have production capacity of approximately 300,000 tests per day. For more information, visit: www.genbodyamerica.com . For more information on purchasing tests, please email [email protected] . The GenBody COVID-19 Ag test has been authorized by the FDA under an EUA for use by authorized laboratories, pending full FDA clearance. The product has been authorized only for the detection of proteins from SARS-CoV-2, and not for any other viruses or pathogens. The emergency use of this product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. 360bbb-3(b)(1). SOURCE GenBody America CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Feb. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- On September 30, 2020, Comprehensive Health Services ("CHS") detected unusual activity within its digital environment following discovery of fraudulent wire transfers. In response, CHS took immediate steps to secure its digital environment and promptly launched an investigation. In so doing, CHS engaged independent digital forensics and incident response experts to determine what happened and to identify any information that may have been accessed or acquired without authorization as a result. On November 3, 2021, CHS learned that certain personal information may have been impacted in connection with the incident. CHS then worked diligently to identify address information required to effectuate notification. There is no evidence of the misuse of any information potentially involved in this incident. However, on January 20, 2022, and February 14, 2022, CHS sent notification letters to the individuals whose personal information was potentially involved in this incident for whom CHS had identifiable address information providing them information about what happened and steps they can take to protect their personal information. Based on the investigation of the incident, the following personal information may have been involved in the incident: name, date of birth, and / or Social Security number. CHS takes the security of all information within its possession very seriously and is taking steps to prevent a similar event from occurring in the future, including investing in enhanced security measures. CHS has established a toll-free call center to answer questions about the incident and related concerns. The call center is available Monday through Friday from 8:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M. Central Time, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) and can be reached at 1-800-741-0381. The security of information is our top priority at CHS, and we are committed to safeguarding data and privacy. We deeply regret any worry or inconvenience that this matter may cause. CHS has also posted substitute notice to its website providing individuals for whom addresses could not be located with information about the incident. SOURCE Comprehensive Health Services Total Pages: 120 120 Companies: 10+ Including Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Fossil Group Inc., Garmin Ltd., Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Motorola Mobility LLC, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Sony Group Corp. among others. 10+ Including Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Fossil Group Inc., Garmin Ltd., Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Motorola Mobility LLC, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Sony Group Corp. among others. Coverage: Key drivers, trends, and challenges; Product insights & news; Value chain analysis; Parent market analysis; Vendor landscape; COVID impact & recovery analysis Key drivers, trends, and challenges; Product insights & news; Value chain analysis; Parent market analysis; Vendor landscape; COVID impact & recovery analysis Segments: Product (smartwatches, wireless headphones, HMDs, smart bands, and others) and Distribution channel (online and offline) The Wearables Market in US Share is expected to increase by USD 6.85 billion from 2021 to 2026, at an accelerated CAGR of 8.92% according to the recent market study by Technavio. The report provides a detailed analysis of drivers & opportunities, top winning strategies, competitive scenario, future market trends, market size & estimations, and major investment pockets. Download FREE Sample: for more additional information about the Wearables Market in US Vendor Insights- The wearables market in the US is fragmented and the vendors are deploying organic and inorganic growth strategies to compete in the market. Alphabet Inc.- The company offers wearables such as Fitbit Sense, Fitbit Versa 3, and Fitbit Versa 2. The company offers wearables such as Fitbit Sense, Fitbit Versa 3, and Fitbit Versa 2. Fossil Group Inc.- The company offers wearables such as Gen 5, Gen 5E, Fossil Sport Smartwatch Black Silicone, GEN 6, and many more. The company offers wearables such as Gen 5, Gen 5E, Fossil Sport Smartwatch Black Silicone, GEN 6, and many more. Garmin Ltd.- The company offers wearables such as Vivoactive, Venu, Forerunner, Instinct, Fenix, and many more. Find additional highlights on the vendors and their product offerings. Download Free Sample Report Segmentation Analysis & Forecasts The wearables market share growth in the US by the smartwatches segment will be significant during the forecast period. The growth is attributed to the increase in demand for smartwatches in developing countries such as China, South Korea, and India owing to the substantial improvement in lifestyles and consumer preferences, especially among the middle-class population. This increase in watch production has increased the demand for smartwatches, which, in turn, has spurred the growth of the smartwatch market in the US. Request for a FREE sample to gain further insights on the market contribution of various segments Latest Drivers & Trends Driving the Market- Wearables Market in US Driver: Growing preference for wearables electronic devices for payment: Wearables electronic device manufacturers are integrating Near-field communication (NFC) technology as a standard into most devices to enable contactless payment by a direct tap and pay via a POS (point of sale) terminal. The rising popularity of this method is attributed to the growing adoption of contactless payment across the US. The growing adoption of contactless payment is increasing the number of partnerships among the market participants to facilitate the use of wearables electronic payment devices. Owing to the growing adoption of contactless payment through wearables electronic devices, vendors such as Apple Inc., Samsung Group, Garmin Ltd., and Xiaomi Inc. are increasingly integrating the contactless payment feature into their offerings, which is expected to positively impact the wearables market growth in the US during the forecast period. Wearables Market in US Trend: Integration of AI in wearable medical devices: Technologies such as system-on-chip (SoC) and chip-scale package (CSP) enable manufacturers to shrink the size of wearable devices. Technological advancements such as 32-bit ARM architecture and wireless technologies, including ANT+ and Bluetooth low energy (BLE), are helping the manufacturers to design wearables medical devices that consume low power and have longer battery life. For instance, Quell, developed by NeuroMetrix, is the world's first FDA-approved wearables medical device designed to reduce pain. It is lightweight, recommended by doctors, and provides relief from chronic pain without using any drugs. This will encourage other key vendors to introduce such products and integrate AI in wearable medical devices which will positively impact the growth of the market in focus during the forecast period. Find additional information about various other market Drivers & Trends mentioned in our FREE sample report. Didn't Find What You Were Looking For? Customize Report- Don't miss out on the opportunity to speak to our analyst and know more insights about this market report. Our analysts can also help you customize this report according to your needs. Our analysts and industry experts will work directly with you to understand your requirements and provide you with customized data in a short amount of time. We offer USD 1,000 worth of FREE customization at the time of purchase. Speak to our Analyst now! Here are Some Similar Topics- IoT Chip Market by Application and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The internet of things chip market share is expected to increase by USD 10.37 billion from 2020 to 2025, and the market's growth momentum will accelerate at a CAGR of 13.59%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Free Sample Report Internet of Things Enabled Industrial Wearables Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2021-2025: The internet of things (IoT) enabled industrial wearables market has the potential to grow by USD 1.96 billion during 2021-2025, and the market's growth momentum will decelerate at a CAGR of 26.82%. To get more exclusive research insights: Download Free Sample Report Wearables Market in US Scope Report Coverage Details Page number 120 Base year 2021 Forecast period 2022-2026 Growth momentum & CAGR Accelerate at a CAGR of 8.92% Market growth 2022-2026 $ 6.85 billion Market structure Fragmented YoY growth (%) 6.99 Regional analysis US Performing market contribution US at 100% Key consumer countries US Competitive landscape Leading companies, competitive strategies, consumer engagement scope Companies profiled Alphabet Inc., Apple Inc., Fossil Group Inc., Garmin Ltd., Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd., Lenovo Group Ltd., LG Electronics Inc., Motorola Mobility LLC, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., and Sony Group Corp. Market Dynamics Parent market analysis, Market growth inducers and obstacles, Fast-growing and slow-growing segment analysis, COVID-19 impact and future consumer dynamics, market condition analysis for the forecast period, Customization preview If our report has not included the data that you are looking for, you can reach out to our analysts and get segments customized. Table of Contents Executive Summary Market Landscape Market ecosystem Value chain analysis Market Sizing Market definition Market segment analysis Market size 2021 Market outlook: Forecast for 2021 - 2026 Five Forces Analysis Bargaining power of buyers Bargaining power of suppliers Threat of new entrants Threat of substitutes Threat of rivalry Market condition Market Segmentation by Product Market segments Comparison by Product Smartwatches - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Wireless headphones - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 HMDs - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Smart bands - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Others - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Market opportunity by Product Market Segmentation by Distribution channel Market segments Comparison by Distribution channel Online - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Offline - Market size and forecast 2021-2026 Market opportunity by Distribution channel Customer landscape Customer landscape Market drivers Market challenges Market trends Vendor Landscape Vendor landscape Landscape disruption Vendor Analysis Vendors covered Market positioning of vendors Alphabet Inc. Apple Inc. Fossil Group Inc. Garmin Ltd. Huawei Investment and Holding Co. Ltd. Lenovo Group Ltd. LG Electronics Inc. Motorola Mobility LLC Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. Sony Group Corp. Appendix Scope of the report Currency conversion rates for US$ Research methodology List of abbreviations About Us Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contact Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: [email protected] Website: www.technavio.com/ SOURCE Technavio In music, it is often said that what a musician does not play is as important as what he or she does play. In business, sometimes the acquisitions you dont make are more important than the ones you do and that could well be the case with Tavistock Investments PLC (AIM:TAVI)s aborted purchase of Morgan Financial Group Holdings. Tavistock announced last month it would pay around 3.7mln for the independent financial advisory group but announced late on Thursday that the deal will no longer take place. The shares finished the week 23% higher. Its been a tough couple of years for Live Company Group PLC (AIM:LVCG), the live events company, but it appears things are picking up. The shares were up by more than a quarter this week after the company announced tickets for its KPop.Flex festival that will take place in Frankfurt on 14 May are sold out. The event, focused on Korean pop, is a joint venture agreement with K-Pop Europa (KPE), a 50% subsidiary of Live Company. KPE will earn revenue through various streams, including 40% of all sponsorship revenue, 100% of the net revenue of event-related online merchandising, 75% of merchandising at the event and 100% of broadcast and streaming rights Its time for a Zulu update. No, its not a remake of the iconic film but the title of a news release from Premier African Minerals Limited that sparked a share price surge. The shares were up 65% this week to 0.3775p a year ago they were languishing at 0.05p after the company announced encouraging drilling results from its Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project. The geological model now suggests further extensions to the northwest of the previously announced resource statement, the company told investors. Sector peer Empire Metals Limited received a highly favourable reaction to its decision to focus on advanced exploration opportunities at its Eclipse and Gindalbie projects in Western Australia and not proceed with its option on the Central Menzies gold project. The shares rocketed 39% higher after the company announced what Aussies probably dont call a Brucie bonus in the form of favourable exchanges that will provide the company with an opportunity to carry out additional exploration activities for less expenditure than originally envisaged. SpaceandPeople PLC (AIM:SAL), the retail, promotional and brand experience specialist, soared 49% after it said trading has continued to recover and the board is increasingly confident on the outlook for the business. Insig AI PLC (AIM:INSG), the machine learning specialist that listed on AIM less than a year ago, was lifted 38% by news of the companys inclusion on the PwC Scale FinTech programme. The programme is designed to give access to new commercial opportunities within PwC, the heavyweight auditing firm, as well as among its clients. After an extensive selection process, Insig AI was one of only nine companies this year chosen from more than 700 applicants. Joules Group PLC (AIM:JOUL), the clothing, accessories and homeware retailer, slumped more than 40% last week when it issued a trading statement and cut its full-year profit guidance. Now it has recovered some lost ground after it announced its half-year results, showing profits up from 1.3mln to 2.6mln but below expectations. It blamed supply chain issues, rising costs, Brexit-related duties and taxes which hit its EU business, and labour shortages. The shares were up 37% this week, so almost back to where they were before the profit warning. Omega Diagnostics Group PLC (AIM:ODX) was the biggest faller on Friday morning after it agreed to sell its diagnostic test kit manufacturing business and facility in Scotland for 1mln cash and announced a discounted placing. The sale of the manufacturing arm in Alva follows its expansion during the pandemic on the expectation of winning a large Covid test kit contract from the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). After the DHSC decided not to progress with the contract, Omega said it was left with insufficient demand for production volume and a manufacturing cost-base in Alva that was accordingly not sustainable. The shares virtually halved in value this week to 5.625p, a shattering fall from the heady days of October 2020 when they were trading as high as 107p. ADVFN PLC (AIM:AFN), the financial information provider, saw its shares lose around one-sixth of their value as the company took down the for sale sign. The company, the subject of some concerted stake building by Israeli investors, has concluded its strategic review of the company's options and is no longer in an offer period as defined by the Takeover Code. The board has concluded that the company should take advantage of the available options to grow its business offering and geographic reach through business partnerships and possible joint venture arrangements or acquisitions. It is still considering a request from a significant stakeholder, Yair Tauman, to convene a general meeting to consider proposed changes to the board. Berlin, Feb 12 : German Chancellor Olaf Scholz outlined the federal government's next steps on dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic while addressing the German Bundesrat (upper house of Parliament) on Friday. "The scientific forecasts show us that the peak of the wave is in sight," Scholz said. "This allows us to take a first step towards opening up at the federal-state summit next week and then look at further steps for the spring." He did not provide any details, however. "We must remain vigilant," the Chancellor said, "and protect those who are particularly at risk. We don't want to put our successes at risk". Germany extended its Covid-19 measures in late January to include contact restrictions, a mask mandate in schools and on public transport, and the enforcement of the so-called 3G rule (geimpft, genesen, getestet -- recovered, vaccinated, tested), which requires valid proof of immunisation or recovery or a recent negative test in several areas of public life. Although Germany's seven-day Covid-19 incidence rate hit a new all-time high on Friday, the daily number of infections was slightly lower than a week ago as around 240,000 new cases were registered, the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) for infectious diseases said. "There is still a very high infection risk for the population," the RKI added in its latest weekly report, stressing that the current wave had not peaked yet. The highest seven-day incidence rate continued to be reported among children aged five to 14 years, Xinhua news agency reported. "Vaccination remains the only way out of the crisis," Scholz said, reiterating that he supported the decision to make Covid-19 vaccination mandatory for healthcare as well as the plans to make vaccination mandatory for all adults. As of Thursday, 19.9 million people in Germany, or 23.9 per cent of the population, had not been vaccinated, according to official figures. For four million children in the zero-to-four years age group no licensed vaccine is available yet. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Johannesburg, Feb 12 : Economists welcomed the State of the Nation Address (SONA) which focused on addressing challenges hampering economic growth and investment, saying there was a need for huge investments in the economy to stimulate growth. "There's a need for a huge investment into the economy to stimulate and unlock economic growth," Duma Gqubule, Economist and Director at the Centre for Economic Development and Transformation said. Gqubule added that the government should be driving investment in the economy to spur growth, Xinhua news agency reported. "You have to spend money to get growth. You can't get growth if you're not spending. Business can't invest into an economy that's not growing," he told Xinhua. According to him, there was not enough money to buy the goods that were being produced. He was responding to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's Thursday evening SONA speech, in which he said plans had been put in place to accelerate the implementation of structural reforms to modernise and transform industries, unlock investment, reduce costs, and increase competitiveness and growth. The speech acknowledges the "electricity crisis is one of the greatest threats to economic and social progress". Ramaphosa promised to tackle red tapes that hindered businesses and economic growth. He said the government has designated a "red tape team" to streamline the processes relating to international trade, property registration and construction permits. The President also said the government was working hard to "modernise" the visa application process to make it easier to travel to South Africa for tourism, business and work. Efficient Group Economist Dawie Roodt told Xinhua that the speech demonstrated the President's awareness of economic problems but doubted whether the state was on track to address them. Labor Federation Cosatu spokesperson, Sizwe Pamla said the state should fix deteriorating state-owned entities (SOEs). "The government needs to urgently work with labor to develop turnaround plans that will help stabilise, save, and rebuild these SOEs," he added. "We cannot afford to have workers who are forced to sit for months on end with no pay or the mass retrenchments that are currently taking place in these state companies," he said. Kabul, Feb 12 : The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has approved a plan to assist the victims of war under which aid will be provided to the orphans of the Islamic Emirate and former government forces as well as victims of the past four decades of conflict. "Under the Islamic Emirate, aid will be provided to martyrs' families, disabled people, orphans and also orphans of the previous governments' security forces," TOLO News quoted Bilal Karimi, the Taliban's deputy spokesman, as saying on Friday. The families of the Islamic Emirate and former security forces who lost their lives in the 20 years of war said that they are facing a severe economic situation. Khan Mohammad was a member of the Islamic Emirate who was killed in a roadside bomb in Kabul about nine months ago. Mohammad's children are struggling with a difficult life. "I don't have a breadwinner for the family. I am facing a lot of problems. I don't have money to pay the rent and electricity and water bills. I have a very difficult life," said Mohmmad's wife, who is responsible for the family now. On the other corner of the capital city there are two widows of former security forces. The widows said that they are struggling to support their families. "When I had a job. My life was good. I had a salary. Now the problems are a lot," one of the widows told TOLO News. The number of the former Afghan security forces who died in combat is estimated at around 90,000, but the exact death toll of the Islamic Emirate forces were not known. Seoul, Feb 12 : Maintaining that the status quo is not an option when it comes to the Korean Peninsula, said Chung Eui-yong, South Korea's Foreign Minister, while urging the North to quickly return to dialogue. The top South Korean diplomat also insisted maintaining the status quo would actually lead to greater instability not only on the Korean Peninsula but throughout Northeast Asia while having global implications, reports Yonhap News Agency. "As I have repeatedly said publicly, maintaining status quo in the Korean Peninsula issues is not an option," Chung said while speaking with reporters in Honolulu. "As time passes, North Korea's nuclear missile capability will continue to develop, and if that happens, the security conditions of the Korean Peninsula will worsen and that will lead to instability not only on the Korean Peninsula but in Northeast Asia and the entire world," he added. Chung is currently on a visit to Hawaii for bilateral and trilateral talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi that will focus on ways to bring North Korea back to the discussion table. His visit comes after a series of North Korean missile launches this year. The US says the North fired nine ballistic missiles during seven rounds of missile tests in January, marking a record number of missile tests it conducted in a single month. Pyongyang has maintained a self-imposed moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile testing since late 2017, but said in January that it may consider restarting all temporarily-suspended activities. The North's missile launches in January included the firing of an intermediate-range ballistic missile which was the longest-range missile launched by North Korea since November 2017. Chung urged the North to refrain from further provocation and return to open discourse. "Our government strongly urges North Korea not to translate its mention of possibly lifting the moratorium on testing into action and return to the dialogue table," the top South Korean diplomat said. "I believe the North can come to dialogue and make any demands they may have to the US or us. (We) once again strongly urge North Korea to do so." Seoul has been pushing for a formal declaration to the end to the Korean War as a way of restarting dialogue with the North. Chung's talks with his US and Japanese counterparts are set to be held on Saturday. Srinagar, Feb 12 : Three terrorists of the Al-Badr proscribed outfit were arrested along with arms and ammunition on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir's Sopore area, police said. The three terrorists were arrested by a joint party of local police and other security forces in Dangiwachi village. "An FIR under relevant sections of law has been lodged in this case," the police said. A pipeline carrying natural gas under Lake Sakakawea has begun operating and another project has been announced. Both will reduce flaring that wastes natural gas. The North Bakken Expansion came online last week and runs from north of Tioga to south of Watford City, where it connects with the Northern Border pipeline. WBI Energys $260 million project runs nearly 3 miles under the lake. Since the beginning of the oil boom, flaring has been an issue. It not only wastes natural gas, but its a loss of revenue for mineral rights owners. The oil industry has been chipping away at the problem, yet flaring has remained an issue on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation and other areas. Along with reducing flaring, the pipeline is expected to result in more oil production in the area. That would mean more tax revenue for the state. Those are positive developments for North Dakota. Unlike the Dakota Access Pipeline, which goes under the the Missouri River, this project didnt draw protests over safety concerns. The pipeline can move up to 250 million cubic feet of natural gas per day, with the potential to increase to 625 million cubic feet per day in the future. Another project was announced this week to move natural gas from the Fort Berthold reservation to the synthetic natural gas plant near Beulah for the production of hydrogen energy. Tribal Chairman Mark Fox touted the project as a way to reduce flaring and produce clean energy. Bakken Energy and Mitsubishi Power Americas plan to develop a $2 billion hub for hydrogen energy. The companies have a memorandum of understanding with the tribe. The target date for commercial operations to begin is early 2027. The companies plan to move natural gas to Beulah by repurposing the existing Souris Valley carbon dioxide pipeline. The state recently awarded Bakken Energy $10 million in grants and $80 million in low-interest loans, which puts the state in the middle of the Bakken Energy-oil industry pipeline discussion. The state has gone out of its way over the years to keep the oil industry happy and encourage more oil production. North Dakota officials also have worked hard to help the Beulah plant and coal country. The hydrogen project means jobs and tax revenue for the area. The project has the potential to greatly benefit the reservation. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Bathinda, Feb 12 : You see them peppered across villages in Punjab, often standing conspicuous amongst the farmlands, an oasis of stone and wood and green trees. Some madhis are small, sitting in secret nooks, known only to the people who worship them. They have all been created to honour the memories of ancestors, installed in the fields to remember those family members who died without a progeny. These brick structures, big or small, are always accompanied by at least one tree - a reflection of how some traditions are rooted in the environment, claimed Teja Singh Taggad, a retired government school teacher from Burj village in Bathinda. "The madhis are always protected by the shadow of a tree," he said, adding: "At some places, you will find three or more trees over one madhi." These madhis are peppered across the Malwa region that includes Bathinda, Mansa, Barnala, Faridkot, Ferozepur, Ludhiana, Moga, Muktsar, Patiala, Sangrur and Fazilka. They are mostly accompanied by the Indian Jujube tree, also known as Ber in Hindi. But, there are many places where Shisham, Peepal, banyan and neem trees have also matured, providing a safe haven to birds and critters. "The tradition of making a madhi in the memory of ancestors is centuries old," Amritpal Singh Taggad, the principal of Bhakt Namdev High School in Maur Mandi told 101Reporters. In Burj, where he lives, each of the 300 households in the village has a madhi. "But, many consider the building of madhis to be a superstition. They fail to realise that these madhis have benefitted the environment by raising thousands of trees," he said. Protected by faith Cutting a tree that shrouds a madhi is considered sacrilege. Nikka Singh Purba, a resident of Chak Janisar village in Ferozepur district, said: "We have never seen or heard of a tree on a madhi being hacked." Satinder Singh Brar, a farmer from Bajidpur Bhoma village of Fazilka district, said that people respect the trees that grow around a madhi. "People may cut trees around it, but the trees on the madhis face no such danger. No one can even think of cutting down the trees here due to fear of bad luck," he said. Such is the reverence for a tree on the madhi that even when it dies or is uprooted following a cantankerous storm, the wood is not taken away for personal use. "It is given to a needy person or donated to a gurdwara," said Amritpal Kular, a farmer from Sangaria town that borders Rajasthan. "Then, either a new tree is planted over the madhi or the madhi itself is relocated under another tree." The fruits from the trees on the madhis are never plucked. "Whenever they fall on the ground, they are taken for prasad," he added. On the 14th of every month, one member of the household pays the customary obeisance to their madhi. They mix milk with water and sprinkle it around the memorial - a ritual called 'Lassi Dalna'. Some memorials are so old that families do not know who they belong to. Yet, the madhis continue to remain an important part of their lives, revered during special occasions and festivals. Be it weddings, Teej or the birth of a child, people seek blessing at the madhis. On Holi and Deepawali, the madhis take on a festive look. Lamps are lit all around them and they are painted and decorated in the spirit of the festival. Traditions crossing boundaries Decades ago, when water from Punjab's canals made inroads into Rajasthan, thousands of Sikh families came to Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar districts in the state in search of agricultural prospects. They eventually bought land around the canal and settled down. With them, they also brought the tradition of madhis. A few madhis are also seen in Haryana. Some people, who live abroad, take the soil from the madhi with them. Former deputy sarpanch of Malarampura village in Hanumangarh district Manjit Singh said that his family arrived here from Dabdi Khana in Punjab. Singh, who does traditional farming, said he did not forget his tradition and made madhis in his land. "A madhi is a center of reverence for us," he said. (The author is a Hanumangarh-based freelance journalist and a member of 101reporters, a pan-India network of grassroots reporters.) San Francisco, Feb 12 : After the US Department of Justice (DOJ) this week seized and recovered over 94,000 Bitcoins worth $3.6 billion, stolen from crypto exchange Bitfinex by a US-based entrepreneur couple in 2016, streaming giant Netflix has now announced a documentary series on the biggest-ever crypto scam. The couple -- Ilya 'Dutch' Lichtenstein, 34, and Heather Morgan, 31 -- faces charges of conspiring to launder money and to defraud the US government, facing up to 25 years in prison if convicted. Netflix said in a statement late on Friday that filmmaker Chris Smith of 'The Greatest Party That Never Happened' and 'Tiger King' fame, is set to direct and executive produce the documentary series along with executive producer Nick Bilton of 'Fake Famous' and' The Inventor: Out for Blood in Silicon Valley' fame. "Netflix has ordered a documentary series about a married couple's alleged scheme to launder billions of dollars worth of stolen cryptocurrency in the biggest criminal financial crime case in history," said the company. Lichtenstein and Morgan were arrested in their New York City apartment on February 8, and now face charges of conspiring to launder nearly 120,000 Bitcoin tied to the 2016 hack of a virtual currency exchange. As the value of the stolen Bitcoin soared from $71 million at the time of the hack to nearly $5 billion, the couple allegedly tried to liquidate their digital money by creating fake identities and online accounts, and buying physical gold, NFTs, and more - all while investigators raced to track the money's movement on the Blockchain. Over the last five years, approximately 25,000 of those stolen Bitcoins were transferred out of Lichtenstein's wallet via a complicated money laundering process that ended with some of the stolen funds being deposited into financial accounts controlled by Lichtenstein and Morgan. The remainder of the stolen funds, comprising more than 94,000 bitcoin, remained in the wallet used to receive and store the illegal proceeds from the hack, said the DoJ. Chennai, Feb 12 : The National Commission of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes has written to the Coimbatore district collector seeking details regarding a Dalit's murder in Sultanpet of Coimbatore by upper caste men. The incident took place on Monday when Kesavan(47) of Pokanni village in Sultanpet rammed his bike into a milk vendor Mylsami's moped injuring him. The local caste Hindus, wanted Kesavan to apologise to Mylsami which he refused. Enraged by this, a group of 14 Upper caste Hindus reached Kesavan's residence and assaulted him. He suffered serious injuries and was admitted to Coimbatore Medical College Hospital where he succumbed on Thursday night. Sultanpet police conducted a search and arrested seven accused on Friday and launched a search for the rest. Meanwhile, tension mounted in Sultanpet area with several Scheduled Caste organisations and political parties, including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and other outfits, taking out protest marches demanding justice. The outfits demanded that all the culprits be brought to book besides a job for Kesavan's daughter. His wife Lakshmi petitioned the DIG of police regarding fair and free investigation in the case. The National Commission for Scheduled Caste and Tribes sent a letter to the district collector and district Superintendent of Police to furnish details regarding the killing of Kesavan. The police is also asked to furnish the details of the action taken in the case and those arrested. Sultanpet continued to be tense for the third consecutive day with several Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe organisations conducting marches and indulging in road blockades demanding justice to the family of the deceased Kesavan as also for upholding the honour and dignity of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe people. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Twitter was back after facing an hour-long outage that affected both the web and mobile apps in some parts of the world. According to internet outage reporting platform Downdetector, the outage lasted for about an hour late in Friday evening and some users had more trouble than others, and more users reported web issues. "We've fixed a technical bug that was preventing timelines from loading and Tweets from posting. Things should be back to normal now. Sorry for the interruption!" The company said in a tweet. According to the heat map, Twitter outage was reported from England, Canada, France, Mexico, the US and India (Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai). Most (54 per cent) problems were with the website, 23 per cent had website showing error, while 33 per cent complaints were related to Twitter login. Down Detector logged more than 40,000 reports of users experiencing problems using Twitter. "When I type in my profile without logging into Twitter all it says is retry," wrote one user on Down Detector. "My page won't even come up my page won't even come up." New York, Feb 12 : US President Joe Biden's administration has outlined its Indo-Pacific strategy that would "support Indias continued rise and regional leadership", as Washington seeks to counter China's attempts at global domination. The long-awaited document released on Friday said: "We recognise that India is a like-minded partner and leader in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, active in and connected to Southeast Asia." China's "coercion and aggression" is acute "along the Line of Actual Control with India", it said. The document further said that as it continues to build its strategic partnership with India, the US will "contribute to a free and open Indo-Pacific", a region where China confronts the US and other countries. The strategy plan said that the US would "steadily advance our Major Defence Partnership with India and support its role as a net security provider". India was given the Major Defence Partner designation in 2016 and the two countries have steadily built it up with several agreements for defence cooperation. The document prepared mostly by the National Security Council and released a year after Biden assumed office sets out the plan for the Indo-Pacific, a region that his administration had said was going to be the focus of its diplomatic and strategic engagement. Other developments like the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the standoff in Europe with Russia that is deploying a huge military force along the Ukraine border have come in the way, but now the Biden administration is reinforcing its commitment to the Indo-Pacific even as it says a Russian invasion is imminent. Its release in Washington was timed to coincide with the meeting in Melbourne of the Foreign Ministers of the Quad, the group of India, the US, Japan and Australia that is emerging as the linchpin of American strategy in the Indo-Pacific. The strategy document warned: "The PRC (People's Republic of China) is combining its economic, diplomatic, military, and technological might as it pursues a sphere of influence in the Indo-Pacific and seeks to become the world's most influential power." A senior administration official who briefed reporters about the strategy document said that there was "a recognition that India is a critical strategic partner, and a desire to continue building on the very good work of previous administrations to significantly broaden and deepen that relationship". Working with India is seen "as a very, very high priority", the official said. "There is tremendous appreciation of the importance and the challenges of strengthening the engagement with India and a recognition that India is a critical strategic partner," according to the official. Asked about the likelihood of a defence pact with India like the AUKUS, the alliance between the US, Australia and the UK, the official cited the different situation in India in regards to achieving such an agreement without explicitly ruling it out. "Obviously, you know, India is in a very different place, in many ways, than Australia, than other countries," the official said. "India faces very significant challenges. And I think that, you know, China's behaviour in the Line of Actual Control has had a galvanising impact on India. "We see tremendous opportunities in working with another democracy, with a country that has a maritime tradition that understands the importance of the global commons to advance critical issues in the region," the official added. The official turned to the Quad as the vehicle for promoting strategic cooperation with India. "Obviously, India's role in the Quad, I think, is a very significant element of that, including the much-enhanced ability to speak frankly about issues in the region; to work together to deliver, you know, essentially, public goods that address, you know, challenges in the region, and to enhance ways in which we can coordinate." The strategy document promised to "bring together our Indo-Pacific and European partners in novel ways, including through the AUKUS partnership". "We will foster security ties between our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond, including by finding new opportunities to link our defence industrial bases, integrating our defence supply chains, and co-producing key technologies that will shore up our collective military advantages," it added. Highlighting the challenge from China, the strategic plan said: "We will focus on every corner of the region, from Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, to South Asia and Oceania, including the Pacific Islands. "In a quickly changing strategic landscape, we recognise that American interests can only be advanced if we firmly anchor the United States in the Indo-Pacific and strengthen the region itself, alongside our closest allies and partners." Injecting a note of urgency, the document said: "Our collective efforts over the next decade will determine whether the PRC succeeds in transforming the rules and norms that have benefitted the Indo-Pacific and the world." The document noted that many of the US allies and partners are also focusing on the region and support for enhancing US involvement in the region has support in the US across party lines. The document acknowledges that the US illusions of changing China into a responsible democracy through engagement are dead. "Our objective is not to change the PRC but to shape the strategic environment in which it operates, building a balance of influence in the world that is maximally favourable to the US, our allies and partners, and the interests and values we share. "We will also seek to manage competition with the PRC responsibly," but will cooperate with Beijing in areas like climate change and nuclear non-proliferation," it said. (Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed @arulouis) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, Feb 12 : The team of director Sathyasiva's action entertainer 'Common Man', starring Sasikumar and Haripriya in the lead, has disclosed the look of Vikranth, who plays the villain in the film. On Friday, the team chose to release a small video clip on Vikranth's character in the film, titled, 'Glimpse of Satan'. Describing his role, the team said, "Every story has a villan but we have a Satan and the Glimpse of Satan has been unveiled." Actor Sasikumar, while releasing the 'Glimpse of Satan' on Twitter, said, "Every story will have a villain but he is not a villain, My thambi (younger brother) Vikranth, in 'Common Man'. Presenting the Glimpse. Written and Directed by Sathyasiva." The film, which is being bankrolled by T D Rajha of Chendur Films International, has triggered huge expectations. Ghibran is scoring the music for this film which has Raja Bhattacharjee and editing by Srikanth N B. New Delhi, Feb 12 : 'Letting go of her was not easy but winning her back was harder than anything I could have ever imagined'. After nearly losing the love of his life to a terrible accident, Ronnie realises how much he loves Adira and what an idiot he had been to hurt her. What's more, her overprotective mother now takes care of her, and does not like Ronnie being anywhere near her daughter. He's going through hell-unable to go back in time and fix things, unable to say what he missed saying to her, 'I love you...' All he wants now is a second chance, to trace his steps back into a loving relationship and win Adira over. It will not be easy because life is tough; love, even tougher. Something I'm Waiting to Tell You is the sweet, intense conclusion of a story that started with Something I Never Told You, published by Penguin Random House India. Penned by Shravya Bhinder, it will teach you a thing or two about soulmates. Bhinder loves to find hidden stories around her and write novels about them. Formerly a corporate employee, she managed to flee the madness after a few years of boredom to become a full-time writer. She is fascinated by romance and strives to pen exciting stories. We caught up with her to talk about her latest release with Random House India and about love. Read Excerpts: How important are second chances in a relationship? Bhinder: So this book is actually a sequel to my first book with Penguin, which was titled "Something I never told you". That book ended at a note where readers wanted to know more, and I thought of writing this book just to give closure to the story that was being talked about so much. I really believe in second chances, not just in relationships but in everything in life, because it might happen that you get a second chance with a different person or a second chance at work in a different organization, but life will definitely offer you a chance if you are looking for it. So second chances are the essence of life. Sometimes you succeed in the first trial, sometimes you don't, and then you look for a second chance. Do we have to manifest, for opportunity to come knocking at our door? Bhinder: It is our own thing, our own efforts, our own will with anything and everything, so mostly opportunities do not come knocking, we create them. Technology has opened up a whole new world of love, and a lot of youngsters and even older people are finding love through dating apps and virtual dates. How do you feel about that? Bhinder: This is something I have addressed in the book. The story begins pre-pandemic, but like everyone else, the characters find themselves in the entire COVID situation. They do use a lot of technology. They can't meet. They have to do their time apart when they are in quarantine, so I have tried to keep it as relatable as possible because I want my books to be slices of life. I want them to feel that this is something that can happen to anyone or that this can happen to me too. The characters go through the ups and downs and they use tech. They use whatsapp. It teaches them to adapt. While virtual dating has been a help during the pandemic, physical intimacy has taken a backseat. How much does that affect a relationship and does that is that depicted in your book? Bhinder: One thing that everybody has realised is that tech can't replace a person, even though we see each other and talk to each other everyday, there is certain kind of loneliness. This void can only be filled if you meet somebody, if you are able to touch them, sit next to them and be intimate with them. Because we have been living through a pandemic for over two years, we have got used to it, but yes, it has decreased the kind of warmth a person expects in a relationship. It has become about how can I see the other person instead of how can I meet them. I think too much tech will eventually make us robotic and lonely. In terms of characters in your book, you have an overprotective mother. How significant is that in this Indian context? Bhinder: As I said my characters are mostly from the real life so when I chose the character of a mother, she is the reflection of my own mother, and I think it is true for 80 percent of the population that reads my book, mothers are over protective. They know that nothing bad will happen but they are not ready to believe it. I think that has happened with everyone, especially those who lived with their parents in the Covid situation, they will be able to relate to it. You are fascinated with romance but romance means different things to different people. How do you play with the term? Bhinder: Movies like rom-coms paint love as electricity. You will be hit by it and your life will change. I look at romance as something beautiful that happens every day, not all day every day, but still happens every day. It is beautiful, it is comforting, it is nourishing, it makes you grow. It might be over the top once in a while, but that is just once in a while. It's not necessary that your partner is your soul mate, is it? Many people have more than one soulmate and many don't nd up with their soulmate, do they? Bhinder: I have found mine so I believe in soulmates. Having said that some people find their soulmates after a couple of tries or may there is somebody out there who would want to evolve and grown with you. My idea of soulmate is not a jig-saw puzzle, where you are two halves who complete each other. I have evolved to the point where I believe I am complete person and my soulmate is a complete person too, and together we are able to create an amazing life. We are able to grow, we are able to nourish, we are able to make family, we are able to provide happiness to each other and comfort. So I think there is somebody out there for everyone. Your advice to those stuck in desolate, lonely, violent and tough relationships? Bhinder: I believe that you have only one life, we are humans if you have made a commitment if should not bind you for an unhappy life. Of course one needs to work on it, talk about the relationship, try and communicate and make things better, but in the end if you are not happy it's not worth it. I think people should prioritize happiness, especially in Indian scenario wherein people are married and have been taught to be happy for the other person. It's good to be happy for the other person, however only when you are happy, will you have the ability to make another happy. (IANSlife can be contacted at ianslife@ians.in) Hyderabad, Feb 12 : MAA president Vishnu Manchu had tweeted on Andhra Pradesh Cinematography Minister Perni Nani's visit to his residence, which was later deleted by the 'Mosagallu' actor. Nani has now clarified on the same. Perni Nani, who addressed the media on Friday, had clarified things related to his appearance at Mohan Babu Manchu's residence. "Unfortunately, the media has presented our meet in a wrong way. Mohan Babu called me up to have breakfast at his residence. As I went there, Vishnu Manchu was also there and hence we had a brief talk. That's it." As Vishnu Manchu first tweeted, "It was an absolute pleasure hosting you at our home, Sri Nani Garu. Thank you for your initiative on ticket pricing and also updating us on AP government plans for TFI". Regarding this tweet posted by Vishnu, Perni Nani said, "I asked Vishnu about the same and he said that he had deleted the tweet to write another one. AP government is not entitled to update anything to anyone. So that statement was wrong, and Vishnu corrected his tweet immediately". Nani also stated, "Mohan Babu didn't know about Chiranjeevi Garu and co's meeting with our honourable CM. He also said that he would have definitely made it to the meeting if he was given any invitation". Patna, Feb 12 : Janata Dal (United) parliamentary board president Upendra Kushwaha on Saturday sought action against Karnataka Minister Ishwarappa and termed him "traitor" over his remark on the national flag. Rural Development and Panchayati Raj minister K.S. Ishwarappa had in a statement in Shivmoga said that the saffron flag could become the national flag after 100, 200 or 500 years in the country while responding to the hijab in row the state. Taking to twitter, Kushwaha said: "A BJP leader insulted Samrat Ashoka. Now, another is insulting our national flag. How can our country tolerate them?" "I urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister B.S. Bommai to take appropriate action against traitors like Ishwarappa," he said. The hijab row was triggered after Muslim girls insisted on wearing 'hijab' to schools. The students of other communities, majority of them being Hindu, objecting to it wore a saffron shawl and tied the saffron colour flag at a place where national flags used to be unfurled during Republic Day and Independence Day. Following that incident, Ishwarappa had given a statement that the saffron colour flag could replace tricolor in next 100, 200 or 500 years. Budapest, Feb 12 : The government of Hungary will not accept further NATO troops on the country's soil as part of maneuvers related to the Ukraine crisis, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade here said. Contacted by Xinhua news agency for confirmation, the Ministry's Press Office referred to an earlier interview given by Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto to Euronews and said that it reflected the Hungarian government's official stance. The US has already sent extra troops to Poland and Romania, while Germany has deployed additional troops to Lithuania. NATO troops are already stationed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland. "No, we have not agreed to that (the deployment of extra NATO troops) and we will not agree because we have already NATO's troops on the territory of the country, which is the Hungarian army and the Hungarian armed forces," Euronews quoted Szijjarto as saying. These troops "are in the proper shape to guarantee the security of the country. So, we don't need additional troops on the territory of Hungary". The US has claimed that Russia may be weighing a potential "invasion" of Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly denied the allegations. Hungary's Ministry of Defence also commented on the issue. "There is no need for a lasting presence of NATO forces in Hungary, but this does not mean that Hungary will move away from the organisation, in fact, it will have closer ties." Self-defense Counterattack Against Vietnam 3 Now it is requisite to introduce the historical background of China and Vietnam. Vietnam was divided into two countries after 1954 Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Lined by Latitude 17, there were communist North Vietnam and puppet South Vietnam supported by France, Baoda, led by Ngo ?inh Di?m. Since July 1954, China and Vietnam had been in good friendship. Being allies and both socialist countries, China had offered Vietnam military and economic assistance for over 20 years. Reasonably, connected by mountains and rivers, and with same ideology, the two friendly countries should not have home brothers fighting, or turn against each other since there were no such basis or modern historical background. Faced with such a big country China Vietnam is very small even if she should have realized its ambition dominating Indochina and Southeast Asia. The area of Vietnam being smaller than Chinas Yunnan province, the total areas of the three countries Vietnam plus Cambodia and Laos just equal Qinghai province of China. After years of war, the three countries were particularly lack of men with reduced population. The Key point witnessed a very backward economy in Vietnam with thousands of reconstructions waiting to be done after twenty years of war. The same was it in Cambodia and Laos. A big country with atom bomb, conventional weapons second to the USSR, 4 million military forces, what threatening and what fear China was feeling while facing such Vietnams allies, such Indochina Union, such hegemony-seeking regime? Decades later, when looking back to the irregular change of Deng Xiao Pings political power mutation, it is evident that military power holding the barrel of gun was the crux of Dengs power coming to peak. The so named Self-defense Counterattack Against Vietnam(SDCAV) is a stepping stone as well as the first step, for Deng Xiao Ping to usurp political power, which also clearly manifest that so called Self-Defense Counterattack Against Vietnam agitated by Deng was Si Ma Zhao's trick () obviously known to every man in the street. His purpose was to take over military power of the PLA through the way of blooding, sacrificed and paved by thousands of soldiers and officers, which would also result in Chairman of Military Commission Hua Guo Fengs inferiority and his military leading position shaking as well. Bengaluru:Students of Lower primary school attend the classes at Royal Public School, Mariyappana Palya, as the Karnataka government allowed to reopen the lower primary schools and to conduct the classes with Covid-19 safety precautions, in Bengaluru Image Source: IANS News Bengaluru, Feb 12 : High drama prevailed at a Bengaluru school in Karnataka on Saturday as parents of Muslim students alleged bias engaging in a heated debate with the Principal. The school management dismissed one teacher Shashikala for creating unnecessary problems. The incident took place at the Vidyasagar English School situated in Chandra Layout locality of Bengaluru. The parents who gathered in large numbers alleged that their wards have been insulted by a lady Mathematics teacher Shashikala who has spoken ill about their religion, hijab, and other religious practices. They demanded immediate action against the teacher and questioned the Principal. The jurisdictional police and education department officials rushed to the spot and spoke to the teacher, students and their parents. The agitated parents have been pacified for now but a tense situation still prevails. Sohabuddin, a parent, explained that this is not a fight for hijab. "All children studying in seventh grade are complaining about the teacher giving differential treatment on the basis of their religion. The children told the lady teacher that Muslims are only 25 per cent of the population in India, they can't wear hijab anymore in class. We have come here to question and demand action on this teacher. This is not an agitation for hijab," he said. Sohabuddin further said, "the teacher wrote some initials on the blackboard and made derogatory remark about our children. This is an old school and the majority of students are Muslims. Our children are getting a good education in school. This one particular teacher is causing problems." "We know about the court ruling about hijab. We don't want to violate it. The grown up girl students who are supposed to wear hijab are at home waiting for the final court order which will come on Monday. We are confident that the court will permit the wearing of hijab," he stated. The Principal of the School Shivakumar said, the Mathematics teacher has told the students about the court order on hijab and that they should not miss out on education. She has asked them not to talk in the class. She wrote the first letter of the children's name on the blackboard --'KLS'. The students mistakenly took this for something else. "Though 90 per cent of students are Muslims, there has been no issue for the last 15 years. The teacher should have spoken only about Mathematics, the subject which she teaches. The students are still coming in hijab and we are not objecting to it," he explained. Bengaluru South Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) Bylanjanappa said, "I visited the school and spoke to the concerned teacher. She is saying that nothing but the syllabus has been taught to the children. No court order has been discussed. The teacher was teaching a lesson. The parents have misunderstood their kids' words and that resulted in confusion." Bylanjanappa further said he also spoke to students. The teacher has not abused any student. The students can come to the premises however they want but they have to attend classes only in uniform, he said. Chennai, Feb 12 : With wage revision not happening for the employees of government owned non-life insurers, the companies seem to have decided to provide a relief by not hiking the premium rates for the staff Group Mediclaim Policy for 2022-23, said a senior industry official. The Group Mediclaim Policy for the staff and retirees of the five government owned non-life insurers expires on March 3 and has to be renewed for a year from March 1. Similarly for the retirees, the companies not only retained the old premium charged but also decided not to recover the 12.75 per cent premium that was due on their Group Mediclaim Premium. The companies in question are- National Insurance Company, New India Assurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company, United India Insurance and General Insurance Corporation of India. "Charity should begin at home. At a time when health insurance business is unprofitable and the premium for general public is revised upwards regularly, employees and retirees of government owned insurers should pay adequate premium for the risk covered," the senior industry official not wanting to be quoted told IANS. "In the case of retirees, the amount foregone is paltry which they can very well pay up. At the top most bracket, say for Rs.50 lakh sum insured the 12.75 per cent premium amount foregone will be about Rs 4,000. It will be much lower for those who have opted lower sum insured," the official added. In a circular issued United India Insurance said The General Insurers' (Public Sector) Association of India (GIPSA) board at its meeting held on 27.1.2022 considered the claims data for 2020-21 (Covid-19 year) and for the first three quarters of 2021-22 (Covid-19 second wave year) for the Group Mediclaim Policy of the staff and the retirees of the five insurers. The GIPSA has decided that the companies shall renew the Group Mediclaim Policies for their staff and retirees at the premium rate that was charged in 2020-21. Based on the claims experience, the premium on the Group Mediclaim Policy for staff and retirees were loaded by 47.75 per cent in 2020-21 and was continued in 2021-22. It was decided in 2020-21, the 47.75 per cent premium loading for the retirees to be spread over three years - 25 per cent in 2020-21, 10 per cent in 2021-22 and 12.75 per cent in 2022-23. The GIPSA board has advised the insurers not to recover the 12.75 per cent premium due from the retirees while renewing their Group Mediclaim premium. According to the industry expert, instead of foregoing the 12.75 per cent premium, the correct way is for the companies to pay up the shortfall. It may be recalled, in 2021 the GIPSA had allowed the reimbursement of the cost of one pulse oximeter per family under the group mediclaim insurance policy for the staff of five insurers. According to GIPSA, the reimbursement of pulse oximeter cost is capped at Rs 2,000. It should be noted that, for the general public policyholders, the cost of pulse oximeter is not reimbursable. Physicians heal thyself is passe. Insurers reimburse themselves is the new phrase. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Guwahati, Feb 12 : The Indian Army on Saturday paid rich tributes to the seven soldiers who died earlier this week after being trapped in an avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh. Defence spokesman Lt Col Harsh Wardhan Pande said that a wreath laying ceremony was held on Saturday at Tezpur Air Force Station (Assam), where General Officer Commanding, Gajraj Corps, Lt Gen Ravin Khosla and other military officials paid last respects to the bravehearts. Wreaths were laid on the bodies of Havildar Jugal Kishore, Rifleman Arun Kattal, Rifleman Akshay Pathania, Rifleman Vishal Sharma, Rifleman Rakesh Singh, Rifleman Ankesh Bhardwaj and Garner (TA) Gurbaj Singh, who made supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. After the wreath laying ceremony, the mortal remains of the soldiers were sent to Akhnoor, Kathua, Dharkalan, Bajinath, Kangra, Ghamarwin and Batala, the slain Army men's native places in the states of Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Pande said that the bravehearts were part of a patrol team which was struck by an avalanche in the high altitude area of Kameng sector in Arunachal Pradesh on February 6. Search and rescue operations were launched immediately, including airlifting of specialised teams. The rescue teams, displaying the highest degree of camaraderie and esprit-de-corps, recovered their fallen brothers under hostile weather conditions in an area located at an altitude of 14,500 feet which has treacherous terrain and high peaks, the defence spokesman said. He said that the area of incident was witnessing heavy snowfall and inclement weather since the last few days which made the rescue operations more challenging for the specialised teams tasked to locate and recover the slain soldiers. Hyderabad, Feb 12 : Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) working president K. T. Rama Rao on Saturday said Telangana and Andhra Pradesh may have separated as geographical entities but personal affection between people of two states remains the same. Rama Rao, who is also minister for industry, information technology, municipal administration and urban development, tweeted on Saturday, a day after attending the wedding of Andhra Pradesh's minister for municipal administration and urban development Botcha Satyanarayana in Hyderabad. KTR, as Rama Rao is popularly known, wrote that he was overwhelmed with the love from his brothers from Andhra Pradesh. "While we may have been separated as two separate geographical entities; Telangana & Andhra Pradesh, personal affections remain the same," tweeted KTR, who is son of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao. KTR also posted a video in which he is seen greeting and exchanging pleasantries with Satyanarayana and other ministers from Andhra Pradesh and also leaders of Andhra Pradesh's ruling YSR Congress Party, Congress and BJP. The TRS leader's tweet assumes significance in the wake of a row over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent comments in the Parliament over the manner in which Andhra Pradesh was bifurcated. Both TRS and Congress have taken strong exception to Modi's remarks. Alleging that he insulted the martyrs of Telangana, KTR demanded that he tender an apology to the people of Telangana. Some leaders in both the states feel that the Prime Minister's remarks created a row which may impact the friendly relations and harmony between the two Telugu states. Meanwhile, KTR also posted a newspaper clipping about the first public meeting of TRS in May 2001, where TRS chief K. Chandrasekhar Rao declared that he will make Centre accept the demand for Telangana state. "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, they fight you, then you win! - Mahatma Gandhi. The audacious statement of KCR Garu from May 2001 was mocked by many political opponents but today the state of Telangana stands tall in India under his able leadership," KTR wrote. New Delhi, Feb 12 : US based search engine giant Google has confirmed that Android 12's Material You dynamic colour theming system will soon arrive on other Android smartphones. Samsung, Xiaomi, Oppo, OnePlus, vivo, Realme and Tecno phones will get the new option soon but no concrete timeline was provided. "As more Android 12 devices land in the next couple of months, our OEM partners are working with us to ensure that key design APIs, especially around dynamic colour, work consistently across the Android ecosystem so that developers can have peace of mind and users can benefit from a cohesive experience," Rohan Shah, a product manager on Android, said in a blog. The colour change is visible across the OS, including the Settings, icons, Quick Settings tiles, and any app with Material You support. Currently, this feature is exclusively available for only those who own a Pixel phone. Google also showcased a preview of various Android phones running Gmail with the new colour theming option. OEMs may take some time to roll out this feature, as Google hinted that there is still some work left to make sure that the feature works well across all Android smartphones. Paris, Feb 12 : French President Emmanuel Macron held a high-level summit aimed at protecting the world's oceans, with representatives of more than 100 countries. The One Ocean Summit in Brest brought together heads of state and government, leaders of multilateral institutions, shipping companies and civil society policymakers to unite in supporting the "Brest Commitments for the Oceans", reports Xinhua news agency During the summit, panels were held on various commitments to marine protection and tackling climate change. Macron confirmed the summit's goal of "making commitments to bring forward useful actions and an essential international agenda for 2022". Countries participating in the summit said they would respect the 13 Brest Commitments for Oceans, which include protecting biodiversity and ocean resources. Some 84 countries are aiming to ensure protection of 30 percent of the world's land and sea biodiversity by 2030. More countries joined the "High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People", and "the High Ambition Coalition on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction". They also ratified agreements to fight against illegal fishing. Leaders of shipping companies committed to the new Green Marine Europe label, but called on politicians consider the cost of renewable energy. In order to reduce pollution, Mediterranean countries and the EU have committed to asking the International Marine Organization to create a low sulphur emissions zone across the Mediterranean, starting on January 1, 2025. France and Colombia also launched a global coalition to finance the restoration of marine ecosystems that capture and store "blue (marine) carbon", and called on other countries to join. The third commitment is to end plastic pollution of the oceans, with financial support from various banks to the tune of 4 billion euros by 2025. During the summit, the "New Plastics Economy Global Commitment" was joined by Greece, Italy, Colombia, the Republic of Korea, the city of Paris and Central Greece, as well as 250 companies. Commitments from the One Ocean Summit will be discussed again at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal in June, and during the COP27 in Egypt in the autumn. February 12 : Shah Rukh Khans son Aryan Khan and daughter Suhana Khan today attended the IPL mega-auction at Bengaluru. They were also seen attending the pre-event briefing ahead of the big day. The siblings attended the auction on behalf of their father. Kolkata Knight Riders is jointly owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Juhi Chawla. The team has won the IPL title twice, with Gautam Gambhir at the helm. Aryan had also attended the IPL auction last year, but this is the first time that Suhana Khan has attended the event. In the first few minutes on Day 1 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 mega auction, Shreyas Iyer was sold to Kolkata Knight Riders for a whopping Rs 12.25 crore after Shikhar Dhawan, Kagiso Rabada went to Punjab Kings for Rs 8.25 crore and 9.25 crore respectively. Kolkata Knight Riders also got back their Australian pace spearhead Pat Cummins for half the price at Rs 7.25 crore. Aryan and Suhana were papped sitting at the IPL auction, and their photos already started trending on social media. Aryan was seen taking active part in the auction. Fans cheered for Aryan, who has been keeping away from the limelight since October 2021. Kolkata Knight Riders team is owned by Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla and her husband Jay Mehta. Earlier, Juhi had shared a picture of a previous IPL auction, where Aryan and Juhis daughter Jhanvi Mehta were seen sitting together at the Kolkata Knight Riders table and bidding on behalf of Shah Rukh and her. Now, with Suhana and Aryan attending the IPL auction 2022, and taking active part in the bidding, Shah Rukh Khans fans just cannot wait to see which all players they finally get this time in their team. Latest updates on IPL 2022 New Delhi, Feb 12 : Hundreds of students from Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), Islamabad assembled to demand the release of missing Baloch student, who was allegedly kidnapped by masked armed men in Khuzdar, Balochistan earlier this week, Friday Times reported. Hafeez Baloch had been volunteering at a local school, teaching children for free during a vacation in Khuzdar. On Tuesday, "three masked armed men came in a black surf car and forcibly took Abdul Hafeez to an unknown location in front of the students", Hafeez's father told BBC. The missing student's family filed a complaint with the City Police Station Khuzdar regarding his disappearance, and also tried to find the missing student on their own. The family said that they did not know why he was picked up and that Hafeez did not have animosity towards him, the report said. Hafeez was completing his MPhil in Physics from Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad. As reported in the Balochistan Post, students alleged that Hafeez was "taken away by security forces", carrying signs demanding the release of "their teacher" and "fellow student". Hafeez Baloch is one of multiple Baloch students and young people who have been reportedly forcibly disappeared. The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) stated that it had registered at least 5,000 cases of "Balochistan's forcibly disappeared". According to the group, at times security forces do not deny the detentions, but claim that the individuals in question are militant Baloch fighters. In November 2021, students at the University of Balochistan staged a sit-in after two students, Sohail Baloch and Faseeh Baloch, were allegedly abducted from the campus by security forces. Those two students also remain missing, Friday Times reported. Kolkata, Feb 12 : In an unprecedented move, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar prorogued the state Legislative Assembly from February 12, implying that the state government will have to take permission from the governor for the next session and it should begin with his speech. "In exercise of the powers conferred upon me by sub-clause (a) of clause (2) of article 174 of the Constitution, I, Jagdeep Dhankhar, Governor of the State of West Bengal, hereby prorogue the West Bengal Legislative Assembly with effect from 12 February, 2022, the Governor in his order wrote. Prorogation is discontinuing a session of Parliament or a legislative Assembly without dissolving it. The prorogation order before the important budget session which is likely to commence from the end of February or early March is significant because the ruling party was mulling to bring motion against Governor Dhankhar during the upcoming session, accusing him of interfering in the day-to-today activities of the state government. According to constitutional experts, there is no instance in recent history that a Governor proroguing a session of the Assembly without the consent of the Speaker of Assembly or the Chief Minister of the state. The move came after on Friday, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray had submitted a Substantive Motion under Rule 170 in the Rajya Sabha, urging President Ram Nath Kovind to remove Jagdeep Dhankhar as West Bengal Governor. "This is an unprecedented move. The Governor has overstepped his constitutional duties because there should be a gap of six months between two sessions of the state Assembly. No Governor of the country has ever done this before. Earlier, he was not giving his consent to several bills and now, he has prorogued the Assembly. This is completely unjust. The state government should move the court against this," Trinamool Congress MP said. According to political experts, the order of prorogation is a result of the prolonged conflict between Dhankhar and the state government where the governor has repeatedly alleged that his letters are not replied, his queries are not answered and his constitutional authority is continuously undermined by the Speaker and the state government. The governor had also alleged that the bureaucracy, including the chief secretary and the DGP, had failed to present themselves despite several reminders. The rift between the governor and the chief minister reached a flashpoint after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently blocked the Governor on Twitter for purportedly tagging her in all of his posts, criticising her administration. The Governor has been targeting the state government over a host of issues and seeking information and reports regarding appointments to various posts. Defending the decision, Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar said: "He has the power to do this and he has exercised his power. This has been done because of the misrule of the state government and the continuous defiant stance taken by the administration." New Delhi, Feb 12 : Pakistani security forces have abducted dozens of individuals from Panjgur in Balochistan in the past few days after the massive attacks on security forces. The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) held a press conference in the Quetta Press Club on Friday where VBMP General Secretary Sammi Deen Baloch addressed journalists and the public on the recent alarming developments in Balochistan, Balochistan Post reported. She said that after the Panjgur and Noshki attacks, "enforced disappearances" and "kill-and-dumps" have seen an alarming spike in Balochistan, and the trend is frightening. Sammi Baloch said that "enforced disappearances" have been a major human rights issue in Balochistan for the past two decades - the rate of disappearances has increased and slowed down at times, but it has never stopped. But in the past two weeks, especially after the attacks on FC headquarters in Panjgur and Noshki, "enforced disappearances" have increased manifolds, the report said. She said that the Pakistani security forces have "abducted" dozens of individuals from Panjgur in the past few days. She said that the forces have moved the detainees to unknown locations and their conditions and whereabouts remain unknown - their family members are concerned about their wellbeing. Sammi Baloch also disclosed the details of several individuals who were allegedly "abducted" by the Pakistani forces in the past few days. She said that a first-year student of the Islamic International University Islamabad, Ehtisham Sarwar, was abducted by the Pakistani forces from the main Panjgur Bazar on February 3. He was killed in custody and his mutilated dead body was thrown in the wilderness, she added, as per the report. She said that Altaf Jara, a student, was killed in a "fake encounter" by the Pakistani forces in the Tajaban area of Turbat on February 4. The forces also "abducted" Malik Meeran, a social activist and a businessman, and several others from Panjgur, including Rajab Dil, Murad Basit, Hassan Shabir, Haji Karim, Masroor Arif, Yahya and Raees. Sammi Baloch said Turbat, Noshki and other areas of Balochistan also witnessed their share of "enforced disappearances". On February 8 and 9, the security forces "abducted" several individuals from different areas of Balochistan, which include Nazeer Rehmat, Niaz Nouroz, Raziq Baloch, Waheed Baloch, Fareed Asim, Mol Jaan, Yaseen, Karim Dad, Samiullah, Sawad Khan, Shabir Jan, Amanullah, Abdul Samad and Dhani Baksh Bugti, the report said. She said that Hafeez Baloch, an MPhil student in the Physics Department of the Quaid-e-Azam University, was forcibly disappeared by the Pakistani forces from Khuzdar, and that Hafeez Baloch had come home for holidays and he was teaching at a science academy when the forces picked him up and moved to an undisclosed location. Whereas, two other students, identified as Haroon and Nadeem, were also detained in Quetta. Baloch said that the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, had vowed to the VBMP that all the Baloch missing persons will be safely released, but what is happening is quite the opposite - enforced disappearances have seen a sudden uptick throughout Balochistan. The VBMP was formed by the families of missing persons to raise voice against forceful disappearances in Balochistan, allegedly by Pakistani security forces. VBMP has organized numerous events, protests and rallies, including a long walk from Quetta to Karachi and then to Islamabad. VBMP has set a protest camp which is nonstop protesting for last 4,588 days. As per VBMP, more than 45,000 Baloch men, women and children have been disappeared, who are languishing in torture cells, the report said. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in) Developer Douglas Jemal and city officials want the redevelopment of the Mohawk Ramp to have an impact far beyond the apartments and parking it will bring to the site. Jemal's plan for the Mohawk Ramp was the unanimous choice of the panel sifting through six competing proposals and how they would help reshape downtown and beyond. It wasn't what Jemal plans to do with the ramp or the adjacent Simon Electric properties that he also owns. Indeed, his plan had fewer affordable apartments than the other two finalists. Rather, it is what Jemal promised to do largely using his own money for affordable housing, for women and minorities, for alternative transit and infrastructure, and even for the East Side neighborhoods a few blocks away that impressed the city. Theres a lot going on. This is a downtown game-changer, Jemal said. What set our proposal apart is ours was interactive. Its more than one thing. He added, Im looking at the big picture. Im not looking at the small things. Im looking at the big things. It also didn't hurt that he's doing it without tax credits, tax breaks or other government incentives for affordable housing, although he may pursue historic tax credits on the Simon buildings. "This isn't about a building," said Brendan Mehaffy, the city's economic development commissioner and executive director of the Office of Strategic Planning. "This is reflective of decades of work ... This very much feels like we've come to a moment." As part of the plan, Jemal and the city will create a new infrastructure fund of probably $50 million to $60 million to bolster downtown Buffalo and the "near" East Side. Money for the fund will come from the portion of his property taxes that he would have saved on both the Mohawk Ramp and the Simon properties if he applied for tax breaks. That money will pay for improvements or changes to downtown streets, sidewalks, utilities and other features. The fund also will support the construction or rehab of affordable housing even single-family homes. That includes not just funding for new construction, but also home repairs that will allow long-time residents to stay in their homes. And that new fund along with not seeking state tax credits and grants will free up the city to use its resources and annual state allocations elsewhere. "Its going to take city resources and the private sector joining forces to really accelerate the momentum," said Brandye Merriweather, president of Buffalo Urban Development Corp. "If were just looking at the public sector, its going to be a much longer-term play." This would be the second such fund that the city and Jemal have formed, after a similar one at Seneca One tower. But it's not the only pledge Jemal made to win the day on Mohawk. He will also: Partner with Medaille College to create an academic and training curriculum for minority and women contractors and developers, who will work with the Douglas Development Corp. team on projects. Create a free shuttle system funded by Jemal, using a bus he already has that will bring people around a one-mile loop in downtown Buffalo, with pre-determined stops beyond his properties for passengers to board or get off. Convert the first floor of the redeveloped Mohawk ramp into a "mobility hub" that goes beyond parking, to include electric-vehicle charging stations dubbed "Electric Alley" and options for people to use the shuttle, electric scooters or bicycles to get around downtown. "His project really stood out for everyone in terms of what he was offering and the benefits that his project would bring to the city downtown," said Lisa Hicks, the city's director of development. Jemal's Douglas Development Corp. will convert the 629-space ramp at 477 Washington St. into 200 apartments and 800 parking spaces, with ground-floor retail and restaurant space. He beat out a $90 million proposal by BFC Partners and CB Emmanuel and a $73 million project by SAA-EVI and McGuire Development, both of which had many more affordable apartments 203 and 168, respectively. But officials say the specifics of the building and what it would look like were only part of what the city was considering. "Were trying to not just look at downtown from the perspective of development of individual buildings," Merriweather said. The Mohawk Ramp is close to significant new developments and initiatives around Ellicott Street including new affordable housing and an urban grocery at 201 Ellicott. It's also near the 500 block of Main Street, which has long been a focus of concern and now revitalization because it is next to the Hyatt Regency Buffalo hotel and near the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center. "There are few areas that could have represented the city of Buffalo and this region more poorly than the 500 block of Main Street," Mehaffy said. City leaders also want to accelerate the momentum that downtown Buffalo has been experiencing, with a focus on strengthening its infrastructure, enhancing the appearance, improving the atmosphere for workers and residents and encouraging alternative transportation. Those are all part of the Race for Place Initiative and a mobility study that while stressing the need for more city parking also emphasizes support for other modes of transportation besides cars and walking. Those were key elements of what the city sought when it issued its request-for-proposals for the ramp in December 2020. 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. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Russia could invade Ukraine "at any time" and American citizens should leave immediately, the US has warned. An invasion could start with aerial bombing that would make departures difficult and endanger civilians, the BBC quoted the White House as saying on Friday. Moscow has repeatedly denied any plans to invade Ukraine despite massing more than 100,000 troops near the border. The US statement prompted countries around the world to issue fresh warnings to nationals in Ukraine, the report said. The UK, Australia, Canada and the Netherlands are among those urging citizens to leave as soon as possible. However, attempts to de-escalate tensions through diplomacy are set to continue on Saturday, with both US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron due to speak to Russia's Vladimir Putin by phone. Moscow, meanwhile, has accused Western countries of stirring up hysteria. US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Russian forces were now "in a position to be able to mount a major military action" in remarks seen as a clear escalation in the urgency of warnings from US officials, the BBC reported. "We obviously cannot predict the future, we don't know exactly what is going to happen, but the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that (leaving) is prudent," he said. Sullivan added that the administration did not know if Putin had made a final decision to invade, but said that the Kremlin was looking for a pretext to justify military action, which he said could start with intense aerial bombardment. Mumbai, Feb 12 : The Rajkummar Rao and Bhumi Pednekar-starrer 'Badhaai Do', whose storyline revolves around a lavender wedding of convenience, is all set for a release in UAE. The movie, however, will not be screened in Sharjah. After receiving the Censor certificate, the film will be screened in only night shows in UAE for persons above 21 years of age. Earlier, when certain countries in the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, banned the screening of Chloe Zhao's sci-fi adventure drama, 'Eternals', because of the refusal of its makers to delete certain gay-themed scenes, the UAE had allowed the film's release. Although 'Badhaai Do' has no obvious expressions of same-sex love, as in the case of the 'Eternals' characters Ben and Phastos kissing each other, it clearly has an LGBTQ+ theme, which is not acceptable in the Middle East. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Beirut, Feb 12 : UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) chief Stefano Del Col has called on Lebanon and Israel to resume technical Blue Line talks in order to reach agreements on a number of contentious areas along the demarcation line. During this year's first tripartite meeting with senior officers from Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and Israel Defence Forces (IDF) in Ras Al Naqoura, Del Col urged both sides to use the tripartite platform to build on previous accomplishments and move toward a more stable environment, reports Xinhua news agency. Addressing both delegations, Del Col reflected on the challenges and opportunities he has encountered since taking charge of UNIFIL in August 2018, and on the way forward. "We must all play our part to move from the technical level towards the higher-level goal of a sustainable peace," he said, adding "this is my parting challenge to you all". The UNIFIL chief urged both parties to offer their usual support to his successor Major General Aroldo Lazaro Saenz of Spain, who will assume his responsibilities by the end of February. Del Col stressed the importance of maintaining the same level of commitment, building on the progress made so far, and completing those outstanding points on which the parties have already agreed, in line with the Security Council's expectations. The Blue Line is a border demarcation between Lebanon and Israel published by the UN in 2000. UNIFIL was first established in 1978 to confirm Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon. After the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, UNIFIL's mandate was expanded to monitor the cessation of hostilities and to accompany the deployment of Lebanese armed forces throughout southern Lebanon as Israel withdraws its troops. Ramallah, Feb 12 : At least 165 Palestinian protesters were injured during clashes with the Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, according to witnesses. The witnesses said the fierce clashes broke out on Friday near the villages of Beita, Beit Dajan, Burqin, and Huwara south and east of Nablus city, and near the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qaqilya city, reports Xinhua news agency. The Palestine Red Crescent Society said that at least 125 demonstrators were injured, including two who have been shot by live ammunition and 25 by rubber bullets. The others suffered from inhaling the teargas, the medics added. Murad Ishteiwi, the Palestinian coordinator of the popular resistance in Qalqilya, told Xinhua that a 10-year-old boy was among the injured. The witnesses said dozens of anti-settlement demonstrators threw stones at the Israeli soldiers stationed at the outskirts of the villages and burned tires. Israeli authorities have yet to give any comment on the incidents. Beita and Beit Dajan have seen at least weekly protests against the expansion of Israeli settlements in the two villages and clashes with the Israeli soldiers. Israel occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem, which are claimed by the Palestinians, in the 1967 Middle East war. The Palestinians want to establish their independent Palestinian state on these territories. Direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians stopped in 2014 due to deep disputes. Chennai, Feb 12 : With wage revision not happening for the employees of government owned non-life insurers, the companies seem to have decided to provide a relief by not hiking the premium rates for the staff Group Mediclaim Policy for 2022-23, said a senior industry official. The Group Mediclaim Policy for the staff and retirees of the five government owned non-life insurers expires on March 31 and has to be renewed for a year from April 1. Similarly for the retirees, the companies not only retained the old premium charged but also decided not to recover the 12.75 per cent premium that was due on their Group Mediclaim Premium. The companies in question are National Insurance Company, New India Assurance Company, Oriental Insurance Company, United India Insurance and General Insurance Corporation of India. "Charity should begin at home. At a time when the health insurance business is unprofitable and the premium for the general public is revised upwards regularly, employees and retirees of government owned insurers should pay adequate premium for the risk covered," the senior industry official told IANS on the condition of anonymity. "In the case of retirees, the amount foregone is paltry which they can very well pay up. At the top most bracket, say for Rs.50 lakh sum insured the 12.75 per cent premium amount foregone will be about Rs 4,000. It will be much lower for those who have opted lower sum insured," the official added. According to him, the policy is underwritten by insurers among themselves. In a circular issued, the United India Insurance said The General Insurers' (Public Sector) Association of India (GIPSA) board at its meeting held on 27.1.2022 considered the claims data for 2020-21 (Covid-19 year) and for the first three quarters of 2021-22 (Covid-19 second wave year) for the Group Mediclaim Policy of the staff and the retirees of the five insurers. The GIPSA has decided that the companies shall renew the Group Mediclaim Policies for their staff and retirees at the premium rate that was charged in 2020-21. Based on the claims experience, the premium on the Group Mediclaim Policy for staff and retirees were loaded by 47.75 per cent in 2020-21 and was continued in 2021-22. It was decided in 2020-21, the 47.75 per cent premium loading for the retirees to be spread over three years - 25 per cent in 2020-21, 10 per cent in 2021-22 and 12.75 per cent in 2022-23. The GIPSA board has advised the insurers not to recover the 12.75 per cent premium due from the retirees while renewing their Group Mediclaim premium. According to the industry expert, instead of foregoing the 12.75 per cent premium, the correct way is for the companies to pay up the shortfall. It may be recalled, in 2021 the GIPSA had allowed the reimbursement of the cost of one pulse oximeter per family under the group mediclaim insurance policy for the staff of five insurers. According to GIPSA, the reimbursement of pulse oximeter cost is capped at Rs 2,000. It should be noted that, for the general public policyholders, the cost of pulse oximeter is not reimbursable. Physicians heal thyself is passe. Insurers reimburse themselves is the new phrase. Aurangabad, Feb 12 : A 25-year-old woman, diagnosed with kidney ailment, from Jalna district in Maharashtra's Aurangabad has received a new lease of life after her father-in-law donated one of his kidneys with the help of doctors at Medicover Hospitals. The woman was diagnosed with kidney failure 6 months back. Her urine output had stopped leading to swelling all over the body and repeated episodes of hemoptysis (blood in sputum). "On many counts, kidney transplantation in this patient was indeed challenging," Neha Jain, Center Head, said in a statement. She required dialysis treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU). For her condition, Sachin Soni, a Kidney specialist had advised a kidney transplantation surgery which was getting postponed due to the unavailability of a donor. In this situation, the father-in-law of the lady decided to become a kidney donor for his daughter-in-law. The challenges were not less as his blood group (B+) was not compatible with that of the patient (O+). In absence of any other donor, the kidney transplant team at the Hospital took up the challenge of performing ABO incompatible kidney transplant in December 2021. Another hurdle came in the form of Covid-19 infection of the patient and the surgery was finally performed on February 2, 2022. However, the doctors said that now the donor and the recipient are in healthy condition with normal kidney functions. Bhopal, Feb 12 : Two railway employees died and three were injured after a section of an under-construction under bridge collapsed in Sagar district of Madhya Pradesh. At the time of the incident, several workers and some senior railway employees were carrying out construction works. Sources said railway department was carrying out construction work on an under-bridge of the railway track in Sumari village. Workers and railway engineers were carrying out digging. Around 9:30 p.m. on Friday, a train passed through the track (over under-construction under bridge) due to which, a huge portion of soil collapsed and labourers and railway' employees got buried under the debris. After hours of efforts by the local police and the railways, all people buried under the debris were recovered and rushed to a nearby government hospital. Two engineers, who were inside the under-construction bridge at the time of the incident, were declared brought dead. The deceased have been identified as Sukhram Ahirwar and R.S. Meena. Sukharam was a resident of Katni in Madhya Pradesh, while Meena was from Rajasthan. The injured have been admitted to a government hospital in Sagar. "The injured are stable and out of danger. The track has been restored," a senior district administration officer told IANS over phone on Saturday. Sagar district police have registered a case and are investigating the matter. New Delhi, Feb 12 : A newly-found reported militant group named the Tehreek-e-Taliban India (TTI) has emerged over the internet, but claims that it has nothing to do with the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) or the Afghan Taliban, Samaa TV reported. The profile gives the name of the group in Urdu, Hindi and English and seems particular about the abbreviation, TTI, which looks similar to THE TTP. Afghanistan's Taliban have used a totally different name and abbreviation. They call themselves the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, which is abbreviated as IEA, the report said. In a tweet on February 9, the group announced that its Emir is Maulana Al Qureshi. The group says that it has "announced its official activities on Thursday, following a meeting of its leaders in India". The announcement was posted in English, Arabic, Urdu and Hindi. Although the TTI claims that it has no connection with TTP or the Afghan Taliban, it retweeted a picture of Mullah Mohammad Omar, the founder of the Taliban, Samaa TV reported. The TTI has announced its India launch through notifications on Twitter. "The Indian government has no choice. Without war or peace with Tehreek-e-Taliban India," it tweeted. "Tehreek-e-Taliban India. Taliban is a common name. And it has nothing to do with the Taliban in Afghanistan or Pakistan. The Indian Taliban is made up of Muslim scholars. And created for peace in India and Kashmir. And so far thousands of Indian and Kashmiri Muslims have joined it,"it said while clarifying the Taliban name and also because it sounds a lookalike of the TTP which is at war against the Pakistan government. TTI also put out a notification saying that Twitter has received a request from Indian law enforcement that the content violates the laws of India. The announcement to establish the TTI was carried out via a tweet from an undisclosed location after the meeting. (Sanjeev Sharma can be reached at Sanjeev.s@ians.in) Bengaluru, Feb 12 : Amid the hijab row in Karnataka, Udupi BJP MLA Raghupathi Bhat has said that he has got threatening calls. "The call has been made from the internet in Hyderabad. The Superintendent of Police has suggested security. I am safe among my people. This is enough and I don't want a gunman," Raghupathi Bhat has said. "I am not a man to be bogged down by these threats," he added. "Pakistan TV and Al-Jazeera TV are portraying that hijab is banned in Udupi district. After seeing that many are making threatening calls. I have not spoken against any religion during the hijab row. I have spoken for discipline in colleges. All Muslim local leaders have said my stand is correct on the issue." MLA Raghupathi Bhat is the President of School Development and Management Committee (SDMC) of Udupi Girl's Pre-University College from where hijab row started. He has been vehemently opposing the wearing of hijab in the classes and has been maintaining that there is an international conspiracy behind the hijab crisis. Bhat had also earlier asked Muslim students not to come to campus if they are wearing hijab and it would spoil academic activity of 1,000 plus students in the college. He has maintained that he is continuously getting threatening calls. Amid an uneasy calm prevailing in Karnataka in the backdrop of the hijab row, the government has announced holidays for Pre-University College students till February 15. Taking no chances with the volatile situation due to the hijab crisis, the Karnataka government on Saturday declared holidays for the Pre-University Colleges (11 and 12 class). The Department of Primary and Secondary Education has issued a circular saying that the decision has been made to maintain law and order in the state. The order states that it applies to all government, aided, unaided Pre-University Colleges in the state. Meanwhile, Mysuru Police Commissioner Chandra Gupta has continued prohibitory orders in the city banning protests, rallies in the backdrop of reopening of 9 and 10th classes from Monday onwards. Mandya and Tumakuru police have warned that the police would keep a hawk eye on the posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms. The police have warned that miscreants who give provocative statements, call for protests, will be booked under Goonda Act. Meanwhile, tension prevailed in the Ankatadka School premises located in Kadaba taluk of Dakshina Kannada district as a video of students performing namaz in classroom went viral on social media. Block Education Officer (BEO) has conveyed the School Development and Management Committee (SDMC), parents and students meeting on Saturday. However, parents and students have agreed to not perform namaz in classrooms in the meeting henceforth. BJP State President Nalin Kumar stated on Saturday that tacit understanding of Congress and Social Democratic Party (SDPI) has resulted in the hijab crisis in the state. There is international conspiracy behind all this and the Congress party has approached the court. Hijab row is the hidden agenda of the Congress, he added. New Delhi, Feb 12 : The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has banned construction of permanent nature on the floodplain of the Mahanadi river till further orders. The green court was hearing a plea which called the Baliyatra River Front Improvement (BRFI) project, under which the constrution was being carried out, an attempt to monetise the river bed for commercial purposes which will reduce the water-retaining capacity of the river at Jobra Barrage at Cuttack and causing damage to the environment and the riverine ecosystem. "No construction of permanent nature will be allowed in the flood plain in question pending further order," said the order issued by the bench of NGT chairperson Adarsh Kumar Goel. The petition pointed out that the works in the river bed will also affect the supply of drinking water and obstruct dredging which is necessary. This will also add to the floods in the city, it added. During the hearing, Counsel for the applicant referred to the forming of an NGT-assigned panel on December 15, 2020, in which it directed the committee to consider the issue and lay down norms to ensure that the proposal of the Odisha State for construction of the medical college and riverfront development takes place in accordance with the law, without damage to the flood plains of the Rivers. Flood plain zones need to be identified and demarcated in light of such norms. The Committee may identify the extent of floodplain zone/active floodplain zone from the edge of the river. CPCB will be the nodal agency for compliance, the counsel said highlighting the earlier order. On October 4, 2021, as per the direction of NGT, the Central Pollution Contol Board has filed an affidavit which sanctioned a project called "Floodplain Zoning Study for the Identified Stretches of Mahanadi River Basin" for mapping of the river using satellite imageries, digital elevation maps, land use and a land cover map showing habitation, flood frequency analysis and demarcation of flood plain zones from the edge of the river under an expert committee. The study found that the flood of 25 year return period is expected to affect about 38 villages in and around the Cuttack city from the Munduli barrage to the downstream of Jobra barrage.The applicant submitted that while the report considers engineering aspects in light of guidelines issued by the National Disaster Management Authority, it does not consider ecological and hydrological aspects in terms of the earlier NGT order. However, the NGT order dated February 7, said: "We do not see any reason not to accept the suggestion for such further study to consider appropriate directions in the interest of environment" while directing a seven-member expert panel to undertake a detailed study on the steps required for protecting the flood plain zone and the environment within three months by April 30. Further hearing in the matter will be held on May 23. After years of disuse and neglect that threatened its viability, the former Gates Circle ramp on Delaware Avenue is now back in business as the Lancaster Square Parking Garage, following a $4.5 million purchase and rehabilitation project by TM Montante Development. Now the developer can proceed with the next stages of its larger redevelopment of the former Millard Fillmore Hospital campus at Gates Circle into the Lancaster Square mixed-use community. One new building is already open next door to the parking ramp, but the developer's ability to advance its next plans depended on having the necessary parking spaces available nearby and under its control. "It feels good to get it open and its certainly progress in and of itself, but its going to be very helpful in moving progress forward, because it allows us to accommodate all the parking needs there, which is great," said TM Montante President Chris Campos. "Larger commercial tenants, they want to know that parking is available and in place. Its a real game-changer in terms of attracting more tenants to the site." The 750-space ramp at 1277 Delaware reopened to public use after renovations that included major structural and masonry repairs, a full demolition and replacement of a stair tower, updated mechanical and electrical systems, and a complete repainting of the exterior walls. Public rates will start at $1.50 per hour, with only electronic payment accepted. "It was a building that was in disrepair. It has a huge amount of frontage on Linwood that was not visually appealing," Campos said. "That site is now in service. It looks good. And thats very important." The former city-owned ramp was acquired by Montante in 2019 for $1.7 million, as part of the developer's larger project to redevelop the former hospital, which was closed a decade ago by Kaleida Health. So far, Montante has sold pieces of the campus to Canterbury Woods and People Inc. for new senior housing projects, and it just converted a former medical office building at 1275 Delaware into 33 apartments and commercial space. All the apartments are leased, and the Tacos, Community & Beer restaurant and a Pilates studio have opened up, with Campos hoping to sign a third commercial tenant in a few weeks. "Were getting good commercial tenants to commit to the site, that see and feel the vision," Campos said. The next phase calls for a $40 million renovation of the remaining historic homeopathic buildings of the hospital, in a joint venture between Montante and Belmont Housing for Western New York. Belmont will turn the three northern buildings totaling 77,000 square feet into 70 affordable apartments in a $25 million project, while Montante spends $15 million on the 70,000-square-foot southern buildings, which will contain 50 apartments, plus retail space in a 7,000-square-foot one-story addition fronting on the new Lancaster Square. Campos said the developer hopes to bring that joint plan to the city for municipal review and approval sometime this quarter, with a goal of starting construction later in 2022. New construction projects on the overall site will follow. "Were hard at work on that now. Were heavy into design and feeling really good about its direction," he said. "Were working on early development aspects of other projects but nothing is far enough along on those other projects in terms of timeline or specifics of what were going to bring with those projects to be able to announce them now." 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. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Delhi Police has arrested two people involved in a snatching incident in Shahdara district which had left a woman grievously injured. The accused were identified as Manish, alias Rishi, and Mohit Gupta, alias Kikky, both residents of Patparganj in Delhi. Of the two accused, Manish was found as a habitual and full time robber with 106 previous involvements of snatching. The incident took place around 1 p.m. on February 7, when the complainant alongwith her sister-in-law was going on an e-rikshaw to attend a marriage function. While they were about to alight, the accused duo, riding a high-speed motorcycle tried to snatch her handbag. When the victim resisted and held her purse firmly, the pillion rider pulled it forcefully throwing the woman away from the e-rickshaw. She fell down and sustained serious injuries on head. "Unfortunately, the victim woman is still critical," Joint Commissioner of Police Chhaya Sharma told IANS. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) R. Sathiyasundaram said that after the incident, they had registered the case under sections 308, 394 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code and initiated an investigation. During probe a police team scanned over 500 CCTV cameras over a stretch of 70 Km. New Delhi, Feb 12 : On February 5, the Karnataka government, passed an order in exercise of its powers under Section 133 of the Karnataka Education Act, 1983, inter-alia directing that in colleges that come under the pre-university education department's jurisdiction, the uniforms mandated by the College Development Committee, or the board of management, should be worn and in the event, the management does mandate a uniform, students should wear clothes that are in the interests of unity, equality, and public order. When this order was sought to be implemented by the Government PU Colleges in Udupi which barred few girls from wearing hijab and insisted on implementing a uniform dress code, few girls opposed the ban which for political reasons evolved into agitations and counter agitations, first across Karnataka and subsequently, to other parts of the country, supporting or opposing the right to wear hijabs in class rooms. Therefore, a fundamental question arises as to whether Article 25 of the Constitution protects the right of students to wear Hijabs in Class rooms which will now be decided by the Karnataka High Court and most probably by the Hon'ble Supreme Court. A similar controversy arose in 2003 when the Bombay High Court in the case of Fatima Hussain Syed v/s Bharat Education Society and Others, ruled that it was not a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution for the principal to prohibit the wearing of head scarf or head covering in the school. Further in 2018, the Hon'ble Kerala High Court in its Judgment dated December 4, 2018 titled Fathima Thasneem (Minor) vs State of Kerala & Others has sought to balance the fundamental right of a woman to have the choice of dress based on religious injunctions and the fundamental right to establish, manage and administer an institution. In the said background, the Kerala High Court held that individual rights/ interest must give yield to the larger public interest and therefore, it is for the institution to decide whether the petitioners can be permitted to attend the classes with the headscarf and full sleeve shirt and if a student does not wish to abide by the dress code, they can seek Transfer Certificate. However, despite the said decision, the said dispute is being raised again and has now attained the status of a national debate only due to vested political interest and ongoing elections in several states wherein people have started to take extreme position where one side is insisting on Hijabs and the other side is insisting on wearing Saffron Shawls and scarves in class rooms. It is a settled legal position that no fundamental right is absolute in nature. Article 25 of the Constitution which provides the fundamental right to profess, practice and propagate a religion is also subject to restrictions in the interest of public order, morality, health and other interests of the State. Even assuming that wearing hijab is a religious practice, the same is not absolute and must give way to larger interests of public order and state. The said position has also been upheld by the Hon'ble Supreme Court in Asha Ranjan and others v/s State of Bihar and others (2017) holding that individual interest must yield to the larger public interest. Thus, conflict over competing rights can be resolved not by negating individual rights but by upholding the larger right to remain, to hold such relationships between institutions and students. A uniform dress code is introduced with an objective to bring homogeneity and a sense of uniformity and to implement a sense of order and discipline amongst the students and any insistence on deviating from the said dress code, defeats the said objective. The right to establish and administer an institution under Article 19(1)(g) or Article 29 & 30 will also include the right to maintain order and discipline in the same and if the institutional rules are not followed by a student, the institution has a right to deny entry to that student as well. For example, if an institution prohibits burqa or short skirts or lungis in class, the students cannot insist on wearing the same on the ground that the right to wear a clothe as per their choice at all places is their fundamental right and therefore the same must also be allowed in schools and colleges. Similarly, if a minority institution mandates Hijabs as part of their mandatory dress code, no student can deny to wear the same on the ground that wearing them violates their religion. Therefore, the larger question i.e. whether wearing hijab is an essential practice of Islam and therefore, the students have a fundamental right to wear hijabs is only being stoked due to vested political interests and Courts must be very careful in dealing with the same as the same will directly affect the unity and social fabric of our country. Further, even if the same is held to be a fundamental right, the same must be subject to restrictions which must include a respect for the dress code sought to be implemented by the Institution. We also need to understand that banning hijabs or other face covering from school uniforms is not confined to our country or something unique being imposed by the ruling party. In 2011, France banned burqa covering the face in public schools and barred students from displaying any form of religious symbols. Subsequently, several other countries such as Switzerland, Netherlands, Belgium, China, Austria, Bulgaria, and Sri Lanka amongst others have imposed a ban on hijabs and other facial and head coverings on public transportation, in government buildings and at health and education institutions. In order to paint all these countries as Islamophobic on account of the ban imposed by them, may not be correct. Public security, sense of equality and checking religious extremism have been a valid reason for upholding the ban on the hijab, which anyways is perceived as a symbol of women oppression and no freedom of choice can be allowed to trump these valid concerns of the Society at large. "What to wear in a classroom is not important, what to learn is" and therefore, instead of fighting for wearing Hijab in classrooms, we need to fight for better teachers, laboratories and colleges which is the need of the hour. (The author is Advocate-on-Record in Supreme Court of India) San Francisco, Feb 12 : Tech giant Amazon warehouse employees who have been vaccinated against Covid-19 no longer need to wear face masks at work, The Wall Street Journal reported. The company is rolling back a mask requirement it put back into effect during the Omicron surge in December. Last year, the mask requirement was lifted between May and August and again between November and December, until the spread of the Omicron variant spurred a change, reports The Verge. The company also updated its rules for paid time off. Warehouse employees who receive both doses of the coronavirus vaccine by March 18, are eligible for Covid related paid leave if they contract the virus, while unvaccinated employees will lose their Covid related paid leave. In January, Amazon shortened the required quarantine period for infected workers to five days instead of seven, in keeping with updated recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Amazon is not the only tech company to adjust and readjust its workplace rules during the pandemic, as per the report. Meta said in January that it would require the booster vaccine for employees when they return to the office on March 28. The policy updates the previous guideline from July requiring Meta employees to be vaccinated. Apple employees are required to show proof that they have received the vaccine and a booster (within four weeks of eligibility) before entering their workplace, the report said. Those who can not present proof of vaccination have to show a negative antigen test before entering the workplace. Google also requires anyone wanting to work in-office regularly to get weekly Covid tests and has asked employees to disclose their vaccination status and wear surgical-grade masks inside. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) Visakhapatnam, Feb 12 : In what is believed to be the biggest operation of its kind, Andhra Pradesh police on Saturday destroyed more than two lakh kilograms of ganja (cannabis) valued at Rs 500 crore. The dried ganja was set afire at an event organised on a massive scale by the police Visakhapatnam district. Director General of Police D. Gautam Sawang lit one of the heaps of seized ganja to formally launch the event that was organised in an open area at Koduru village in Anakapalli mandal. Andhra Pradesh Police and Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) Visakhapatnam district conducted the event. The authorities pitched fancy tents and deployed drone cameras, speakers, sound systems for the well-organised programme. Personnel from the Disaster Response Force and fire services department were deployed besides a large number of policemen. Print and electronic media were also invited to cover the event. This is said to be the largest quantity of drugs destroyed anywhere in the country in one go. The ganja was seized during the last two years at various places in north Andhra districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam and also East Godavari. According to police, the ganja was seized under operation Parivartan. The police registered 1,363 cases and arrested 1,500 accused including 562 from other states. As part of the operation, the police also destroyed cannabis plants spread over 8,500 acres in the region during the last 15 months. The Andhra-Odisha border area is notorious for large-scale ganja cultivation. In recent months, police in Telangana, Maharashtra, Karnataka and other states seized huge quantities of ganja while being transported from the region to different places in the country. New Delhi, Feb 12 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted searches at 26 locations in Bihar, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha in connection with a case related to terror funding by the Maoist group. During the searches, the NIA recovered three country-made pistols, one .315 bore rifle, several digital devices, Maoist literature, incriminating documents and four kg suspected narcotics. The NIA had sought assistance of the police, Special Task Force and the CRPF to avoid any untoward incident during the searches. "We have conducted searches at 26 locations pertaining to the accused persons and suspects in the districts of Jehanabad, Patna rural, Arwal, Nalanda, Gaya, Nawada and Aurangabad in Bihar, Koderma district in Jharkhand, Bhubaneshwar in Odisha and Nellore in Andhra. We have recovered a few incriminating documents," an NIA official said. The official said that the case pertains to network of terror financing being operated by CPI (Maoist) cadres and OGWs in the Magadh region of Bihar. The official said that in furtherance of their sinister motive, they are continuously making attempts to raise funds for procurement of arms and ammunitions. The accused are also and recruiting new cadres in liaison with incarcerated Maoists, Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in various jails in order to revive and strengthen the Maoist activities in this region. Further investigation in the matter is underway. Mumbai, Feb 12 : The premises reportedly belonging to the charted accountants of former Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh were raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in connection with a Prevention of Money Laundering case lodged against the minister. A source said that CBI officials reached Mumbai on Friday night and the search operation was started earlier on Saturday morning. "Searches were conducted at 12 locations in Nagpur and Mumbai. We have recorded the statements of CAs," said the source. On April 21, 2021 the CBI had filed an FIR against Deshmukh and had initiated a probe. The raids are in connection with this FIR. The source said that they were scanning the financial transactions of the last three years. The team is also gathering information about the business dealing of Deshmukh. The CBI wants to know about the business associates of Deshmukh. The transactions made between them will be scanned by the team. On November 1, 2021 Deshmukh was placed under arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with Rs 100 crore PMLA case pertaining to the alleged posting and transfer of officials. Deshmukh is currently in Judicial Custody. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Stating that the Wildlife Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2021 has not been based on widespread consultation, Congress leader and former Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh on Saturday said, it is poorly drafted and has huge shortcomings. Taking to Twitter, Jairam Ramesh, who heads the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said: "The Standing Committee has a very complicated task of examining the 50 amendments proposed. We hope to complete this exercise in the next 45 days." The Committee received over 70 responses from experts and institutions on the proposed amendment. "Frankly, this is what the Ministry should have done in the first place," he said. There has been widespread outrage against the proposed amendments and activists have been critical of the government's intention and the hurried manner in which it was set to be passed since it was introduced in the Parliament in December last year. It was a protest letter by Jairam Ramesh to Lok Sabha speaker that ensured that the government sent the Amendment Bill to the Standing Committee. One of the stakeholders, the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has urged the government to remove what they termed as cruel captive elephant trade and also the misnomer 'vermin' from the proposed amendments. After submitting its proposals to be considered for the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Bill, 2021, to the Parliamentary Standing Committee, appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove provisions from the bill that would allow the cruel commercial trade of captive elephants, a practice universally condemned. The PETA also demanded to remove the provision that declares wild animals as 'vermin' - a term that denies society's understanding of the nature of wildlife - thereby allowing their killing. "The definition of 'vermin' is archaic and declaring certain wild animals 'vermin' in order to kill them in human-wild animal conflict areas is a colonial concept which violates Articles 14, 21, 51-A(g), and 48A of the Constitution of India," PETA India said and recommended that the government implement the already established humane, scientific, and effective alternative methods for preventing and mitigating human-animal conflicts. PETA India, however, welcomed the increased penalties for wildlife related crimes. In a statement, it also commended the central government for including a new chapter for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) Appendix species in the Bill, in order to confer them protection in the country. Hyderabad, Feb 12 : The Central government has convened first meeting of a panel constituted to resolve the bilateral issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on February 17. The meeting of the dispute resolution sub-committee will be held via video-conference to discuss the pending issues between the two Telugu states. This was announced by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Saturday. The ministry on February 8 constituted a committee under the chairmanship of joint secretary to carry out the preparatory work and recommend practical ways to resolve the bilateral issues arising out of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The ministry had invited Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Telangana Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Andhra Pradesh's Principal Secretary (Finance) and Telangana's Special Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao to attend the meeting. The agenda of the meeting includes special category status, which was promised to the residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. The items on the agenda include division of Andhra Pradesh State Finance Corporation, settlement of power utilities of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, removal of anomaly in taxation matters, division of cash balance and bank deposits, cash credit by APSCSCL and TSCSCL, resource gap, development grant for seven backward districts of Andhra Pradesh covering Rayalaseema and north coastal region and tax incentives. The constitution of sub-committee is the latest attempt by the Centre to help resolve the issues between the Telugu states. At a meeting of the chief secretaries of other officials of the two states called by union home secretary Ajay Bhalla last month, both the states stuck to their stands on pending bilateral issues under Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act 2014. Telangana wanted Andhra Pradesh to withdraw court cases filed by the latter so that issues related to bifurcation of Schedule IX and X institutions and payment of electricity dues can be settled. On Andhra Pradesh's claim of electricity dues by Telangana distribution companies to the tune of Rs 3,442 crore, Telangana official maintained that the total dues which are receivable from Andhra Pradesh are Rs 12,111 crore. Telangana argued that if all the dues are considered such as debt servicing of Anantapur and Kurnool districts and costs incurred due to purchase of thermal power by Telangana after it was deprived of low cost hydel power from Sileru Hydro Project, the Telangana utilities have to receive a net amount of Rs.12,111 crores and not the other way round. Further, AP utilities filed a case in High Court. Telangana has demanded that the case be withdrawn so that the amounts can be settled. Somesh Kumar said 5,000 acres of land which was allotted to The Deccan. Infrastructure Land Holdings Limited (DILL) was resumed by government of Telangana in 2015 as the conditions of allotment were violated. The Andhra Pradesh government has filed Writ Petition against the said GO and obtained stay order. Similarly in the case of division of Andhra Pradesh State Financial Corporation (APSFC), Andhra Pradesh government has gone to court and obtained stay against resumption of 250 acres allotted to State Finance Corporation for violation of conditions. Somesh Kumar said the whole issue of bifurcation of Schedule IX institutions is pending because of these court cases filed by the government of Andhra Pradesh. The government of Telangana took the stand that unless court cases are withdrawn, further progress on the bifurcation of Schedule IX institutions cannot be made. Panaji, Feb 12 : Love and roses will not form the backdrop for this Valentine's Day in Goa, which is headed for a tough electoral contest, where the ruling BJP and the Congress, continue to be the focal point in state politics, even as newer, more aggressive parties appear to have been relegated to the margins. A total of 11,56,464 voters are eligible to cast ballot in the February 14 assembly polls, where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party is looking to fight off severe anti-incumbency accumulated over its successive governments headed by former Chief Minister late Manohar Parrikar and his successor Pramod Sawant. The BJP is, however, confident of victory, with its leaders claiming that the party's pitch of a "double-engine government" winning favour with the electorate, especially with nearly Rs. 25,000 crore in central funds pumped into the state since Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed power in the national capital in 2014. "Goa has been in a position to get unprecedented central government funding for the last eight years because of the double engine government with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and a BJP government in the state. Goa has witnessed development as never before in that period," according to state BJP president Sadanand Shet Tanavade. In the 2017 assembly polls, the BJP ended up with just 13 seats, despite winning 32.48 per cent vote share, more than four per cent of the share cornered by the Congress which won 17 seats. This time round though, controversy-ridden tenures led by Sawant and Parrikar -- the latter ruled from a hospital bed before he died in March 2019, may impact the party's fortunes. The absence of Parrikar, who shepherded and strategised the party's rise to power, high profile internal rebellions led by Parrikar's own son Utpal and ex Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar as well as the party's inability to seal a pre-poll alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party -- BJP and the MGP share the traditional Hindu conservative vote base -- may also cost the ruling party dear. The Congress on the other hand, which had lost both face and MLAs -- 15 of the party's legislators quit since 2017 out of which 13 joined the BJP -- has fielded 80 per cent new faces in the elections. The party has departed from its almost ritualistic tradition of allotting tickets to established heavy weights and habitual defectors. In order to regain popular traction, the opposition party also put up a 'grand' show of its candidates pledging before gods and on affidavits over not switching parties in their term as MLAs, if they are elected. "In this election, the old Congress is actually the BJP, TMC and the AAP. They have taken away all the old Congress leaders who have destroyed the party. The new Congress going to the elections has 80 percent new faces. We are confident of winning a majority this time," state Congress president Girish Chodankar said. Both parties initially appeared to be in shock at the initial volleys served by the AAP and the TMC, who had aggressively heckled the primary players, with promises of freebies, jobs. The impact of the freebies promised by the two new players have also rubbed off on the two major players. The Congress has now promised Rs 6,000 to each economically backward family, while the BJP has promised three free LPG gas cylinders. A new political party led by Manoj Parab, a 37-year-old geology post graduate, Revolutionary Goans, is also contesting 38 assembly seats. The party has made nativist issues as a key poll plank and over the last five years, the party has drawn the attention of young voters cutting across religious lines. With unemployment emerging as one of the key concerns ahead of the elections, the party could wean away chunks of votes from the traditional voter base of mainstream parties, the Congress and the BJP. According to Chief Electoral Officer Kunal, nearly 20,000 para-military personnel have been requisitioned patrolling and maintaining security at the nearly polling 1,600 polling stations in the state. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Rahul Bajaj, chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group and one of the most outspoken industrialists of India, passed away on Saturday at the age of 83. Bajaj was one of the original champions of Make in India and one of the movers of the informal Bombay Club in the early 1990s which wanted to level the playing field for Indian companies as the influx of foreign companies started. Bajaj is credited with the ubiquitous two wheeler in Bajaj Auto and the cult campaign of 'Hamara Bajaj-Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer' which brought slick world class advertising to Indian TV screens and a corporate brand campaign that resonated with the Indian public much before TV ads took off. Bajaj was seen as a bold industry leader who always spoke his mind even to those in the government. Uday Kotak said in a tweet: "Rahul Bajaj: bold and fearless. A rare businessman who spoke truth to power. A proud Indian. Built world class enterprise. I am truly honoured to know him. Will miss him." Bajaj is also credited with building the industry lobby, CII of which he was President for two terms. Harsh Goenka called him the 'spine' of Indian industry. "The 'spine' of Indian business cracks. A close family friend, he was a visionary, straight talking and very respected for his value systems. An era ends! He leaves behind the two most capable sons in Indian industry, Rajiv and Sanjiv," Goenka said in a tweet. Rajiv is at the helm of Bajaj Auto while Sanjiv steers Bajaj Finance, two powerhouse companies in India. Columnist Shobhaa De has raised the question -- will Rahul Bajaj be given a State funeral? He certainly deserves the honour, she said. Former Union Minister Praful Patel pointed out that Bajaj was one of the longest serving chairman in corporate India. He is credited with making brand Bajaj a household name, Patel said. Former Finance Minister P. Chaidamabaram said Rahul Bajaj was the one who put average Indians on two motorised wheels. In his passing away, we have lost a far sighted and outspoken business leader, he said. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said Bajaj was one of the few businessmen who spoke out against the 2002 communal riots, and against the climate of fear & intimidation since 2014. Bajaj was a former Rajya Sabha member and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001. Kochi, Feb 12 : Raila Odinga, the former Kenyan Prime Minister and a likely presidential candidate in the forthcoming Kenyan elections, who was in Kerala with his family for his daughter's ayurvedic eye treatment, said he will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting with him in Delhi on his way back home, to help spread ayurvedic eye care across the world which helped his daughter regain eyesight. He was speaking at a function hosted in his honour on his departure from Nelliakkattu Mana in Ernakulam district, after meeting promoters of Sreedhareeyam Ayurvedic Eye Hospital & Research Centre, where his daughter is undergoing treatment for her eye illness. He also said if he were to be the President of Kenya, one of his priorities would be to set up a Sreedhareeyam Eye Hospital in Nairobi. He turned emotional when he explained the ordeals through which his daughter underwent at various cities of the world for her treatment with no results. Rosemary Odinga, his daughter, said when she came for the first time to Koothattukulam in 2019 for treatment, her eyesight was almost nil. "Now I can even read the messages I receive on my phone and me and my family are indebted to Sreedhareeyam for it," she said. Odinga lost her eyesight due to a tumor in 2017 and the family sought a cure for it in countries including South Africa, Germany, Israel and China. They came to Sreedhareeyam for the first time in 2019 when they heard about its ayurvedic eye care facilities and started treatments under Narayanan Namboodiri, Chief Physician, Sreedhareeyam and his team. Within four months, she regained her eyesight and had gone back to Kenya. Now, she visited Koothattukulam again with her family to thank Sreedhareeyam and for follow up treatments. The family came here on February 7, 2022 and stayed here for 5 days and while the former PM has left for Delhi his daughter will stay back at Sreedhareeyam for treatment till Feb 28. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday expressed grief over the demise of renowned industrialist Rahul Bajaj, saying that the latter made a 'big contribution' towards the progress of the country. Taking to Twitter, he said: "Got very sad news of the death of the country's famous industrialist Rahul Bajaj ji. He made a big contribution to the progress of the country on the economic front." Bajaj, 83, the doyen of the Bajaj Group, passed away in Pune following his long battle with cancer. Recalling over three-decade old TV advertisement of Bajaj scooter having the tag line of "Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer," Kejriwal said it became a part of every household. "My heartfelt tribute to such a great personality. May the Lord place the departed soul at his feet," he added. Born in Kolkata in 1938, Rahul Bajaj breathed his last around 2.30 p.m. on Saturday. He had taken charge of the Bajaj Group in 1965 and during his captaincy, the group soared to one of the biggest in the sub-continent. Hyderabad, Feb 12 : Tamil hero Suriya Siva Kumar is all set to entertain the audience with his upcoming action thriller 'ET' (Entharkkum Thunindhavan). Helmed by Pandiraj and produced by Kalanithi Maran under Sun Pictures, the Telugu rights of this movie have been acquired by Asian Multiplexes Pvt Ltd. Considering Suriya's huge market value, the rights of the movie, which is titled 'ET' in Telugu, were bought at a fat price, sources report. Along with the Tamil version, the film will have a simultaneous release in Telugu on March 10. Suriya himself is dubbing for his character, and a picture of him in the dubbing studio is going viral on social media. Priyanka Arul Mohan played Suriya's love interest in the movie for which R Rathnavelu is the cinematographer and D Imman is the music director. Vinai Rai, Sathyaraj, Rajkiran, and Saranya Ponvannan will be seen in crucial roles in the film. Suriya, who is basking the success of his recent movie 'Jai Bhim', had enthralled the audience with his movies during the Covid lockdown. His critically acclaimed movie 'Aakasam Nee Haddhu Raa' grabbed huge attention from all the quarters of the audience, even with its digital release only. Hyderabad, Feb 12 : In the wake of rumours that the government of Andhra Pradesh is considering allowing flexible cinema ticket pricing, many Telugu biggies are preparing for release. Also, Chiranjeevi and his delegation's attempt to fix the pertaining issues is expected to be fruitful, as the government has responded positively to ticket pricing in AP. So, the whole industry is looking forward to the new Government Order on movie ticket prices, so as to announce the release dates of most of the movies. As the ticket pricing issues had made the movie business go haywire, the new order is expected to resolve the problems to some extent. Big-ticket movies like 'RRR', 'Sarkaru Vaari Paata' and 'Radhe Shyam' have their release dates fixed, while the makers of the respective movies are hopeful about a positive footstep by the Jagan government, for them to withstand the ongoing crisis in the movie industry. On the other hand, the makers of some biggies have announced dual dates for the release of their movies, in a hope that they could fix any of the two given dates after the new ticket prices come into existence in Andhra Pradesh. Pawan Kalyan and Rana's 'Bheemla Nayak' will be released on either February 25 or April 1, while Ravi Teja's 'Ramarao On Duty' is slated for its release on March 25 or April 15. Varun Tej's 'Ghani' also has two probable release dates February 25 or March 4. Now, that the AP government is to come up with a positive amendment, it is expected that most of the movies will be released in the summer, which will have a huge impact on the industry's revenue as a whole. -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text New Delhi, Feb 12 : India Inc on Saturday expressed grief on passing away of industrialist Rahul Bajaj. The renowned industrialist passed away in Pune following a prolonged illness. He was 83. Bajaj had taken charge of the Bajaj Group in 1965 and during his captaincy, the group soared to one of the biggest in the sub-continent. He is credited with the ubiquitous two wheeler in Bajaj Auto and the cult campaign of 'Hamara Bajaj-Buland Bharat ki Buland Tasveer'. "He has been like a father figure to all of us at CII. Not only guided us on all matters but well protected us on so many issues. His leadership was available for just everything for us. His advise on all critical matters was always available and helped us take the most important decisions at the institution," said Chandrajit Banerjee, DG, CII. "For him it was always the country first - a principle we applied to all our policy advocacy. He was the only person to be CII's President for two terms in 1979/80 and in 1999/2000. His mentorship would be deeply missed by all at the Industry and CII." Bajaj is credited with building the industry lobby, CII of which he was President for two terms. Another industry body, Assocham expressed "heart-felt condolences on passing away of Shri Rahul Bajaj". "He championed the cause of India Inc within and outside the country. Great and inspirational leader," said Secretary General Assocham, Deepak Sood. The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations President Vinkesh Gulati said: "We at FADA are deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Shri Rahul Bajaj, Former Chairman of Bajaj Auto Ltd. The sudden demise of Rahul ji is shocking and also an irreparable loss not only for the Automobile Industry but also for the entire Nation." "Rahul ji was always warm towards FADA and any dealer issues which we brought to his notice. When India started opening up its economy, Rahul ji made Bajaj a shining star in India's growth story." He was a former Rajya Sabha member and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001. New York, Feb 12 : Among those admitted during the omicron surge, vaccinated adults had less severe illness compared with unvaccinated adults and were less likely to land in intensive care, finds a new study. The study, by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), showed that during the omicron period fewer patients died while hospitalised (4 per cent), compared with those admitted when the delta variant was dominant (8.3 per cent). "Overall, the Omicron-period group had a lower likelihood of being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and were also less likely to require invasive mechanical ventilation compared with the Delta-period group," said researcher Matthew Modes from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in the US. In a single-hospital study, published in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, the team looked at the characteristics of 339 patients hospitalised with Covid-19 at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, from July to September of 2021, when the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 was dominant. They compared that group with 737 patients admitted with Covid-19 during December 2021-January 2022, when the Omicron variant was most prevalent. The analysis revealed that a greater portion of the patients hospitalised during omicron were vaccinated as compared to patients hospitalised during the summer of 2021 when the delta variant predominated, likely reflecting the higher percentage of the populations that were vaccinated during omicron. Latest updates on Coronavirus (COVID-19) -- The story has been published from a wire feed without any modifications to the text Chennai, Feb 12 : Looking to celebrate the 60th film of their favourite hero, as many as 60 fans of actor Vikram have now taken out a motorbike rally to different parts of Tamil Nadu. 'Chiyaan' Vikram's 60th film 'Mahaan', which released on Prime Video on February 10, has been receiving appreciation from both fans and critics. Sources close to the fans who have taken out the rally said that they had done so to salute the spirit of the 'Mahaan' actor and to mark the 60-film milestone in the actor's career. The fans are expected to head to Coimbatore, Kanyakumari and Madurai. The activity is being seen as an effort by fans to appreciate Chiyaan Vikram's method acting performance and skills. Directed by Karthik Subbaraj, 'Mahaan' is the story of a man whose family leaves him when he strays from the path of ideology living in his search for personal freedom. However, as he realizes his ambitions, he also misses the presence of his son in his life. Having fulfilled his dream of becoming a billionaire, does life give him a second chance to be a father? This story is about how his life goes through an unexpected series of events in this thrilling, action-packed journey. Silchar : , Feb 12 (IANS) Senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha member from Silchar, Rajdeep Roy on Saturday demanded CBI inquiry into the "deaths" of two cousin brothers in the neighbouring state of Mizoram. Roy, Vice-President of Assam BJP, on Saturday said that during a discussion in the Lok Sabha on Friday, he demanded the CBI probe into the "killings" of Pravin Singh, 45 and his elder brother Nripen Singh, 49 in Mizoram earlier this month. "I have requested Home Minister Amit Shah to ask the CBI to probe into the killings of two brothers in Mizoram. This is a serious case... the truth must be unearthed," the parliamentarian told the media. Both were resident of Dholai in Cachar district of southern Assam. According to Roy, driver Pravin and his brother (assistant) Nripen driving an oil tanker recently went to Mizoram from southern Assam. While returning back to Assam, Pravin was brutally assaulted by miscreants and then he was murdered by them and Nripen was apprehended and handed over to Mizoram Police. Mizoram police arrested Nripen on the charges of murder of Pravin. "Mizoram Police tortured upon Nripen and thereby obtained his signature in a blank paper, wherein it was later written a confession note of committing murder of Pravin. Nripen was then shifted to Aizawl central jail.On February 8, Nripen while was in Aizawl central jail according to Mizoram police have committed suicide. This is just unbelievable," the MP said. Roy and Assam's Information and Public Relations Minister Minister Pijush Hazarika visited the houses of the slain brothers. The Mizoram police subsequently handed over the body of Pravin earlier his month and Nripen's body on February 10 leading to the tension along the inter-state border of Assam and Mizoram. A series of incidents and clashes took place along the trouble-torn inter-state borders of the two northeastern states during the past few years over the boundary disputes. The worst-ever violence along the Assam-Mizoram border on July 26 last year left six Assam Police personnel dead and nearly 100 civilians and security personnel of the two neighbouring states injured. The Chief Ministers of Assam and Mizoram met in New Delhi on November 26 last year in presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and discussed the ways and means to resolve their border issues amicably. Both states have officially had different interpretations of their territorial boundary lines. The two northeastern states share a 164.6-km border between Assam's Cachar, Hailakandi and Karimganj districts, and Mizoram's Kolasib, Mamit and Aizawl districts. New Delhi, Feb 12 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday conducted raids in Rs 22,842 crore loan fraud case lodged against ABG Shipyards and its directors, at over a dozen places. The raids were carried out at the offices and premises belonging to the company and its directors. The CBI claims it has recovered incriminating documents. A CBI official told IANS that they conducted search operations in Surat, Bharuch, Mumbai, Pune which led to the recovery of incriminating documents. A complaint against them was lodged by the State Bank of India (SBI) on the basis of which the CBI filed an FIR naming Rishi Aggarwal and Santhanam Muthuswamy, the directors of ABG Shipyards. The accused have cheated the consortium of 28 banks including the branches of erstwhile State Bank of Patiala, Commercial Finance Branch, New Delhi, erstwhile State Bank of Travancore, Commercial Branch, New Delhi, State Bank of India, Overseas Branch, Mumbai. The consortium of 28 banks was led by ICICI Bank. The accused had colluded together and committed activities by way of diversion of funds for the purpose other than for which the funds were released by the bank. "Huge amounts were allegedly transferred by ABG Shipyards to its related parties and subsequently adjustment entries were made. Bank loans were diverted and huge investment was found to be made in the overseas subsidiary. The funds were diverted to purchase huge assets in the name of its related parties," said the CBI official. The CBI has now lodged an FIR and seeing the gravity of the matter they have formed a team of its elite officials to look into it. The CBI may summon the directors of ABG Shipyards to join the investigation and will record their statements. "They took a loan of Rs 1,228 from Indian Overseas Bank, Rs 1,244 crore from Punjab National Bank, Rs 1,614 crore from Bank of Baroda, Rs 7,089 crore from ICICI Bank and Rs 3,634 crore from IDBI Bank. Later they didn't pay the bank their dues. Initially, the bank started an internal inquiry in which it was found that the company was cheating the consortium of Banks by diverting funds to different entities," said the CBI source. There are also possibilities that directors of ABG group may be arrested. ABG Shipyards is connected to ABG group company which is in the business of ship repairing and shipbuilding. They have Shipyards in Gujrat. The official said that further probe in the matter is on. Gandhinagar Feb 12 : Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said on Saturday that the Central government has spent Rs 250 crore on research for developing vaccines to counter the Covid-19 virus. Mandaviya was addressing a programme titled 'Shri Kamalam' to explain the benefits of the Union Budget 2022-23 at the Gujarat BJP headquarters here. "The Centre spent and shared Rs 250 crore with private research institutes working on developing Covid vaccines. We started taking action long back as we knew that vaccination was the key to fight the global pandemic. In order to develop vaccines, research was needed. In April 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon the scientists of both government and private institutes and encouraged them to develop vaccines. Irrespective of whether they succeeded, the Centre supported them with funding. "As a result, our scientists developed indigenous Corona vaccine, parallel to the other developed countries, and the nationwide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16, 2021. We also started manufacturing rapidly and before the third wave struck, we vaccinated a large section of the population. We have achieved 96 per cent vaccination for the first dose, and 77.5 per cent for the second dose. Experts say that in India, 99.31 per cent of vaccinated people (first and second dose) were kept safe from Covid-19 due to vaccination," Mandaviya said. Stating that India is a vast country with so many cultural, social and financial diversities, the Health Minister said, "So we have made the Budget an all inclusive and comprehensive one with a long-term vision, considering a period of 25 years. This is the vision of the Prime Minister, and that is why we are saying that the Budget is for the 'Amrit Kaal'. "We also identified 53 raw materials essential for manufacturing, for which we were dependent on other countries. We have come out with the Product Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, where 20 per cent of what the manufacturers are losing out due to buying Indian raw materials is being provided by the government. The government spent Rs 4 lakh crore on the PLI scheme in the last one-and-a-half years. We are planning more such PLI schemes." The minister said that the government is also planning to come up with a 'Land Bank', where land required for any purpose will be available on a dashboard in order to ease land availability. "We are also planning a data and analytics centre for data storage and analysis. Data is the need of the hour. The government will provide infrastructure to those who are into data analysis and data storage," added Mandaviya. The minister also spoke about developing a national industrial corridor, which will be formed to chalk out a 25-year plan for developing industries, based on scientific assessment. The 14-year-old McKinley High School student who was stabbed during a fight Wednesday was knifed 10 times during the assault and was beaten and left with bruises and abrasions, Buffalo authorities said Friday. Nine of the knife wounds "were to the chest and abdomen and one was to the leg," Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said at a news conference. Police say 17-year-old in custody in connection with stabbing at McKinley High School Buffalo Police said late Thursday that they had a 17-year-old male in custody in connection with an incident that occurred a day prior at McKinley High School in which a 14-year-old boy was stabbed and a security guard was shot. Authorities believe tensions between two groups of students at the school that had been brewing all day Wednesday became a fight that broke out in the parking lot, Flynn said. Between 15 and 20 people were in the lot when the fighting began. Authorities believe multiple people assaulted the teen who ended up being stabbed, Flynn said. Photos: McKinley High School shooting/stabbing incident 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 s Then, someone opened fire with a gun. At that time, a school security officer, who was not believed to be armed, was running toward the parking lot to try to break up the fight. The guard was shot in the leg, Flynn said. Also, police learned Thursday that a 13-year-old boy suffered a minor graze wound to his arm during the incident, but didn't seek treatment until later. Police on Friday released two photos of a person who was seen with a gun at the fight. The new details emerged as police announced the arrest and arraignment of a 17-year-old Buffalo teen, one of several suspects in the case. The 17-year-old was arrested late Thursday night and was arraigned shortly after midnight on one count of second-degree attempted murder and one count of first-degree assault, the Erie County District Attorney's Office said Friday. His name has not been released because of his age. Authorities said he is a student at McKinley. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Monday. The DA and police said they are looking for other suspects, including the gunman. A $5,000 reward for information about the gunman was being offered through Crime Stoppers of WNY. McKinley student who was stabbed in stable condition, guard released In response to the shooting, McKinley has switched to remote learning for the rest of the week. On Friday, the 14-year-old boy remained at Oishei Children's Hospital in stable condition. "He was injured pretty badly and still has a little ways to go," Flynn said. The guard was treated and released from Erie County Medical Center. Mayor Byron Brown, who was part of Friday's news conference, said he spoke to the guard's family. "He is in good spirits and looking forward to coming back to work as soon as possible," Brown said. Brown speculated that the violence that took place Wednesday was in part due to the disruptive forces of the pandemic, which is stretching on into its third year. "People are angry; people are frustrated; people are fearful. And in particular, I think our young people have been impacted," Brown said. He also said there are "too many illegal weapons on the streets of communities all across this country." Brown said his administration is expanding its summer youth employment program to the winter to keep more young people engaged. The mayor also dismissed a call by the Buffalo teachers union president Thursday for an outside investigation by state and federal authorities into safety at Buffalo schools. He said that the DA and local agencies were conducting a thorough investigation. Brown and Flynn spoke several hours before Buffalo Schools Superintendent Kriner Cash held his own news conference, at McKinley, to reassure staff, students and parents that the district is developing a plan to address safety concerns at the high school. Cash said he agreed with Brown that Wednesday's "traumatic" incident isn't unique to McKinley, or Buffalo schools. But he said the district is taking steps to address concerning incidents, such as fights, that have happened at a slightly higher rate at McKinley and a handful of other schools than on average across the district. Cash said, of 960 students at McKinley, just 30 or so are considered "in crisis" because of prior incidents. For one, representatives from non-violence groups will be present at McKinley when students are entering and leaving the building on Elmwood Avenue, as well as inside the school to help keep close tabs on specific high-risk students, Cash said. And while McKinley does not have school resource officers on-duty Buffalo police assigned to the school, Cash said police will have more of a visible presence outside the building in the weeks ahead. McKinley has five school security guards, and two were still on campus at the time of Wednesday's incident, which happened about 20 minutes after dismissal. Cash on Friday identified the wounded security guard as Bradley Walker. He said the second guard, Jennifer Little, rushed to Walker's side to tend to his injuries following the shooting. "Those are two heroes," Cash said Friday. Cash also said the district previously had boosted the number of teacher aides and assistants, from six to 16. And a new principal at McKinley, Moustafa Khalil, started in that position on Thursday in what Cash described as part of the ongoing "reset" at the building. McKinley students have been learning remotely since Thursday. Cash said students will return to the building starting Tuesday, in a phased-in approach by grade level. He said officials still were working out precise details, which parents should learn by Friday night. Asked whether he's aware of parents who are afraid to send their children back to McKinley, Cash replied, "What I'm hearing is they can't wait to get back." 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. 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 Aaron Besecker News Staff Reporter I'm a member of The Buffalo News' breaking news/criminal justice team. I've been reporter at the News since 2007. Follow Aaron Besecker 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 New Delhi, Feb 12 : Delhi Police have arrested two persons for their involvement in a recent snatching incident in Shahdara district which left a woman grievously injured. The accused have been identified as Manish alias Rishi, and Mohit Gupta alias Kikky, both residents of Patparganj in Delhi. Manish has been found to a habitual offender with 106 previous involvements in snatching cases. He also carried a reward of Rs 50,000 in a case registered at the Special Police Station. The incident took place at around 1 p.m. on February 7, when the complainant along with her sister-in-law was going on an e-rickshaw to attend a marriage function. While they were about to alight, the accused duo riding a motorcycle tried to snatch her handbag. When the victim resisted and held on to her purse firmly, the pillion rider pulled it forcefully, throwing the woman away from the e-rickshaw. She fell down and sustained serious injuries on her head. "Unfortunately, the victim woman is still critical," Joint Commissioner of Police, Chhaya Sharma, told IANS. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara), R. Sathiyasundaram, said that after the incident, the police had registered a case under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and initiated an investigation. Furnishing details about the operation, the DCP said that considering the seriousness of the incident, six teams consisting of splecial staff, AATS, narcotics cell and the crack team of Seemapuri police station were tasked to look for technical evidence. "The CCTV footages of the scene of crime were collected which revealed that the two persons ridingh a Bajaj Pulsar bike committed the crime," the official said. The entry and exit routes of the motorcycle were recreated and it was found that after committing the robbery, the accused persons moved towards the East District and then to Vaishali via Delhi-Meerut Expressway. In a media briefing, Chhaya Sharma specifically stressed on the role of the police team that scanned over 500 CCTV cameras over a stretch of 70 km. The modus operandi of the criminals and the regular route taken by the accused persons were checked and it was found that they used to target women on foot or e-rickshaws or cycle rickshaws mainly outside malls and on highways. It was further revealed that they usually took the Delhi-Meerut Expressway to travel to different areas. Keeping in mind the modus operandi, the operations cell of Shahdara district laid a trap on Delhi-Meerut Expressway near the Akshardham temple. "Finally, the accused duo was spotted going from the Akshardham side towards Sarai Kale Khan. At this point of time, the first police team started chasing them and gave a signal to the second team, which with the help of traffic police blocked the traffic on the expressway with barricades," the official said. After seeing the road blocked, the accused persons took a U-turn on the wrong side and started moving towards the Yamuna river bridge. A police Gypsy then hit the motorcycle from behind and after a hustle for around 20 minutes, the duo was nabbed," the DCP informed. During interrogation the accused revealed that they had met each other in Tihar Jail in 2016. "Their involvement in other cases are being investigated," the official added. Bengaluru, Feb 12 : India's Saketh Myneni and Ramkumar Ramanathan lifted the doubles title of the Bengaluru Open ATP Challenger with a domineering win against French rivals Hugo Grenier and Alexandre Muller in the finals played at the KSLTA Stadium here on Saturday. Banking on the support of the local crowd, the Indian pair won in straight sets 6-3, 6-2. This was Saketh's ninth doubles title at Challengers while Ramkumar registered a third victory in as many weeks with his victory on Saturday. Last week, Ramkumar had partnered Rohan Bopanna to the doubles title at the Tata Open Maharashtra ATP 250 event in Pune. Meanwhile, qualifier Borna Gojo of Croatia rallied brilliantly from a set down to beat Frenchman Alexandre Muller in three sets and storm into the final of the singles event. He will next clash with Taipei's Chun-Hsin Tseng for the title. The latter scripted an upset victory over sixth seed Enzo Couacaud, also of France, with a 7-5, 6-4, after being 2-5 down in the first set to make it to the summit clash. The combination of the fast serves of Ramkumar and the deft volleys by Saketh proved to be a deadly combination as the duo raced to a 4-1 lead before annexing the first set at 6-3. A visibly tired Muller, who had played two matches on Friday and Grenier could not contain the onslaught of winners from the Indian pair and succumbed without much fight. The Gojo-Muller match proved to be a perfect clash as both players held their serves until the ninth game in which Gojo lost his serve and eventually the set. The second set also followed a similar pattern until Gojo broke his opponent's serve to go 5-3 up and held his serve to make his way back into the match. The momentum helped him so much that he did not give a semblance of a chance to his rival to make a comeback as he blanked Muller on the back of three breaks. In the other semi-final, after Enzo had held his serve, they traded serves in the next three games as the Taipei player trailed 2-5. Once he got his rhythm going, Tseng never looked back winning five games in a row to capture the first set 7-5. In the second set, both the players tested each other before Tseng found the break he was looking for in the fifth game to wrap up the set and match. Results: Men's Singles semi-finals: q-Borna Gojo (CRO) bt Alexandre Muller (FRA) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; Chun-Hsin Tseng (TPE) bt 6-Enzo Couacaud (FRA) 7-5, 6-4. Men's Doubles final: 3-Saketh Myneni (IND)/Ramkumar Ramanathan (IND) bt Hugo Grenier (FRA)/Alexandre Muller (FRA) 6-3, 6-2. New Delhi, Feb 12 : The Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, and also regarded as the Father of the Indian Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar was very critical of the Islamic veil. This is what Dr Ambedkar had written in a chapter of the book titled 'Social Stagnation', and is quoted here: "Indeed, the Muslims have all the social evils of the Hindus and something more. That something more is the compulsory system of purdah for Muslim women. These burka women walking in the streets is one of the most hideous sights one can witness in India." He further writes that "They lag behind their sisters from other communities, cannot take part in any outdoor activity and are weighed down by a slavish mentality and an inferiority complex. They have no desire for knowledge, because they are taught not to be interested in anything outside the four walls of the house. Purdah women in particular become helpless, timid, and unfit for any fight in life. Considering the large number of purdah women among Muslims in India, one can easily understand the vastness and seriousness of the problem of purdah." It is a problem then to understand the relevance of the debate today, when the hijab is, as the proponents for right to wear hijab advocate, is a tool for emancipation of the Muslim women. More so, when this purported 'fundamental' religious right of self-expression and identity is now put to test on the anvil of the Constitution of India, and the arena where it is being played out is at the sanctuaries of judicial wisdom. The hijab is an integral part of the Islamic way for womankind and has been laid down in the 'Surahs' of the Quran as well as 'hadiths'. In Chapter 24 known as "The Light" in verse 31 in Holy Quran, the Command is as follows: "And tell the believing women to lower their gaze and be modest, and to display of their adornment only that which is apparent, and to draw their veils over their bosoms, and not to reveal their adornment save to their own husbands or fathers or husbands' fathers, or their sons or their husbands' sons, or their brothers or their brothers' sons or sisters' sons, or their women, or their slaves, or male attendants who lack vigour, or children who know naught of women's nakedness. And let them not stamp their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And turn unto Allah together, O believers, so that ye may succeed." In the original text in Arabic, the veil is referred to as a 'Khumur'. In 'the Islamic digest of Aqeedah and Fiqh' by Mahmoud Rida Murad, 'Khumur' is mentioned as follows: "Khumur, or head cover, is the cloth which covers all of the hair on the head, while the work, 'juyoob' (pl. of jaib) means not only the bosom, as commonly thought, but it includes the neck too." In one of the Hadidhs (words of Prophet Mohammed), explaining the Quranic verses to his sister-in-law 'Asma', is as follows: "O Asma! It is not correct for a woman to show her parts other than her hands and face to strangers after she begins to have menstruation." [Reported by Abudawud ref: hadith no 4092 kitab al libas (book of clothing Sunan Abu Dawud) So yes, as illustrated from above, it is an Islamic practice and it is ordained by the Quran and various Islamic texts, as imperative on womankind who are believers. That the hijab is the line between the sexes and is to be honored at all costs, in public and private life. But then we are in the 21st Century, and if we are to take any cues from the Christian Calendar, the hijab has been in practice amongst followers of Islam for more than a millennium and a half. And when the Qu'ran is weighed with the Constitution of India, and the idea of an India, much less the idea of an 'Indian nation', which is less than a century old, it is bound to ruffle more than a few feathers in the hornet's nest. So not only is the exercise an attempt to 'harmonize' and arrive at 'gospel' truth a challenge in itself but, it is a daunting task commensurate with the lives of real people in a fledgling nation-state. The present series of public grievance can be traced to a pre-university college in the Udupi district, Karnataka when some Muslim women were not allowed to enter with their hijab on. On 05.02.2022, a GOVERNMENT ORDER NO: EP 14 SHH 2022 BENGALURU, was passed under the provisions of Section 133 sub-clause (2) of the Karnataka Education Act/ 1983 where it was ordered that in the Colleges which comes under Pre-University Education Department, the Uniform prescribed by the College's Development Committee or the Governing body of the College should be worn. In case if the college administration does not prescribe any uniform in such a case, the dress should be worn in a manner protecting the equality and unity which does not disturb the public order. This order was taken as a pretext for not letting Muslim women students enter the college premises wearing a hijab. Therefore, the said Government Order is now under challenge before the High Court of Karnataka by way of a series of writ petitions filed by students and public-spirited individuals, as being, inter alia, in violation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution of India. The first argument against the government order is that The Karnataka Education Act, 1983 (hereinafter referred to as the "Act of 1983") and the rules made there under do not prescribe a uniform. In fact, Rule 11 of the Karnataka Educational Institutions (Classification, Regulation and Prescription of Curricula, etc) Rules, 1995 which make a provision for uniform does not make it mandatory for an institution to prescribe a uniform. The same is left to the discretion of the school/ institution. In this case, no uniforms were prescribed by the respective institutions. That apart from the aforesaid, the fundamental rights under Article 14, 15, 19, 21 and 25 of the Constitution of India of the individuals concerned have been violated to elaborate, as per Article 14, any law being discriminatory in nature has to have the existence of an intelligible differentia and the same must bear a rational nexus with the object sought to be achieved. The object as has been claimed is to maintain public order in the institutions. However, the authorities have failed to provide any nexus on how the public order will be disturbed if Muslim women enter an institution's premises while wearing hijab. Article 15(1) of the Constitution of India, 1950 embodies a guarantee against discrimination by prohibiting discrimination on several grounds including religion. The Supreme Court in National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India, (2014) 5 SCC 438 has recognized that clothing and appearance fall within the ambit of the right of expression guaranteed under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution. That the freedom of conscience and the right to practice, profess and propagate religion are explicitly recognized under Article 25 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court has also recognized the freedom of conscience to be a part of the right to privacy. In the celebrated judgment, M. Ismail Faruqui (Dr) v. Union of India, 1994, the constitutional bench grants protection to essential religious practices under Article 25. It is therefore submitted that assuming that the "Essential Religious Practices Test" applies, the wearing of hijab is essential to the Islamic faith. However, the hijab, for that matter, is yet to face its litmus test: the Essential Religious Practices Test as laid down by the aforesaid judgment. The High Court vide its interim Order dated 10-02-2022 in the writ petitions have, inter alia, directed - "In the above circumstances, we request the State Government and all other stakeholders to reopen the educational institutions and allow the students to return to the classes at the earliest. Pending consideration of all these petitions, we restrain all the students regardless of their religion or faith from wearing saffron shawls (Bhagwa), scarfs, hijab, religious flags or the like within the classroom, until further orders." So far, the Government Order has been in utter violation of the religious rights of the minorities. But the high court by way of passing the aforesaid interim order, has placed Muslim women students between a rock and a hard place. The court has failed to understand that the very veil which is integral to the Muslim woman, and assures her a place in public life, cannot be suspended, for the reason that it is an intrinsic and inseparable part of her 'awrah', believed to be the source of the word, 'Aurat', the Arabic meaning of which is something signifying along the lines of 'hidden' or 'covered'. In conclusion, let me quote here again, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, "I measure the progress of a community by the degree of progress which women have achieved." Interestingly in the present case, the argument is that the Burqa/hijab/veil is what comforts the Muslim woman to venture out of their homes, in reverence to their Divine, and to the social acceptance of the Muslimeen, all the while, accomplishing their individual needs and individuality. The hijab is after all for His acceptance and for fear of His Wrath. Jai Bhim? (The author is an Advocate-on-Record in the Supreme Court of India) New Delhi, Feb 12 : In a surprise shift with major regional implications, India is reaching out to the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan in a symbolic offer of aid in an hour of humanitarian need, Asia Times reported. On February 1, New Delhi quietly allocated Indian rupee equivalent to about $27 million for assistance to Afghanistan in its 2022-23 fiscal Budget. According to the budgetary line item, the amount will be disbursed to pay for existing Indian projects in the country, scholarships for Afghan students and aid for the Afghan people, the report said. Although the allocation is significantly less than the $47 million India gave to the now-ousted Ashraf Ghani government in 2021, it clearly marked India's fast-shifting stance on the Taliban's takeover of the war-torn country. That shift is no doubt being informed by the Taliban government's rocky relations with neighboring Pakistan, India's traditional and chief adversary, the report said. It is widely believed, including among US lawmakers, that Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency aided and abetted the Taliban's lightning seizure of power last August. True or false, the Taliban's new Islamic Emirate government is keen not to appear beholden and obliged to Islamabad for its battlefield victory, it added. On the contrary, the neighbours are increasingly in conflict over a border fence Pakistan is building that has resurrected long-time territorial disputes and a surge in cross-border militant attacks that Islamabad wants Kabul to do more to stop. New Delhi, Feb 12 : Frustrated with a marked decline in terrorist incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, the notorious Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan has tasked the terror outfits in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) to step up attacks on the security forces and political cadre of Jammu and Kashmir, the intelligence agencies' reports revealed. The sources in the security grid in Jammu and Kashmir, quoting report said that a meeting was held earlier in last week of January wherein the operation commanders of terror outfit such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), Al Badr and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in PoK and they were instructed to scale up attacks on security forces and political cadres of the Jammu and Kashmir. The meeting of tanzeem commanders was held at a small town Malakpaiyan in Muzaffarabad district in the PoK wherein a Lt Colonel ranked officer of ISI expressed displeasure with the commanders over a marked decline in terrorist activities in Kashmir Valley. "He has tasked the commanders to make arrangements for suitable terrorist attacks in the Valley and to recruit young youths and Over Ground Workers (OWG)," the Intelligence report generated from Kashmir valley said. The sources also said that the ISI officials have been very frustrated that despite all resources like trained mercenaries who returned from Afghanistan with advance weapons were not able to execute ISI's plan to de-stablise the peace and developmental work in the Jammu and Kashmir. The ISI handlers are also worried over the killings of terrorists and Over Ground Workers (OWG) in Jammu and Kashmir by the security forces along with Indian Army, the sources added The intelligence reports also said about the movement of a local Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Rayees Ahmad along with two unidentified terrorists who have visited Nubuk Nanil under Mattan police station in Anantnag. "Ahmad along with other two terrorists frequently visit Nubuk Nanil suggests that he might be shifting his base and visiting the locality for fresh recruitment of youths from the nearby villages in HM cadre," the sources said, quoting from the intercepted chats. This group might be planning to attack security forces and political workers in between Bijbehera and Anantnag, they added. A senior official in the Jammu and Kashmir security set up said that the ISI was very hopeful after the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August last year and in last seven months. the terror organisations like LeT, JeM, Al Badr and HM could not execute major terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley barring a few lone wolf attacks last year. Recently, the security forces have neutralised a number of terrorist commanders during operations and ISI backed ultras are finding it difficult to find suitable replacements for them so far. The fresh recruitment of cadres has also taken a beating owing to a variety of reasons including a crackdown on funding channels like NGOs and trade-based financing of terrorism in Kashmir Valley. The National Investigation Agency and the Enforcement Directorate have undertaken a number of probes to choke terrorist financing and money laundering respectively, preventing funds flow to the terror outfits, the officials in the security grid added. After a series of lone wolf attacks in Kashmir Valley in September-October last year, the government set up a coordination centre in Srinagar and a concerted efforts to neutralize the terrorists was initiated wherein all security forces active in J&K started operations in a most coordinated manner and shot down 137 terrorists there in 2021. To prevent the attacks on the security forces and civilians, a new security grid was created in urban areas of Kashmir wherein the control rooms were set up to keep eye on suspicious movements near around the security forces and the public places. The security grids and the setting up of a unified control centres helped a lot in neutralising the terrorists and OGWs last year and this system will be set up in other small towns of Anantnag and places to prevent the movements of these ultras, the officials in the security forces admitted. San Francisco, Feb 12 : Tech billionaire Elon Musk's brain-chip company Neuralink is reportedly facing a legal challenge from an animal rights group that has accused the company of subjecting monkeys to "extreme suffering" during years of gruesome experiments. The organisation is accusing Neuralink and UC Davis of nine violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act -- a federal measure designed to reduce suffering during animal experiments, reports The New York Post. Neuralink's brain chips were implanted in monkeys' brains during a series of tests at the University of California, Davis from 2017 to 2020, according to a compliant from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine filed with the US Department of Agriculture. In one example, a monkey was allegedly found missing some of its fingers and toes "possibly from self-mutilation or some other unspecified trauma". The monkey was later killed during a "terminal procedure," the group said in a copy of the complaint shared with The Post. In another case, a monkey had holes drilled in its skull and electrodes implanted into its brain, then allegedly developed a bloody skin infection and had to be euthanized, according to the complaint. In a third instance, a female macaque monkey had electrodes implanted into its brain, then was overcome with vomiting, retching and gasping. Days later, researchers wrote that the animal "appeared to collapse from exhaustion/fatigue" and was subsequently euthanized. An autopsy then showed the monkey had suffered from a brain hemorrhage, according to the report. The experiments involved 23 monkeys in all. At least 15 of them died or were euthanized by 2020, according to the group, which based the report on records released through California's open records law. Musk claims that Neuralink's brain chips will one day make humans hyper-intelligent and let paralyzed people walk again. New Delhi, Feb 12 : President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday expressed deep anguish over the demise of noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj. Taking to twitter, President Kovind said, "Saddened to learn of Shri Rahul Bajaj's demise. A doyen of industry, he was passionate about its priorities. His career reflected the rise and innate strength of the nation's corporate sector. His death leaves a void in the world of industry. My condolences to his family." "Shri Rahul Bajaj Ji will be remembered for his noteworthy contributions to the world of commerce and industry. Beyond business, he was passionate about community service and was a great conversationalist. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti," the Prime Minister said in a tweet. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu too took to Twitter to express his sympathies. "Saddened by the demise of renowned industrialist and former Rajya Sabha MP, Shri Rahul Bajaj. He will always be remembered for spearheading a revolution in the automotive industry, rooted in the spirit of 'Make in India.' My deepest condolences to his family members. Om shanti." Bajaj, chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group and one of the most outspoken industrialists of India, passed away earlier on Saturday at the age of 83 at Pune. Gurugram, Feb 12 : Two days after the roof collapse incident at Chintels Paradiso residential society here in Sector 109 which claimed two lives, residents on Saturday staged a demonstration, demanding a CBI probe into the incident, and "immediate arrest" of the builder. The residents, who were carrying placards, also protested against the police and the district administration. "In connection with the matter the police have so far registered an FIR under section 304-A (causing death by negligence) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention but we demanded that the FIR should be registered under sector 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder), so that the culprits have to face stringent action," Lalit Kapoor, General Secretary of Chintels Paradiso society said. Meanwhile, district town planner RS Bhath, who is directed on behalf of the district administration to examine the matter, visited the incident spot on Saturday and ensured the residents that a necessary action will be initiated against the guilty. Meanwhile, the residents said they have no faith in the district administration and police so a detailed inquiry should be conducted by the CBI. "We have already invested our hard-earned money in this society and are now forced to spend the night in an open space. We are compelled to spend nights at our relative's homes despite spending huge amounts. We are scared to enter the premises. We require a concrete action against those who are guilty," a protesting resident said. Union Minister of State Rao Inderjeet Singh who was scheduled to visit the residential society on Saturday reportedly cancelled it due to the residents' protest. Rahul Bajaj with Nandan Nilekani of Infosys, who inaugurated the Bajaj Institute of Technology on September 26, 2019. That was Rahul Bajaj's last visit to Wardha, the land of his family made famous the world over. Image Source: IANS News Rahul Bajaj with Nandan Nilekani of Infosys, who inaugurated the Bajaj Institute of Technology on September 26, 2019. That was Rahul Bajaj's last visit to Wardha, the land of his family made famous the world over. Image Source: IANS News New Delhi, Feb 12 : The India Inc on Saturday expressed grief over the demise of industrialist Rahul Bajaj. Rahul Bajaj -- the doyen of the Bajaj Group, who made his two-wheelers a household name with the catchy slogan 'Hamara Bajaj' -- passed away in Pune following prolonged illness. He was 83. Bajaj had taken charge of the Bajaj Group in 1965, and during his captaincy, the group soared to one of the biggest industries in the sub-continent. "He was like a father figure to all of us at CII. Not only he guided us on all matters, but he also protected us on so many issues. His leadership was available for just everything. His advise on all critical matters was always available and helped us take the most important decisions at the institution," said Chandrajit Banerjee, DG, CII. "For him, it was always the country first - a principle we applied to all our policy advocacy. He was the only person to be CII's President for two terms in 1979/80 and in 1999/2000. His mentorship would be deeply missed by all at the industry and CII," Banerjee added. Bajaj is credited with building the industry lobby, CII, of which he was the President for two terms. Another industry body, Assocham, expressed "heart-felt condolences on the passing away of Shri Rahul Bajaj". "He championed the cause of India Inc within and outside the country. A great and inspirational leader," said Assocham Secretary General, Deepak Sood. Industry body Ficci's President Sanjiv Mehta said: "FICCI is deeply saddened by the passing away of Rahul Bajaj. The country has lost a tall leader and a leading voice who always spoke fearlessly. He was the outspoken voice for the industry." PHDCCI President Pradeep Multani also condoled the demise of Bajaj, saying: "In his passing away, we have not only lost an illustrious business leader who thought about the common man, but the backbone of the Indian industry, one who was far-sighted and outspoken," Multani said in a statement. "The far-sighted and outspoken Shri Rahul 'Hamara' Bajaj fulfilled the dream of every Indian middle-class family of owning a vehicle with his thoughtful leadership and vision," he added. Automobile industry body SIAM's President Kenichi Ayukawa said: "The entire automobile industry joins me in expressing our deep sorrow on the sad demise of Shri Rahul Bajaj, Chairman Emeritus at Bajaj Auto. "He was a great industrialist who built an empire on sound principles and left a legacy that makes India proud with presence in several countries." The President of Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations, Vinkesh Gulati, said: "We at FADA are deeply saddened to learn about the demise of Shri Rahul Bajaj, former Chairman of Bajaj Auto Ltd. The sudden demise of Rahul ji is shocking and also an irreparable loss not only for the automobile industry, but also for the entire nation. "Rahul ji was always warm towards FADA and any dealer issues which we brought to his notice. When India started opening up its economy, Rahul ji made Bajaj a shining star in India's growth story." Bajaj was a former Rajya Sabha member and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 2001. Chennai, Feb 12 : While merger of rival companies is normal, a merger of two worker unions is something rare, which happened at two-wheeler maker Eicher Motors Ltd's plant here, said their leaders. Further, the amalgamation has happened at a time when the union has submitted its charter of demands as the earlier wage agreement with the management will end in 2022. "On Friday, the Royal Enfield Employees Union (REEU) decided to merge itself with the majority union Oragadam Royal Enfield Employees General Union," the latter's President M. Muthukaruppasamy told IANS. Confirming the development, Dinesh Babu, General Secretary of erstwhile REEU, told IANS: "The management had a discussion with us. Considering the workers' welfare and the company's well-being in a holistic manner, we decided to merge with Oragadam Royal Enfield Employees General Union." According to the union leaders, B. Govindarajan, Executive Director, Eicher Motors, had a meeting with them and discussed the company's plans, market situation and the challenges. The Eicher Motors plant near here rolls out popular two-wheelers like Bullet, Classic 350 and others. Union leaders told IANS that communication between the workers at the shop floor used to be tense owing to the union rivalry. The Eicher Motors factory here has about 1,350 workers, out of which the Oragadam Royal Enfield Employees General Union has about 1,050 members and the remaining workers are with REEU. "We have started enrolling members of erstwhile REEU as our members. Nearly 90 per cent of REEU members have joined us. The remaining will join soon," Muthukaruppasamy said. According to him, the management has given its assurance that no vindictive action will be taken against the REEU leaders. The Eicher Motors management has recognised only the Oragadam Royal Enfield Employees General Union as it was formed by company workers. The company had refused to recognise the REEU as it was affiliated to an outside union called Working Peoples Trade Union Council. (Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in) Ken-Ton teacher Peter Stuhlmiller was helping out at an outdoor function recently, and a student said hello to him. But he didn't recognize her without her mask on, and had to ask her name. Mixed reactions as mask mandate continues in schools, but it could end in early March Gov. Kathy Hochul 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 referring to the week after mid-winter break. "That's kind of where we are now," he said. "I would love to see what my seniors look like before they graduate." Stuhlmiller, the president of the Kenmore Teachers Association, said everyone is tired of wearing masks, but teachers, like parents, have differing views. "I think the vast majority of us are willing to get to a finish line if it can be quantified and identified by the state," he said. "We're tired of this. We want to see our student's faces." With mask mandate set to expire, school leaders press Hochul for the 'off-ramp' "Your recognition of the need to move schools from the emergency phase of Covid-19 to a time when the presence of the virus no longer completely disrupts the school experience is both refreshing and essential," states a letter signed by 38 school superintendents in Erie and Niagara counties. Teachers, students and parents are looking forward to the day Gov. Kathy Hochul lifts the mask mandate in schools. Some parents have sued districts and the state to end the mask mandate, citing the harm to child mental health, but others, fearing the spread of the virus, do not think it should end immediately. School boards around the country, including some locally, have come under fire from parents angry about the mask mandates, filing lawsuits and refusing to wear them during meetings. Orchard Park and Clarence school boards returned to virtual meetings after some audience members refused to wear masks. When the mandate is lifted, you'll still see masks in the classroom. And if school boards have to make a decision about masks in the classroom, it could mean more anger directed at them. Hochul said it's a "very strong possibility" it could be March 7, one week after most students return after a week-long break. When she lifted the mask mandate in public places Wednesday, the governor said it was the right decision to "let counties, cities, and businesses to make their own decisions on what they want to do with respect to mask or the vaccination requirement." In reversal of earlier decision, Buffalo agrees to let maskless student attend school The agreement allows the 10-year-old boy to return to school Feb. 7 wearing a face shield. He will be provided bus transportation and will attend all classes with various safety protocols. It is not known whether the governor will allow local control on masks in schools. Some educators think that it will be up to schools and school districts, while others want a statewide requirement. "Our understanding right now is either a school district or a county health department could adopt a local mask requirement," said Robert N. Lowry Jr., deputy director of the New York State Council of School Superintendents. If that's the case, school boards might have to make tough decisions that to say the least would not please everyone. The Conference of Big Five School Districts, representing the state's largest city school districts, wants a uniform policy implemented across the state by the New York State Department of Health, said Executive Director Jennifer K. Pyle. "We do not want this responsibility put upon educators or county health departments. We dont think school boards and superintendents should have to be in a position to make these decisions because they are not the health experts," she said. Latest state guidance creates more confusion about mask breaks in schools Guidance issued Friday said the state does not "provide for the implementation of 'mask breaks' during the school day, nor does it provide for an exception to the masking requirement on the basis of minimal social distancing in classrooms." Pyle said the state Health Department should establish metrics so determinations on lifting the mandate can be made on a regional basis. "Clearly, if the metrics are different, different regions may be on a different timetable, something the state Health Department would have to determine," Pyle said. There could be differences within the same county in a region, too. Buffalo Public Schools does not intend to automatically drop the masks when the mandate is lifted without the approval of its medical team, Superintendent Kriner Cash said. Cash said he would like to see Covid-19 cases get to a moderate transmission rate from the high rate it is today. "Were headed there, but we're not there," Cash said. In reversal of earlier decision, Buffalo agrees to let maskless student attend school The agreement allows the 10-year-old boy to return to school Feb. 7 wearing a face shield. He will be provided bus transportation and will attend all classes with various safety protocols. When would that be? "Im hopeful that mid-March or shortly thereafter we could be in a place where medical experts say it's safe to unmask," Cash said. But many schools are prepared to switch as soon as Hochul gives the word. "We will immediately move to a procedure that says we strongly encourage you to wear a mask, but you do not have to," Niagara Falls Superintendent Mark Laurrie said. He said students and staff will be told they are welcome to wear face coverings without shame. He did not rule out a future requirement for masks. Student has a medical excuse to be maskless. But Buffalo won't let him come to school The family is asking U.S. District Court to declare that the district's policy violates federal law, and to issue a temporary restraining order that would allow the boy to go back to school. "I think if we had a crazy uptick in cases in a particular location, we would certainly have to consider that," Laurrie said, adding, "I don't have that metric in my mind." Laurrie said sentiment from parents he has heard from is about nine to one in favor of lifting the mandate. Teachers have concerns on both sides of the mask debate, he said. Buffalo Teachers Federation President Philip Rumore said the the union asked teachers last week if they support ending the mask requirement immediately or if they support requiring masks until the impact of Covid-19 transmission after the week-long recess could be determined. He said the union would inform the district of the results of the survey. Ken-Ton's Stuhlmiller said if there is no state or county mandate requiring masks in schools, districts might have a difficult time implementing the requirement without bargaining with unions over the change in working conditions. Private and charter schools also are looking for more guidance while trying to plan for the end of masks. The Charter School for Applied Technologies is working on the assumption that once the mandate is lifted, the decision on face coverings would be up to the schools. "At that point, our board would have to vote," spokeswoman Lori Allan said. Allan said the board will consider feedback from staff and parents. Dr. Timothy Uhl, superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Buffalo Diocese, said some Catholic schools are smaller, with students sitting closer together, while others are larger with more room. "There could be schools you might have to mask when walking around," he said. "It isn't a one size fits all." 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. Panaji, Feb 12 : As election campaigning for the February 14 Goa Assembly polls came to a close on Friday, leaders of all the major political parties in the fray expressed confidence of winning the elections. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, which has continued with incumbent Chief Minister Pramod Sawant as the party's face for the top slot, said that the promise of a double-engine BJP government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Centre and a BJP government in Goa is the party's key USP. "People want to see development and a double-engine government is the only way. The Centre has provided unprecedented financial assistance to Goa from 2014 and ushered the state on the path of development," Sawant told a press conference in Panaji. The BJP is contesting all the 40 seats in the state for the first time in the upcoming polls. The ruling party's battle cry for the elections is '22-plus seats in 2022'. The main opposition party, Congress, also expressed confidence of winning the elections, with All India Congress Committee senior observer for Goa P. Chidambaram stating that the party would not even need a post-poll alliance to come to power when the votes are eventually counted on March 10. "I don't think that situation will arise. We think, and we are confident that we will get a simple majority," Chidambaram said. The Aam Aadmi Party, which had started the freebie trend during this election campaign by promising free electricity and doles for women and unemployed youth, has also expressed confidence, claiming popular response to AAP's poll promises. "We forced the government to bring a scheme related to free water. We stand by our commitment related to free electricity, 24x7 water supply and medicines," AAP state convener Rahul Mahambre said. The Trinamool Congress is contesting the February 14 elections in alliance with the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party. Speaking on behalf of the alliance, former Deputy CM Sudin Dhavalikar said that the "massive corruption" would sink the BJP in the upcoming elections. "The Trinamool is fighting the elections on the basis of basic amenities. We urge the people to come out and vote for change. Corruption is increasing day-by-day. Earlier, the reason for that was the Congress and now it is the BJP," Dhavalikar told reporters. New Delhi, Feb 13 : Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar on Saturday launched the Central sector scheme 'SMILE: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise' aimed to provide welfare and rehabilitation to the transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging. The umbrella scheme is designed by the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. "As a progressive and developing society, it is our duty to respect the identity and dignity of all sections of society. The Ministry has ensured that each and every need of transgender community and persons engaged in the act of begging are taken care of in most professional way," the Union Minister said. "The provision of national portal and helpline will provide necessary information and solutions to the problems of the transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging," he added. The two sub-schemes of SMILE - 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons' and 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation of Engaged in the Act of Begging' - provide comprehensive welfare and rehabilitation measures to the Transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging. The Ministry has allocated Rs 365 crore for the scheme from 2021-22 to 2025-26 for the social security that is needed through multiple dimensions of identity, medical care, education, occupational opportunities and shelter, a statement from the Ministry said. The sub-scheme - 'Central Sector Scheme for Comprehensive Rehabilitation for Welfare of Transgender Persons'- includes various components such as scholarships for transgender students studying in IX and till post-graduation. It also has provisions for Skill Development and Livelihood under the PM-DAKSH scheme. Through Composite Medical Health, it provides a comprehensive package in convergence with PM-JAY supporting Gender-Reaffirmation surgeries through selected hospitals. Similarly, the Housing facility in the form of 'Garima Grih' ensures food, clothing, recreational facilities, skill development opportunities, recreational activities, and medical support to the transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging. The provision of Transgender Protection Cell in each state will monitor cases of offences and to ensure timely registration, investigation, and prosecution of offences. The National Portal and Helpline will provide necessary information and solutions to the transgender community and the people engaged in the act of begging when needed. Meanwhile the sub-scheme - 'Comprehensive Rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of Begging' - will focus on survey and identification, mobilisation, rescue/ shelter home and comprehensive resettlement. Besides, pilot projects have been initiated on comprehensive rehabilitation in 10 cities namely Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna and Ahmedabad, the release added. Mindscope has become the latest software provider to join the Univerus group of businesses. Mindscope has become the latest software provider to join the Univerus group of businesses. After several months as a Mindscope customer, Univerus identified copious synergies between the two organizations, making it clear that a valuable relationship could be established through acquisition. Dan Duic from Mindscope outlines the significance of the deal, The investment being made by Univerus will propel Mindscopes product development roadmap and talent acquisition strategy. The strategic nature of the acquisition is clear and both sides will benefit greatly. Univerus can now deploy Mindscopes software across their network of businesses, while providing Mindscope with access to entirely new markets. Mindscope is set to benefit from immediate access to a Corporate HR customer base, starting with Univerus existing vertically integrated business units. Each subsidiary will have the opportunity to utilize the wealth of recruitment tools available through Mindscope. "Univerus is so happy to be bringing Mindscope on board, particularly as the business represents an opportunity to become involved in the recruitment industry. Mindscopes sophisticated staffing software will definitely be an asset for our customers in manufacturing and construction. comments Brad Atchison, CEO of Univerus. As well as adding another element to our software product offering, Mindscope will be a valuable recruitment resource for our existing business units as they continue to grow their teams. Having secured investment from Univerus, Mindscope will be in a position to bolster its sales, marketing, software development and customer support activities. This will benefit both parties as they seek to accelerate financial growth by venturing into new markets. Through Mindscope, Univerus has the opportunity to gain a foothold in the staffing software sector. The acquisition also provides Univerus with access to cutting-edge tech for managing recruitment processes within the companys existing business units. The Mindscope leadership team will retain decision-making responsibilities in relation to the product roadmap, as well as day-to-day operations and expansion opportunities. Existing teams will remain in place, with new members coming on board as the business expands. Mindscope Staffing Software Mindscope is a full-service staffing and recruitment SaaS developer and provider offering applicant tracking, customer relationship management, unified communications, and task management. Mindscope gives recruiters robust front and back-office functionality that empowers them to make more placements, faster. The company is known for its modern user experience, leading customer service, high overall product quality and extremely flexible configuration capabilities. For more info, visit http://www.mindscope.com. Univerus Univerus core tenet is that significant harmonious value results from bringing together forward-thinking professionals and proven solutions. Representing a suite of software businesses strategically woven into the Univerus family, its centralized management approach has empowered top-notch teams to provide mission-critical solutions with the most robust and innovative products available in the marketplace. For more info, visit http://www.univerus.com. Mike Schaengold, chair of Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts & Projects Practice, will be a featured speaker at this years Thomson Reuters Government Contracts Year in Review conference. The conference, which this year is being held as a series of virtual on-demand sessions, brings thousands of leading attorneys, executives, and government officials together for high-level, expert briefings on the past year's legal developments affecting government contracts. This is the 12th consecutive year that Schaengold has made this presentation at the conference. All of this years sessions, including Schaengolds Statutes and Regulations session, will be available on-demand beginning Feb. 22. Schaengolds presentation focuses on 2021 Acts of Congress that impact federal procurement law. Registration is available here. Schaengold focuses his practice on government contracts litigation and counseling and on litigation before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. His substantial government contracts dispute and bid protest experience includes litigation of major cases before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims, the Federal Circuit, and the Boards of Contract Appeals. He represents clients in disputes involving most major departments and agencies of the U.S. government and, in recent years, has focused on procurements involving the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the National Aeronautical and Space Administration, the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Department of State. Schaengold also has substantial experience in due diligence reviews and other issues related to the acquisition, merger, spin-off, or sale of government contractors. He also serves on the Advisory Councils to the Federal Circuit and Court of Federal Claims at the appointment of their respective Chief Judges. He has published more than 60 articles on government contracts, Federal Circuit, GAO, and Court of Federal Claims issues. About Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts & Projects Practice: Greenberg Traurigs Government Contracts & Projects Practice helps companies navigate the highly regulated acquisition and compliance processes of federal, state, local, and foreign governments and their agencies. The firms attorneys and governmental affairs professionals assist both experienced contractors and newcomers with a broad array of issues arising from, for example, sales of commercial off-the-shelf and customized products, services, and managed solutions to governments at all levels. The practice also focuses on meeting the transactional and U.S. regulatory needs of clients in the commercial, defense, aerospace, information technology, telecommunications, medical and health care, and other high-tech sectors. About Greenberg Traurigs Washington, D.C. Office: Home to a multidisciplinary team of lawyers and governmental affairs professionals, the members of Greenberg Traurigs Washington, D.C. office help clients of all sizes navigate the federal government. The team of lawyers and lobbyists provide strategic corporate, regulatory, and litigation assistance on Capitol Hill, in the board room and before administrative agencies, and federal and state trial and appellate courts. The D.C. offices practice areas include governmental affairs; federal procurement and government contracts; global trade and investment; corporate, securities and financial services; health care and FDA; antitrust; energy; environment; real estate and hospitality; telecommunications; international arbitration; intellectual property; public finance; and employment law. Greenberg Traurig attracts clients from an array of sectors from federal defense to energy, telecommunications to health care and represents them before the U.S. Congress, federal agencies and regulatory bodies, and the entire U.S. court system. About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2400 attorneys in 42 locations in the United States, Europe, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East. The firm, often recognized for its focus on philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono, reported gross revenue of over $2 Billion for FY 2021. The firm is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law 100, Am Law Global 100, NLJ 250, and Law360 (US) 400. On the debut 2022 Law360 Pulse Leaderboard, it is a Top 15 firm. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 4.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and net carbon neutral with respect to its office energy usage. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com. Gelernters Captain Greys Gambit (Norton, Apr.) takes British naval intelligence officer Thomas Grey, posing as a chess player, to Europe in an effort to smuggle a high-level aide of Napoleon to England. Where did the idea for this series come from? My grandfather, Richard Backus, introduced me to Patrick OBrians Aubrey-Maturin books. No doubt one of the reasons that series hooked me was the similarity of fighting naturalist Stephen Maturin to my grandfather, who was the navigator of a B-24 bomber during WWII. After the war, he studied ornithology and became an oceanographer. He was hired by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, became one of the fields foremost experts both on sonar and sharks, and sailed around the world. When Peter Benchley was writing Jaws, and needed information on sharks, he called Woods Hole to talk to my grandfather. How did that lead to Thomas Grey? In 2019, I read Goldfinger and got a big kick out of it. The scenes in Switzerland made me think of my grandfather, who made an emergency landing there during the warand the thought suddenly popped into my head, what if OBrians Napoleonic war fiction had told spy stories instead of sea stories? There didnt seem to be any such novels around, and I wanted to read one, so I wrote Hold Fast, the first Grey novel. Youve said that you dont aspire to remind readers of John le Carre. Why? I think that you can break spy books down into Fleming and le Carrebooks where the good guys are clearly the good guys, and the bad guys are clearly the bad guys, and those where theres a lot of moral ambiguity and the good guys are deeply flawed and the bad guys, you know, are badbut not in ways that the good guys arent. Youve got your hopeful spy novels and your bleak spy novels, and I prefer reading more hopeful novels in general. I feel like I get enough bleakness just from regular life and as a Mets fan; I dont really need it in my books. Was Grey always going to be half-American? That was one of the things that had changed the most from my original conception for the series. I had wanted to leave his ancestry ambiguous, because I thought it might present a good future plot opportunity. My agent said that it would be really interesting, since the books settings are approaching the War of 1812, and theres going to be a lot of tension. And you have an American audiencemaybe you could throw some more Americanness into the book. And so it seemed obvious that Grey should be half-American. Tajja Isen, editor-in-chief at Catapult, met Amy Brady, executive director of the nonprofit environmental magazine Orion, when Isen edited Bradys first essay for Catapult, Encountering Beauty and the Effects of Climate Change in Acadia National Park. Theyre now coeditors of an anthology of essays on everyday experiences with climate change, The World as We Knew It (Catapult, June). Here, they discuss their collaboration, which PWs starred review called a poignant ode to a changing planet. How did the anthology come about? Brady: Ive been in the climate storytelling and communications space for a long time, and I noticed most climate storytelling was happening in the form of novels or scientific research. A lot of it focused on larger disasterswildfires, sea level risewhich makes sense, as those are catastrophic. But in my personal life I was noticing it in small ways. Isen: I loved working on Amys essay. In 2018, when she was traveling through Toronto, we met up and got on really well. When she told me about the anthology idea a few months later, I said Id love to get involved in any capacity. She said, Do you want to coedit? And I jumped at the chance. How did you choose pieces for inclusion? Brady: I had a concern at the outsetthat turned out not to be worth worrying aboutthat too many of the essays would cover similar ground. Reaching out to people of different backgrounds and nationalities helped to create a breadth of experience on the page. We had to think about not just the logic of each individual essay but how they would hold together as a collection. Isen: We talk in the intro about bringing the planetary to the personal. With those constraints, essays treat the scope and scale very differently, whether its ones relationship with ones own house and land like in Lydia Millets piece or Gabrielle Bellots essay about a particular species of lionfish. Im proud of the variety of focal points. Whats it been like to work on this book during the pandemic? Brady: When Covid erupted in the United States partway through the editing of this book, that changed the process. Our writers began addressing the pandemic in subsequent revisions, making links between the pandemic and the climate crisis. Many focused on how both were impacting marginalized communities first and hardest. Isen: We were together in documenting this time we were all living through. The pandemic rears its head in various capacities across the collection. When you edit a personal essay youre carefully handling the raw data of someone elses life; the scale of what everyone was going through is metabolized in the book in cathartic ways. What has working on this book taught you? Brady: I look at anthologies differently now; I hadnt thought before about an anthology as a tool for communicating the need for collective action. So many people speaking to such a large issue in beautiful ways made me think about how anthologies are communitiesa way of signaling to the world that this subject matters. Isen: Editing this book changed my relationship to the natural world. As I was working on the essays I had a visceral longing to be outside exploring spaces and landscapes. I wanted to take more opportunities to experience the world as we knew it, before a lot of these places have irrevocably changed or disappeared. Personal experience can be used as a way to illuminate broader phenomena, and convey urgencyand perhaps actionto its eventual readers. Return to the main feature. This is a story about love. Does it conquer all? Does lightening ever strike twice? Delia Ephrons almost unbelievable memoir, Left on Tenth, coming in April from Little, Brown, will make you a believer. Her story of shattering illness, grief, medicine, miracles, friendship, romance, and second chances is inspiring, honest, and also wonderfully funny. This is because Ephron is all those things, and shes captured them on the page. Ephron is well-known as a prolific author of novels, essays, humor, and especially screenplays, most famously Sleepless in Seattle and Youve Got Mail. But Left on Tenth is a deeply personal odyssey about three tumultuous years in her life. It begins with the death of her husband of 54 years, Jerry Kass, in 2015. After a tremendously happy marriage, his death was a terrible loss: Before Jerry, I wasnt someone who knew much about love, she writes. I could never have found my way without him. Dealing with loss is devastating, and then there is the minutiae that doesnt go away. When Ephron cancels a landline, she loses internet, which leads to a frustrating episode with Verizon, which leads to a New York Times op-ed piece (Love and Hate on Hold with Verizon from Aug. 19, 2016), which leads to an email from a Jungian psychiatrist in California who not only tells her that he is recently widowed and had a similar experience with AT&T but that they had dated at 18, fixed up by Ephrons sister Nora. He also tells her he loved her 2016 novel Siracusa. As she says in the book, He knew the way to a writers heart. They exchange emails and phone calls, meet, fall madly in love, and a few months later she is diagnosed with the same deadly cancer that took Nora. Peter Rutter and Ephron marry in the hospital dining room; she goes through horrific cutting-edge treatments and, miraculously, comes out whole and well. She keeps the experience close to the vest until she writes another Times op-ed: After 54 Years, We Fell in Love. After Five Months, I Got Leukemia (May 27, 2017). Let me reveal that I know Delia. I knew Jerry and met Peter at a party they gave in their West Village apartment. I did not know she was ill. We had dinner after her remission, and it is hard to believe what she has been through. She looks wonderful and her spirit matches her looks. I ask her what made her write this book. She tells me there were many reasons. My writers heart started to beat again. I knew I had been through a remarkable period of my life: I lost Jerry, fell in love, and was diagnosed with a fierce leukemia. These were big things in a small period of time, 2015 to 2020. Writing was the only way to get to the other side of the trauma. I needed to find myself again. Writing this book was healing. Ephron underwent chemotherapy to rid her bone marrow of disease. Then she had a bone marrow transplant from two donors, from the blood of an adult and from blood from the umbilical cord of a baby. While the cord blood multiplies, she explains in the book, the adult donor takes over and then fades away. Some science sounds like science fiction, Ephron writes. It was in February 2020, at the start of Covid-19s spread in the U.S., that Ephrons doctor told her, It worked. Youre fine. Ephron sent for her hospital records. She had notes made after Jerry died. She asked friends about things she had said and done during her illness. There were a lot of surprises about what they told herepisodes she didnt remember. It was joyful to write this book, she says. To celebrate my friendships, my women warriors, to celebrate my emails. [Rutter had written emails to her while she was sick that she had never seen.] Reading them was like finding a treasure chest. It was an adventure. Ephron started writing in July 2020, and by October had 100 pages. She told her agent, Lynn Nesbit, what she was doing. I was Delias agent when she began writing books for adults, Nesbit says. I knew about her illness before the New York Times piece, and knew she had told some close friends. We met when she got out of the hospital, and her feeling was, Thank God Im back. Our lunch was celebrating her life. Nesbit says that about two years ago Ephron asked her if shed like to read something. It was half a book. I knew everyone in it and by this time knew Peter. The book was incredibly moving. Its not sentimental but shows her intelligence and her wit. Its a story of love and courage. I dont cry easily, Nesbit adds, but I read this with tears in my eyes. I always say everyone should have a miracle in their life. Delia deserved this miracle and she got it. Nesbit sent out the unfinished manuscript selectively in September 2020. There was an auction, and North American rights went to Little, Brown editor-in-chief Judy Clain. Left on Tenth will publish simultaneously in the U.K. with Transworld. In my 20 years in publishing, Clain says, once in a while a heartbreakingly good book comes along and everyone falls in love with it. This is the book, full of joy and magic. After Clain saw about one-sixth of the book, she says she was hooked. It was perfect: the voice on the page, the range of emotions so profound. Delia went so deep into grief and sorrow and then so high. And the book reads as though it were effortless. Shes so writerly, so slyly brilliant. I expect that at this particular moment, the book will be a gift to readers. It shows strength, resilience, friendship, and love. Ephron says she had PTSD from the illness and the treatment. When youre really sick, she explains, your brain and heart shrink because of what youve gone through. Clain adds to this, telling me that she gave the book to her mother, who said, Tragedy often makes peoples hearts small but it expanded Delias. And when Ephron says, Miracles happen. I feel like I am a miracle, who could deny it? Credit Score The Books of Jacob by Nobel laureate Olga Tokarczuk, translated from the Polish by Jennifer Croft, debuts at #15 on our hardcover fiction list. Its Crofts first translation of a Tokarczuk work since the Booker Prizewinning Flights, and since Croft led a campaign to get translators names on book covers. Putting our names on the covers of the books we wrote every word of takes two seconds and zero dollars, Croft told PW in an interview in October. Why not make that change? She and novelist Mark Haddon cowrote an open letter advocating for translators, attracting support from the Authors Guild and from many notable writers including Tokarczuk. Crofts name appears on the cover of the new book, which our starred review called a subtle and sensuous masterpiece that will undoubtedly be read and talked about by lovers of literature for years to come. Loyalty Points YA novelist Ruta Sepetys lands at #10 on our childrens fiction list with I Must Betray You, an ominously suspenseful historical novel set at the brink of revolution in 1989 Bucharest. Sepetys told PW in a prepub interview that she decided on the setting for this fifth book while on tour in Romania for her first, 2011s Between Shades of Gray: In all my books, I write about young people who are fighting for change. In Romania it was the young people who made therevolution [in 1989] happenthese defiant young people who had a dream of freedom that couldnt be stopped. The author won a Carnegie Medal for her third novel, 2016s Salt to the Sea. Together her first four titles have sold more than one million print copies. In Clubland New releases include the Reeses Book Club The Christie Affair by Nina de Gramont, #9 on our hardcover fiction list. Per our review, De Gramont offers an intriguing new theory of why Agatha Christie disappeared for 11 days in this superior thriller, which places the woman Christies husband, Archie, was having an affair with at the timehere the fictional Nan ODeaat its center. Two positions below, Charmaine Wilkersons Black Cake is the Read with Jenna selection. Wilkerson debuts with a shining family saga that stretches from the 1960s Caribbean to present-day Southern California, our starred review said, offering superb descriptions of [the matriarchs] homeland, from the tension between those who speak patois and those who believe in the superiority of standard English, to sensual descriptions of food, surfing, and coastal terrain. NEW & NOTABLE Dilla Time Dan Charnas #13 Hardcover Nonfiction A little known but influential rap genius gets his due in this spirited biography, according to our starred review. Charnass engrossing work is one of the few hip-hop sagas to take the music as seriously as its maker. Recitatif Toni Morrison #18 Hardcover Fiction Originally published in 1983, this stunning work from Nobel laureate Morrison follows two women who share a tenuous bond after meeting at an orphanage at eight in the 1950s, our starred review said, calling the short story a compact powerhouse. Tennessee and Missouri are the latest states to introduce library e-book laws, with new measures introduced at the end of January. Meanwhile, despite continued opposition from the Association of American Publishers, a library e-book bill recently introduced in Illinois has unanimously passed out of the Committee on Consumer Protection and is now headed to the General Assembly. The bills in Tennessee and Missouri, which have bipartisan support, are similar to e-book bills already passed or advancing in other states. In Missouri, the bill requires publishers that offer e-book licenses to the public to also offer to license to libraries on "reasonably similar terms as those offered to the public." In Tennessee, the bill requires an offer to libraries on "reasonable" terms. Library e-book bills are now pending in five state legislatures, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Illinois, Tennessee, and Missouri, and such bills have already passed unanimously in Maryland and New York. The AAP is currently challenging the Maryland Act in federal court, however, and supporters in New York are considering next steps after their bill was vetoed in late December by Governor Kathy Hochul, who cited the legal concerns raised by the lawsuit in Maryland. The bills also come as the legal battle in Maryland heats up. After a three-hour hearing on February 7, a federal judge is expected to decide soon on the AAP's motion for a preliminary injunction blocking the law. AAP lawyers argue such library e-book bills are unconstitutional because they infringe on the exclusive rights granted to copyright holders under federal law. Defenders of the laws insist the measures do not run afoul of copyright, but merely provide for oversight of potentially unfair or discriminatory license terms. Despite the omicron variants spread during last years holiday season, independent presses across the Midwest reported a strong finish to 2021. Most that PW spoke with said good nonfiction and backlist sales drove gains. At the same time, publishers anticipate that the supply chain disruptions that bedeviled the industry last year will continue well into 2022. Daniel Slager, publisher of Milkweed Editions in Minneapolis, reported that though the press had a breakout year in 2020, last years sales exceeded that. Were up roughly 50% year over year, he said, with growth in all formats and across all sales channels. He attributed Milkweeds success to a strong list, including two books examining the natural world that have drawn huge audiences since their release: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, published in 2013 and still the presss top seller, and 2020s World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Slager described supply chain disruptions as being a real factor for us, with delays in printing, reprinting, and shipping books, but he added that Milkweeds staff is learning to manage the situation as it prepares to publish and promote such titles as Ada Limons poetry collection The Hurting Kind and Ken Kalfuss novel 2 a.m. in Little America. Milkweed will soon resume attending in-person conferences, Slager was happy to report, beginning with the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) conference in late March. He expects that customers will return to bookstores for in-person readings and signings this year, but said that hybrid author tours are here to stay. Hybrid tours, he noted, provide authors and readers with opportunities to celebrate books with their local communities while also traveling far and wide via virtual event options. Also in Minneapolis, childrens publisher Lerner Publishing Group finished 2021 with sales up 25% over the previous year. Marketing manager Lindsay Matvick attributed this strong showing to a demand for nonfiction, from picture books to YA, that relates to social change movements and highlights diversity. One of the years top sellers for the company was Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, which received a Caldecott Honor, Sibert Honor, and two Coretta Scott King Awards, for author and illustrator. Though supply chain disruptions have affected Lerner, the impact has been mitigated by the fact that the company prints and binds its releases in the Midwest. We have lots of great local connections that have made our supply chain issues easier to manage, Matvick pointed out. Lerner anticipates that industry conferences will soon resume, and the press is eager to show off its forthcoming releases to booksellers, including a fall title, the YA edition of Milkweeds bestselling Braiding Sweetgrass, adapted by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Nicole Neidhardt. Publisher Adam Lerner said the deal was negotiated with Milkweeds Slager while the two sat around a backyard fire pit. Steve Semken, publisher of Iowa Citys Ice Cube Press, said that, though comparing 2021 sales to 2020s all-time low isnt saying much, the upswing was due to a good run with the first graphic novel the press has released in its 30-plus years. Moon of the Snow Blind: Spirit Lake by Gary Kelley appeals to historians of the Midwest as well as to graphic novel fans. Another factor in last years sales gain, Semken said, was that he figured out how to sell more directly to customers, since bookstores became less predictable. He added, Bookstores are confusing to authors, readers, and publishers right now. None of us is sure which are and which arent back to normal. Tourist shops and online sales have made all the difference. Though Ice Cube is already running behind on supplies in 2022, Semken said, he is generally optimistic, as he expects things to open up this yearnamely in-person book fairs and festivals, as well as the Heartland Fall Forum. In May, Ice Cube will release Kelleys second history book in a graphic format, Bach and the Blues: Pablo Casals & Robert Johnson. Clevelands Belt Publishing said that 2021 sales were up 25% over the previous year, with publisher Anne Trubek attributing this to two cookbooks being surprise hits: Sara Birs The Pocket Pawpaw Cookbook and Rust Belt Vegan Kitchen, edited by Margaret Pangrace. Our direct-to-consumer sales continue to provide huge net revenues that keep us growing, she added. However, Trubek said, the big news of 2022 is the paper supply and printer backup situationstwo different but related issues, both of which are causing havoc. As a result, Belt has had to change formats and push back pub dates for some new releases. We are actively looking into creative alternatives to what are clearly long-term problems with paper mills, the health of regional printers, and printer conglomeration, Trubek noted. Despite these challenges, Belt is venturing into fiction for the first time this spring with the release of Boys Come First by Aaron Foley. Roger Janecke, publisher of Visible Ink in suburban Detroit, reported that after what he described as a very strong 2020, sales rose only 3% in 2021, though online sales continue to impress. Sales to schools rebounded, and to a lesser degree, sales to bookstores and libraries. Sales of The Dream Interpretation Dictionary by J.M. DeBord surged, Janecke said; the book performed better in each of the past two years than it did when it was released in 2017. A few hits can shape a year, he noted, adding that The Bigfoot Book and Black Firsts also contributed greatly to the presss success. Paper shortages and printing delays have caused their share of havoc, Janecke admitted, forcing schedules to be revised and pub dates to be pushed back. Visible Ink had planned to publish and market Originals! Black Women Breaking Barriers by Jessie C. Smith in January, ahead of Black History Month in February, but then had to postpone its release, resulting in the press promoting it for Womens History Month in March instead. Going forward, I dont anticipate the same problems, Janecke noted. Weve built extra time into our schedules. At Evanston, Ill.'s Agate Publishing, sales rose modestly in 2020 over 2019, publisher Doug Seibold said, then dippedagain, modestlyin 2021. Weve been pretty level the past three years, he explained, noting that Agate had incremental growth in both e-book and subrights sales last year. Backlist sales have pumped up revenue, and Seibold cited the success of two culinary titles: Craft Coffee: A Manual by Jessica Easto and Wisconsin Supper Clubs by Ron Faiola. Supply chain disruptions have taken their toll on Agate, with staff working hard to better manage it, Seibold said. First-quarter releases are all being affected, despite our having scheduled extra time for printing and shipping for every project. Even with the challenges, Seibold remains confident that 2022 will be a good year, especially with the release of two food-related titles produced in partnership with Good LFE, which, Seibold said, explore the importance of low-fermentation eating to gut health. Sourcebooks, another Chicagoland publisher, said that sales in 2021 were up 28% from 2020, with frontlist and backlist in all categories doing well in all channelsespecially YA (up 70%) and adult fiction (up 47%). This year has been amazing, publisher Dominique Raccah declared.Weve taken this time that has been so challenging for all of us and dug deep into each of the business units, and the ways that we talk about our authors, and the work we do on their behalf. Were making real changes to reaching our audiences more, to developing projects in new ways, and thats really showing up across the list in the numbers. Raccah anticipates that the upward spike in sales will continue, due to such fall releases as Black Hollywood by Carell Augustus, a photography book that reimagines classic films with iconic Black entertainers. While Sourcebooks, too, has contended with disruptions and delays, it is confident in the effectiveness of its new multipronged strategy: forecasting print needs six months in advance, using multiple vendors to print the same book, and shipping directly to retailers. After pushing back to May the tour for Eliza Reid, wife of the president of Iceland and author of Secrets of the Sprakkar, Sourcebooks is moving forward with a March tour for comedian Danny Pellegrino (How Do I Un-remember This?). It also intends to attend the Public Library Association trade show in late March and subsequent industry gatherings, but with caveats. We will move and shift depending on what happens with variants or with the world, said marketing director Valerie Pierce. Thats who we are as a company: were agile. The company behind the stalled Station Twelve development in Eggertsville vowed work on the project would restart in the coming weeks and its first stores and restaurants should open next year. Brian T. Sciera, WS Development's senior vice president of leasing, made the pledge during Amherst Supervisor Brian J. Kulpa's 2022 State of the Town address, held virtually Friday morning. Amherst prods developer to change plans as Station Twelve project languishes L.L. Bean will open its first store in Western New York on Friday, but not at Station Twelve (the former Northtown Plaza site) as originally planned. Though lacking in many details, these were the first substantial comments made by Sciera and the company since construction at the Sheridan Drive site ground to a halt in March 2020. "Were excited to get back after it and excited to get this project open," Sciera said in the pre-recorded segment. WS Development's overhaul of the former Northtown Plaza had proceeded sluggishly even before the Covid-19 pandemic struck. Since the company bought the property, it has opened the area's first Whole Foods Market store, cleared out and razed the existing retail structures and started construction on three of six planned new buildings before stopping work 23 months ago. Suburban retail is making a radical transformation Here's a look at what's happening at some of the biggest projects in the area, and how they're faring in an uncertain environment. Town officials have grown increasingly frustrated over the fate of the project and Kulpa said actions mean more than assurances at this point. "I expect them to be on site starting construction before February is out," Kulpa said in an interview earlier this week. "If they're not, then we're going to have a real problem. They have to." WS Development paid $18.5 million in 2015 for the 18-acre site on Sheridan east of Niagara Falls Boulevard. Whole Foods opened in 2017 and demolition of the main plaza began two years later. WS officials remained optimistic about the project, despite a challenging climate for bricks-and-mortar retail, even as the anticipated opening date kept getting delayed. The pandemic halted construction in March 2020, but WS Development never resumed work, even as other projects in the area moved forward. Albright-Knox latest to pull out of stalled Station Twelve in Amherst While the pandemic derailed our plans, we continue to follow the Station Twelve development with great interest and look forward to future opportunities to collaborate," Albright-Knox Deputy Director Joe Lin-Hill said in a statement to The Buffalo News. Last year, WS Development filed plans with the town to convert the adjoining former Northtown Business Center building into a $5.3 million At Home home decor store, but prized tenant L.L. Bean left Station Twelve and instead opened a store 2 miles north in The Boulevard shopping center. By fall 2021, as another construction season came and went, Kulpa prodded WS Development to consider bringing in outside parties to revamp its planned "lifestyle center" to include apartments, offices and other mixed uses. Sciera and WS Development have said little publicly about Station Twelve over the past year. In the video appearance with Kulpa, Sciera said to expect to see activity at the construction site within a few weeks or a month. "Our goal and our hope, and I think we can make it happen, is to have tenants start to open in 2023," Sciera said. No opening date in sight for revival of Northtown Plaza The transformation of the Northtown Plaza site in Amherst wont restart anytime soon, but the developer said it remains committed to the ambitious project mixing dining and shopping with community space. Construction on the proposed lifestyle center on Sheridan Drive stopped abruptly in March when the state shut down non-essential construction in New York in the face of the He did not offer specifics. Kulpa then asked about the future of the home-goods store, which is a retrofit of an existing building. "At Home is full speed ahead," Sciera said, "and we look forward to announcing other exciting tenants in the near future." After the address, A.J. Baynes, president and CEO of the Amherst Chamber of Commerce, said, "While the pandemic has certainly changed retail, it is promising to know that this project will begin moving forward again." Kulpa said that WS Development officials in a recent meeting committed to completing the three partially built structures on the site. WS Development paid $402,326 in fees for building permits for construction on the main Station Twelve site, and all five permits have expired or will expire at the end of the month. It is unclear how many of the previously announced tenants have stuck with the project through the delays. Douglas Gesel, the town's supervising code enforcement officer, said WS representatives are assessing the conditions of the existing structures and the company will have to apply for new permits to restart work. He said interior demolition has begun in the former Northtown Business Center building. Kulpa said WS expects to open the At Home store there by May. 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 2021 piece for the Los Angeles Times, Climate Crisis Is Here; So Is Climate Fiction. Dont You Dare Call It a Genre, novelist Lydia Millet, who often addresses environmental issues in her work, wrote that when it comes to the topic of climate change, we dont have the luxury of genrefication, with its thrilling rejections of social reality and its reliance on satisfyingly happy endings. All thats written about these matters of survival, all thats imagined and supposed, she continued, demands our collective attention. Boston College English professor Min Hyoung Song, in Climate Lyricism (Duke Univ., Feb.), proposes that reading literature with an eye toward how such works acknowledge, allude to, or obscure the pervasiveness of the climate crisis can make it easier to think about climate change without feeling completely powerless. We must learn to read its signs and make sense of its effects on our immediate surroundings. Expressing a sentiment in line with Millets, Song says, Theres an argument to be made that all contemporary literature is now climate literature. The novels discussed here help make the case. Future tense Norwegian childrens author Maja Lundes first novel for adults, The History of Bees, was published in the U.S. in 2017 and follows three generations of beekeepers, past, present, and future. It won the Norwegian Booksellers Prize, was a major bestseller in Germany, and is the first volume in a planned quartet of similarly themed books. HarperVia published Lundes follow-up, The End of the Ocean, in 2020, and this month is releasing The Last Wild Horses, which PWs starred review called a standout that should win her wider attention in the U.S. The novel alternates between 1881, 1992, and 2064, when mass extinction and food shortages are the norm. Its interesting when people call Lunde a dystopian writer, says Tara Parsons, v-p and associate publisher at HarperVia. Shes taking things that are already happening to the next level. Her writing about horses applies to a lot of animals that have gone through extinction periods. Aquariums by J.D. Kurtness (Rare Machines, Apr.), translated from the French by Pablo Strauss, likewise connects the past to the present and future. The story of Emeraude, a marine biologist working to save ocean ecosystems by recreating them in zoosor, as she narrates, she seeks to repatriate a few survivors before their world is destroyedis interspersed with tales of her ancestors. Kurtness, who lives in Montreal and is a member of the Innu nation, received the Indigenous Voices Award for French Prose in 2018 for her debut novel, Of Vengeance. Julia Glass set her newest work, Vigil Harbor (Pantheon, May), in an imminent future, in a New England coastal town based on Marblehead, Mass., where she lives. Fiction writers are imagining environmental catastrophe on a global scale, but thats not in my wheelhouse, Glass says. Instead, she focuses on the domesticfamily life, affairs, divorceamid a long pandemic, terrorist attacks, and threats of flooding. I wanted to write about a near future in which the volume has been turned up, she continues. This is a town where houses are three centuries old and have withstood hurricanes, but geographical or environmental privilege wont last forever. Those of us who are lucky to live where we do, whose jobs are not terribly influenced directly by climate change, will be vulnerable to forces we dont even know. Thats where I was coming from. One of the main characters is a marine biologist, trying to protect the liminal zones of the coast and surviving salt marshesits a losing battle. I mentioned to somebody that one of my characters was a depressed marine biologist. What marine biologist wouldnt be depressed right now? Altered landscapes With My Volcano (Two Dollar Radio, Mar.), John Elizabeth Stintzi joins the ranks of authors playing with the mythic proportions of the climate crisis through fantastical imaginings. The novels 232 micro-chapters cohere to transform the chaotic present into a fiery, transcendent vision of the future, PWs starred review said. Its a brilliant achievement. After a volcano sprouts in Central Park (about ten Empire State Buildings tall), some observers refuse to see the rupture as a real or imminent threat, even as it forces climate refugees to flee no-longer-habitable communities. Others deny its existence altogether: Perhaps its not a volcano, actually. Perhaps it is a landfill, one character muses. Stintzi says the allegorical, nonlinear novel aims to show how small the world is, which is really important in thinking about climate changeeveryone being under the same volcano. Erica Ferencik uses magical realism to comment on the climate crisis in Girl in Ice (Scout, Mar.). Val Chesterfield, a linguist grappling with her twin brothers suicide, ventures to the Arctic on a mission to communicate with a girl thawed alive from a glacier. Trenchant details about catastrophic climate change bolster a creative plot featuring authentic characters, particularly the anxious, flawed Val, PWs starred review said, concluding that Ferencik outdoes Michael Crichton in the convincing way she mixes emotion and science. Set in the 2030s, Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman (Soho, July) forecasts a compromised future of floating cities and toxic wastelands. After a mining company destroys the habitat of the worlds most intelligent fishthe venomous lumpsuckerenvironmental impact coordinator Mark Halyard enters the orbit of extinction industry scientist Karin Resaint, who uses DNA sequencing to bring back species. Mark Doten, executive editor and v-p at Soho Press, says the darkly humorous novel shows where were headed if runaway capitalism continues unchecked, and if we continue to respond to climate change and other forms of global destruction with largely ineffectual market-based solutions. In One Potato by Tyler McMahon (Keylight, Apr.), GMO spuds grown in a fictional South American country are blamed for the bizarre and absurd genetic anomalies showing up in children. The book critiques genetic modification, monoculture, and the ways in which environmental factors contribute to sociopolitical collapse, especially in developing nations. This singular, monolithic food system was built for the 20th century, not the 21st, and isnt very flexible, McMahon says. Its directly involved in climate change. The political climate While many factors contribute to climate change, says Jon Raymond, author of Denial (S&S, Aug.), its not necessarily a case of good guys vs. bad. The simple moral lines of the last few years have gotten really exhausting, he says. Climate change is not something that allows for easy feelings of virtue or judgment. His novel begins in 2052, 20 years after the Upheavalsa movement that led to the end of fossil fuelsand the Toronto Trials, in which powerful oil executives and lobbyists were imprisoned for the environmental damage they caused. Journalist John Henry hears that a fugitive of these crimes against life trials, Robert Cave, has been spotted in Guadalajara, Mexico. Henrys trip to Guadalajara to expose Cave, whos wanted for a host of environmentally destructive business interests, instead leads to a surprising connection. Canadian farmer and environmental activist Aric McBays first novel, Kraken Calling (Seven Stories, June), is a speculative look at how climate change might lead to violence. In 2051, the environment is ruined to the point where, McBay writes, a haze of charcoal smoke hanging in the air constitutes a beautiful morning. (Or, as one character wonders, How the hell did we let things get this bad?) Seven Stories Press founder and publisher Dan Simon, who edited the novel, says McBay has captured a North American country where the deteriorating climate situation stresses the government and the government terrorizes its own citizens to keep things under control. Story lines bounce between the 2020s and the early 2050s, so that a generation of revolutionaries in the first part can look back at themselves from the second part and see what it was that made them stop short of transforming their society when they had the chance. The five interlinked novelettes of Our Shared Storm (Fordham Univ., Mar.) by Andrew Dana Hudson, a sustainability researcher and fellow at Arizona State Universitys Center for Science and the Imagination, are part science communication, part futurist call to action, PWs review said. Though some may find that the swaths of technical exposition and an academic introduction and afterword explaining the real climate modeling behind the fiction integrate awkwardly, the review concluded that Hudson skillfully grounds the poignant iterating structure with thoughtful worldbuilding, well-balanced prose, and a keen sense of human motivation. Rituals of Hope Before writing Here Lies (Grove, Mar.), says Oliva Clare Friedman, who grew up in Baton Rouge and teaches creative writing at the University of Southern Mississippi, I was thinking a lot about storm surges and more frequent hurricanes. The novel envisions 2042 Louisiana: the states graveyards are closed, burials banned, and cremations mandated. Mechanical arms ushered bodies through the ovens, narrates protagonist Alma, who is seeking her mothers ashes. When our cemeteries were taken, we lost the ritual of loving our dead. Friedman focuses on people rather than on the environmental disaster itself. This novel is about grief and mourning, she says. I think about it as being cathartic and hopeful. PWs review noted that the author is light on the dystopian details, a gamble that pays off by leaving room to show how her characters cling to an old-time sense of kicking and living, as Alma puts it, in the face of catastrophic changes. Erin Swans Walk the Vanished Earth (Viking, June) spans seven generations, beginning on the Kansas prairie in 1873 where Samson hunts buffalo, brimming with hope for what bounty the land will bring. Two hundred years later, in a colony on Mars, Samsons half-human, half-alien descendant Moon is distantly aware of Earth, now entirely underwater, and considering whether to become a mother and help the human race populate a new planet. Told in diaries and histories in addition to straightforward narrative, the novels patchwork depicts planetary collapse and humankinds interconnectedness over centuries. In Eleutheria by Allegra Hyde (Vintage, Mar.), Willa Marks deems herself too wise for cynicism and flees her conspiracy theorist parents in Boston for the island of Eleutheria. There, the inhabitants of utopian Camp Hope are modern pilgrims, Hyde writesenvironmental devotees whod heard the call for revolution and view climate change as enemy number one. PWs review praised the novels exquisite prose and keen insights into the limits of idealism and activism, calling it a worthy entry into the growing field of environmental fiction. Hyde says she was interested in possibilities of how people might try to come together, and what it takes to have society mobilized on a mass scale to take on this crisis. She, like other authors and editors we spoke with, hopes readers emerge with a sense of understanding that even if its not your city being flooded, we are all in this togetherpast, present, and future. Below, more on climate change: 'The Raw Data of Someone Else's Life': PW Talks with Amy Brady and Tajja Isen The coeditors of the anthology 'The World as We Knew It' (Catapult, June) discuss their collaboration. Environmental Studies: New Books on Climate Change Narrative nonfiction, memoirs, and essay collections lend perspective on understanding and mitigating the climate crisis. Into the Woods: New Books on Climate Change Forthcoming books explore the overt and subtle links between trees and the climate crisis. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The Tippecanoe County prosecutor has requested that the Indiana State Police conduct an independent investigation into events that occurred on the Purdue University campus on Feb. 4. Purdue welcomes the prosecutors action and believes it to be a positive step, having previously requested an independent review by the ISP. The ISP will independently review all evidence associated with the police call and response, including all available video evidence, witness statements, and police reports. All evidence and results of the ISP investigation will be turned over to the Tippecanoe County prosecutor upon its conclusion, at which time the prosecutor will review documentation resulting from the investigation. The ISP has already begun its work with the goal of completing a thorough investigation as soon as possible. To ensure the integrity of the investigation, the university will have no further comment or communication on the matter until its conclusion. More than 600 people crammed into the seats, aisles and any other space they could find in R More than 600 people crammed into the seats, aisles and any other space they could find in Room 1-105 in Lilly Hall of Life Sciences. Nearly 2 Published: 11 February 2022 Illustration of Octagon Library dome [Ref. QM SB 13/63] Socrates was born near Athens but very little is known of his early life. He served in battle as a soldier and showed great bravery. On one occasion he saved the life of Alcibiades, a brilliant but wild young man who became one of Socrates pupils. Socrates was considered to be an ugly man to look at, stout and short and a snub nose with a large mouth. His wife, Xanthippe, is said to have a bad temper. Unlike other philosophers Socrates did not write down his teachings, nor give public lectures to his students. It was Plato who wrote and recorded his work and gave us a vivid account of his life. He mentions that Socrates often walked barefoot in the Agora, market place of Athens. He would talk to anyone he thought would listen to what he had to say. He would look out for people who were sure they knew all about a subject. After listening patiently to their opinions, Socrates would throw questions at them in such a way that before long the self-confident people had to admit that they knew very little about the subject instead of everything. This new way of arriving at the truth by asking questions has been named the "Socratic method". During his time, the wealthiest, learned men in the world lived in Athens. The Athenians did not like to be shown up in front of their peers by Socrates, who was disliked by the self-satisfied people of his time. As well as the common people the politicians of the day were not pleased by him. This was due to the friendship he had with Alcibiades, the wild young man he had saved. As a result of this friendship, Socrates was accused of spreading teachings which were a bad influence on the young people and of being disrespectful towards the gods. The defence Socrates gave was written down by Plato and is known as the Apology. It was a fine and brave speech for a man who was not afraid of death and refused to give up his search for truth. Socrates spent his last days in prison, and was visited by his friends, discussing the life and soul after death of the body. During the time of ancient Greece, all condemned criminals were executed by being made to drink a cup of hemlock poison. In the presence of his friends, he very calmly drank from the poisoned cup. Socrates was seventy years old at his death. Every Friday our Special Collections librarian Anne-Marie will be introducing you to each of the writers featured in the Octagon in this blog series. Plans for a citywide property reassessment in Niagara Falls are in doubt, as officials wonder whether the hot housing market and the Covid-19 pandemic make this the wrong time for the idea. Mayor Robert M. Restaino vetoed a resolution to seek bids from companies to assist in a citywide property reassessment, and the City Council Wednesday will be asked to attempt an override. On Jan. 19, the Council voted 4-1 to issue a request for proposals for companies to appraise property for the revaluation. Four votes are needed to override a mayoral veto. "While reassessments can be necessary to bring property values in line with current market forces, residents and businesses in this city are continuing to struggle with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and so it is my sense that now is not the time to impose this additional uncertainty on our community," Restaino wrote in his veto memo, cast Jan. 26. "My gut feeling is, it has the same four votes," Councilman Kenneth M. Tompkins said Thursday. But that may not be the case. Council Chairman John K. Spanbauer, Donta L. Myles, Traci L. Bax and Tompkins voted to seek revaluation bids; David J. Zajac voted no. However, Myles expressed doubts about the revaluation during the Jan. 19 meeting, citing the current inflated housing market. He still had those doubts when he was interviewed by a reporter Thursday. "I am in favor of reassessment. One of the worries or issues I have is when?" Myles said. "I know the market is inflated right now. I'm not completely versed on how long the process is and once we get the ball rolling, how quick it would take place." Myles said he will huddle with City Assessor James Bird before Wednesday's meeting about the details of timing the reassessment. "Me and the mayor, we may not agree on a lot," Myles said. "However, if it's a now thing, if it's pull the trigger now, I actually have to agree with him this go-around. It's going to happen, and it should happen, but not during the time of an inflated housing market." On Dec. 15, the 2021 Council voted 3-2 to authorize a citywide reassessment and pay for it with about $750,000 from American Rescue Plan funds. The resolution said the new values wouldn't take effect until 2024. However, three of the five members of that Council left office at the end of the year. Tompkins and Spanbauer are the only holdovers, and they are co-sponsoring the override motion. Spanbauer said of Restaino's pandemic-related argument, "There's some merit in that. My thing is, if you look for an excuse not to do reassessment, you can always find one." "All this is, is to start an RFP process," Tompkins said, of requests for proposals. "If we don't like what we get, if we can't afford it, we don't have to do it. It's way overdue, though." The city has not attempted to reassess property since 2006, and the state deems the city's current valuation as 67% of true market value. Reassessment has long been unpopular, viewed by many voters as a stealth tax increase. "It's probably going to be a two-year process from beginning to end," Spanbauer said. "It's not like this is going to be happening tomorrow. The Council has the right, if we feel at any time it's not the right time, we can put the brakes on it." 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. By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/11/2022 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. The Bachelor alum Demi Burnett insists people don't know the real reasons why Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian broke up and appears to have suggested Riley may have been at fault for the split.Riley, 32, and Maurissa, 25, announced their split in a joint statement on January 24, three months after their engagement aired during 's Season 7 finale.The former couple revealed in a statement at the time how they had split because they wanted to work on themselves."Y'all got the Maurissa and Riley break up SO WRONG," Demi, 26, recently tweeted.When Demi spoke up about Maurissa and Riley's split, she faced backlash for talking about someone else's relationship in order to get attention and make headlines.However, Demi said she's just trying to relay the truth about why Maurissa and Riley decided to end their engagement."I'm mad at the BS being portrayed!" Demi wrote on Twitter earlier this month."I don't want to talk about it bc it's stressful and not my business to tell! BUT LOOK DEEPER LISTEN TO UR INTUITION."Neither Maurissa or Riley responded to Demi's tweets, but Maurissa noticeably "liked" both of them!Before Maurissa and Riley's split was publicly announced, Maurissa sparked breakup rumors when she began slowly removing photos of the New York-based attorney from her Instagram account, seemingly taking jabs at her ex-fiance.Maurissa also shared a video without her engagement ring and a cryptic quote that read, "All that glitters is not gold," which suggested Riley may not have been all that he was cracked up to be.Maurissa then shared one of Demi's Instagram posts that read, "Remember be good to women because even if you aren't a misogynistic person they might be living in a world where they are oppressed every day so maybe go out of your way to make sure she knows she's being treated with respect."While Maurissa and Riley have yet to make any official comments on their split, The Bachelor alum Natasha Parker offered some insight on the breakup given she's very close friends with Maurissa and the girls had appeared on 7 together last year."[Maurissa] was just saying how there was so much that happened between them that they kind of just wanted to keep it between each other, which I totally get," Natasha, 33, said during the January 27 episode of her "Click Bait With Bachelor Nation" podcast.Natasha, however, suggested Maurissa had sacrificed a lot in order to be with Riley and so Maurissa was struggling in the relationship."I think that they just have very different lives, at least from my understanding of what she was saying," Natasha shared."She completely integrated into his life and I think that she kind of missed her family, she missed her friends."Maurissa, originally from a small town in Montana -- where her family still lives -- moved from Atlanta to New York to be with Riley after the show aired last year.Natasha noted how moving to New York "is not easy," adding, "It's a hard city, and if you're not used to it, [it's tough]."When comparing Riley and Maurissa to other couples from 's seventh season, Natasha pointed out how the engaged couple "jumped right in" to real life "as far as living together right away."Natasha's podcast co-host Joe Amabile and his fiancee, Serena Pitt , for example, are still trying to decide where they'd like to settle down together."But [Maurissa] went full throttle. She put her all in and it didn't work out. She told me she has no regrets, and I think that's a beautiful thing," Natasha noted.She added, "[Maurissa] did clarify they broke up a little while ago. The reason why they took so long to say something officially is because they wanted to both be sure that they wanted to go their separate ways."When Maurissa and Riley confirmed their breakup to People earlier this year, they said, "We have decided to go our separate ways. Never did we imagine this, but we've come to a point where we both need to work on ourselves.""We've appreciated everyone's love and support so far throughout our journey," they continued, "and we just ask that you please respect our privacy as we navigate through this."But rumors about their relationship status had been swirling for weeks prior.Riley and Maurissa, who fell in love and got engaged on 7 in Summer 2021, were anything but shy when it came to posting adorable photos of each other and gushing about their feelings on Instagram once they had moved their romance into the real world.The couple celebrated Christmas together in December and subsequently uploaded images of them posing in front of the giant Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center.Maurissa sweetly wrote late last year, "All I want for Christmas is you," before deleting the photo with Riley on her Instagram.Additional signs pointing to a breakup fans noticed prior to Riley and Maurissa's split announcement was when Maurissa posted photos of herself making funny faces on January 7 and captioned the slideshow, "Don't worry, be happy."Maurissa also received chocolate-covered fruit from her friend Martha, whom she considers a sister, amid the breakup rumors, Us Weekly previously reported.Martha reportedly wrote on the card, "If you haven't heard this today, I'm proud [of you]. You're an amazing person."Maurissa replied on January 7, "Don't know what I would do without you sister."For Riley's part, he uploaded a video of himself working out in early January with a cryptic caption about getting "knocked down," which may have been a reference to a rocky romance with Maurissa."We ain't come this far just to come this far. Work hard, stay humble, but still let 'em know that you got it. No matter how many times we get knocked down we get back up. Giving it everything we got all 2022," Riley wrote at the time.Riley also tweeted, "Try not be stagnant when facing obstacles that are beyond your control. Just do what you can. That way, when things finally do fall into place, you'll be able to hit the ground running."While Maurissa wiped most of her Riley photos from Instagram nearly a month ago, Riley chose to keep most of his pictures with Maurissa on his account -- until People confirmed their split in late January.There is currently no sign of Maurissa on Riley's Instagram page, and so it appears the former couple doesn't want to be reminded of memories they had shared together.Back in October 2021, Maurissa told People that she was planning to move to New York City to be with Riley and then have a "wedding and then some babies."When Maurissa accepted a pear-shaped diamond engagement ring from Riley on the beach in Mexico in Summer 2021, the pair became the franchise's first-ever Black couple to get engaged.Riley and Maurissa fell head over heels in love with each other in Paradise, but Riley was still a little unsure as to whether he was going to pop the question after the pair's overnight Fantasy Suite date.Riley assured People last year that it "was never a thought" to leave the resort alone but he had to take a moment or two to reflect on the idea of potentially making Maurissa his fiancee."[I thought to myself], 'This is everything that you've ever wanted -- having a fiancee and being able to start a family.' I knew where I was already leaning towards," Riley explained at the time."It's just like, 'This is a big decision, take some time to think about it. Okay, you thought about it.' It didn't take that long. 'And now, go propose and get your lady.'"Riley proceeded to call himself the "luckiest" man in the world to have Maurissa by his side.Prior to appearing on , Maurissa competed on Season 24 of The Bachelor starring Peter Weber and Riley competed on Clare Crawley and Tayshia Adams ' edition of The Bachelorette in 2020.As for Demi, she has appeared on multiple times and found fame when she competed for Colton Underwood 's heart on The Bachelor's 23rd season.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 02/11/2022 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. alum Blake Moynes has explained when his relationship with Katie Thurston fell apart and what exactly happened in the weeks before they announced their split in late October 2021.Over the last three months or so since his split from Katie, Blake has been trying to move on and focus on himself, and he said he's finally in a "good" place.Now that the sudden and seemingly unexpected breakup stings a little less, Blake opened up to Season 20 The Bachelor star Ben Higgins about the demise of his relationship with Katie during a Thursday appearance on "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast."When reflecting back on his experience filming 's seventeenth season and competing for Katie's heart, he shared, "We didn't have one thing holding us back, really, aside from some of the [ Greg Grippo ] stuff that happened.""Our dates, every conversation we had, it was up and up. We didn't have a little setback, so it was just easy to fall in love and it was easy to get there. It was easy to feel like this was the most incredible thing ever."Blake revealed, "And then real-life came.""And, yeah," he continued with a pause, "I don't even know how to explain that feeling of trying to reel it back in.""The more setbacks that came, it was really clear that this was going in a wrong direction and there's no way of trying to reel it back," he added.Blake said he and Katie knew their relationship wasn't going to work shortly within a month after finale aired in August 2021.In September of last year, Blake and Katie spent their first "long chunk of time together" -- about a three-week period when they traveled to New York City and then San Diego, CA -- and they both realized something was off."We were in a honeymoon stage and we weren't acting like we were in the honeymoon stage, so there was something clearly wrong with that," Blake explained.Blake said he and Katie noticed how they just "weren't compatible in a lot of different ways.""I was expecting -- I think we were both expecting -- to have a really amazing time and love San Diego. She had a new place and stuff," Blake recalled, referring to how Katie was in the process of moving to San Diego when they were engaged."And just from day to day, there was just tension that I don't really know how to explain. We were just not delivering what each other needed during that timeframe."Blake revealed, "It was that three weeks that ultimately ended it.""I didn't see her for a while after that, because I did go to Kenya," elaborated the Canada native, who traveled to Africa for his wildlife conservation efforts."You know, it was a combination of those two things built up, and it was just like, 'What are we what are we doing?' And we decided to pull the plug."Blake admitted he and Katie were not as ready for an engagement as they thought they were.However, he insisted that he doesn't regret going on for the second time and proposing marriage to Katie."When I weigh it all out, I remember how excited and happy I was in that moment, regardless of the outcome now... It was truly a feeling of, 'This is love and this is going to be it.' And I wouldn't take that because, even though it didn't work out, because I remember how great it was," Blake shared.Blake also wants to believe their engagement was real and genuine, although he sometimes questions Katie's feelings on the subject since her apparent frontrunner of Season 17, Greg, had quit on her towards the end of the process."I hope she doesn't regret it either... I selfishly want to know [because] I have those doubts, 'Was I [chosen by] default?' [after] all those things with Greg. So I want to feel like this wasn't some dumb fake thing," Blake explained."I want her to be like, 'This was as real and, you know, those feelings -- I have the same ones you have and I was on the same wavelength, if that makes sense. I want it to feel as real on her end as it did for me. [And] I really do believe that. I do, I think."Blake said he's still healing from the breakup and trying to make sense of how Katie had handled things considering she went Instagram official with one of her Week 2 eliminees, John Hersey , in November 2021.Katie and Blake attempted to make a long-distance relationship work as fans questioned if sparks were flying between Katie and her supposed completely-platonic friend John when they'd be spotted hanging out together in San Diego."The way she... moved on so quick, it's like, 'Okay, well, we're not getting back together,' especially based on the song she played for me on her 12 Days of Breakup -- 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,'" Blake said with a laugh. "That was unexpected."In November 2021, Katie celebrated the holidays and re-release of Taylor Swift 's "Red" album by posting "12 Days of Messy" on her Instagram Stories in which she matched one of her suitors with a song from Taylor's album every day.The social-media event ultimately led to Katie's announcement she's dating John, whom she's now head over heels in love with.During Blake's podcast interview with Ben, he seemed to take a little jab at Katie while giving fans advice about picking up the pieces after a hard breakup.Blake said he thinks it's important for a person not to find a "rebound" and jump into a new relationship because it's just like "putting a Band-Aid" on a broken heart.He also shared how he's still not ready to talk to Katie in-depth yet, despite her recent attempts to reach out to him."Things always get better. You learn from it," concluded Blake."Even though you feel you've lost the world in a sense, she probably wasn't the world if she's not with you -- and you're going to find something probably better. And that's what I find in all depressing situations."Katie previously hinted on social media that she and Blake were fighting too much during their six-month relationship and broke up due to their different communication styles.The TikTok star and social-media influencer also suggested that Blake was unable to make her happy and vice versa.An insider told The Sun late last year that Katie's "outbursts eventually became too much" for Blake "to handle."But Blake admitted he was "flabbergasted" and "speechless" upon discovering Katie had begun dating John so quickly after their split on the "Talking It Out with Bachelor Nation" podcast hosted by alums Bryan Abasolo and Mike Johnson Blake said in late November, "I don't think there was any physical cheating there, but there's clearly emotional [cheating] for it to transition as quickly as it did [from friendship to romance]."John, however, posted a lengthy statement on Reddit shortly afterward claiming Katie never cheated on Blake and his relationship with the former star truly started out as an innocent friendship John claimed his friendship with Katie only blossomed into a romance once Blake was out of the picture and Katie was able to open up her heart again.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Join our The Bachelor Facebook Group Sitting at his dining room table, a happier Greg Seifert was asked about his regrets. I wish I didnt have the impulses that I did that got me in trouble, he said. He was talking about a time, more than a decade ago, when his mental illness was on full display, yet Seifert doubted he was sick. His wife at the time tried to warn him. So did his parents. In the words of his father, he did "stupid things. And those things made headlines, triggered police investigations and got him thrown in jail, once for an act of vandalism that cut power to thousands of homes. Jail was hardly the best place for someone in the throes of serious mental illness. But in the approximately 10 years since Greg Seifert's hit bottom, he has rebounded and put some pieces back together. Now 53, he admits hes not yet as solid as he wants to be. But he figures his success so far might encourage other parents who are frustrated and confused by the mental health system, as his parents were. He contacted The Buffalo News recently to talk about it. I've settled into my next phase of life, he said. As his mental state worsened years ago, Seifert would blare two televisions and a radio at himself while working from home as a network engineer. He set fire to his own vehicle because he thought it contained devices used to spy on him. When his wife left him the second time, taking their four sons, he drifted homeless in South Carolina and then moved in with his parents after they rescued him. He would wander from their home in Orchard Park and trudge aimlessly for miles. His parents found him walking with no shoes in the dead of winter. Before dawn one day in January 2012, Seifert hiked through crusty snow along a line of wooden power poles. He tugged a toy wagon that held a chain saw and other random items. Days later, some of the poles crashed down in high winds, cutting power to sections of Orchard Park and West Seneca. Seifert, a smart kid from a good family, a computer techie with a pilots license and a promising future, had sawed through the poles and left them to snap. Before his arrest for the sabotage, his parents wanted him placed in a psychiatric facility for as long as necessary. But his stays ended up being short-lived. After cutting through the utility poles, Seifert landed in an institution for an extended period. It was the Erie County Holding Center, famous at the time for being dirty and dangerous. America's jails a decade ago were doubling as the nation's busiest psychiatric centers, a role they inherited as states closed their large asylums on the theory that they would be replaced by expanded community treatment. But community treatment never expanded to the extent necessary, and many families have lived the Seiferts' experience being told there's no psychiatric bed for a loved one who needs it. Jails are still the place where people experiencing severe mental illness are likely to meet a caretaker. The Vera Institute for Justice said in a report in January 2021 that nearly one in five men and one in 10 women entering a New York jail has a serious mental illness. The Institute recommended that the state continue to lower jail populations, as the pandemic and justice-reform movements were already doing, and plow the savings into programs that attack chronic social concerns, like helping people in a mental crisis. Despite the Erie County Holding Center's reputation, Greg Seifert's father was not going to bail him out a decade ago. James Seifert thought his son was safer in jail than on the outside. He is not a violent person in the sense that he would try to beat somebody up or try to shoot somebody or stab somebody, James Seifert told The Buffalo News for an article in 2013. The story looked at his son as a case study of someone put behind bars when he really needed care in a psychiatric center. But he does stupid things, James Seifert continued at the time, and he does believe that hes working for the CIA. People dont realize what a terrible, traumatic thing this is for a parent. His diagnoses Landing in jail for sabotaging the power lines did not force Seifert to look inward. He had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, among other things, and psychiatrists say that roughly half of the people with schizophrenia, when off their medication, dont realize they are ill because the disease damages the part of the brain responsible for self-analysis. Consequently, they have no drive to seek treatment. Seifert's other diagnoses included bipolar disorder and depression. A psychiatrist once called him a walking conglomeration of symptoms. Seifert spent nearly 20 months in jail, which included time served for his conviction in the telephone-pole vandalism. He might have been out sooner if not for what he did in December 2012. While in the Holding Center, he stuck a curtain rod into an electric socket, heated it up and used it to torch some materials he had stuck in an air grate. The fire did not spread, but it was seen as a dangerous act. As the District Attorneys Office prosecuted him for arson, Seifert refused to talk to his public defender, who wanted him declared unfit for trial and have him committed to a psychiatric center. James and Carol Seifert attended a court session in which dueling psychiatrists testified as to whether Seifert understood the charges against him and assist in his own defense. When their son was led into the courtroom, he stood a few feet away but never acknowledged them. When it was over, State Supreme Court Justice Christopher Burns placed Greg Seifert in the Rochester Psychiatric Center until his condition improved. And while there, he experienced his turning point. I cant explain how grateful I am with the staff at that place, Greg Seifert said. 'I see it now' He said he went berserk one day about not being able to get a haircut. I was literally sobbing, yelling and not eating it was silly, he said. His outbursts led the staff to obtain a court order allowing them to medicate him against his will. He said they gave him a 30-day dose of Haldol Decanoate, an antipsychotic medicine used to treat schizophrenia. Within two days, all my crazy thinking melted away, and I actually felt human again, he said. It was amazing. It wasnt just that he felt better, he says now. He said he thought that if an injection could affect him so significantly, maybe there was something to what people were telling him. Maybe he was mentally ill. It was a long road before my finally accepting that something was wrong with my brain chemicals, he said. I see it now. When he was in the Holding Center, his parents would try to visit, and he would refuse to see them. Not so when he was held in Rochester. When his parents visited, they noticed a change. They could communicate with him. After about three months in Rochester, Seifert was returned to the Holding Center and then released early in 2014 while the arson case was pending. In December 2014, prosecutors let him plead not guilty by reason of mental defect, and Judge Burns later sentenced him to a five-year conditional discharge, according to the District Attorneys Office. Seifert was free to live his life. Daily medications Today, hes under the care of a psychiatrist and a therapist at BestSelf Behavioral Health. Hes on a regimen of four medications: Haldol, for schizophrenia; Depakote, for bipolar disorder; propranolol for anxiety; and Lexapro, for depression. The meds lop off the highs and bring up the lows, leaving me kind of on the flatline right in the middle, he said. Sometimes people with mental illness feel better after taking their medicines for an extended time and choose to go off them because they wrongly assume they don't need the drugs anymore. Then the cycle repeats. Seifert seems to accept that he can never go off his doses. Im sure Ill be on some kind of meds for the rest of my life, he said. Leaning on his background in technology, Seifert took a job installing telephone systems. But something was wrong, he said. I had no capability to concentrate and couldnt even do simple math in my head. He said he stuck it out for three years but just couldnt do it anymore. Now, he holds a part-time job stocking shelves and doing inventory at a tool supplier. He still has difficulty focusing. Its not very fulfilling to not be working at my best, he said. He remarried, in 2017, to a woman he met online and moved into her home in Blasdell on a street of trim Cape Cods. He has posted several pictures of himself with Susan Kourt, now Susan Seifert, on his Facebook page. I was very upfront about my baggage from day one, and we just hit it off, he said. Friends and family Timothy Mullins has known Greg Seifert since they were in the third grade at the St. Bernadette school in Orchard Park. He was one of my best friends growing up, said Mullins, a banker. I think he was one of the smartest kids Ive known. Mullins went to see Seifert in the Holding Center before he was sent off to Rochester. He was kind of a shell of himself. He was disjointed. He was withdrawn. He didnt talk much about his situation. And he wasnt doing what he needed to do to help himself. Today, hes different, Mullins said. Hes more confident. Hes more comfortable with himself. He understands what he needs to do. He understands the importance of staying on the medications. Hes a functioning intelligent person managing a difficult disease. Seifert says that when he cut the utility poles he was rattled about the breakup of his marriage. And when he set the fire in the Holding Center he was only trying to kill the silverfish that were in the air grate and would creep into his cell. He agreed with an interviewer, though, that the small fire endangered many others inside the jail. He has regrets other than the impulses that got him in trouble: He should have trusted his first wife, a seasoned registered nurse, when she warned him something was wrong. He wasnt there for his sons in their teen and preteen years when they really needed him. He should have listened when his father told him to disregard the stigma society attaches to mental illness. Society doesnt attach a stigma to disorders that arent manifested in the brain, like diabetes, James Seifert would tell him. When you refuse to help yourself, it puts a lot of pressure on those you hold dearest, Greg Seifert said. Im so glad to have had such a close family relationship. Not many can say the same. It made the difference. James Seifert agreed the crucial moment came when their son acknowledged he had a problem. When the patient acknowledges they have a problem, you are 50% done, he said. Said Carol Seifert: We have our son back. The real Greg Seifert. 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. Nancy Krcek Allen has been a chef-educator for more than 25 years and has taught professional and recreational classes in California, New York City and Michigan. Her culinary textbook is called Discovering Global Cuisines. Hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday in Buffalo at the border spanned by the Peace Bridge to echo the continuing backlash against Covid-19 mandates across Canada, in Ottawa and at key international crossings. Unlike earlier protests featuring hundreds of heavy trucks in places like the Ambassador Bridge at Detroit-Windsor, Saturday's event based in Pat Sole Park near the Buffalo end of the bridge featured only small vehicles festooned with flags and anti-mandate slogans. And despite the bitter cold, the people who showed up seemed committed even delighted to demonstrate solidarity with truckers leading efforts in Canada. At one point Saturday afternoon, dozens of flag-waving participants crossed busy Niagara Street, stood against fencing almost at the edge of America, and chanted toward Fort Erie, Ont. "We're with you, Canada!" many shouted, even if nobody could hear across the wide Niagara River. Some passing cars honked their horns in support, while others were seen expressing disgust with shouts and hand gestures. At one point witnesses saw a verbal exchange between the protesters and a group that accompanied former Buffalo mayoral candidate India B. Walton to the scene. The gathering of protesters wearing patriotic colors and carrying signs extolling "freedom" and denouncing "government overreach" mirrored many local events of recent months against mandates ordering New Yorkers to wear masks or obtain Covid vaccinations. But the Saturday event gained widespread attention because of its border venue, just as did more disruptive protests at the Ambassador Bridge. CNN featured Mayor Byron W. Brown in an indication of the far-flung interest in the story. "People want to make their statement," Brown told CNN. "We hope that they will make their statement. Do it responsibly, and then move on." Later he told The News city officials were in constant communication with state, federal and local law enforcement to monitor the situation. "But we're not anticipating anything like what happened in Canada," he said. "Emergency vehicles can get in and out if necessary." The event also caught the attention of Gov. Kathy Hochul while in Buffalo. "Today I visited the interagency command center in Buffalo to ensure we're prepared for any impacts from protests near the Canadian border," she said. "We are ready to address any potential travel and commerce disruptions, and also ensure we can protect everyone's right to peaceful protest." Convoys originating in Nashville and New York City have also indicated plans for further activities near the bridge throughout the weekend, raising the possibility of more crowds. In Canada, protests at various border crossings mushroomed in recent days following a truck parade that ended in occupation of the capital in Ottawa, paralyzing the city. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency throughout the province last week. He warned of "severe" consequences if truckers gathered in Windsor did not disband, noting the significant damage to auto plants on both sides of the border unable to supply each other. The Canadian opposition to mandates began to take shape in earnest last month when Canadian truckers rebelled against the government's requirement they be vaccinated to cross the border. It has since taken on a right-wing flavor mirroring some U.S. efforts. The main local ramification appeared to be the closure of the Buffalo-bound lanes of the Queen Elizabeth Way in Fort Erie. Niagara Regional Police advised Saturday morning that the U.S.-bound Queen Elizabeth Way was closed at Gilmore Road "for an unknown duration." A CHCH News reporter tweeted video showing about three dozen protesters with Canadian flags on the QEW. At one point, the protesters, who were on foot, formed a line and blocked a tractor trailer from proceeding. Later, they stood on one side of the highway as law enforcement formed a line between them and passing trucks. In the United States, federal, state and local governments have not mandated that any of their citizens get vaccinated against Covid-19 outside of some of their own workers, health care groups and others. And regarding truckers, governments around the world impose many restrictions on those seeking to cross their borders. But the Saturday protesters also point to orders to wear masks and other measures they consider restrictions on their personal liberties. At the Buffalo end of the bridge, Nancy Orticelli of West Seneca, who helped organize the event, jumped off a pickup truck at Pat Sole Park to describe the protesters' role as "freedom fighters." "We recognize that tyranny has gotten out of control, that rights have been taken away from us, and we're standing in solidarity with the truckers," she said, adding she did not know exactly how many people were roaming the West Side neighborhood. "Even if there were only five people I'd be happy," she said. And Frank Kolbmann, who was shouting instructions to the crowd through a bullhorn, noted that border restrictions have prevented him from seeing his family in Canada for two years. "If things don't change, I won't be able again to visit my birth country or see my family," he said. The Saturday event began with about 75 vehicles and 100 people in the City of Tonawanda, flying American flags, honking horns, and gathering for a "convoy" to Buffalo City Hall and Pat Sole Park. Some displayed banners denouncing President Biden. A slogan on one pickup truck window seemed to sum up the objective: "Do Not Comply." Wendy Dominski of Youngstown was among those readying for the trip to Buffalo. "Our soldiers did not die in vain for our God-given freedom and we need to stand together, united as Americans, against this tyranny," she said. "We need our freedom of choice back." Pete Wigdor, who said he was from Charity Baptist Church in Buffalo, was approaching several vehicles to thank them for participating. "It's about time the peoples' voice be heard, and about time that we live free again," he said. "Back in the day we had statesmen who listened to the peoples' needs. Then they became representatives. And now they've become career politicians." 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. Robert J. McCarthy Political Reporter Follow Robert J. McCarthy 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 Beckley, WV (25801) Today Scattered clouds with the possibility of an isolated thunderstorm developing this afternoon. High 82F. Winds S at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms this evening becoming more widespread overnight. Low 61F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Authorities in North Korea are supplying officials at the powerful prosecutors office with yearly rations of coveted rice at a time when the country cannot even supply most people with corn, sources in the country told RFA. Though rice is a basic staple in other East Asian countries, it has become a luxury in North Korea, which suffers from food shortages made worse by the coronavirus pandemic. Steamed rice at a North Korean dinner table is a status symbol, and daily meals of rice separate the haves from the have nots. Ordinary people are aware that prosecutors are provided with a years supply of glutinous and white rice, and they are becoming resentful, an official in the city of Chongjin in the northeastern province of North Hamgyong told RFA Wednesday. On the 3rd, I heard about it from my wife. She was at a college friends birthday party and her friends husband is a chief prosecutor at the provincial prosecutors office. He bragged to them about it, said the source, who requested anonymity for security reasons. The ordinary residents do not receive any food rations at all. Officials of the provincial party committee or the provincial peoples committee, which are the most powerful organizations in the province, receive the national food ration. But even they dont get rice like the prosecutors office, he said. The official said he was aware that the prosecutors office was powerful, but he never knew just how much privilege they enjoyed. The prosecutors office belongs to the local distribution system and receives food from the local food administration office The fact that the prosecutors office was able to receive an entire years worth of rations all at once, and all of it was rice, proves how privileged and powerful they are, the source said. The provincial food administration bureau workers who allocate food to each region and unit would have had a hard time filling the request of the prosecutors office Since the prosecutors office took all the rice, the bureau did not have enough to put it in rations for workers in steel mills and coal mines, and they received their rations in corn instead, said the source. I am not sure if the city prosecutors and district prosecutors also received preferential rations like the provincial prosecutors did, but either way it is an outrage because ordinary people are having a difficult time without receiving any rations at all, he said. Since prosecutors interpret the law, they wield the most power, an official in the city of Hyesan, about 140 miles to the west of Chongjin, told RFA Thursday. We all know that prosecutors live better than officials at other agencies, said the second source, who requested anonymity to speak freely. If the prosecutors office carries out a general inspection or investigation people start trembling. What the prosecutors office wants, they can get, he said. The Chongjin official said the prosecutors office is an exclusive group staffed by only 50 people, compared to the party committee and the peoples committee, which have hundreds. There are many things that the prosecutors get for free. Though their numbers are small, they are at the highest level, he said. Since corruption and bribery is so common, prosecutors who can inspect, investigate, and prosecute can increase their wealth by just doing their job. I know several prosecutors, but none of their wives need to work for a living, the second source said. Women are typically the primary breadwinners in North Korean society, as the men must work at government-assigned jobs and earn a salary too low to live on. Most families must start businesses of their own and only the women have time to run them. So, my friend, who has connections, was moved to the prosecutors office from the city party organization department. People at the party organization scoffed at him and showed sarcastic responses about him becoming a prosecutor, but they actually seemed envious, the Chongjin official said. The largest and most beautiful buildings in any city are not the Peoples Committee buildings, or those of various government organs, but the buildings of law enforcement. The tyranny and corruption of prosecutors, state security officers, and police officers in this county are severe, so the people's resentment against them is very high. Translated by Leejin Jun. Written in English by Eugene Whong. Two other activists were given lengthy sentences for tax-related crimes last month. Prominent Vietnamese environmentalist Nguy Thi Khanh is the latest activist in the country to be arrested on tax evasion charges, state media reported this week. Khanh, who is the first Vietnamese ever to win the prestigious Goldman Environmental Prize in 2018, was arrested last month in her home in Hanoi. State media did not confirm her detention until Feb. 9. Authorities searched her office and home and confiscated documents and several devices. Khanh won the Goldman for her work with the Green Innovation and Development Center, an organization she founded which promotes sustainable development in the Southeast Asian country. Her advocacy for green energy sometimes puts her crosswise to the Vietnamese government, which wants to increase the production of coal, the burning of which is a major contributor to climate change. Two other activists were sentenced last month tax-related charges. Dang Dinh Bach, leader of the Law and Policy of Sustainable Development Research Center, was sentenced to five years for tax evasion, while journalist Mai Phan Loi, who heads the Center for Media in Educating Community, received four years for tax fraud. Both were arrested in June 2021. The Paris-based Vietnam Committee on Human Rights said in a statement that the arrests of Bach and Loi were intended to prevent the creation of the Vietnam Domestic Advisory Group, which would have enabled activists to be independent civil society representatives in accordance with the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA). BISHKEK -- A Kyrgyz opposition activist is facing up to five years in prison for social media posts that security services claim are a call to overthrow the government. Mirlan Uraimov, a member of the Butun Kyrgyzstan (United Kyrgyzstan) party, was arrested on February 8 and is being held in a State Committee for National Security detention center. The 37-year-old is a known blogger and the founder of Mekendesh TV on YouTube. The security services didnt say exactly what statements by Uraimov they suspected of being criminal. But Kyrgyz media reported the charges stem from a Facebook post that claims the government does not function well and needs to be replaced. Uraimovs lawyer said the activist had nothing to do with the post and that his Facebook account was hacked. Opposition supporters say the charge against Uraimov -- calling for the seizing of political power by force -- is an attack on freedom of speech and a warning by authorities to other government critics, bloggers, and activists. Activist Adil Turdukulov told RFE/RL that by arresting Uraimov the authorities are targeting his party, Butun Kyrgyzstan, which has risen from so-called street opposition to an important political group that has five representatives in the 90-seat unicameral parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh. It means that the party enjoys peoples support and, therefore, any criticism by party members is taken by the government far more seriously, Turdukulov said. The [criminal case against Uraimov] is an attempt to frighten the party members, to weaken them. Turdukulov also accused authorities of selectively targeting bloggers who criticize government policies on social media. At the same time, the authorities turn a blind eye to material published by pro-government bloggers who vilify the opposition, even sometimes inciting interregional hatred, Turdukulov added. Butun Kyrgyzstan leaders criticized the way Uraimov was arrested during a nighttime raid by law enforcement agents to his home, scaring his children and other family members. The party says the officers also conducted a search of his house. Is this some kind of warning to others? Where did this practice come from -- breaking in at night? There used to be no such thing in Kyrgyzstan, Butun Kyrgyzstan party leader Adakhan Madumarov said. He accused the government of putting pressure on a person who simply expressed his opinion. Gulya Kozhokulova, a Butun Kyrgyzstan lawmaker, called it a gross violation of human rights. Law enforcement agents carry out the arrests of [activists and bloggers] as if they are dangerous criminals or members of organized criminal groups, Kozhokulova told parliament on February 10. Kozhokulova warned that such an attitude can lead to legal chaos. Meanwhile, Prosecutor-General Kurmankul Zulushev said a probe is being launched to determine the legitimacy of the charges against Uraimov and the circumstances of his arrest. Of course, it would have been wrong to open a criminal case just because someone offended someone in their statement, Zulushev said. But if the statement contains certain calls or something else that threatens state security, then [the person behind the statement] should be held responsible. On February 10, a court in Bishkek approved Uraimovs pretrial arrest for two months. About 80 people gathered outside the court to support the activist. The crowd chanted slogans calling for justice for Uraimov and demanding the government end what they described as "political persecution." Written by Farangis Najibullah based on reporting by RFE/RL Kyrgyz Service correspondent Eleonora Beishenbek-kyzy. Around 100 Ukrainian civilians were being evacuated from the besieged Azovstal steel plant in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol on May 1, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said, after the United Nations confirmed a "safe passage operation" was in progress there. "Grateful to our team! Now they, together with [United Nations], are working on the evacuation of other civilians from the plant," Zelenskiy said on Twitter. The evacuees would reach the city of Zaporizhzhya on May 2, he added. The long-awaited rescue came as the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, pledged continued U.S. support for Ukraine when she met Zelenskiy in an unannounced visit to Kyiv. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the major developments on Russia's invasion, how Kyiv is fighting back, the plight of civilians, and Western reaction. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. Zelenskiy posted videos from the unannounced April 30 visit by Pelosi online on May 1. We believe that we are visiting you to say thank you for your fight for freedom, Pelosi told Zelenskiy. We are on a frontier of freedom, and your fight is for everyone. Our commitment is to be there for you until the fight is done. Pelosi arrived in the Ukrainian capital with a delegation that included House members Jason Crow (Democrat-Colorado), Jim McGovern (Democrat-Massachusetts), and Adam Shiff (Democrat-California). The trip had not been previously announced and comes when the United States and other countries are ramping up military aid and other support for Ukraine. Pelosi said the delegation delivered the message that additional American support is on the way. U.S. President Joe Biden last week asked Congress for a $33 billion aid package for Ukraine. U.S. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said on May 1 that he would add provisions to the Ukraine aid package to allow the United States to seize Russian oligarchs' assets and send money from their sale directly to Ukraine. Zelenskiy posted on Twitter: "The U.S. is leading strong support for Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression." Pelosi later traveled to Poland for talks with President Andrzej Duda and other officials. Poland has taken in more than 3 million refugees from Ukraine since the war began. "Do not be bullied by bullies," Pelosi said in Rzeszow in southern Poland after returning from Ukraine. "If they are making threats, you cannot back down. That's my view of it. We are here for the fight and you cannot fold to a bully," she said. The White House said Biden had spoken with Pelosi on May 1 about her trip, without giving details. Meanwhile, the United Nations confirmed that an operation to evacuate people from a steel plant in the bombed-out Ukrainian city of Mariupol is under way. UN humanitarian spokesman Saviano Abreu told AP on May 1 that the effort to bring people out of the sprawling Azovstal steel plant was being done in collaboration with the International Committee for the Red Cross and in coordination with Ukrainian and Russian officials. He called the situation very complex and would not give further details. The Red Cross also said it couldn't share any details about the operation. "The ICRC insists on the fact that no details can be shared until the situation allows, as it could seriously jeopardize the safety of the civilians and the convoy. Relevant local authorities are communicating with the civilians about practical details," it said. A plan to evacuate civilians from areas of the devastated city outside the steelworks had been postponed to the morning of May 2, Mariupol's city council said. Russia's Defense Ministry said 80 civilians had been evacuated from the steel plant, adding: "Those who wished to leave for areas controlled by the Kyiv regime were handed over to UN and ICRC representatives." The UN believes about 1,000 civilians are living under the Azovstal steelworks in the city, the only part of Mariupol that is not under Russian occupation. There are believed to be about 100,000 civilians in the city, which has been the scene of intense fighting since the Russian invasion on February 24. WATCH: RFE/RL correspondent Maryan Kushnir met with Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russian forces in the Donetsk region in eastern Ukraine. One of the soldiers called the Russian troops "cannon fodder," describing their tactics as "desperate" and without any coherent strategy. Russias Defense Ministry said on May 1 that two groups of civilians -- about 45 people in all -- had been evacuated from Azovstal the previous day as a result of a cease-fire regime and the opening of a humanitarian corridor. The evacuees were reportedly taken to the settlement of Bezimenne. The Ukrainian defenders in the Azovstal factory posted videos on April 30 saying they were running out of food, water, and other supplies and appealing for help. Elsewhere, Ukrainian officials said that four civilians were killed and 11 injured by Russian shelling in the town of Lyman as Moscow's forces push deeper into the eastern Donetsk region. Moscow claimed on May 1 -- without providing evidence -- that Ukrainian forces in the southern region of Kherson had shelled civilian areas and caused casualties. The Russian Defense Ministry did not respond to Reuters requests for details. Ukraines military said Russian forces had launched attacks along the Kherson regions borders and seemed intent on pushing toward the cities of Mykolayiv and Kryvyi Rih. Russia on April 30 launched a rocket attack on an airport runway in Odesa, Ukraines third-largest city and a key Black Sea port. The Ukrainian military said the attack had rendered the airport unusable. Odesas governor said the attack was launched from the Russia-occupied Black Sea peninsula of Crimea. Pope Francis on May 1 used his weekly Angelus prayer to renew his appeal for humanitarian corridors from Mariupol, saying that the city had been "bombed and destroyed in a barbaric manner." With reporting by Reuters, AP, and RIA Novosti Farrukh and his wife, Saodat, left their jobs at a village hospital in Tajikistans northern Sughd Province last summer and moved to Russia, taking advantage of a new government program that makes it easier for white-collar workers to live in the country and gain citizenship. The couple, both doctors in their late 20s, now work at a district hospital in Russias Perm region, where the family has also been offered subsidized housing and financial aid. At about $1,200 a month each, their salary is nearly four times higher than what they earned in Tajikistan. The quality of life is also much better here: We have running water and natural gas at home, and theres no electricity rationing like in Tajikistan, Farrukh said. Food and utilities are cheaper here. My three cousins and their families also moved to Perm last year and work for private construction firms. Farrukh and his relatives are among the more than 3 million Tajik citizens who were officially registered in Russia in 2021, a record. According to Russian Interior Ministry figures, 2,439,198 Tajik nationals stated work as their reason for entering Russia. Thats about one-quarter of Tajikistans entire population. Its a significant rise from previous years when the number of Tajiks working in Russia was reported at about 1.2 million. While seasonal workers make up the majority of the migrants, a growing number of Tajiks are looking for permanent resettlement in Russia. That trend is widely expected to continue upward, as unemployment and poverty in Tajikistan and other Central Asian countries are forcing millions of people to look for jobs elsewhere. It comes as Russia -- facing a demographic crisis and a workforce shortage -- has been relaxing its migration and citizenship requirements, especially for nationals from former Soviet republics. Botirjon Shermuhammad, a Moscow-based migration lawyer, says that well see more people from Central Asia coming to Russia both for temporary work and permanent resettlement in the foreseeable future. There are anti-migrant comments and warnings by some Russian politicians, but the government understands that economic growth is impossible to achieve without the migrants, Shermuhammad said. Russias population is declining, and Central Asia is a major foreign source for its workforce. Russias population shrank by nearly 1 million people in 2021, the largest peacetime decline ever. The stark drop was also linked to a high toll of COVID-19 deaths. But Russia has been facing a steady decline in its population since the dissolution of the Soviet Union three decades ago, with experts blaming low birth rates and a drop in life expectancy for the decrease. One of President Vladimir Putins pledges during his 2018 reelection was to reverse the demographic crisis by the end of his term in 2024. Even before the pandemic, the Finance Ministry predicted a 4 percent decline in Russias working population by 2035. Brain Drain In Tajikistan, authorities often downplay the number of Tajiks migrants working in Russia, putting it at around several hundred thousand. For many Tajiks, labor migration to Russia has been a solution to many social, economic, and demographic problems. The majority of rural households in Tajikistan rely almost entirely on remittances from relatives working in Russia. With Russia offering higher wages and better living standards, more Tajik doctors, teachers, and ordinary workers are likely to emigrate. Many are expected to resettle in Russia permanently. The economy has always been struggling and jobs have always been hard to come by in Tajikistan, where the population -- unlike Russia -- has been rising rapidly over the past 30 years. But Tajikistan is also slowly beginning to feel the downside of the migration -- a brain drain -- as skilled specialists leave the country. Tajikistan doesnt say how many medics, teachers, or other skilled workers have left the country. On February 10, the health minister said there was a shortage of 674 medical doctors in remote regions. But amid the pandemic in 2020, Dushanbe acknowledged that the health-care sector was stretched thin, with a shortage of some 6,000 doctors and nurses across the country. The Education Ministry said this month that there was a shortage of 1,124 qualified teachers, despite some 16,000 people graduating from teacher-training universities annually. It comes as 2,067 teachers from Tajikistans Khatlon Province alone moved to Russia last year. With Russia offering higher wages and better living standards, more Tajik doctors, teachers, and ordinary workers are likely to emigrate. Many are expected to resettle in Russia permanently. According to official Russian figures, 103,681 Tajik nationals obtained Russian citizenship last year. Its a significant rise from five years ago, when about 30,000 Tajiks received Russian passports. Tajikistan allows dual Tajik-Russian citizenship. Uzbekistan, Central Asias most populous country, continues to provide the highest number of workers for Russia. In 2021, more than 4.9 million Uzbeks were registered in Russia and more than 4.5 million said they went to Russia for work. More than 31,800 Uzbeks obtained Russian passports last year. Uzbekistan, a country of more than 35 million, doesnt allow dual citizenship. RFE/RL Tajik Service correspondent Zarangez Navruzshoh and Uzbek Service correspondent Umid Bobomatov contributed to this report. Richmond, KY (40475) Today Thunderstorms likely in the morning. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 82F. Winds SSW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 90%.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. Low 54F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. There is a movement afoot to have New York State ban the use of natural gas in the production of electricity. This policy would affect all newly built homes and businesses. My colleagues across the aisle who are proposing this ban need to pay closer attention to the ramifications of eliminating natural gas, which is a safe, reliable and lower-carbon fuel source. In December, New York City voted to eliminate natural gas as an option for heating in new construction in order to cut carbon emissions. Rather than helping the planet, it may have the opposite effect because the necessary energy production to be replaced could incentivize keeping older, less-efficient power plants online for years to come. As demand for electricity increases with efforts to electrify the transportation and building sectors, a rushed gas ban could still result in increased emissions if there are not adequate renewables and imports available or if there are delays in the construction and development of new resources and transmission infrastructure. Most of New York State experiences cold, harsh winters. The draft policy encourages the use of wind, solar and other renewable energy sources. However, these sources are not always present in many areas of the state because the wind may not be blowing, the sun isnt shining, or the energy sources simply do not exist and are unlikely to be built due to this states economic uncompetitiveness. As conditions currently stand, the electrical grid would be severely challenged to handle the increase in electricity demand that natural gas bans would create during the cold winter months. It is worth noting that San Francisco, which is frequently in the vanguard of such environmental movements, chose not to pursue a similar ban after a study concluded that requiring electrical retrofits of city residences would result in substantial costs to homeowners. The cost associated with disposing old appliances and purchasing new ones, labor and electrical panel upgrades would yield price tags ranging from $14,363 per housing unit to $19,574 for multi-family units and $34,790 for single family homes. Applying these cost estimates to an estimated 240,231 housing units, the city-wide cost to retrofit all residential units currently using natural gas-fueled appliances with those fueled by electricity was estimated to be $3.5 billion to $5.9 billion. If that is what it would cost San Francisco alone, imagine what a statewide ban would cost the entire state of New York. New Yorkers already pay above the national average for power, and we are already more vulnerable to rising energy costs than people who live in other areas of the country. Eliminating natural gas will only further those imbalances. All New Yorkers should be concerned that these policies will likely increase construction and utility costs, unfairly burden small businesses and disproportionately impact low, moderate and fixed-income communities. Sadly, cooking and heating with natural gas would be a thing of the past. History has taught that outright prohibitions rarely meet their intended goals, are often costly and frequently deprive consumers of choice. Politically driven legislation spearheaded by those with little understanding of energy is never the solution. Instituting environmental policy and ensuring affordability and reliability are not mutually exclusive goals. On the contrary, they can and should be done simultaneously. Natural gas has a place in New York States transition to a lower carbon future. Banning it is dead wrong. Sen. Rob Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, is minority leader in the New York State Senate. Mary Eliza Church Terrell was born on Sept. 13, 1863, in Memphis, Tenn., to Robert and Louisa Church, both former slaves. Her parents were not freed until the end of the Civil War. The Reconstruction era gave them an opportunity to start a business. They became successful and leaders in the struggling Black middle class in Memphis. Her father bought and sold land. He became one of the wealthiest men in the city. Robert Church wanted the best for his daughter, so he sent her to Oberlin College in Ohio. She earned a bachelors degree in 1884. When she left Oberlin, she went to work as a teacher at Wilberforce. This school was established to help train young Black students. Mary was not satisfied with her position. She wanted to achieve more in life, so she returned to Oberlin to complete a masters degree. Her life took a new turn when she traveled to Europe in 1888 to learn about cultures. She found more liberal views on race during her travels. When she returned to the United States in 1890, she married Robert Terrell, whom she had met in Washington. However, there was one event that changed her direction in life for the next 60 years. It was the lynching of a Black man named Tom Moss on March 9, 1892. Moss was one of Marys best friends. They grew up as children together, attending parties and having fun. She recalled that Moss was a letter carrier always saving his money. He continued to save money as an adult. Moss, Calvin McDowell and William Henry put their money together and went into business. They called their store the Peoples Grocery. Blacks stopped shopping with the white-owned store across the street. They began to patronize the Black business. The white store owner became angry and organized a group of men to break up the Black store. A fight followed. The police were called, and the Black men were arrested. The next night, a mob stormed the jail. The men were taken from the jail and lynched. The scene after the lynching was horrific. Moss was shot in the neck and McDowell was butchered and dismembered. When news of this lynching reached Mary, she was shaken to the core. Moss had been a lifelong friend. She could not stand by quietly after such a brutal murder. Mary contacted the one person whom she knew would stand with her. She reached out to Frederick Douglass. At the time, Douglass was the most important African American living. He was known for his fight for the freedom of African Americans. Together they demanded a meeting with President Benjamin Harrison. He agreed to meet with them. He listened as they argued for a law in the United States against lynching. However, Harrison did not make any public statement against lynching. He remained silent. Mary made the decision after this meeting to take another course in her life. She was determined to organize Black women across the country and to fight racism. For the next 60 years, she carried out her plan to reach every segment of American society in her fight for equality and justice for Blacks. The book titled Unceasing Militant, written by Alison M. Parker, describes Mary Church Terrells life of activism. She became the first president of the National Association of Colored Women and a founding member of the NAACP. She continued to work with Douglass. She also worked with the great anti-lynching crusader, Ida B. Wells. Her friends included Dr. W.E.B. Dubois, the great scholar and civil rights advocate. She became one of the most prominent activists of her time. When three companies of African American soldiers were dismissed in 1906 from the U.S. Army after a racial incident in Brownsville, Texas, without due process, Terrell spoke out publicly against their unfair treatment. She even demanded a meeting with the secretary of war, William Howard Taft. The soldiers were given a hearing, but they were still dismissed from the Army. Terrell and Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall were presented with the Vanguard Award from the African American womens community service organization in New York City. They were recognized for their work in civil rights. Terrell died on July 24, 1954, at the age of 91. The great actor Paul Robeson in his eulogy described Terrell in the following way: She struggled for the full citizenship of her people. She leaves us a rich heritage and a noble example to be followed by us all until full and final victory. Eva M. Doyle is celebrating 44 years as a Criterion columnist. Roanoke Rapids, NC (27870) Today Partly cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 86F. Winds SW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely in the evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms later on. Low near 65F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Good management When there are no serious social, economic or political problems, good Corporate Governance (CG) does not only allow businesses to improve their competitiveness and business performance, but also help in reducing internal conflicts and disputes. Additionally, CG can help increase reliability, making it easier for businesses to raise funds. Good management can prevent risks, maintain stable operations and control costs much better, making it possible for businesses to focus more on increasing sales and profits. The 2019 and 2020 CG evaluation reports show that average profits made by well-managed companies were higher than those made by badly managed companies. The 2020 report prepared by the Hanoi Stock Exchange on the Program for Evaluating Information Disclosure and Transparency (IDT) indicates that IDT has a positive relationship with business achievement measured by the Return on Equity (ROE) and the Return on Assets (ROA). The results also show that every 1% increase in IDT points is equivalent to a 0.1% increase in ROA and a 0.12% rise in ROE. Good CG can also help companies to reduce internal disputes and improve the ability to raise funds, making it possible for companies to cope with problems better and promote sustainable development. Internal disputes often arise in companies with poor management. Several recent internal disputes have caused deterioration in big companies and corporations in such industries such as banking, construction and big coffee enterprises. Current pandemic The Covid-19 pandemic has proven that good CG can pave the way for better maintenance and development of production and business activities. One company representative has said that foreign-invested companies or joint ventures have been affected much less seriously than other companies, because they have a good CG system, making it possible for them to respond better to unexpected abnormalities, adapt to new situations more actively and reduce losses more effectively. Reality of last year has shown that several top listed companies have quickly adapted to the new normal and organized online general meetings of shareholders and stabilized their production and business activities during the most difficult of times. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) stressed in its report in June 2021 that good CG and financial markets played a pivotal role in surviving the Covid-19 pandemic and making a speedy recovery. International Finance Corporation (IFC) has provided the board of directors with an action guidebook titled Overcoming the Crisis. Crisis can be avoided and good CG is a great way to respond successfully to crisis situations and keep business growing because CG naturally includes a risk management and response system. IFC believes that the 2008 global financial depression has made it clear that the road to success for companies is always full of unpredictable obstacles. It also shows that good CG and a powerful board of directors are crucial in helping a company to cope with the impact of unexpected crisis. Effective CG enables companies to adapt better to unpredictable changes in the business environment. The board of directors can establish an effective CG system with a coherent business strategy capable of taking into account all the potential risks, developing an appropriate risk management and monitoring system, and institutionalizing the decision-making process. Corporate benefits Not many Vietnamese companies have actually paid sufficient attention to effective CG system because they have not been made aware of its significant role and advantages. In fact, CG in Vietnam still concentrates more on complying or dealing with legal procedures than in voluntarily committing to improving their CG for their company interests. CG in Vietnam is generally considered to be at a lower level than several countries in the region and the world. The ASEAN Corporate Governance Scorecard shows that Vietnam is the lowest among the six dominant countries in the region, namely, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. Therefore, effective governance is not just formal or forced compliance with the laws. Good CG at the highest level is actually governance which could go beyond compliance. This means that businesses do not only properly and fully comply with the laws and regulations, but they also have to observe and abide by the principles of governance according to good international practices, which is more often than not at a higher level than the laws. As a result, businesses with good CG will find it easier in the long run to cope with crisis situations. Phan Duc Hieu, Standing member of NA Economic Commission US Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper (R) presents his credentials to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 11. (Photo: VNA) At the reception for Mexican Ambassador Alejandro Negrin Munoz, President Phuc believed that the diplomat will excellently fulfill his term of office in Vietnam to help bolster the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries.Munoz noted with satisfaction that bilateral cooperation has been growing well over the last 47 years, expressing his hope that Vietnam and Mexico will set up a strategic partnership, which will be a basis for further augmenting their collaboration.The Vietnamese President said the bilateral ties have been thriving unceasingly in the recent past as seen in the maintenance of all-level meetings, along with the continued promotion of the political consultation and the joint committee on economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Mexico is currently the second largest trade partner of Vietnam in Latin America with bilateral trade approximating 5.2 billion USD, he said.Vietnam will work closely with Mexico to increase high-level meetings and cooperation in defence, finance, customs, agriculture, and education, he affirmed.As both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), President Phuc said they should expand partnerships to new areas and remove obstacles in a timely way to develop their ties in a comprehensive, sustainable, and substantive manner.He also called on Mexico to back Vietnams candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023 - 2025 term, and for continued mutual support at multilateral forums.The President wished Mexico success as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2021 - 2022 and, via the ambassador, invited his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to visit Vietnam at an appropriate point of time.Congratulating Marc Evans Knapper on his appointment as the US Ambassador to Vietnam, President Phuc welcomed the diplomats return to Hanoi, and spoke highly of Knappers performance while working in Vietnam during 2004 - 2007, which greatly helped promote relations between the two countries.Recalling the visit to Vietnam by US Vice President Kamala Harris last August, President Phuc noted the Vietnam - US comprehensive partnership has been developing more intensively and practically. Bilateral trade hit a record of 111 billion USD in 2021, turning Vietnam into one of the 10 largest trade partners of the US, he added.He thanked the US for the provision of 24.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Vietnam, assistance in response to climate change, and cooperation in settling war aftermath and building mutual trust.The State leader expressed his belief that during his term of office in Vietnam, the ambassador will contribute more to the bilateral ties.For his part, Knapper held that the Vietnam - US relations will develop further in the time ahead, pledging all-out efforts to promote their cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, education, defence, and security.He also voiced his delight at the USs vaccine assistance for Vietnam amid the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed his hope that when the outbreak is gradually put under control, the two countries will organise many high-level mutual visits./. Danvers, MA (01923) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High 54F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Cloudy skies early with showers later at night. Low 44F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Organizers of protests planned for today and Sunday near the Peace Bridge promise it will be peaceful. The danger is that agitators from out of town, inspired by the trucker convoys in Canada, will get carried away and attempt to shut down our international bridge crossings. Local law enforcement needs to be on alert and ready to preserve order. Western New York and Canada have many connections that cant be allowed to rupture. The truckers blockading of other crossings between our two countries has already harmed automakers, an industry that is a significant source of jobs in Western New York. Canadian and provincial officials have been criticized for being too tolerant of the protests that have paralyzed the streets of Ottawa for about two weeks. Perpetrators of illegal activities must be held accountable. The theory of civil disobedience is that its practitioners know they will be arrested if they break the law; the same should apply to truckers and those supporting unlawful blockades. The trucker protests in Ottawa have fed off support from conservatives in the United States and other right-wing groups who campaign against vaccine and mask mandates. Former President Donald Trump, in a statement last week, called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a far left lunatic, whose insane covid mandates are destroying Canada. Protesters in Ottawa have been seen carrying Confederate battle flags, swastikas and QAnon banners. One convoy headed to Buffalo this weekend is from New York City, another from Nashville. One of the Nashville organizers, Penny Fay, told The News this week that her group plans a peaceful protest by a bunch of mama bears and papa bears. If other groups show, we want a peaceful demonstration and no problems. We saw during the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection that a mob mentality can infect even well-meaning demonstrators. The gatherings at Pat Sole Park (one after a procession through downtown Buffalo) may turn out to be small in scale and look more like a stopover of tourists on their way to Niagara Falls than a march on Washington. However, the events of recent weeks in Ottawa show that law enforcement here needs to stay alert. When protesters on Thursday shut down the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, Ont., the disruption was felt here, as trucks diverted from the Michigan bridge came to use the Peace Bridge, causing a backup to downtown Buffalo. The more serious effects will be a chain reaction from blows to the auto industry. General Motors, Ford, Honda and Toyota have already cut back production at several factories in Michigan and Ontario, due to the blockades. Fords factory and assembly plant in Oakville, Ont., are running at reduced capacity. An industry already coping with supply chain turmoil during the worldwide pandemic now must absorb further shocks thanks to the truckers and those funding them. Apart from the large automakers, small auto parts suppliers and independent truckers will suffer collateral damage as the protests continue. And GMs large presence in Western New York means livelihoods are at stake here. Protest groups are organizing similar convoys and marches in the U.S. We dont agree with their view that vaccine mandates have taken away our freedoms as Americans. We are fond of the life part in life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. At the same time, one of the freedoms guaranteed in our Constitution is the right to dissent. That can be done without violating laws and infringing on others. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Sanford, NC (27330) Today Partly cloudy with afternoon showers or thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 88F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies during the evening will give way to cloudy skies overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low around 65F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Look no further than the threats lodged against Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz to see in microcosm the social deterioration that is pervading the country as civility goes by the boards. Those provocations amount to a kind of assault that frays society, undermines democracy and, if thats not enough, costs public money. Poloncarz is once again being protected by a taxpayer-funded security detail as threats against him once again spike in severity. One of them, he recently told The News, involved someone who seems to know where Ive been at various locations, saying theyre going to shoot me in the head. The immediate issue is the pandemic and the thankless task of responding to an enemy invader too small to see. Its a challenge unlike any seen in 100 years and the tools that can contain it social distancing, masking, vaccinations and the ability of governments to mandate them were bound to be controversial, even as they have been shown to work. Controversy is fine. Its pardon the word endemic to democracy. What isnt, and what cant be, is violence or even the threat of it, including its instigation. Yet the threats against Poloncarz since 2019 have twice become so significant that a security detail needed to be assigned to protect him. Thats not simply or even mainly because of a groundswell of grass-roots opposition. Much of it is driven by purposeful misinformation, political recklessness and self-promotion, such as that practiced by Spotifys Joe Rogan. Thats happening here, too. With highly placed critics dealing in hyperbole, its hardly surprising that Poloncarz would attract death threats. Prominent among those critics is Marilla Supervisor Earl Skip Gingerich Jr., who casually claimed that Poloncarz is acting like a king or even a tyrant. That kind of loose talk can have repercussions. When someone foolishly began pounding on three of the doors at the county executive's home, recently, Poloncarz didn't know that it was a process server. The incident ended safely, but when threats are rising and people like Gingerich are recklessly raising the temperature, misunderstandings can turn into tragedies. It happens. Public officials have a duty to public safety, even when especially when they are political opposites. As an adjunct to that confrontation, the process server went to Poloncarzs home because thats what the showboat lawyer Todd Adlinger wanted. Usually, such summones are served at the offices of public officials, as it should have been in this instance, as well. Adlinger claimed he had the papers delivered to Poloncarzs home because the lawsuit in question named him personally. Adlinger must think county residents are dumb. It was just another adolescent attempt to raise the stakes. Unfortunately for the country, this is the way our politics have been trending for years, and from both sides of the divide. Either strategically or out of ignorance, ideologues are quick to leap to the worst possible explanation for an adversarys actions. Thus, many Democrats who criticized then-President George W. Bush over the invasion of Iraq accused him of warmongering before even considering the possibility that he, like other public officials, was simply mistaken about the existence of weapons of mass destruction. Gingerich does the same when he accuses Poloncarz of tyranny, ignoring other explanations for his actions in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic: that people are needlessly dying; that the behavior of some people is infecting others; that hospitals are becoming dangerously overcrowded; that he was provided legal authority to act. That doesnt mean Gingerich has to approve, only that he and others similarly afflicted must learn to control their tongues. That s not hard: Think first. Talk less. Maybe things will start cooling down a little, given signs that the pandemic may be easing. Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday ended the states mask mandate for indoor public spaces and announced plans to evaluate whether to drop the rule for schools, as well. That could help, but the urge to extreme interpretation predates the pandemic. Indeed, the politics of 100 and 200 years ago was frequently cutthroat. But it hasnt always been like that and today, the risks are higher as the nation suffers under the unsavory influence of disinformation disguised as news, misleading social media and the Soviet-style lies of politicians scheming to retain power. We should try to do better. Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. Twice in the last two months, Kendra Riley appeared before legislative committees to implore for the passage of a bill that she feels could ease the burden for parents who endure the heartbreaking ordeal that befell her family in March 2020. Some may support the 14-day jail term that federal prosecutors are seeking for an Amherst woman who joined the Jan. 6 insurrection, screaming obscenities at police and urging rioters to hold the line while using her cellphone to record the deadly attack. After all, as some note, Traci J. Sunstrum counseled the mob against violence good luck with that and did not, herself, engage in theft, destruction or violence. She didnt? The mobs point was to overturn a fair election that didnt go the way the incumbent wanted. Thats democratic violence of a high order, far worse than vandalism and even violence, which occurs daily in American life. Fourteen days is a joke. No one who stormed the Capitol that day should get less than a year, including this peaceful insurrectionist. Heres a toast to the New York National Guard members who arrived in Erie County this week to help out at three nursing homes owned by the Catholic Health System. Its not the first time the National Guard has been pressed into health care service, as Covid-19 threatens lives and workers tilt into exhaustion. At least a dozen members of the Guard are expected here, not providing direct care, but freeing up other personnel to look after residents. Its a sign of how serious this crisis of nearly two years has been and how serious it remains, even as the Omicron surge wanes. Its also a sign to the unvaccinated to do their part. Anyone who fails to take that action is, directly or indirectly, risking the well-being of untold numbers of others. Mothers, beware: If your sons or daughters want to go ice fishing, there may be more going on than meets the eye, so to speak. That, at least, is the conclusion of Craig Shubert, mayor of Hudson, Ohio, an upscale suburb of Cleveland. Shubert believes that if ice shanties are allowed on a frozen city lake, then well, let him tell it: Does someone come back next year and say, I want an ice shanty on Hudson Springs Park for x amount of time? Shubert said. And if you then allow ice fishing with shanties, then that leads to another problem prostitution. Now youve got the police chief and the police department involved. Why didnt anyone else think of that? Could it be because theyre not goofballs? Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing. . , . A Five-Alarm Fire for American Democracy The warning signs of serious decline for many democracies worldwide are flashing red. In the U.S., we may be on the verge of the greatest political and constitutional crisis since the Civil War and quite possibly the suspension of American democracy as we have known it, in the words of Robert Kagan. I want to focus my discussion on two of these related threats: misinformation/disinformation and efforts to subvert our electoral system. The U.S. is in what many have called a post-truth age. For millions of Americans, feelings are becoming more important than facts and people are increasingly comfortable bending reality to their beliefsinstead of adjusting beliefs to match the evidence. The very notions of facts and expertise are being rejected by large numbers of Americans. At first glance this may seem incongruent with the fact that Americans have easier access to factual information, and more of it, than ever before. Imagine traveling back in time and asking a person that you met there to take you to their best library. Now imagine, once arriving in the building, pulling your smartphone from your pocket and explaining, This tiny device gives me access to exponentially more information than this entire library. You would leave him or her speechless. With all of this high-quality information at our fingertips, why do so many of us fall for misinformation and disinformation? A good portion of the blame can go to the internet, the decline of traditional news outlets and rise of partisan ones (including cable news, talk radio, and partisan websites), and the rise of social media. Despite easy access to more high-quality information than ever before, we also have easy (and often easier) access to more low-quality information than ever before. Millions of Americans do not know the difference between credible journalism and biased partisanship, lock themselves in ideological silos which continuously feed them messages and information that supposedly confirm their beliefs, and become addicted to low-quality information. There are valuable tools that can help, but many Americans are either unaware of or unwilling to use them. Imagine sitting at a table in a restaurant. Along comes your server with a plate of healthy food and places it on your table. At this point, 100 percent of the food in front of you is healthy. But before you can take a bite, another server places three more plates on the table containing unhealthy food. Now only 25 percent of the food on the table is good for you. If you desire to eat healthy during this meal, have these additional plates made your goal less attainable? Only if (a) you are unable to identify which plate contains the healthy food and/or (b) you are unable to resist the temptation to eat off of the other plates. This is a good metaphor for the current news media landscape. Our human brains are hard-wired to look for information that makes us feel good, avoid information which does not, and interpret information in a manner that makes it consistent with what we already believe and maintains our highest sense of self. This is true for everyone regardless of their political orientation. Most of us try to avoid information that might destabilize our view of the world and/or threaten our core beliefs, identities, and deeply held opinions. As social psychologist Jonathan Haidt explains, When the facts conflict with. . . sacred values, almost everyone finds a way to stick with their values and reject the evidence. When we only have a few sources of mostly high-quality information available to us, our cognitive biases are kept somewhat under control. But when there are seemingly endless sources of information available to us, and we have difficulty differentiating what is credible from what is not, our cognitive biases are unleashed to do their worst. Think back to the movie Jurassic Park. In that film, the dinosaurs do not pose much of a threat to park patrons when the security systems are working. But once Dennis Nedry deactivates them? Well, hold on to your buttsat that point, the dinosaurs eat people. Partisan news outlets, the internet, and social media have deactivated the security systems that kept our cognitive biases somewhat at bay. Now misinformation and disinformation help diseases once thought to be a thing of the past to rear their ugly heads again. They destabilize democracies. This is not some minor problem. Lee McIntyre explains that, The cognitive bias has always been there. The internet was the accelerant which democratized all of the disinformation and misinformation and diminished the experts. Democratization has led to the abandonment of standards for testing beliefs. It leads people to think they are just as good at reasoning about something as anybody else. But theyre not. At the doctors office, I dont ask for the data and reason through it myself and decide on the course of treatment. It takes expertise and experience to make that judgement. Just like I cant fly my own plane. There is a scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade where he is in the room with all of these goblets and chalices and doesnt know which one is the Holy Grail. Thats where we are right now. We have the truth right in front of us, but we dont know which one it is. Tom Nichols writes that, These are dangerous times. Never have so many people had so much access to so much knowledge and yet have been so resistant to learn anything. In the United States and other developed nations, otherwise intelligent people denigrate intellectual achievement and reject the advice of experts. Not only do increasing numbers of laypeople lack basic knowledge, they reject fundamental rules of evidence and refuse to learn how to make a logical argument. In doing so, they risk throwing away centuries of accumulated knowledge and undermining the practices and habits that allow us to develop new knowledge. This is more than a natural skepticism toward experts. I fear we are witnessing the death of the ideal of expertise itself, a Google-fueled, Wikipedia-based, blog-sodden collapse of any division between professionals and laypeople, students and teachers, knowers and wonderersin other words, between those of any achievement in an area and those with none at all. Or as Yevgeny Simkin writes: Lets take a short walk down memory lane. Its 1995. A man stands on a busy street corner yelling vaguely incoherent things at the passersby. Hes holding a placard that says THE END IS NIGH. REPENT. You come upon this guy while out getting the paper. . . No reasonable person would think of convincing this man that his point of view is incorrect. This isnt an opportunity for an engaging debate. . . Now fast forward to 2020. In terms of who this guy is and who you are absolutely nothing has changed. And yet here you arearguing with him on Twitter or Facebook. And you, yourself, are being brought to the brink of insanity. . . [Social media is] responsible for the tearing apart of our social fabric. . . An insidious malware slowly corrupting our society in ways that are extremely difficult to quantify, but the effects of which are evident all around us. Anti-vaxxers, anti-maskers, QAnon, cancel-culture, Alex Jones, flat-Earthers, racists, anti-racists, anti-anti-racists, and of course the Twitter stylings of our Dear Leader. A prime example of the threat that misinformation and disinformation pose to American democracy is the ongoing campaignwhat has become known as the Big Lieto delegitimize and overturn the free and fair election of President Biden. As Will Saletan writes in the Bulwark, Americans like to think our country is immune to authoritarianism. We have a culture of freedom, a tradition of elected government, and a Bill of Rights. Were not like those European countries that fell into fascism. Wed never willingly abandon democracy, liberty, or the rule of law. But thats not how authoritarianism would come to America. In fact, its not how authoritarianism has come to America. The movement to dismantle our democracy is thriving and growing, even after the failure of the Jan. 6th coup attempt, because it isnt spreading through overt rejection of our system of government. Its spreading through lies. Saletan notes that: In the last four Economist/YouGov polls, most White Americans without a college degree said President Biden did not legitimately win the presidency. Three-quarters of Republicans in a January/February 2022 Economist/YouGov poll said they believe that Biden did not legitimately win the election. An October 2021 Quinnipiac survey found that 94 percent of Democrats said former President Trump is undermining democracy, while 85 percent of Republicans said he is protecting it. In a December 2021 survey from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, 61 percent of Republicans said Biden is illegitimate because fraudulent ballots supporting him were counted by election officials. Forty-six percent said ballots supporting Trump were destroyed by election officials. Forty-one percent said voting machines were re-programmed by election officials to count extra ballots for Biden. In a Politico/Morning Consult poll from January 2022, more than 60 percent of Republicans said that in terms of violating the Constitution, the election was at least as bad as the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Two-thirds of these people (or 43 percent of all Republicans) said the election was worse. An overwhelming amount of evidence demonstrates that these ideas are false, and yet their support is widespread. Saletan closes by saying, Were in a battle to save democracy, but the battleground isnt values. Its facts. Were up against a party that spreads, condones, excuses, tolerates, and exploits lieslies about our political process, and lies about an attempt to overthrow our governmentin order to make Americans think that the party of authoritarianism is the party of democracy. And were in serious danger of losing. Misinformation and disinformation have been powerful weapons that leading political figures in America have used recently to further their authoritarian efforts to subvert democracy. Recent examples of election subversion include former President Trump admitting to wanting former Vice President Pence to overturn the election at the electoral vote counting stage. Kimberly Wehle, a law professor at the University of Baltimore, argues that we desperately need to fix the Electoral Count Act (ECA) for this very reason. Even though the ECA was not intended to give the Vice President the power to single-handedly overturn an election for no good reason, it is vague enough that somebody might be able to abuse it to that end. Wehle explains that, There are massive holes in the Electoral Count Act. It is stunning that there is nothing requiring states to count the popular vote. Arizona is proposing legislation to ignore the popular vote and allow the state legislature to pick the electors. That is not democracy. If this is not addressed, state legislatures and/or Congress can steal the next election. The future of our republic is at stake. Other alarming examples of recent election subversion efforts in the U.S. include (but are not limited to): Trump prodding and threatening Georgias secretary of state to find enough votes to flip his state from Biden to Trump (NBC News). Eighty-four GOP officials across seven states (including local GOP leaders, current office holders, and current candidates for public office) sending fraudulent documents to the National Archives in the hopes that these fake alternative slates of electors would be taken seriously and play a role in overturning the election (the New York Times, the Bulwark). Trump bringing leaders of the Michigan legislature to the White House to try to convince them to incorrectly certify that their state went for Trump when in fact it went for Biden (Politico). Partisan state election audits (Brennan Center). Trump wanting to seize voting machines and records (Politico, the Bulwark). Trump calling governors and local election officials to try to pressure them to fabricate voter fraud (USA Today). The January 6, 2021 insurrection (New York Times). Trump floating pardons for those who stormed the capital on January 6 (Politico). Trump wanting to install Jeffrey Clark at the DOJ to carry out his election subversion schemes (the Bulwark). American democracy is under serious threat. As Michael Gerson laments, recent developments in the U.S. are revealing the frightening fragility of the American experiment. And as Jonathan Last warns, America faces an authoritarian peril. This is a five-alarm fire for American democracy, and we are all going to have to do our part to put it outand there is little time to wait. Joining us on this episode of the Utterly Moderate Podcast to discuss all of this is Jim Swift, senior editor at the Bulwark. Swift worked at The Weekly Standard from 2012 to 2018, where his last post was as deputy online editor. His writing has also appeared in the Washington Post, the Richmond Times-Dispatch, the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and elsewhere. Before TWS, he worked for five years for members of the House and Senate as a tax staffer, working for Rep. Geoff Davis (R-KY) on Ways and Means Committee matters and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) on Finance Committee matters. In 2004, he worked as a field staffer for President Bushs re-election campaign. For a good example of the consequences of misinformation and disinformation, check out Jim Swifts piece in the Bulwark about what happened recently in Maitland, Florida. Also take a look at this cant miss piece from Anne Applebaum in the Atlantic about what Vladimir Putins objective is in threatening Ukraine. Further reading: The morning after a man was shot to death on the platform of Civic Center Station, BART officials sought to reassure the public Friday that its safe to ride the transit system, which is struggling to regain ridership lost during the pandemic. BART police said a 24-year-old San Francisco man, Shane Holman, ran down an escalator in the Civic Center Station at about 8:30 p.m. Thursday, following a man who was walking alone, and shot him at close range, from behind, near the foot of the escalator. Holman was arrested almost immediately by two BART police officers who got off an arriving train just after the incident and spotted the victims body on the ground, BART Police Chief Ed Alvarez said. Holman was booked into a San Francisco jail on suspicion of homicide. The victim has not been identified pending notification of relatives by the San Francisco medical examiner. At a news briefing at BART headquarters in Oakland Friday, Alvarez said six BART officers four police officers and two community service officers responded to the shooting within one minute. Two police officers and two community service officers are stationed at Civic Center one of BARTs most troubled stations during operating hours. The fatal shooting happened at a time when BART officials say theyre committed to reinventing the system to make it cleaner and safer for passengers to ride. The agency has invested in additional cleaning staff, crisis intervention specialists and transit ambassadors during the pandemic meant to expand the agencys staffs presence on BART. Alvarez said the permanent police presence in the station is a recognition that the station sits in an area of San Francisco beset with open drug dealing and use, illegal weapons and the sale of stolen merchandise. They are there to walk the station and platform and clear the stairwells, he said. Every minute of every hour that station is open, we have a uniformed presence there. While the shooting is still under investigation and the motive undetermined, Alvarez said, it appears it could have been targeted. Holman declined to be interviewed by police, he said. Alvarez said the suspect was not known to BART police but does have a criminal record. BART police are reviewing all available video from the station, the platform and the street as part of the investigation. Permanently staffing the station makes a big difference in deterring and promptly responding to incidents, as it did Thursday night, Alvarez said. He said the system grew safer in 2021 with crimes down over 20% system-wide, with violent crimes down 30%. But he said BART needs more police officers. The transit agencys police force has 125 officers but 22 vacancies. We are looking to hire as many people as we can, he said. Alvarez said his goal is to make BART the safest transit agency in the country and said a visible police presence on trains and in stations is important to preventing violent crime. Thats going to be reduced by having more uniforms out on the system, he said. The fatal shooting and subsequent investigation shut down the Civic Center Station through the end of service Thursday night, but on Friday morning, it appeared to be business as usual. BART trains zipped through the stations platform every three or so minutes as riders scrolled their phones while they waited for their trains to arrive. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Several riders either were unaware or ambivalent to the fact that a fatal shooting had occurred on the platform the night before. San Francisco resident Jimmy Hewitt heard news of the shooting before waiting to board a train at the station. He said the incident was terrible, but Im not surprised. Though he doesnt ride BART as often as he did before the pandemic, Civic Center remains one of Hewitts most frequently used BART stations. But for years, Hewitt said, conditions at the station and its surrounding area have been disgusting. He frequently sees drug dealers while exiting the station. Hes had a bicycle stolen from the stations secure bike room. Hewitt views Thursdays fatal shooting as part of a larger problem in a city grappling with rising homelessness, crime and drug addiction. Were expected to put up with this and live with this, and it sucks, Hewitt said. Zoe Larkin, a wedding photographer who takes BART to Civic Center Station almost every day to shoot weddings at City Hall, said she was shocked to hear about the fatal shooting. Larkin doesnt own a car and rides BART frequently for work, even during the pandemic. Still, she said, I think nothing much has been done to improve things like safety and cleanliness. She very rarely sees police or BART staff patrolling the station, Larkin said. I dont feel safe when Im walking around here, she said. I fear the worst happening, like a shooting. Michael Cabanatuan and Ricardo Cano are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: mcabanatuan@sfchronicle.com, ricardo,cano@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @ctuan, @ByRicardoCano Ann Joyce / National Park Service/Ann Joyce First responders pulled a mans body out of the water near Muir Beach on Friday, four days after a fisherman went missing in the area, officials said. He is believed to be one of three fishermen from San Francisco who somehow wound up in the ocean Monday afternoon after hiking from Muir Beach Overlook down to the water, officials said. There is no trail in that area and the overlook is surrounded by rocky cliffs, the National Park Services Golden Gate office said in a Tweet. A former Air Force sergeant and member of the far-right Boogaloo movement pleaded guilty Friday in the 2020 murder of a federal security guard in Oakland after prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty. Steven Carrillo still faces capital charges from local prosecutors, however, in the slaying of a Santa Cruz County sheriffs officer and the wounding of another officer near his home in Ben Lomond a week after the Oakland killing. Carrillo has pleaded not guilty. The security guard, David Patrick Underwood, 53, of Pinole, a federal contractor working at the Ronald V. Dellums building, was killed by shots fired from a van in May 2020 during protests of the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Federal prosecutors said Carrillo, then an active-duty sergeant stationed at Travis Air Force Base in Fairfield, used the protests as a cover for his attack and fired 19 shots from an AR 15-style semiautomatic rifle. Carrillo, 33, pleaded guilty in federal court in San Francisco to federal charges of using a gun in Underwoods murder and of attempting to murder another guard. The plea agreement calls for a 41-year prison sentence, but U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said she had not decided yet whether to accept it, and scheduled a hearing on sentencing for June 3. If she rejects the agreement, Carrillo could withdraw his guilty plea and go to trial, with a maximum sentence of life in prison. Before accepting the plea, Gonzalez Rogers required Carrillo to read admissions in his plea agreement saying he had aligned himself with the anti-government movement to carry out acts of violence against federal law enforcement officers. Underwoods sister, Angela Underwood Jacobs, testified tearfully at the hearing, calling Carrillo a coward but saying she opposed the death penalty in his case because it would be a waste of government resources. Prosecutors have also charged Robert Justus Jr. of Millbrae with aiding in the murder by driving Carrillo to the building and then fleeing with him. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Eight days later, Santa Cruz County sheriffs officers said they responded to a call about a suspicious van in Ben Lomond and saw a man with guns and bomb-making equipment. They said they pursued him and he opened fire and set off explosives, killing Sgt. Damon Gutzwiler, 38, and wounding another officer. Carrillo was also wounded before his arrest, and Justus was arrested later. Four other men in the Boogaloo movement and an armed militia affiliate called the Grizzly Scouts pleaded guilty last September to conspiring to destroy records connected to the Oakland shooting, including records of Carrillos connection to the militia. Federal prosecutors said one of the men admitted that Carrillo called him after the shooting and that he told Carrillo to delete data on his cell phone. Bob Egelko is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: begelko@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @BobEgelko Two years ago, a group of young homeless mothers and their children won a battle over a vacant home in Oakland, catapulting the group Moms 4 Housing to international attention and shining a light on the citys skyrocketing homelessness crisis. In late December, the first official tenants a mother and her toddler son moved into the West Oakland home on Magnolia Street where sheriffs deputies had arrived two years ago in armored vehicles to break down the doors and forcibly remove several families living illegally in the property. At the time, a rotating group of at least four mothers, who called themselves Moms 4 Housing, had moved into the house to protest speculation and gentrification in the city. The home was owned by Wedgewood Properties, a Southern California real estate investment company that bought and flipped properties, and it had been vacant before they illegally moved in. Moms 4 Housing pointed out that Wedgewood profited from Oakland real estate while many low-income families had been pushed out of their housing. Wedgewood had purchased the home at a foreclosure sale for $500,000 in July 2019 and took possession two days after the mothers came in. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Eventually, Wedgewood sold the home to the Oakland Community Land Trust for about $580,000. In a statement to The Chronicle, Wedgewood said it is pleased to have worked with the Oakland Land Trust to improve the community and help those in need. The trust then handed it over to Moms 4 Housing, which is now a nonprofit and has spent the past few years fixing up the property. Its only now that the first official residents have moved in: Bryana Wallace, a 24-year-old single mother, and her 1-year-old son. I love it, Wallace said. The fact that I can just have a place where I can go and have peace of my own it feels really, really good. The mothers case highlighted growing tensions around the citys housing and homelessness crisis. In 2019, the city had a 47% increase in homelessness in just two years, the largest jump in the region, to 4,071, with 3,210 of them unsheltered. Housing experts agree that the number has likely increased due to economic insecurity spurred by the pandemic. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Moms House is a symbol of what is possible when the will is there, said Council Member Carroll Fife. Fife, the lead organizer behind Moms 4 Housing, said shes not running the organization; rather, some of the mothers involved, including Dominique Walker, are at the helm. We had to break all of the rules to show the world what was possible, she said. Another mother and two children will join Wallace this year, and all will receive wraparound services including therapy and financial planning. The mothers must pay one-third of their income toward rent at Moms House, where they can stay for up to two years. Theyll get help building their credit and moving into permanent housing. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Just two years earlier, the home was uninhabitable, with black, moldy ceilings and crumbling walls. Renovations took longer than expected due to the pandemic and delays in getting building permits, Fife said. Moms 4 Housing raised about $400,000 in individual donations to renovate the home, adding a bathroom, installing new kitchen appliances and rebuilding the ceiling. While the home will shelter only five people, it still helps solve the regions housing crisis, said Tomiquia Moss, the founder and CEO of Bay Area homelessness nonprofit All Home. The crisis is so severe that no one solution will solve the problem, but cities should say yes to housing of all types, said Moss. She said rehabbing old homes is key to fighting homelessness because it typically takes less time and money to make those homes available. We know that those solutions work, there is data to back it up, Moss said. We need more of those in the region in order to meet our housing goals. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Walker, one of the original mothers who moved into the home in 2019, said Moms 4 Housing hopes to rehab more homes. The group is working with the Rising Sun Center for Opportunity, an Oakland nonprofit that offers workforce training programs for women in construction and building trades, to find future candidates for Moms House. Walker said they hope to eventually employ the mothers whove completed the job training to help renovate the homes. Wallace, who completed electrical, bricklaying and elevator training programs, worked at several construction sites before working as a manicurist in a nail salon. But after totaling her vehicle in an accident, she cant drive to work and lost her income though that wont jeopardize her place at Moms House. Wallace, who is from Oakland, was raised mostly in Antioch by her grandmother. When her grandmother died four years ago, Wallace didnt have anywhere to go. Wallace, whose mother is also homeless, wound up living in her vehicle before her aunt in Oakland offered her a place to stay. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Javyon Landry, Wallaces boyfriend, said he and Wallace have wanted to find a home together, but dont qualify for apartments that require tenants to make three times the rent. Landry, who just completed training to become a barber, lives with his mother in Oakland. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Its very frustrating, he said. Fife and Walker said Wallace is the type of person potentially vulnerable to chronic homelessness they hope to help through their efforts. Both Fife and Walker have joined local government. Fife was elected to the Oakland City Council in 2020, replacing a two-term incumbent, and Walker was elected to the rent board in Berkeley, where she currently lives. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle Fife said she plans to examine whether a social housing pilot program will be possible in Oakland a plan that would develop housing for low-income people as well as middle-income households whose rent would help subsidize their neighbors. She added that she plans to introduce housing legislation this year, but declined to give specifics. Walker said she plans to keep fighting for tenant rights through her seat on Berkeleys rent board. Moms 4 Housing also inspired city action: Legislation was introduced in Oakland and Berkeley that gives tenants the first right of refusal to purchase the home they live in if it goes up for sale. Berkeley officials are still discussing the legislation. Oaklands efforts have been on hold. Gabrielle Lurie/The Chronicle State Sen. Nancy Skinner, D-Berkeley, also introduced state legislation, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law, that allows cities and counties to fine corporations that let their properties sit vacant for more than 90 days. The legislation was designed to prevent large corporations from purchasing foreclosed homes. On a recent day, Fife and Walker walked through the new house pointing out the new blue paintings to be hung on the walls and the lemon tree in the backyard. Every time I come here, I get emotional, because my son took his first steps here, Walker said. Just the benefit of having a shelter and a space for your children is super important. This isnt enough we really have to keep organizing. Sarah Ravani is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: sravani@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @SarRavani The attempt to recall District Attorney Chesa Boudin and the attendant crime in San Francisco narrative is one of the if not the single biggest causes celebres for national right-wing media and wealthy conservative donors at the moment. Two-thirds of the Boudin recall campaigns biggest PAC, $1.8 million, is funded by a single Republican donor. Fox News website has more than 1,000 mentions of Boudin over the past year alone, Breitbart over 400. Tucker Carlson talks about him nonstop. Why? Is it because the New York-based producers at Fox News care about crime in San Francisco? Is it because Florida-mansion-dwelling Carlson is deeply concerned with the homeless population of San Francisco? No. Its because, for national conservative media, San Francisco isnt a place its a pejorative, a partisan punchline, an ideological watchword. Its important for self-identified liberals and progressives to understand this context and understand who theyre aligning with when they give the old refrain, Im a progressive, but ... This battle is not limited to right-wing media. Indeed, if it were, then it wouldnt be such heavily contested terrain. To politically agnostic and centrist Middle America, San Francisco, like Chicago, isnt a city; its a caricature of liberalism run amok. Whereas Chicago is racialized shorthand for Black criminality that is lurking inside inner cities, San Francisco refers to a far left, feminist, progressive, queer, communist ideology thats gone too far. Look at San Francisco, this is what your future holds if you dont vote for Republicans. In one cartoonishly tabloid, anti-homeless Carlson segment from January 2020 entitled American Dystopia, he rails against the then-recently-sworn-in Boudin, turning to the camera and soberly telling the audience over images of human feces on San Franciscos streets, Whats happening there could be happening in your neighborhood. The people doing it would very much like that. This isnt to say there isnt genuine, organic opposition to Boudin in San Francisco outside of the right-wing media echo chamber. San Francisco, with the highest home prices in the country, has no shortage of wealthy liberals. As polls show, those with advanced degrees and more wealth and who are white tend to have much greater trust in police and related institutions. Theres also organic working-class frustration with reform-minded district attorneys. Despite reformers best attempts to act otherwise and the fact that opposition does tend to be whiter this doesnt mean it exclusively is. We must contend with the reality that multiracial working-class opposition to progressive district attorneys and support for aggressive policing does exist and grapple with how to address these real concerns. But thats not really whats driving the recall effort. As a matter of reality, its certainly not whos funding it, why media is fueling it and who is using San Francisco not as a real place with real people, but a partisan proxy battle with the Boudin recall simply serving as a stand-in for anti-liberalism and 1990s tough on crime politics. Often when I, a Chicago-based writer and media critic, comment on the national attacks on Boudin or Proposition 47 or the border reform movement in California, I am met with a torrent of criticism insisting that I, having not lived in the Bay Area, could never understand whats really going on. Strangely, this refrain is never used for the literally thousands of stories in New York-based Fox News, the San Diego based-OANN, the New York-based New York Post or London-based Daily Mail when they rant and rave against the woke prosecutor in San Francisco or any of the over 300 outlets that covered the now-infamous Walgreens shoplifting episode all but a handful of which are outside the Bay Area. One must live in San Francisco to defend police and prison reform in San Francisco, but this is not a requirement to pile on the attacks on it or fund the Boudin recall campaign. Much like the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.s socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor adage, the loudest pro-recall voices demand hyperlocalism for those lobbying for reform and decarceral solutions to crime and homelessness, while ignoring the well-funded-by-outside-money global campaign for those working against them. Its true, some pro-Boudin money comes from donors outside San Francisco, but a larger amount of outside money pours into the pro-recall political action committees and groups. And even those who nominally live in San Francisco, such as pro-recall billionaire funder Miriam L. Haas, have multiple residences outside of the city. Put another way: This stopped only being about San Francisco a long time ago. The recall, and broader attacks on reform in San Francisco, carries with it tremendous stakes for reform efforts across the country. Wealthy, pro-carceral forces are trying to make an example out of Boudin: Dont toe the tough on crime line, and you will suffer costly political battles nonstop. Other progressive district attorneys, like New Yorks Alvin Bragg, got the message and are backing off meaningful reforms after facing similar media piling on. And, on Feb. 2, the San Francisco Police Department unilaterally terminated a memorandum of understanding with Boudins office to cooperate on use-of-force incidents effectively telling the world that the department will just investigate its own misconduct. Liberals aligning with these forces do so at tremendous costs. The U.S. is already the most incarcerated country on the planet, ranking No.1 in putting humans in cages per capita out of 195 countries. The idea that the solution to our social ills is to unleash police to put even more people in cages defies all common sense. Yet its the logical outcome of the current anti-reform backlash. Liberals backing the recall may view Boudin as a purely local matter who can be bifurcated from the broader push to bring back 1990s-era crime laws but a foaming right-wing media machine certainly doesnt. Adam Johnson is co-host of the Citations Needed podcast and writes at his Substack, The Column. ELECTION RESULTS: Track live election results on the San Francisco school board recall and Assembly District 17 race. As of Thursday, just over 105,000 San Francisco voters had returned their mail-in ballots for the citywide special election on Tuesday. Thats just a fraction of the early return rates in recent elections, according to data from the San Francisco Department of Elections. In the most recent 2021 statewide special election in which Gov. Gavin Newsom was up for recall, the number of vote-by-mail ballots returned by San Francisco voters five days before Election Day was roughly 220,000 more than double the current tally for this election. For the 2020 presidential election, there were 270,000 returned at a similar point in time. These numbers translate to early return rates the number of returned ballots divided by ballots issued of 21% for the current election, 42% for the 2021 Newsom recall and 50% for the 2020 presidential election. The Feb. 15 special election ballot asks all San Franciscans to vote on the recall of three San Francisco Unified School District board members and for city assessor-recorder. Voters living in the eastern half of the city will also vote on their state assembly representative. Similar to the last two elections 2021 Newsom and 2020 presidential elections all registered voters received ballots in the mail several weeks prior to election day a result of the vote-by-mail program established for the 2020 election in response to the pandemic. Voters can return marked ballots either by mail or in-person at polling locations or drop-off stations located throughout the city. The early voting numbers analyzed in this story are an aggregate of vote-by-mail ballots collected at these locations and ballots cast early at in-person voter centers, though the vast majority are returned vote-by-mail ballots. But despite every San Francisco voter receiving a mail-in ballot, Paul Mitchell, vice president of California-based Political Data Inc., expects turnout for this election to be much lower than the two previous elections. He also thinks a 21% early return rate tracks with rates of past citywide special elections. According to Mitchell, voter turnout is determined by two key factors: whether voters have the necessary means to cast ballots and whether they are motivated to do so. While sending mail-in ballots to all voters removes some of the mechanical hurdles of voting, people still need to be motivated to mark their ballots and return them. Giving everyone a ballot in a low-motivation election is not going to make people vote, said Mitchell. San Franciscos lowest-turnout election over the past two decades was the December 2001 municipal run-off election for city attorney, in which 17% of registered voters participated. Early turnout is higher in some groups than others. A quarter of registered Republicans have returned ballots so far 4 percentage points higher than Democrats early return rate of 21%. Registered Republicans, however, are just 7% of all registered voters in San Francisco, while registered Democrats make up 63%. This pattern deviates from what we saw in the last two elections, where Democrats had return rates that were 9 percentage points higher than Republicans by the Thursday before election day. According to Mitchell, the higher rates among Republicans in this election is in line with trends he observed in elections prior to the pandemic. Early votes are traditionally from voters who tend older, whiter, higher-income and more conservative, said Mitchell. Take for example, the 2018 gubernatorial election. On the Thursday before election day, the relative differences in party breakdown of early voters look similar to what we see for the current election registered Republicans were more likely to have returned ballots than Democrats by 8 points. This trend, however, was thrown on its head in 2020 when then President Donald Trump cast doubt on mail-in voting and the coronavirus pandemic prompted new legislation requiring vote-by-mail ballots to be sent to every registered voter in California, said Mitchell. Current return rates broken down by the citys two state assembly districts show lower turnout so far in District 17 the district whose representative is up for election. As of Thursday, 19% of ballots issued to voters living in District 17 were returned, compared to 22% in District 19. This, however, is similar to trends seen in overall voter participation in the past two elections. In both the 2021 Newsom and 2020 presidential elections, District 17 voters were more likely to cast ballots than those living in District 19. The Chronicle broke down the data even further by examining neighborhoods, as defined by the San Francisco Department of Elections, and identified neighborhoods with particularly high or low early turnout compared to 2021 participation rates. Among the top neighborhoods with the most ballots returned so far are West Twin Peaks, Sea Cliff/Presidio Heights and Diamond Heights. All three had relatively high turnout in 2021 as well. Some neighborhoods, however, have much higher return rates relative to 2021 turnout. In the Outer Sunset, 24% of issued ballots have been returned so far tied as the fourth-highest out of 26 neighborhoods. But in the 2021 Newsom recall, the neighborhoods overall turnout was ranked No. 14. Meanwhile, neighborhoods such as Haight-Ashbury and North Bernal Heights have relatively lower early return rates. Haight-Ashbury is currently among the neighborhoods with the lowest early return rates ranked No. 16 but had one of the highest participation rates in 2021 ranked No. 7. These neighborhood patterns mirror previous findings that show support for the recall of the three Board of Education members concentrated in areas in the western side of the city. For instance, the ZIP code with the highest share of recall signatures out of registered voters is 94127, located southwest of Twin Peaks, and the ZIP code with the second highest percentage is 94166 in the Sunset district. Nami Sumida is a San Francisco Chronicle data visualization developer. Email: nami.sumida@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @namisumida San Francisco officials investigating Recologys finances are looking into the trash haulers $200 million sale of its South of Market property to Amazon as they try to determine whether city customers are owed more money from the company. Last year, the company agreed to pay San Franciscans nearly $95 million to reimburse them for overcharges that city lawyers identified when they were investigating the wide-ranging corruption scandal linked to former Public Works Director Mohammed Nuru. City Controller Ben Rosenfield sent Recology a letter about three months ago asking about the companys recent financial performance. One of the subjects he wanted more information about involved the companys 2020 deal with Amazon. Recology has since responded to much of Rosenfields request. City officials said they were reviewing some of the companys answers and could not provide any more details. The controllers inquiry comes at a critical juncture for Recology, which could soon face more city oversight because of a ballot measure that the Board of Supervisors might soon put before voters. Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who is spearheading the proposed measure, said he thinks Recology might owe city customers money from the sale of its 900 Seventh St. property to Amazon. To the extent that San Francisco Recologys customers paid for the 900 Seventh St. site, the ratepayers should be reimbursed for whatever they paid because Recology sold the property to Amazon, Peskin said. Its just a simple fair is fair. Recology had owned the Seventh Street site since 1970, and the company once intended to put more than 1,000 homes on the land it had used as a truck storage yard. Amazon is planning a new warehouse and shipping station on the property. In an email to The Chronicle, Recology spokesperson Robert Reed did not address specifics of the Amazon deal, but he said the company is working closely with the controllers office to provide complete and accurate responses to all its questions. He said the company had seen no evidence to support the notion that it might owe San Franciscans any more money than what it negotiated with the city last year. Rosenfield had asked Recology to provide more details on 12 different issues. As of Friday, the controllers office had completed its review of many of the issues, based on information provided by the company, but several were still under review or waiting for responses. Its not clear how or when Rosenfield will respond to Recologys answers. In a statement to The Chronicle, he described his offices review of the companys finances as complicated work with some questions and information requests still in progress. Im satisfied with both the progress we are making and with Recologys cooperation with us, Rosenfield said. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Recology has a monopoly on San Francisco trash hauling because of a 1932 voter-approved law that says companies collecting waste in the city need a permit. All of those permits are now owned by Recology and its subsidiaries. But Peskin and Mayor London Breed have introduced a potential June 7 ballot measure that would allow the city to regulate Recology more closely. The ballot measure would put the city controller in charge of monitoring Recologys rates and proposing new ones. The measure would also give the city the discretion to cancel Recologys monopoly and start a new competitive process for trash-hauling permits. Recology had been working to put its own measure before the voters, but the company has decided to back off that idea. As a sign of good faith and our desire to reach consensus, we have pulled back our ballot measure and are focusing on discussions with the City, Reed, the Recology spokesperson, said in an email. J.D. Morris is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @thejdmorris For months, the parklet at the San Francisco Wine Society was a rare bright spot in the Financial District, a depressing ghost town for the past two years. Danielle Kuzinich filled it with plush furniture and electric fireplaces, decorated it with bouquets and hung chandeliers. Thirty percent of her business came from the parklet, much of it from regulars like a group of older women from the Gateway apartments, whom Kuzinich dubbed the Golden Girls. They parked their walkers each Tuesday at 5 p.m. to chat over rose and wild mushroom flatbread in one of the few safe places they could gather during the pandemic. Kuzinich won an award from the Chamber of Commerce: best parklet in the city. But on Dec. 31, the restaurant owner received a call that someone had trashed her prized space just before dawn, busting through boards that had been placed alongside it and secured with dozens of locks to protect it overnight. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle The vandal tore out the parklets windows and fireplaces, ripped up its carpet and wallpaper and dragged everything even a Christmas tree across the street to create a pile of parklet detritus. But that wasnt the only disturbing revelation. Turns out, two city police officers arrived midway through the vandalism spree, spoke with the man and left. Security camera footage from a business across the street shows the interaction between the cops and the man, who continued to tamper with the parklet after the officers departed, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage and costing Kuzinich an estimated $40,000 in business as she repaired it. The episode raises a question thats been asked by many San Francisco residents and business owners for years: What is the Police Department doing? Too often, the answer is not much. The shrug over the parklet destruction is just one more example of police seeming to throw up their hands and ignore crime rather than deal with it . The Chronicle broke the story in November that officers responded to a 911 call about a possible burglary at a cannabis dispensary and watched as a person exited the building, hopped in a car, executed a three-point turn in front of police vehicles and drove away. Police did not respond to repeated requests for an update in that investigation. While shocking, these stories arent new. For years, San Franciscans have described calling 911 to report a crime only to have police show up and say theres nothing they can do if they show up at all. Police say theyre struggling with increased scrutiny, a staffing shortage, sinking morale and a district attorney who they say wont prosecute many crimes. Whatever the reasons, some officers seem to have turned into bureaucratic fillers of forms rather than crime-solvers. Im speechless at this point, Kuzinich told me, after weeks spent futilely trying to get answers about her damaged parklet from the Police Department and District Attorneys Office. This is ridiculous. No one is doing anything. Officer Robert Rueca, a police spokesperson, said officers responded to the parklet after being notified of its destruction by firefighters at a station down the street, but that officers saw no signs ... that a crime was committed by the subject. The subject was released on scene. Kuzinich was dumbstruck by that response and she certainly isnt alone in her disbelief. In December, I wrote about a Tenderloin mom who reported to police that a stranger had just struck her in the head, but officers did little about it. That prompted numerous emails and calls with similar accounts. Kevin Ward, a Bernal Heights resident, witnessed the break-in of his neighbors home on Nov. 30. After he entered the house and screamed at a man in a ski mask who fled, he heard footsteps upstairs. His neighbor, away on vacation and alerted to the break-in by a phone app, had simultaneously called 911. Police responded but did not enter the house. They stayed on the sidewalk so long, the person upstairs apparently managed to escape, Ward said. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle The neighbor talked to police on the phone and asked them to check whether the burglars had stolen the keys to a car parked out front. The keys were indeed missing, but police said they could do nothing to protect the car. The next day, the car was stolen. Ward said the officers talked about the disdain for the current state of affairs and the futility of it all and seemed totally uninterested in apprehending the burglars. I was horrified, Ward said, noting that the citys ineffective leaders and increasing sense of lawlessness are worrying. Were just a mess! Officer Niccole Pacchetti, a police spokesperson, confirmed that police responded to the Bernal Heights home, but said officers arrived after all the intruders had fled the scene, an account Ward disputed. Officers processed the scene for evidence and authored an incident report, Pacchetti said, not answering a question about the accusation that police did nothing about the car. Ward said he didnt know what to do about the car and that the officers wouldnt even discuss possible solutions. Nilesh Vora also had a disappointing response after falling victim to a crime in San Francisco. The director of oncology at a Long Beach hospital visited San Francisco on Jan. 19 for a cancer conference at Moscone Center. A friend picked him up at the airport, and they stopped for dinner in Hayes Valley. After dinner, they realized someone had broken into his friends car and emptied her trunk including all of Voras luggage. He could tell from an app on his phone that his stolen laptop was in an apartment at Franklin Street and Golden Gate Avenue and called 911 to request police help in getting it back. The dispatcher, he said, told him to wait on the corner. He waited for more than 90 minutes, he said, but officers never showed up. There was this lack of empathy and lack of care when I was standing there at midnight, he said. It was this very disturbing feeling. He said he wont return to San Francisco, a city hes loved visiting in the past and one that relies on money from tourists and conventions to function. Hongzhi Liu is a father of three who lives in Castro Valley and works two jobs: at a telecommunications company and driving for Uber. He was doing the latter at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 in Glen Park when another driver, speeding, blew a stop sign and slammed into his car. The other driver refused to turn over her drivers license and insurance information, and Liu lay across the hood of her car in attempt to prevent her from driving away. A neighbor heard Liu screaming Call 911! Call 911! and did just that. But police didnt show up for two hours, by which time the other driver had called her boyfriend and fled on his moped. Liu tried making headway at Ingleside Station, giving police photos of the other driver and her license plate, but said police brushed him off there, too. Now, hes on the hook for a large deductible if Uber pays to fix the damage to his car. I just wasted my time, he said. I didnt get anything. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle Malia Cohen, president of the Police Commission, was speechless when I told her about the incidents. She asked for time to collect her thoughts before later texting, We expect our officers to vigorously pursue criminal activity. If they do not fulfill these responsibilities absent a compelling reason, such as to preserve an ongoing surveillance there should be accountability for the officers involved. Pacchetti, the police spokesperson, said she couldnt find any police reports regarding the cancer doctors stolen belongings or the Glen Park car crash. We encourage anyone who thinks they are the victim of a crime to contact us so we can fully investigate the incident, she said. Thats what the callers said happened in each of these cases, though, and the callers didnt get much help. As for the vandalized parklet, Officer Rueca and Kuzinich both said police were notified by firefighters at Station 13 just down the block who witnessed the destruction and that officers responded to the scene. Security camera footage from a hotel across the street shows what happened next. I viewed the footage, but the hotel refused to allow it to be shared with Chronicle readers. It shows that the officers talked to a firefighter who appeared to motion at the vandal, sitting next to the pile of parklet debris, and then return to his station. Officers then searched the man, looked in the parklet, motioned for him to move on, left the destroyed property strewn around, and drove off. The man quickly returned to the parklet to continue vandalizing it before the firefighter came back with two burly looking co-workers. The trio kicked the man out and cleaned up the area. Rueca described the man in question as mentally disturbed and said police found no active warrants for his arrest before releasing him. Drought Map Track water shortages and restrictions across Bay Area Check the water shortage status of your area, plus see reservoir levels and a list of restrictions for the Bay Areas largest water districts. Kuzinich said she grew increasingly outraged after getting the runaround from the department for weeks. One person at the department, she said, asked her, What do you want from us? What she wanted was accountability for the man who ruined her parklet, saying its not good for anyone, including the man in question, for him to be left on the streets with whatever mental illness or drug addiction led him to destroy a parklet. On Thursday, she visited the citys Department of Police Accountability to file a complaint, but was told she couldnt file the complaint in person and could do it online only. She also phoned the District Attorneys Office to ask if she could benefit from victim services, but said it didnt respond for weeks either. When I emailed the office about the case on Wednesday, she got a call within an hour. Someone in the victim services unit said a COVID-19 emergency had caused the delay, Kuzinich said. She said three people from the office met with her via Zoom on Wednesday to learn about her case. Rachel Marshall, a spokesperson for the District Attorneys Office, said helping victims is a top priority even if police dont make an arrest. She said the office is deeply disturbed by reports of police officers telling crime victims the D.A. wont prosecute. We cannot prosecute a crime when SFPD does not make an arrest or present a case to us, she said. Police acknowledge they have morale challenges. In his most recent essay in the Police Officers Association journal, union President Tony Montoya wrote about a crisis of police officers resigning and retiring because of more outside scrutiny and those left on the job feeling deflated. Theyre tired. Theyre frustrated, he wrote. And theres no help in sight. Montoya didnt return a request for further comment. In a recent video, Police Chief Bill Scott acknowledged hes not proud of the departments response times for low-level crimes, which a recent report by an outside consulting group called among the worst in the nation. Scott blamed staffing problems and has said the department has 25% fewer officers than it should. Data backs up anecdotes about police in retreat. These days, traffic enforcement has pretty much stopped. In September 2014, officers issued 10,801 traffic citations. In September 2021, they issued 824. Removing police from traffic enforcement is a noble goal, but nobodys taken their place as pedestrians and bicyclists continue to get killed and injured in high numbers. Property crime rates are high, while arrest rates are low. Last year, police cleared just 6.2% of reported property crimes. Mayor London Breeds controversial call for more policing in the Tenderloin hasnt yet become a reality. Seeing police walking the beat is rare. Frank Falzon, a retired homicide inspector who worked on famous San Francisco cases including the Zodiac, Zebra and Night Stalker killings, said hes sad to see current officers do so little proactive policing, including walking the beat. He said if you can get the same paycheck for driving around and filing reports for crimes that have already happened, its easier than interrupting a crime in progress and putting yourself at risk of physical harm and your career at risk because of increased scrutiny. Why stick your neck out and get involved? he said. The only one whos really losing are the good people of San Francisco. Some good people of San Francisco the Golden Girls from the Gateway apartments were back in the San Francisco Wine Societys parklet Tuesday evening, their favorite hangout fully restored. They said they were devastated by its destruction. It hurt me like a knife plunged into my stomach! exclaimed Sharon Elsen. Danielle works so hard and has put her lifes blood into this. To have this happen was just appalling, and the police added insult to injury by not doing anything. Helen Johnson, 85, said it was great to be back there with her friends. Shes taken such pains to create a beautiful space, Johnson said. Twice now. Lets hope that this time, it sticks. San Francisco Chronicle columnist Heather Knight appears Sundays and Wednesdays. Email: hknight@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @hknightsf Feb. 13 50-Bird 5-Stand Tournament at North Forest Rod and Gun Club, 6257 Old Niagara Road, Lockport, starting at 9 a.m. The 5-Stand building is heated. For more info call 438-2009. Feb. 13 WNY Winter 3D Archery League continues at Evans Rod and Gun Club, 864 Cain Road, Angola, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. $10 per week for 13 weeks. 3-6 person teams. There are classes for kids with a 20-yard maximum to open shooters with a 50-yard maximum. All targets are at known distances and range finders are allowed. The hosting clubs are Collins, West Falls, Evans and Glen Coe. Contact Jerry Gorski at 698-3008. Feb. 13 Niagara Region 3D Winter Archery League continues at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. Sign in time from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Other participating clubs include Wood and Brook Sportsmens Club, Erie County Conservation, Alden Rod and Gun, Double T and Allied Sportsmen. 14 weeks long. Contact is Marty at 870-2653 or John at 725-5822. New shooters and walk on shooters welcome. Feb. 13 Winter trap league continues at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is a scratch league, 300 birds, every other Sunday (next shoot Feb 27). There will be open and league shooting every Tuesday, including nonmembers, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. For more info contact Jim at 683-2224. Next shoot is Feb. 27. Feb. 15 Double Tap Action Pistol Shoot at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. First and third Tuesday each month through March at 6:15 p.m. Next shoot is March 1. For more info contact Fred Weymer at 359-2475. Feb. 16 Free Webinar on the Great Backyard Bird Count (Feb. 18-21) and how to get involved starting at 2 p.m. Sign up in advance at birdcount.org. Feb. 17 Indoor 3D Archery League (14- week) continues at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden, at 6:30 p.m. First line is 6:45 p.m. and second line is at 7:30 p.m. Shoot any night or all 14 weeks. Cost is $10 per night. Any questions call John Floriano at 725-5822 or Kevin Ulrich at 430-1059. Feb. 18 SPOT Shoot/League continues at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden, at 6:45 p.m. You can shoot a single spot, a 3-spot, or a 5-spot target for whatever practice you are looking for on the 15-position range. Cost is $10 each night for 14 weeks. Any questions call John Floriano at 725-5822 or Kevin Ulrich at 430-1059. Feb. 18 Ten X Shooting Club Junior Shooting Program continues for ages 9 to 20. Club is located at 853 Ransom Road, Lancaster. First time shooters arrive at 6 p.m. for instruction. Shooting at 6:30 p.m. Air rifles for 9 and up; .22lr for ages 12-20. Everything is provided by the club. Cost is $5 per night, which includes ammo. Membership not required. For more info visit tenxshootingclub.com. Next session is March 18, 2022.No shooting March 4. Feb. 18-21 25th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count. https://www.birdcount.org/ Feb. 19 Southtowns Walleye Associations Outfitters Fair held at their clubhouse located at 5895 Southwestern Blvd., Hamburg, starting at 9 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. Tables $35. New and used hunting and fishing equipment. Open to the public. Free entry and parking. For more info call 796-5372. Feb. 19 Raw Fur Auction at Hinsdale Fire Hall, 3832 Main St., Hinsdale, starting at 10 a.m. No fur checked in before 7 a.m. Sponsored by Cattaraugus County Trappers Association. For more info call Kevin Parker at 474-7251. Feb. 19-20 Free Fishing Weekend in New York State. Feb. 19 Chautauqua Lake Walleye Ice Fishing Contest sponsored by Hogans Hut, Stow from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Entry fee $30; Junior anglers age 15 and under, $15. Feb. 20 WNY Winter 3D Archery League continues at Collins Conservation Club, 2636 Conger Road, Collins, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. $10 per week for 13 weeks. 3-6 person teams. There are classes for kids with a 20-yard maximum to open shooters with a 50-yard maximum. All targets are at known distances and range finders are allowed. The hosting clubs are Collins, West Falls, Evans, and Glen Coe. Contact Chris Hogan at 628-4023. Feb. 20 Niagara Region 3D Winter Archery League continues at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. Sign in time from 7:30 a.m. to noon. Other participating clubs include Wood and Brook Sportsmens Club, Erie County Conservation, Alden Rod and Gun, Double T and Allied Sportsmen. 14 weeks long. Contact is Marty at 870-2653 or John at 725-5822. New shooters and walk on shooters welcome. Feb. 20 Winter Trap League continues at Alden Rod and Gun Club, 12 County Line Road, Alden. Scratch league, shooting every other Sunday. 250 birds shot by March 6; 300 bird league. For more info call Tom Ess at 431-9292. Next shooting date is March 6. Feb. 20 Indoor 3-D archery league continues at Alden Rod and Gun Club, 12 County Line Road, Alden. Noon to 3 p.m. every other Sunday. A total of 24 arrows each week. For more info call Phil Williams at 553-7445. Next shooting date is March 6. Feb. 21 Niagara County Fisheries Development Board monthly meeting at Maxwell Station, Olcott starting at 6 p.m. For more information contact chairman Mike Johannes at 523-1727. Feb. 22 38th Annual indoor Precision Pistol league at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden. Held every second and fourth Tuesday through March. Cost to shoot is $10 per week. For more information contact John Floriano at 725-5822. Next shoot is March 8. Feb. 22 WNY Chapter of Trout Unlimited virtual monthly meeting starting at 7:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Michael Hackney of The Eclectic Angler: Using Historic Fly Fishing Equipment and Techniques. Open to the public. Request a Zoom meeting link at meeting@wnytroutunlimited.org. Feb. 24 Deadline for the Erie County Federation of Sportsmens Clubs annual awards banquet set for March 5 at Klocs Grove, 1245 Seneca Creek Road, West Seneca, at 5 p.m. Tickets $45. Presale only. Contact Frank Miskey Jr. at 984-0610. Feb. 26 Roger Tobey Memorial Steelhead Contest sponsored by the Niagara River Anglers Association. Lower Niagara River and Lake Ontario tributaries. Sign up at Creek Road Bait and Tackle, Lewiston. $45 entry fee includes NRAA membership, the steelhead contest and $5 for largest brown trout. For more info call Ken Jackson at 946-6810. Feb. 26 37th Annual Pistol Versus Archery Shoot Cowboys and Indians at Allied Sportsmen, 12846 Clinton St., Alden, starting at 10 a.m. $12 entry fee. ($15 to include beverages). 30 rounds with pistol and/or 30 arrows. Top 10 scores for each. Call Kevin at 430-1059 or John at 725-5822. Submit calendar items to billhiltsjr@gmail.com at least three weeks in advance. Canceled: Feb. 17-20 - Greater Niagara Fishing and Outdoor Expo at the Conference and Event Center Niagara Falls. Go to niagarafishingexpo.com for more information. Spain has announced it will drop its entry requirement for children over 12 from non-EU countries such as the UK to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus (Lauren Hurley/PA) (PA Archive) Spain has announced it will drop its entry requirement for children over 12 from non-EU countries such as the UK to be fully vaccinated against coronavirus. The change comes into force on Monday to coincide with the half-term break. Many families cancelled plans to visit Spain during the school holiday due to its ban on UK children over 12 who are not fully vaccinated. The UK significantly eased its rules for arriving travellers at 4am on Friday. People who are fully vaccinated no longer need to take a post-arrival lateral flow test, which typically cost about 20 each. The requirement for unvaccinated arrivals to self-isolate has been dropped, but they still need to take tests. Aviation minister Robert Courts said the changes were a long time coming. He told LBC radio: Weve had a very difficult time both for the travel industry and for people who rely on travel people who need to go on holiday, people who need to work on their businesses, people who havent seen their friends and family for so long. And so this has been a long road but due to the success of the vaccination programme, I am really glad to be able to bring you this news this morning that we are taking the trouble out of travel. We are making it much simpler for people to be able to get about, to go on holiday and to see all those friends. Passenger numbers have been increasing as countries open their borders and ease restrictions (PA) (PA Wire) Hundreds of thousands of people in the UK are embarking on foreign trips during half-term. Turkey, Egypt and Portugal are among the most popular short-haul destinations, while departures to the US state of Florida, Dubai, Mexico and the Caribbean have sold well for longer-haul holidays, according to the travel trade organisation, Abta. Ski resorts in France, Italy and Switzerland are also in demand. Spains ministry of industry, trade and tourism, said from Monday that children aged 12-17 arriving from the UK will only be required to show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within the past 72 hours of arrival. UK adults will continue to need to be fully vaccinated to enter Spain. Story continues The countrys minister for trade, industry and tourism, Reyes Maroto, said: We are committed to making travel to Spain a safe and easy experience for our visitors, especially for families travelling with children. Steve Heapy, chief executive of airline and tour operator Jet2 said: This is very welcome news for families who want nothing more than to holiday in their favourite Spanish destinations. We are pleased to see the Spanish government taking positive action to welcome more arrivals from the UK and we know that this will lead to an increase in bookings. Jet2 said bookings for all destinations over the past four weeks for half-term trips were 30% higher than during the same period in 2020, which was before the pandemic hit the aviation industry. Stansted Airport told Abta it is expecting about 200,000 passengers to depart between Friday and February 18. Other airports to provide figures for the half-term getaway include Gatwick (186,000 passengers), Manchester (160,000 passengers), Luton (55,000 passengers), Bristol (55,000 passengers) and East Midlands (17,000 passengers). Cross-Channel train operator Eurostar said more than 125,000 people are booked to travel between the UK and the Continent during the school holiday. The busiest day will be Friday, when more than 16,000 passengers are booked to travel. Several services are sold out. I grew up in a household that read. My Mom read all the time and went to the library every couple of weeks to check out books. When I and my brothers were very young both my Mom and Dad read to us before bed. My Dad, not a fan of the library, always picked up the Chicago Tribune and read it front to back every day. I have a Kindle Reader and it is loaded with books, mainly history and biography. This is a very busy time of the year for me but I set aside time each night to read. Reading is a part of my day and a part of who I am. Over my adult life I am amazed by both adults who do not read and adults who have great difficulty. I do not blame the schools or the teachers, yet by the time you reach fifth grade your formal education on reading stops and as a student you are expected to be proficient reader. By reading you experience a world that is not your own. You can experience a time you have not lived in. There are cliches about reading that say you can go to another world and another time. That statement is true. I got the book The Wizard of Oz on Christmas in 1958. I never looked back. I was hooked. Yes that makes me a geezer, I dont care. I am a well-read geezer. What infuriates me right now are parents that say our precocious children dont need to be exposed to that book. That statement is usually made before a school board in Texas or Tennessee which then bans that book. To that end the McMinn County School Board banned a book about the holocaust and life in a Nazi Concentration Camp titled Maus. They cited concerns over rough language and a nude drawing of a woman, according to meeting minutes posted to the district website as reported by Fox News. In reaction the blowback books removal raised, the McMinn County School Board released the following statement, One of the most important roles of an elected board of education is to reflect the values of the community it serves (reporter Rachel Wegner, Nashville Tennessean). Not hardly, McMinn County School Board. Your role is to educate children outside your community to the realities of both history and the greater human experience. Hopefully by banning the book the kids will do what all kids do when you ban something. They will search it out and find it. There is a bad old joke that goes: People want sex education out of the schools. They believe sex education causes promiscuity. Hey, I took algebra, but I never do math.Author: Elayne Boosler Banning books does not protect anyone. Banning books keeps people ignorant. It also controls kids in the vain hope that they can be isolated from the world. One of the most remarkable books ever written is To Kill A Mocking Bird. I read it when I was in eighth grade. It was an English Class assignment. I grew up in a house where the n word was never spoken. That book gave me understanding on a world that was not my own. To Kill a Mocking Bird explained to me that even in my home town where the Marshfield Clinic was growing by leaps and bounds some people refused to see a foreign doctor from Ghana and even India. Their skin was the wrong pigmentation for them. Even with degrees from Harvard, Yale and Cambridge those doctors did not pass muster. Ignorance knows no bounds. President Franklin Roosevelt said, We have nothing to fear but fear itself. We often turn to fear to create conflict even where conflict does not exist. I dont believe parents banning books are looking out for their precious children. They are looking to protect their own fear and their own bigoted ways. Children have a bad habit of growing up and asking their parents questions they dont want to hear. Be prepared, parents, to explain why that was you at a local school board meeting acting out. Digital media lasts a long time. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) Local and foreign tourists on Boracay Island can enjoy free COVID-19 vaccine booster shots, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said on Friday. Tourists can avail of the free doses in a drug store, the secretary added. "Lahat ng turista na pupunta dito, foreigner o domestic, ay libre ang booster shot dito sa Watsons," she said during the launch of the Resbakuna sa Botika program in Boracay. [Translation: All tourists coming to Boracay, foreigner or domestic, can get free booster shot here in Watsons.] The news comes as the local government rolls out COVID-19 vaccines in pharmacies and begins its vaccine drive for children. "Ang sinasabi ng foreigners, ang gusto nila is that madali raw mag-travel dito and they feel safe kasi they found out about the vaccination rate at nagbu-booster na tayo," Puyat said. [Translation: Foreigners have said what they like about traveling to the Philippines is that it's easy and that they feel safe because they found out about the vaccination rate and the booster drive.] Puyat noted that as of Feb. 10, a total of 17,910 or 102.51% of the targeted population of tourism workers on the island have been fully immunized against COVID-19. Meanwhile, 2,671 or 15.29% have received their boosters. On Wednesday, the country reopened its borders to fully vaccinated foreign travelers, requiring them to only present proof of vaccination, negative RT-PCR tests, and outbound tickets. According to the Bureau of Immigration, foreign nationals made up a third of the international travelers who arrived in the country since Wednesday. The bureau recorded about 8,000 arrivals, of which about "27 to 30%" were foreigners. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) The Philippine government said about 40,000 individuals can be deployed once Taiwan reopens its doors to Filipino workers. "Pagdating sa number of OFWs na kaya nating ipadala natin dun, ang estimate ay about 40,000," Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) deputy administrator Bong Ventura told a virtual briefing on Saturday. [Translation: We have estimated that the number of OFWs we can deploy there is about 40,000.] Ventura added there are already 5,000 OFWs who are just waiting for the go signal. These workers were affected by Taiwan's ban on migrants in May of last year amid rising COVID-19 cases on the island. RELATED: 5,000 Taiwan-bound OFWs stranded after order to 'defer' entry of migrant workers Earlier this week, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office announced that Taiwan will allow the entry of Filipino migrant workers beginning Feb. 15. The POEA official said Taiwan officials have set additional rules, including documentary requirements on vaccination cards, RT-PCR test results, and quarantine compliance. "Walang babayaran ang workers sa additional requirements ng Taiwan, it's either 'yung employer or recruitment agency," he said. [Translation: Workers will not shoulder the payment for Taiwan's additional requirements, it's either the employer or the recruitment agency.] Meanwhile, Ventura said OFW deployment has started picking up in 2021. "Ang mabilis naka-recover ay ang seafaring industry. Sa land-based deployment, it is much slower," he noted. [Translation: The seafaring industry has recovered quickly, but land-based deployment is much slower.] He also said almost 700,000 OFWs have been repatriated, adding the POEA is working double-time to help them secure overseas jobs. Beijing Olympics gold medalist Eileen Gu is under fire from some fans after posting a possibly illegal way to avoid internet censorship in China. Gu, 18, was born in San Francisco but has chosen to compete for her mothers native China as a freestyle skier. Gu grew up in the tony Sea Cliff neighborhood and took ski lessons in Tahoe, initially competing as an American athlete before petitioning for a change of nation in 2019. It is not clear if she has renounced her U.S. citizenship China does not recognize dual citizens and Gu has declined to comment on the subject. Since arriving in China, Gu has posted on social media, which drew the attention of many fans in China. Sites and apps such as Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Google search and Wikipedia are blocked as part of Chinas Great Firewall, an attempt by the government to censor and control the flow of information. Why can you use Instagram and millions of Chinese people from mainland cannot, an Instagram user commented on one of her posts. ... Thats not fair, can you speak up for those millions of Chinese who dont have internet freedom. Gu responded, Anyone can download a vpn its literally free on the App Store with a thumbs-up emoji. A virtual private network can be utilized to mask a users location, allowing people to get around firewalls. This advice was not well received by her legion of fans, many of whom pointed out that downloading an unauthorized VPN is illegal in China. Others said Gu may be receiving preferential treatment that ordinary citizens dont benefit from. In 2017, a University of Washington student was arrested and detained for months after using a VPN to log into a school system to submit homework. Gu, who reportedly will attend Stanford University in the fall, has been careful to avoid any discussion of geopolitical issues. After winning the gold medal in big air Tuesday, Gu told the media about how she handles backlash. No matter what I say, if people dont have a good heart, they wont believe me because they cant empathize with people who do have a good heart, Gu said. So in that sense, I feel as though its a lot easier to block out the hate now. And also, theyre never going to know what it feels like to win an Olympic gold medal. Sharon, PA (16146) Today Cloudy with rain developing later in the day. High 69F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening, then mainly cloudy overnight with light rain possible. Low 53F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) Commissioner Rowena Guanzon believes the First Division's resolution junking the disqualification cases against Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos can still be reversed at the Supreme Court. In a virtual forum on Saturday, Guanzon said she sees the ruling as "weak" and too shallow. "Buti nga mahina itong resolution para madaling baliktarin sa Supreme Court," Guanzon told the Kawani Kontra Daya forum. "Napakababaw naman po ng resolution nila." [Translation: Good thing the resolution is weak so it can easily be reversed at the Supreme Court. The resolution is very shallow.] Guanzon also claimed that the "delayed" release of the ruling is all part of a conspiracy in time for the polls. "Ide-delay 'yung kaso ni Bongbong kasi alam naman nila na idi-disqualify 'yan ng Supreme Court (They will delay Bongbong's case because they know he will be disqualified by the Supreme Court)," she said. The First Division, which Guanzon previously headed, dismissed for lack of merit the three consolidated petitions seeking to remove Marcos from the presidential race. Guanzon earlier revealed she voted to disqualify the former senator, but her move was nullified as the resolution came out after her retirement. The petitioners have said they will appeal the ruling before the Comelec en banc. CNN Philippines' Stanley Buenafe Gajete contributed to this report. Try out LudingtonDailyNews.com for only 99 per month for the first 3 months, $9.99 a month after. Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-Edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. I wrote about these last month. Theyre out now, for sale. The price is shocking to me. Theyre $99 a pair. There are two ways to look at this. One: That its a remarkably inexpensive product to develop and make. But Im more inclined to err on the second option: Theyre loss-leaders. Theyre an inducement, or permission, to buy the rest of the groupset. Let me remind you again of what these are: true wireless remote shifting. But it our case, in triathlon, theyre true wireless bar end shifting, if we want them to be. Not that they were designed for this. SRAM hasnt explicitly told me this, but my instinct tells me there is no way these were designed with bar end shifting in mind. The design is not remotely appropriate for bar end shifters, pun intended. They were designed as remote shifters for drop or flat bar bikes. Second-position shifters. The 3rd and 4th shifters on your road, gravel or MTB bike. The other tell is that these shifters arent rechargeable, nor do they have all the smarts necessary to perform the tasks of primary shifters (which Ill get to, including the workarounds that allow them to act as primary shifters if you so desire). The Freedoms SRAM did it. SRAM was the first company to make bar end shifting wireless. Well it already did it, with the Zipp VukaShift AXS 90 extensions . But that product was only a semi-hit for two reasons: first, they were $800 a pair, kinda spendy; second, their introduction coincided with the debut of the kinds of extensions we all want to buy now, which are the full-length forearm-supported aero extensions similar to the Speedbar . Its too late now, and I wasnt smart enough to realize it at the time, but what SRAM probably should have done was intro the VukaShift extension while simultaneously offering the electronics to other aerobar makers. Which it can still do. And there is utility for sure in those electronics. These Wireless Blips ideally dont replace those electronics but work alongside them, which well get to.These Wireless Blips are light, theyre spare, they can pretty much be put anywhere on a bike. What they actually replace are a product SRAM calls Multiclics, which are wired remote shifters. Most of the AXS shifters that SRAM makes have ports that accept the jack from a Multiclic wire. The new Wireless Blips truly eliminate all wires. The only thru routing on an AXS-shifted bike, of any sort, for any discipline, are the hydraulic brake lines. The Restrictions The Freedoms you enjoy from wires, from Blip Boxes, from weight, from figuring out where to put all of the junctions and wires come with some hurdles. But hurdles are meant to be hurdled. Here is the first: these shifters are not rechargeable. Why? Because a 2032 coin cell battery which is the battery SRAM employs in just about every electronic device it makes other than its derailleurs is itself as large as the entire circumference of the Wireless Blip body. If you made this shifter rechargeable it would grow the size of the unit considerably. This Wireless Blip shifter is guaranteed to last 2 years, and is likely to last 4 years, perhaps up to 7 years. For $99 a pair, Im in. The only concern I had was notice. I didnt want to enter an event, train for it, travel to it, only to have my shifter die mid-race. There is no battery status light on a Wireless Blip, as there is on an AXS primary controller (road shifter, Blip Box, VukaShift 90), again because of weight and cost. But you can check battery status in the AXS app. For me, that solves it. Unless the battery is on fumes status viewable in the AXS app Im unworried. Above is a screenshot of my 4 Wireless Blips in the AXS app, and you can see the battery status on an enlargement of that screenshot. And remember, these were never designed as a primary shifter. So, if a remote shifter does die mid-race, so what? Its the secondary shifter. You can still shift the bike. But well talk about using this as your primary shifter in a moment. The second hurdle with this shifter is that it cant initiate the pairing process with your derailleurs. These shifters pair with your derailleurs, yes, but only a fully-vested smart wireless shifting component can execute certain AXS functions. What fully vests such a component? If it has an AXS button, and an AXS light, then it qualifies. Youll see the button and the light on any AXS road shifter, and on a Blip Box, and on a Zipp AXS VukaShift 90 aerobar extension. Only the components with the light and the button can execute a pairing session. So, look at your Wireless Blips as babies that need a midwife to come into the world, but once theyre birthed they can breathe on their own. This can be a drawback for you if you own no such device and you want to use 4 Wireless Blips as your primary (bar end) and remote (pursuit bar) shifters. But this is easily overcome. You dont need an AXS connection component to be on your tri bike. You just borrow the use of one for pairing your Wireless Blips. In my case, I have other bikes that are SRAM AXS shifted. I just placed my tri bike next to my gravel bike, and used a shifter on my gravel bike to pair the Wireless Blips with my tri bikes derailleurs. The process for pairing shifters and derailleurs in an AXS bike is this: I press the rear derailleur AXS button on my tri bike until it blinks slowly. Then I press the tri bikes front derailleur AXS button until the rear derailleur light blinks fast for just a moment. Then, I press the AXS button on my gravel bikes shifter (either the left or the right). Then I press the Wireless Blip on the right extension of my tri bike, then the left extension, then the right pursuit shifter, then the left. Each time I press the AXS button on a device, that green AXS light on the rear derailleur will blink fast for about a second. After Ive gone through this cycle I press the AXS button the rear derailleur and the green light will stop blinking. Im done. I dont need that connection device to perform midwifery any longer. You and I must follow this process exactly, when pairing our tri bikes (or road or gravel any AXS-equipped bike). Once done well be able to pull up these connected devices in the AXS app and when you see the Wireless Blips on the screen (above left) you can click Configure Controls, at which point you pull up the screen above right and can tell each shifter what you want it to do exactly, if something other than the default operations. But were not quite done. There is one more thing that midwife can do for us. The Wireless Blip cannot microadjust the rear derailleur. One SRAM feature is the ability to microadjust that RD, even while riding. The AXS button on (say) an AXS road shifter allows you to do that. But you need that fully-vested AXS shifting component to do that. So, after system pairing I used the gravel bike shifters of mine to perform the RD adjustment on my tri bike. Then Im done with those gravel bike shifters. If you had a Zipp AXS VukaShift 90 on your tri bike, as a primary shifter or if you had the electronics from that extension working on a different extension and you had Wireless Blips as your remote shifters on the pursuits, youd have it all. You can pair all the shifters using your VukaShifts (or the electronics from it in another extension), and those shifters would also allow you to adjust the RD, whether on the workstand or while riding. Because the shifters on those VukaShift 90 extensions are rechargeable, you never had to worry about a battery lifespan. Because the Wireless Blips carry their own power supply if something ever did happen to one of those VukaShift 90 bar-end shifters you still have the pursuit shifter to function in a pinch, to get you home. This is the very best current system for shifting a tri bike in my opinion, assuming I like the aerobar extension. But Using 4 Wireless Blips as your shifters on your tri bike is perfectly fine. Yes, you need to borrow the use of an AXS connection component, which SRAM calls a "controller". If you just dont have one, your LBS will. Anything hes got on any bike on his showroom floor, or in his parts inventory, will work. This will pair the system and adjust the RD and then you dont need that device any more. (A Blip Box is the one AXS controller that cannot, in concert with Wireless Blips, adjust the RD). Yes, the Wireless Blips have a defined life and then theyre dead. But, theyre $99 a pair, they last several years, the system is sealed against the weather, and you can track the battery life in your AXS app on your handheld. Yes, the shifter can nevertheless die. But you have 4 of them on the bike, but the only way you lose shifting entirely is if both left or both right shifters die during a ride or race, and thats about as likely as a comet strike. There are two things this system lacks that would make it just great, and theyre both AXS app emulators. It would be nice to see firmware updates to that app that allow it to handle pairing without an AXS controller borrowed to midwife the pairing of Wireless Blips to derailleurs; and it would be nice if the app had an emulator that allowed the microadjustment of the RD. But look, Im wired to look at a system not only as it is today, but as it will be in a month, or in 6 months. Are these emulators Im wishing for just a matter of writing code? Is it that simple? I dont know. But if those emulators were to magically show up in a firmware update, I think this completes the system and makes Wireless Blips good enough for OE spec on tri bikes specd from the factory. With one exception. Heres one way a Wireless Blip surely fails: It falls off the bike. In my opinion, the cages or mounts that SRAM makes for these are not adequate for use in triathlon. For example, in the pic above is where SRAM says you could put the Wireless Blip, versus where I placed it on my tri bike. I can pretty well promise you that if you put it right on the pursuit bar, where your hand goes, youll be shifting your bike by mistake, and often. I have mine mounted with a very aggressive 2-sided tape on the side of my pursuit lever (and SRAM does include 2-sided tape with these shifters). What requires a bit more strategizing is the bar end shifter mounting. Perhaps SRAMs view is you just put that included clip around the extension. But then Id have to add quite a bit of length to that extension. In the case of the Vision Metron TFE Pro extension's I have on my tri bike the length of the hand-hold is prescribed. My best bet is to put that shifter where SRAM already knows that shifter should be: as part of the extension plug. One solution is to epoxy, or 2-side tape, this Blip to a bar plug. But thats not straightforward. Most of the included plugs with clip-ons are half-round and the plug where you affix the Wireless Blip needs to be flat . Even this one below (left) has a slight bevel to it. You cant just put any old handlebar plug in the extension because the ID of a typical road bar (which is what most handlebar plugs are made for) is about 22mm (depending on the thickness of the handlebar material). The ID of an aerobar extension is more like 18mm or 19mm. Most handlebar plugs wont fit in there. Heres an interesting one, below right, from Profile Design. Its not exactly flat but has a contour that roughly matches that of the Wireless Blips. I think Im going to get a set of these if I can and try to use them as my bar end Wireless Blip mounting platform. I think SRAM is where it needs to be, right now, to claim a unique set of solutions for triathletes that make it a compelling drivetrain choice. Four of these shifters on an AXS Rival 2x or XPLR 1x groupset should allow a bike brand to sell an electronically shifted tri bike for under $4,000, if that brand didnt do what brands too often do, which is to assume that an electronically-shifted bike must also be spec'd from the factory with a $2,400 wheelset (just spec the bike with cheap training wheels and let me buy the race wheels I want, or use the race wheels I already have). The remaining work to be done to bring these shifters up to full (or near full) functionality are emulators in the AXS app, and a nice bar plug onto which I can mount them. Here are the Wireless Blips from SRAM. To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account. We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription. A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means youre helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much! Cavite (CNN Philippines, February 12) Cavite governor Jonvic Remulla and his clan are now officially supporting Bongbong Marcos for president and Sara Duterte for vice president in the May elections. The Remulla brothers - Jonvic, Cavite 7th District Representative Boying, and former Cavite 2nd District Rep. Gilbert - even joined Marcos in his caravan in the province today. Donned in red, the Marcoses' traditional political campaign color, the Remullas endured the heat with Marcos all day long from Tanza, General Trias City, up to Imus. "Categorically, we're together. I'm campaigning for him. We'll make all efforts to make him win," Remulla told journalists in General Trias City. He also promised to foot the bill for all of Bongbong's campaign sorties in Cavite, as well as the support of all mayors aligned with Cavite's current ruling family. 'Overwhelming win' But the biggest of all promises the governor made is to make Marcos win by 800,000 votes in Cavite - the second most vote-rich province with 2.15 million registered voters. Marcos defeated rival Vice President Leni Robredo in Cavite by 150,000 votes in the 2016 polls. He carried all towns and cities, except Alfonso and Carmona. When asked how he plans to fulfill his promise, Remulla pointed to their internal surveys where Marcos' latest rating is at 64%. "The next one is Senator Ping (Lacson) and Vice President Leni (Robredo) and his lead is really overwhelming. It is by almost 50%," he said. "Marcos country talaga ito eh (Cavite is really a Marcos country)." he added. Why Marcos? The Marcoses and Remullas go way back. Jonvic's father, the late Cavite governor Johnny Remulla, was a close ally of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. The governor said the Remullas have always supported the Marcoses whenever they seek national posts. "Every time na tumatakbo ang Marcos sa buong Pilipinas, (Senator) Imee, BBM, laging overwhelming sila rito. 2016 tumakbo siyang (Bongbong Marcos) vice president, panalo siya rito," Remulla said. [Translation: Every time a Marcos is running for a national post, Senator Imee, BBM, they always win overwhelmingly here. When he ran for vice president in 2016, he won here.] No bad blood with Lacson? Despite his support for Marcos' presidential bid, the Cavite governor said he and his province mate Lacson are still "very good friends." Remulla is a member of the National Unity Party (NUP), which is allied with Lacson's Partido Reforma. He said NUP leaders gave them the freedom to choose whoever they want to support in the May polls. "The senator and I had a good talk and I explained things to him," he said. "Our relationship is great. In fact, he texted last night. He was thanking me for all the help, I was thanking him for all the friendship and service to my father. There's no acrimony between the senator and I." Cavite is known as Lacson's bailiwick. He grew up in Imus City. He also carried the province - and the only one in the country - during his first presidential run in 2004. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Australian pop princess Kylie Minogue has moved back to Melbourne and is enjoying the new year in the embrace of her family while doing long-distant love. She talks to Sunday Life about her career, being in love and a sparkling side hustle. What made you relocate to Melbourne from London? I wanted to spend more time with my family. I moved back last year and didnt make any noise about it. Work will still take me back to Europe and the US, but knowing Australia is my base again is really lovely. Weve had to do things differently over the last few years, whether its making music, marketing my perfume or working on my wine collection [Kylie Minogue Wines]. But I was like, Why not? Just do it. Time is precious and its the evolution of me. Ive also needed to relearn many things about Australia like the need for Aeroguard. And I forgot how laid-back we can be, too. How will you make your long-distance relationship with your partner, Paul Solomons, work? Im quite used to it. What is difficult is explaining it and Im hovering around that right now because I dont have a traditional set-up when it comes to my relationship. I dont have the white-picket-fence life. We are in a very good space and we cherish that right now. As I get older and into being myself, I dont know if that other life is for me. We use the term fluid and pivoting, and I think its important to be fluid in life, too. You dont need to be put in a box, so to speak. What does a good relationship look like to you? At this point in my life a loving relationship is one that allows you to be you. I currently feel very liberated to be myself. Readers will appreciate that as we go through life we change and develop. I definitely know that I have been in relationships where Ive wanted to turn myself into a version of what I think someone else would like. To reach a point where you are just yourself and encouraged to be the whole version of yourself that is the thing to be cherished in a relationship. Was it ever difficult to find love and commitment while building your music career? Whats been more difficult is the person you choose to be with and how they handle that, not the finding love part. If youre passionate about your career, you need to find a way to be able to maintain both that and a relationship. I suppose it can present some challenges, but its either going to work or it isnt. You can try to have the best of both worlds. What does Valentines Day mean to you? I tend to be as romantic as possible whenever I can in my life, and that also applies to times like Christmas and birthdays. Id say Im probably a little looser with Valentines Day itself. To tie in with the occasion, I have the release of my prosecco rose, which makes its debut in Australia for Valentines Day. So yes, its a reason to celebrate. What memories do you associate with romance and wine? My very first trips with Michael Hutchence are a standout as some of the most romantic. I was about 22 years old and visiting the south of France and Italy and going to glamorous locations with him. He was an absolute bon vivant. Celebrating with a good bottle certainly marks an occasion as a couple. Eighty years since the fall of Singapore there is thought to be only one surviving veteran in NSW. A service of commemoration at the Cenotaph in Martin Place on Tuesday will go ahead anyway. February 15 marks the 80th anniversary of the day in 1942 that Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival surrendered to the Japanese. More than 15,000 Australian soldiers were captured. Of these, more than 7000 would die as prisoners of war. Ron Ferguson of Lake Munmorah on the Central Coast of NSW will attend a service to mark the 80th anniversary of the fall of Singapore. Credit:Peter Stoop Ron Ferguson, 83, will be travelling down from the Central Coast to attend the service. He was four years old when his mum Kathleen got a telegram that her husband William Mick Ferguson had died on February 10 five days before the surrender. She was sent a photo of a wooden cross with the inscription Buried near this spot. Mick, who worked in publishing, enlisted at the age of 39 in Sydney as a bandsman in 2/20th Battalion 8th Division. He played the baritone horn. He was taking ammunition with others to the front line. They werent seen again. A bold blue rubber stamp print on his service record states, Became missing & for official purposes presumed dead dated 10.2.42. Peter Norden was a prison chaplain and has worked in prison ministry in Victoria for more than 40 years, many of them within the Dickensian confines of Pentridge Prison. His newly released self-published memoir Seeking Justice in the Criminal Justice System in Australia reveals his unique perspective on a system that features not much justice and less system. Peter Norden has gathered insights that few others could. Credit:Illustration: Matt Davidson Over the decades of his working life, Peter Norden has gathered insights that few others could. Police, lawyers, prison officers, social workers, parole officers and the myriad of others struggling every day to keep the wheels turning often take one side or another of what has become a tribal divide. You are either with the cops or the crims. Peter did neither he worked for his god and his church and whoever needed help. He provided priestly solace to the families of the five prisoners who died in the appalling and preventable Jika Jika maximum security section fire at Pentridge in 1987. He was caught in the middle of the prosecutions that followed the horrific Walsh Street fatal ambush of two police officers in 1988. Six people have been arrested after a car was allegedly stolen, with police pursuing the group through Sydneys inner west which left one officer injured. Just after 11.20pm on Friday, police observed a Land Rover, that had been reported stolen from Dundas earlier that day, travelling on the M2 Motorway at Baulkham Hills. Six people have been arrested in Sydneys inner west on Saturday morning following a police pursuit. Credit:Nine A pursuit was initiated, but it was terminated shortly after due to safety reasons. With assistance from PolAir, the car was monitored while travelling through Sydneys west, inner west, and city, before entering the M4 WestConnex tunnel at Haberfield around 1.50am on Saturday. Research published in Drug and Alcohol Review in December 2021 suggests a transformation in the publics views on drugs over the past decade. But while Rebeccas views apply to all illegal drugs, the general public draws a sharp distinction between different drugs. The national survey found 26 per cent of Australians just over one in four supported legalising the personal use of cannabis in 2013. By 2019 this had risen to 41 per cent. Over the same time, support for legalising the personal use of ecstasy rose from 7 per cent to 9 per cent, while for cocaine, it went from 6 per cent to 8 per cent. Yet there was little softening of views about heroin or methamphetamine, with support for legalising personal use hovering around the 5 per cent mark. Professor Don Weatherburn from the University of NSW National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, a co-author of the paper, says there are significant harms associated with prohibition of drug use. People who get arrested for no other offence than using drugs end up with a criminal record that can follow them through the rest of their lives, and make them less likely to get a job, he says. Professor Weatherburn, the former head of the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, says he was not surprised by the support for legalising cannabis. He was more surprised by the growing support for legalising ecstasy and cocaine, yet still extremely strong opposition to legalising methamphetamine or heroin. He attributes it to the stereotypes of people behaving violently under the influence of methamphetamine or committing robberies under the influence of heroin. But while legalisation was a minority view, the researchers also found the general mood of the public was against really punitive sanctions, with declining support for imprisonment. Support for either no sanction or health treatment rather than punishment was highest among people living in the major cities, with a university education and earning more than $52,000. Weatherburn says the inspiration for the research was the huge public discussion about drug laws following the ice inquiry in NSW. Its about ... encouraging them to think about what they would want if a member of their family developed a drug dependency issue. Emma Maiden, Uniting head of advocacy The Special Commission of Inquiry into the Drug Ice, handed to the NSW government in January 2020, recommended decriminalisation of drugs and reframing substance use as a health issue with greater investment in treatment. More than two years later, the government still has not provided its response, though it did reject a number of recommendations outright, including pill testing and a second supervised injecting centre for the state. NSW Attorney-General Mark Speakman says the response to the ice inquiry remains under active consideration, and he expects an announcement in the near future. However, it has been delayed several times and last November he said he would be disappointed not to have the response released by Christmas. Several factors could have slowed down the process in the past few months, including the combination of a new Premier, Police Minister and Police Commissioner, the Omicron outbreak and the byelections this weekend. But Professor Dan Howard, SC, who led the inquiry, last May described the delay as a disgrace, while an alliance of peak medical bodies put out a joint statement in October saying that COVID-19 made dealing with addiction issues even more important. Speakman says the delays reflect the complexity of issues, which sit across several portfolios. There are over 100 recommendations that were considering closely, and we want to get it right, he says. Government sources have told the Herald the response will be about all drugs, not just ice, and focus on public health spending. Remaining discussion is focused on legal options such as pre-court diversions and an infringement scheme as an alternative to decriminalisation. For example, the submission from the former police commissioner opposed decriminalisation but suggested the increased use of criminal infringement notices for minor drug possession offences, as currently used at music festivals. If adopted, the consequence would be that drug possession would remain a crime, but police would have the ability to issue infringement notices that dont result in a criminal record. In 2019, the National Drug Strategy Household Survey conducted by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, found 43 per cent of Australians have used a drug illicitly in their lifetime, and 16.4 per cent in the past 12 months. But in a generational shift, young people are more likely to be sober than in the past back in 2001, people in their 20s were the most likely of all age groups to have used an illicit drug in their lifetime, but by 2019 it was people in their 40s. (This is a trend that applies to alcohol as well. The survey found teenagers start drinking an average of one-and-a-half years later in 2019 than 2001, and the proportion of 20-somethings who dont drink at all has trebled to almost one in four.) The institutes survey found three out of five Australians supported the availability of pill testing at designated sites such as music festivals, about two out of three supported needle and syringe exchange programs, and just under half supported supervised injecting rooms. When asked where money should be spent, people allocated more funds to education than to law enforcement for the first time in 2019. Uniting, the services arm of the Uniting Church, has mirrored this survey in key seats in NSW, proving to politicians that support for treating drug use as a health issue rather than a crime is high even in the most conservative electorates. Founding medical director Ingrid van Beek, left, and her successor Marianne Jauncey at the Kings Cross injecting centre. Credit:Louise Kennerley Uniting runs the Kings Cross injecting centre, which opened 21 years ago this May when Bob Carr was NSW premier, in what its founding medical director described last year as the last brave thing that happened in drug reform. It was the first of its kind in Australia but its success in preventing overdose deaths, referring addicts to treatment, and keeping drug use off the streets means other states have followed. For the past few years the Uniting Church has been advocating for decriminalisation of all illegal drugs and an emphasis on health treatment, through the Fair Treatment campaign. Unitings head of advocacy, Emma Maiden, says the campaign started in 2016 when a church member whose son died of an overdose succeeded in winning the churchs support for decriminalisation. After extensive work behind the scenes, the church launched a public campaign in 2018. She says Uniting identified a lack of services in regional areas and was instrumental in getting Premier Dominic Perrottet, then treasurer, to support the $7.5 million drug rehabilitation centre in Dubbo announced at the end of 2020. As well as public advocacy, Uniting has had hundreds of individual conversations with ordinary Australians about drug policy. So what does it take to change hearts and minds? Its about encouraging people to think about their values, and then encouraging them to think about what they would want if a member of their family developed a drug dependency issue or perhaps with occasional drug use, Maiden says. Would they want them to go to jail or be taken before the court? Or would they want them to connect with the health service? Some organisations working on drug policy support the full legalisation of drugs, because it would break users dependency on dealers and the underworld. Others, like Uniting, favour decriminalisation. Decriminalisation generally means removing the criminal sanctions for the possession of small quantities of drugs for personal use, while drug trafficking and dealing would remain crimes. Personal possession could be made legal, or become a civil offence. Rebecca grew up in Canberra where cannabis was decriminalised for cultivation and possession for personal use, and she wonders if the lack of criminal sanction made her stepmothers use more flagrant. Loading Thats the double-edged sword, she acknowledges. Yet she still favours decriminalisation as long as it comes with increased public health spending. According to the data, there were 24.2 million check-ins across Victoria in the first week of October and 25.2 million in the second week. Weekly check-ins rose to well over 40 million in November as Victoria emerged from lockdown. Those numbers have dropped dramatically, however, to an average of 20 million in the past few weeks despite increased movement with children returning to school. The Health Department declined to supply updated weekly figures, only saying that there had been more than 125 million check-ins in Victoria in 2022. Loading The department was more forthcoming when compliance was higher last year, providing a nine-week breakdown in early December demonstrating increasing check-ins. By the first fortnight of January, however, weekly totals had dropped to 25.2 million and then 24.4 million as industry groups called for the requirement to be dropped. Since then, the weekly average is 20.3 million check-ins, according to a calculation of the data. When asked, the Health Department did not challenge that number. The Sunday Age can also reveal mandates for using QR codes are based on health advice provided more than two months ago, before the Omicron variant took off in Victoria. Under the new pandemic-specific legislation, Health Minister Martin Foley needs to publish advice and the reasons for his decisions, how they impact peoples rights and why they are necessary. A person scans a QR code in the city in early January. Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui Explaining his January 12 decisions in documents tabled in Parliament this week, the minister said checking in at Victorian businesses was necessary to facilitate contact tracing and referenced advice provided by Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on December 10. Mr Foley has not sought new advice for QR check-ins since then, according to more recent decisions also published this week. His justification differs from public comments the Andrews government has made in recent weeks: that QR codes need to be maintained to avoid breaking habits in case of new variants and to enforce the vaccinated economy. Mr Pallas said it was practically impossible to trace COVID-19 cases while numbers remained high, with 7224 new infections reported on Saturday, but left the door open to tracing infections again if caseloads returned to a manageable level. The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 fell to 487 on Saturday, the lowest figure since January 2. Hospitalisations reached a high of more than 1200 last month, having beaten modelling of the Omicron wave by 50 per cent. The Health Department said 19 people had died with the virus in the past 24-hour reporting period, and 49.9 per cent of Victorians over the age of 18 had now had a third dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Loading University of Melbourne epidemiologist Nancy Baxter said the requirement to check in could provide some useful information, but she believed the government could prioritise the mandate in high-risk settings such as nightclubs or aged care. She said the government needed the public to believe there was a valuable purpose to checking in, or they could lose confidence in the system and stop abiding by the rules where it mattered. Its not reliable if you dont have the public buy-in, Professor Baxter said. But if check-ins were wound back, they might need to be reinstated later, she said. WADA to lodge appeal against Russian Anti-Doping Agency over lifting ban on figure skater Xinhua) 09:38, February 12, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding the anti-doping case involving a figure skater of the Russian Olympic Committee who tested positive for a prohibited substance in an event prior to Beijing 2022, the organization announced on Friday. WADA explained in a statement that the athlete's sample was collected in a competition by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) on Dec. 25, 2021 and transported to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Stockholm, Sweden for analysis which on Feb. 7, 2022 returned an adverse analytical finding for the prohibited substance, trimetazidine. The athlete was provisionally suspended immediately by RUSADA, but was allowed to continue competing at Beijing 2022 after the RUSADA Disciplinary Committee lifted the ban two days later on a hearing on Feb. 9, according to WADA, which decided to appeal against the the decision to lift the suspension. WADA's statement came after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Skating Union (ISU) announced to appeal against the RUSADA's decision to lift the provisional suspension on Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva earlier on Friday. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) Sarah Helen Clagett was welcomed into heaven on February 6, 2022. Her passing was peaceful. A memorial service will be held Tuesday, February 15, 2022 at 10 am at Brinsfield Funeral Home in Charlotte Hall, MD. The memorial will be available for live streaming on the Brinsfield website. A graveside service will be held later this summer in Whiteville, North Carolina. Sarah Helen was born to Robert and Helen High in Whiteville, North Carolina on October 6, 1938. She led an idyllic childhood, spending the school year in Whiteville and every summer at Lake Waccamaw, just 10 miles down the road. While she physically moved to Maryland as a young woman, her heart and soul never left Columbus County. Sarah Helen was raised in a Christian household and carried that strong faith her entire life. She had a large, close-knit family. In her household, the only thing more important than family was God. She was also raised in a musical family. Like her mother before her, Sarah Helen was an excellent pianist. She never stopped playing piano. Sarah Helen attended Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, then moved to Upper Marlboro, Maryland to start a career as a school teacher. That is where she met her husband, Tom Clagett. Tom and Sarah Helen were married December 28, 1967 in Whiteville, North Carolina. They soon welcomed three children, Tucker, Marnie and Helen Dasher. Her love and support was ever-present in their lives. Sarah Helen and Tom raised their children in the church. They raised them to love their extended family. They raised them to be musical. And they raised them to love Lake Waccamaw, since Tom loved the Lake almost as much as Sarah Helen. Sarah Helen stayed home to raise her children. She may have stopped working for the school, but she never stopped teaching. She taught piano to many of her children's friends after school. Many of the children of Upper Marlboro have memories of sitting at Sarah Helen's piano learning how to tickle the ivories. Sarah Helen and Tom were lifelong members of Bethel United Methodist Church. Sarah Helen served as church pianist for as long as her children can remember. She was also the choir director for most of that time. The Bethel community was a major fixture in the lives of her children, and a source of blessing for them as they grew up. Sarah Helen loved Jesus, her family, Lake Waccamaw, and music in roughly that order. She is preceded in death by her parents Robert and Helen High; her husband, Tom Clagett; and her brother, Bill High. She is survived by her siblings Bob High and Walter High; and her children, Tucker Clagett, Marnie Robison, and Helen Dasher Millman; and her seven grandchildren. Memorial donations may be made to Ambassador Camp, 702 Lakeshore Drive, Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450. Memorial Service Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. Tuesday, February 15, 2022 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM 30195 Three Notch Road Charlotte Hall, Maryland 20622 Memorial Life Celebration Gathering Brinsfield Funeral Home & Crematory, P.A. Tuesday, February 15, 2022 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM 30195 Three Notch Road Charlotte Hall, Maryland 20622 Interment will be private Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) Presidential candidate Sen. Ping Lacson assured voters there will be no martial law or a dictatorship if he wins the top post, vowing democracy will be preserved under his watch. "Definitely, democracy will be preserved. Walang (No) martial law, walang (no) dictatorship," Lacson told reporters in Davao on Saturday. The long-time lawmaker reiterated that the 1987 Constitution has set specific conditions for martial law to be declared, conditions that Lacson believes almost makes martial law itself non-existent. "Kasi, first, 60 days lang, ano - i-va-validate ng Congress. Pagkatapos the Bill of Rights are well-entrenched. Hindi magagalaw. Hindi pwedeng mang-aresto ng maski sino maski merong martial law," he explained. [Translation: Because it is only limited to a period of 60 days upon the validation of Congress. Also, the Bill of Rights is well-entrenched. It won't be touched. You cannot arrest just anyone even if there is a state of martial law.] The Constitution provides that martial law may only be declared to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion, when public safety requires it. Lacson and his running mate, Senate President Tito Sotto, are currently in the middle of campaign rallies for the May elections. Premier Dominic Perrottet has conceded the Liberals will lose the regional seat of Bega, while his government has also suffered a swing against it in Gladys Berejiklians former seat of Willoughby as voters sent a clear warning to the Coalition in byelections on Saturday. Labor is expected to win Bega for the first time since the seats inception in 1988 and is also likely to hold Strathfield. The Nationals will retain John Barilaros former seat of Monaro, but with a swing against it. Labor candidate in Bega Dr Michael Holland is on track to win the South Coast seat from the Liberals. Credit:James Brickwood Addressing the Liberal faithful at Strathfield Golf Club on Saturday night, Mr Perrottet paraphrased one of Prime Minister Scott Morrisons favourite sayings: How great is Bridget Sakr? he said, referring to the partys candidate in Strathfield. Sending a signal that the Liberals still hope to win Strathfield at next years state election, Mr Perrottet downplayed the partys failure to pick up the seat, which was vacated when former Labor leader Jodi McKay resigned. Dear Editor, Kindly allow me the opportunity to shed some light into recent conversations about Sint Maarten obtaining FAA Category 1. According to the article in The Daily Herald, SXM is looking into implementing what Curacao is allegedly planning to do to solve their Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) staffing issues. This plan entails adding yet another fee on already high taxes and fees that are levied at both airports. Needless to say, this will affect the travelers and the cost of airfares to and from SXM and Curacao. For those persons unfamiliar with FAA categories, in aviation, there are several "Freedoms of the Air". One of those freedoms gives an aircraft registered in country "A" the right to fly to and land in country "B". When we went from Cat 1 to Cat 2, we lost the right for aircraft registered in the former Netherlands Antilles (CUR and SXM) to fly to and land on U.S. soil. This is the reason Winair needs to "wet-lease" (renting an aircraft plus its crew) French registered ATR's if they want to fly to Puerto Rico for instance. Obtaining FAA Cat 1 certification will only be possible when qualified and certified Civil Aviation specialists are hired on both Curacao and SXM. The SXM and Curacao governments underestimated the importance of having a strong Civil Aviation Authority prior to 101010. The CAA lost the top Safety & Airworthiness Inspector, Mr. Isenia, and Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Francisco in the earthquake of January 10, 2010, that hit Haiti. Their passing exposed the low staffing levels of the CAA and a subsequent audit is a reason we have been Cat 2 for the past 10+ years. In the audit, it was determined that the former Netherlands Antilles CAA was short roughly 13-14 staff members. SXM was in the infancy stage of establishing its CAA with a staff of 4-6 persons. The most important point of discussion to retain FAA Cat 1 is staffing. There is currently a shortage of skilled CAA staff worldwide and because of that, salaries that are offered by Curacao and SXM CAA's can't compete with the world market. The only way to get the skilled and professional staff on board, in my opinion, would be to recruit interested persons and send them away to study for the specific CAA functions we require on SXM. This would require the candidates to sign a contract to commit to a minimum of 5 years of service following their training. This process will not happen overnight. The journey to obtaining Cat 1 status will be long and arduous, and the people of SXM deserve to know that, instead of being misinformed. Many governments in the world do not understand civil aviation's role of being the oversight for safety in aviation. They are the checks and balances for Air Traffic Services, Airport Operations, Security, Airworthiness of Aircraft, and much more. A lot of governments do not invest the necessary funding in their Civil Aviation Authority and we can clearly see what our result ended up being, going from Cat 1 to Cat 2. A budget for the CAA should have been front and center from day 1, due to the CAA's role in providing oversight for the main port of entry on SXM, not forgetting the airspace assigned to us. This is a department that provides safety oversight as the Return on Investment (ROI) and not necessarily financial ROI. In closing, let's give the people of SXM a true picture of where we are with regards to FAA Cat 1, and let's avoid using smoke and mirrors to distract people from the true status and possibilities. Duncan J. A. van Heyningen, ATC Specialist and Aviation Professional. Editors note: It will be good to know if the Government of St. Maarten especially Study Financing and the Minister of ECYS ever given scholarships with Civil Aviation in mind, especially a much-needed auditor. Somerset, KY (42501) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning, then mainly cloudy late. High 83F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening, then variable clouds overnight with still a chance of showers. Low 57F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) A total of 52,262 children aged 5 to 11 have secured their COVID-19 shots, five days after the government expanded the vaccination drive to cover the younger group. Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said only four of the children experienced minor reactionsincluding rash and headacheafter they were administered with Pfizer vaccines meant for their age bracket. READ: Gov't: Parental consent 'absolute requirement' for pediatric vaccination "Ito ay agad nating na-manage (We immediately managed it)," she said during a virtual briefing. Vergeire said the vaccination drive will be deployed to populous regions such as Central Visayas and Davao. "After next week, we will further roll it out to other areas," she added. The program was first launched in various hospitals across the National Capital Region. Outside Metro Manila, the Batangas Medical Center, the Southern Tagalog Regional Hospital in Cavite, and the Cotabato Regional and Medical Center also participated. Presidential Adviser for COVID-19 Response Vince Dizon earlier said the government expects that around 1.5 million children under this age group will receive the vaccine. In the beginning, there was an infinitely dense, tiny ball of matter. Then, it all went bang, giving rise to the atoms, molecules, stars and galaxies we see today. Or at least, that's what we've been told by physicists for the past several decades. But new theoretical physics research has recently revealed a possible window into the very early universe , showing that it may not be "very early" after all. Instead it may be just the latest iteration of a bang-bounce cycle that has been going on for well, at least once, and possibly forever. Of course, before physicists decide to toss out the Big Bang in favor of a bang-bounce cycle, these theoretical predictions will need to survive an onslaught of observation tests. The universe: Big Bang to now in 10 easy steps Scientists have a really good picture of the very early universe, something we know and love as the Big Bang theory. In this model, a long time ago the universe was far smaller, far hotter and far denser than it is today. In that early inferno 13.8 billion years ago, all the elements that make us what we are were formed in the span of about a dozen minutes. Even earlier, this thinking goes, at some point our entire universe all the stars, all the galaxies, all the everything was the size of a peach and had a temperature of over a quadrillion degrees. Amazingly, this fantastical story holds up to all current observations. Astronomers have done everything from observing the leftover electromagnetic radiation from the young universe to measuring the abundance of the lightest elements and found that they all line up with what the Big Bang predicts. As far as we can tell, this is an accurate portrait of our early universe. But as good as it is, we know that the Big Bang picture is not complete there's a puzzle piece missing, and that piece is the earliest moments of the universe itself. That's a pretty big piece. What is ekpyrotic theory? The problem is that the physics that we use to understand the early universe (a wonderfully complicated mishmash of general relativity and high-energy particle physics) can take us only so far before breaking down. As we try to push deeper and deeper into the first moments of our cosmos, the math gets harder and harder to solve, all the way to the point where it just quits. The main sign that we have terrain yet to be explored is the presence of a " singularity ," or a point of infinite density, at the beginning of the Big Bang. Taken at face value, this tells us that at one point, the universe was crammed into an infinitely tiny, infinitely dense point. This is obviously absurd, and what it really tells us is that we need new physics to solve this problem our current toolkit just isn't good enough. To save the day, we need some new physics something that is capable of handling gravity and the other forces, combined, at ultrahigh energies. And that's exactly what string theory claims to be: a model of physics that is capable of handling gravity and the other forces, combined, at ultrahigh energies. Which means that string theory claims it can explain the earliest moments of the universe. One of the earliest string theory notions is the "ekpyrotic" universe, which comes from the Greek word for "conflagration," or fire. In this scenario, what we know as the Big Bang was sparked by something else happening before it the Big Bang was not a beginning, but one part of a larger process. Extending the ekpyrotic concept has led to a theory, again motivated by string theory, called cyclic cosmology. I suppose that, technically, the idea of the universe continually repeating itself is thousands of years old and predates physics, but string theory gave the idea firm mathematical grounding. The cyclic universe goes about exactly as you might imagine, continually bouncing between big bangs and big crunches, potentially for eternity back in time and for eternity into the future. Related: Why string theory persists despite the knotty physics What happened before the Big Bang? As cool as this sounds, early versions of the cyclic model had difficulty matching observations which is a major deal when you're trying to do science and not just telling stories around the campfire. The main hurdle was agreeing with our observations of the cosmic microwave background , the fossil light leftover from when the universe was only 380,000 years old. While we can't see directly past that wall of light, if you start theoretically tinkering with the physics of the infant cosmos, you affect that afterglow light pattern. And so, it seemed that a cyclic universe was a neat but incorrect idea. But the ekpyrotic torch has been kept lit over the years, and a paper published in March 2020 has explored the wrinkles in the mathematics and uncovered some previously missed opportunities. The two physicists who authored the study, Robert Brandenberger and Ziwei Wang, both of McGill University in Canada, found that in the moment of the "bounce," when our universe shrinks to an incredibly small point and returns to a Big Bang state, it's possible to line everything up to get the proper observationally tested result. In other words, the complicated (and, admittedly, poorly understood) physics of this critical epoch may indeed allow for a radically revised view of our time and place in the cosmos. But to fully test this model, we'll have to wait for a new generation of cosmology experiments. So let's wait to break out the ekpyrotic champagne. Additional resources For a general overview of the Big Bang theory, check out " Your Place in the Universe " by Paul M. Sutter, which covers the history of the development of the theory alongside the history of the universe itself. The PBS Spacetime video series has a great video exploring the options for what may have caused the Big Bang. Another video , published by the Simons Foundation, features physicist Paul Steinhardt explaining the Big Bounce idea. Bibliography Kolb, E. and Turner, M. "The Early Universe," New York Westview Press, 1994. https://www.amazon.com/Early-Universe-Frontiers-Physics/dp/0201626748 Peacock, J.A. "Cosmological Physics," Cambridge University Press, 1998. https://www.amazon.com/Cosmological-Physics-Cambridge-Astrophysics-Peacock/dp/0521422701 Weinberg, S. "Gravitation and Cosmology: Principles and Applications of the General Theory of Relativity," Wiley & Sons, 1972. https://www.amazon.com/Gravitation-Cosmology-Principles-Applications-Relativity/dp/0471925675 Paul M. Sutter is an astrophysicist at SUNY Stony Brook and the Flatiron Institute, host of Ask a Spaceman and Space Radio, and author of Your Place in the Universe. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) Nine people were killed while three others were wounded in an ambush in Guindulungan, Maguindanao Saturday morning, officials confirmed. Police said the victims on a convoy of two vehicles were on their way to Barangay Kalumamis when the attack took place. The group included Peges Mamasainged alias "Commander Black Magic," a member of the inner guard base command of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). Local officials said Mamasainged was the possible target of the ambush. Those injured were rushed to the Maguindanao Provincial Hospital, Public Information Officer Fayed Cana told CNN Philippines. The suspects behind the killings are also alleged members of the MILF, authorities added. Further investigation is ongoing, but police said the likely motive of the incident is "the long-standing family feud or grudge" between the concerned parties. Milton, PA (17847) Today More clouds than sun. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 71F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Rain likely. Low 53F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch. Ashtabula, OH (44004) Today Showers early, becoming a steady rain later in the day. High 66F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 90%. Rainfall around a quarter of an inch.. Tonight Thunderstorms in the evening, then cloudy with rain likely overnight. Low 49F. S winds shifting to WNW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu discussed on Saturday, during a telephone conversation, with his Canadian counterpart Melanie Joly, about the worrying security situation in the proximity of Ukraine and the Black Sea region. According to a press release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), the discussion revealed the common vision of the two parties regarding the current developments and the need to continue the steps towards de-escalation. "Minister Aurescu and Minister Joly assessed the impact of recent developments on Euro-Atlantic security and welcomed the concrete measures taken within NATO and together with allied states, which demonstrate the solidity of the collective commitment to the security of the Allies on NATO's Eastern Flank. The Romanian official thanked Canada for its constant involvement in the efforts to reassure the Eastern Allies, including through the reinforced air police missions in Romania, and invited them to continue and develop the bilateral and Allied cooperation in the field of defense. The two ministers agreed to continue their close cooperation in defining and putting into practice the concrete measures to be taken in the event of a new Russian aggression in Ukraine, highlighting the very good coordination on this subject at NATO level and between the EU, Canada and the US. They also discussed the measures Romania and Canada can take together to properly manage the current regional situation and reiterated the commitment to Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the MAE release reads. At the same time, the Romanian chief diplomat stressed the need to strengthen the deterrence and defense posture throughout NATO's Eastern Flank and especially in Romania, highlighting the proximity of our country to Crimea and the regions where Russian troops are deployed. During the conversation, references were also made to the numerous Romanian community in Canada. "Minister Melanie Joly agreed with the potential for developing the bilateral relationship, pointing out the substance of the constant political dialogue between the two parties. She particularly appreciated the significant contribution of the Romanian community to the Canadian society, showing that it is a vibrant community from an economic and cultural point of view," the MAE release reads. Moreover, both ministers evoked the very good bilateral cooperation within the Francophonie, Agerpres informs. (CNN) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday that a Russian invasion of Ukraine "could begin at any time," including during the Beijing Winter Olympics, and the United States continues "to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border." The top US diplomat made the comments alongside his counterparts from the Quad -- Australia, India and Japan -- following a day of meetings in Melbourne and after the State Department and President Joe Biden warned US citizens to depart Ukraine immediately. "As we've said before, we're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time -- and to be clear that includes during the Olympics," Blinken said. The US and its allies have new intelligence that suggests Russia could launch an attack on Ukraine even before the end of the Olympics, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CNN. Prior to the start of the Olympics earlier this month, Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman suggested that the Winter Games, which are hosted by China, could impact Russian President Vladimir Putin's thinking about the timing of a potential invasion. Putin traveled to Beijing for the beginning of the Olympics and met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two released a lengthy pact pledging no limits to their cooperation. Blinken told reporters at the joint news conference Friday that the US was "continuing to draw down our embassy" in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv and "will continue that process." "And we've also been very clear that any American citizens who remain in Ukraine should leave now," he added. In Washington, the White House convened a meeting with several Cabinet members and senior national security officials in the Situation Room on Thursday night to discuss Russia's ongoing military buildup near Ukraine, two officials familiar with the matter told CNN. There have been several Situation Room meetings in recent weeks and months to discuss the brewing crisis, one of the sources said, but the meetings have grown more urgent in recent days as Russia has continued to move forces, weapons and logistical equipment into the area and increased troop readiness. Biden will hold a call with other world leaders at 11:00 a.m. ET Friday on the situation in Ukraine, a White House official told CNN. The leaders of Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, NATO, the European Commission and the European Council will be on the call, according to the official. Last month, the State Department authorized the departure of nonemergency personnel from the US Embassy in Kyiv and ordered family members to depart the country, and on Thursday it issued a new travel advisory for American citizens in Ukraine to "depart now via commercial or private means." Although Friday's Quad discussions focused primarily on matters related to the Indo-Pacific region, Russia's aggression toward Ukraine was discussed among the four foreign ministers. The top US diplomat repeatedly noted that the crisis goes deeper than the physical threat posed by Russia to Ukraine and could undercut the international rules-based order that the Quad countries have vowed to uphold. "What's at stake is not simply, as important as it is, Ukraine's territorial integrity, sovereignty, independence but very basic principles that have, in a hard-fought way after two World Wars and a Cold War, undergirded security, peace and prosperity for countries around the world -- principles like one country can't simply change the borders of another by force; principles like one country can't simply dictate to another its choices, its policies, with who it will associate; principles like one country can't exert a sphere of influence to subjugate its neighbors to its will," Blinken said. "If we allow those principles to be challenged with impunity, even if it's half a world away in Europe, that will have an impact here as well," he continued. "Others are watching. Others are looking to all of us to see how we respond. So that's why it's so important that we have this solidarity, that we do everything is possible through diplomacy, to try to avert a conflict and prevent aggression, but equally be resolute if Russia renews its aggression." Blinken said that although the Biden administration is "relentlessly" focused on trying to resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis, his presence in Australia for the Quad meetings "underscores our commitment to staying focused on the Indo-Pacific." State Department officials are busy preparing for a wide range of potential meetings between US and Russian officials that may or may not happen as concerns continue to grow over a potential Russian invasion, two department officials told CNN. The range of possible meetings include a meeting between Biden and Putin, a meeting between Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov or lower-level meetings. Blinken said last month that the ball is in Russia's court, and the officials said that remains the case when it comes to future diplomatic engagements. The United States gave Moscow a written response aimed at deterring a Russian invasion of Ukraine more than two weeks ago, and is waiting for Russia's response. When asked about the preparations underway, a State Department spokesperson said, "We remain open to meeting again with the Russians. And we will continue to closely coordinate with our allies and partners and abide by our north star: nothing about Europe without Europe." The spokesperson added, "Nothing about NATO without NATO. And nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine. The (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) is also an important forum for diplomatic engagement." Earlier this week, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said that the US is keeping the doors of communication open with the Russians, and did not count out a possible meeting between Biden and Putin. "We have not put that off the table but it has to be under the right circumstances," Thomas-Greenfield said of any possible Putin-Biden meeting. Diplomacy between the US and Russia has stalled in recent weeks. But Moscow has been actively engaged with other world leaders. French President Emmanuel Macron met Putin this week in Russia and the UK foreign minister met with Lavrov, also in Russia. "There is a lot of diplomacy underway. President Biden spoke with President Macron after his diplomatic efforts, and we are engaged in regular conversations with our allies and partners, including UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who was recently in Moscow," the State Department spokesperson said. The Biden administration has still not referred to the ongoing diplomacy with Russia in recent months as negotiations, preferring to hold out that descriptor for when the talks actually dig into substantive details. In Melbourne, the foreign ministers said they discussed maritime security, including freedom of navigation and combating illegal fishing, strengthening cybersecurity and counterterrorism, building resilient supply chains and providing vaccines to combat the Covid-19 pandemic. "Our region is in a period of rising strategic uncertainty," Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said at the news conference. "The rules and norms that have provided a foundation for our stability, and hence our prosperity are under pressure, in particular from authoritarian regimes." Asked by CNN whether the Quad had concerns about the lengthy cooperation agreement recently released by Putin and Xi, Payne said it was not about what the Quad was against but rather what it supports: "freedom and openness and transparency." "Where we see the sort of statement that was issued by the (Russian and Chinese) Presidents after the bilateral meeting, it is concerning because it doesn't present or represent a global order that squares with those ambitions for freedom and openness and sovereignty and the protection of territorial integrity," she said. Indian Minister of External Affairs S. Jaishankar did not voice similar concerns but rather reiterated that Quad is "for something, not against somebody." This story was first published on CNN.com, "Blinken: Russian invasion of Ukraine 'could begin at any time'" The Chief of the Defence Staff, General Daniel Petrescu, had a telephone conversation with the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States Army, General Mark A. Milley, the main topic addressed being related to the security situation in the Black Sea area, informs the Ministry of National Defense (MApN). According to a release sent on Saturday, the discussions focused on the dynamics of the security situation in the Black Sea region and the coordination of activities in the process of additional U.S. forces in Romania. The conversation between the two military officials took place on Friday and was part of the series of discussions that General Mark A. Milley had with the heads of the Defense of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Great Britain and Poland on common areas of interest in the field of security and coordination of the adjustment of the position of U.S. forces in Europe, the Ministry of National Defense said, Agerpres informs. The Minister of National Defense, Vasile Dincu, had a new phone call with the US Secretary of Defense, Lloyd Austin, on which occasion the American official stressed that Article 5 of NATO, which stipulates that an armed attack against one of the allies will be considered an attack against all, "is and will remain paramount", informs the Ministry of National Defense (MApN) on Saturday. "The discussions between the two senior officials took place in the context of the extensive consultation process that the U.S. is conducting with Romania, as an important strategic partner in the region, as well as with other NATO allies. The main themes of the conversation focused on the latest complex developments of the security situation at Ukraine's borders, namely the consolidation of the U.S. presence on NATO's eastern flank," the source said. Minister Dincu said that Romania is following with concern the evolution of the security status in the region and "is ready to adopt, together with the allies, the most appropriate defensive measures", depending on the concrete situation. "The U.S. Secretary of Defence has stressed the firm commitment and solidarity of his country towards its European allies, stressing that NATO's Article 5 is and will remain paramount. In this context, the Romanian minister conveyed his appreciation for the U.S. commitment to Euro-Atlantic security, namely the strengthening of the defense and deterrence posture at the Black Sea, by deploying the Stryker Battalion, respectively of some important U.S. air capabilities in the bases in Romania. He also stressed the importance of a coherent, unitary and rapid approach to decision-making at Allied level, in view of the NATO ministerial meeting planned for February 16-17 in Brussels," reads the release sent by the Ministry of National Defense, Agerpres informs. Denise Thimes and Daniel McRath rehearse the musical "Last Stop on Market Street" at the Grandel Theater in St. Louis earlier this month. The Metro Theater Company production continues through February 27. Finding and hiring the right employees for your company can be challenging. A good employee can positively impact your company culture and increase employee morale and productivity. A wrong hire, on the other hand, can cost your company both time and money. Read on for some of the best tips for finding employees online and in the real world. Table of Contents Find the perfect candidate that will help you take your business to the next level. Job Search Sites make it easier for you to find the most qualified candidates for your business. Click your state to learn more. How to Find Good Employees There are various tools and strategies you can use when looking for good potential employees. These include sharing the job post on social media, asking for employee referrals and using job posting sites. But before you do that, you must first create a detailed job description that includes the job title, salary range and information regarding benefits. Create a job post To find the right job applicant, it is crucial to write a good and shareable job post that clearly defines the position your company needs to fill. Check out our guide on how to write a job post to make sure youre targeting the right candidate pool for your open positions. Write a detailed job description Make sure to create a detailed job description that includes the job title, salary range and information regarding benefits. Here are some best practices for writing job descriptions that attract the best candidates: Provide details. When creating a job post, be as detailed as possible when describing skills, qualifications and responsibilities. This will ensure the most qualified candidates apply for the position. When creating a job post, be as detailed as possible when describing skills, qualifications and responsibilities. This will ensure the most qualified candidates apply for the position. Target the right job title. Be specific when writing job titles as opposed to using descriptions such as guru and ninja. This will not only sound more professional but also target potential candidates who are already fulfilling the same or similar roles. Be specific when writing job titles as opposed to using descriptions such as guru and ninja. This will not only sound more professional but also target potential candidates who are already fulfilling the same or similar roles. Use the right keywords. Make sure you are using keywords that accurately describe the skills and experience required for the role. This can help you match with the right applicants if you are using a job posting site or cast a wider net if the job description leaves room for interpretation. Make sure you are using keywords that accurately describe the skills and experience required for the role. This can help you match with the right applicants if you are using a job posting site or cast a wider net if the job description leaves room for interpretation. Highlight the perks. Beyond listing employer-sponsored benefits, add a description or videos and images, if possible that illustrates the office environment and corporate culture. Workplace culture is a major driver of employee engagement and productivity and can help attract new employees. Beyond listing employer-sponsored benefits, add a description or videos and images, if possible that illustrates the office environment and corporate culture. Workplace culture is a major driver of employee engagement and productivity and can help attract new employees. Make it scannable. To potential candidates, especially for those job seekers browsing on their mobile devices. Using short paragraphs and bullet points to break down job duties, benefits and salary specifications will make the description easier to read. Include salary and benefits A 2018 Glassdoor study found that for 67% of job seekers, salary is the primary factor when looking at job postings. Other important details include benefits (63%) and location (59%). According to Glassdoor, compensation transparency not only incentivizes prospective employees to apply but also helps them determine if there is long-term career growth potential in a company. If applicable, include information about health insurance, paid gym memberships, catered lunches, paid time off and remote work flexibility in the job post. As workplace trends have shifted toward flexible and remote work, candidates look for these specifications when searching for new jobs. Share the job post Once you have a detailed job post, share it on online job boards, social media and your companys website. Share the post on job posting sites The best job posting sites for employers can help you streamline the hiring process and improve your recruiting strategy through helpful templates and features that can assist you in managing time-consuming tasks such as onboarding. The best job search sites also allow you to add screening questions and assessments as part of the recruitment process, so you can make sure only the most qualified candidates will reach the interview stage. And if youre looking to post job listings on several platforms, job posting sites like ZipRecruiter share your posts on over 100 job boards simultaneously, saving you time and helping you reach the broadest pool of qualified candidates. Share the post on your website Posting your companys job openings on your careers page will target candidates who have been funneled through a social media channel or organically landed on your companys page. Additionally, aim to include applicable keywords that make your page SEO-friendly and likely to rank higher on search engine result pages. Share the post on social media Using social media channels such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook can be a great way to reach a vast pool of potential job candidates. As a professional networking platform, LinkedIn is a great place to find new hires. Once you publish your open positions on your LinkedIn page, ask your current employees to repost them to amplify their reach. Other useful social networks for job postings are Facebook and Twitter. Facebook has a variety of job-related groups divided by industry, while Twitter allows you to use hashtags specific to the role, industry and location. Share the post on print media A less popular option in these highly technological times is sharing a job ad on print media. Still, this is a good alternative for those looking to hire locally or target a specific industry. For example, many workers in the service industry still search for help-wanted ads in newspapers. A post in a local newspaper may also be a valuable tool to spread the word about local networking and recruiting events. Just keep in mind that print media ads are subject to publishing deadlines. Additional ways to find employees Finding top talent for open positions isnt limited to posting the job listing online or in your local newspaper. Promoting internally, setting up an employee referral program, targeting local job fairs and recruiting at universities are some tried and true ways to find potential employees. Promote from within The current job market is much more competitive than it used to be, making it harder to find and retain the best employees. In fact, as of last year, there were more job openings in America than ever before. The University of Massachusetts Global explains that promoting from within can save an organization time and money, as running advertisements, sourcing candidates and conducting background checks can be expensive. Plus, hiring employees internally also boosts morale and motivation and increases employee retention. Ask your employees for referrals As the saying goes, good people know good people. Employee referral programs incentivize current employees through cash bonuses and rewards to recommend other great hires. According to an Indeed survey, there are better conversion rates for job candidates that have been referred by existing employees, and these tend to be better performers and stay longer with the organization. Go to job fairs Local job fairs and annual career events afford great opportunities to pre-screen and recruit employees. Bring along your recruiter, human resources staff, or hiring managers and print out business cards and brochures with your about us information. You can also hold recruiting events at the office so that prospective employees can get a feel for your company culture. Recruit from local universities According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, colleges are great places to recruit top entry-level talent. As graduation dates approach, students are on the lookout for internships and job opportunities, so the likelihood of hiring successfully is high. You can sign your company up for college job fairs, partner with a universitys career center, recruit students from departments in your field of work and look for interns willing to work while at school. The perfect candidate for your open position is out there. Find them with a Job Search Site. With a massive database at their disposal, Job Search Sites can match you with quality candidates in minutes. Click below and meet them today. Summary of Moneys Guide on How to Find Employees The first step when looking for great employees is to create a job post with a clear job description that includes salary and benefits. Share the job post on job boards and posting sites, your companys website and careers page, social media and print media. Hiring internally can help you boost morale and save time and money. Creating an employee referral program can incentivize your employees to recommend qualified candidates. Job fairs and company recruiting events can help you increase brand awareness and let prospective employees know youre hiring. Recruiting from local universities or through job fairs may help you snag top entry-level talent. If youre starting a small business, read our article on how to hire employees for more tips. Copyright 2021 Ad Practitioners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Moneys full disclaimer. HAZELWOOD The president of the union representing hundreds of workers at GKN Aerospace here said Friday he was shocked and saddened to hear of plans to close the plant. We have reached out to the company to gather details about this decision, Tom Boelling, leader of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers local, said in a statement. Rest assured, the IAM will use every resource available to save and protect our skilled and dedicated membership, their families and the community. British firm GKN says the facilities off James S. McDonnell Boulevard, which employ about 900 making commercial and military airplane parts, have struggled in recent years. Unfortunately, we are suffering a combination of onerous long-term contracts, reduced orders, a declining customer base, and manufacturing challenges, site director David Higgins wrote in a letter to employees. Recently this has been exacerbated by the loss of key customer programs and the global pandemic. The companys decision sets up a likely end to more than 20 years in St. Louis. GKN bought the facilities north of Lambert Field from Boeing in 2001, with the understanding it would continue making metal and composite parts for Boeing programs such as the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet and the C-17 Globemaster III military transport. GKN grew plant revenue by 22% in its first 18 months and added nearly 200 employees, putting its headcount above 1,300, the company reported then. The following years saw executives boast to investors of continued progress. But by the beginning of the next decade, slower build rates for the C-17 and F-18 reduced sales. In 2012, GKN slashed 400 jobs here. And in 2016, the company was poised to cut another 300 jobs, the union said then. Higgins did not say what would happen to workers this time. I understand this will raise questions about your role within the company and the expectations of your team, he wrote in his letter. We will be sure to address those as we move forward. At this time, I urge you to continue to carry that sense of pride in the work were doing, and to endeavor to deliver quality products, on time, to our customers. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This year marks the 70th anniversary of Elizabeth IIs accession to the throne, an accomplishment that provides the opportunity for another book about the British monarchy. Tracy Bormans Crown & Sceptre brings short, vivid chapters from William the Conqueror to Elizabeth herself, much of it constituting a dark record of bumping off adversaries, rivals and spouses, confiscating vast estates and military invasions. It is also an account of the rise and steady diminishment of royal power. Borman offers brisk descriptions of the circumstances each monarch met in assuming the crown and nimbly sketches his or her character and talents or lack thereof. She chooses to begin with William the Conqueror, as his reign (1066-1087) transformed the country by killing off the Anglo-Saxon nobility, replacing the language, establishing feudalism and furthering the influence of Western Europe over that of Scandinavia whence many Anglo-Saxons originally came. Of paramount importance to the monarchy has been achieving an orderly succession in the face of regional and religious enmity, the ambition of powerful families and strife within the royal family. But discord between monarch and heir or would-be heir has been a recurring theme throughout British history. It was so before the Conquest and continued with the Conqueror himself, whose wife, Matilda, and eldest son, Robert, conspired to usurp him. He survived, unlike Edward II (1307-1327), who met an (allegedly) ghastly and humiliating death after being deposed and imprisoned by his wife and her lover in favor of his 14-year-old son, Edward III (1327-1377). George II (1727-1760) spoke for more than one royal parent when he described his eldest son and heir, Frederick, as a monster and the greatest villain ever born the greatest ass and the greatest liar and the greatest beast in the whole world. To be sure, Frederick redeemed himself by dying before he could inherit the throne and, in time, the crown passed to his son, our own former king, George III (1760-1820). Alas, he, too, had his hands full with his own eldest son, the future George IV, a libertine and spendthrift whose carryings-on, Borman suggests, helped tip his father into madness. Queen Victoria, the longest reigning monarch next to Elizabeth, was similarly appalled by her fast-living son, the future Edward VII. Indeed, Borman suggests that the prospect of this libertine becoming king kept the queen alive through sheer willpower. Though dynastic troubles are woven into the fabric of British history, it is only one element in this lucid, character-rich book. Throughout, Borman traces the changing relationship between a weakening crown and the growing power and makeup of Parliament, the countrys true ruler since the 17th century. And what of the crown today? Many British subjects would like to abolish it as an odious relic of the past, expensive and undemocratic. But what would that leave? Yet another overly wealthy family with no responsibilities, dignity or reason for being and a bleak final episode of The Crown. FRIDAY, Feb. 11, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday gave the nod for a new monoclonal antibody treatment that works against the Omicron variant. The emergency use authorization for bebtelovimab is for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults and pediatric patients at least 12 years of age who are at high risk for severe disease. Eli Lilly and Co. produces the treatment. On Thursday, Lilly announced that the United States would purchase 600,000 doses of the drug in a $720 million deal. The emergency use authorization comes as good news for people at high risk for severe COVID. The mutations of Omicron had rendered ineffective some of the previously available monoclonal antibody treatments, leaving doctors with fewer treatment options. "Today's action makes available another monoclonal antibody that shows activity against Omicron, at a time when we are seeking to further increase supply," Dr. Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. "This authorization is an important step in meeting the need for more tools to treat patients as new variants of the virus continue to emerge." Bebtelovimab works by binding to the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19, similar to other monoclonal antibodies that have been authorized for the treatment of high-risk patients, the FDA said. The agency based its decision on a series of clinical trials involving more than 700 COVID patients. The rates of hospitalization and death seen in those who received bebtelovimab alone or with other monoclonal antibodies were generally lower than those of a group that received a placebo, the FDA said. "Lilly has worked hard to fight this pandemic. Early in 2021, prior to the identification of the Omicron variant, Lilly scientists were already working to develop bebtelovimab as a broadly neutralizing antibody that could be used to fight a highly mutated variant, should one emerge," Dr. Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly's chief scientific and medical officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories, said in a company statement. "With the emergence of variants such as Omicron, treatment options remain limited. Lilly is pleased to provide another treatment option to help address the ongoing needs of patients and health care providers who continue to battle this pandemic," Skovronsky said. Possible side effects of bebtelovimab include itching, rash, infusion-related reactions, nausea and vomiting. More information Visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for more on COVID treatments. SOURCES: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, news release, Feb. 11, 2022; Eli Lilly and Co., news release, Feb. 11, 2022 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. FRIDAY, Feb. 11, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced Friday that it will postpone an advisory panel meeting that was slated for next week to weigh Pfizer's COVID vaccine for use in young children. The FDA took the step after Pfizer notified the agency that it would like to wait until data is available on a three-dose regimen for children aged 6 months to 4 years old, Pfizer said in a statement. The FDA had planned to review a two-dose regimen at a Feb. 15 meeting of its Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee meeting. This committee provides crucial review of the data behind vaccine applications. The application now "will wait for the three-dose data as Pfizer and BioNTech continue to believe it may provide a higher level of protection in this age group," Pfizer said. "This is also supported by recent observations of three-dose booster data in several other age groups that seems to meaningfully augment neutralizing antibody levels and real-world vaccine protection for Omicron compared to the two-dose regimen," the company added. During a media briefing on the postponement, FDA officials explained their change in strategy. "Given the recent Omicron surge and the notable increase in hospitalizations in the youngest children to their highest levels during the pandemic so far, we felt it was our responsibility as a public health agency to act with urgency and consider all available options, including requesting that the company Pfizer provide us with initial data on two doses from its ongoing study," said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. "The goal was to understand if two doses would provide sufficient protection to move forward with authorizing the use of the vaccine in this age group. The [new] data that we saw made us realize that we needed to see data from a third dose in the ongoing trial in order to make a determination that we could proceed with doing an authorization," he said. Marks also noted that the speed with which Omicron spread also speeded up the collection of trial data. "Think about what's happened in the past month. I don't know whether anyone could have really predicted what happened real well. We had days when we were getting above three quarters of a million cases a day of Omicron, and we started to see a tremendous number of children affected by Omicron," Marks said. "You could imagine that if a clinical trial were going on, any clinical trial, not necessarily this one, where someone was looking at outcomes, one might see information coming in very quickly." Pfizer first announced in December that a two-dose regimen didn't generate a strong enough immune response in some children. "The decision to evaluate a third dose for children 6 months to under 5 years of age reflects the companies' commitment to carefully select the right dose to maximize the risk-benefit profile," Pfizer said at the time. The FDA had planned to go forward with a review of the two-dose series out of a sense of urgency, but the postponement should also reassure parents, Marks added. "We take our responsibility for reviewing these vaccines very seriously because we're parents as well. In looking over these data, I think parents can feel reassured that we have set a standard by which we feel that if something does not meet that standard, we cant proceed forward," Marks said. "Rather than having any issue of causing anyone to question the process, I hope this reassures people that the process has a standard, that the process is one that we follow, and we follow the science in making sure that anything we authorize has the safety and efficacy that people have come to expect from our regulatory review of medical products," he said. More information Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on COVID vaccines and kids. SOURCES: U.S. Food and Drug Administration media briefing with Dr. Peter Marks, director, FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research; Pfizer Inc., news release, Feb. 11, 2022 Originally published on consumer.healthday.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange. (CNN) -- New satellite images released by a US-based technology company appear to show continuing Russian military buildup in Crimea, western Russia and Belarus, as pressure continues to mount on Ukraine from three directions, underscoring fears that the Kremlin is planning an incursion into Ukrainian territory. In Crimea, a large deployment of troops and equipment was observed by Maxar in images collected Thursday, according to Stephen Wood, a senior director at the company. The deployment is at the formerly disused Oktyabrskoye airfield, north of the Crimean capital Simferopol. Maxar assesses that more than 550 troop tents and hundreds of vehicles have arrived at the site. Other sites in Crimea have also seen an influx of troops and equipment, including at Novoozernoye, where there have been extensive artillery deployments and training exercises. A new deployment was identified by Maxar for the first time near the town of Slavne on the northwest coast of Crimea, including armored vehicles. The new deployments in Crimea were observed on the same day that several Russian warships, including large amphibious landing ships, arrived in Sevastopol, Crimea's main port. The warships are expected to participate in scheduled naval exercises that would block off large parts of the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, raising protests from Ukraine that commercial shipping routes would be choked. The Kremlin has denied that shipping routes will be blocked. The exercises are part of joint military drills by Russia and its ally Belarus, starting Thursday in Belarus' territory and expected to last 10 days. Moscow's deployment in Belarus is believed to be its biggest there since the Cold War, and the United States has expressed reservations about the buildup of Russian troops in the country, which shares a border with Ukraine. In Belarus, Maxar observed what it calls a "new deployment of troops, military vehicles and helicopters" at the Zyabrovka airfield near the city of Gomel, some 15 miles (25 kilometers) from the border with Ukraine. It is the first time helicopters have been seen in the area. There also appears to be a field hospital at the site. Additionally, troops and multiple battle groups remain deployed near the Belarusian city of Rechitsa -- less than 30 miles (45 kilometers) from the border with Ukraine. Previous satellite imagery had shown the establishment of tent encampments near Rechitsa. When combined with recent videos, they suggest a growing Russian presence in the area, which is some 200 miles (320 kilometers) east of where joint Russian-Belarus exercises got underway Thursday. Social media videos have shown substantial movements by Russian military units in the past few days to the east of Ukraine, around the cities of Kursk, Rostov-on-Don and Bryansk. Maxar reports what it calls "a large deployment of troops and military forces" that have "recently arrived at the Kursk training area to the east of the city -- approximately 110 kilometers (75 miles) to the east of the border with Ukraine. " "Additional equipment continues to arrive in the area and preparations are being made to accommodate more troops and equipment," Maxar said. As Western nations look for diplomatic avenues to ease the crisis, US President Joe Biden urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country immediately, warning that things could go sour very quickly. Speaking to NBC News' on Thursday, Biden said: "It's not like we're dealing with a terrorist organization. We're dealing with one of the largest armies in the world. It's a very different situation and things could go crazy quickly." "There's not" a situation that could prompt him to send US troops to rescue Americans attempting to exit Ukraine, Biden told NBC, adding, "that's a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another." HIs remarks came after a frosty exchange in Moscow between UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss and her Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. The latter described their talks as "a dialogue of the deaf," while Truss warned that a Russian invasion of Ukraine would have "massive consequences." Discussion has turned to the Minsk Agreement, which was hammered out during talks in 2015 but never fully implemented, as a possible way out of the current crisis. But the Normandy Format -- a four-way conversation between representatives from Ukraine, Russia, Germany and France that has been aimingjoi to broker peace in eastern Ukraine since 2014 -- failed to come to an agreement after nine hours of talks in Berlin on Thursday. Russia has repeatedly denied it is planning to attack Ukraine, despite Moscow's massive troop buildup in the region. The Kremlin is believed to have assembled 70% of the military personnel and weapons on Ukraine's borders that Russia would need for a full-scale invasion, according to two US officials familiar with Washington's latest intelligence estimates. This story was first published on CNN.com "New satellite images show continuing Russian military buildup on three sides of Ukraine". ST. LOUIS The animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals on Friday offered a $10,000 reward for information about a former movie chimp that was reported dead by its caretaker last year. PETA and the caretaker, Tonia Haddix, have been fighting in federal court for years over the chimp, Tonka, as well as the fate of others housed at the Missouri Primate Foundation facility in Jefferson County, near Festus. PETA claims the chimps were not being properly housed or cared for, allegations Haddix has denied. Haddix did sign a consent decree agreeing to send four of the chimps to a sanctuary. She was to keep three, including Tonka, but failed to comply with the orders requirements to house her three chimps, PETA said. In July, Jefferson County sheriffs deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service oversaw the removal of six chimps from the facility, but Haddix said the 38-year-old Tonka had died of heart problems. Her husband filed an affidavit in court saying he cremated the body. The other chimps are now in an animal sanctuary, PETA said. PETA filed motions last year asking a federal judge to hold Haddix in contempt of court for failing to properly document Tonkas death and at a January hearing presented evidence casting doubt on Haddixs claims. But U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry declined to hold Haddix in contempt. She said Haddix had provided inconsistent and implausible evidence of the chimps death and cremation but added that she was not convinced that Tonka was still alive. Im certainly not saying that he is dead, Perry said during the hearing, adding, I cannot find that he is still living. Perry did give PETA an opportunity to revisit the issue if they found more evidence. PETA on Friday offered up to $10,000 for information leading to either the location of Tonka or confirmation of his death. Foundation owner Connie Braun Casey and her then-husband also once ran Chimparty, which supplied chimps for parties, commercials and other activities. Tonka appeared with actor Alan Cumming in the movie Buddy. PETA asks anyone with pertinent information to call 757-622-PETA or submit tips at PETA.org/Tonka. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. JEFFERSON CITY A St. Louis Post-Dispatch journalist will not be charged after pointing out a weakness in a state computer database, the prosecuting attorney for Cole County said Friday. Prosecutor Locke Thompson issued a statement to television station KRCG Friday, saying he appreciated Gov. Mike Parson for forwarding his concerns but would not be filing charges. The decision was reached almost seven weeks after Thompsons office received a report on the incident from the Missouri Highway Patrol, which had been tasked with the probe by the governor last year. Thompson did not respond to multiple attempts to reach him on Friday. A secretary at his office in the capital city said she was authorized to tell the Post-Dispatch no comment on his behalf. Parson, who had suggested prosecution was imminent throughout the probe, issued a statement saying Thompsons office believed the decision was properly addressed. The state did its part by investigating and presenting its findings to the Cole County prosecutor, who has elected not to press charges, as is his prerogative, spokeswoman Kelli Jones said. Post-Dispatch Publisher Ian Caso said in a statement Friday: We are pleased the prosecutor recognized there was no legitimate basis for any charges against the St. Louis Post-Dispatch or our reporter. While an investigation of how the state allowed this information to be accessible was appropriate, the accusations against our reporter were unfounded and made to deflect embarrassment for the states failures and for political purposes. The Republican prosecutors statement said there was an argument to be made that there was a violation of law. However, upon review of the case file, the issues at the heart of the investigation have been resolved through non-legal means, Thompson said. As such, it is not in the best interest of Cole County citizens to utilize the significant resources and taxpayer dollars that would be necessary to pursue misdemeanor criminal charges in this case. As late as Dec. 29, Parson had expressed vehement confidence that a case would be brought. The Post-Dispatch reported Oct. 13 that more than 100,000 Social Security numbers of Missouri educators had been vulnerable on a Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education website. Post-Dispatch journalist Josh Renaud found teachers Social Security numbers were accessible in the HTML source code of some publicly available DESE web pages. The newspaper informed DESE of the flaw and delayed publication of a report until the department could take action to protect the privacy of individuals in the database. While DESE had initially planned to thank the Post-Dispatch for finding the flaw, Parson instead held a news conference where he took no questions and alleged Renaud had been hacking the states computer system. The governor cited a state statute that says someone tampers with computer data if he or she without authorization or without reasonable grounds to believe that he has such authorization accesses a computer system and intentionally examines information about another person. Renaud said in a statement on Friday: This decision is a relief. But it does not repair the harm done to me and my family. My actions were entirely legal and consistent with established journalistic principles. There is no authorization required to examine public websites, but some researchers say overly broad hacking laws in many jurisdictions let embarrassed institutions lob hacking allegations against good Samaritans who try to flag vulnerabilities before theyre exploited. Emails obtained by the Post-Dispatch found that the FBI told state cybersecurity officials that there was not an actual network intrusion and the state database was misconfigured. The records showed that Angie Robinson, cybersecurity specialist for the state, emailed Department of Public Safety Director Sandra Karsten to inform her that she had forwarded emails from the Post-Dispatch to Kyle Storm with the FBI in St. Louis. Robinson said the FBI agent indicated there was no network intrusion. The emails also revealed that DESE initially planned to thank the newspaper for alerting them to the problem. We are grateful to the member of the media who brought this to the states attention was the proposed quote attributed to Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven. The state eventually described Renaud as a hacker. Caso, the Post-Dispatch publisher, said, This matter should have never gone beyond the states initial, intended response, which was to thank the reporter for the responsible way he handled the situation. Instead, too much taxpayer money has been wasted in a politically-motivated investigation. Parson has often tangled with news outlets over reports he doesnt like. A political action committee supporting Parson ran an ad attacking the newspaper over the computer incident, saying the governor was standing up to the fake news media. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Updated Friday night with more details. Illinois State Police are investigating two shootings Thursday night one in which a Bond County woman was killed and a man was reported to be barricaded inside a home, and another that sparked a police pursuit that ended with a fatal crash in Madison County. The two shootings in Greenville, a small town in Bond County, were originally thought to be connected, but an Illinois State Police spokesman on Friday said they now appear to have been unrelated. There was just so much going on at one time, said Trooper Josh Korando, an Illinois State Police public information officer. He said the agency is investigating to try to sort out what transpired throughout the night and into the early morning hours on Friday. The first shooting happened about 7:25 p.m. Thursday in the 600 block of East South Avenue, where a 37-year-old woman was found dead. The stretch of East South Avenue is several blocks south of Greenville University. Bond County coroner Tony Brooks on Friday identified the woman as Laquita M. Sullivan, of Greenville. Shortly after that shooting, police said, a subject barricaded himself into a residence in the 500 block of East Main Street, not far from where the shooting took place. After an hourslong standoff, that person was taken into custody around 1 a.m., police said. However, Korando noted that the man was later released after questioning, and is not believed to have been involved in either shooting but was merely in the vicinity of the homicide and went to an acquaintances residence for safety. There was no suspect in custody in that homicide as of Friday night, police said. Adding to the confusion was an additional shooting in Greenville, Korando said. Moments before the actual homicide there was another shooting that occurred, he added. There was a red Dodge Challenger that was believed to be involved with that and fled the scene, police said. No one was hurt in that shooting, Korando said. Just after 9 p.m., a vehicle that matched the description of the one being sought was seen in Wood River, and failed to stop for Wood River police officers, leading to a pursuit involving multiple law enforcement agencies, Korando said. He was not able to identify the other specific agencies that took part. The pursuit continued along Illinois Route 203, and the car left the road and overturned near Eagle Park in Madison County, police said. Two men were inside the car a 25-year-old from Greenville and a 23-year-old from Anna, Illinois, a Union County town south of Carbondale. Both were taken to a hospital, and the Greenville man died from his injuries, police said. Korando did not know about the condition of the other man in the vehicle. Illinois State Police are asking anyone with information on the incidents Thursday night to contact Crimestoppers at 314-725-8477. Greenville, with a 2019 population recorded at about 6,400 people, is the county seat of Bond County. It is about 50 miles northeast of St. Louis. Shake off your afternoon slump with the oft-shared and offbeat news of the day, hand-brewed by our online news editors. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. ST. LOUIS The citys economic development office on Friday tapped a group to administer a new $15 million housing fund meant to boost new construction and homeownership in north St. Louis and other neighborhoods that have long struggled to attract new investment. A St. Louis Development Corp. committee voted to enter into contract negotiations with a joint venture dubbed Beyond the Bridge. If finalized, the entity would be the master developer of a revolving fund seeded with $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and $5 million raised from federal New Markets Tax Credits to finance housing construction and mortgages in the citys low-income areas. In order for this city to grow, to achieve equitable economic growth, it will require our local officials ... to no longer be passive but active partners with developers and community-based organizations to rebuild our historically underserved neighborhoods, SLDC Director Neal Richardson said after announcing the selection Friday. The Beyond the Bridge joint venture includes Park Central Development, a community development corporation that has historically worked in the Forest Park Southeast and Central West End neighborhoods but in recent years has branched out to support neighborhoods such as Fountain Park and Academy north of Delmar Boulevard. Also part of the venture is IFF, the largest nonprofit community development financial institution in the Midwest, with offices in St. Louis, Chicago and Kansas City. Smith NMTC Associates LLC, a locally based consultant that administers and structures the complex financial transactions needed to use New Markets Tax Credits, is the third entity involved in the joint venture. The group beat out proposals from Rise Community Development and Urban Strategies, local community development nonprofits. SLDCs plan to use some of its regular allocation of federal new market tax credits to finance owner-occupied housing is a new approach for the organization. Thats where Smith NMTC comes in. The firm, which works closely with U.S. Bank on the new markets deals, has refined a model to finance for-sale affordable housing. It has worked with Habitat for Humanity to build about 5,000 housing units over the past 13 years, including about 150 in the St. Louis region. Howard Smith, the firms principal, said it takes some time to get organizations comfortable with using the federal credits for owner-occupied housing development. People always say I never knew you could use this for housing, he said in an interview. Its a process to get everyone comfortable because no one wants to risk losing their (New Markets) allocation. SLDCs director of New Markets Tax Credits, Bill Seddon, said he was excited about the new approach. Its a stretch for us on the New Markets side, but I think its a great opportunity, Seddon said. Im excited to work with the Smith folks, and I think this will make a big impact going forward. After a contract is hammered out with the joint venture, those groups and the city will work to find sub-developers and locations for housing, with an eye to rehab and infill whole blocks rather than sprinkling the effort over too large of an area. The mortgage lending component, officials hope, will help spark a housing market in neighborhoods that banks avoid, sometimes citing a lack of comparable sales needed to underwrite loans. Richardson has also said the program will recruit minority- and women-owned sub-developers and contractors in an effort to grow capacity among minority-owned businesses in the city. SLDC documents have said the initial round could finance some 200 houses, but officials hope the fund can become self-sustaining and continue building and financing homes for years. The $10 million in federal ARPA money comes from $20 million the St. Louis Board of Aldermen allocated for housing development. When the appropriation was debated over the summer, Mayor Tishaura O. Jones questioned whether Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reeds proposed allocation would violate federal rules, leading to weeks of political clashes. (The Treasury Department has since clarified that municipal ARPA funds can be used to address vacant property and develop affordable housing in low-income areas.) Despite the political clashes over the summer, the Jones administration and Reeds office appear on the same page now. Maurice Falls, a selection committee member and Reeds director of operations, commended Richardson Jones pick to lead SLDC on the process to find a housing fund operator. This is a historical opportunity for the city of St. Louis moving forward, especially with minorities and their ability to engage and rebuild their city, Falls said. 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. JEFFERSON CITY Meeting in a rare weekend session, the Missouri Senate again failed to break an impasse over new boundaries for Missouris eight congressional districts. On a day when Republican die-hards were gathered in St. Charles for their annual Lincoln Days event, senators remained stuck in the Capitol, mired in a weeklong filibuster by conservatives who want to eliminate one of the states two safe Democratic districts as part of the once-per-decade redistricting process. Senate President Dave Schatz, R-Sullivan, offered little hope that a vote was on the horizon after a week of futility. Its a work in progress, Schatz said. We still are unable to find that magic path that could lead us to a resolution. Sen. Mike Bernskoetter, R-Jefferson City, said the boundaries have undergone multiple revisions at the request of individual senators. But, when one line is moved in one district, that results in changes elsewhere that are unacceptable to another member, he said. Were trying to find a way forward. Well just have to keep drawing maps, Bernskoetter said. The lingering stalemate comes after the House approved their version of a 6-2 map on Jan. 19. The House map leaves Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleavers Kansas City district largely intact and shores up Republican U.S. Rep. Ann Wagners GOP-leaning 2nd Congressional District in the St. Louis suburbs. The 1st Congressional District, represented by U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-St. Louis, would take in more Webster Groves-area precincts than it currently does. But, Republican Sens. Bob Onder of Lake Saint Louis and Bill Eigel of Weldon Spring have lobbied to keep St. Charles County in one congressional district. Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, wants to keep Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood in one district. This is hardball politics. We in Missouri need to do everything we can to send as many Republicans to Congress as we can, Hoskins said. Members of the so-called Conservative Caucus like Hoskins held the floor throughout the day, while other Republicans met in a Senate committee room to review different map options. The House version places Jefferson County, south of St. Louis, entirely within the 3rd Congressional District, represented by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, R-St. Elizabeth, near Jefferson City, in mid-Missouri. The county is currently split between the 2nd, 3rd and 8th congressional districts. Democrats argue they should have three safe seats due to President Joe Biden winning 41% in the 2020 presidential election. Late Saturday, Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, issued a statement saying because the Senate has been unable to act on other business for several weeks, for the time being, we will step away from this debate on the Senate floor. Rowden blamed a small group of senators willing to send our congressional map to federal courts if they do not get districts that suit their ambition. 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. ST. LOUIS An alderman active on homeless issues complained Friday that the administration of Mayor Tishaura O. Jones has moved too slowly on distributing federal pandemic aid allocated for that purpose. Alderman Christine Ingrassia, 6th Ward, said with more than $16 million in federal money assigned last summer by the Board of Aldermen for homeless services, we should not be having to pop up volunteer-led shelter space in extremely cold weather. One short-term shelter shut down Monday, and another, at which Ingrassia has volunteered, will close Saturday. We have the money to do this well with government funding, Ingrassia said during Fridays weekly board meeting. I would encourage all of us to make sure were moving that funding forward in a much quicker pace than we have to date. The comments by Ingrassia, normally a strong ally of the mayor, followed criticism about the slow pace of pandemic aid spending in general made earlier this week by Aldermanic President Lewis Reed. Reed has clashed with Jones on other issues previously. Reed issued his statement following a Jones administration report showing that only about $3.4 million of the $135.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds signed into law last summer had been spent by Jan. 31. Mayoral aides have said the city is moving as quickly as possible to carry out the spending, in light of the various city procurement rules, federal regulations and requirements imposed by aldermen. Regarding the homeless, they have noted that about $7.8 million has been obligated for emergency shelter. That includes 125 new overflow beds at five locations to cover people who usually wont go to regular shelters for various reasons. Those are typically used during periods of extreme cold, such as what occurred earlier this month. Thats also the case with the privately run pop-up shelters with few restrictions, including the one closing Saturday Safe Haven at St. Louis Universitys Il Monastero event space on Olive Street. On Friday, Yusef Scoggin, director of the city Department of Human Services, again defended the agencys homeless response. He said more than $5 million has been deployed to support shelter spaces that would have lost funding at the end of last year and that other contracts are in the works. We have dollars out on the streets, doing the work now, he said. He also said the city did not receive a lot of proposals from private groups for some of the available contracts. Any shortage of beds is because there was a shortage in proposals meeting city requirements, Scoggin said. Tim Huffman, a St. Louis University associate professor and co-chair of a regional commission on homelessness, said he worries that about 100 people who have used the two pop-up shelters will have nowhere to stay during remaining weeks of cold weather. This weekend overnight temperatures are expected to be in the teens. Huffman said the Il Monastero shelter, which has been open on and off since November, has to close because SLU needs to use the building for its regular activities beginning Monday. He said the shelters private sponsors also are short of funding. The other pop-up shelter, at a church on South Kingshighway, was open for about a week, he said. Scoggin said his department is trying to find places in other shelters for some people cared for at the two locations although some may not want to go to different facilities. He also said the city has provided some supplies for the two sites and bus tickets. 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. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 11) Several presidential candidates remain unfazed following the dismissal of the three disqualification cases against their rival Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos. In a statement, Senator Manny Pacquiao said his camp was "not surprised" with the decision of the Commission on Elections' First Division. "This has no effect in our campaign to convince our people that the Philippines needs a leader who will not cheat and steal and one who truly loves our people," the boxer-turned-politician said. Both Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and Senator Ping Lacson stressed they don't treat their fellow aspirants as "enemies," and said they would rather focus on the urgent matters at hand. "Ang tunay nating kalaban, ay 'yung nagpapahirap sa tao katulad ng kabuhayan, na naging masama ang epekto ng pandemya sa pamumuhay nila," Moreno said in an interview. [Translation: Our real enemy is the challenges of the masses including their livelihood affected by the pandemic.] Lacson also said his camp would highlight its own merits and platforms during the campaign period. Vice President Leni Robredo also said she is not focusing on the disqualification battles faced by Marcos. "Kung meron man na basis 'yung disqualification, 'yun ay ibang usapan," she said. "Pero as far as the campaign and as far as the election is concerned, talagang 'yung pinaghahandaan natin hanggang dulo maglalaban kami." [Translation: Whether there's basis for the disqualification is a different discussion. But as far as the campaign and election are concerned, we're prepared to fight until the end.] The poll body's First Division junked for lack of merit the consolidated pleas filed by martial law survivors through Bonifacio Ilagan, party-list group Akbayan, and National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Commissioner Abubakar Mangelen. The petitioners said they will appeal the ruling. Marcos' running mate Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte described the decision as a "welcome development" for the tandem. "[T]uloy-tuloy na 'yung kanyang kandidatura and tuloy-tuloy na rin 'yung aming pangangampanya (His candidacy and our campaign will continue)," she said. The U.S. House on Monday overwhelmingly approved a bill to ban forced workplace arbitration in cases involving sexual abuse, with the Senate approving it on Thursday by voice vote. Given the bills strong bipartisan support in both chambers, its an astonishing example of Republican and Democratic cooperation at a time when partisan rancor seems to be nearing historic highs. Not only is there hope for America after a year of turmoil following a violent Capitol insurrection and impeachment of President Donald Trump, theres also new hope for sexual-abuse survivors who previously found their quest for justice often walled off behind corporate requirements of forced arbitration. Given the tendency of Republicans to automatically reject anything regarded by Democrats as righteous and worthy (and vice versa), this bill is a strong indicator that Republicans recognize a longstanding injustice, primarily inflicted on women in the workplace, that needed to be fixed. Besides, it never hurts in an election year to do something that reduces the alienation of women from ones party. Forced arbitration in any circumstance typically yields an unsatisfying result for the victim because mediated settlements nearly always require both parties to keep the terms of the settlement secret. On one side is the lonely victim and, perhaps, her lawyer. On the other side is normally a large corporation with vast sums of money to mount the strongest legal defense possible. The pressure for the complainant to settle on the companys terms is typically high. Discussing the terms publicly can invalidate the settlement and force the victim to return any payment made plus a penalty. In sexual-abuse cases, its doubly frustrating for the victim because the wall of silence that follows a settlement means the perpetrator of the abuse receives tacit protection from well-deserved public exposure. That sometimes leaves the perpetrator free to abuse again. Just ask the many victims of film producer Harvey Weinstein or actor Bill Cosby. Out-of-court settlements in those cases obligated individual plaintiffs to keep silent, effectively enabling predatory abusers to stalk their next prey. Again and again and again. According to The New York Times, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, approached Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-New York, about cooperating on such a bill after Gretchen Carlson went public about the sexual harassment she endured when Roger Ailes headed Fox News. The network settled the case for $20 million, but a raft of other cases at the network suggested a pattern of settling sexual harassment claims then silencing the victims to keep the scandal quiet. Carlson, who had a forced-arbitration clause in her Fox contract, is the one who alerted Graham to the need for such legislation. The Houses approval on Monday, by a vote of 335 to 97, underscores the awareness of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle that this situation reeks of unfairness. President Joe Biden says hell sign the bill. Former President Trump is not helping his legal predicament regarding the attack on the Capitol. His false statement that the Jan. 6 riot would not have occurred if House Speaker Nancy Pelosi had agreed with him to send 10,000 National Guardsmen to the Capitol is an admission he knew what was going to happen. Although theres no evidence he conveyed his offer to Pelosi, Capitol security is not the speakers duty. Trump knew this would be a very combustible situation, but still he poured gasoline on it with his speech. Once more the U.S. Air Force has announced plans to end its quarter-century propeller-driven large UAV program. This means the current MQ-9 Reaper will no longer be purchased and units will be disbanded as combat and non-combat losses are incurred. The air force has not yet selected a Reaper replacement and is referring to it as MQ-X and mandated that it must be jet powered. The five-ton Reaper itself replaced the similar but smaller 1.1-ton MQ-1 Predator. While the last air force Predator was built in 2010 the U.S. Army kept purchasing an upgraded Predator known as the RQ-1C Gray Eagle. Both Predator and Reaper were developed and manufactured by General Atomics. A decade ago, the air force planned to have over a thousand of these large, armed, Reaper UAVs. That did not happen because most American troops were gone from Iraq and Afghanistan by 2014 and there was less demand for these UAVs and less procurement cash to pay for them. For over a decade the air force has been seeking a Reaper replacement, mainly in the form of a jet powered UAV. One of the first candidates was the General Atomics Avenger. Development of Avenger began after September 11, 2001. The first flight was supposed to have been in 2007 but there were technical problems that kept coming up. The nine-ton Avenger looked like a larger jet powered version of the five-ton Reaper. Avenger is 13.2 meters (41 feet) long, with a 20.1-meter (66 foot) wingspan, and built to be stealthy. The V shaped tail and smooth lines of the swept wing aircraft made it difficult to detect by radar. There is a humpbacked structure on top of the aircraft for the engine air intake. There is an internal bomb bay to hold about a ton of weapons, sensors, or additional fuel to provide another two hours of flying time, in addition to the standard 20 hours endurance. The 4,800-pound thrust engine is designed to minimize the heat signature that sensors can pick up. Total payload is 1.36 tons (3,000 pounds) and total weight of the aircraft is nine tons. Cruising speed is 740 kilometers an hour. The Avenger is designed to fly high (up to 20,000 meters/60,000 feet) and cross oceans. Avenger took its first flight in early 2009. Until 2009 the Avenger didn't officially exist and was a "black" (secret) program. Avenger is, like Reaper, a combat UAV designed to carry weapons as well as sensors. A decade ago, Avenger cost about $15 million each. The air force rejected Avenger in 2012 because it offered marginal improvements over the Reaper. Despite the internal bomb bay, Avenger was expected to be used primarily to carry ground surveillance radar, which could be mounted on the bottom of the aircraft in an aerodynamically smooth enclosure. So far there have been few customers, although it did receive a military designation; MQ-20. Officially the air force bought one and an unidentified U.S. government agency bought up to seven. One Avenger was used in 2016 to drop propaganda leaflets in Syria. The air force search for a Reaper replacement was suspended until 2022, when the air force announced the revival of an effort to find an MQ-X. Avenger is apparently not a candidate. There are other possibilities. This UAV was built by Lockheed. In 2014 the U.S. Department of Defense revealed that a long rumored RQ-180 UAV did indeed exist and was still in development. The RQ-180 is a large (over 12 tons) and stealthy UAV designed to survive in heavily defended airspace. The earlier RQ-170 was a similar, but smaller, version of the same basic design. RQ-170s were also suspected as being the basis for a larger and stealthier UAV and this is now revealed to be the RQ-180. Both the RQ-170 and RQ-180 are jet propelled UAVs employing a flying wing design, similar to the X-45s and X-47s built as development aircraft for the U.S. Air Force and Navy. These UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) were built to carry weapons while the similar looking reconnaissance UAVs just carry sensors internally. The RQ-170 and RQ-180 are purely reconnaissance aircraft. The RQ-170 weighs about six tons while the larger RQ-180 weighs at least twice as much. Endurance of the RQ-170 is about six hours while the RQ-180 can stay up three to four times longer. The RQ-180 also carries more capable sensors, apparently some of the ones used in the jet-powered 14-ton RQ-4 Global Hawk. Some RQ-180s have been put into service but only a few have been built so far. General Atomics continues to update MQ-1 Predator and the latest effort is called Mojave. There is no military designation because no one has ordered Mojave, which is based on the U.S. Armys MQ-1C Gray Eagle. Technically the Mojave would be the MQ-1D. It uses current Gray Eagle components but with a more powerful 450 HP engine, compared to MQ-1Cs 180 HP, and a new wing design that is optimized for STOL (Short Take Off and Landing) capabilities. There is new landing gear that can handle taking off and landing on dirt roads or open fields. Mohave is heavier, at 1.6 tons, and has a larger payload. This means it can carry more Hellfire laser guided missiles or a more extensive collection of sensors, including a SIGINT (Signals Intelligence) pod and two missiles at the same time. General Atomics has heard from special operations users of Gray Eagle and other larger UAVs that something like Mojave is needed but no one has developed it yet, The army Gray Eagle has been upgraded several times. In 2017 the U.S. Army started receiving the new MQ-1C ER (extended range) version and starting in 2018 this is the only model the army will receive. The army has ordered 107 MQ-1Cs since 2010 and plans to eventually have over 150. Currently only about a hundred are in service. The original MQ-1C Block 1 Gray Eagle weighed 1.5 tons, had a 160 HP engine, carried 135.4 kg (300 pounds) of sensors internally, and up to 227.3 kg (500 pounds) of sensors or weapons externally. It has an endurance of 30 hours and a top speed of 270 kilometers an hour. MQ-1C has a wingspan of 18 meters (56 feet) and is 9 meters (28 feet) long. The MQ-1C can carry four Hellfire missiles (compared to two on the Predator) or a dozen smaller 70mm guided missiles. The MQ-1C ER has a better engine, fifty percent more fuel capacity, over 75 percent more endurance (from 30 to 53 hours), and its payload increased by 50 percent from 372 kg (798 pounds) to 558 kg (1,227 pounds). The fuselage has been modified to handle the increased fuel load and has greater reliability and stability in the air. The additional internal space makes it easier to install a Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) that makes it possible to fly in airspace used by civilian manned aircraft. The MQ-1C itself is an upgrade of the MQ-1 Predator the U.S. Air Force and CIA used extensively since the late 1990s to redefine the use of aircraft for reconnaissance, surveillance, and airstrikes. Fewer than 500 MQ-1s were produced for the air force and CIA before both organizations moved on to the larger MQ-9 Reaper. Meanwhile the army got a customized upgrade of the MQ-1 into production and found it satisfactory. The MQ-9 is larger than the army needs (or can afford) but the MQ-1C was the right size and price for the army. A major reason for developing Gray Eagle was the army did not want to depend on the air force for all its UAV needs and after a major struggle with the Department of Defense bureaucracy, the army got the air force to back off on its efforts to claim control over all UAVs. In this endeavor the army was supported by the navy and marines, who had also had past problems with the air forces efforts to control everything that flew. The army needed their own large armed reconnaissance UAVs because, when the air force controls UAVs, air force needs take precedence and the army is left to improvise. The army operates their MQ-1Cs like any other aircraft in Army Aviation Brigades. The UAV operators are located with the rest of brigade personnel and troops on the ground have direct contact with the Gray Eagles and easy access to what it is seeing. General Atomics noted that while the Aviation Brigade helicopters could, and often did, operate from just about anywhere, the Gray Eagles still needed a paved surface for takeoffs and landings. A stretch of paved highway would do but that is not always available and when used the highway requires more manpower to keep it clear of debris or any other obstacles. Mojave is much less demanding and the army is considering purchasing some. While the army accepted the heavier and more expensive ER version, an even heavier (1.9 tons) and more capable IGE (Improved Gray Eagle) was developed by General Atomics without a contract and presented to the army, which bought 36 IGEs for intelligence missions and the army Special Forces. Mohave is an impressive version of the original Predator and may find customers who perceive a need for a large UAV that can operate from just about anywhere. The U.S. Air Force already has units that can be sent just about anywhere and turn an abandoned airfield or any reasonably flat surface into an airbase, complete with radar and traffic control, in less than a day. C-17 and C-130 transports can operate from these improvised air bases, and now so can a large UAV that requires a runway. So far the air force considers jet-propulsion as a basic requirement for MQ-X. Yet if you want a version of MQ-X that can operate from just about anywhere, it will have to be something like Mojave. Meanwhile Chinese manufacturers developed cheaper clones of Predator and Reaper and sold them, with or without weapons, to anyone who could pay. That destroyed much of the export market for Predators and Reapers. China and Russia are also developing jet-powered UAVs, with the same lack of success, so far, as the United States. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2022) - African Energy Metals Inc. (TSXV: CUCO) (FSE: BC21) (OTCQB: NDENF) ("African Energy Metals" or the "Company") is pleased to provide an update and preliminary projections for the industrial solar and carbon credit initiative. African Energy Metals retained EcoMetrix and Inerjys Ventures to assist in the development of a favorable business case utilizing industrial solar to generate positive revenue and carbon credits focused on the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). EcoMetrix is based in Johannesburg, South Africa and are experts on carbon credits in Africa. Inerjys Ventures is based in Montreal, Canada and are a cleantech investment fund. The approach taken by the Company was to develop a viable business model utilizing sustainable alternate energy to solve an existing problem while generating carbon credits and providing an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) benefit. The preliminary financial model indicates these goals can be achieved and provide a significant early-stage and long-term revenue source for the Company. Like most African countries, the DRC is lacking dependable power in sufficient quantity due to an inadequate power grid. As a result, industrial facilities, and in particular mining processing operations, supplement electrical grid power with diesel generators. In addition to the negative environmental impacts of burning diesel fuel, the cost per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for diesel generated power is roughly five times the cost per kWh of solar-generated power. African Energy Metals' business plan will provide a cleaner hybrid solar/diesel/grid power solution for mining processors, starting with a pilot solar project with a capacity up to 15mW. The business can be expanded to providing a stand-alone solution by the addition of power storage units. The Company is initially targeting mining processors through pre-existing relationships with the Company's DRC management team and their knowledge of the DRC mining sector. Preliminary projections: Multi-project model: METRICS Carbon Credits Generated ~ 2,156,605 Pre- tax NPV @ 10% DCF US$170,000,000 Key Assumptions: Period: 10 years Frequency of projects: One 15mW facility by end of year two, growing at the rate of two 15mW facilities per year to end of year ten Individual project: METRICS Payback Period > 2 years IRR 48.6% Carbon Credits Generated ~ 300,000 Key Assumptions: Financing structure: 75% / 25% debt to equity ratio Solar capacity: up to 15mW Period: 10 years CAPEX and OPEX: based on conservative estimates provided by EcoMetrix Africa. Carbon credit pricing: starting at US$4/unit and increasing to US$48/unit by 2030, as per latest carbon market, hybrid voluntary SBTI scenario. Precautionary Notes: These are preliminary projections and although the Company believes they are based on the current best available information, actual results may vary significantly from the projections. Stephen Barley, Executive Chairman stated: "The carbon credit and alternative green energy sector is forecasted to be an area of tremendous growth over the next decade as the world strives to meet carbon emissions targets through decarbonization and electrification. African Energy Metals will be involved in the discovery of essential energy metals in the resource-rich DRC to supply increasing demand and will participate in the implementation of sustainable clean solar energy solutions in the DRC. We are very pleased with the preliminary projections for our solar and carbon credit efforts as they support the continuation of the program's development. The Request for Proposal (RFP) for the initial pilot project should be issued in the next few weeks. The Company has received expressions of interest from multiple groups to provide engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) as well as maintenance services. It is our intention to work with partners with experience in the solar sector and with relevant experience in Africa. Our objective is to have an operating pilot solar facility within the next twelve to fourteen months." About African Energy Metals African Energy Metals is a natural resource company with a focus on the acquisition, exploration, development, and operation of copper, cobalt, and lithium energy metals projects in the DRC. The Company is implementing a carbon credit program complementary to mining operations. The carbon credit program will meet important ESG requirements and present an opportunity for a significant early and long-term revenue stream. African Energy Metals has the intention of acquiring interests in additional concessions or relinquishing concessions in the normal course of business. African Energy Metals has an experienced management team located in the DRC. For further information, please contact: Stephen Barley, Executive Chairman Phone: (604-834-2968) Email: [email protected] Website: www.africanenergymetals.com Reader Advisory Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. This news release may contain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Although the Company believes, considering the experience of its officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them as the Company can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. The financial projections contained in this statement are based on the best available information however actual results may vary significantly from the projections. There is no assurance the Company will complete a pilot solar project in the timelines set out in this statement. There is also no assurance the Company will find and come to an agreement with a suitable EPC and Maintenance partner. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements in this press release are made as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of the Company its securities, or its financial or operating results. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/113392 Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) The Department of Health (DOH) reported 3,792 new COVID-19 infections on Saturday, bringing the nationwide tally to 3,634,368. Of the newly reported cases, 3,625 (96%) occurred within the past 14 days or from Jan. 30 to Feb. 12, the DOH said. The regions with the highest number of new cases in that period were Metro Manila (520 or 14%), Western Visayas (397 or 11%) and Davao Region (328 or 9%), it added. Of the total, 2.3% or 84,229 are active cases, or currently sick patients with 76,487 experiencing mild symptoms, 3,016 without symptoms, 2,971 in moderate condition, 1,443 with severe symptoms, and 312 in critical condition. The death toll rose to 54,930 1.51% of all infections after 76 more people lost their lives. Among the 76 new fatalities, 50 (66%) occurred this month and five (7%) last month. There were also 21 deaths traced back to last year: three in December, two in November, three in October, five in September, four in August, one in July, one in May, and two in April. The belated reporting was due to late encoding of information to the COVIDKaya data storage system, the DOH explained. Meanwhile, 10,662 others got better, raising the recovery count to 3,495,209 or 96.2% of the case count. The department said it reclassified 39 initially tagged survivors as among the dead after validation, and deleted 61 duplicate cases, including 50 recoveries. Four laboratories did not submit their data on time, the DOH said. These laboratories contributed an average of 0.6% of tested samples and 0.2% of positive individuals in the last 14 days, it added. The positivity rate, or percentage of people tested with positive results, slightly dropped to 14.3% based on 32,067 tests reported on Feb. 10, according to the DOH. The World Health Organization recommends a positivity rate of below 5% for countries to reopen. STUTTGART, Germany U.S. Army National Guard troops on a training mission in Ukraine have been pulled out of the country amid growing concerns about a possible Russian invasion, the Pentagon said Saturday. About 160 members of the Florida National Guard, who have been in Ukraine since November, have been repositioned elsewhere in Europe, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said in a statement. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin made this decision out of an abundance of caution with the safety and security of our personnel foremost in mind, Kirby said. The Pentagon did not say whether U.S. special operations troops also have been withdrawn from Ukraine. U.S. Special Operations Command Europe has a small training mission in the vicinity of Kyiv. As of Friday, those troops were still carrying out their mission, U.S. European Command said at the time. The repositioning of Guard troops comes as the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine on Saturday began evacuating its personnel out of the country. On Friday, The Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. to Poland, where they could arrive as early as next week. That comes on top of the 1,700 soldiers from the 82nd that have already be dispatched to the southeastern part of Poland, not far from that countrys border with Ukraine. The Pentagon also has sent 1,000 Germany-based soldiers to Romania to reinforce defenses there. The moves are aimed at reassuring allies worried about Russian aggression in the region. U.S. President Joe Biden has said there will be no role for U.S. troops inside Ukraine should Russia invade. But the U.S. soldiers in Poland could be tasked with helping to manage the flow Americans fleeing Ukraine in the days ahead. On Friday, National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said Americans should leave Ukraine within 48 hours given heightened concerns over the possibility for a Russian invasion. No U.S. forces will be sent into Ukraine to rescue Americans who have chosen to stay behind, Sullivan said. Biden will not be putting the lives of our men and women in uniform at risk by sending them into a war zone to rescue people who could have left now but chose not to," he said Kirby said that the moving U.S. forces out of Ukraine, where regular rotations of soldiers have been carrying out a training mission since shortly after Russias initial military intervention in 2014, doesnt mean an end to support for Ukrainian forces. This repositioning does not signify a change in our determination to support Ukraine's Armed Forces, but will provide flexibility in assuring allies and deterring aggression, Kirby said. Twitter: @john_vandiver Stars and Stripes is making stories on the coronavirus pandemic available free of charge. See more stories here. Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter here. Please support our journalism with a subscription. OTTAWA - Canada's capital saw another influx Saturday of anti-government and anti-vaccine mandate protesters for a third straight weekend, while police in Ontario moved in to clear demonstrators partially blocking a vital U.S.-Canada border crossing in defiance of an injunction ordering them to leave. Police in Windsor, Ontario, said Saturday morning they had "commenced enforcement" at the Ambassador Bridge, a key trade corridor to Detroit. By late morning, police had begun steadily pushing protesters away from the bridge. Across the Atlantic, French protesters, galvanized by their Canadian counterparts, temporarily blocked the fabled Champs-Elysees, a central artery in Paris, despite an order banning them from entering the capital. Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly told reporters Friday that intelligence suggested the total number of trucks and demonstrators would be similar to that of last weekend, when about 5,000 people and 1,000 trucks flooded the city. "Our message to you is: Do not come," he said. "And if you do commit unlawful acts, there will be consequences." It was one of several warnings issued Friday to protesters of the self-styled "Freedom Convoy," which has paralyzed the capital city. Protesters have blockaded several U.S.-Canada border crossings and inspired similar protests abroad. Protesters turned out anyway. Police officers by the Ambassador Bridge on Saturday stood in a line in front of blockaders on one side, while some police vehicles were stationed on the opposite side. They were accompanied by buses, including a school bus, and ambulances. "The Windsor Police & its policing partners have commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge. We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully," the force wrote on Twitter. Some vehicles began moving away from the area, while demonstrators on foot displayed the Canadian flag and sang the country's national anthem, chanting "Freedom!" periodically. Protesters began dismantling tents at the site and packing up grilling supplies. A wall of police officers slowly pushed protesters away from the bridge, warning that demonstrators would be arrested if they did not leave. No arrests have been made thus far, police said. A tow truck removed one vehicle from the area, which police later clarified was done at the operator's request due to mechanical issues. "We appreciate the cooperation of the demonstrators at this time and we will continue to focus on resolving the demonstration peacefully," the Windsor Police wrote on Twitter. But more people on foot had swelled the protesters' ranks by early afternoon, with demonstrators appearing to outnumber police officers, according to reporters from the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. News, Canada's public broadcaster. Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the blockade a "siege" and declared a provincial state of emergency on Friday, warning protesters of "severe" consequences, including fines up to $78,500 and prison terms. He said he would convene a provincial cabinet on Saturday to urgently enact measures to make it "crystal clear" that it is illegal to block critical infrastructure. Toronto police blocked portions of key roadways to prevent protester vehicles from reaching downtown Toronto. Police also said demonstrators would not be allowed to transport fuel cans downtown. Still, hundreds of demonstrators gathered on the grounds of the Ontario legislature Saturday, Canadian television network Global News reported - even as the city issued an extreme cold weather alert. Temperatures were expected to dip down to 5 degrees Fahrenheit Saturday night. Video on social media showed throngs of protesters marching down Toronto's streets, chanting and holding signs. In Nova Scotia, protesters on Saturday blocked the Marine Atlantic Terminal in North Sydney - the launch point for important ferry routes to Canada's easternmost provinces. In Paris, French protesters blocking parts of the Champs-Elysees on Saturday cut off traffic on parts of the capital's most recognizable avenue and the roundabout that encircles the Arc de Triomphe. The protesters made it into central Paris, despite an order banning them from entering the capital and the deployment of more than 7,000 police officers. Authorities said earlier in the day that they had prevented 500 vehicles from entering and had penalized hundreds of people. Police appeared to fire tear gas to disperse protesters on the central Parisian luxury shopping boulevard. Demonstrators honked horns from vehicles with slogans demanding an end to the country's vaccine pass. Most cars had left the boulevard by early evening local time, but the standoff between police and protesters on foot continued. Similar convoys also headed to other European cities on Saturday. In the Netherlands, traffic came to a standstill in parts of The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government. Officials in the Belgian capital of Brussels were bracing for convoys that may arrive there on Monday, despite an entry ban. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has previously ruled out mobilizing the military to break up the protesters, on Friday vowed an "increasingly robust police intervention," adding, "Everything is on the table, because this unlawful activity has to end, and it will end." None of this seemed to perturb the protesters, who have also targeted border crossings in Manitoba and Alberta, as well as Sarnia in Ontario. As the court deadline passed at 7 p.m. Friday, the number of protesters diminished at the Ambassador Bridge, but many chose to defy the order. Windsor Police issued a statement Friday to protesters still on the bridge "providing notice," they said, that "the unlawful act of blocking streets at and near the Ambassador Bridge" could put demonstrators at risk of facing criminal charges, arrest and the seizure of their vehicles. "Charges and/or convictions related to the unlawful activity associated with the demonstration may lead to denial in crossing the USA border," the police statement added. Ambassador Bridge is a crucial conduit for the auto industry on both sides of the border, and the blockade has disrupted auto plants as far away as Alabama. At least five automakers - Ford, GM, Honda, Chrysler's parent company, and Toyota - have experienced production disruptions at their U.S. or Canada plants because of the protests, according to news reports. The U.S.-based Alliance for Automotive Innovation, an industry group whose members include Honda, Toyota and BMW, underscored that the auto industry supports about 10 million jobs in America, and said the organization and its members were engaged in building "supply chain solutions" and mitigating short-term disruptions as a result of the crisis in Canada. Ottawa officials said Friday that the city would seek its own injunction "to address the actions of the protesters," but a hearing has not yet been set. Demonstrators fist-pumped on Wellington Street, a main thoroughfare in front of Parliament, on Friday night to a DJ's tunes. They continued to bring in fuel - and a big screen. "These unlawful demonstrators are executing a very complex, very fluid, very sophisticated operation," police chief Sloly said. Ottawa police called for reinforcements this week, saying they lacked the resources to dismantle the protests. Trudeau told reporters on Friday that the federal government has provided hundreds of police officers to jurisdictions that require them, including Ottawa. He said he didn't accept the contention that the city of Ottawa had "exhausted its tools and its resources." Diane Deans, a city councilor who chairs the Ottawa Police Services Board, said Friday that Trudeau's comments were "a little unfair." "There are a lot of people that think the federal government [has] been too late to recognizing this is a national crisis," she said. The Ottawa Police Service said in a news release Saturday that officers were overwhelmed by aggressive behavior from protesters Friday night but that the force "continues to deploy all available resources." "We have a plan to end this unlawful occupation and await the necessary reinforcements to do so," the statement said. As of Saturday morning, Ottawa police had made 26 arrests on criminal charges and issued more than 2,600 tickets, it added. Protesters draped in Canadian flags stood in the snow in front of the parliament building on Saturday as horns blared from trucks despite a court order forbidding honking. The atmosphere was celebratory and defiant, with some demonstrators dancing along to upbeat music blasting from speakers. Children bundled in hats and coats held signs reading "Go Truckers." Police were scarce. Hundreds of people joined a counterprotest on Saturday afternoon, marching in Ottawa and chanting "Whose streets? Our streets!" and "Hey hey, ho ho, this trucker convoy has got to go!" Trudeau on Saturday was slated to chair a meeting of the incident response group, an emergency committee made up of some cabinet ministers and other senior officials, "on the ongoing illegal blockades," his office said. The convoy started as a protest of U.S. and Canadian rules requiring truckers crossing the border to be fully vaccinated. But it has grown into a broader movement against pandemic restrictions - which are mostly imposed by the provinces - and the Trudeau government. Officials have noted that 90% of Canadian truck drivers are fully vaccinated. The Canadian Trucking Alliance, a main industry group, has distanced itself from the protests. Many of the key organizers are not truckers but figures in fringe extremist and anti-government groups. Some protesters have flown Confederate flags or flags with swastikas on them, while some Ottawa residents say they've been intimidated, subjected to racist vitriol and harassed for wearing masks. Troy Holman, a 32-year-old Windsor resident who has protested this week, told the Associated Press he believes the government overreached with its pandemic restrictions, which he said hurt his wife's small business. "Unfortunately, we have to be here, because this is what's going to get the attention of the government," Holman said at the Ambassador Bridge, before the judge's ruling was announced. Victoria Stecjuk, who made the six-hour journey from London, Ontario, to Ottawa for this weekend's protests, said she thought the state of emergency - and the frigid weather - would do little to deter demonstrators. "We're going to keep coming, we're here in this weather, we're not going to stop," she told The Washington Post. "We're doing this to get our freedom back, and that's why we're here." Protesters in the capital appeared skeptical that the police would crack down. "We are a peaceful bunch. I don't believe the police are even going to make a move on this," Mike Cohen, from Montreal, said. "The police is not going to come here and arrest people when there's children here, there's the elderly, there's people of all nationalities." Protesters have tapped into broader pandemic fatigue and benefited in part from foreign support. Trudeau said Friday after a call with President Joe Biden that at least 50% of fundraising for the convoy on some websites has originated from the United States. Toronto-Dominion Bank said Saturday it had frozen two personal bank accounts into which more than $1 million had been deposited to support the convoy protesters, Reuters reported. TD asked Ontario's high court on Friday to take the funds and to either send them to the intended recipients or return them to donors. Keith Wilson, a lawyer for the convoy, told Reuters that the protesters would seek a court order next week to release the donations to a new nonprofit organization set up to manage them. Right-wing political figures in the United States continued to express support for the Canadian demonstrators. "Civil disobedience is a time-honored tradition in our country," said Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., in an interview with the conservative website Daily Signal. He added: "I hope the truckers do come to America." Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., chimed in Friday in a tweet that criticized vaccine mandates and Trudeau, who has called the protests unlawful. "You know what's unlawful? Forcing private businesses close their doors," said the lawmaker, who also incorrectly referred to the vaccines as "experimental." (Coronavirus vaccine shots that have completed clinical trials and been approved by regulators are not experimental.) Several other Canadian cities, including Toronto and Edmonton, were anticipating protests this weekend. Copycat demonstrations also took place in New Zealand and Australia, with thousands of protesters disrupting traffic and canceling a popular fair in Canberra on Saturday. ___ Jeong reported from Seoul. Suliman reported from London. The Washington Post's Rick Noack contributed reporting from Paris. Zoeann Murphy contributed reporting from Ottawa. The U.S. Navy denied operating in Russian territorial waters on Saturday after Russias military claimed it chased away a Virginia-class submarine in the Kuril Islands after the American vessel refused an order to surface. A Russian navy destroyer used appropriate means against the U.S. submarine after the order was refused, said a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense. The American vessel fled Russian waters at high speed, the statement added. The ministry said it summoned the U.S. military attache to Moscow to complain of a major violation of international law following the incursion. The incident occurred in an area of the Pacific where the Russian navy is conducting a military exercise, according to Moscow. The vessel was found submerged off the small, uninhabited island of Urup while Russias Pacific Fleet was holding exercises in the area, the state-run Russian news site RT.com reported. However, the U.S. denied the incident occurred in Russian waters in a statement that stopped short of denying any encounter with Russia occurred. "There is no truth to the Russian claims of our operations in their territorial waters, Indo-Pacific Command spokesman Navy Capt. Kyle Raines said in a statement. I will not comment on the precise location of our submarines, but we do fly, sail, and operate safely in international waters." The defense ministry said Russian vessels contacted the submarine and ordered it to "surface immediately," according to the RT.com report. The submarine, however, did not respond to the messages, and the destroyer Marshal Shaposhnikov was deployed to chase it off, the report said. The American vessel used an active radar decoy, sailing away from Russian waters at full speed, according to the RT report. Russia's Pacific Fleet military drills continued after the alleged incident. Saturdays incident took place as tensions between Moscow and Washington have intensified following NATO warnings of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. BERLIN - For Germanys new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, a former leader has become a headache. As Russian troops massed on the borders of Ukraine, Gerhard Schroder - who led Germany from 1998 to 2005 for Scholzs Social Democrats - accused Kyiv of stoking tensions by saber-rattling. He called out Russia-bashing in the media. The ensuing furor only grew when the 77-year-old former chancellor was nominated Feb. 4 to the board of Russias state-owned energy giant Gazprom, cementing his place as the personification of Germanys deep energy ties with Russia, and of President Vladimir Putins expanding reach into European politics through Moscows natural gas riches. The move has raised concerns that Putin could be using his longtime friend to drive a wedge into Germanys governing party as it struggles to formulate a coherent policy toward Moscow as Russian troops gather near Ukraines borders. And Scholzs party has been left scrambling to distance itself from Schroder, amid questions about how much influence the former chancellor turned Russian energy lobbyist still wields. Schroder was instrumental in giving birth to the project that has been the biggest sticking point between the German government and Washington during the current crisis: Nord Stream 2, the yet-to-be operational natural gas pipeline between Russia and Germany. Despite pressure from the United States, Scholz has been reluctant to join President Biden in unequivocally stating that the pipeline will not be switched on in case of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, citing strategic ambiguity. Although Schroder holds no political position in Germany, his links to the Russian energy sector in such a sensitive period have sparked condemnation from across the political spectrum, including calls to strip him of his taxpayer-funded perks. In these times of escalation, this is really wrong, Roderich Kiesewetter, a Christian Democratic lawmaker on parliaments foreign affairs committee, said of Schroders decision to increase his ties to the Russian energy sector. At best, Kiesewetter said, Schroder is acting completely inappropriately and hurting the image of Germany. But the lawmaker also fears that the former chancellor is part of a Putin chess game to try to divide Scholzs Social Democratic Party, which leads a three-party coalition formed after elections in September that marked the end of Angela Merkels stewardship of the country at 16 years. Hes a tool, Keisewetter said. The former chancellor is not alone in what has been dubbed an increasing Schroderization of European politics as Moscow tries to gain political influence via the revolving door between business and the halls of power. There is the former Austrian foreign minister Karin Kneissl, who was appointed to Rosnefts board last year and was famously photographed in 2018 dancing with Putin at her wedding. Also, former French prime minister Francois Fillon was nominated last year to the boards of the Russian state oil company Zarubezhneft and the Russian petrochemicals giant Sibur. A former Austrian chancellor, Wolfgang Schussel, was made a board member of the Russian oil firm Lukoil in 2019. But none of their ties come close to Schroders in scope and influence. The former chancellor declined an interview request and did not respond to questions sent to his office. [Putins] aim is to damage Germanys credibility among its partners, whether its the United States or E.U. partners, Sudha David-Wilp, deputy director of the Berlin office of the German Marshall Fund, said of Putins intentions with Schroders new nomination. Perhaps its working. But more important, she said, is the question of how the Social Democrats solve their disagreements over their partys Russia policy. For the Social Democrats, dealing with Schroder has become like dealing with the strange uncle thats coming over to dinner, you dont want embarrassing everybody, she said. Senior party officials have distanced themselves from Schroder and emphasized that he no longer has major influence in the party. The way Schroder mixes business interests with his role as a former chancellor is not only wrong but even sad, the general secretary of the Social Democrats, or SPD, Kevin Kuhnert, said in a recent interview with the German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel. I dont know anyone in the party who shares his views, the Social Democratic premier for Rhineland-Palatinate, Malu Dreyer, told the Rheinische Post. And Scholz has emphasized in interviews in the United States and Germany that the former chancellor does not speak for the party. If I understand the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany correctly, there is only one federal chancellor and that is me, Scholz told the German broadcaster ZDF when asked about the fact that there were two Social Democrat chancellors giving contradictory statements on the crisis. But it emerged this week that a member of Scholzs government had met with Schroder last month to discuss the future of German-Russian relations and civil society in Russia in the thick of the Ukraine crisis, sparking a new round of criticism. The protestations of the SPD leadership to distance themselves from Gerhard Schroder are refuted by the fact that the former chancellor and a top Russia lobbyist continues to maintain close contact with the Scholz government, said Matthias Hauer, a parliamentarian with the Christian Democrats who had requested information from the federal government on Schroders contact with officials. According to the information Hauer said he received, Schroder met with Johann Saathoff, the parliamentary secretary of state in the Interior Ministry on Jan. 5. Until December, Saathoff had been the foreign offices point person on Russia. Also present was Heino Wiese, a former Social Democrat parliamentarian and lobbyist who also is Russias honorary consul in Hanover, and Matthias Platzeck, former Social Democrat leader for the state of Brandenburg. Saathoff did not respond to requests by The Washington Post for comment. But he told the German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung that he had requested the meeting to discuss civil society and that Schroder did not try to influence government action. The pro-Kremlin leanings of the former chancellor have long been known. While still chancellor in 2004, Schroder famously described Putin as a flawless democrat. The same year, Putin traveled with a Cossack choir to Schroders home in Hanover for the chancellors 60th birthday. He used his last few days in office to set the wheels in motion for the first Nord Stream pipeline. It was 10 days before the 2005 elections - which he looked set to lose - when he left the campaign trail to sign a letter of intent with Putin on the pipeline. It gave Russia a way to send natural gas to Europe that bypassed Belarus, Poland and Ukraine - and weakened those countries leverage against Moscow. Less than three weeks after Schroder left office, he was appointed head of the shareholders committee at Nord Stream. He has since used his connections to lobby on behalf of the new sister project, Nord Stream 2, opening the door for Gazprom chief executive Alexey Miller to meet with officials in Berlin. In the thick of the last conflict in Ukraine, Schroder celebrated his 70th birthday in St. Petersburg at a Nord Stream-hosted event that Putin attended. They greeted each other with a warm hug, just two months after Russian forces annexed Crimea. In 2017, he took up the position of chairman of Russias state-controlled oil giant Rosneft, which is under U.S. and European Union sanctions for Russias 2014 annexation of the Crimean Peninsula from Ukraine and for other acts. Sure, hes just a former chancellor, but he of course has a huge network in Germany, said Timo Lange, a campaigner with LobbyControl, a Berlin-based lobbying watchdog. In public discourse, he always speaks with the authority of a former chancellor. It gives a lot of politicians in the Social Democrats a lot of headaches. A recent article by Germanys t-online news website outlined Schroders meetings with Manuela Schwesig, the prime minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state, where the Nord Stream 2 pipeline makes landfall in Germany. Schwesig also is a Social Democrat and known for her staunch backing of business links with Russia, including the pipeline. They have a pretty huge economic interest that Nord Stream happens, Lange said of the state government. Schroder uses his influence where he can. The former chancellor has said he is working in the interests of Russian-German ties. Its my life, he responded to criticism as he took up his $600,000-a-year position at Rosneft in 2017, saying it wasnt up to the German media to decide what he does with it. When asked whether he feared being used by Putin, he said: I am not usable. The salaries for his positions with Nord Stream are not public. But during the current crisis, outrage has reached a new peak. Why does he do this? read a headline in Germanys Suddeutsche Zeitung on Wednesday. The former head of government is Vladimir Putins best man in Germany, it added. The controversy comes as the Social Democrats struggle to unite on a Russia policy and Scholz tries to bring together a left-leaning wing that espouses detente toward Russia as forwarded by the partys Cold War-era chancellor Willy Brandt, crafting the approach with the reality of todays geopolitics in mind. The party does not really have a direction or speak with a single voice, said Peter Matuschek, the head of political and social research at the German polling firm Forsa. The former chancellor Schroder complicates things even more. KYIV, Ukraine The U.S. State Department began evacuating staffers from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv Saturday, amid mounting warnings that Moscow could imminently launch an invasion of Ukraine, according to a security update emailed to U.S. citizens in the country. "U. S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine, and those in Ukraine should depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options," the advisory said. Russia has pushed back fiercely against the stark warnings by the Biden administration that Moscow is on the verge of attack, accusing the West of hysteria and spreading disinformation even as Russian forces continue to hold major exercises near Kyiv's borders. However, Russia confirmed media reports Saturday that it was pulling its own diplomatic staff from Ukraine, citing "possible provocations by the Kyiv regime and third countries." Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Vladimirovna Zakharova said the move was in response to the growing list of other governments deciding to draw down their diplomatic corps. "We conclude that our American and British colleagues apparently know about some military actions being prepared in Ukraine," she said, according to a statement by the ministry. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan cautioned Friday that there is a "very distinct possibility" that Russia will invade Ukraine in a "reasonably swift time frame" and urged all U.S. citizens there to leave immediately. Sullivan could not confirm that Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a final decision to attack, but he said that military action could begin "any day." The U.S. Embassy said consular services would be suspended in Kyiv from Saturday, but it would maintain a small number of staff at the consulate in Lviv in far western Ukraine to handle emergencies. U.S. citizens needing passport or visa assistance should apply to embassies in neighboring countries, it added. The families of U.S. diplomats in the Ukrainian capital were told to leave earlier this year. A junior British defense minister said Saturday that U.K. military trainers in Ukraine would leave over the weekend. "There will be no British troops in Ukraine if there is any conflict with Russia," James Heappey told Sky News. Sullivan's warning of a possible imminent invasion echoed those issued overnight Thursday by President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Sullivan said a Russian attack would be "likely to begin" with aerial bombing and missile strikes, and "no one would be able to count on air or rail or road departures." The Kremlin has massed some 130,000 heavily armed troops around Ukraine, from which it annexed Crimea in 2014. Moscow is also carrying out naval exercises near the southern coastline of mainland Ukraine, as well as a major training operation in Belarus in striking distance of Kyiv that analysts caution could be a precursor to an invasion. Russia has denied it plans to attack Ukraine, an increasingly pro-Western former Soviet republic that Putin considers part of his sphere of influence. "The hysteria of the White House is more revealing than ever. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any price," Zakharova wrote on Telegram. "Our troops are still on our territory and I wonder if the US will invade #Ukraine itself someone has to, after such a panic campaign," tweeted Russian Deputy United Nations Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy in response to Sullivan's briefing. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Friday with his National Security and Defense Council to review military and diplomatic readiness. His government, which had tried to tamp down predictions of an imminent attack, sought to reassure citizens that Ukraine "remains stable and ready for various scenarios of events," according to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "At present, it is critically important to remain calm, to consolidate within the country, and to avoid actions that undermine stability and sow panic," the ministry said. The U.S. assessment that Putin is likely to launch an attack is based partly on new intelligence that Russia is planning to conduct a false-flag operation to create a pretext for invading Ukraine, according to multiple officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss administration deliberations. The precise date and nature of the alleged Russian operation was unclear. U.S. officials had earlier accused Russia of planning to stage and film a fake attack by Ukrainian military forces on Russia as a pretext for invasion. Biden and Putin will speak on the phone late Saturday morning at the White House's request. Biden also held a video call Friday with the leaders of Western allies, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron. The officials said they were committed to diplomacy, but warned of "massive consequences and severe economic costs" that would be imposed on Russia in event of an attack, according to a White House readout. Germany on Saturday joined a growing list of governments urging their citizens to get out of Ukraine as soon as possible. Britain, Latvia, Norway, the Netherlands, South Korea and Japan and others have issued similar advisories in recent days. Israel says it will begin to evacuate the families of diplomatic staff based in Ukraine. The executive arm of the European Union has not moved its staff though it is monitoring for escalation, Reuters reported Friday. Diplomatic efforts remained at an impasse. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said after a Friday meeting in Moscow with his British counterpart, Ben Wallace, that the level of cooperation between Russia and the West "is close to zero and about to cross the zero meridian and go into negative," according to media reports. Moscow has demanded that Ukraine be permanently barred from joining NATO and that the Western defense alliance withdraws its military presence from Eastern Europe. NATO has refused to budge on its open door policy, though Washington has offered to negotiate on issues the Kremlin considers of "secondary" importance. Germany's Scholz, who heads to Moscow Tuesday, is the next Western leader slated to meet Putin in person. His Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, whose Green party is more skeptical of Moscow than Scholz's Social Democrats, suggested Friday that the approval of the Nord Stream 2 energy pipeline between Russia and Germany could be contingent on the Kremlin holding its troops back. Tension along Ukraine's borders continued to be high, with Russia about to kick off the third day of military exercises in Belarus, the largest it has ever conducted in the Kremlin-allied state to Ukraine's north. On the second day of the maneuvers, the Russian military touted field training on land and in the air. Fighter jet crews practiced destroying approaching aircraft, and Russian motorized rifle units paired with Belarusian special operations forces to attack mock troop formations. Marine scouts also led classes on ambush tactics and surveillance, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The Russian buildup has drawn European nations closer to the United States. U.S. officials confirmed Friday that an additional 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division would be sent to Poland, adding to the 1,700 troops already dispatched to that country. And Finland, a non-NATO member that has close ties with both Russia and the alliance, announced Friday that it was purchasing military assets from the United States. As the threat of a military conflict looms large over Kyiv, the desire for peace was expressed by Ukrainians as far away as Beijing. Skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych held up a sign that read "No War in Ukraine" after crossing the finish line Friday, the first major political statement made during the Winter Games. Cheng reported from Seoul. The Washington Post's Karen DeYoung in Washington and Michael E. Miller in Sydney contributed to this report. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) The influential Catholic charismatic group El Shaddai has endorsed former senator Bongbong Marcos and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte as its candidates for president and vice president, respectively, its founder Bro. Mike Velarde announced on Saturday. "Matagal nang lumapit sa akin 'yang dalawang 'yan, lalo na si Bongbong," Velarde said in an ambush interview. "It's time for us Filipinos to be united. After all, napagbigyan natin 'yung mga kalaban ni Marcos ng maraming taon, diba? Baka naman ito may magawang mabuti sa atin that's why I have chosen them." [Translation: The two reached out to me a long time ago, especially Bongbong. It's time for us Filipinos to be united. After all, we gave their rivals a chance for many years, right? Maybe this time they'll do some good that's why I've chosen them.] Velarde revealed all candidates were initially under consideration, but Marcos and Duterte were the only ones who approached the group. He said he also chose them because they were young and "open-minded." With the endorsement, El Shaddai's chapters in different provinces and abroad were given instructions to support Marcos and Duterte, Velarde said. The tandem welcomed El Shaddai's support. "It's not surprising because like I said, his is a message of love, ours is a message of unity, it works very well together," Marcos said In 2016, Marcos also led the group's mock poll as its vice presidential pick, before he lost to Vice President Leni Robredo in the elections. Apart from the tandem, El Shaddai is also backing former Public Works Secretary Mark Villar and former police chief Guillermo Eleazar, who are both running for senator. Velarde said the group will announce two senatorial endorsements every Saturday until their 14 picks are complete. TALLINN, Estonia The Baltic countries are warning their NATO allies that Russian military exercises underway in Belarus could lead to a permanent Russian troop presence in that Eastern European country, with alarming risks for the long-term security of the Western alliance. The Russian military buildup in Belarus appears aimed at Ukraine for now, but the new deployments are sending chills through Belarus's Baltic neighbors - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - as well as some Eastern European countries because of the possibility of a game-changing Russian presence on or near their borders. Between 20,000 and 30,000 Russian troops along with warplanes, missile batteries and air defense systems have moved into Belarus in recent weeks, officially to participate in a military exercise, according to Russia's Defense Ministry. The exercise, called United Resolve 2022, began Thursday, and Russian officials have said the troops will go home when the exercise ends on Feb. 20. But the size and nature of the exercise - which comes at a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin is demanding a retrenchment of NATO's presence in Eastern Europe - have given rise to fears that Russia may seize the moment to leave the troops in Belarus indefinitely, extending Russia's reach deeper into Europe, Western officials say. Baltic leaders have been raising the alarm in recent days in meetings with NATO allies, warning that an ongoing Russian troop presence in Belarus would significantly shift the military balance of power in Russia's favor. They have called for additional NATO reinforcements along the alliance's eastern flank to redress the imbalance. "The unprecedented mobilization of Russian troops in Belarus is of particular concern," Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said following a meeting earlier this week with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, according to comments quoted by the Lithuanian government's press service. "It is very important for Lithuania to have an increased NATO partners' presence in Lithuania," she added. NATO has already dispatched reinforcements, including thousands of troops, ships and aircraft, to Eastern Europe in an effort to reassure nervous allies that the alliance will stand by them in the event of a major military escalation. More are needed in light of the "probable" intent of the Russian troops to remain in Belarus, Poland's Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their recent meeting in Washington, according to the official Polish news agency. Poland also shares a long border with Belarus. "We are trying to convince people that deterrence needs to be increased, that more Atlantic Alliance troops are needed in the face of a potential threat growing on the other side of our border," the agency quoted Rau as saying. Western officials say the Russian deployments pose no imminent military threat to any part of Europe other than Ukraine. The immediate fear is that the military exercise underway in Belarus is in preparation for an attack on Ukraine, given that almost all the Russian forces in Belarus are positioned along its southern border with Ukraine, according to Thomas Bullock, a senior analyst with Janes, a defense intelligence provider. A longer-term concern for the Baltics, however, is the vulnerability of a stretch of land along the Polish-Lithuanian border known as the Suwalki Gap. The area separates Belarus from the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad, a pinprick of territory that remained part of Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. If Russia were to seize control of the 40-mile gap and link the Kaliningrad enclave with Belarus, the Baltics would be cut off from the rest of NATO and unable to receive reinforcements by land, said Kusti Salm, the permanent secretary of Estonia's Ministry of Defense. "Now we are a peninsula. We would become an island," he said. If there were no Russian troops in Belarus, NATO allies would probably be able to detect preparations for such an offensive weeks in advance, he said. But with Russian troops already in the country, the warning time would be reduced to "days or even hours." "This dramatically changes the calculus for all of NATO because it reduces the early warning time," Salm said. "Belarus gives Russia a huge operational advantage." The Baltic countries, which were formerly part of the Soviet Union, have long felt uniquely vulnerable among NATO allies for reasons of geography and history, and they are among the most vocal advocates for a robust Western response to the Russian threat to Ukraine. Their proximity to Russia and recent memory of Russia's occupation before 1991 leave residents with a heightened fear of another war in Europe, said Estonia's foreign minister, Eva-Maria Liimets. "Our understanding is more realistic," she said. "We really sense the threat here because of our history and our experience." NATO officials have said they share the Baltics' concerns. Rob Bauer, the Dutch admiral who heads NATO's Military Committee, did not rule out future adjustments to the alliance's force posture in the area. "It very much depends, of course, on whether the Russian troops in Belarus remain in Belarus," he told journalists during a visit last week to the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius. DENVER On the eve of the 80th anniversary of the forced internment of 120,000 Japanese Americans at the onset of World War II, Republican U.S. Sen. Mike Lee of Utah is getting backlash for holding up the creation of a national historic site at a former internment camp in rural Colorado. U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, says he has the support of 99 of the chamber's 100 senators to pass the Amache National Historic Site Act, which would make the remote southeastern Colorado landmark a national historic site eligible for additional preservation assistance. But his bill, co-sponsored by Colorado Democratic Sen. John Hickenlooper, failed to pass by unanimous consent last week due to a lone objection from Lee, who opposes adding new federal lands without adequate funding and in the past has advocated for "swaps" to prevent expanding federal land ownership. "Senator Lee does not object to this specific historical site. He does object to any increase in the total amount of land owned by the federal government as the federal government fails to adequately care for the land already in its vast holdings," Lee's spokesman, Lee Lonsberry, told The Associated Press. A similar House bill, sponsored by Colorado Republican Rep. Ken Buck and Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse, swiftly passed last year, and Bennet's Senate companion may still advance for consideration. The dispute comes amid a broader reckoning about race in U.S. history as Japanese Americans strive to spread awareness about the gross injustices committed by the U.S. government against their community during World War II. The Amache site is less than one square mile, Bennett's office and the Prowers County Assessor said. It contains remnants of barracks, latrines, mess halls, military police structures and a cemetery. Lee has been one of the Republican Party's most vocal opponents of the expansive power that federal agencies have to manage public lands in Western states. He supported the Trump administration's 2017 decision to shrink the size of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante, two national monuments in Utah. And last year, he opposed the Biden administration's decision to restore Bears Ears' original borders. In a 2018 speech in Utah, where about two-thirds of land is managed by federal agencies, he said his long-term goal to transfer federal lands to state control. Camp Amache is owned by the town of Granada and already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Its current designation qualifies it for preservation funds, but designating it as a National Historic Site would make available additional federal funds through the National Park Service. Calling the Japanese American internment one of "the most disgraceful chapters in our nation's history" fed by "racist fear," Bennet said in a floor speech Feb. 3 the bill intended to honor people "who never gave up on the United States of American even as it was interning them on their own soil." Japanese Americans were held in 10 camps in California, Arizona, Wyoming, Utah, Arkansas and Colorado, expelled from their homes near the West Coast under an executive order by President Franklin Roosevelt issued on Feb. 19, 1942. More than 7,000 people were interned at Amache the camp's unofficial name, after a Cheyenne chief's daughter between 1942 and 1945. According to the National Park Service, a cemetery, reservoir, water well and tank and trees planted by internees remain at the site, which is managed by a non-profit, the Amache Preservation Society. Lee's stance has drawn outrage from numerous organizations, including the Japanese American Citizens League and the National Parks Conservation Association, which advocates for the National Park System. The citizens league, its local Southern Colorado affiliate and other groups plan a Day of Remembrance on Feb. 19 that will, in part, demand passage of Bennet's bill. The initiative "not only serves as a healing tool and an acknowledgement of wrongdoing by our government, but it allows individuals and out country to move forward to a better way of being," said Shirley Ann Higuchi, chair of the Heart Mountain Wyoming Foundation whose parents were interned at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in that state. She noted that her own father, William Higuchi, went on to become chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of Utah; another detainee, Raymond Uno, became Utah's first ethnic minority judge. "A lot of Japanese Americans contributed so much to Utah, and it's a shame that in some quiet way they cannot be honored," Higuchi said. "They have quietly contributed to our country and it's unfortunate they can't be supported by someone from their own state." Both Bennet and Lee's offices said the senators have spoken about how to add the remnants of the Amache-Granada War Relocation Center to the parks system. ___ Metz reported from Salt Lake City. Stillwater, OK (74074) Today Cloudy early, becoming mostly sunny in the afternoon. High 69F. Winds NNE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies early will give way to occasional showers later during the night. Low 51F. Winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Changes to the SunCommercial's back end processing means the e-edition is getting a facelift. The biggest change is the e-edition, by default, is now presented in Text view. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) One Filipino was hurt during the drone attack on Abha Airport in Saudi Arabia on Feb. 10, the Philippine Embassy in Saudi Arabia confirmed on Saturday. The injured worker is in stable condition and currently under treatment, it added. Our team at the Philippine Consulate General in Jeddah has been in touch with the affected Filipino national to extend assistance, the embassy said in a statement. The injured worker is in a stable condition and is being treated in a hospital with the support of his employer. Reuters reported that at least 12 people were injured by shrapnel during the drone attack intercepted by air defenses, quoting the Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group. We continue to coordinate with the local authorities and the Filipino community to ensure the security and safety of Filipinos in Saudi Arabia, the embassy said. It also advised Filipinos in Saudi Arabia to monitor security advisories and contact the embassy or the Philippine Consulate General in case of emergency. The Ministry of Health is reporting 454 new community cases of Covid-19 and 27 people in hospital. Eight new cases have been identified at the border. More than 57,000 boosters were given on Friday, with New Zealand also reaching a milestone on Friday of 10 million Covid-19 vaccines administered. Of the new 454 new community cases, 12 are in Northland, 294 in Auckland, 72 in Waikato, 23 in Bay of Plenty, eight in Lakes, seven in Hawkes Bay, five in MidCentral, one in Taranaki, five in Wellington, 12 in Hutt Valley, two in Wairarapa, and 13 in the Southern DHB region. There are 27 people in hospital of which 25 have active infections, with two in North Shore, 11 in Middlemore, ten in Auckland, two in Rotorua, one in Waikato and one in Christchurch hospital. There are no cases in ICU or HDU. The average age of current hospitalisations is 52. Locations of interest and close contact places are updated here Milestone for Tairawhiti Tairawhiti has reached two vaccination milestones today; their eligible population reached 90 per cent fully vaccinated the 18th DHB to do so and its eligible Maori population reached 90 per cent first doses. The Tairawhiti DHB has worked in partnership with local providers and advocates to ensure as many people as possible have had the opportunity to get vaccinated. This includes reaching those in the regions most remote communities with vaccination vans. Ten million vaccination milestone reached On Friday afternoon, New Zealands ten millionth vaccine dose was administered. This incredible milestone is a testament to the countrys commitment to vaccination as a safe and effective way to protect ourselves against Covid-19, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. A high rate of vaccination helped us minimise the most severe effects of Delta. With Omicron spreading around the country, getting vaccinated continues to be our best defence against Covid-19. The Big Boost Week continues to see tens of thousands of people going out to get their booster dose each day. On Firday, there were 57,364 boosters administered. If its been three months since you got your second dose, please get your booster as soon as possible. Boosters lower your chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised. Testing reminder It is encouraging to see a high level of testing this week, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. However, it is important the right people get tested for the right reasons. There is good testing capacity throughout the country, but unnecessary testing could delay results for those who urgently need them. People should only get tested if they have cold or flu symptoms, if they have been at a location of interest, or if they have been asked to get tested by a health official. This weekend, were also asking people to stick to the basics to reduce the chances of catching and spreading Covid-19, says a Ministry of Health spokesperson. When youre out and about, please physical distance and wear a mask, especially when youre around people you dont know. As always, scan in using the Covid-19 Tracer App. Scanning in will ensure you are alerted quickly if you are exposed to someone with Covid-19. Covid-19 vaccine update Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,052,086 first doses (96%); 3,981,374 second doses (95%); 1,839,877 booster doses (58%) Vaccines administered yesterday: 668 first doses; 1,518 second doses; 2,482 paediatric doses; 57,364 booster doses Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 515,891 first doses (90%); 492,036 second doses (86%) Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 278,901 first doses (97%); 271,785 second doses (95%) Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 209,275 first doses (44%) Maori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 29,115 first doses (25%) Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 16,949 first doses (34%). Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +) Northland DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (87%) Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (96%) Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) MidCentral DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%) Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89.9%) Hawkes Bay: First doses (97%); second doses (94%) Taranaki DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) Wairarapa DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%) Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (95%) West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%) South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (94%) Southern DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%) Hospitalisations Cases in hospital: Total Number 27 (25 of whom have active infections); North Shore: 2; Middlemore: 11; Auckland: 10; Rotorua: 2, Waikato 1, Christchurch: 1. Average age of current hospitalisations: 52 Cases in ICU or HDU: 0 Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region only, excluding Emergency Departments): Unvaccinated or not eligible (4 cases / 20%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (1 case / 5%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (9 cases / 45%); unknown (6 cases / 30%). Cases Seven day rolling average of community cases: 275 Seven day rolling average of border cases: 28 Number of new community cases: 454 Location of new community cases*: Northland (12), Auckland (294), Waikato (72), Bay of Plenty (23), Lakes (8), Hawkes Bay (7), MidCentral (5), Taranaki (1), Wellington (5), Hutt Valley (12), Wairarapa (2), Southern (13). Number of new cases identified at the border: 8 Location of origin of border cases: India (3), Australia (1), Saudi Arabia (1), United Arab Emirates (1) the United Kingdom (1), full travel history yet obtained (1). Number of active cases (total): 3,303 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered) Confirmed cases (total): 19,400 * Please note, the Ministry of Healths daily reported cases may differ slightly from those reported at a DHB or local public health unit level. This is because of different reporting cut off times and the assignment of cases between regions, for example when a case is tested outside their usual region of residence. Total numbers will always be the formal daily case tally as reported to the WHO. Tests Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 24,820 Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 19,296 Number of Rapid Antigen Tests in New Zealand: 7.0 million Updates of note South Canterbury A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in South Canterbury. There are now two active cases in South Canterbury. A location of interest in Tekapo has been published. Anyone who was at Mackenzies Cafe Bar & Grill between 5.00pm 5.45pm on Sunday February 6 is asked to self-isolate, get a test, and record your visit online or call Healthline so contact tracers can get in touch. Additionally, anyone in the Southern Canterbury region who has any cold or flu like symptoms should get tested. Information on testing in the region is available from Healthpoint, and the DHB website. The case was confirmed after the Ministry of Health cut off period so will be added to official figures on Sunday. The New Zealand Government is advising New Zealanders to leave Ukraine immediately, says Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta. Mahuta made the announcement on Saturday afternoon. In response to heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine, the New Zealand Government is advising New Zealanders in the Ukraine to leave immediately while there are commercial flights able to get them home, says Mahuta. Those registered on SafeTravel have been notified directly, and we encourage all Kiwis currently in the Ukraine not registered to do so immediately. Aotearoa New Zealand does not have diplomatic representation in Ukraine and the governments ability to provide consular assistance to New Zealanders in Ukraine is therefore very limited. The security situation in Ukraine could change at short notice and New Zealanders should not rely on support with evacuating in these circumstances." On February 11, the NZ Government advised that New Zealanders do not travel to Ukraine due to the risk of armed conflict. Since November 2021, there have been reports of increased Russian military activity near Ukraine's border with Russia and in Crimea. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is monitoring the situation in Ukraine and continues to update its travel advice to New Zealanders in Ukraine regularly. Our revised travel advisory mirrors similar travel updates from Australia, United Kingdom and the United States, says Mahuta. New Zealand strongly supports ongoing international efforts to resolve the crisis diplomatically but the continuing and unprecedented build-up of Russian military forces on its border with Ukraine is deeply concerning. Aotearoa New Zealand calls on Russia once more to take immediate steps to reduce tensions and the risk of a severe miscalculation, says Mahuta. New Zealands travel advice reflects potential risks, and the Governments assessment of what these might mean for New Zealanders. This advice is designed to assist New Zealanders to make their own informed decisions. The Government urges any New Zealanders in Ukraine not registered on Safe Travel to do so immediately in order to receive updates from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade: https://safetravel.govt.nz/ukraine Get website access for only 99 per month for the first 3 months, then $7.50 a month after. Cancel anytime! Unlimited website access 24/7 Unlimited e-Edition access 24/7 The best local, regional and national news in sports, politics, business and more! With a Digital Only subscription, you'll receive unlimited access to our website and e-Edition. Our digital products are available 24/7 and are accessible anywhere, anytime. Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 12) Over half of Filipinos expect the COVID-19 crisis to be over within 2022, according to a latest Social Weather Stations survey. The poll conducted on Dec. 12-16 last year showed 51% of Filipinos see an end to the pandemic this year while 45% believe the global health crisis will extend beyond 2022. The expectation the pandemic will be over this year was highest in Mindanao with 62%, followed by Balance Luzon (areas outside Metro Manila) with 51%, the National Capital Region with 49%, and the Visayas with 41%. The survey also showed 51% of respondents are in favor of enacting a law that will compel all Filipinos to get vaccinated against COVID-19, 31% are not if favor, and 17% remain undecided. The same percentage of respondents agree that unvaccinated workers should present a negative RT-PCR test every two weeks to allow them to report to work, 35% disagree, and 14% are undecided. Almost half or 49% of Filipinos said the unvaccinated should not be allowed to dine-in inside restaurants, 36% said otherwise, and 14% are undecided. Most parts of the country are now under Alert Level 2 - a more relaxed status where businesses and activities are allowed under certain government guidelines. Since the pandemic started two years ago, the country tallied over 3.6 million COVID-19 cases. Nearly 55,000 people have died while about 3.5 million have recovered from the disease. Weather Alert ...The Flood Warning continues for the following rivers in Oklahoma... Illinois River near Tahlequah affecting Cherokee County. ...FLOOD WARNING NOW IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING TO EARLY THURSDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Illinois River near Tahlequah. * WHEN...From Wednesday morning to early Thursday morning. * IMPACTS...At 11.0 feet, minor flooding occurs from near Hanging Rock downstream towards Tahlequah. Floating the river is too hazardous due to strong turbulence. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 7:30 PM CDT Monday the stage was 7.0 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise above flood stage Wednesday morning to a crest of 11.1 feet early Wednesday afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage late Wednesday evening. - Flood stage is 11.0 feet. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood && By Trend The railway authorities of Azerbaijan and Russia have got new opportunities for cooperation in the field of transport and logistics, Board Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways (ADY) CJSC Javid Gurbanov said, Trend reports. Gurbanov made the remark during a meeting with First Deputy General Director of Russian Railways OJSC Sergey Pavlov. According to the head of ADY, Azerbaijan has great potential for expanding transport corridors through its territory. He also spoke about the work on the electrification of the Baku-Derbent railway line within the International North-South Transport Corridor, the financing of the work to transfer the Baku-Yalama railway line from direct current to alternating current, and the timing of completion of work on this section. Besides, the CJSCs chairman touched upon the large-scale construction work carried out in the territories liberated from Armenian occupation [in the 2020 Second Karabakh War], and informed about the new railway lines in detail. Pavlov highly appreciated the work done by Azerbaijan Railways CJSC. "Cooperation in the field of cargo transportation will continue to expand, as well as opportunities to attract new cargo," he said. (CNN) -- President Joe Biden will speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday as escalating concerns over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine grip Western governments. The conversation will take place at 11 a.m. ET/7 p.m. Moscow time, according to the Kremlin. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told Russian state news agency TASS that the conversation was initiated by Washington and "the request was preceded by a written request from the American side." Putin will also speak with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday. The White House confirmed the call Friday evening and offered a bit of unusual detail: A White House official said the Kremlin proposed holding the call on Monday, but the White House counter-offered a Saturday call, which was accepted. Ahead of the calls, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Western countries and the press of spreading a "large-scale disinformation campaign" about an allegedly impending Russian invasion of Ukraine "in order to divert attention from their own aggressive actions." "At the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, the global information space faced a media campaign unprecedented in its scale and sophistication, the purpose of which is to convince the world community that the Russian Federation is preparing an invasion of the territory of Ukraine," the Ministry said in a statement published on its website. Putin and Biden last spoke on the phone late last year. Prior to that, on December 7, they had negotiations via video-conference. The first face-to-face meeting between Putin and Biden as heads of state took place in Geneva in June 2021. The Russian President has also engaged a series of Western leaders in talks that have so far appeared fruitless in defusing the situation. Putin's weekend phone calls follow several warnings on Friday by American and European officials, who expressed concern for the security of Europe and the safety of their citizens in Ukraine. The US has estimated that Russia has more than 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border, with thousands added just this week, according to an administration official. Biden, who is spending the weekend at Camp David, took part in a virtual meeting from the White House on Friday with leaders from Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, NATO, the European Commission and the European Council to discuss escalating tensions. Following the call, Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, appeared before the press saying that though Putin hasn't decided whether to act, there is a "very distinct possibility" Russia could swiftly engage in a major military action. Sullivan warned that a Russian assault on Ukraine could begin soon, beginning with aerial bombings and missile attacks. He advised all Americans in Ukraine to depart the country for their own safety as quickly as possible. "We obviously cannot predict the future, we don't know exactly what is going to happen. But the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands," he said. A travel advisory issued by the State Department on Saturday said it had "ordered the departure of most US direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action." Along with the US, several other countries are calling for their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately as well. It also stated that consular services would be suspended but stressed a small diplomatic presence would be maintained in the city of Lviv in the west of the country, about 50 miles from the Polish border, to handle emergencies. The Biden administration is discussing the possibility of pulling other US government employees out of Ukraine. On Friday, a British diplomat told CNN that the British Embassy in Kyiv is "temporarily removing all nonessential staff and dependents" and "a core team will remain to continue with essential duties." A senior defense official told CNN that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered 3,000 more soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to deploy to Poland, joining the 1,700 already there. The soldiers are there to help Americans who may try to leave Ukraine. In Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, Mayor Vitali Klitschko outlined preparations the city is taking to safeguard "critical and social infrastructure facilities" in "the event of a possible emergency." In the statement issued on Telegram ahead of the weekend, Klitschko said, "Our efforts are aimed at preventing or overcoming both possible provocations and withstanding a military attack." Klitschko said efforts included generating additional electricity production and creating fuel reserves, as well as organizing the forces for the territorial brigade to defend the city. He also outlined the current state of shelter structures in the city and said evacuation commissions are also being set up. "Electric generators have been installed for uninterrupted operation in the emergency situation of the city management systems and thermal power plants of the capital for a period of up to 10 days. Businesses have a guaranteed uninterrupted connection in the absence of mobile communications and the Internet," the statement said. This story was first published on CNN.com, "Biden and Putin to speak on Saturday as tension builds over Russian threat to Ukraine" Thank you for Reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and Purchase a Subscription to continue reading. Reddit, the front page of the internet, has been helping a lot of people who have many questions in their minds. This news aggregate site presents a variety of interesting topics to discuss around the world. Whether it's about science, religion, games, and more, you can find several forums that might be on your preference. Thanks to the dedicated Reddit apps, diving into your favorite subreddit is even made easier. Today, we will discuss the best Reddit apps you can use in iOS and Android this 2022. Here's what you should look for. Joey For Reddit The first on the list is the Joey For Reddit app. This application has a lot of features to use, especially for users who want to take note of a particular comment/s in the subreddit. You can also receive notifications when a new comment pops out in the section. Moreover, you are free to hide the past posts that you have already seen, per Cellular News. Its premium subscription might be quite expensive for a user. However, you can take advantage of reading subreddits without any ads for just $19.99. On top of that, this app is considered one of the best-running Reddit apps on Android. To add, you might take a little time to learn using Joey For Reddit, but once you learn how to master it, you can customize this app for good. Download here: Android Related Article: Reddit Talk Now Available on Mobile App, Bringing Podcasts on Platform; What are Its Features? RedReader This Reddit app might be your sure-fire choice for now since this is an open-source app. Interestingly, it offers ad-free service and comfortable usability for all users. Other than that, its user interface is easy to utilize, not to mention its ease of readability that you can reap as you browse the subreddits on the platform. Download here: Android RIF RIF or Reddit is Fun is indeed a good candidate for the best Reddit app that Android users usually prefer. Its design borrows a mixed application of traditional and modern features, which you can enjoy through its interface. You can also enjoy several features such as commenting, voting, and liking subreddits. What's amazing here is you can do all of these with no additional charge. Recently, RIF added a new update wherein a user can now enable home screen viewing, hence the support for widgets and tablets. Download here: Android Commet For Reddit For iOS users, this Reddit app is an ideal pick, especially if you have previously used Apollo. Although the original Reddit app is decent, iPhone peeps often rely on this app because of its customizability. You can also utilize its multiple account support if you are managing several accounts at once. Download here: iOS BaconReader BaconReader tops the list for both iOs and Android. This Reddit app can let you view karma points, not to mention its capability to down-vote or up-vote a topic. This is also the closest resemblance to Reddit's web version. Getting rid of ads is worth $19.99, but the benefits you will get are top-notch. Download here: Android and iOS For more Reddit-related stories, you can check our latest report about the Reddit NFT platform and hate speech on Reddit. Read Also: Is Reddit Possibly Exploring Clubhouse-Like App? Source Claims It's Still in the Early Stages of Development This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Apple SSD suppliers are now suffering from major material contamination. These are specifically Kioxia and Western Digital. Since their NAND production facilities were affected, many experts claimed that the issue could also affect their storage components' iPhone products. In late January, Western Digital confirmed that its NAND Flash production lines located in Yokkaichi and Kitami, Japan, were affected. According to MacRumors' latest report, this is a major concern since Kioxia and Western Digital are among the leading SSD suppliers. Apple SSD Supplier's Major Material Contamination More than 30% of the total NAND flash market includes the gadget components produced by Apple's SSD suppliers. Because of this, some experts predict that the prices of SSDs will definitely spike. Also Read: Apple Music Android Beta Hints New 'Classical App' | Improved Widgets Design Seen? Meanwhile, they also believe that even if the iPhone manufacturer's devices are not directly affected by the material contamination, their prices could also increase since SSD supply could tighten. As of the moment, the price increase of Apple devices is still hard to predict. It would be on the company's end if it would accept the increased SSD price offered by Western Digital and Kioxia. SSD Material Contamination's Severity Trend Force reported that 3D NAND (BICS) are mostly the affected gadget components in the latest material contamination. Around 6,500M GB is believed to be damaged because of the contamination. This means that the infected bits are more than 13% of the suppliers' Q1 2022 production. Meanwhile, the infected bits account for around 3% of the total output of the two manufacturers. Right now, the main cause of the issue is still unidentified. Since the major material contamination is still unresolved, experts claimed that the affected bits could still increase in the following months. In other news, iOS 15.4 Siri bug can store users' recordings without them knowing it, which can be an alarming security issue for the advanced system. Meanwhile, security experts are now urging consumers to update to iOS 15.3.1 to fix their iPhones' security flaws. For more news updates about Apple and other related topics, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: Apple Book Club, 'Strombo's Lit' from Canadian Apple Music Hits Host brings a Fine Selection of Titles to Read This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The Tesla FSD's current beta version 10.10 demonstrates a safety feature that would do what a person would do when stuck in a situation it cannot solve. Instead of a complete takeover by the driver, Elon Musk said that the FSD is like a person and would try to get itself out of a situation like pulling away from a dangerous intersection. Tesla FSD Backs Out from Parked Obstacle Without Human Takeover A Tesla FSD Beta version tester named "Whole Mars Blog" demonstrates a Tesla EV that pulls away from a situation like how humans would do when stuck. The video showed how the FSD program handled it like a human taking over the wheels and escaping the case to continue the trip and head to its destination. The beta tester said that the Full Self-Driving beta is currently at version 10.10, and it is different from previous versions that would require more assistance than this one. Before, drivers would need to get the car out of the situation and take over the drive before resuming autonomous driving, unlike what it demonstrated now. Read Also: Tesla Model X Deliveries Faces More Delays | Elon Musk Says it's 'Extremely Difficult to Build' Car should also reverse slightly if it peeks into an intersection & sees fast-moving cross-traffic (just like a person would) Elon Musk (@elonmusk) February 11, 2022 Elon Musk: FSD Beta is 'Person Like,' Pulls Itself from Danger Tesla CEO Elon Musk agreed that the Tesla FSD Beta can do these maneuvers and adds that it is "like a person" in these situations where it does the takeover or interference itself. Musk claimed that the FSD could reverse and pull the car away from an intersection when it senses danger around its vicinity. The Tesla FSD Beta Version Now For obvious reasons, the Tesla FSD Beta is still in the beta testing version. It is to test the capabilities of the electric vehicle before it faces its public release. However, a lot question the qualifications of the FSD, and it includes US Senators that doubt its safety features. It is only normal to doubt the safety of the car as it involves the lives of the public. There were initial rumors that said Tesla's current version of the FSD allegedly is crashing every 36 minutes and that it is not a safe feature to be used by people. However, those statements get refuted by Tesla fans and people that tested the FSD, using it in their drives while filming its track, showing that the feature does not crash at all. The current version of the Tesla FSD demonstrates a safe approach to different situations that involve human interference or takeover when driving. The condition means that the person would need to drive the car out of the ditch or problem it is in. However, Musk said that the Tesla FSD is "person like" and would not need much of a takeover in the present version. Related Article: Tesla Warned by NHTSA to Disable Boombox Feature to Prevent Accidents This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Isaiah Richard 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Amazon announced it will no longer require its warehouse employees to wear face masks at work as long as they are fully vaccinated. The dropping of the mask mandate came after the United States had eased up on its restrictions for vaccinated people. An internal memo about the change was sent on Feb. 10. Amazon's Mask Mandate Several states have already said that they will end or scale back their mask mandates soon, including Delaware, Oregon, and California. Under the new policy, those who are not yet vaccinated or those states that have not scaled back mask mandates must still wear face masks in all Amazon facilities, according to CNN. According to CNN, there has been a sharp decline in COVID-19 cases across the United States over the past few weeks. Together with increasing vaccination rates across the country, this is a good sign that the country can return to the path to normal operations. Also Read: Apple Stores Drop Mask Mandate for Customers in Over 100 Locations as COVID-19 Cases Declines In the same memo sent by Amazon, the company also announced plans to restrict its offer of COVID-19-related paid leave. Beginning March 18, only fully vaccinated employees will be eligible to get COVID-19 paid leave in the country. The restriction does not apply to employees with medical or religious exemptions, according to The Wall Street Journal. All unvaccinated employees that are not eligible for paid leave under the policy may still take up to a week of unpaid leave for COVID-19 isolation or quarantine. Last year, to encourage employees to get vaccinated, Amazon offered up to $100,000 payout or free cars. Statewide Mask Mandates Amazon's mask mandate change mirrors the disappearance of local mask mandates across the country. At the national level, though, the guidance for wearing masks is still there, according to News 4. This causes confusion among the public as they do not know if they need to mask up or not. Whether you must wear a mask depends on where you live in the country, but whether you should is a different story. Around a fifth of states never had mask mandates, as some states with more conservative governors like Florida punished schools that put mask mandates in place by withholding funds, even when COVID-19 cases were very high. The local government of New Jersey, Illinois, Connecticut, California, and Delaware, states that had more strict mask rules, announced that the cases dropped in their respective areas, and people could stop wearing masks if they chose to do so. A couple of public health experts think now is the right time to remove this policy, especially in communities that are high in vaccinated people. Dr. Carlos del Rio, the executive associate dean of the Emory University School of Medicine, as the cases are decreasing now, in a couple of weeks, removing masks is the right thing to do. However, the US Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention or CDC guidelines have not changed at all. The agency still advises people to still wear a mask when indoors in public if they are not up to date with their vaccines. Many Americans are still not vaccinated. Only 42% of the population is fully vaccinated and boosted. In schools, the CDC recommends everyone to wear masks, no matter what their vaccination status is. As for private businesses, like Amazon, the decision to wear masks depends on them. Since a lot of employees are already vaccinated, Amazon decided to just drop the policy. Related Article: CDC's Easing of Mask Mandate is 'Premature' Says Former Surgeon General This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Sophie Webster 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. US nuclear power plants have been busted for carrying various fake or counterfeit parts after an investigation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As per the report by the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission or NRC, it looked into numerous nuclear power plants in the US after some have raised concerns regarding their fraudulent and counterfeit parts. US Nuclear Power Plants Fake Parts The NRC did not name the folks behind the complaint, but it further alleges that these fake parts exist "in most, if not all, US nuclear power plants." According to a report by The Verge, the latest finding of the NRC comes at a time when nuclear energy is now being considered to achieve the carbon-free vision of most nations across the globe. As such, this time around, nuclear energy is being considered by nations that are attempting to reach their climate goals in the coming years. However, the latest investigation by the office of the inspector general has discovered that some of the nuclear power plants in the US dangerously contain fake parts. On top of that, The Verge further noted in the same report that even the Department of Energy or the DOE has previously discovered counterfeit parts in several incidents. In fact, in 2021 alone, the DOE has flagged 100 fake parts from US nuclear power plants. Nuclear Power Plant Investigation The office of the inspector general investigated four power plants in the US to look for the existence of any fake parts, which were altered to seem like it was legit. The inquiry specifically looked for power plant parts that were intentionally produced to misrepresent themselves as genuine products. On top of that, the inspector general also checked if there were parts in the power plant that failed to meet its supposed product specifications. To no surprise, the allegations stating that US nuclear power plants carry fake parts have been proven by its investigation, wherein it found evidence of counterfeit products. Notably, the report from the NRC disclosed that the power plants in the Northeast contained fake parts that have figures in previous component failures. The first incident was a failure on the water pump shaft, which broke as soon as the installation concluded. What's more, the temperature monitor of another Northeastern nuclear plant also failed. It is to note that before it broke, defective parts had been previously installed. Read Also: Elon Musk Agrees with Keeping the California Nuclear Power Plant Open-Factory Brings Clean Energy to State Nuclear Plant Fake Parts: Safety Concerns The report published by the NRC concludes that the counterfeit parts "present nuclear safety and security concerns," noting that these fake components could also carry "serious consequences." Related Article: New Nuclear Fusion Experiment Produces 59 Megajoules of Energy-Leading To New World Record This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Teejay Boris 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. For people who are having irregular heartbeats, a pacemaker is usually the recommended device to solve this health problem. As its name suggests, it regulates the heartbeat's pace to maintain the organ's rhythm. Regarding this medical device, the researchers have formulated a game-changing kind of pacemaker which might reverse heart failure for the patients. This year, the scientists were able to test it on animals and the trials were successful. Revolutionary Pacemaker According to a report by SciTech Daily, New Zealand-based researchers are expecting to experiment with the efficiency of the new pacemaker on humans sometime around 2022. The University of Auckland scientists created Cysoni, a "bionic pacemaker" that could monitor a patient's breathing aside from changing the heart rate. This device is reportedly responsive to the real-time signals happening inside the person's body. In a press release, Julian Paton who led the Auckland team has mentioned that the heart rate is "paired" to the person's breathing upon analyzing the heart rate frequencies. It goes up on inspiration, and it goes down on expiration, and that is a natural phenomenon in all animals and humans. And we're talking about very ancient animals that were on the planet 430 million years ago," the expert explained. From here, the researchers devised plans to develop a unique pacemaker for heart failure treatment. They came up with the idea of bringing back the heart rate variability to heart failure patients which in this case are the animals. This would confirm if putting back this variance. Related Article: Scientists Create Pacemaker That Can Be Powered By Your Heartbeat How the Bionic Pacemaker Works By listening to the lungs, they arrived at a new bionic pacemaker that could also detect electrical signals as the person breathes. This tool is focused on restoring heart variability among patients, according to Interesting Engineering. Initially, Paton and his team tested this out on rats and found some positive results after that. Since then, they observed that the life-saving device could be a key to reversing heart failure which by far remains untapped by today's modern practice. Per Dr. Martin Stiles, a cardiologist who spearheaded the trial, the newly-developed pacemaker has surpassed their expectations. According to him, this bionic creation could "revolutionize" the solution for heart failure among patients in the future. As for the team's future plans, the human trial will be the next action in their book. It will start in late 2022 in New Zealand. Animal Pacemakers Back in 2019, Tech Times reported that some heart patients in Georgia were giving away their used pacemakers to save animals with heart problems. At that time, the donation drive led by Terri Mattula became a huge help for struggling pets. For those who cannot afford to buy a pacemaker for their old dogs, the used pacemaker could extend the lives of our beloved pets. Meanwhile, COVID-19 survivors were found to be at high risk of heart-related problems in the long run, according to the tech site. Read Also: Apple Releases Detailed List of Products That Should Be Kept Away From Medical Devices--Here Are They This article is owned by Tech Times Written by Joseph Henry 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. An infrared-based drone was developed to save more animals in danger zones. For the past few years, rescuers still find it hard to save people and animals during wildfires, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. The person behind this new invention is Douglas Thron, a drone pilot. He created the new flying rescue device using an infrared camera, integrating it with advanced features and components. Thron explained that his new drone could identify animals in danger zones. After that, the flying gadget will inform the rescuers regarding the locations of the creatures. New Infrared-Based Drone To the Rescue! According to AccuWeather's latest report, Thron has already joined various rescue operations. These include those in Australia, especially when the country was suffering from massive wildfires. Also Read: Apple Drone Could be in Works After Patent Applications Spotted | 'Unmanned Aerial Vehicles' Aside from this, he also rescued some animals during Hurricane Laura back in August 2020. This time, he came up with creating a drone that could help him save more animal lives. "I thought, 'Imagine if we put this infrared scope on a drone, how many more animals you could actually find,'" said the cinematographer. He integrated a spotlight and zoon lens into his new drone device. This allowed him to identify animals in dangerous situations faster than other models. Aside from these camera sensors, the new drone also doesn't make too much noise, allowing the drone operator to get near to a creature without startling it. Why the New Drone is Essential National Geographic explained no actual data confirming the animals surviving during wildfires and other natural calamities. The agency explained that although animals have natural instincts that can help them survive dangerous situations, their capabilities are usually not enough to save them from massive disasters. But, more animals can now be saved, thanks to the arrival of Thron's new infrared-based drone. In other news, drone rescue was recently conducted to save dogs trapped by a volcanic eruption in Spain. Meanwhile, Flytrex's drone food delivery service expands to North Carolina. For more news updates about drones and other flying gadgets, always keep your tabs open here at TechTimes. Related Article: FAA Says People Flying Drones at Super Bowl to Face Consequences: $30,000 Fine, Criminal Charges, and Drone Confiscation Included This article is owned by TechTimes Written by: Griffin Davis 2021 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. (CNN) There's socially distanced, and then there's French President Emmanuel Macron sitting on the opposite end of an enormous table during talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin on Monday. There is now insight as to why: The French leader declined the Kremlin's request for a Russian Covid-19 test, the Elysee Palace said Thursday. On Friday, an Elysee spokesperson refused to comment on media reports that Macron did not want Russian doctors getting their hands on his DNA. The two men spent more than five hours sitting at the table estimated to be up to 20 feet (six meters) long for head-to-head talks on how to diffuse a potential conflict in Ukraine. Macron was seeking to stop the massive Russian military buildup of more than 100,000 soldiers from turning into war and to assuage Russia's security grievances, which include demands that Ukraine and Georgia be blocked from ever becoming members of NATO and for the alliance to draw down troops in Eastern Europe. But the table itself drew significant attention, with its length shocking many observers and triggering a wave of internet memes. On Friday, an Elysee spokesperson explained the French side "judged that the conditions that allowed for a shorter distance [between the presidents during their talks] were not acceptable to us and we chose the other option proposed by the Russian [Covid-19] protocol. That is all." "The president has of course always done what he has to do when he travels," the spokesperson said. "The question is just based on the test conditions." As to the Reuters report about Macron not wanting Russia to have access to his DNA, the spokesperson said it "did not merit launching into particular fantasies." While refusing to provide details of the test conditions, the spokesperson said there were concerns about who would do the test, how the tests would be taken and their timings. "The president has doctors who define with him the rules that are acceptable or not in terms of the health protocols relating to him. Period," the Elysee spokesperson added. The conditions that would have allowed a meeting with less distance imposed a Russian health protocol which "seemed neither acceptable nor compatible with our agenda constraints," the Elysee Palace said on Thursday. The Kremlin confirmed that the French side was unwilling to comply with the Kremlin Covid-19 testing protocol that would have led to a more intimate setting. Asked if Macron decided not to take a PCR test administered by Russian doctors, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters Friday: "Yes, indeed." "In some situations, Putin meets with his guests sitting very close by one another, they shake hands," he said. "With others, negotiations are held at a table, at a distance of approximately six meters." Peskov added: "This is due to the fact that some leaders follow their own rules and they do not interact with the host side in sharing tests. We treat this with understanding, this is a normal global practice but, in this case, there is a protocol of additional measures to protect the health of our president and our guests as well. A larger distance is applied. The meeting ended with the Kremlin pouring cold water on reports that the two leaders had agreed to de-escalate the tense standoff on Ukraine's border, where tens of thousands of Russian forces have massed in recent months, drawing warnings from Western officials of an impending invasion. As Putin tests the West's resolve, Macron has thrust himself to center stage, taking former German Chancellor Angela Merkel's place as leading mediator for Europe as he readies himself for a reelection bid at home. Currently at the helm of the European Union's rotating presidency, Macron has spoken several times per week with Putin, and placed his third phone call in a week to US President Joe Biden on Sunday evening. This story was first published on CNN.com "Why the big table in Moscow? Macron refused a Russian Covid test" Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu, met on Friday with its British counterpart Ben Wallace. During the session, the Russian representative announced that the response on U.S. and NATO answers over security guarantees will be released soon. Last February 1, Moscow sent Washington a written message, which included the Kremlin's notes on the written response delivered by the U.S. to Russia, comprising its response to its security demands and requirements for resolving the crisis in Ukraine. The Russian Minister noted that Moscow has no responsibility for the escalation of the security situation in Europe, stressing that "the military-political situation in Europe is becoming more and more tense." Further in the meeting, Russia's DM called on West countries to stop sending armament on Ukraine. It is coming from all sides, it is being done publicly It's not entirely clear why. I would also like to understand why the United Kingdom sent its special forces to Ukraine, and how long they will stay there," Shoigu stated. According to Wallace, NATO left weapons and military equipment worth nearly $80 billion, during its withdrawal. "It is difficult to understand where these weapons are and who will get them. We would not want this topic to fade away. Like the issue of refugees from Afghanistan. Like the issue of drug trafficking from Afghanistan," said the Russian official. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu Says UK-Russia Ties Close To Zero https://t.co/aq5mRxMVut Infomaniahub.com (@infomaniahub) February 11, 2022 Along the summit, Shoigu urged to stop aggravating the situation in the Russia-NATO relationship, stressing that otherwise, the cooperation level will continue to decrease, something that Russia does not desire. He exposed his hopes to discuss pressing issues with Britain "without escalation and raising the temperature even higher in relations between Russia and NATO countries." The summit was aimed at Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov's meeting with British FM Liz Truss yesterday. Lavrov noted to his British counterpart that the Russian-British relations "have perhaps reached their lowest levels in many years." Madisonville, KY (42431) Today Mixed clouds and sun with scattered thunderstorms. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 78F. Winds SW at 15 to 25 mph. Chance of rain 50%.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 52F. Winds NNW at 10 to 15 mph. (CNN) -- The United States has moved some US forces out of Ukraine and ordered the evacuation of most of its embassy staff on Saturday as fears mount that a Russian invasion of the country could take place in the next few days. The moves are signs of growing concerns among US officials about the safety of Americans in Ukraine. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered members of the Florida National Guard out of Ukraine, repositioning them "elsewhere in Europe," according to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby. The 160 soldiers have been in Ukraine since November on a training mission. "They are departing Ukraine and will reposition elsewhere in Europe. The Secretary made this decision out of an abundance of caution with the safety and security of our personnel foremost in mind and informed by the State Department's guidance on U.S. personnel in Ukraine," Kirby said in a statement. The Pentagon is still supporting Ukraine's military, despite this order. "This repositioning does not signify a change in our determination to support Ukraine's Armed Forces, but will provide flexibility in assuring allies and deterring aggression," Kirby said. A travel advisory issued by the State Department on Saturday said it had "ordered the departure of most US direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action." It also stated that consular services would be suspended but stressed a small diplomatic presence would be maintained in the city of Lviv in the west of the country, about 50 miles from the Polish border, to handle emergencies. Numerous countries are also downgrading their diplomatic presence and urging their citizens to leave Ukraine. A senior State Department official said during a call with reporters Saturday morning that it's past time for US citizens to leave Ukraine because there are limits to what the US can do to assist them in a war zone, which is "inherently volatile" and "extremely dangerous." "Once a country or region becomes an active conflict zone we have very little ability to help our fellow citizens," the official said. The State Department announcement came ahead of a scheduled call between US President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin as American officials increased the urgency of their warnings that Moscow may be about to invade. Ahead of that call, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and discussed "acute and shared concerns that Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said Saturday. Blinken tweeted that he "reiterated that further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response." On Friday, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned a Russian assault on Ukraine could begin soon, beginning with aerial bombings and missile attacks. He advised all Americans to depart the country for their own safety as quickly as possible. "Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible, and in any event in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said. "We obviously cannot predict the future, we don't know exactly what is going to happen. But the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands." "If a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, it is likely to begin with aerial bombings and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians without regard to their nationality. A subsequent ground invasion would obviously involve the onslaught of a massive force," he continued. The warning came just before a senior defense official told CNN that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had ordered 3,000 more soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to deploy to Poland, joining the 1,700 already there. The soldiers are there to help Americans who may try to leave Ukraine. Following Sullivan's remarks, Russia blasted Western countries and media for spreading a "large-scale disinformation campaign" over a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying Friday that they were doing so "to divert attention from their own aggressive actions." "At the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022, the global information space faced a media campaign unprecedented in its scale and sophistication, the purpose of which is to convince the world community that the Russian Federation is preparing an invasion of the territory of Ukraine," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Friday. On Saturday Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky sought to downplay concerns about an imminent invasion. Speaking briefly after watching military exercises near Kherson in southern Ukraine, Zelensky said he had to "analyze all the information" regarding threats at the borders. "And the truth is that we have different information. And now the best friend for enemies is panic in our country. And all this information helps only to create panic, doesn't help us," Zelensky said. State Department has been calling Americans in Ukraine The State Department has been calling Americans in Ukraine to find out if they have plans to leave as the US continues to urge US citizens to leave the country. Lee Humerian, an American living in Ukraine with his family and working as a missionary, told CNN that he got a call from the State Department Friday, asking if he had plans to leave the country. The official asked if he read the most recent email from the State Department encouraging Americans to leave, according to Humerian. He told the official he had read it and he did not have plans to leave. Humerian registered with the State Department's program that tracks Americans abroad. The State Department did not immediately respond to request for comment about these calls. Despite those warnings, Sullivan added that it's not clear if Putin has decided to invade Ukraine. "I want to be crystal clear. A final decision has not been taken by President Putin, but we have a sufficient level of concern based on what we're see on the ground and what our intelligence analysts have picked up that we're sending this clear message and it remains a message that we have now been sending for some time. And it is an urgent message because we're in an urgent situation," Sullivan said. The State Department official said during the call with reporters Saturday that a "couple thousand" Americans have told the State Department in recent days that they are still in Ukraine and a "substantial number" of them do not want to leave the country, despite potential dangers, the official said. "We're in active contact with them to understand whether or not they are planning to leave," the official told reporters, as the department continues to urge those Americans to leave the country. The State Department official said the US respects the decision of the Americans who want to stay but encourages them to reconsider that choice. "There's another substantial part of that group that have said they're choosing to remain in Ukraine, and even while we strongly urge them to reconsider and advise them to leave because of the dangers that we foresee," the official said. "We fully respect their right to make their own choices, and, you know people have, there are many reasons why people might resist leaving, including if they're long-term residents of Ukraine." Some of the Americans are trying to leave the country now or have left already. The State Department is helping them leave if they want to. "Very few" US citizens that the State Department has been in touch with have expressed an inability to get themselves out of the country, the official said. They have asked for help getting new passports or visas for non-American family members, the official said. On Friday, Blinken said the US believes a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin "at any time," including during the ongoing Olympics in Beijing. He also said the US continues "to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border." "We're continuing to draw down our embassy," Blinken said during a press conference on Friday. "We will continue that process. And we've also been very clear that any American citizens who remain in Ukraine should leave now." This story was first published on CNN.com, "US moves some forces out of Ukraine and orders evacuation of most embassy staff as fears of a Russian invasion grow" Ada, OK (74820) Today Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds later in the day. High 67F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Scattered thunderstorms developing overnight. Low 56F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 50%. Entergys Grand Gulf Nuclear Station in Port Gibson, Mississippi, was taken offline Friday to address issues with its feedwater system. The next day, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator issued a notice to its utility members, including Entergy and Cleco, requiring them to ask their members to reduce their electricity use. Entergy Corp. ORG XMIT: MER2f22d536f40f1a9d2d8c07cfd1e0e While most people think of February as the month of love, I think about the Lunar New Year. My husbands aunt is from Taiwan and started sharing what her family does each February. It has been so amazing to learn about a new culture and the roots that Creightons aunt still celebrates to this day. We've got our eye on the Tiger this Lunar New Year, the first since 2010. The tiger is commonly associated with traits such as bravery, courage, and strength. The year of the Tiger signals good fortune for those born in the Tiger years of 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010 and 2022. It also influences the fortunes of the other 11 animal signs, depending on their relationship with the Tiger. 2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger. Those born this year are said to have great interpersonal relationships, and be very family oriented. People born in the Year of the Tiger are born leaders, who walk and talk assertively and inspire respect. They are courageous and energetic, love a challenge or competition, and are prepared to take risks. They are hungry for excitement and crave attention. They can also be rebellious, short-tempered, and outspoken, preferring to give orders rather than take them, which often leads to conflict. Tiger people may appear calm, but there is often a hidden aggressiveness. They can also be sensitive, humorous, and capable of great generosity and love. There is never a dull moment with a Tiger. Now to connect this amazing year to some amazing books that celebrate the Lunar New Year. Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng's majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high? Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veinssorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute. The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan Leigh Chen Sanders is absolutely certain about one thing: When her mother died by suicide, she turned into a bird. Leigh, who is half Asian and half white, travels to Taiwan to meet her maternal grandparents for the first time. There, she is determined to find her mother, the bird. In her search, she winds up chasing after ghosts, uncovering family secrets, and forging a new relationship with her grandparents. And as she grieves, she must try to reconcile the fact that on the same day she kissed her best friend and longtime secret crush, Axel, her mother was taking her own life. Alternating between real and magic, past and present, friendship and romance, hope and despair, "The Astonishing Color of After" is a novel about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love. If you have any questions, please call me at 402-562-4203 or email me at Jessica.Wilkinson@columbusne.us. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 James Finn writes for The Advocate as a Report For America corps member. Email him at JFinn@theadvocate.com or follow him on Twitter @RJamesFinn. To learn more about Report for America and to support our journalism, please click here. Few would dispute that the decision to re-open Australias borders to (fully vaccinated) international visitors on February 21, just shy of two years since they closed, is encouraging news. Our tourism industry is hoping border openings will revive its prospects. Not only is it a milestone in our emergence from the pandemic, it ends months of uncertainty for families with loved ones overseas and, crucially, will revive our $60 billion tourism industry, all but flattened by closures, lockdowns and, most recently, fears about the Omicron variant. As Patrick Hatch reports, even domestic tourism numbers fell nationally by around a quarter in the 10 months to October 2021. Those more reliant on international custom have seen their livelihoods shattered. Pre-pandemic, in the 2018-2019 financial year, we had 9.3 million short stay international visitors, a record at that time. In 2020-2021, that fell off a cliff to just 150,000 arrivals, few of whom, one would imagine, would have been big-spending, holidaying tourists. KEARNEY The University of Nebraska Board of Regents voted in favor of eliminating the philosophy major at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The board heard public comment from UNK professors, students and alumni Friday morning imploring the regents to save the major at UNK. In a passionate speech to the board, Dr. Thomas Martin, UNK philosophy professor, spoke about humanities requirements at UNK being reduced to only three credit hours with philosophy being one of many choices. He discussed how the major is needed to develop and nurture the intellect of students in Nebraska. Man does not live to make a living. He wants a life that is worth living. If you take that away from them, they will have no gusto, and the workers you get will not know the virtues and vices that give you the power to be the captain of your own soul and the navigator of your own life. Because that is what an education is for, Martin said. Chancellor Doug Kristensen and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Charlie Bicak sent letters this fall to NU Executive Vice President and Provost Jeffrey Gold recommending the discontinuation of the program because of a low number of students majoring in the field of study. The highest number of graduates from the program was five in 2010. In 2014 and 2021, there were no philosophy graduates. There are currently three students majoring in the field. In 2019, Nebraskas Coordinating Commission for Post-Secondary Education, which creates a comprehensive statewide plan to guide the states higher education system, gave UNK an opportunity to try to increase the number of students majoring in philosophy. Before the board acted on the agenda item, Regent Timothy Clare proposed an amendment to send the item back to Academic Affairs to continue to study it further and bring it to the board at a later date. The motion failed. The board voted to eliminate the major at UNK, while emphasizing that the philosophy program and classes would continue at the college. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 He alleges several other SAS members also witnessed this incident and confirmed that the gunned-down Afghan had a prosthetic leg which was later used as a trophy drinking vessel at SAS headquarters. He said he and many other soldiers drank from it over time, including some whod since been promoted to very senior positions. The second incident related to Roberts-Smiths alleged order to members of an Afghan military unit to execute an unarmed detainee following the discovery of a concealed weapons cache on a mission in October 2012. Tell him to shoot him or I will, Person 14 recalled Roberts-Smith saying. Person 14 revealed hed also harboured doubts about aspects of the citation provided for Roberts-Smiths receipt of the Victoria Cross. In forceful cross-examination, Moses, for Roberts-Smith, repeatedly accused Person 14 of lying and of seeking to smear and rubbish his client. The soldier wavered on some secondary aspects of his testimony, but has remained steadfast on the core details he provided to the court this week about the 2009 and 2012 incidents, insisting they are 100 per cent correct. Moses set out to convince the court it was necessary to test Person 14s evidence against what he might have told Nines reporters, Masters and McKenzie, in meetings four years ago. Person 14s barrister, Glenn Cridland, opposed the move saying his client could be exposed to ADF disciplinary proceedings and his army career imperilled if he was confirmed as a media source. Ben Roberts-Smith and his barrister Arthur Moses, SC. Credit:Dominic Lorrimer Nicholas Owens, for the media outlets, also sought to shield Person 14 from answering questions about contact with the media, arguing Moses was trying to outflank safeguards in section 126K of the Evidence Act which give journalists protection from having to reveal their sources. Owens also contended that Moses attempt to reveal which soldiers might have been sources for the media outlets was an abuse of process which would have the effect of media organisations no longer being able to rely on truth defences because they wouldnt be able to honour promises to sources. Justice Besanko granted Person 14 a certificate under the Evidence Act against self- incrimination and initially disallowed Moses question about contact with the media. However on Wednesday morning the judge reversed his position on that issue, with the result that the soldier had to recount in detail what transpired at a meeting with Masters in January 2018 and another with Masters and McKenzie the following month. Moses put to Person 14 that hed originally told Masters it was a more junior soldier, Person 4, who had machine-gunned the Afghan with the prosthetic leg. Person 14 maintained that was incorrect, though agreeing hed originally assumed the more junior soldier was responsible. He denied telling Masters that Roberts-Smith had gone up the river an apparent reference to the fictional colonel Kurtz who goes rogue in the Vietnam War movie Apocalypse Now. The precise reasons for Justice Besanko ordering Person 14 to reveal his dealings with the media remain semi-opaque, because the evidence on which the decision was based was produced by Moses in closed court. Commonwealth concerns over national security and current federal war crimes investigations have meant the court closing to the public and media at regular intervals, sometimes for hours at a time. Moses revealed enough, however, to indicate he had a possession of a document which he claimed went to the credibility of Person 14 as a witness. It is not clear at this stage how many other military witnesses may be forced to disclose their dealings with the media. The clashes in the courtroom have served to highlight the tangled thicket of issues that arise when competing public interest considerations support for sources versus broader interests of justice concerns are brought to bear against one another. Interests of justice President of the Australian Bar Association, Dr Matt Collins, QC, told the Herald and The Age that Australia does not have broad- based journalist source protection laws. There are very limited protections in most jurisdictions, including before the Federal Court (where the hearing case is taking place), he says. And such protection as [exists] is always capable of being over-ridden by the court if a court takes the view that the public interest in the administration of justice ought to prevail over the protection of the journalists source. The new witness called by Nine on Friday, Person 16, has testified about an entirely separate alleged atrocity from the previous two SAS witnesses. On November 5, 2012, he said, he and Roberts-Smith had both been on a mission to Fasil in Afghanistan. Person 16 recalled stopping a group of four males travelling along a road in a Toyota Hilux, among them a youth in his late teens, who, according to Person 16, was shaking with terror when detained. Although components for IEDs had been found in the Hilux, Person 16 said, he found the youth to be unarmed and turned him over for questioning to Roberts-Smiths patrol. A day or two later he asked Roberts-Smith what had become of the young man. Allegedly Roberts-Smith replied, I shot the c--t in the side of his head, blew his brains out and it was the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. Cross-examining Person 16 on Friday afternoon, Moses accused the soldier of imagining the conversation. The soldier replied that this conversation 100 per cent happened. NSW has recorded 8183 new COVID-19 cases and 32 deaths, after a state parliamentary inquiry heard of the conditions nurses and doctors had been subjected to during the Omicron wave. There are 1650 COVID-19 patients in NSW hospitals, including 104 in intensive care units. Hospitalisations are down by 66 cases on those reported on Friday. NSW has recorded 8183 new COVID-19 cases and 32 deaths, after a state parliamentary inquiry heard of the conditions nurses and doctors had been subjected to during the Omicron wave. Credit:Flavio Brancaleone The new cases were detected from 4895 positive PCR tests and 3288 rapid antigen tests. Of the new cases, the majority were recorded in the western Sydney region, followed by the Hunter New England and south-western Sydney areas. Of the 32 deaths, 25 were men and seven were women. Eleven of these deaths have been included following the conclusion of coronial investigations these 11 deaths occurred from January 22 to February 5. The freedom movement, initially centred around anti-lockdown and anti-vaccine sentiment, saw protesters take to the streets, particularly in Melbourne, every weekend for almost two years to reject COVID health measures. Last year, as lockdowns lifted, the movements leaders shifted their attention to vaccine mandates. This year protesters have descended on Canberra, including on Saturday, talking about everything from the dangers of vaccination to QAnon-adjacent theories about paedophiles within the Australian government. Convoy to Canberra protesters marching towards the parliamentary triangle in Canberra on Saturday. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen At the extreme edges are those who claim they are willing, as sovereign citizens, to launch a full government takeover violent or otherwise. In his latest annual threat assessment, delivered this week, the boss of Australias counter-espionage agency ASIO, Mike Burgess, highlights growing concern about online radicalisation during the pandemic, noting vaccine mandates and lockdowns had fuelled extremism that is not specifically left or right-wing. More time in those online environments without some of the circuit breakers of everyday life, like family and community engagement, school and work created more extremists, he wrote. Loading The federal government this month announced it would commit more than $60 million to countering violent extremism amid an increase in conspiracy theories during the pandemic and concerns about MPs safety, and on Wednesday the Victorian Greens secured a parliamentary inquiry into the growing threat and influence of far-right extremism in Victoria for the same reasons. But another complex problem has been left in the pandemics wake: the path back for thousands of individuals whose lives, livelihoods and personal relationships are in tatters after going down the rabbit hole of these conspiracy theories. While the path is different for each person, experts and former conspiracy theorists say we urgently need to better understand why and how this descent happens. Falling in Just before the emergence of COVID-19 in early 2020, Jackson was working part-time as a musician; composing music for productions, gigging around Melbournes suburbs in cover bands and teaching guitar. Victorias initial six-week lockdown drove her out of work. She had no real social interaction for more than two months. At home, scrolling on her phone, she found anti-lockdown groups starting to call out what they saw as overly harsh measures from an increasingly dangerous police state. I stumbled across some things on the internet, and I was like oh this makes sense, I dont want to be locked down, she says. She cant remember the specific video or post that first touched her conspiracy nerve, but she became a big fan of influencers such as Monica Smit of Reignite Democracy Australia a lobby group backing Craig Kelly and the United Australia Party Smits partner, podcaster Morgan Jonas, and Avi Yemini from Canada-based right-wing commentary website Rebel News. I was slowly finding myself getting brainwashed, Jackson says. I kept looking into conspiracy theories, including QAnon. I started rooting for Donald Trump, which was ridiculous. Being trans hes not very favourable to us. Once a born again Christian, Jackson had left her faith over a decade earlier, ousted from her church for coming out as transgender. It was a deeply wounding experience she still has trouble talking about. Loading Ive sort of been a little bit of a loner [since], she says. I found a bit of community in the anti-lockdown movement. She became a regular on the front line at Melbournes anti-lockdown rallies, coming onto polices radar for disseminating a handbook on how to thwart officers at protests. I got sucked in big time to the point where I was doing ... very dodgy illegal stuff that Im ashamed of now, but at the time I thought it was totally justified, she says. Shes visibly distressed about the abuse she hurled at police on the front line. I gave them so much shit, I called them every name under the [sun], she says. The trouble for policymakers and concerned family members is a lack of information available to help them navigate relationships with loved ones who have succumbed to misinformation. Freedom protesters at the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne on September 22, 2021. Credit:Eddie Jim Conspiracy theories are not new, but in the internet age they grow and morph quickly. Pre-pandemic, QAnon a theory that the world is run by a cabal of paedophiles who drink the blood of children was dominant online. Evidence from online support groups suggests that now the overlap between QAnon and anti-vaccination sentiment is strong. One of the moderators of the 230,000-person Reddit page QAnon Casualties is Sydney man Jitarth Jadeja. Five years ago, he returned to Sydney from a university exchange in the United States and was living at home, studying part-time with no job or partner. He became increasingly obsessed with US politics. I was really basically on my own, on the internet just all day, every day. He was shocked when Donald Trump unexpectedly won the presidential election in 2016. His worldview was shattered, and he questioned how it could have happened, searching for alternative media and less mainstream social media platforms. Before long, he fell deep into the fast-growing worldwide conspiracy theory of QAnon. Eighteen months later, a series of lightbulb moments made him realise QAnon was a con (he wrote about this experience in a Reddit post which later went viral). He has since talked publicly about his experience, of going down the rabbit hole and climbing back out, to help others understand why people believe in conspiracy movements. One thing Ive found, and this is anecdotal, but I really have found this to be a common trait is that theres [often] some sort of preceding trauma that occurs before someone falls down a rabbit hole, Jadeja says. For me it was finding out I had ADHD ...I think people forget that when COVID hit it was very traumatic for everyone. It happened very quickly. I dont think it was just that people were online more often. People are online all day at work. But it was a trauma I think people were traumatised and they went looking for answers. So that really expedited the whole conspiracy situation. Research has suggested that conspiracy theories often prosper in times of crisis, with a 2017 study finding that during times of societal upheaval, peoples experiences of fear, uncertainty and being out of control stimulate a motivation to make sense of the situation, increasing their likelihood of turning to conspiracies. Another study, published in 2018, found that the emotions which make up the psychological origins of believing in conspiracy theories include anxiety, uncertainty, or lacking control. Research conducted by psychology experts in Britain shows that belief in conspiracy theories is particularly strong among people with unsatisfied psychological needs. Colin Klein, an associate professor at ANUs School of Philosophy, has studied online conspiracy theory communities. Many people assume the path into misinformation and conspiracy theories is similar to that of a virus, where people bounce around online, get exposed to misinformation and get infected. Instead, his teams research, which analysed a large set of Reddit comments, found that those susceptible to conspiracy theories tend to seek out fringe and conspiracy forums because it fits with either how theyre thinking about the world or experiences theyve had. And so it looks like people arent just passive consumers of information. Theyre working towards finding stuff that makes sense to them, or makes sense of the world for them. The lightbulb moment For Jackson, it was her experience with Victoria Police that planted the seed for her escape. In late May last year, at her last freedom protest, she was encouraged by other protesters to throw herself in front of police after receiving a move-on notice. Police arrested her, while she says the others ran away. I was kind of thinking, where the hell are my friends? she recalls. They all just buggered off and left me. I was confused ... so I didnt give the police a hard time at all. And they said, Look, were going to give you a move-on because youve been so cooperative. The following week Jackson was arrested at home and taken in for questioning over her role in the protests and the anti-police booklet circulating online. When the formal interview was over, she says officers spoke to her candidly about their life, their families and how difficult it had been working on the front line during the pandemic, showing sympathy for her struggles with her gender and mental health. I realised, these arent the Gestapo or anything I had it all wrong. I had tears when I was just talking candidly with them just saying, God how have I f---ed my life up like this? Police didnt lay charges that day, and offered Jackson a lift home. I said, no, actually, I wouldnt mind walking. I need to think about my life. Jackson went home and fell into a deep, days-long depressive spell, during which she self-harmed. By this point she had lost ties with her extended family, had a criminal record and felt she had been manipulated. Around this time she found others online who had grown sceptical of the movement, and had begun questioning the extraordinary amounts of money being raised. This and follow-up welfare visits by the police were the final impetus for her to leave the freedom movement. The weight that came off my shoulders instantly it was unbelievable, she says. If I didnt leave, I would have probably ended up in some sort of psych ward or something. When you believe that strongly in something and that the police are coming for you, the governments coming for you, youre going to get sent to a concentration camp. I used to be in my apartment and Id have the door barricaded with a couch and tables. Id booby-trapped the windows. It was consuming and eating me away. Totally just destroying my soul and my friendships I lost a lot of friends. It was consuming and eating me away. Totally just destroying my soul and my friendships. Ash Jackson, a former follower of the freedom movement Jadeja, whose father still believes in QAnon after he introduced him to it, says trying to reason with those caught up in conspiracy theories is fruitless. Focus on their behaviour rather than their beliefs. Chances are if they believe in this, their behaviour changed ... they become more anxious, theyve become more agitated, more aggressive, they cant not talk about it ... so focus on their behaviour, he says. Jitarth Jadeja says the focus needs to be on behaviour, not contesting beliefs. Credit:60 Minutes/Nine News Say its fine, I dont care what you believe, but that doesnt explain why you havent done the dishes or picked up Jamie from soccer the last two Sundays in a row. Jadeja hopes that sharing his story and the lessons he and others have learned can increase conversation around de-radicalisation. Now more than ever, being able to better understand the influences that lead people to QAnon and other conspiracies is crucial, he says. They say tinfoil hat brigade. What has that got to do with a goddamn thing? Youre acting like these people are crazy, like they belong in a nuthouse. These people go to work. They have family. And they believe you are a part of a controlling cabal, and they will justify incredible misdeeds as a justification for righting wrongs. And that includes violence, he says. I just dont think that anyone has quite grasped how serious the situation is. Those who come out of the rabbit hole should be able to find a path back to normality without being shamed, he says. There has to be some sort of pathway back to polite society for most of these people because most of them havent done anything. If there isnt, then theres no incentive for them to come back. Rebuilding Jackson says she is now getting her life back on track. Shes recently moved house for a fresh start after a long period of recovery living with her parents, and this week is going back to university to study a masters degree in music. She recently recovered from COVID-19 too, a mild case she attributes to now being vaccinated. She becomes emotional when she talks about her extended family, who welcomed her back at Christmas. Loading The biggest moving part for me was seeing my nieces, she says. I didnt see my nieces for like eight months, and I love my nieces. And just seeing them again was amazing. I was expecting I was going to have to spend [Christmas] by myself and I got a call from my brother the day before and he said, Youre more than welcome. Whats in the past is in the past, and were glad that youre safe and that youre out of that. Ash still keeps an eye on the movement, which was responsible for a fire at Old Parliament House in December and has now set up a permanent camp at the Canberra Showgrounds with leaders claiming to stay put until the government is cleaned out. Amid calls for an end to vaccine mandates and vaccine passports are speeches about the paedophile cabal by leaders who have repeatedly called for MPs to be hanged. Last week convoy leader James Greer, who raised almost $200,000 in crowdfunding for the protest, was arrested after police found a loaded rifle and ammunition in his car at the protest campground. Its so different to what it was even a year ago, says Jackson. I can fully see some sort of domestic terrorist thing happen. She believes most people will have to hit rock bottom themselves in order to leave the movement, and hopes her story helps others. A man has been charged with a string of traffic offences after allegedly striking and killing a cyclist with his car along a popular alpine road in Victorias high country. Police allege the cyclist was riding along the Great Alpine Road near Cobungra at about 8.35am on Saturday when he was hit by an orange Ford Ranger. The cyclist, a 62-year-old man from Queensland, died at the scene. Officers will allege the driver of the car failed to stop and continued driving east towards Omeo. Following an appeal for information, police found a Ford Ranger on Saturday afternoon and arrested a 25-year-old man from Swifts Creek. A St Kilda man set to sue Victoria Police over his mistaken arrest at gunpoint will attempt to use a recent law change to access body-worn camera footage of the incident in the states first application of its kind. Albert Garcia, 36, who works in the film industry, had recently been released from hospital and was walking home after dinner with friends when he was arrested, held to the ground and handcuffed. Albert Garcia, 36, was arrested at gunpoint outside his home in a case of mistaken identity. Credit:Meredith OShea It had been Mr Garcias first night seeing friends again following his release from hospital days earlier. Hed spent two months there, including time in intensive care, after suffering complications from a flu jab and was still receiving daily home visits from nurses. Police officers had been searching for an armed man after a 19-year-old was slashed across the face outside the Village Belle Hotel minutes before the arrest, about 12.30am on March 27, 2021. A renovated Newport house drew so much interest at its auction on Saturday that even the driver of a passing car stopped to try and bid, with the high sale price leaving the vendors ecstatic. The drivers bid was not accepted, but he did get a few laughs from the crowd before a young couple made the winning offer of $986,000 for the three-bedroom house at 81 Woods Street. A large crowd gathered for the auction at Newport. Credit:Meredith OShea That sale price was $166,000 above the top of the advertised price guide of $780,000 to $820,000. The Newport auction was one of 876 scheduled in Melbourne on Saturday, a record number for the second weekend in February, Domain data shows, as the Victorian government announced a review of underquoting laws. By evening, Domain Group recorded a preliminary clearance rate of 69.6 per cent from 642 reported results, while 58 auctions were withdrawn. Withdrawn auctions are counted as unsold properties when calculating the clearance rate. London: A group of European development banks plan to double its funding for global efforts to stop plastic waste from polluting the worlds oceans to 4 billion ($6.3 billion). The Clean Oceans Initiative, led by the French and German development banks and the European Investment Bank is the largest such grouping targeting plastic pollution of the sea. Around 8 million tonnes of plastic waste enters the oceans every year, most of it discarded on land or washed into rivers, the group said, threatening the marine environment and communities that rely on the sea for their livelihood. Plastic and other debris on the beach on Midway Atoll in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. Credit:AP The new target for 2025 builds on an initial funding goal of 2 billion by 2023, 80 per cent of which has already been allocated to projects in countries including Sri Lanka, China, Egypt that will benefit more than 20 million people, the group said. Washington: Booster shots of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines lose substantial effectiveness after about four months but still provide significant protection in keeping people out of the hospital during the Omicron surge, according to a study published by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers found the booster shots remained highly effective against moderate and severe COVID-19 for about two months after a third dose. But their effectiveness declined substantially after four months, suggesting the need for additional boosters, the study published on Saturday AEDT said. The vaccine was 91 per cent effective in preventing a vaccinated person from being hospitalised during the two months after a booster shot, the study found. But after four months, protection fell to 78 per cent. A medical worker administers a booster shot of a vaccine against COVID-19 at a drive-in centre in Berlin, Germany, on Friday. Credit:Getty Images Protection faded more in preventing trips to urgent care and emergency departments, falling from 87 per cent in the first two months to 66 per cent after four months. After more than five months, vaccine effectiveness fell to roughly 31 per cent, but researchers noted that estimate was imprecise because few data were available for that group of people. Toyota On Track For Their Future Fuel Choice Models - Toyota manufacturing plants receive $90 million, to boost hybrid vehicle transaxle and engine capacity Editor's Note: On November 14, 2021 Toyota Said "The enemy is carbon, not internal combustion engines" - Motorist Choices Is The Future...Why Did IT Change? BUFFALO, W.Va. (Feb. 11, 2022) Before the ink dried on Toyotas November 2021 investment in hybrid transaxle production in West Virginia, the demand for the vehicle electrification market was already growing. Toyota West Virginia (TMMWV) $73 million This investment comes on the heels of the $240 million investment announced in November and will increase hybrid transaxle production capacity to 600,000 units per year. With this funding, TMMWV will also begin assembling an estimated 120,000 rear motor stators per year, a key component in electric motors. Currently, a team of more than 2,000 build approximately one million engines and transmissions annually for many of Toyotas North American-assembled vehicles. With todays announcement, Toyota has invested more than $2 billion in its West Virginia plant. Toyota Tennessee (TMMTN) $17 million The Tennessee investment increases the plants capacity to cast hybrid transaxle cases and housings to 1.3 million per year. The nearly 400 employees at TMMTN currently produce a million transmission cases and housings and approximately 1.8 million engine blocks a year, parts needed for every Toyota and Lexus vehicle manufactured in North America. The added investment to the plant brings the to-date total investment to $389 million. To help meet that demand, today Toyota announced an additional $90 million investment for two of its U.S. manufacturing facilities: Toyota is moving quickly toward an electrified future, and West Virginia will play a critical role in that journey, said David Rosier, president of TMMWV. Our team embraces this challenge, and its clear Toyota has faith in our ability and trusts us to take the company to new heights. Toyota has committed to offering an electrified option across its entire lineup of both Toyota and Lexus vehicles by 2025. Advancing the production of electrified vehicles and their components, including hybrid transaxles, plays an important part in helping Toyota achieve its goals for carbon neutrality. Toyota Tennessee is proud to play an important role in our companys mission to provide customers with safer, reliable, electrified vehicles that advance a carbon-neutral future, said Wes Woods, president of TMMTN. Our highly skilled team is excited to expand production of the hybrid transaxle cases and housings. What is A Hybrid Transaxle? Hybrid electric vehicle systems combine two separate sources of propulsion or motive power, such as an internal combustion engine and an electric motor, to take advantage of their respective benefits while also compensating for their respective limitations. While hybrid systems are more complex than a conventional vehicle and add vehicle mass due to the addition of components, the same system allows the vehicle to be more energy efficient as the hybrid transaxle can effectively transfer power seamlessly between the engine, electric motor and wheels in any number of combinations. What is a Rear Motor Stator? In an electric motor, the stator is a set of copper wire coils assembled to a stack of steel plates. The stator provides a magnetic field that drives the rotating arm and helps power the vehicle. Quotes from West Virginias elected officials: Senator Joe Manchin, former governor of West Virginia, had the following thoughts on todays news. Toyota Manufacturing West Virginia has been a strong partner for our state for 25 years. Todays announcement of a new $73 million investment brings their total investment in the Buffalo plant to $533 million in the last 12 months and is yet another example of their commitment to growing their business in the Mountain State, Manchin said. Im thrilled West Virginians will continue to play a role in the future of Toyotas manufacturing in the United States, and I look forward to working with Toyota to continue to grow their business in our state. Senator Shelley Moore Capito praised Toyota as well. West Virginia has a long and productive relationship with Toyota, Senator Capito said. Todays announcement shows the companys continued commitment to investing in our state and our workers. Not only is this investment great news for West Virginia and the hardworking individuals at the Buffalo facility, but it will also help advance the companys production and fuel our economy. In the meantime, I am committed to doing everything I can to make sure this success continues. The Democrats Build Back Better Act has a discriminatory provision that would prioritize some American workers over others, which is why I made my intentions known to put forward an amendment that would eliminate this unfair special interest subsidy should the Democrats move forward with their reckless tax-and-spend bill. Its critical that we create an environment that allows our hardworking West Virginians to compete on a level playing field, and I am committed to doing that so we can celebrate more investments like this in the future. Congresswoman Carol Miller lauded Toyota for investing in West Virginia. Toyotas $73 million commitment exemplifies the great things that can happen because of the work thats been done at all levels of government to make the Mountain State the best place to do business, Miller said. I applaud Toyota for choosing to continue investing in West Virginia. Congressman David McKinley noted the companys commitment to the Mountain State. We are pleased that Toyota continues to show their commitment to West Virginia by making a $533 million in investments over the last year in Buffalo, to enhance high tech manufacturing capabilities in emerging automotive technologies, McKinley said. Toyotas investments ensures good jobs are retained in our state, benefitting communities and families across West Virginia. Congressman Alex Mooney praised Toyotas faith in West Virginia. I am pleased to see Toyota continue to make a substantial investment in the great state of West Virginia. Toyota continues to develop significant improvements in powertrain technology and West Virginians are on the front line of advancing the production of key components in hybrid and electric vehicle, Mooney said. I look forward to the continued partnership between Toyota and our community in West Virginia. A fatality has been reported in Friday morning car accident near Duncan. According to a press release from the Platte County Sheriffs Office, deputies were dispatched to Highway 30 and 355th Avenue at about 11:11 a.m. on Friday for a two-vehicle accident with injuries. The location is about four miles west of Duncan. Investigation showed that a 1959 Peterbilt semi pulling a trailer carrying round cornstalk bales had been traveling westbound on Highway 30 and a 1998 Lincoln Continental had been traveling eastbound on Highway 30. As the two vehicles met, a bale fell off the trailer pulled by the Peterbilt and landed on the Lincoln. The Lincoln exited the roadway traveling into a field on the south side of the highway. The driver of the Peterbilt, 25-year-old Layne Laska of St. Edward, was not injured in the collision. The operator of the Lincoln Lerae Ahlers, 58, of Central City was pronounced deceased at the scene. Neither the Peterbilt nor the trailer were damaged in the accident, the Lincoln was a total loss. Highway 30 remained shut down for approximately an hour before it was opened to one lane, which lasted approximately another three hours. At the time of the accident, seatbelts were in use by Ahlers but were not in use by Laska, the press release states. Alcohol is not believed to have been a factor. Members of the Nebraska State Patrol are assisting in the investigation of this accident. This accident remains under investigation by the Platte County Sheriffs Office and the Nebraska State Patrol. Anyone with information regarding this accident is asked to contact the Platte County Sheriffs Office at 402-564-3229 or Platte County Area Crime Stoppers at 402-563-4000. Love 1 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 1 Angry 1 Associate Editor Brent Addleman is an Associate Editor and a veteran journalist with more than 25 years of experience. He has served as editor of newspapers in Pennsylvania and Texas, and has also worked at newspapers in Delaware, Maryland, New York, and Kentucky. In this June 8, 2020 photograph, wind turbines generating green-powered energy are seen from a hill in Lempster, New Hampshire. We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Send us your news, photos, and videos and let us know what's going on! Submit Here The Nebraska legislature passed a bill reducing inheritance tax on Friday morning, but Platte County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jerry Micek said he is glad the bill didn't get rid of the tax altogether, as has been proposed in the past. The bill (LB310) reduces the amount of inheritance tax collected by each Nebraska county from family members who inherit property from a deceased resident. Platte County and others treat the inheritance tax fund as a kind of rainy day fund, usually pulling from their multi-million dollar pot for big road projects or to mitigate property tax increases. Nebraska is one of the only remaining states with an inheritance tax, and multiple attempts have been made over the years to get rid of it. As passed by the legislature on Friday, LB310 doesn't get rid of the inheritance tax, but it does reduce it. The bill fully exempts all inheritors under age 22 from the tax, reduces the tax rate imposed on certain relatives and raises the before tax exemption for several categories of family members. Other bills introduced in previous years have tried to get rid of Nebraska's inheritance tax entirely, either over a period of years or all at once. Micek has opposed bills aimed at getting rid of the inheritance tax and, in a previous Telegram article, he said he had reached out to several senators to express a lack of support for LB310. "I was definitely not in favor of (bills) that were going to do away with the inheritance tax, either immediately or over the years. ... But...I can fully understand the raising of the minimum amount that's not taxed for inheritance and the (tax rate reductions). I understand it's going to take some money away from the counties but...I'm just glad they didn't do away with it totally or schedule that to be done," Micek said. While he's glad LB310 doesn't entirely do away with the inheritance tax, Micek doesn't expect it to be the final word on the matter. Platte Institute Chief Executive Officer Jim Vokal's comments in a Friday morning Platte Institute press release about the passage of LB310 communicate as much. "Senators should come back every year and build upon the progress theyve made with LB310 until every family and business is free from this outdated and inequitable tax," Vokal said in the release. In the meantime, although Platte County will be receiving less in inheritance taxes going forward, Micek said the passage of LB310 won't change the county's relationship to the inheritance tax fund. "We've never made it part of our budget for necessary spending," Micek said. "It's basically been there for major projects that...came up that weren't plan for or...so that we don't have to raise the property tax." Molly Hunter is a reporter for The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at molly.hunter@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. This is the temporary subscription pass for users returning from the Vision Data subscription process. Your subscription will be updated within 24 hours, after your information is verified. Please click the button below to get your pass. A statewide Narcan program has further expanded to the Columbus area. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has teamed up with the Nebraska Pharmacists Association and Region 4 Behavioral Health System to distribute free Narcan nasal spray kits in the area. In a press release issued earlier this week, it was announced that the kits are now available at Good Life Discount Pharmacy, 124 S. Fourth St., in Albion. Naloxone is a life-saving medication that can reserve an opioid overdose, Narcan is the brand name of a device that delivers Naloxone. The medicine can restore normal breathing to a person whose breathing is slowed or stopped completely due to opioid use if given in time, according to the press release. Common opioids are prescription medications like morphine, codeine, methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl and illegal drugs such as heroin. Those in the Albion area can contact the Good Life pharmacy to find out more information on getting a kit. The assessment form just basically asks if it's for you, or if it's for a family member or friend, or if you're a person that's positioned to assess risk. Any Nebraska resident is eligible for Narcan at any participating Nebraska pharmacy. To request it, you just stop in and talk to the pharmacist, said Vanessa Gottier, pharmacist at Good Life Discount Pharmacy. Columbus Community Hospital also participates in the same program, which the facility started doing in August. CCH officials confirmed on Friday that the program is still available at the hospital. At CCH, those wanting a Narcan kit can call 402-562-4885. We'll gather some information to process the prescription and make sure that they qualify for it, it's very easy to qualify for it, CCH Director of Pharmacy Josh Jaeger told the Telegram in August. Once we get the information we'll set up a time for them to come into the hospital, and then we'll meet with them and give them education on how to use the Narcan and also signs to watch for opioid overdose." Dr. Mark Howerter, ER physician director at CCH, previously told the Telegram that the Narcan nasal inhaler came out in 2015. It works actually almost as quickly as a shot, and probably even more quickly because it's so easy to use, you don't have to draw medicine or anything like that. So you can use it on unresponsive people, Howerter said. There are two basic paths on which an opioid addiction can commonly begin, according to Howerter. The first are the people who are on chronic opioid therapy for pain conditions and take too much. If their doctor doesnt refill their prescription once it runs out, they may then turn to street drugs. The other path includes those who use illicit drugs that are laced with fentanyl. Locally, law enforcement officers at the Columbus Police Department and Platte County Sheriffs Office also carry kits as well. According to the Feb. 9 press release, anyone can carry Narcan and administer it to someone whos experiencing an overdose. The medicine will not harm someone if theyre overdosing on drugs that arent opioids. As such its best to use it on a person who you think is overdosing, even if you dont know if its opioids theyre overdosing on. Signs of opioid overdose in someone include an extremely pale and/or clammy face, their body is limp, a blue or purple cast on fingernails or lips, vomiting or gurgling noises, the person cannot be woken up from sleep or cannot speak, breathing is very slow or stopped and the heartbeat is slow or stopped. Gottier said the Narcan kits are a resource in case of a potential overdose. Not all opioid overdoses are intentional or related to illicit drug use. We decided to participate in it to give people a resource for a drug that could potentially save someone's life in the case of an opioid overdose, Gottier said. Hannah Schrodt is the news editor of The Columbus Telegram. Reach her via email at hannah.schrodt@lee.net. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Oneonta, NY (13820) Today A mix of clouds and sun in the morning followed by cloudy skies during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 68F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Rain showers in the evening becoming a steady light rain overnight. Low 48F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. Melanie joined The Daily Times in the early 90s and has served as the Life section editor since 1993. A William Blount and UT alum, Melanie is generally the early arriver who turns on the lights in the newsroom. Follow Melanie Tucker 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 Forest City, NC (28043) Today Sun and clouds mixed. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy this evening with more clouds for overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov has taken another step in seeking the death penalty for a man accused of killing two people at a Sonic Drive-In in Bellevue. Polikov has filed a notice of aggravators in the death penalty case against Roberto Silva Jr. The move provides notice to Silva, 24, of the state's grounds for seeking the death penalty, Polikov said. On Nov. 21, 2020, Silva allegedly threw an incendiary device, ignited materials in a rental truck and opened fire in the Bellevue Sonic Drive-In near 15th Street and Cornhusker Road. The shots killed employees Nathan Pastrana, 22, and Ryan Helbert, 28, and injured Zoey Lujan, 18, and Kenneth Gerner, 25. Silva had driven a U-Haul truck there, which he later set on fire. Silva was arrested at the scene, found by officers lying face down on the ground. Following his arrest, Silva was charged with nine felonies, including two counts of first-degree murder and one count of first-degree arson. Polikov dismissed the charges and refiled them on Jan. 24. He also added additional charges for attempted first-degree murder of the three employees who were able to flee the store, as well as use of a firearm to commit a felony. The "aggravating circumstances" outline the statutory reasons for seeking the death penalty. According to the Sarpy County Attorney's Office, they are: The slayings were committed in an effort to conceal the commission of a crime, or to conceal the identity of the perpetrator of such crime. The slayings were especially heinous, atrocious, cruel or manifested exceptional depravity by ordinary standards of morality and intelligence. At the time the slayings were committed, the offender also committed another murder. The offender knowingly created a great risk of death to at least several people. The slayings were committed knowingly to disrupt or hinder the lawful exercise of any governmental function or the enforcement of the laws. If Silva is convicted, it will be up to a jury or three-judge panel to determine whether any of those aggravators are present. If so, a three-judge panel will decide if the death penalty is warranted. The case will be the first time Polikov has sought the death penalty. He said last month that the decision was not taken lightly. "My thoughts and support are with the victims and their families as they continue to deal with this unimaginable tragedy," Polikov said. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After he was laid off twice, a 27-year-old Louisiana man took stock, then took control of his fate, turning his 10 side hustles into a booming business. Today, Tyrone Smith of Houma provides a spectrum of services that range from lawn care to food delivery, to rent-a-husband, and home repairs, under the tagline, You Can Call Tyrone. Getting laid off from jobs with Terrebonne Council on Aging and with an energy company after three years was hard for Tyrone, who didnt pursue education beyond high school. I was so hurt because it was my ego; my ego had gotten in the way of doing [my job], he told The Epoch Times. I had to follow the rules, and at the time, I didnt follow the rules. I wanted to play my own game. Yet quickly, Tyrone realized he already had the skills to start something of his own, having worked side jobs in the past. He had years of experience in lawn care, so this seemed like the obvious place to start. The lawn service idea had come to him as he was working for three years at the oil job. At that time, he said he would come home and play games until the next day when he went back to work, and he wasnt feeling very productiveuntil he had a light bulb moment with a friend. One of my friends, an older guy, he was telling me that life is all about supply and demand, Tyrone recalled. When he said that, a light went off in my head people always need grass cut! In an attempt to create an impact on people, Tyrone bought a push mower and turned a water heater into a blower to move grass. This was like a side hustle for him at that time. Thus after getting laid off from his job, although Tyrone was disappointed, he decided to make the lawn service his main job. He started his company, Stat Lawn Care, in 2016, and advertised his other services too. Stat means standing tall and talented. Thats me, because Im actually 6 feet, 6 inches tall, he said. The determined youngster, who lost his role model at the age of 10 when his father died, was keen to follow in his fathers footsteps. When my dad passed, it really motivated me to be something more in life, he said. He was an entrepreneur, too. I had to think about what he taught me when he was living, and I had to just follow the blueprint. Tyrone got the boost he needed when a promotional video gained traction. He started taking commissions by phone or through Facebook and Instagram, and his catalog of services diversified. He bought everything he needed to start his own delivery service, advertising his most popular services on the side of the van: food delivery, lawn care, moving services, bounce houses, photography, and pressure washing. Additionally, he drives a school bus, makes supply deliveries to the elderly, does DIY, and runs his own clothing brand, King Hustle. He has even made a rap music video thats amassing views on YouTube. Recently I had a first,' Tyrone said. Somebody called me to be an exterminator because they had a possum. I was scared! Reflecting back on the past few years, Tyrone said: Throughout the whole process of me striving to become a better person and grow my business, the best thing about this whole situation is that I stayed me the whole time. I didnt pretend to be anyone else. Tyrone, who is now living out of a very peaceful camper since his home was damaged by Hurricane Ida, claims the biggest challenge he faces as a multi-service provider is a massive influx of information, every single day. Sometimes I have to do things just off my gut feeling. Sometimes I may end up undercharging for the job, and I might lose out because I dont have the knowledge, he said. Thats one of the trials that I go through, trying to figure out whats right and whats wrong. Yet for Tyrone, hard work comes easily; drawing on his own experience and the expertise of others, he collects the skills he needs as he goes. Through all the jobs hes done, hes learned that being friendly, humble, and genuine with his customers is paramount. Looking to the future, Tyrone wants to invest in a 12- or 16-foot box truck for his growing supplies, and will advertise on the side like a billboard. His end goal is to build a nationwide franchise. People around the world need people like me in their area, he said. I would love to have people do what I do in different areas, and grow and grow and grow. I still have a cloud nine mental state, because it just feels so, so good that Im really doing something with my life. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Nadine Maenza, then vice chair of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, speaks at the Policy Forum on Organ Procurement and Extrajudicial Execution in China on Capitol Hill on March 10, 2020. (Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times) Americans Need to Say No More to Products Manufactured in China Using Slave Labor: Official During an interview on EpochTVs Crossroads, Nadine Maenza, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, said that in order to effectively prevent big companies from using slave labor in China to manufacture their products, people should be willing to pay more for these goods. If these companies are unable to continue with slave labor in Xinjiang, China, its going cost more to get a pair of Nikes, Maenza said. These companies need to reset the way that they do business in order to become competitive again, Maenza said. [Then] China wouldnt have the opportunity they have right now to take advantage of our markets by flooding them with cheap labor because theyve been produced by slaves, she said. We look back, and we blame this other generation for allowing slavery to happen in the United States. And then here we are, allowing it to happen because we want to save a couple of bucks on a pair of shoes or on a bag or on gym clothes. The easiest way to reshift this would be to have the American people say no more, and it would actually benefit financially companies to end their engagement in slave labor. If people stopped buying products made with slave labor, all companies would want to have a certification saying theyre clear of those abuses because they would know they would make more money, she said. I think most Americans have absolutely no idea that they might have items in their house that were produced by slave labor, she said. And if they did, theyd make different choices in their purchasing. Therefore, its important that news media outlets cover the truth of whats happening with all eyes on China, Maenza said, noting that she hopes that there will be more articles, news stories, and opportunities to call out all of those companies that use slave labor in China. We should be supporting companies that do not engage in these types of practices, she said. In December 2021, a law went into effect that bars importing to the United States goods that have been produced using forced labor of Uyghurs, certain ethnic minorities, or members of other persecuted groups in Xinjiang. This is a way that we can say to U.S. companies, You cant use slave labor to produce products to be sold in the United States,' Maenza said. That goes against our values, against any sort of standard of human rights. This bipartisan legislation, also known as the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, makes a rebuttable presumption (a legal assumption with no evidence to the contrary) that every product made in Xinjiang is made with the use of forced labor, she said. However, if a manufacturer deals with a company there that doesnt use forced labor, that company can be certified by the U.S. government, and the goods can be sold in the United States. Maenza said this legislation was perceived as a huge threat by a lot of large corporations, including Nike. Because of this, some of those corporations fought against the measure. Nike denied in a statement that it lobbied against the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act or any other proposed forced labor legislation. While Nike does not directly source cotton or other raw materials, traceability at the raw materials level is an area of ongoing focus. We are working closely with our suppliers, industry associations, brands, and other stakeholders to pilot traceability approaches and map material sources so we can have confidence the materials in our products are responsibly produced, the statement reads. Though the Forced Labor Prevention Act covers just a small portion of the abuses taking place in China, Maenza said, it has made it clear that the Chinese regime allows or directly commits these crimes, and this fact can no longer be denied. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce actually opposed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, she noted. Businesses, regardless of whether theyre small, medium, or large, have some part of their supply chain coming from China, or there are jobs connected to these businesses relationship with China, according to Maenza. Therefore, businesses are really reluctant to sever their ties with China. Maenza and three members of the Commission on International Religious Freedom were sanctioned by the communist regime of China in December 2021. She believes that the sanctions were imposed on them for calling out the state-led oppression of Uyghurs, Tibetans, Christians, and Falun Gong practitioners, as well as for condemning the violations of those groups rights and the crimes committed against them by the Chinese government. The other reason could be that she and other commissioners have made some pretty tough recommendations to the U.S. government, which were followed. The commission has been reporting on religious freedom in China since its inception in 1998, but its calling out the religious freedom violations in China hasnt garnered much attentionthat is, until the last four or five years, when these crimes have ramped up to a huge proportion, according to Maenza. It got to the point that the international community couldnt look away, she said. Ella Kietlinska Reporter Follow Ella Kietlinska is a reporter for The Epoch Times focusing on U.S. and world politics. Attacks in North Benin Park Kill 8 Including French Citizen COTONOU, BeninAttacks by suspected Islamic extremists in northern Benin have killed at least eight people, including army soldiers, park rangers and a French instructor, the government has confirmed. Six people were killed and a dozen injured in an ambush Tuesday which included explosions from improvised land mines on a patrol of park rangers in the north of the W National Park near the borders of neighboring Burkina Faso and Niger, Benin government spokesman Wilfried Leandre Houngbedji said. Five rangers and their French instructor were killed in that attack, he said. The rangers were part of an anti-poaching patrol working with African Parks, an international organization that manages several parks on the continent including the W National Park. The W park is shaped like the letter in the alphabet as it follows the bends in the Niger River as it straddles Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso. Reinforcements from the Benin Armed Forces have been deployed to the area and African Parks is working with the government to secure its staff and the surrounding civilian communities, the spokesman said. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack but Islamic extremist groups with links to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group have spread violence across West Africa, including to coastal countries, like Benin. The French National Anti-Terrorism Prosecutors office says it has opened an investigation into the killings, adding that the French instructor involved was 50 years old. A second attack occurred on Thursday in which a parks patrol hit an improvised landmine and then was assaulted. A civilian and a parks agent died in that incident, he said. There have been multiple attacks against Benins armed forces since December, according to an internal security report seen by The Associated Press. In December two Benin soldiers were killed by jihadis near the border with Burkina Faso. The government has warned that security is critical because of the presence of extremists near an area called the triple point where the park borders all three countries. The latest attacks in Benin raise concerns about the potential spread of militant violence spilling over from the Sahel region, said Laith Alkhouri, CEO of Intelonyx Intelligence Advisory. The risk would be a potential security crisis, particularly in the north of the country, which would overwhelm the security apparatus there, something that should be prevented early on. By Virgile Ahissou Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks at the top of a meeting of Australian, United States, India, and Japan foreign ministers at the Melbourne Commonwealth Parliament Offices in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Darrian Traynor / Pool / AFP via Getty Images) Australian Prime Minister Warns Citizens to Leave Ukraine Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has warned any of its citizens remaining in Ukraine to leave urgently. He claimed the threat of a Russian invasion is making the situation dangerous. Speaking to the media in Sydney on Feb. 12, Morrison said his government had since late last year been warning Australians in the eastern European nation to put themselves in a position of safety. Our advice is clear, this is a dangerous situation you should seek to make your way out of Ukraine, he said. He added: We have continued that well into last month and it has been a clear message for some time now that Australians in Ukraine should be seeking to get out of the country. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, on Jan. 13, 2022. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Morrisons comments comes as U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, at a White House press briefing on Feb. 11, claimed that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time. If you look at the disposition of forces, both in Belarus and in Russia on the other side of the Ukrainian border from the north and from the east, the Russians are in a position to be able to mount a major military action into Ukraine any day now, Sullivan said. Related Coverage Russia Could Invade Ukraine Before the End of the Olympics: White House Morrison said that while his government respects the decisions of any of its citizens or dual citizens to remain in Ukraine, the governments advice was very clear. These warnings were echoed by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who left Australia on Saturday, after joining talks as part of the QUAD strategic partnership. Blinken said the United States has been pursuing a dual-track approach to Russia and the forces it has amassed, unprovoked, along Ukraines border. Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops and artillery along its border with Ukraine over the past few months. A convoy of Russian armored vehicles moves along a highway in Crimea on Jan. 18, 2022. (AP Photo) That strategy takes the responsible approach of keeping diplomatic dialogue open to resolve the differences. But the United States has also made it clear to Russia that if it chooses the path of renewed aggression, it will face massive consequences. An estimated 4,000 foreign fighters, including Australians, have joined Ukraines militias and regular armed forces. Numbers are likely to boom if Russia invades. However, Russia has denied any intention of an invasion. It had made a series of security demands to NATO in December 2021 to guarantee that Ukraine will never be able to enter the security alliance, and to scale back its deployments in Central and Eastern Europe. But NATO members have not budged on the Kremlins demands, and instead have put forth a number of proposals to come to terms with Moscow in other areas such as arms control, confidence-building measures, and limits on military exercises. NATO members have also been sending weapons and missile systems to Ukraine to bolster its defenses, and have warned of economic sanctions on Russia if it invades Ukraine. Blinken said what happens in Ukraine matters in Australia and the Indo-Pacific region, in an apparent reference to China. Whats at stake is not simply, as important as it is, Ukraines territorial integrityits sovereignty, its independencebut very basic principles that have in a hard-fought way, after two world wars and a cold war, undergirded security, peace, and prosperity for countries around the world, Blinken said at a joint press availability in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 11. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to media as he meets with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Marise Payne, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Indian Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar and Japanese Minister for Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa at Melbourne Commonwealth Parliament Office in Melbourne, Australia, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Darrian Traynor/Getty Images) Weve made every possible effort to engage Russia, to look at the concerns that its raised, to share concerns that we have, that European partners and allies have, to see if we cant find ways to advance collective security on a reciprocal basis. Principles like one country cant simply change the borders of another by force; principles like one country cant simply dictate to another its choices, its policies, with whom it will associate; principles like one country cant exert a sphere of influence to subjugate its neighbours to its will. If we allow those principles to be challenged with impunity, even if its half a world away in Europe, that will have an impact here as well. Others are watching. Others are looking to all of us to see how we respond, Blinken said. At the Quad meeting with counterparts from the United States, India, and Japan, on Feb. 11, Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said she reiterated her very deep concerns about the presence of Russias military on the Ukrainian border. We will continue to support our allies and partners to deter this sort of aggression and to raise the costs of this kind of behaviour. Mimi Nguyen Ly contributed to this report. Jen Easterly, the director of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, answers questions during her confirmation hearing in Washington on June 10, 2021. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) Biden Administration Urges Court Not to Allow Release of Sealed Report on Dominion Voting Machines Top officials at a U.S. federal cybersecurity agency are urging a judge not to authorize at this time the release of a report that analyzes Dominion Voting Systems equipment in Georgia, arguing doing so could assist hackers trying to undermine election security. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) was recently provided an unredacted copy of the report, which was prepared by J. Alex Halderman, director of the University of Michigan Center for Computer Security and Society. The report discusses potential vulnerabilities in Dominion ImageCast X ballot marking devices, or electronic voting devices, according to the government. While CISA supports public disclosure of any vulnerabilities and associated mitigation measures with election equipment, allowing the release of the report at this point increases the risk that malicious actors may be able to exploit any vulnerabilities and threaten election security, government lawyers said in a Feb. 10 filing in the case. The case was brought in 2017 by good-government groups and voters who say the lack of paper ballots undermines the voting process. U.S. District Judge Amy Totenberg, an Obama nominee overseeing the case, was urged by CISA to reject attempts to release a redacted version of Haldermans report for now. CISA officials want to review the information in the report and help Dominion resolve the vulnerabilities identified before the report is released. They said they werent able to provide a date by which theyll be finished. Totenberg must weigh the request against the wishes of Georgia Secretary State Brad Raffensperger, a Republican and one of the defendants, who called in late January for the release to happen immediately. John Poulos, Dominions CEO and president, said in a statement released by Raffenspergers office that Haldermans review lacked a holistic approach, adding that Dominion supports all efforts to bring real facts and evidence forward to defend the integrity of our machines and the credibility of Georgias elections. Plaintiffs, including the Coalition for Good Governance, also support the release of the report, David Cross, one of their lawyers, confirmed to The Epoch Times. The plaintiffs said in a filing before a copy was sent to CISA that the agency should get a copy and begin its evaluation process, but that the evaluation should not unreasonably delay the public disclosure of the report, which must be promptly disclosed to Georgia state and county election officials, and filed on the public docket, so that public officials can secure the upcoming May primary elections. They asked Totenberg to order them to file a redacted version of the report on the docket, which would make it accessible to the public, no later than March 4. President Joe Biden prepares to shake hands with Russian President Vladimir Putin prior to the U.S.Russia summit at the Villa La Grange, in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP) Biden Holds Hour-Long Call With Putin Over Ukraine, No Material Progress Made The White House said there has been no material progress in deescalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine after President Joe Biden held an hour-long call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The call happened between 11:04 a.m. and 12:06 p.m. ET. Biden warned Putin that the United States will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia if the latter chose to invade Ukraine. However, the White House said there had been no material progress made during the call between the two leaders. There was no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks, a senior administration official told reporters during a background press call after the meeting. Here is the full readout of the call released by the White House on Saturday afternoon: President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. spoke today with President Vladimir Putin of Russia about Russias escalating military buildup on the borders of Ukraine. President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia. President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russias standing. President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios. The State Department ordered an evacuation of most U.S. direct-hire employees from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and urged Americans in Ukraine to leave immediately earlier Saturday as the tension at the Russia-Ukraine border escalated. At the same time, the Biden administration is moving thousands of troops into Eastern Europe including 1,700 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division and a squadron from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment. A satellite photo said to show Russian troop tents and an administrative area near the Ukrainian border, between Oct. 18 and Nov. 26, 2021. (Maxar via AP/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Over the past few months, Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops and artillery along its border with Ukraine. However, the Kremlin denied any plan of invading Ukraine. Russia declined to deescalate the tension with Ukraine saying the United States and NATO failed to address fundamental security concerns from Moscow: that NATO stops its eastward expansion and that strike weapons not be deployed near Russian borders, according to a statement obtained by Russian State Media TASS. It was emphasized that these issues would be central in our assessment of the documents received from the U.S. and NATO, which would be brought to the notice of our colleagues, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reportedly told Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a call on Saturday. Washington and NATO have an open mind about Ukraine joining NATO. From our perspective, I cant be more clearNATOs door is open, remains open, and that is our commitment, Blinken said in late January, though he renewed an offer of reciprocal measures to address mutual security concerns between Russia and NATO, including missile reductions in Europe. Biden Narrows List of Potential Supreme Court Picks President Joe Biden said hes narrowed down his list of candidates to fill a vacant Supreme Court seat. With the announcement of Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyers retirement on Jan. 27, Biden said that he would fulfill a campaign promise by nominating the first-ever black woman to the high court and would do so by the end of February. In an interview Thursday with NBCs Lester Holt, Biden revealed that the list of candidates being considered is down to about four. Ive taken about four people and done the deep dive on them, meaning the thorough background checks and see if theres anything in the background that would make them not qualified, said Biden in the interview Feb. 10. Biden added that the remaining picks are all incredibly well-qualified. Supreme Court appointments have been highly contentious political events in recent years, with nearly all Democrats voting to block former President Donald Trumps three picks. But Biden, a Democrat, says he expects his pick to garner votes from across the aisle. Whomever I pick will get a vote from the Republican side for the following reason: Im not looking to make an ideological choice, said Biden. Im looking for someone to replace Judge Breyer, with the same kind capacity that Judge Breyer had with an open mind who understands the Constitution and interprets it in a way that is consistent with the mainstream interpretation of the Constitution. Breyer, 83, has served as a Supreme Court Justice for more than 30 years. He was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, and is considered to be a part of the courts liberal-leaning wing. Some Republicans in Congress have expressed concerns that Biden might select a Justice meant to appease the progressive wing of the Democrat Party. Most Senate Republicans have consistently voted against his lower court nominees. Biden met with Democrat members of the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday. While multiple senators after the meeting said they expect the presidents choice to garner Republican votes, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) had scathing remarks for the current makeup of the high court. Blumenthal said he expected the pick to bring together a deeply divided court that is doing tremendous damage to the American judiciary right now, in real time, destroying its credibility. While the White House has revealed few details as to the selection process, some of the names reportedly being considered for the Supreme Court seat are: D.C. federal trial court judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, U.S. District of South Carolina Judge J. Michelle Childs, and California Supreme Court Justice Leondra Kruger. Biden has overseen several Supreme Court nominations during his time on the Senate Judiciary Committee. But this will be his first Supreme Court nomination as president. Biden Orders Frozen Afghan Funds Split Between Aid to Afghanistan and 9/11 Victims President Joe Biden signed an executive order Friday that will steer frozen assets from Afghanistans central bank toward both addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis in the country and compensating Sept. 11 victims. The funds were frozen and held in the United States in the wake of the U.S. troop withdrawal and subsequent collapse of the government in Kabul in August. The order requires the U.S. financial institutions holding the funds to transfer them into a consolidated account held at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The total $7 billionlargely made up of donations by the United States and other nations to Afghanistanwill then be split in half, with $3.5 billion of those assets meant for the benefit of the Afghan people. The other $3.5 billion will remain in the United States and go toward a pending judicial decision on whether U.S. 9/11 victims should be compensated by the Talibanwho have been in de facto control of Afghanistan since shortly after the U.S. troop withdrawal. There are still several different things that need to occur across the U.S. government for the first half of the funds to reach Afghanistan, a senior administration official told reporters ahead of the order being signed. This includes a third party that would administer the funds for their intended uses. The White House said in a statement that the order is designed to provide a path for the funds to reach the people of Afghanistan, while keeping them out of the hands of the Taliban and malicious actors. The other half of the funding is meant for a trust fund the Biden administration is still working to set up. It will then require actions from the courts where U.S. citizens have filed claims against the Taliban for those citizens to be compensated from the other $3.5 billion. Taliban political spokesman Mohammad Naeem criticized the Biden administration for not releasing all the funds to Afghanistan. The Biden administration pushed back against criticism that all $7 billion should go to Afghanistan, arguing that the 9/11 claimants have a right to their day in court. Some of this money can be used for the benefit of the Afghan people while respecting the legal process, said a senior administration official. In addition to the $7 billion frozen in the United States, there is another $2 billion from the Afghanistan central bank frozen largely in Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and Switzerland. U.N. officials have warned of a looming humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan. Nearly 80 percent of the previous governments budget came from the international community. That money, now cut off, financed hospitals, schools, factories, and government ministries. The United States has given more than $516 million in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan since it ended a more than 20-year war in the country. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Billionaire Rick Caruso Officially Joins LA Mayoral Run LOS ANGELESBillionaire real estate mogul Rick Caruso officially entered the LA mayoral race on Friday, hours before the city clerks declaration of intent deadline on Feb. 12. Caruso, 63, was joined by longtime political advisor Peter Ragone on Friday afternoon at the election office. Ragone has a long history of advising influential Democratic candidates nationwideincluding Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2004 and presidential candidate Al Gore in 2001. Ragone confirmed to The Epoch Times the campaign is made up of a handful of close advisors to Caruso, but he expects it to grow as the campaign is officiated and gets off the ground. Caruso told reporters Friday hes excited to join the race and that its very meaningful to him and his family. Im excited to be here, he said. Were gonna have more to talk about next week. I look forward to spending more time with you and have a longer conversation. Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso in downtown Los Angeles on Feb. 11, 2022. (Jamie Joseph/The Epoch Times) Caruso is widely recognized in LA as a real estate powerhouse, developing several large malls in Southern California including The Grove, the Americana at Brand, the Commons at Calabassas, Palisades Village, and the Waterside Marina Del Rey among others. Carusowho recently registered under the Democratic tickethas flirted with the idea of a bid for mayor in previous years. He also served as president of the LA Police Commission and served on the Department of Water and Power in the 1980s. Councilman and mayoral candidate Joe Buscaino, a Democrat, of District 15, released a statement welcoming Caruso to the race, but jabbed at Carusos elite, star-studded fundraiser for District Attorney George Gascon. I think everybody in Los Angeles should be deeply concerned about Mr. Carusos commitment to public safety, Buscaino said. Buscaino, a Democrat, jumped in the race before most of the other candidates last summer. Councilman Kevin de Leon, a Democrat, of District 14, also made an appearance at the city clerks office early Friday to file his declaration of intent. Signed, sealed, and delivered the official paperwork declaring my candidacy for L.A. Mayor, De Leon wrote on Twitter. Los Angeles were just getting started. Lets do this! So far, prominent LA business leader Jessica Lall was the first to drop out of the race last week. U.S. Rep Karen Bass (D-Calif.) is currently leading the pack with the most funds raisedjust under $2 millionaccording to filings through Dec. 31, 2021. But that could soon change with Caruso jumping in the race. The LA City Ethics Commission reported last month mayoral candidates have raised a total of $7.9 million so far in their bid to replace soon-to-be termed-out Mayor Eric Garcetti. Angelenos will have a chance to vote during the June 7 primaries, with the top two contenders facing off on Nov. 8, 2022. MARCUS HOOK A Pennsylvania man has been charged with murder and kidnapping more than 40 years after an 18-year-old woman was killed, prosecutors announced Friday. Investigators had long suspected two men named in the announcement Friday had played a role in the death of Denise Marie Pierson, who was reported missing in April 1981 after she failed to return home from visiting a friend in Marcus Hook. Her body was found in July 1984 near the railroad tracks in Marcus Hook about 300 yards from the home of one of those suspects. Wayne Anthony Walker, 58, was charged Thursday with multiple counts of murder, kidnapping and conspiracy. It was unclear from court records if Walker, who was being held at the county jail on unrelated assault charges, had an attorney. Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer and State Police investigators also announced that Peter Horne, who died in 2013 while incarcerated on unrelated stalking charges, was a co-conspirator in the womans death. Investigators said two other people are under investigation for their potential role and offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to additional arrests. For 40 long years the family of Denise Pierson has sought answers in connection with the death of their loved one. We hope that todays announcement brings a measure of healing and closure that theyve been denied for too long, Stollsteimer wrote in an emailed statement. Over the years, investigators had interviewed Walker, Horne and other suspects, including after they say Walker gave details of the killing to a former cellmate when he was incarcerated. And after a call placed to a trauma center claiming responsibility for killing Pierson was traced back to Hornes home. Over the years, physical evidence including batons known as blackjacks, rope, items of clothing and jewelry were recovered, but investigators felt they did not have enough evidence to charge the men in Piersons death. Investigators re-opened the case in 2018, and in reviewing evidence, re-discovered a 6-inch folding knife that had been found with Piersons remains. They also re-interviewed acquaintances of the suspects and began piecing together that several of the suspects had over the decades revealed details of the killing to those potential witnesses. In 2021, troopers contacted a forensic expert at the Florida Institute of Forensic Anthropology and Applied Sciences at the University of South Florida who re-examined photos of the remains and other evidence and was able to show Pierson had a puncture wound along her neck near her jaw from a sharp weapon matching the folding knife. Investigators say the knife and the new autopsy information helped corroborate statements from potential witnesses. Somaliland's Foreign Minister Essa Kayd Mohamoud, Minister of Financial Development Saad Ali Shire, Minister of Livestock and Fishery Development Saeed Sulub Mohamed, and Minister of Planning and National Development Omar Ali Abdilahi attend a news conference in Taipei, Taiwan, on Feb. 11, 2022. (I-Hwa Cheng/Reuters) Born Free: Somaliland Says China Cant Dictate to It Over Taiwan TAIPEIChina cannot dictate who Somaliland can have relations with as it was a sovereign nation, the foreign minister of the breakaway Somali region said on Friday during a trip to Taiwan. Somaliland broke away from Somalia in 1991 but has not gained widespread international recognition for its independence. The region has been mostly peaceful while Somalia has grappled with three decades of civil war. Somaliland and Taiwan, which is also diplomatically isolated, set up representative offices in each others capitals in 2020, angering Beijing and Mogadishu. The Chinese regime claims Taiwan as its own, despite the fact that Taiwan is a de facto independent country, with its own military, democratically-elected government, and constitution. Strategically situated on the Horn of Africa, Somaliland borders Djibouti, where the Chinese communist regime maintains its first ever overseas military base. Speaking to reporters, Somaliland Foreign Minister Essa Kayd said the Chinese regime cannot dictate to his country. We were born free and we will stay free. We will run our business the way we want. China cannot dictate, no other country can dictate. Kayd added that they were open to dealing with anyone who respected them as a sovereign country and wanted to do business without any strings or conditions. I think thats as clear as I can go on China. Taiwan has been all but driven out of Africa diplomatically by the Chinese regime in recent years, with only tiny Eswatini now maintaining full relations with the island. The Chinese regime has ramped up pressure on countries not to engage with Taiwan, and both frequently trade barbs about using dollar diplomacy with loans and cash gifts in exchange for international recognition. Somaliland Finance Minister Saad Ali Shire said his country had made no requests so far to borrow from Taiwan. There has been a flow of funds from Taiwan to Somaliland in the form of aid and in the form of investment, which we welcome. Darrell E. Brooks (R), who entered not-guilty pleas to 77 counts stemming from the Nov. 21 massacre at the Waukesha Christmas Parade, sits with his attorneys in Waukesha County Circuit Court on Feb. 11, 2022. (Waukesha County Circuit Court) Brooks Pleads Not Guilty on 77 Counts in Wisconsin Parade Massacre Case Darrell E. Brooks Jr. pleaded not guilty on 77 mostly felony charges stemming from the Nov. 21 massacre at the Waukesha Christmas Parade that killed six people and injured 61. Brooks, 39, was arraigned Friday in Waukesha County Circuit Court in a brief hearing before Court Commissioner Kevin Costello. Brooks remains jailed in lieu of a $5 million bail. Brooks is accused of driving his red SUV down the parade route and intentionally mowing down groups of parade participants. The attack left bodies strewn about Main Street as bystanders and first responders rushed to provide life-saving aid. He is charged with six counts of first-degree intentional homicide, 61 counts of first-degree recklessly endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon, six counts of hit and run causing death, and two counts of bail jumpingall felonies. Hes also charged with two counts of battery, with a domestic-abuse modifier. Police investigate after a driver plowed a vehicle through a Christmas parade in Waukesha, Wis., on Nov. 21, 2021. (Mike De Sisti/USA Today Network via Reuters) Killed in the attack were Jackson Sparks, 8; Tamara Durand, 52; Jane Kulich, 52; LeAnna Owen, 71; Virginia Sorenson, 79; and Wilhelm Hospel, 81. The 61 injured ranged in age from children to elderly and suffered injuries from road rash and muscle damage to broken bones and skull fractures. Parade participants and spectators were injured. Not-guilty pleas were entered on Brookss behalf by defense attorney Jeremy Perri. During the brief hearing, Brooks sat reviewing paperwork with his other attorney, Anna Kees. He was dressed in an orange jumpsuit. His hair was cropped in a military-style cut, a vast difference from the long dreadlocks he wore when arrested. Brooks was granted a motion for substitution of judge in the case, which was reassigned to Waukesha County Circuit Court Judge Jennifer R. Dorow. The next hearing will be at 9 a.m. March 11. The parade massacre has drawn international attention because Brooks was let out of jail just two days prior on $1,000 bail in a Milwaukee County case in which he is accused of running over the mother of his child with the same SUV. In that case, he faces charges of second-degree recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct, battery, resisting an officer, intimidating a victim by threat of force, intimidating a witness, and felony bail jumping. People attend a candlelight vigil in Cutler Park in Waukesha, Wis., on Nov. 22, 2021. (Mustafa Hussain/AFP via Getty Images) At the time he was charged in that case, Brooks was out on $500 bail in a 2020 Milwaukee case in which he is accused of firing a handgun at a car containing two occupants. He is charged with two counts of recklessly endangering safety by use of a dangerous weapon, and possession of a firearm by a felon. The lenient bail recommendations of the Milwaukee County district attorney have come under increasing scrutiny. A group of Republican state lawmakers wrote to Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, demanding he remove District Attorney John Chisholm for malfeasance. A group of Milwaukee County residents petitioned Evers to remove Chisholm from office. Evers decided against that idea, relying on an analysis from attorney Matthew Flynn, who said the petition was flawed and could not trigger the governors power to remove a district attorney. Wisconsin lawmakers are discussing legislation to toughen the states bail laws. Haider Ali, 21, from Birmingham, arrives at the Gatwick airport in London from Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Sophie Wingate/PA) Call to Flee Ukraine Caused Quite a Panic, Says British Student The call for Britons to flee Ukraine as the threat of Russian invasion looms caused quite a panic and a rush to return home, according to a student who landed in the UK on one of the first commercial flights out of Kyiv since the warning. Passengers arrived at Gatwick Airport, south of London, on a direct flight from the Ukrainian capital shortly after noon on Saturday, just hours after the Foreign Office warned UK nationals in the country, thought to number in the low thousands, to leave now while commercial means are still available. Those returning suggested there were mixed signals about the level of concern in the country about the threat of war. Haider Ali spoke to the PA news agency after landing at Gatwick Airport from Kyiv on Saturday. He said: Id been in two minds about coming back because of the advice coming out by the British Embassy, about the amber alert, red alert. A lot of people, a lot of students were waiting for the red alert, and it happened yesterday. Once that happened, everybody booked their tickets and left as soon as possible. The 21-year-old from Birmingham said his university, the Dnipro Medical Institute in Dnipro, a city in central Ukraine, had advised students to get out as soon as you can. He said around half the students at the university are British. The UK and other NATO countries have urged their citizens to leave as fears grow that Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an invasion in the coming days. Ali said: I think the main thing that people were getting worried about as well is, because its along the Dnieper River, a lot of the people were saying, if Putin wants to suffocate Kyiv, push his warships along that path as well. The student said he had paid 210 ($285) for his one-way flight ticket and thought prices would get much more expensive over the next three days as more people rush out of the country. He said he was hoping to return to Ukraine by June to continue his studies. Ali said Ukrainians opinions were split on the likelihood of a Russian incursion, but that the perception that Western media were blowing the crisis out of proportion was changing. He said: The Ukrainians are generally very laissez-faire as in terms of people, but the last couple of days theyve started to get worried. And when that happens, alarm bells should be ringing. Paul Meakin, his wife Svetlana, and their daughter arrive at the Gatwick airport in London from Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Sophie Wingate/PA) Another British citizen arriving at Gatwick on the same plane said Ukrainians did not seem worried. Paul Meakin, 51, from Poole in Dorset, his Ukrainian-British wife Svetlana, 36, and their daughter, who had spent a week in Ukraine to attend a funeral, said most passengers on their flight had been Ukrainian, not British. Asked about peoples attitudes there, the IT company chief said: You wouldnt even know. They dont care, thats what came across. That sentiment was echoed by Ukrainian Pasha Honcharuk, 24, from Kyiv, who said he was not too worried and that he would have stayed home if it were not for work in the UK. He said: All news channels tell that there will be war but I dont think so. But a Ukrainian business analyst, who did not want to be named, told PA that of course everybodys worried about the threat of war. But she said this had not influenced her pre-existing decision to move to London from Kyiv for work. Members of the public arrive to casts their votes at Jerrabomberra public school in Jerrabomberra, Australia, on Feb. 12, 2022. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch) Candidates Contest By-Elections in Australian State Voters in the New South Wales (NSW) seats of Bega, Monaro, Strathfield and Willoughby are heading to the polls to vote in new representatives in the Super Saturday by-elections in the Australian state. The opposition Labor party has urged voters to send the NSW premier a message at the ballot box, hoping anger at his government could net them a historic win in at least one of four seats up for grabs in by-elections. Four months after the sudden resignation of the Liberals Gladys Berejiklian from the states top job prompted three other MPs to follow suit, polling day has finally arrived in Bega, Monaro, Strathfield, and Willoughby. While about 40 percent of constituents in the electorates have already picked their candidatevoting early or via postpeople began turning out to booths saturated with signage on Saturday morning. The contests are the first electoral test for Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet and Labor leader Chris Minns, and come a year before all NSW voters heads to the polls in a general election. Both men were recently elevated to their position and both are painting their parties as the underdogs. For Perrottet, there is the usual swing against the government in by-elections, the loss of popular and senior MPs, as well as scrutiny of his handling of the surging Omicron wave. The government is already in minority, and a loss of any further seats would force it to rely more heavily on the votes of independent or minor party MPs. The stakes are also high for Minns, who has pitched himself as the man to make Labor a real election chance after more than a decade in opposition. There will be a fierce contest for the seat of Strathfield, which Labor won with a margin of five percent last election. But Bridget Sakr is hopeful she can win it for the Liberals. Upset over the departure of former Labor leader Jodi McKay, who many feel was treated unfairly by the party, could help carry her over the line. Former United Nations lawyer Jason Yat-sen Li, who has voiced his support of Beijings Belt and Road Initiative, which the Australian government views as a threat to the national interest, will try to retain the seat for Labor, with former prime minister Kevin Rudd previously lending his weight to his campaign. But Labor is also threatening a Liberal seat. Bega, on the states south coast, was held by former transport minister Andrew Constance on 6.9 percent margin. Labor has never won the seat, but the party is hopeful local gynaecologist and obstetrician Michael Holland is about to break the drought. Minns has painted the battle in the electorate as a referendum on the new premier. If a conservative candidate is re-elected in this seat, and in the seat of Strathfield, itll give a green light to all of the policies of Dominic Perrottet, the opposition leader said on Saturday. Voters recognise that you cant change the government in a by-election, but you can send a message. I think many people want to put a handbrake on the government. However, he was quick to clarify the by-election results were not necessarily a reflection on his leadership. Regardless of the result, therell be a huge challenge for NSW Labor to get the trust of the voters of this state by March 2023. Hollandwho said his success would be a historic winis running against farmer and former teacher Fiona Kotvojs for the Liberals. Elsewhere, Nationals candidate Nichole Overall and Labors pick Bryce Wilson will face off in Monaroheld by the Nationals on a margin of 11.6 percentwhile Tim James is likely to retain Willoughby for the Liberals. The NSW Electoral Commissioner has warned it could be a month before final results are known, due to the prevalence of postal voting offered to voters as a COVID-safety measure. Results will begin being reported online after polls close on Saturday night, but final results are not scheduled to be announced until March 11. By Tiffany Turnbull Capitol Report (Feb. 11): Biden Admin Warns of Russian Airstrikes President Joe Biden is under pressure to do more to help struggling Afghans. On Friday, he divided frozen Afghanistan funds, sending half to victims of 9/11, the other half to the country to help Afghan people. But could the money get into the wrong hands of the Taliban? Biden has called for all American citizens to evacuate Ukraine. Does this mean that a Russian invasion is imminent? Nine Democrat-led states have announced a rollback on their mask mandates this week. What are Bidens thoughts on that? The Arizona attorney general has issued a powerful statement on the southern border. Could his declaration be the start of border states taking matters into their own hands when it comes to illegal immigration? The Chinese Communist Party is seeking to dominate the world, warns Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Hes calling on Western allies to resist. One major cause of death for young people in America is originating in China and slipping through our porous southern border. Over 100 Republicans signed a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to take action. Follow CapitolReport on social media: Twitter https://twitter.com/capitolreport Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CapitolReport/ Gettr https://gettr.com/user/capitolreport Video screenshot of a mother of eight (L) shackled in a rural hut in Xuzhou city, Jiangsu, China, in January 2022. (Screenshots via Douyin) Conflicting Official Statements on Trafficking Victim Ignite Outrage in China Conflicting statements by authorities have failed to abate a snowballing outcry on the Chinese internet about the treatment of a mentally-ill mother of eight who was videotaped shackled in a hut with a chain around her neck. Days before the start of the Beijing Winter Olympics, a video of a woman living in spine-chilling conditions appeared almost ubiquitously on the newsfeed of Chinese internet users. The video shows the woman, whose husband named her Yang, wearing light layers of clothing in near-freezing temperatures and chained to the wall in a small rural hut in Fengxian county, Xuzhou city. From Hero to Criminal The original viral video on Douyin, Chinas TikTok, belonged to the account of Yangs husband and portrayed his life with eight kids. The instant video platform promoted the video as one that brings about positive energy, and comments lauded the fathers alignment with the Chinese regimes latest policies incentivizing birth. However, the attention quickly became scathing accusations when netizens noticed the lock and chain around the mothers neck. Users on the Chinese web demanded answers from authorities. Some questioned whether Yangs neighbors and the county officials were part of the human trafficking operations, citing that they are likely aware of the womans condition given the pervasive enforcement of Chinas one-child policy. Inconsistent Narratives In a Jan. 28 statement, the Fengxian county denied speculations that Yang was trafficked, claiming Yang legally married Dong in 1998. It added that Yang has violent tendencies and often hit her family without reason and has been given treatment. However, this statement resulted in spiraling internet outrage, as Chinese law forbids marriage involving mentally disabled persons. Commentators suggested that the husband would have committed rape and abuse over 20 years if the statements were factual. Some suspected the husband used the woman as a tool for conceiving children. Others were quick to note that her mental illness could be attributed to abuse by the husband. Two days later, the county said in another statement reaffirming that public security officials had not found evidence of human trafficking when looking into her case. It further added that Yang was only momentarily schizophrenic, to which medical experts have recommended that she be restrained when displaying symptoms. To concerned netizens, this did not absolve the villagers and the grassroots in Fengxian county. Despite active censorship, the topic had been viewed more than 2 billion times on Weibo by Feb. 7. Most engagements on the social posts were critical of the regimes handling of the situation and the lack of transparency. Han Song, a director at the Xinhua News Agency, said in a social post on Feb. 6 that he neither cares about Bing Dwen Dwen, the official mascot of the 2022 Winter Olympics nor the Chinese propaganda film Watergate Bridge, but rather Yangs case. His post disappeared two hours later. In a Feb. 10 post, Xuzhous official social media account announced that Yangwhose original name was found to be Xiao Hua Meiis a victim of trafficking. A Systemic Problem According to Jessie Mou, senior human rights researcher, Yangs case is representative of a much more prevalent, systemic crime in China that is enabled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) authorities. There were a lot of similar cases of trafficking of women. In the 1980s, there were 48,100 women who were trafficked in Xuzhou, Mou told the Epoch Times on Feb. 7, citing data from the book Ancient Sins by Chinese authors Xie Zhihong and Jia Lusheng. But I have to say in all the cases, not just that local officials have become accomplices, but rather [it is] a kind of systemic and customary crime that has long existed in rural areas of China, Mou added. Chen Jiangang, human rights lawyer and visiting scholar at the American University Washington College of Law, commented that the trafficking of women and children goes hand in hand with the local administrators authentication of the victims identity. In over twenty years, [the woman] was illegally kidnapped, imprisoned, shackled Without the local authorities conniving, or even participating in it themselves, criminal behavior of this kind could not have been sustained, he told the Chinese edition of the Epoch Times on Feb. 7. Under CCP rule, China is hell in the human world, Chen said. Li Xinan contributed to this report. A North Korean flag flutters on top of a tower at the propaganda village of Gijungdong in North Korea, in this picture taken near the truce village of Panmunjom on Nov. 12, 2014. (Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters) COVAX Slashes Vaccine Distribution to North Korea After Deliveries Not Accepted A global COVID-19 vaccine sharing platform has lowered the number of doses allocated to North Korea, as the country refused to make any delivery arrangements for the U.N.-backed immunization program. The number of vaccine doses allocated by COVAX for North Korea stands at 1.54 million doses, down from 8.11 million doses allocated last year, according to the United Nations International Childrens Emergency Funds (UNICEF) website. A spokesperson at Gavi, a global vaccine alliance that co-leads the COVAX facility, says that the initial number of allotted doses to North Korea is irrelevant now that COVAX is focusing more on needs-based vaccine distributions. Vaccines were allocated to [North Korea] on technical considerations to enable the country to catch up with international immunization targets in 2022 in case the government decides to introduce COVID-19 immunizations as part of the national pandemic response, the spokesperson said. The spokesperson reaffirmed COVAXs commitment to engage in dialogue with North Korea to operationalize the COVID-19 immunization program. The nuclear-armed nation turned down an offer of 3 million doses of the Sinovac vaccine last year and rejected the planned shipments of AstraZenecas vaccine by the COVAX facility last July. A South Korean think-tank affiliated with Seouls spy agency said that North Korea is wary of Chinese-made vaccines due to concerns about their efficacy, but the regime expressed interest in Russian-made vaccines. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said last July that Russia has on many occasions offered to deliver vaccines and medical equipment to North Korea. We said on many occasions that we are ready to render the required assistance if necessary. Certainly, this applies to vaccines and medical equipment, should the need arise, Lavrov said, Russian news agency Tass reported. North Korea has closed its borders and imposed severe travel bans even as the regime hasnt confirmed any COVID-19 cases, a record widely doubted by the international community. State media Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported last week that the North Korean parliament has approved plans to increase the budget for emergency epidemic prevention by 33.3 percent from last year. Kim Tok Hun, North Koreas premierwho is in charge of the economysaid at the meeting that emergency epidemic prevention would be given top priority and the epidemic prevention walls will be further intensified. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un previously ordered officials to strengthen military capacities and develop high-tech weapons while prioritizing anti-pandemic emergency campaigns, emphasizing that incompetence and loopholes wouldnt be tolerated. Reuters contributed to this report. Day After Fire, Amish Neighbors Raise New Barn "Were taught to help each other." Fire truck sirens and a glowing light in the distance caught Ely Fischers attention while he was at a worksite Thursday night, building a deck in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. We thought, thats in our general home area, so we wondered who the neighbors are that have a barn fire or something, Fischer, who is Amish, told The Epoch Times. He decided to head home, about a mile away. As he got closer, he realized it was his own barn, which houses 12 horses, a steer, two sheep, chickens, turkeys, and about 30 little guinea pigs. Hay was stored throughout the barn, including the loft upstairs, to feed the animals through the winter. The first thing I thought of was the horses underneath, and the children, but they had all been rescued already, said Fischer, a father of nine. Counting his wife, they are a family of 11. Neighbors from nearby farms rushed over to help. All animals survived except the turkeys that had been up in the loft. The surviving animals were placed in a fenced pasture. By the time Fischer got home, the roof of the 40-foot by 60-foot barn was destroyed, and the barn was fully engulfed in flames, just 100 feet from the family home. Barn fire at the Ely Fischer farm in Lancaster County, Pa., on Feb. 10, 2022. (Timothy Coover Maytown/East Donegal Township Fire Department Photographer) More than 20 all-volunteer fire departments responded, and it took nearly two hours to get the fire under control, Maytown Fire Company Assistant Chief-3 Brock Miller told The Epoch Times. The farm is on a rural road with no fire hydrants, so firefighters laid out hose that connected to tanker trucks with water, Miller said. When one truck is empty, anther water truck moves in. Fischer is not sure how the fire started. He said two of his sons were in the loft throwing hay down to the ground level for the horses, when they noticed some hay in the loft was burning. The second oldest of the boys, he ran inside, told mom. She sent the oldest daughter out to put the call in, and ran out to the barn to get the horses out. They didnt want to come out right away, Fischer said. A neighbor arrived and helped move the horses to safety. The fire started around 7 p.m. and the last fire truck left around 12:30 a.m., Fischer said. Aftermath of the barn fire at the Ely Fischer farm in Lancaster, Pa., on Feb. 10, 2022. (Timothy Coover Maytown/East Donegal Township Fire Department Photographer) This is the second time the farm lost a barn on this site. Five years ago, an intense windstorm destroyed the barn. Fischers Amish community rebuilt it. And before the night was over, he had assurances that they would do it again. Friday morning, Fischers brother-in-law, a well-connected carpenter, had enough lumber to build a barn. Twelve hours after the fire started, at 7 a.m., thats when horse-drawn buggies and vans full of workers started to arrive, as well as about 45 people including some women to help prepare lunch. The Fischers set up long tables in their basement for folks to eat. The workers cleared debris from the fire first thing in the morning, and within hours, were framing the new barn. The hay on the floor protected the floorboards, so they had something to work with. Amish neighbors pitch in to rebuild a barn that was destroyed by fire the previous day, in Lancaster County, Pa., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Beth Brelje/The Epoch Times) I didnt make a single call for supplies, Fischer said. Everybody just dropped what they were doing and pitched in. It is amazing. When Fischer thinks about his community arriving on his farm that morning, he gets emotional and his gratitude is apparent. Were taught to help each other. The Bible teaches us to help each other. When storms or fires or things happen, we drop what we are doing and go help. He has helped in similar situations but says he feels a stronger obligation to help in the future, because he understands what it is like to have a fire. Amish farmer fertilizes the field on the Fischer farm while neighbors rebuild a barn destroyed by fire in Lancaster County, Pa., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Beth Brelje/The Epoch Times) He adds that the rebuilding efforts would not be possible without the businesses that set aside their work to put fire and storm victims first. We need 16 trusses, theyre being made now, Fischer said. The truss company shoved everything aside. They are making the trusses. They should be here soon. The Amish do not buy insurance coverage so they dont have to wait for an insurance company to make an appraisal. While its fresh in everybodys mind they are here, and quick its done. Fisher estimates the barn that was burnt on Thursday will be fully replaced by Monday. Denmark Officials See No Reason to Give More COVID-19 Vaccines COPENHAGEN, DenmarkHealth authorities in Denmark said Friday that they are considering winding down the countrys coronavirus vaccination program in the spring and see no reason now to administer a booster dose to children or a fourth shot to any more residents at risk of severe COVID-19. The Danish Health Authority said in a statement outlining its reasoning that the third infection wave in the European nation was waning due to the large population immunity. The very high vaccine coverage in Denmark, especially with the third shot, means that we can cope with increasing infection without getting serious illness, the government agency said in a statement. Last month, the Danish government said it was offering a fourth vaccine dose to older adults and other vulnerable citizens because the pandemic situation had worsened amid the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. But a Health Authority assessment concluded that three shots had provided good protection to nursing home residents and people over age 85, and the agency decided it was unnecessary to provide them with additional shots right now. Bolette Sborg, a unit manager and chief physician with the authority, said the approaching end of winter, when time spent indoors makes it easier for the virus to spread, is another reason to hold off on fourth doses. Only a handful of countries worldwide have started offering fourth shots or announced plans to do so. Denmark expanded its vaccination program to children ages 511 in November, when the Delta variant was dominant. Health authorities said Friday that they were now starting to plan to round off the current vaccination program for all target groups, including the program for children aged 511. More than 80 percent of the population has received two shots while 61.3 percent have had a booster, according to official figures. The agency said it was looking at winding down the entire general vaccination program later in the spring. We will of course follow the epidemic closely, and we are ready to change our decision if, contrary to expectations, there is a fourth spring wave or new worrying variants this spring, the agency statement said. Denmark scrapped most pandemic restrictions this month after officials said they no longer considered COVID-19 a socially critical disease. Officials said that while Omicron is surging in the Scandinavian country, the variant was not placing a heavy burden on the health system. Deputies on Leave After Killing Armed Man During 3-Hour Standoff LAKE FOREST, Calif.Multiple Orange County Sheriff Deputies are on mandatory leave Feb. 11, after shooting and killing a man Feb. 10 after he, officials say, charged at them with a knife, after a three-hour standoff in a residential neighborhood. [We] really worked very, very hard to bring yesterdays incident to a peaceful resolve, Sheriff spokesperson Carrie Braun said. No one wants a situation like that to come to that end. This is the second deputy-involved shooting in Lake Forest, a city in Orange County of about 88,000, since the beginning of the year, and the first fatality. It all started when deputies responded to a traffic collision where a dark-colored truck hit several parked vehicles in a residential neighborhood just before midnight Feb. 9, according to officials. When deputies arrived, they encountered a man with a knife locked inside a truck, which he refused to exit. Deputies evacuated residences surrounding the confrontation, Braun said, and called in a crisis intervention team that tried to coax the man out of his vehicle for nearly three hours. At approximately 2:45 a.m. the man, officials say, exited his truck and charged at them with a knife, prompting several deputies to shoot multiple times, according to a Sheriffs Department statement. Orange County paramedics transported the man to a nearby hospital where he underwent surgery and later died. No further details were provided. The name of the deceased has not been released. An investigation into the matter is currently underway by the Orange County District Attorneys Office. Footage from body-worn cameras of the deputies is expected to be released per state law, according to the sheriffs department. Standard protocol immediately places deputies involved in a shooting on leave for three working days. By Trend Turkish Baykar is a branded company that is one of the three world leaders in the military industry, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Turkey to Azerbaijan Cahit Bagchi told Trend. According to him, the company employs more than 3,000 engineers from all over the world, including Azerbaijanis. Speaking about TEKNOFEST, he noted that this event serves to create conditions for new ideas to arise. From this point of view, Baykar Technology's desire to invest in new projects in Azerbaijan will also contribute to the development of technologies. "This will promote the interest of youth in technology, and the further development of this area in Azerbaijan. It is known that Seljuk Bayraktar and his team will arrive in Baku to thoroughly discuss these issues. Cooperation with universities is expected to be established first. In the near future, we will learn the details of these issues from Seljuk Bayraktar," Bagchi added. The upcoming 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 consists 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 technical director of Baykar Makina, in partnership with more than 60 Turkish state 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 News Agency, Day.Az, Milli.Az, Azernews, Eastweststream, Today.Az and Turkic.World are official media partners of TEKNOFEST. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! Already a Subscriber? Already a Subscriber? Sign in Terms of Service Privacy Policy Demonstrators gather near Parliament Hill to protest the government vaccine mandates in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 7, 2022. (Dave Chan/AFP via Getty Images) Differing Views on Truckers Protest in Ottawa OTTAWAIt was a cold day on Feb. 11 and the move was probably slightly provocative. OK, it was very provocative at a protest site against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, to have a sign saying Go home terrorists. Particularly when the gathered throngdrivers and supporters of a 400-truck protest that has blocked streets in the inner sanctum of Canadas capital city Ottawawas never going to like it. But that wasnt going to stop Deana Sherif of Ottawaa self-confessed activiststanding with a red-rag sign to make her point. Sherif was angry and this wasnt her first visit to the protest area to make sure people knew about her concerns about the protest. Activist Deana Sherif let protesters know what she thought of the behavior of some of their number, in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times) Her bugbear was the Shepherds of Good Hope organization that helps homeless people, and reports that some protesters harassed staff at the shelter on the first day of the protests on Jan. 29, demanding food. When I was talking to [protesters] they didnt seem to understand the impact they were having on the residents of Ottawa, she said. They thought it was just a mild inconvenience. During her interview with The Epoch Times, supporters of the protest blockade rounded noisily on Sherif, and she told them that she did not have a problem talking with them or giving her point of view to them not being vaccinated or not wanting to wear a mask. We have a problem with the fact there is abuse on residents of our city and a problem with you stopping or slowing the travel from countries that bring us food or supplies and allow Canadians to work, she said, seemingly referring to separate protests blocking Canada-U.S. border crossings. Epoch Times reporters on the ground since the start of the protest havent seen any visible signs of abuse or violence. The most common complaint about the protests in the earlier days was the sound of horn honking throughout the day. A court on Feb. 7 imposed a 10-day injunction to stop the honking. Just down the way, life was more peaceful. Marie Eye was chopping onions so she could make soup. Marie Eye of Quebec is happy preparing soup for whoever wants it during the protest, in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times) Im cooking for everybody. We are all in this together and were all Canadians and we all need to eat and we all need to breathe and we all need to live. Eye is from Quebec and she came along to support the protest. I came from the first morning and it kind of evolved; and now I have this nice little soup project, she said. I never liked making soup so much. It just brings people together. She said it was just like a magic potion. Local resident Bobby Smith had also taken to Wellington St. E, but he was unhappy about the effect the protest was having on the people of Ottawa. Local resident Bobby Smith asked the protesters to move on, in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times) There are a lot of residents who have been experiencing menacing behaviorverbal threats, verbal assaults, even physical assaults from the people who have latched on to the [protest] convoy, Smith said. There are a lot of people around here who are feeling fearful. Theres been vandalism. The allegations are among several that have been made against the protesters, including by politicians. Protest organizers insist that the protests are peaceful. One of the more prominent allegations involved an alleged arson incident at a building in the area, which social media posts blamed on protesters. The mayor of Ottawa and the federal MP representing the riding also cited the incident, while asking protesters to leave. There were many peculiarities about the incident, including the fact that the police only responded to it after someone posted about it on social media the day after it was alleged to have occurred, and no evidence has been provided that protesters were involved in the incident. Smith said he understood peoples frustration over the pandemic and the boomerang changes in policies. Theres legitimate frustration down here but, unfortunately, some bad behavior that has spilled over into the neighborhoods that has people feel threatened, he said. Thats what I came to say and respectfully ask for the convoy to go. The reaction has been mostly respectful conversations, he said. Ive had some people yell at me, but no threats. Not far away, a mini music festival was being played from the back of a stage set on a large trailer and a structure known as The Shed. The crowd was enjoying the sounds and many waved Canadian flagsof all sizesin unison to whatever grabbed their musical fancies. When Footloose was played the crowd cut loose. Away from the main action truckers were just chilling in their vehicles. Howard Spencer, 44, from near Vancouver arrived two weeks ago. Howard Spencer joined the blockade to regain the Bill of Rights freedoms he says Canadians have lost, in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times) Im here to stand up for everyones rights and freedoms. Im not an anti-vaxxer. We have a Bill of Rights and I think thats been lost by the powers that be and we need to get back to that and get back to our freedoms. I think they are eroding. Spencer said he was going to stay as long as it takes. He said he was losing money but that was not of concern. Spencer said it was all about the principle. I feel this is the right thing to do. His aim was for politicians to drop all the mandates and get back to our lives that we are used to. Disneyland to Welcome Back Trams ANAHEIM, Calif.Disneyland Park goers will no longer have to walk nearly a mile from their cars to the front gate as the theme park prepares for the return of the parking trams on Feb. 23, according to an announcement by Disney on social media. The theme park announced the news on Feb. 10 with an Instagram post saying, Going into February 23 like and an attached video of the beloved tram moving through the parking garage. After months of having to walk back to their cars after a long day at the park, Disney fanssome referred to the walk as brutal on social mediawere instantly ecstatic for the trams long-awaited return. Yesssss! Jorae Hernandez wrote on Instagram. Nothing worse than walking the tram route at night after a long day. Its like the walk of misery! The parking trams transport visitors from the Pixar Pals and Mickey and Friends garages to Downtown Disneyan outdoor shopping center and a short walk to the front gates of the theme park. Guests stroll down newly reopened Buena Vista Street, an extension of the Downtown Disney District, in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 19, 2020. (Drew Van Voorhis/The Epoch Times) While Disneyland fanatics have been missing out on the trams since the theme park closed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visitors can expect a few updates. Work on the trams has not been idle as theme park workers have installed new sensors in the pavement and repaved the loading zone, according to MiceChat, a news outlet specialized in Disney-related news and events. For those who enjoyed the extra steps, the walk to and from the parking structure will still be accessible. While more and more states and districts are dropping COVID-19 restrictions, others are doubling down. Loudoun County, Virginia, is one of them. Thats where a battle is raging between state-level directives and the will of the local school boardand children are bearing the brunt of it. On his first day in office last month, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin issued an executive order making masks optional for students. It was quickly buried in lawsuits, including by several school boards accusing the governor of overstepping his authority. Then last week, Virginias Senate voted with bipartisan support to ban public schools from forcing students to wear masks. The measure should easily pass through the Republican-controlled House, then land on the governors desk for signing. Once it passes, it will make most lawsuits moot. In the meantime, some school boards are following their own rules, still enforcing strict masking requirements. And some students decided theyd had enough, that theyd follow the governors order and show their faces. Once they did, they got segregated, suspended, and more. Two families from Loudoun County share their stories: Muriel and Brian Groce with their daughters, Annabelle (grade 7), and Madeleine (grade 6), both at Blue Ridge Middle School; and Andrew Missler with his son Jarod, a senior at Woodgrove High School. Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV It has now officially been two weeks since the Freedom Convoy protest in Canada reached the capital city of Ottawa. And amid all of the challenges that they are facingfrom the media, from the police, from the courts, from politicians, from Big Tech, and so onit appears that their protest is actually working. As of Friday, five of Canadas provinces have announced that they will begin to roll back their COVID-19 restrictions. And then furthermore, in a leaked private phone call, Doug Fordwho is the premier of Ontario, Canadas largest provincesaid that he is about to scrap the vaccine passport and go back to normal. Meanwhile, as the Winter Olympics are currently being played out in Chinabehind the scenes its still a communist dictatorship that is jailing dissidents left and right. And so, we got a chance to speak with Simon Zhangwho is an architect here in Americabut whose mother was arrested in China just three days before the start of the Olympics games, simply because of her spiritual beliefs. Resources: Sekur (promo code: Roman) https://ept.ms/3yW0Wul Secret Recording: https://ept.ms/3sEvMGl Alberta: https://ept.ms/3Jq23HB Manitoba https://ept.ms/3gGcZVy Saskatchewan: https://ept.ms/3gLiyle Prince Edward Island: https://ept.ms/3gIeimA Quebec: https://ept.ms/3gJwaO9 Nova Scotia: https://ept.ms/3LqBgNj Protest Arrests: https://ept.ms/3uG1VQl GiveSend Go: https://ept.ms/3Bdn59K Simons Mom: https://ept.ms/3BfK1oI https://ept.ms/34TAIP5 Stay tuned for our newsletter so you wont miss out on our exclusive videos and private events. Facts Matter is an Epoch Times show available on YouTube. Follow Roman on Instagram: @epoch.times.roman Listen to Podcasts: iTunes Podcast: https://ept.ms/FactsMatterApplePodcast Spotify Podcast: https://ept.ms/FactsMatterSpotifyPodcast Google Podcast: https://ept.ms/FactsMatterGooglePodcast Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV Protesters demonstrating against COVID-19 mandates gather as a truck convoy blocks the highway at the U.S. border crossing in Coutts, Alta., on Feb. 2, 2022. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) Feds Ramp Up Super Bowl Security Over Possible Truck Convoy Protests The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is beefing up Super Bowl security over a possible trucker convoy protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other restrictions, according to Biden administration officials. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a Feb. 11 briefing that DHS had already deployed 500 employees to provide air and maritime security support for the Super Bowl, set to take place in Inglewood, California on Feb. 13. Psaki added that DHS is surging additional staff to its Super Bowl incident command post and is working closely with local law enforcement. Were working to address this on all fronts, Psaki said, noting reports of a trucker protest potentially causing disruption at the Super Bowl and reports of a Freedom Convoy that could target Washington D.C. in March. Recent media reports cited an internal DHS memo indicating that U.S.-based truckers could stage protests in parts of the country similar to the ones that have gripped parts of Canada. Theyre aware of these reports, Psaki said of DHS, adding that the agency is taking all necessary steps to ensure that the convoy does not disrupt lawful trade and transportation or interfere with federal government and law enforcement operations. White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily White House press briefing in Washington on Feb. 9, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) Canadian truck drivers have blocked traffic in protest against mandates that require truckers entering Canada from the United States to show proof of vaccination or face quarantining or testing. Thousands initially descended upon the Canadian capital Ottawa two weeks ago and while their numbers have declined, more than 400 trucks remain parked in front of the Parliament Buildings. Demonstrations have generally been peaceful but offensive to some Canadians. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency last week, saying the protests posed a threat to residents safety as there had been complaints of residents being harassed. A number of protesters have been seen carrying signs or flags with obscene insults referencing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who has resorted to hyperbole in denouncing the truckers, like calling their actions a threat to democracy itself. Trucks part of the Freedom Convoy ride through downtown Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 29, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) Some Americans have floated plans to organize similar convoys to Washington and elsewhere in protest against mandates. Organizers of a group called The Peoples Convoy announced Wednesday plans to gather in Indio, California on March 4 and rally that weekend to defeat the unconstitutional mandates. Other social media posts indicate the convoy might travel to Washington, while a poster circulated on Twitter called for a medical freedom protest that would shut down the Super Bowl. According to a DHS memo obtained by The Hill, the agency has received reports of truck drivers potentially planning to block roads in major metropolitan cities in the United States in protest of, among other things, vaccine mandates. The convoy will potentially begin in California early as mid-February, potentially impacting the Super Bowl scheduled for 13 February and the State of the Union address scheduled for 1 March, according to the memo. While The Epoch Times has not been able to independently verify the contents of the memo, a DHS spokesperson confirmed that its tracking potential truck convoys in the United States. We have not observed specific calls for violence within the United States associated with this convoy, and are working closely with our federal, state, and local partners to continuously assess the threat environment and keep our communities safe, the spokesperson said. People gather in protest against COVID-19 mandates and in support of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions taking place in Ottawa, in Edmonton, Canada, on Feb. 5, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told The Daily Signal in a recent interview that hes all for trucker convoys coming to the United States to stage protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Paul, who has been vocal in his opposition to COVID-19 vaccination requirements, expressed sympathy with the Canadian truckers in their fight against the mandates. Theyre riding in a cab by themselves, most of them for eight, 10-hour long hauls, and they just want to do what they want to do. Its their own business, he told The Daily Signal. Canadian truck driver Bill Dykema, 71, told The Epoch Times that hes protesting in Ottawa on behalf of his 19 grandchildren, saying its for them and to give them their freedom. Im just a 71-year-old, poor old working man. Our freedoms have gone. You cant go to a restaurant, unless youre shot, he said. Some Ottawa residents have expressed frustration with the protests. Deana Sherif, who held a counterprotest against the truckers, told The Epoch Times on Feb. 11 that some residents have felt harassed and the blockade was threatening shipments of goods and threatening livelihoods. We have a problem with the fact there is abuse on residents of our city and a problem with you stopping or slowing the travel from countries that bring us food or supplies and allow Canadians to work, she said. So if you have a problem with the lockdowns, the way to do that is not force a lockdown. The convoys in Canada have disrupted some shipments to or from the United States, the White House said on Feb. 7, with Psaki saying on Feb. 11 that the blockades have the potential to have a huge impact on workers and the American public. The busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing was blocked by protesters starting the same day. Some U.S. automakers have paused output due to the protests. Richard Moore and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. Former Air Force Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Killing Federal Officer in California A former U.S. Air Force sergeant who has been accused of fatally shooting a federal officer protecting a courthouse in California pleaded guilty on Friday to first-degree murder and attempted murder. Steven Carrillo, a 33-year-old man of Ben Lomond, changed his plea to guilty to a federal murder charge in the drive-by shooting death of David Patrick Underwood and the attempted murder of Underwoods colleague, the Department of Justice (DOJ) said in a statement. The men were shot on May 29, 2020, while they stood in front of a federal building in Oakland. Carrillo admitted that he aligned himself with an anti-government movement and wanted to carry out violent acts against federal law enforcement officers, the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of California said in the statement. In the plea agreement read by Carrillo, he admitted to posting messages on Facebook that are apparently linked to the extremist Boogaloo movement. He posted the messages on May 28, one day before carrying out the deadly assault, asking if anyone is down to boog. I just wanna perpetuate the hate and violence towards the governments attack dogs and [this] is a great time to perpetuate the destruction of the government, he admitted to posting on May 29, the day of the attack, also adding footage to Snapchat depicting anti-government paraphernalia and firearms, according to the plea agreement. Carrillo also admitted to firing 19 rounds from a homemade AR-15 rifle from the back of a white van allegedly being driven by Robert Alvin Justus Jr., of Millbrae, who faces federal charges of murder and attempted murder in the case. A white van parked near the U.S. Courthouse in Oakland, Calif. on May 29, 2020, shortly before it was driven by a guard post. (FBI) Robert Alvin Justus Jr., who faces murder charges in the killing of federal officer David Patrick Underwood. (Santa Cruz Sheriffs Office via AP; FBI) The charges against Carrillo made him eligible for the death penalty, but prosecutors filed a notice of intent on Jan. 31, saying they wont seek it. On Friday, Carrillo agreed and recommended to the court that a reasonable and appropriate disposition of this case would be 41 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers said she is not convinced that she will accept the plea agreement between prosecutors and defense lawyers calling for a 41-year prison sentence. I cannot accept a plea unless there was a sufficient independent factual basis for the plea, she said. Carillo is scheduled to be sentenced on June 3, but Gonzalez Rogers warned that she could reject the plea agreement if she doesnt feel prosecutors and defense lawyers do enough to justify the sentence. And if she does, Carillo would go to trial and his admissions in court could be used against him, Gonzalez Rogers said. According to court documents, Carrillo has ties to the boogaloo movement. Agents previously said in court documents that Carrillo appeared to use his own blood to write phrases on the hood of the car that he carjacked. The phrases included apparent references to the so-called boogaloo movement. In general, followers of the Boogaloo ideology may identify as militia and share a narrative of inciting a violent uprising against perceived government tyranny, FBI agent Brett Woolard wrote in a criminal complaint (pdf). Carrillo was arrested a week after the shooting in Oakland after he allegedly ambushed sheriffs deputies in Santa Cruz County who were responding to a report of a van containing firearms and bomb-making materials. Sgt. Damon Gutzwiller, 38, was killed and several other law enforcement officials were wounded, according to authorities and court records. The Associated Press contributed to this report. From NTD News Republicans are introducing a bill to sanction Chinese officials, while the Republican National Committee (RNC) calls for China to pay for the damage it caused to Americans from COVID-19. I spoke with Solomon Yue, vice-chair and CEO of Republicans Overseas. He told me how the resolution will work to hold China accountable after a GOP majority in the midterm election, and what it means to the American people to get their fair returns from almost two years of suffering. A crowd gathers outside of the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, where 47 dissidents charged under the Beijing-imposed national security law were about to appear in court, in Hong Kong on Mar. 1, 2021. (Adrian Yu/The Epoch Times) Hong Kong Denies Australia Access to Detained Citizen, Violating International Law Hong Kong rejects residents foreign citizenship status under the sweeping national security law Australia has, for the past year, been denied access to a citizen arrested in Hong Kong for alleged subversion under the territorys sweeping national security law, Canberra officials confirmed on Tuesday. The individual is currently awaiting trial and could be jailed for life if found guilty. The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said they were notified of the persons arrest in January last year but were denied consular access multiple times, citing that Hong Kong no longer recognizes dual citizenship. The South China Morning Post (SCMP) identified the individual as Gordon Ng Ching-hang, a 42-year-old Australian citizen and Hong Kong resident. He is one of 47 opposition activists and politicians arrested in Hong Kong on Jan. 6 last year under the security law as part of a city-wide crackdown and rearrested on March 1 and charged with subversion. The individual is deemed to be a Chinese citizen under Chinas citizenship laws, which do not recognize dual nationality, a Canberra spokesperson said, adding that Australian consular officials have attended the court hearings but were denied access to the man despite multiple attempts. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said in February last year that the city would not recognize dual nationality according to the SCMP report. The declaration subsequently prompted both Australia and England to change their travel advice for the territory. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam speaks to the media about the new national security law introduced to the city at her weekly press conference in Hong Kong on July 7, 2020. (Isaac Lawrence/AFP via Getty Images) She said that Hong Kong residents of Chinese descent who were born in the territory or in mainland China were all considered Chinese nationals and therefore not entitled to consular protection from other countries, adding that her government would strictly enforce the policy. Lam also added that under the new policy, only foreign nationals were entitled to consular protection under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, an international treaty that defines and protects consular relations between sovereign states. In an interview with the citys local media HK01 in March 2021, Elizabeth Ward, Australias Consul-General in Hong Kong, urged the Hong Kong authorities to respect the human rights and freedoms conferred by the international treaty and the territorys Basic Law. Ward pointed out that the citys government unilaterally changed its long-standing practice last year, which allowed foreign consular officials to visit Hong Kong residents with other nationalities. The incident has sparked discussion on Hong Kongs social platforms, and many were calling for those with foreign citizenship to leave the city for safety reasons. Hong Kong, once regarded as a bastion of free speech within authoritarian China, has been transformed by a 2020 law that Beijing imposed to neuter dissent in the wake of large democracy protests. More than 160 people have been arrested under the law, including activists and journalists from pro-democracy news outlets, according to Taipei Times. The suspects were often denied bail, and many have been detained for long periods before trial. Australia and many other countries have expressed concern about the erosion of basic freedoms and autonomy in Hong Kong and have called on Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to abide by their human rights obligations, the Australian foreign affairs department said, adding that its officials have been able to attend court hearings and were in regular contact with the individuals lawyers. Joseph Cheng, a retired political science professor at the City University of Hong Kong, told The Epoch Times that until June 2020when the national security law was enactedBeijing had always turned a blind eye to Hong Kong residents with foreign citizenship. However, the sweeping National Security Law now regards Hong Kong residents holding foreign passports as only Chinese citizens, rejecting their foreign citizenship status. Hong Kong Political scientist Benson Wong told The Epoch Times that he believes the now unambiguous policy against dual citizenship in Hong Kong will spur the residents migration to foreign countries. Some Hongkongers [with foreign nationality] stayed in the city for work thinking that foreign citizenships may protect them, but this incident will now propel many to leave Hong Kong, Wong said. Marip Lu sits in her family's shelter in a refugee camp in Kachin State, Burma, on March 21, 2018. Marip Lu, 24, claims she was kidnapped by traffickers and suffered six years of captivity, rape, and abuse deep in China. (Esther Htusan/AP) How Rural China Forms an Accomplice Network to Control Trafficked Females Commentary Many analyses blame the Chinese human trafficking industry for the misery of a Xuzhou, China, mother of eight. The stereotype of rural Chinese people as simple and hardworking ignores the fact that the abducted females sold for marriage are faced with the oppression of the buyers and even more so with the oppression of the villagers, who are a small community of accomplices that keep the woman in bondage. The villagers dont believe what theyre doing is a crime. Females Sold for Marriage Cant Escape There are two Chinese films that give a rough idea of how rural communities have evolved and become a serious taboo for the communist regime. Blind Mountain was a cinema release in 2007, and state media outlet CCTVs A College Girl Abducted for Marriage aired in 2018. The CCTV program imitated lines and plots from Blind Mountain and added two fictional characters who were relatives of the buyer: cousin Hai and another cousin working as a police officer. The sympathetic Hai tried to help the girl escape, but failed. The police officer did the righteous thing and punished the buyer. Blind Mountain was based on a real person named Zheng Xiuli. I saw the movie and researched the actual hardships Zheng experienced. After reading many similar cases, I have a certain understanding of how local communities form an accomplice network when a female is bought for marriage. The enabling is done by local villagers who prevent the wives from running away. The CCTV program deliberately omitted this very important fact, instead portraying the abductions as isolated cases, a crime committed by a few poor farmers. The program gave an image of a communist rural life filled with fine farmhouses, clean and tidy farmyards, and many nice cars. Blind Mountain has all of the elements of an abducted womans tragedy, whose situation was better than that of the Xuzhou mother of eight who was mainly raped and abused by the husband and became a sex slave of many men in the village. Zheng, a young woman from Northeast China, had a life far more devastating than the film showed. A college graduate, she went south to work in Zhuhai, China, in 1994. The trafficker, posing as a job broker, abducted her to the village of Huaping, nearly 200 miles away, and sold her for 3,000 yuan ($431.88) to a 49-year-old villager named Guo. Zheng tried to escape the night she arrived at Guos house, but the entire village was mobilized to catch her. She was beaten badly by Guos family. That night, with the help of Guos brother and sister-in-law, Guo raped her. She tried to escape many times, until she realized that everyone around her was an accomplice in her captivity. In the following two years, she gave birth to two children. Finally, the desperate and badly abused Zheng splashed sulfuric acid on both of Guos brothers children and injured five other students. She wasnt waiting to be rescued, but to be arrested by the police. In the end, she was sentenced to death for the crime of intentional injurya sentence that was deferred. Some people said screenwriter Li Yang hoped to draw attention to the tragedy of abducted women with the movie. A woman reunites with her newborn baby who was sold by the doctor who delivered him at a hospital in Fuping County, Shanxi Province, China, on Aug. 5, 2013. Other such cases have been reported across China in recent years. (STR/AFP/Getty Images) Why Villagers Become Accomplices The abductions of Zheng and the Xuzhou mother of eight reflect issues that are far beyond the scope of buying and selling women. One wonders why they couldnt escape. I recall the reports I read when I was in China that gave details of an abduction. The local police raided a village in the middle of the night. Otherwise, they would be surrounded by villagers and the mission would fail. The police were there to carry out a rescue, not to cause a mass event. So lets look at why villagers would unite in fending off the police. In remote rural China, it isnt easy for men to get married. Generally speaking, women are reluctant to marry men in poor areas, and many farmers will exchange their own daughters for daughters-in-law. Those who have no daughters have to pay thousands of yuan and even tens of thousands of yuan for a marriage. This amount will drain the familys entire resources. Thus, the brides that the farmers buy are considered property that ought to be secured by the entire familythe buyers. Todays Chinese villages have become a community of shared interest, whether theyre single-surname villages or mixed-surname villages. Poor villages are filled with bachelors who resort to traffickers to get a wife. To protect the property that they paid for, villagers follow an unwritten rule to form a system of containment. For instance, theyll notify the buyer if they learn of the abducted womans intention to escape; when the police arrive, they hide the abducted woman; and when necessary, they intervene in police rescue efforts. Dont expect the party secretary of the village to stand up for justice. As a villager himself, hes bound to guard his villagers interests. Theres also a 2006 film, The Story of an Abducted Woman, based on Gao Yanmin, a woman abducted and sold to a man in Xiaan village, Hebei Province. The villagers were hostile to reporters who tried to interview Gao after her story was made public. They blamed her for exposing the villagers buying of wives and ruining their reputation. The village party secretary asked a reporter who went for an interview: There are still more than 60 bachelors in the village. How can you help them? In the absence of intervention, the sex ratio at birth generally ranges between 103 and 107 male births per 100 female births, according to UNICEF. The preference for sons in rural China is very serious, which has created an extraordinary gender imbalance. In 2004, China recorded 121 boys born for every 100 girls. In 2019, it still remained at a ratio of 112 boys for every 100 girls. Its estimated that Chinese men will outnumber women by about 30 million over the next 30 years, according to a Party mouthpiece. Rural China, harboring the majority of single men, has a huge demand for wife buying. This is the social background of Chinas serious abduction and trafficking of women. Coupled with the regimes general disregard for human rights, womens rights are easily violated, and the buying of abducted women will only continue in rural China. Trafficking in females is exacerbated because authorities ignore the issue. Materialized Rural Development Under the Regimes Ruling More than 20 years ago, I concluded that Chinese society had morally collapsed, in my book Chinas Trap. Rural China became the epicenter of the phenomenon of moral collapse, filled with small communities of human trafficking criminals. This moral collapse is the result of the CCPs land reforms after it came to power. Through a series of movements in land reform, the CCP completely destroyed the ancient clan system dominating village autonomy; killed all local intellectuals and noblemen that governed the system; and installed communes run by bandits and gangsters. A man reads the Chinese Communist Partys Land Reform Law to peasants in 1950. The aim was to incite class hatred against landlords and use the supposedly disenfranchised to carry out a violent revolution. The campaign resulted in the mass killing of landlords, causing hundreds of thousands of deaths. (Public Domain) Rural reform under the CCP has focused on material infrastructure and has nothing to do with civilization or humanity. In the 2005 meeting of its rubber-stamp legislature, the regime proposed to build a socialist countryside that fosters production, development, management, construction, mechanization, and agricultural standardization. In 2021, when Chinese leader Xi Jinping emphasized building a new socialist countryside that is more beautiful and has better living conditions, he was still focusing on material aspects. After the exposure of the Xuzhou mother of eight, the local government responded to the outraged public with a notice saying that this so-called family had received aid and medical insurance since May 2014, subsidies in the reconstruction of housing from the government in 2021, and many charitable donations from society. However, theres no mention of the woman constrained by a dog chain on her neck, who was gang-raped by three men in the buyers family. This is the new socialist countryside the regime has built. Womens rights are abused in a morally collapsed Chinese society. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. A muckraker is someone who makes public what those in power want to keep hidden. And in an environment where many news outlets have become mouthpieces of political parties and corporate powers, a new type of muckraker journalism is needed. James OKeefe, founder of Project Veritas, has presented in his new book, Muckraker, a proposal for a new type of citizen and undercover journalism that can empower anyone to expose wrongdoing and corruption. To learn more about this, and how journalism can be restored, we sat down for an interview. A big thank you to our sponsor American Hartford Gold! Find more info here: https://ept.ms/3rshean or call 877-260-2764 or text JOSHUA to 6-5-5-3-2. Subscribe to the new Crossroads newsletter and stay up-to-date! Follow EpochTV on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EpochTVus Twitter: https://twitter.com/EpochTVus Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/EpochTV Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/epochtv Gab: https://gab.com/EpochTV Telegram: https://t.me/EpochTV Parler: https://parler.com/#/user/EpochTV South Middleton School Board recently approved revisions to the 2022-23 calendar that allow for a monthly block of at least two hours of dedicated staff time for instructional planning. Starting in September and continuing through May 2023, the calendar provides a once-per-month early dismissal that rotates among the days of the week. On each day of the rotation, middle school and high school students will be dismissed around noon followed an hour later by elementary school students, Superintendent James Estep said Thursday. The dismissal times would allow teachers on grade level and subject area teams to meet and collaborate more on instruction, he said. The early dismissal days will be Sept. 14, 2022; Oct. 20, 2022; Nov. 11, 2022; Dec. 13, 2022; Jan. 23, 2023; Feb. 15, 2023; March 23, 2023; April 21, 2023; and May 16, 2023. The early dismissal days also would give teachers greater flexibility to map out their instruction plan after analyzing data that tracks each student on the learning continuum, Estep said. The goal is to provide them with a solid two to two-and-a-half hours to do more instructional planning. The monthly blocks would result in the loss of at least 18 hours of instructional time over the course of the school year. While some would argue that the time is important, there is also merit to the meaningful use of that time structured around additional planning, Estep said. State law requires school districts to provide a minimum of 990 hours of instruction at the secondary level and 900 hours of instruction at the elementary level. We are well beyond that already in terms of instructional hours, Estep said in December, when he proposed the idea of the revised calendar to the school board. Losing 18 hours would not put us in any jeopardy with the bottom requirement amount. Expectations on teachers are so high that traditional planning time is not going to cut it anymore, Estep said on Thursday. Providing additional opportunities to do planning is essential. Email Joseph Cress at jcress@cumberlink.com. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Alberto M. Carvalho, Superintendent of Miami-Dade County Public Schools, speaks at the ConnectED conference in the East Room of the White House, on Nov. 19, 2014. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) LAUSDs New Superintendent Begins Next Week, Outlines Plan for First 100 Days Los Angeles Unified School Districts (LAUSD) new Superintendent, Alberto Carvalho, will begin his new job on Feb. 14, the LAUSD Board of Education announced this week. The Board, who initially set Carvalhos first day for March 1, voted Feb. 8 to hasten his start by two weeks. We are all very excited to welcome Superintendent Carvalho to the Los Angeles Unified School District next week, the Board said in a statement. Carvalho, who has served as superintendent for Floridas Miami-Dade County Public Schools for the past 13 years, outlined his plan for his first 100 days in office on Feb. 10 as he accepted an award for his leadership from The National Education Equity Laban organization that brings college-level courses to high school students in underserved communities. One of Carvalhos goals is to bring free college-level courses, such as the ones offered by The National Equity Lab, to the LAUSD, which he said will lead to savings to the parents in the millions of dollars through the college credits that are earned while in high school. For schools in underserved areas, Carvalho will also focus on decreasing class size, providing all students with technology, and expanding school choice, particularly in communities that dont currently have alternative options with students. There are some areas that have great quality opportunities for students, Carvalho said. Others do not. I dont think its fair or equitable for students to have to get on a bus for hours on end to get to that one school or be shut out of that opportunity, Carvalho said. This comes as the board voted on Feb. 8 to apply for six new state-issued school codes for alternative online programs. Carvalho also emphasized the importance of investing in early education. If we want to boost graduation rates, start investing in early-childhood education programs to minimize that gap that many students come into schools with as a result of all the factors that we recognize impact their ability to learn or their readiness for elementary education, Carvalho said. About 81.6 percent of four-year cohort students graduated during the 202021 school year, according to an LAUSD spokesperson. As far as short-term goals, Carvalho said he will address student learning gaps caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The level of academic regression [and] unfinished learning that has piled up is impressive and devastating to the lives of a lot of students across the country, certainly in Miami, and in Los Angeles, Carvalho said. Only 48.2 percent of kindergarten students met the states early literacy benchmarks in the 202021 school yeara 5.1 percent drop from the previous school year, according to a LAUSD spokesperson. The board unanimously voted to hire Carvalho as the new superintendent in December 2021 after former superintendent Austin Beutner stepped down in June. Megan K. Reilly served as interim superintendent. Carvalho signed a four-year contract and will be paid $440,000 a year. Carvalho spent his last day as Miami-Dade superintendent at Miami Jackson Senior High, where he started his education career as a science teacher. A person holds a crack pipe in a bus of the Gaia association near the Gare du Nord railway station in Paris on April 29, 2013. (Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images) Lawmakers Unveil Bills to Block Taxpayer Funding for Crack Pipes: HUNTER, CRACK, and PIPES Acts Lawmakers in both lower and upper chambers of Congress have introduced at least three separate billswith the acronyms HUNTER, CRACK, and PIPESseeking to block any attempts by the federal government to use taxpayer money to fund crack pipes. It comes after a media report by the Washington Free Beacon, citing a spokesman from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), said the Biden administration was funding safe smoking kits that would provide pipes for users to smoke crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and any illicit substance, as part of a $30 million grant program to reduce harm from illicit drugs. Following the report, the administration faced widespread backlash across social media. The HHS and the White House on Feb. 9 denied such claims and said that the smoking kits it is funding does not include any pipes. White House press secretary Jen Psaki called the crack pipe story inaccurate reporting. White House press secretary Jen Psaki speaks during the daily briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, on Feb. 9, 2022. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) However, a number of lawmakers remain unconvinced, and New York-based non-profit Drug Policy Alliance suggested that pipes were originally part of the smoking kits and the government had backtracked on including them. Brent Scher, executive editor at the Washington Free Beacon, said on social media that when the outlet sought clarification from HHS about whether the safe smoking kit included pipes to smoke crack and meth, the HHS spokesman responded, in exact words, I wouldnt limit to those two substances. It would reference any illicit substance.' Republican Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Dan Bishop (R-N.C.) on Friday introduced the Halting the Use of Narcotics Through Effective Recovery (HUNTER) Act of 2022 (pdf) to ban federal dollars from funding crack pipes, needles, and other drug instruments. Bishop told Fox News that the Biden administration was caught red-handed and that he and Boebert are not convinced by the White Houses denial. Boebert told the outlet, We want [the HUNTER Act] in statute. Were not taking their word for it. Separately, she said in a social media post on Feb. 10, I never in my life thought I would have to say this, but the proper role of government is not to fund the distribution of crack pipes. Did Hunter come up with this [expletive]? The acronym of the bill appears to be a reference to Hunter Biden, President Joe Bidens son, who has struggled with drug addiction, including to crack cocaine. The proposed bill came after Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and 15 other Republican senators on Thursday introduced the Cutting off Rampant Access to Crack Kits (CRACK) Act (pdf). It would amend Section 2706 of the Democrat-approved American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (pdf)a $1.9 trillion COVID relief spending plan Biden signed into law in March 2021by adding a clause that prohibit funds under the act to be used to procure, supply, or distribute pipes, cylindrical objects, or other paraphernalia that can be used to smoke, inhale, or ingest narcotics. I am glad the Biden Administration acknowledges sending crack pipes to our nations addicts is a bad idea, Rubio said in a statement. It is pure insanity to think the federal government would fund crack pipe distribution. This legislation will make certain the program can never pay for crack pipes, and given the Biden Administrations position I look forward to their vigorous support. Separately, Rubio and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W. Va.) introduced a bipartisan bill on Friday, called the Preventing Illicit Paraphernalia for Exchange Systems (PIPES) Act (pdf). Every American and West Virginian has been impacted by the drug epidemic that has killed over 101,000 Americans from April 2020 to April 2021, Manchin said in a statement. While this is a heartbreaking issue that must be fully addressed by the federal government, using taxpayer funds to buy paraphernalia for those struggling with substance use disorder is not the solution. Our bipartisan PIPES Act will ensure that American Rescue Plan funds cant be used to buy illicit drug paraphernalia, and I look forward to passing legislation to address this issue quickly. Major Wall Street Banks Start Dropping Mask Mandates A number of major Wall Street financial institutions have moved to drop mask mandates, which comes amid a broader rollback of pandemic restrictions across the United States and in other parts of the world. Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley said on Feb. 11 that they were doing away with the requirement for staff to wear masks in the office, though this only applies to employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. COVID-19 is the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as SARS-CoV-2. Starting Monday, Goldman Sachs will no longer require fully vaccinated employees at its U.S. offices to wear masks, a spokeswoman told Reuters. Masks are now voluntary for fully vaccinated JPMorgan employees at the banks U.S. offices, according to a memo cited by Bloomberg. With Omicron cases declining in many U.S. locations, and expected to continue to decline, vaccine boosters and treatments more readily available, and a large percentage of our workforce vaccinated, we are continuing to make adjustments to some of these safeguards, JPMorgan, the biggest U.S. bank, said in the memo. Staff at Morgan Stanleys offices will not be required to wear masks, according to a spokeswoman, though this too applies only to vaccinated employees as only they are allowed onto bank premises. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is also withdrawing its mask mandate for fully vaccinated individuals effective immediately, according to Fox News, citing NYSE management sources. The easing of the mask mandates on Wall Street comes as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced an end to the states mask-or-vaccine mandate, which required businesses to ask customers to mask up or show proof of vaccination. Still, Hochul left in place the states school mask requirement, which is due to lapse on Feb. 21. Hochuls move to drop the business mask mandate followed in the footsteps of similar announcements by a number of Democrat-led states, including California, Connecticut, Illinois, and Oregon. Many Republican-led states didnt renew mask mandates after they expired last year, while some, like Kentucky, banned masking requirements outright. It comes as a number of new daily COVID-19 infections in the United States has dropped by around 75 percent from a peak of around 800,000 per day in the middle of January. COVID-19-related hospitalizations and intensive care occupancy have also declined. In Europe, a number of countries began lifting COVID-19 restrictions several weeks ago, led by Denmark at the beginning of February. Since then, other countries including England, Spain, and Sweden followed, scrapping quarantine and masking requirements. Norway, which in December went into a partial lockdown due to the rapid spread of the Omicron variant, on Saturday became the latest European country to lift nearly all COVID-19 curbs. This is the day we have been waiting for, said Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere at a news conference in Oslo on Feb. 12. We are removing almost all coronavirus measures, he said. Protesters Remain at Canada-US Border Crossing Bridge Despite Court Injunction WINDSOR, Ont.More protesters gathered by the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor on the evening of Feb. 11 compared to nights before, despite a court injunction to clear the blockade at the Canada-U.S. border. Many protesters, who are demonstrating against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, left the area as it got late into the night, but some still remained past midnight. Sam Helou, a Windsor resident who owns a parking lot close to the border crossing, says governments COVID-19 measures have been detrimental to small businesses. Protesters at the site of demonstration against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Sam Helou, who says he wants COVID-19 mandates and restrictions to end, stands by his commercial parking lot close to the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) They only care about big businesses, big corporations profits. What about the tens of thousands of people who lost their jobs because of these mandates? Enough is enough, he said in an interview at the site of the protest on Feb. 11. Lets open up our economy and bring back the jobs and our freedoms. Sandy Gill, a real estate agent from Vancouver, brought her children to the protest. Sandy Gill and her family protest COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Vehicles parked at the site of a demonstration against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Its not about vaccinated versus unvaccinated. Its nothing like that. Were not dividing Canadians. Were talking about everybody should have a right to choose. This is freedom of choice, Gill said. Im glad that this convoy stood up at the right time, and were really supporting them. Earlier on Feb. 11, the Ontario Superior Court granted an injunction to prevent the protesters from blocking the border crossing. Protestors and supporters at a blockade at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge, sealing off the flow of commercial traffic over the bridge into Canada from Detroit in Windsor, Ontario, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Cole Burston/Getty Images) Police vehicles by the protest site at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Protesters have been blocking the crossing, which connects Windsor to Detroit, since Feb. 6. The court injunction came into effect at 7 p.m on Feb. 11. Also on Feb. 11, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that the province will be in a state of emergency due to the ongoing protests in Windsor and Ottawa. The declaration includes giving authorities more powers to deal with any blockages in 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges, and railways, Ford said. Fines for non-compliance will be up to $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment, Ford said, adding that the provincial government will also provide additional authority for the police to take away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesnt comply with these orders. Protesters demonstrating against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Protesters gather at the Canada-U.S. border crossing in Windsor on the evening of Feb. 11, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) The protests were inspired by the trucker protest movement that began as a demonstration against a requirement for truck drivers to have COVID-19 vaccination for cross-border travel. The protests grew in size as people from across Canada joined in, converging in Ottawa on Jan. 29, with many saying they will stay until all COVID-19 mandates are lifted. Since then, more vehicle convoy protests have appeared in different parts of the country, including at major Canada-U.S. borders in Ontario, Manitoba, and Alberta. Editors note: This article was updated on Feb. 12. Police set up a perimeter around a neighborhood in South Phoenix following an early morning shooting that left nine officers wounded and two people dead, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) Nine Phoenix Police Officers Wounded in Early Morning Shootout PHOENIX, Ariz.Phoenix police are working round the clock trying to piece together details that led to the early morning shooting that left nine officers shot or injured and the male suspect dead of a possible self-inflicted gunshot wound. I cannot recall an incident in city history where so many officers were injured, said Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego during an afternoon press conference near the crime scene at 5400 West Elwood St. in South Pheonix. I am incredibly proud of our Phoenix Police Department. These officers chose to run into harms way. A baby is safe today because of our Phoenix police officers. We are fortunate that in such a horrific incident, and with so many injured, all are going to be safe. So many face a very difficult recovery. Gallego said the White House also reached out to Phoenix police on Friday with concern. My heart is with the officers and their families and the entire Phoenix police department, Gallego said. Today, at the hospital, I was talking to an officer after going into surgery. The officer only wanted to hear about the rest of the squad and how they were doing. That is the type of incredibly selfless individual who serves the city of Phoenix. Nine officers shot or injuredthat is an incredibly heavy weight for all of us. Police Sgt. Andy Williams addresses the media at a press conference following an early morning ambush shooting that wounded nine police officers, one critically, in Phoenix, Ariz., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) While details of the incident remained sketchy on Friday, Phoenix police said officers responded to a 911 call around 2:15 a.m., after a neighbor reported hearing gunshots from inside a townhouse in the densely populated Laveen neighborhood of South Phoenix. Four unnamed police officers were shot during the confrontation and five officers were injured, apparently by shrapnel, during the tense shootout. The female occupant died in the melee while the suspect, Morris Jones, 36, succumbed at the scene to an apparent gunshot wound. Police said it is not clear whether Jones had committed suicide or was shot by police during the standoff. A second unidentified male reportedly had placed the toddler on the front steps when police ordered him to do so. When officers went to retrieve the child Jones allegedly began shooting at them, said Phoenix Police Sgt. Andy Williams at the press conference. The officers reportedly had to abandon the child and take cover before a Phoenix SWAT team arrived minutes later and managed to rescue the toddler. Williams said the female victims name is not being released pending notification of next of kin. The infant has been placed in the custody of child protective services, he said. Of the nine wounded officers four remain hospitalized, one with critical injuries. All are expected to survive, Williams said. The complexity and scale of the scene cannot be overstated, he said. Detectives are prepared to work all through today, all through tonight, and all through tomorrow. We only have one chance to do it right. Mayor Kate Gallego speaks of the heroism displayed by the nine officers who risked their lives to save a child during an ambush shooting in South Phoenix, Ariz., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) A lot of details that we are still working through, he said. Im not going to speculate on what the officers knew. Austin Michael, a former neighbor of Jones and the female victim, broke into tears as he recalled hearing the initial burst of gunshots shortly after 2 a.m. Friday. From the noise and my familiarity (with firearms) you could tell it was inside a structure. At first it was an initial four to six rounds, then it was three to five coming from the opposing direction. It was initially handguns, Michael told The Epoch Times. Michael said he had been next door neighbors with the deceased for 18 months until last September, and the only reason I happened to be here last evening is I bought this car from a neighbors daughter and the radiator just came in this morningI spent the evening in my pickup. He said he only knew of the deceased through brief encounters with them parking or unloading groceries or getting their mail. Honestly, I couldnt tell you what they looked like, but as long as Ive lived here, riding my electric skateboard Ive ridden by that home I dont know how many times. Thereve been no (prior) incidents. Michael said that he never imagined the seemingly quiet neighborhood could erupt in such violence. Ive never imagined it would turn to this volume. My [vehicle] exhaust has been stolen twice. I thought that was bad. Then there was the occasional helicopter assessing a domestic distpute. This [shooting] speaks indescribable volumes, in my opinion, and I dont care who you are. What can you do? I never imagined something this close happening to me. Michael wept thinking a child could have been so close to the exchange of gunfire. That rubs me really bad the wrong way. Im very grateful that baby is okay, he said. Police Chief Jeri Williams reacts with emotion near the crime scene where nine officers were wounded during an ambush shooting in Phoenix, Ariz., on Feb. 11, 2022. (Allan Stein/The Epoch Times) A female neighbor said she heard three sets of gunshots around 2:15 a.m. and what sounded like a car leaving the scene, which made her think of a drive-by shooting. Its a very quiet [neighborhood.] You never hear police. This is actually the first time Ive seen a group of police over here, the woman told The Epoch Times on condition of anonymity. When I say quiet, I mean super quiet. When I heard the gunshots I knew I was close. I had just laid down. And then I started hearing the helicopter. Ten minutes later, some more shots. Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams, speaking to reporters, praised the nine officers for their bravery under fire. The tremendous acts of bravery our officers showed this morning just warms my heart. When you seewhen you hear what was raging, our officers went in. As a baby was left on the doorstep our officers went in to rescue her, and thats the kind of police officers we have in our police department and in our community, Williams said. Once again, our community was devastated by acts of violence that not only injured nine officers, but also resulted in the loss of lives of two community members. Four of those officers today are being treated for gunshot wounds. This is yet another example of the dangers our officers face day-in and day-out to keep our communities safe. I said it this morning and Ill say it again, if I seem upset, I am. This is senseless, Williams said. Cleanup efforts are underway for an oil spill of the coastline of Orange County in Huntington Beach, Calif., on Oct. 4, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Offshore Oil Drilling Would Be Banned in California Under New Bill Offshore oil drilling would be banned in California under a new bill, following last years oil spill near Huntington Beach. Senate Bill 953, authored by state Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine), would shut down three of the four oil rigs in the state by Dec. 31, 2023. The fourth oil rig is already in the process of being decommissioned, a spokesperson from Mins office said. Where there is drilling, there is going to be spilling, Min said in a statement. Our coastal economies, our precious marine ecosystems, and our right as Californians to access clean and unspoiled beaches are all at risk. Cleanup efforts are underway in Huntington Beach, Calif., to clean a massive oil spill that struck the coastline on Oct. 3, 2021. Oct. 5, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) On Oct. 3, 2021, an oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach that leaked 25,000 gallons of crude into the ocean led many officials to support an offshore oil drilling ban. The senator said the states offshore oil rigs only account for 0.3 percent of all U.S. oil production. Critics of the legislation say the ban will only mean that the oil will need to be imported from foreign nations with lower environmental or health and safety standards. California has the toughest regulations in the world. And so whats not produced here comes from someplace else because demand is not going down, Kevin Slagle, vice president of Western States Petroleum Association, told The Epoch Times, noting that California produces 30 percent of the petroleum it uses. Slagle also said the state will be subject to a takings case, where the oil rig companies will be paid large sums of money for having to decommission their rigs prior to the ending of their leases. Why would you want to bring a ship across the ocean and have it sit in the port and then unload and deal with all the environmental issues that that could cause as opposed to producing it in the state and just pipelining it straight to the refineries. When you look at that situation, whats better for climate change? he said. Other critics say the legislation would create a series of vulnerabilities for the state, by inviting more oil tankers into the already overcrowded ports of Los Angeles. Oil tankers wait to come ashore to the Port of Los Angeles, on Jan. 12, 2021. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) Some of these tankers can burn up to four tons of fuel per day and add 12 tons of carbon particulate to the atmosphere, Andrew Meredith, president of the State Building and Constructions Trades Council of California, told The Epoch Times. Additionally, almost half of Californias oil comes out of the rainforests, Meredith said, where environmental devastation runs rampant, meaning the legislation would only increase production in the rainforests to make up for the demand. Politicians in Sacramento need to find ways to bring the cost of fuel down for California families, not make it more expensive. Nothing in this bill will do that. On the contrary, it will add to a long list of things driving the cost up for consumers, Meredith said. In response, Min told The Epoch Times that the economic benefit from the local oil extraction off the coast of California is not worth the constant threat oil spills pose. The $44 billion generated each year by our coastal economy, which is under constant threat from oil spills, is astronomically greater than the minuscule benefits we receive from offshore drilling, he said. An incredible series of close-up pictures depicts a huge Icelandic volcano erupting into life for the first time in 800 years. A drone camera swooping over the majestic Fagradalsfjall volcano flew so low that it was actually scorched by the heat from the searing lava. However, the results were spectacular. Millions of gallons of molten, fiery lava are captured as they spew out from the crater of the 1,300-foot-high volcano. Great rivers of fire flow down its flanks, creating mesmerizing images like abstract paintings splashed with black and gold. The volcano, which lies just 25 miles from the capital Reykjavic, was filmed by photographer Luca Bracali, 56. He spent six hours filming the eruption. When I approached the volcano, I could see these huge rivers of lava spilling out from the crater, Luca from Florence, Italy, said. The day before, it was dead, and then you saw a total transformation. It was like liquid fire with explosions of flames. Lucaa self-confessed drone addictused one of his five drones to capture these amazing shots. To achieve the best results, he stood around a mile from the volcano and needed to recharge the drone every 25 minutes. Despite the amazing shots, Luca said that, during the period of shooting, the drone lost four of its sensors due to being close to the volcanos extreme heat. You have to be brave and not care about the drone, Luca said. Every time the drone comes back I give it a kiss. I say if you want my kiss you have to come back.' According to Luca, the drone is the most powerful machine humans have ever invented. Luca says that Iceland is his favorite of the 145 countries that hes visited in his 35-year career as a photographer. Its the most beautiful countryan island of ice and fire, Luca said. You can experience two of the most exciting natural events. Two of natures beauties are part of this wonderful island. Epoch Times Staff contributed to this report. Share your stories with us at emg.inspired@epochtimes.com, and continue to get your daily dose of inspiration by signing up for the Bright newsletter at TheEpochTimes.com/newsletter Police gather by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., to clear up a blockade set up by protesters demanding an end to COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images) Police Move In to Clear Blockade at Canada-US Border Crossing Bridge in Windsor WINDSOR, Ont.Police moved in to clear the blockade at the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 12. Police vehicles and protesters at the site of a blockade by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Ontario Provincial Police in an armoured vehicle at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor on Feb. 12, 2022. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images) Heavily armed police came to the site, including officers from the Windsor Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, RCMP, and others. There are also armoured vehicles and several police cruisers. Most trucks and other vehicles were cleared from the blockade early in the day, but standoff with protesters on foot continued. A line of police officers advanced on the protesters around mid-day, pushing them further away from the site of the blockade. Police said in the afternoon that it had started ticketing and towing vehicles at the protest site. Active enforcement in relation to parking in the area of the protest is commencing. Vehicles are being ticketed and towed, Windsor police said in a tweet around 4:15 p.m. Some protesters set up blockades on nearby roads, instead of the main road leading to the international bridge, as police dont let them get on the main roadway to the border. Protester Domenico Pelle said some demonstrators told the police that even though they may leave today, if the province doesnt lift its COVID-19 mandates in two days, theyll be back. Were trying to uphold our Charter of Rights and Freedoms out here, Pelle, a machinist, said at the site of the protest. The Windsor Police & its policing partners have commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge. We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully. Commuters are still being asked to avoid the areas affected by the demonstrations at this time. Windsor Police (@WindsorPolice) February 12, 2022 On Feb. 11, the Ontario Superior Court granted an injunction to prevent the protesters from blocking the border crossing. The injunction came into effect at 7 p.m. on Feb. 11, but more protesters came to the site on the evening of Feb. 11. The number of protesters went down on the morning of Feb. 12. Thats when police started their operation. The Windsor Police & its policing partners have commenced enforcement at and near the Ambassador Bridge. We urge all demonstrators to act lawfully & peacefully, Windsor Police said in a tweet around 8:30 a.m. on Feb. 12. Commuters are still being asked to avoid the areas affected by the demonstrations at this time. Police threatened arrest for those who are located within the demonstration area. A protester yells at police as they deploy to move demonstrators blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images) Police vehicles at the site of a blockade by the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Lisa Lin/The Epoch Times) Protesters started blocking the international border crossing on Feb. 6, demanding an end to COVID-19 mandates. The protest is one of several inspired by the truckers protests that started against the federal governments requirement that all truck drivers crossing the Canada-U.S. border need to have COVID-19 vaccination. Police officers stand guard on a street as truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, in protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Reuters/Carlos Osorio) Police officers stand guard in front of a car painted with slogans as truckers and supporters continue blocking access to the Ambassador Bridge, which connects Detroit and Windsor, in protest against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Reuters/Carlos Osorio) Protesters remain in Ottawa, as well as other sites including Canada-U.S. border crossings in Alberta and Manitoba. On Feb. 11, Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced that the province will be in a state of emergency due to the ongoing protests in Windsor and Ottawa. The declaration includes giving authorities more powers to deal with any blockages in 400-series highways, airports, ports, bridges, and railways, Ford said. Fines for non-compliance will be up to $100,000 and up to a year imprisonment, Ford said, adding that the provincial government will also provide additional authority for the police to take away the personal and commercial licenses of anyone who doesnt comply with these orders. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. Lisa Lin Follow Lisa Lin is a reporter based in Windsor, Ont. Much of the decline in mental health can be attributed to pandemic lockdowns rather than COVID-19 itself.(fizkes/Shutterstock) Privatization Is Not Seen as the Answer to Youth Mental Health Crisis: State Officials, Advocacy Groups State officials and advocacy groups in South Carolina and Michigan dont see privatizing mental health services as an answer to the youth mental health crisis COVID-19 helped create by disrupting students lives. They agree the solution is additional funding to increase salaries of school counselors and clinicians and hire new ones to replace many who left over fear of the virusor for better-paying jobs. Bill Lindsey, executive director of South Carolinas chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, said he was shocked to learn that Gov. Henry McMaster suggested the General Assembly evaluate whether the state should privatize behavioral health services currently provided by the Department of Mental Health. He said that idea is not going to help the youth of South Carolina. I am for anything that looks to improve the mental health care system in the state, Lindsey said, but I am not for privatization. That is a step too far. A recent staff editorial in South Carolinas Post and Courier stated: The first thing to know about this is that the governor hasnt provided any indications, in his budget, his address [State of the State], or his executive order authorizing the study, that privatization would solve any of the problems we face. The problem South Carolina faces is a decimated mental health workforce in the schools, Lindsey told The Epoch Times. COVID-19 played a part in the workforce attrition, but he suspected many went on to jobs with better pay. We have to be more competitive, he said. Tracy LaPointe, a spokesperson for the Department of Mental Health (DMH), told The Epoch Times in an e-mail that her agency is open to new ideas, but our unique design results in decreased costs compared to systems that utilize privatization and contracting out of services. (She noted DMH does contract out some services because they are the way to provide better quality for specific programs.) The agencys current financial needs far outweigh the results of a study of privatization, she said. Despite increased funding from the General Assembly which enabled the agency to increase almost all employees salaries by at least 4.5 percent this fiscal year, LaPointe said, the department has lost nearly 20 percent of its school-based clinicians since 2020, and the number of public schools with the departments mental health counselors has dropped considerably over the past year-plus as a result. She said the Mental Health Department has asked lawmakers for additional money in its fiscal year 2023 budget to further boost salaries. The amounts requested are aimed at raising employees pay as close to current market rates as possible. McMasters fiscal year 2022 executive budget proposal does include a $10.8 million increase in funding for the agency. Given the governors longstanding support of us and school mental health, LaPointe said, we assume the governors primary concern is expanding services and stemming the sharp decline in embedded school clinicians. We support this initiative. McMaster said in his State of the State address, There is a mental health crisis in South Carolina, especially among our youth. Virtual instruction, isolation, and a change of routine have contributed to the decline in students mental health, he said. The governors chief communications officer, Brain Symmes, did not specifically say why the governor suggested evaluating the privatization of mental health services. However, he told The Epoch Times in an e-mail, We need to consider all possible options for improving the services provided to our states students. Besides the suggestion of evaluating privatization, the governor gave a direct order to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The governor has asked HHS to conduct a comprehensive review of the school mental health program because it isnt up to par right now, Symmes said. With parents being billed exorbitant amounts and the high turnover rates were seeing among counselors, the governor wants somebody to get under the hood of the program so that we can chart a path forward. Like the governor said in the State of the State address, Symmes said, he expects that HHS review and analysis will provide recommendations and options for moving forward, but we certainly wouldnt want to speculate on what that may look like before theyve done their work. Michigan Privatization is also a hot topic in Michigan. Two proposed state Senate bills (597 and 598) privatizing Medicaid mental health services in Michigan have sparked controversy. NAMI Michigans responseposted on Facebook Jan. 25is that the bills are dangerous, costly, and bad for Michigan; the bills focus on money and contracts; they give full financial control and oversight or decision making to for-profit insurance companies; and they do not increase access to care and providers. But those concerns may be mute as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmers actions and proposals reveal she also views additional funding as an immediate solution to her states own crisis. I think if we can keep the conversation around solving problems and meeting peoples mental health needs, Whitmer told the Michigan Advance on Jan. 26, maybe we can find a solution that doesnt entail privatization. She said Michigans fiscal year 2022 budget included adding more funding for mental health in schools. Her office said that provided money for 560 additional nurses, counselors, and social workers to care for students. Whitmer also said she plans to propose another bold investment of $25 million in mental health funding for schools in her upcoming fiscal year 2023 budget proposal. That money will go to retain or recruit 500 mental health professionals. The 2023 fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The state senators who introduced SB 597 and SB 598 last July, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) and Dr. John Bizen (R-Battle Creek), said the bills are still one of their top priorities this legislative session. Protesters against vaccine mandates gather on the lawn of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images) Protesters Gather in Australias Capital Against COVID-19 Mandates, Prime Minister Issues Response Morrison blames state governments for 'unilaterally' mandating vaccines As tens of thousands of Australians from all walks of life gather at the nations capital from across the country to protest COVID-19 vaccine mandates on Feb. 12, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pointed the finger at the state governments that unilaterally imposed the mandates via public health orders. Marching through Canberra before gathering on the lawn in front of Parliament House, the protesters, made up of people who are both vaccinated and unvaccinated but are against the mandates, held up signs and placards with the messages they wanted those in power to heed. One federal MP said it was the biggest protest hed seen in Canberra in his 11 years as a parliamentarian. The massive scale of the protest was echoed by a Seven News reporter who shared a photo from that outlets helicopter. The actual number of protesters is disputed, with claims on social media putting the figures from 300 thousand to 1 million. Meanwhile, police have said the number of attendees at the protest in front of Parliament House were up to 10,000. Among the protesters were people wearing army fatigues, police shirts and caps, and casual clothes with handwritten messages indicating they were frontline workers and teachers who had lost their jobs due to vaccine mandates. These messages could be seen in videos and photos circulating on social media, some of which read: Free Australia. End mandates, Hands off our children, Last years hero, this years unemployed, Trust your immune system, Coercion is not consent, We want choice, We want truth, We want freedom, Save our sovereignty, and Dont listen to the lamestream media. In several videos shared on the Australian Free Independent Press Network Facebook page, a sea of flags can be seen in a crowd of several thousand, clapping and cheering on the lawn in front of parliament. Protesters against vaccine mandates gather on the lawn of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images) Protesters against vaccine mandates gather on the lawn of Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 12, 2022. (Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images) One placard read Fake news with the logos for Ten, Seven, Nine, and the Australian Broadcasting Corporationoutlets that often refer to protesters with the blanket anti-vax label in their reports, which attendees have often described as being inaccurate and harmful. Other protesters wore shirts that identified themselves as teachers, police officers, and firefighters who had lost their jobs due to the vaccine mandates. One man wore a white singlet on which he wrote in black marker: Teacher 40+ years. A woman wore casual clothes and a blue police cap, while another woman wore a black shirt with QPS (Queensland Police Service) 13.5 years written on the back. Another man wore his police shirt, and written on the back was: 13yrs police. SACKED. 25yrs CFA (Country Fire Authority) BANNED. #HerotoZero. Hero to Zero is in reference to the way some frontline workers feel they were initially praised by media and politicians at the start of the pandemic, when no vaccines existed, but are now targeted for dismissal because they dont want to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Another woman wore a white shirt with nurse 30+yrs handwritten on the front. One woman wore a message on her shirt that indicated she was not against vaccinations but had concerns about the current COVID-19 vaccines. Her shirt read: Dont call me an anti-vaxxer. The names Mrs. Doubt Pfizer, a reference to the fictional character, Mrs. Doubtfire, played by the late actor Robin Williams. Prime Ministers Message to Protesters Speaking to the media on Feb. 12, the prime minister had a message about vaccine mandates for the protesters. I want to be very clear. When it comes to the issue of vaccine mandates, the Commonwealth government have only ever supported mandates that relate for aged care workers, disability workers, and those working in high-risk situations in [the] health system. All other mandates that relate to vaccines have been imposed unilaterally by state governments. They have not been put in place by the Commonwealth government. In fact, the Commonwealth government cannot impose such a mandate so I understand their concerns about these issues, he said. Prime Minister Scott Morrison speaks about his management of the pandemic at the National Press Club in Canberra, Australia, on Feb. 1, 2022 . (Rohan Thomson/Getty Images) Morrison has emphasized this point throughout the pandemic, explaining at various press conferences, usually after National Cabinet meetings, that any vaccine mandates had to be enacted by state governments based on the medical advice of their chief health officers and via public health orders. In Australia, state and territory health officials can impose human biosecurity control orders on people in order to take measures to manage the pandemics risk to human health after lawmakers amended the Biosecurity Act 2015 to give jurisdictional governments special but temporary powers by declaring a human biosecurity emergency. During the emergency period, which has been extended every three months since March 2020, the Act also gives officers powers to investigate and enforce penalties for noncompliance with COVID-19 health orders, such as fines and providing for warrants to enter premises. In some limited cases, officers can enter premises without a warrant or consent. The public control orders, while aimed at managing the health impacts of the pandemic, have resulted in catastrophic harm to peoples livelihoods, first with the imposition of lockdownsat one point in July 2021, over half of Australias population of 25 million was subject to stay-at-home ordersand now with people losing their jobs because they are unvaccinated. These measures led former Prime Minister Tony Abbott to refer to some of the state governments measures as a health dictatorship, and this sentiment was shared by thousands at Saturdays protest. This article was updated to include the disputed figures on the number of protest attendees. DARBY TOWNSHIP One of Darby Townships three volunteer fire companies has been suspended after another fire company allegedly heard them using racial slurs and disparaging Black residents in a virtual meeting. Briarcliffe Fire Company volunteers apparently failed to disconnect from the online meeting in January with local officials and the two other firehouses. The meeting was to discuss emergency services as well as possibly merging the three volunteer fire companies. Members of the Goodwill Fire Company made the audio recording. The Delaware County District Attorneys Office plans to investigate the allegations, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported Thursday. In the nearly two-hour conversation, Briarcliffe firefighters allegedly bemoaned how the time had come to leave the township because Black residents continue moving into the area. They also allegedly used racial slurs when talking about members of the townships third volunteer firehouse. One firefighter is alleged to have mocked the name of an 8-year-old Black girl, Fanta Bility, who was killed by police gunfire in Sharon Hill last summer. Whether or not a crime occurred, hate speech is always morally wrong, Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer said at a new conference Thursday. Timothy Boyce, director of Delaware Countys Department of Emergency Services, said there would be no gaps in services due to Briarcliffe's suspension. Briarcliffe and Goodwill fire companies could not be reached for comment, and Briarcliffes Facebook page appeared to have been deleted, the newspaper reported. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Protesters set up a blockade on the Pacific Highway to the U.S. border connecting B.C. and Washington state on Feb. 12. (Jeff Sandes/The Epoch Times) Protesting Vehicles Break Through Police Roadblock at Border Connecting BC and Washington State, Block Access Border crossing blocked after blockades set up by police, protesters SURREY, B.C.A few vehicles from a protesting convoy broke through an RCMP roadblock at the Pacific Highway border crossing connecting B.C. to Washington state on Feb. 12, joining other protesters who were present on foot to block the border. RCMP had set up roadblocks on the morning of Feb. 12 to limit vehicle access to the border, only letting vehicles through after ensuring they intended to cross the border. The move was in anticipation of a large vehicle convoy heading to the border that morning. Protesters set up a blockade on the Pacific Highway to the U.S. border connecting B.C. to Washington state on Feb. 12. (Jeff Sandes/The Epoch Times) Lanes leading from the United States were blocked by protesters who had gotten in before police set up the roadblocks. By the time the convoy arrived at the border, police had already cut off access. Some of the vehicles, however, drove over a median to get closer to the border and block access. The RCMP said in a press release that the behaviour is not being tolerated and is being investigated. The police force said no arrest had been made. The vast majority of the protesters remained behind the police barriers, playing loud music and displaying signs demanding an end to COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. The Pacific Highway Border Crossing is one of the busiest commercial CanadaU.S. border crossings. The development comes as other protesters have set up blockades at Ambassador Bridge in Ontario connecting Windsor to Detroit, as well as at the Emerson border crossing in Manitoba, and the border crossing at Coutts in Alberta. On Feb. 12, police moved in to clear the protesters at Ambassador Bridge, dispersing most of the vehicles and pushing the remaining protesters further away from the border crossing. A court on Feb. 11 issued an injunction that gave the police more power to remove the blockade. Ontario declared a state of emergency on Feb. 11 over the Ambassador Bridge blockade and the ongoing Freedom Convoy protest in Ottawa. The protests in Ottawa are part of a nationwide movement initiated by truckers opposed to the federal governments requirement that all truck drivers crossing the CanadaU.S. border need to have COVID-19 vaccination. The movement grew in size as more supporters opposed to various COVID-19 mandates and restrictions joined in, converging in Ottawa on Jan. 29. Many protesters say they intend to stay until the government removes COVID-19 mandates. Since then different protest convoys have emerged in different parts of the country and the world. The organizers of the protest in Ottawa and elsewhere in the country are separate from each other. The Canadian Press contributed to this report Protesters demonstrate against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Pacific Highway close to the Canada-U.S. border in Surrey, B.C., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Jeff Sandes/The Epoch Times) Protesters demonstrate against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Pacific Highway close to the Canada-U.S. border in Surrey, B.C., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Jeff Sandes/The Epoch Times) Protesters demonstrate against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions by the Pacific Highway close to the Canada-U.S. border in Surrey, B.C., on Feb. 12, 2022. (Jeff Sandes/The Epoch Times) Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) asks questions during a congressional hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Sept. 21, 2021. (Greg Nash/Pool/Getty Images) Rand Paul Urges Truckers to Come Protest COVID-19 Mandates in US 'I'm all for it,' Paul said of the Canadian truckers' anti-mandate demos Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) told The Daily Signal in a recent interview that hes all for trucker convoys coming to the United States to stage protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates. Paul made the remarks in a Feb. 10 interview, the same day the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed to The Epoch Times that its tracking potential truck convoys in the United States after Canadian protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates unfolded in several cities. Im all for it. Civil disobedience is a time-honored tradition in our country, from slavery to civil rights, you name it, Paul told the outlet. Peaceful protest, clog things up, make people think about the mandates. Dubbed the Freedom Convoy, Canadas trucker protests have elicited strong reactions. Some see them as part of a welcome grassroots battle against authoritarian mandates and government overreach more broadly. Others acknowledge the truckers concerns but view the snarled traffic as a troubling nuisance to residents and businesses. Still, others denounce the protesting truckers as dangerous extremists whose blockades threaten public safety, the economy, and even, according to Canadas Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, democracy itself. People gather in protest against COVID-19 mandates and in support of a protest against COVID-19 restrictions taking place in Ottawa, in Edmonton, Canada, on Feb. 5, 2022. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press via AP) Paul, who has been vocal in his opposition to COVID-19 vaccination requirements, expressed sympathy with the Canadian truckers in their fight against recently imposed mandates, which require truck drivers entering Canada from the United States to be fully vaccinated or face additional quarantining and testing. Theyre riding in a cab by themselves, most of them for eight, 10-hour long hauls, and they just want to do what they want to do. Its their own business, he told The Daily Signal. The truckers have launched protests in multiple Canadian cities, including the capital Ottawa. Thousands initially descended upon the Canadian capital two weeks ago and while their numbers have declined, more than 400 trucks remain parked in front of the Parliament Buildings. Demonstrations have generally been peaceful but offensive to some Canadians. Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency last week, saying the protests posed a threat to residents safety as there had been complaints of residents being harassed. A number of protesters have been seen carrying signs or flags with obscene insults referencing Trudeau. Trucks part of the Freedom Convoy ride through downtown Ottawa, Canada, on Jan. 29, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) Canadian truck driver Bill Dykema, 71, told The Epoch Times that hes protesting in Ottawa on behalf of his 19 grandchildren, saying its for them and to give them their freedom. Im just a 71-year-old, poor old working man. Our freedoms have gone. You cant go to a restaurant, unless youre shot, he said. Howard Spencer, 44, from near Vancouver, arrived two weeks ago and said hes determined to stay as long as it takes. Im here to stand up for everyones rights and freedoms, he told The Epoch Times. Howard Spencer joined the blockade to regain the Bill of Rights freedoms he says Canadians have lost, in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times) Im not an anti-vaxxer. We have a Bill of Rights and I think thats been lost by the powers that be and we need to get back to that and get back to our freedoms. I think they are eroding, he added. Some residents have expressed frustration with the protests. Deana Sherif of Ottawa, who held a counterprotest against the truckers, told The Epoch Times on Feb. 11 that some residents have felt harassed and the blockade was threatening shipments of goods and threatening livelihoods. We have a problem with the fact there is abuse on residents of our city and a problem with you stopping or slowing the travel from countries that bring us food or supplies and allow Canadians to work, she said. So if you have a problem with the lockdowns, the way to do that is not force a lockdown. Ottawa resident Bobby Smith expressed sympathy with the protesters grievances but said the blockade has gone too far. Theres legitimate frustration down here but, unfortunately, some bad behavior that has spilled over into the neighborhoods that has people feel threatened, Smith said. Local resident Bobby Smith asked the protesters to move on, in Ottawa, Canada, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Richard Moore/The Epoch Times) He went on to allege that, on Feb. 10, the supporters of the convoy clogged up the 911 systems so residents could not get through to the emergency responders, which is a danger to everyone. There is just a lot of people around the protest zone who are feeling really scared, really fearful, he said, adding, Thats what I came to say and respectfully ask for the convoy to go. Some Americans have floated plans to organize similar convoys to Washington and elsewhere in protest against mandates. Organizers of a group called The Peoples Convoy announced Wednesday plans to gather in Indio, California on March 4 and rally that weekend to defeat the unconstitutional mandates. Other social media posts indicate the convoy might travel to Washington, while a poster circulated on Twitter called for a medical freedom protest that would shut down the Super Bowl. The convoys in Canada have disrupted some shipments to or from the United States, the White House said on Feb. 7. The busiest U.S.-Canada border crossing was blocked by protesters starting the same day. Some U.S. automakers have paused output due to the protests. Richard Moore and Zachary Stieber contributed to this report. People wearing protective masks and queue at a makeshift nucleic acid testing center for COVID-19, in Tsuen Wan of Hong Kong, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Lam Yik/Reuters) Record Hong Kong COVID-19 Infections Strain Hospitals Hong Kong reported a record number of new daily COVID-19 infections on Feb. 11. The citys pursuit of zero COVID-19 infections has stretched hospital and quarantine facilities nearly to their limit. New daily infections rose to at least 1,325 on Friday, health authorities said. Hong Kong has seen a 10-fold rise in cases since Feb. 1, and medical experts warn the city could see 28,000 daily infections by the end of March. Our healthcare system is overloaded, its really beyond capacity, said Chuang Shuk-kwan, a senior health official. She said there were separately at least 1,500 preliminary positive cases. Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients in the global financial hub are already at 90 percent occupancy, data from the citys Hospital Authority showed, while isolation facilities were also nearing their maximum. Hong Kongs chief secretary John Lee, Health Secretary Sophia Chan, and Security Chief Chris Tang will meet Chinese officials in neighboring Shenzhen on Saturday to discuss support measures, the government said in a statement. People queue at a makeshift nucleic acid testing center for COVID-19, at the Central district in Hong Kong on Feb. 9, 2022. (Joyce Zhou/Reuters) Rising Fatalities Five elderly people infected with COVID-19 died this week, after no COVID-19-linked fatalities since September last year. In total, the city has recorded around 20,000 infections and 218 deaths, still far lower than other similar major cities. Despite only a handful of COVID-19 patients being in critical condition, some hospitals are already full, mostly with people suffering little more than a sore throat. Medical experts are also worried about an expected surge of infections that could dramatically increase severe infections. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to test every day, including elderly and children, queuing for hours in tightly packed lines outside testing centers and raising the risk of infection. The citys stringent restrictions have turned it into one of the worlds most isolated major cities. With flights down 90 percent, and hardly anyone allowed to transit, Hong Kong on Friday extended a ban on flights from eight countries, including the United States and Britain, and added Nepal to the list. Customers wearing protective masks shop at a market, following the outbreak of COVID-19, at Sha Tin district, in Hong Kong, on Feb. 7, 2022. (Lam Yik/Reuters) The former British colony saw a run on vegetables this week after several cross-border truck drivers, who bring in goods from the mainland, tested positive for coronavirus. Silicon Valley Has the Power to Destroy the Republican Party Commentary If you were worried during the aftermath of 9/11 about innocent citizens being spied on, having their reputations trampled via false accusations, and restrictions on freedom of political speech, the news these days might lead you to a nervous breakdownespecially since the Big Brother coming after you with weaponized communications technology might be private business rather than government, or company and state working together. Most prominently, it was revealed that the FBI bought, but apparently didnt use in the field, the now-infamous Pegasus cellphone spyware from its Israeli proprietor, the NSO Group. The software was used for political surveillance within Israel. On Feb. 7, the Internal Revenue Service backtracked on forcing taxpayers to submit to the private firm ID.mes facial recognition software before accessing its website. Also in the news: a secret CIA mass surveillance program gathered records of an as-yet-unknown nature belonging to Americans, according to an April 2021 letter to the CIA from Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico, which was partially declassified on Feb. 10. This until-now-unknown program is in addition to the CIAs database of international financial transactions encompassing the financial data of millions of Americans, gleaned from Western Union and other private firms, authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance (FISA) Court. Add to that that the Biden administration is replacing the detention of large numbers of illegal aliens with the alternative of expanded electronic monitoring, including GPS anklets, bracelets, cellphones, and smartwatches. Advocate groups for illegal aliens condemned the funneling millions of federal dollars to private companies to provide the surveillance devices this entails. Meanwhile, late last month, the National Security Agencys (NSA) inspector general found the agency to be sloppy in following both court-approved and its own internal procedures designed to prevent the illegal monitoring of Americans communications. Palantir, co-founded by PayPals politically libertarian co-founder Peter Thiel, reportedly counts among its customers not only the NSA but the CIA, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the U.S. Marine Corps, and Air Force, and British intelligence. Palantirs Kite and XKEYSCORE Helper programs are apparently invaluable in governmental surveillance. But Thiel himself not long ago warned about surveillance artificial intelligence, calling it a communist totalitarian technology that governments will usein particular, AI-powered facial recognition technologyto control people. Thiel knows of what he speaks. A 2018 Bloomberg investigative report titled Palantir Knows Everything About You, claimed that Palantir software sifts through financial documents, airline bookings, cellphone bills, and social media comments and discovers connections that a mere human observer would miss. Electronic spying is supposed to be what government does, but its private companiesnot at all limited to within the United Statesthat produce the tools that spy beyond any snoop or spooks wildest dreams of a few years ago. And today, tech companies bow to no one in being woker than thou. Whether its Bill Gates complaining that The world today has 6.8 billion people headed up to about nine billion, but if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by, perhaps, 10 or 15 percent; or Twitters Jack Dorsey canceling former President Donald Trump and suppressing the readership of new stories about Hunter Bidens alleged corruption and its connection to his father that could have swayed the 2020 election. Consider the recent observation from White House press secretary Jen Psaki, commenting on Spotify attaching disclaimers to speech such as podcast superstar Joe Rogans, who noted the now-documented fact of masks not protecting against COVID transmission. According to Psaki, we want every platform to continue doing more to call out mis- and disinformation while also uplifting accurate information. Control of the propagation of information and the ability to know by electronic means the activities of the populace are two powerful tools that become unstoppable weapons when paired. Concerns about new technologies making surveillance easier are far from novel, and were more often to be heard from the left than the right. For instance, in 1979, dissenting in the narrow 5-to-3 Smith v. Maryland case on telephone privacy, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, joined by fellow liberal William Brennan, warned that Many individuals, including members of unpopular political organizations or journalists with confidential sources, may legitimately wish to avoid disclosure of their personal contacts. Permitting governmental access to telephone records on less than probable cause may thus impede certain forms of political affiliation and journalistic endeavor that are the hallmark of a truly free society. Governmental access, however, may no longer be the main issue. As Justice Clarence Thomas notes in his dissent in Carpenter v. United States (pdf) in 2018, cellphone location records arent a cellphone users property. He did not create the records, he does not maintain them, he cannot control them, and he cannot destroy them. Neither the terms of his contracts nor any provision of law makes the records his. The records belong to MetroPCS and Sprint. And yet, as Chief Justice John Roberts pointed out in his decision in Carpenter, a cell phonealmost a feature of human anatomy,tracks nearly exactly the movements of its owner faithfully follows its owner beyond public thoroughfares and into private residences, doctors offices, political headquarters, and other potentially revealing locales. Accordingly, when the Government tracks the location of a cell phone it achieves near-perfect surveillance, as if it had attached an ankle monitor to the phones user the Government can now travel back in time to retrace a persons whereabouts, subject only to the retention policies of the wireless carriers, which currently maintain records for up to five years. Combining Thomass and Robertss points, the records of near-perfect surveillance belong to the tech companies. They already use them for marketing and other business purposes. In the future, especially if Silicon Valley and those in power in Washington share political enemies, they could use them to suppress opposition. Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Twitter all already have used their technological muscle against those who would drain the Washington swamp. Yet no one elected their CEOs to anything. They helped prevent President Donald Trumps reelection; they can destroy a candidate, a movement, and a political party if the American people allow them to. Despite the Peoples Republic of Chinas genocide, regulation of motherhood, and quashing of political dissent, corporate giants within the free world such as Coca-Cola, Intel, Procter & Gamble, and Visa are willing to sponsor the Beijing Winter Olympics; why would they automatically be disposed against tyranny and oppression when it rears its head at home? If we think that high-tech surveillance, disinformation, and character assassination are only the stuff of the corporate puppets of communist China, such as Huawei, and not our own ideologically driven powerful businesses, we will pay dearly for our naivete. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. U.S. Army troops of the 82nd Airborne Division unloading vehicles from a transport plane after arriving from Fort Bragg, at the Rzeszow-Jasionka airport in southeastern Poland, on Feb. 6, 2022. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP Photo) Some US Troops Departing Ukraine Amid Escalating Tension with Russia, Pentagon Confirms The Department of Defense confirmed Saturday that some U.S. troops are leaving Ukraine. Secretary of Defense has ordered the temporary repositioning of Florida National Guard troops out of Ukraine, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby wrote in a Twitter post. The move was ordered to protect the safety and security of U.S. personnel, but the United States is still committed to our relationship with the Ukrainian armed forces, he elaborated. Its unclear how many military members are being relocated. Some media outlets reported that 160 members of the Florida National Guard are withdrawing from Ukraine. The Epoch Times can not verify the number independently. The Epoch Times reached out to the Pentagon for comment. The Pentagon is moving more troops into Eastern Europe to deal with the potential invasion of Ukraine by Russiawhich the Pentagon said can happen in days. About 1,700 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division are arriving in Poland, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa said Friday. At the invitation of our Polish Allies, approximately 1,700 troops from the division continue to arrive in Poland following a Department of Defense announcement earlier this month directing the deployment of U.S. Soldiers to Europe, the army command said in a statement. The unit is deploying to enhance our readiness, strengthen our resilience, and if necessary, defend and secure the NATO Alliance. A senior administration official also confirmed on Saturday that an additional 3,000 U.S. forces have been deployed to Poland. Its unclear if the 1,700 paratroopers are part of the deployment. Besides the paratroopers, the Department of Defense also announced that a squadron from the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, under the command and control of V Corps, will deploy from Vilseck, Germany, to Romania. Its unclear how many soldiers the squadron has. The 2nd Cavalry Regiment has 5,000 dragoon soldiers in total in seven subordinate squadrons. The squadron will join the 900 U.S. soldiers already there on a regularly scheduled Atlantic Resolve rotation. The State Department ordered an evacuation of most U.S. direct-hire employees from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and urged Americans in Ukraine to leave immediately earlier Saturday as the tension at the Russia-Ukraine border escalated. NATO battle groups from Estonia and the United Kingdom during military training at the Central Training Area in Lasna, Estonia, on Feb. 8, 2022. (Paulius Peleckis/Getty Images) Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops and artillery along its border with Ukraine over the past few months. The White House reiterated that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent. However, Russia has denied any plans of attacking Ukraine and has asked the United States and its allies for a binding commitment that they wont accept Ukraine into NATO. Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelensky has pushed for his countrys admission into the military alliance. The Kremlin has also asked the United States and its allies to promise not to deploy offensive weapons and to roll back NATO deployments to Eastern Europe. Washington and NATO have rejected those demands. From our perspective. I cant be more clearNATOs door is open, remains open, and that is our commitment, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in late January, though he renewed an offer of reciprocal measures to address mutual security concerns between Russia and NATO, including missile reductions in Europe. Tom Ozimek contributed to the report. Ukrainian Military Forces servicemen of the 92nd mechanized brigade use tanks, self-propelled guns, and other armored vehicles to conduct live-fire exercises near the town of Chuguev, in the Kharkiv region, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Sergey Bobok/AFP via Getty Images) State Department Urges Americans in Ukraine to Depart Immediately Those in Ukraine should depart immediately via commercial or private means, the U.S. State Department said in a travel advisory on Saturday. The agency also reminded those who chose to stay in Ukraine to exercise increased caution due to crime, civil unrest, and potential combat operations caused by potential military action from Russia. There are continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, indicating potential for significant military action against Ukraine. The security conditions, particularly along Ukraines borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea, and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, are unpredictable and can deteriorate with little notice. Demonstrations, which have turned violent at times, regularly occur throughout Ukraine, including in Kyiv, read the advisory. The Biden administration ordered an evacuation of most U.S. direct-hire employees from the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv earlier in the day. Consular services at Embassy Kyiv will be suspended on Sunday. Americans who need emergency assistance in Ukraine should fill out an online form to request help from the State Department. Several other countries including the United Kingdom, Germany, Japan, and Israel have encouraged their citizens to leave Ukraine due to escalating tension on the Russia-Ukraine border. Meanwhile, during a call between Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday, the United States urged Russia to resolve the crisis at the border through a diplomatic path and vowed to take resolute, massive action along with other transatlantic partners. Russian President Vladimir Putin (L), shakes hands with President Joe Biden during a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on June 16, 2021. (Mikhail Metzel/Sputnik/AFP via Getty Images) Russia has amassed tens of thousands of troops and artillery along its border with Ukraine over the past few months. The White House reiterated that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is imminent. If you look at the disposition of forces, both in Belarus and in Russia on the other side of the Ukrainian border from the north and from the east, the Russians are in a position to be able to mount a major military action into Ukraine any day now, national security adviser Jake Sullivan Sullivan said Friday. A top Kremlin spokesperson said on Friday that President Joe Biden is scheduled to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday. Indeed, the U.S. side requested a conversation with President Putin, and the talks of the two presidents are planned to take place tomorrow in the evening, Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. Nick Ciolino and Jack Phillips contributed to this report. Supreme Court Denies Effort to Block Vaccine Mandate for NYC Schoolteachers Without Religious Exemptions The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday denied a request to block the citys COVID-19 vaccine mandate for employees of the New York City Department of Education who were not given a religious exemption. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles cases from the region, denied the emergency injunction filed by a group of public school teachers, supervisors, and staff employed by the New York City Department of Education (DOE), the largest public school district in the country. Her latest ruling comes the same day as the deadline for the teachers as well as other New York City public workers, firefighters, and police officers to get their COVID-19 vaccinations. Those who do not have proof of vaccination will likely be fired or put on unpaid leave. Sotomayor, an Obama nominee, did not provide an explanation for the rejection and did not hold a full court vote on the case, the courts usual procedure. She also did not ask the city for a response to the emergency injunction application. In the filing (pdf), the DOE employees argued that the mandates have restricted their religious freedom by restricting the eligibility for religious exemptions, including declining to accept some of the reasons they provided in seeking an exemption. The DOE employees said the policy the city adopted incorporated standards and evidentiary requirements that were patently inconsistent with the DOE employees First Amendment rights. In giving examples, the public school employees noted that the policy required support in writing from a religious official. This would mean that employees who dont affiliate themselves with a specific religious organization would not be eligible to seek an exemption. Also, public school employees noted that requests for an exemption shall be denied where the leader of the religious organization has spoken publicly in favor of the vaccine, where the documentation is readily available or where the objection is personal, political, or philosophical in nature. Sotomayor previously rejected an earlier challenge to New York Citys vaccine mandate for public school teachers and employees, filed in October 2021. The New York City mandate, ordered in August 2021, requires them to be vaccinated against COVID-19, with no opt-out via testing option. Those who were not in compliance with the order by October 2021 were threatened with unpaid leave until September 2022 unless they were approved for a religious or medical exemption. New York City has since also required all non-public school employees to produce proof they have had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine by December 2021. COVID-19 is caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, also known as the novel coronavirus. Update: The headline has been edited for clarity. The tattooed suspect attacks two Falun Gong booths promoting the withdrawal from the CCP in Flushing, NYC, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Courtesy of Xu Weiguo) Tattooed Man Attacks Falun Gong Information Booths in New Yorks Flushing A tattooed Asian male on Feb. 10 attacked two information booths in New York Citys Flushing neighborhood that had been set up to raise awareness about the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) long-running persecution of the spiritual group Falun Gong. The incident, which echoes similar harassment campaigns targeting the groups activities in the city and elsewhere, is believed to have been orchestrated by the CCP in a bid to intimidate adherents of the practice. At around 3:20 p.m. on Feb. 10, a tattooed man wearing all black approached one of the booths in front of the Golden Shopping Mall on Flushings Main Street and punched one of the display boards, without saying a word, according to witness Xu Weiguo, a volunteer manning the booth. The man then proceeded to throw a table containing information material onto the ground and stomped on the fallen display board with his feet, she said. The man appeared to be in his 20s and looked gangster-like, she said. He wore a black cap and black T-shirt revealing tattoos on his chest, and tattoo sleeves on both arms, footage of the incident obtained by The Epoch Times shows. That guy even tore up flyers while he was sitting on the ground, Xu said. He carried off the [broken] board when he left, afraid that evidence left might be used against him. Earlier in the day, the same man had similarly vandalized another information station down the road outside Flushing Public Library. Lily Wang, a volunteer at that booth, told The Epoch Times that the assailant made a sudden move toward the information table and started smashing it. He threw all the flyers on the table away and kicked the table, she said. Footage of the incident confirms these events. Wang and another volunteer Zhang Shuzhen shouted at the attacker, Stop doing that! But the man didnt listen, Wang said. The two women then blocked the man from damaging more items. A Westerner who was passing by joined in, successfully preventing the suspect from continuing his attack. The man then left, cursing, according to Wang. But he later returned, this time with his shirt off revealing his tattooed chest, and attempted to damage items again. The volunteers, however, were able to block him a second time. About an hour after the afternoon attack outside Golden Shopping Mall, police arrived at the scene for investigation. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) told The Epoch Times the investigation is ongoing, and theres no additional information at this time. Hate Crime Representatives of the advocacy group operating the information booths denounced the attack while urging the NYPD to thoroughly investigate the incident. We condemn the CCP thugs for the malicious attack, Yi Rong, president of the Global Service Center for Quitting the CCP, said in a statement. Yi described the attack as a hate crime committed by the CCP against adherents of Falun Gong. For over two decades, the communist regime in China has perpetrated an expansive campaign of repression against adherents of Falun Gong. Millions of adherents in mainland China have been thrown in detention facilities, where theyre subjected to torture, forced labor, and organ harvesting. But the repression has extended beyond Chinas borders, with the CCP and its proxies targeting overseas Falun Gong practitioners who raise awareness about the persecution. Rights organizations have dubbed this a campaign of transnational repression that aims to silence and intimidate the regimes critics abroad. Police monitor pro-CCP members who yell threats and insults at Falun Gong practitioners who are across the street in Flushing, New York, in June 2008. (The Epoch Times) This is not the first time Falun Gong practitioners have been targeted in Flushing. In 2008, the site was the center of a campaign of sustained violence against adherents manning information stations, which lasted several months. Mobs of Chinese nationals assaulted, punched, berated, and threw rocks at Falun Gong practitioners. The months-long violence turned out to be connected to the Chinese consulate in New York. Peng Keyu, the Chinese ambassador in New York at the time, admitted in an undercover phone call to instigating pro-CCP groups to launch a series of assaults on Falun Gong adherents in the area. As the assailant was walking away after the first attack outside the library on Feb. 10, he made a gesture to a person across the street, according to the volunteers. In 2013, a woman was convicted of assaulting a Falun Gong practitioner in Flushing. Michael Yu, a volunteer at the information center in Flushing, said the incident revealed the gangster-like nature of the CCP and its fear of people learning the truth about its brutal persecution in China. The attack is a blatant violation of religious freedom enjoyed in the United States, Yi said, adding that she hoped the suspect would be brought to justice. Linda Lin, Sarah Lu, and Frank Fang contributed to this report. The article has been updated with a response from the NYPD. Protesters attend a mass rally to call for the ouster of Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha's government and reforms in the monarchy in Bangkok, Thailand, on Nov. 8, 2020. (Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters) Thailand Government Official Seeks to Expel Human Rights Group Over National Security Threat Thailands top government official said Friday that he would file for the expulsion of London-based human rights organization Amnesty International next week, citing the non-profit organizations threat to the country. Amnesty International has been accused of supporting a pro-democracy movement, which called for reform of the monarchy in Thailand and the resignation of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. Seksakol Atthawong, a vice minister in the Prime Ministers Office, claimed to have gathered 1.2 million signatures on a petition demanding for Amnesty Internationals operating license to be canceled, without elaborating how the signatures were gathered. The petition will be brought to the National Security Council and the Interior Ministry for further action next week, he said. This organization destroys the security of the country, it supports groups that want to topple the monarchy, it lacks impartiality and sided with an anti-government movement that is an anti-constitutional monarchy, Seksakol told reporters. In response, Amnesty urged the government to honor its human rights obligations, saying that any action taken to ensure public order and national security must be done in accordance with international human rights law. Youth-led protests against Prayuts government gathered pace late in 2020 and included unprecedented calls for royal reforms that triggered a crackdown by authorities. Pro-democracy protesters link arms during a mass rally to call for the ouster of prime minister Prayuth Chan-ochas government and reforms in the monarchy, in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sept. 20, 2020. (Jorge Silva TPX images of the day via Reuters) More than 1,700 activists face security-related charges, including at least 169 charged under a strict lese majeste law that punishes perceived royal insults by up to 15 years in jail. Amnesty International advocated for human rights during the pro-democracy movement and called for the release of detained protesters and the cessation of police violence. Prayut ordered a probe into Amnesty International last November, accusing the organization of committing legal offenses that affected national security and the monarchy, local media Bangkok Post reported. A petition was later launched by a royalist group demanding the withdrawal of Amnesty Internationals operating license in Thailand, which Seksakol claimed had accumulated 1 million signatures at the time. Amnesty International responded by casting doubt on the signatures validity and launching an internal investigation. The move against Amnesty International comes as the government seeks to pass the Draft Act on non-profit organizations, which was approved by the Cabinet last February. Under the Draft Act, all civil society organizations in Thailand will be required to register with the Interior Ministry and declare their sources of annual operational funds. Amnesty International had urged the government to withdraw the Draft Act, saying that the new law could easily be misused to obstruct the work or even shut down any civil society group in Thailand. The list of prohibitions in the draft law are so broad, numerous, and open to abuse that they could significantly impact the day-to-day operations of civil society, Roseann Rife, Amnesty Internationals deputy regional director, said in a statement. Seafood Working Group, a global coalition of human rights organizations, also issued a joint letter to the U.S. State Department last year to call for the withdrawal of the Draft Act. If enacted, this Council of State drafted law would pose serious threats to the functioning of Thai civil society as well as have a deeply damaging impact on both donors and international non-governmental organizations working to address human trafficking and improve labor rights in Thailand, it stated. Reuters contributed to this report. An aerial view shows cleanup efforts of the latest oil spill off the coast of Rayong, eastern Thailand, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Royal Thai Navy via AP) Thailand Tackles 2nd Offshore Oil Spill in 3 Weeks BANGKOKThai authorities scrambled Friday to contain the countrys second oil spill in less than three weeks in the Gulf of Thailand. An estimated 5 tons (1,320 gallons) was believed to have leaked 20 kilometers (12 miles) off the eastern province of Rayong, in the same location where at least 22 tons (5,800 gallons) spilled into the sea on Jan. 25. The cleanup from the earlier spill from a mooring point was declared completed last week, but only after some oil made it on to one of the shoreline beaches. The new leak was reported Thursday, and believed to have come from an underwater pipeline to the mooring point that was undergoing repairs, according to its operator, Star Petroleum Refining Co.. Navy spokesperson Vice Adm. Pokkrong Manathatphalin said three large oil slicks from the leak were detected and chemicals were being applied to disperse them. Star Petroleum said in a statement that the new situation was under control after floating booms were deployed and chemicals used to limit the spread of the oil. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha expressed his concern and ordered Rayong officials, the navy and the Transport Ministrys Marine Department to work urgently to contain the problem, said government spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana. The Alarming Number of Cases of Trafficking of Females in China News analysis The video capturing the long-term captivity of a chained woman, mother of eight children, in rural Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province has shocked China. Many believe that the woman is a victim of human trafficking and had been reduced to a reproductive tool. The pervasive crime of trafficking in females is rampant in China, and the reasons run deep. Unfortunately, it is difficult to accurately ascertain the number of women in China who have been trafficked, but past state media reports provide some evidence of the tally. On Feb. 16, 2015, reporters of the Legal Daily, a state-run Chinese newspaper, learned from the regimes Ministry of Public Security that more than 30,000 trafficked females were rescued in 2014. Legal Daily also reported that on March 29, 2012, reporters learned from Chinas anti-trafficking training course that as of 2009, a total of 23,341 cases of abduction and trafficking of thousands of females were identified, while 45,702 abducted females were rescued. In 1989, a book titled Ancient Evils Documentary of the National Womens Abduction and Trafficking, written by Xie Zhihong and Jia Lusheng, was published. Official data cited in the book showed that 48,100 females from all over China were trafficked to six counties administered by Xuzhou (the city where the shackled mother was found). Among them is Niulou village of Yizhuang township, where abducted females who were bought accounted for two-thirds of the young married women in the village. It is impossible to know the number of females who have yet to be rescued or how many have been trafficked in other years. Judging from information disclosed by the media, most of the abducted females are sold to impoverished rural areas where there are more men than women and local residents cannot afford to marry. Serious Gender Imbalance According to the Communique of the Seventh Population Census released by the Chinese authorities in May 2021, the ratio of males to females in China is 105.07 to 100. Based on Chinas total population of 1.41 billion, there are 33 million more men than women. The imbalance in rural areas is even more notable, where the male-to-female ratio is as high as 107.91 to 100. In previous years, the disproportion was even more severe. According to a study by Hong Kong-born American journalist Leta Hong, the ratio of male-to-female babies born in China reached a peak of 121 to 100 in 2008. The results of the 2010 Chinese census were the most acute, with the ratio of males to females born in the 1980s being 136 to 100, and the ratio of those born in the 1970s reaching 206 to 100. Regarding the phenomenon of gender imbalance, Dudley Poston, a professor at Texas A&M University who has long studied Chinas population policy, predicted that between 45 and 50 million single men in 2020 could not find a spouse due to a shortage of females in the population. The severe imbalance between males and females is often attributed to the one-child policy enforced by the CCP for more than 30 years, patriarchal practices in rural China, and selective abortion. Technological developments have made it possible to determine the sex of the fetus, which has made selective abortion, a form of gendercide, more prevalent. Poverty in the Countryside Luo Shihong, a professor in the Department of Communication Studies at Chung Cheng University in Taiwan, believes that another reason for the abduction of females is Chinas unfair household registration policy coupled with the extreme poverty of people in rural areas. After the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) seized power in China, the household registration system adopted the dual management of urban and rural areas, and linked the allocation of all social resources, including education, employment, and welfare benefits, to household registration. The holders of rural household registration have long been at the bottom of society because they are not given the same resources as those with urban household registration. In a 2015 commentary, Luo said that singles in rural China are the weakest of the weak in the marriage market. They lack the competitiveness to marry a wife in the jungle of wolves and less meat, due to poverty and other reasons. As a result, they have difficulty satisfying basic sexual needs, so they resort to illegal means that simultaneously solve the desire for family succession. Indifference of Officials Although CCP officials have claimed on different occasions that the abduction and trafficking of females must be severely and swiftly punished and must not be tolerated, such talk is usually regarded as tokenism. Chang Ping, a well-known Chinese media personality, said in his commentary article that in any of the hardest-hit areas of human trafficking, it is known to all which families purchased their daughters-in-law, but the local authorities never take the initiative to acknowledge the problem, actively participating in and maintaining the human trafficking network. Only when the victims family demands action from the local police, or when a symbolic crackdown is called for, will the local police be forced to rescue them. A video of a lecture made in 2020 by Luo Xiang, a professor at the China University of Political Science and Law, was also recently circulated on the internet. Luo gave a vivid example of the situation. He said that the maximum sentence for illegally buying a parrot is five years, while the maximum sentence for illegally buying one to a dozen women is three years, which is equivalent to the maximum sentence for illegally buying 20 toads. Therefore, a Chinese female is valued less than a parrot and is only comparable to a toad. Luo also stated that if there were no buyers, there wouldnt be any sellers. It is because the punishment for buyers is so light that there are so many sellers. The CCP is not only indifferent but to some extent even conniving. Luo Shihong pointed out that the CCPs official top-down stability maintenance logic has further exacerbated the problem of trafficking in females. The phenomenon of human trafficking, although completely incorrect legally, morally, and politically, has helped the authorities to maintain stability in the countryside. Otherwise, a large number of unsatisfied singles from rural areas with no hope of marrying could become a factor in social unrest. In November 2013, a lengthy report published by the CCP-backed Hong Kong Phoenix Weekly, The Dark Curtain of Chinese Organ Trading, acknowledged that in the past decade, organ transplant tourism to China has increased significantly. According to the analysis of international medical experts, it is believed that there is a huge underground human organ bank and even a live organ bank in China. The article also stated that Falun Gong practitioners, prisoners in labor camps, socially displaced people, and abducted women and children may all be the targets of organ theft. A large number of females are abducted and then forced into prostitution. The Organization Against Human Trafficking under UNESCO (UNIAP) has analyzed trafficking victims in China. The agency studied 800 cases between 2006 and 2007 and found that 19 percent of the trafficked females were forced into prostitution, while 42 percent did not disclose to whom they were sold. These activities differ from trafficking females solely for forced marriages in that the sales are not to people in the mountains or the countryside, but to those in big cities. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. The Most Important Podcast You Can Hear About COVID-19 Commentary If you ran out to get one or more COVID jabs (and even a booster) because you were afraid of getting COVID-19, this new information is sure to rock your world. Already had COVID? If you could only listen to one podcast to get up to speed on COVD-19, you are in luck as one of the top clinicians in the world on understanding COVID-19, Dr. Peter McCullough, finally made his way to the largest podcast in the world, Joe Rogan and, as expected, it was epic. You will do yourself a serious disservice if you dont watch the entire, nearly three-hour, interview at normal speed. McCullough is an internist, cardiologist and epidemiologist, and in this podcast, he reviews and summarizes what we know about the COVID jabs. McCullough also discusses the importance of early treatment, which has been universally suppressed and ignored from the start. Hes convinced, and states unequivocally in this interview, that of the COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., none received adequate and/or early-enough treatment. In short, people did not, and certainly dont now, need to die from this infection, barring some serious underlying condition. Its treatable, and later variants, such as Delta and Omicron, appear generally milder than the original virus, resulting in even easier-to-treat illness. From early on, researchers and clinicians demonstrated that early treatment, be it with hydroxychloroquine, ivermectin or steroids and anticoagulants in some combination resulted in far better outcomes and saved lives. When you just let the infection run its course without treatment, most COVID-19 patients were riddled with blood clots and other complications by the time they were hospitalized. According to McCullough, we know that at least 85% of all COVID deaths could have been avoided with early treatment. Early Treatment Is Key In August 2020, McCulloughs landmark paper Pathophysiological Basis and Rationale for Early Outpatient Treatment of SARS-CoV-2 Infection was published online in the American Journal of Medicine. It was the first published report on how to treat COVID on an outpatient basis and described a comprehensive COVID treatment protocol for frontline doctors. Before this, there were about 4,000 papers discussing the potential benefit of various remedies, but none that actually sought to present a comprehensive protocol for treatment. A follow-up paper, Multifaceted Highly Targeted Sequential Multidrug Treatment of Early Ambulatory High-Risk SARS-CoV-2 Infection (COVID-19) published in Reviews in Cardiovascular Medicine in December 2020, became the basis for an AAPS home treatment guide. Importantly, McCullough and the team of collaborators he put together understood early on that there were three components to this infection: viral replication, cytokine storm and blood clotting, therefore necessitating a multidrug approach. One drug that gained early attention was hydroxychloroquine, as research published in 2006 showed it reduced viral replication of SARS-CoV-1 (the original SARS virus). It also has well-established anti-inflammatory properties. Its been routinely used in the treatment of lupus, for example. But as explained by McCullough, there were clear intentional efforts to prevent use of the drug against COVID-19. The U.S. government refused to release its stockpiles, and doctors were told theyd lose their medical license if they used it. The largest manufacturing plant of hydroxychloroquine even mysteriously burned down, and in South Africa, mercenaries were breaking into pharmacies and burning the drug. In addition to that, a fraudulent paper was published in the journal Lancet, falsely stating that hydroxychloroquine was dangerous. It looked like it was a step to bury hydroxychloroquine as a treatment, McCullough says. When focus shifted to ivermectin, that drug also became inaccessible and was widely vilified as horse paste in the mainstream media. Treatment Was Suppressed for a Reason Considering the overwhelming success doctors have had in treating the infection with these and other drugs, why arent hospitals everywhere doing it? Why have health authorities fought against treatment in general, and the use of hydroxychloroquine and ivermectin in particular? In McCulloughs words: It seems to me, early on, there was an intentional, very comprehensive suppression of early treatment in order to promote fear, suffering, isolation, hospitalization and death. And it seemed to be completely organized and intentional in order to create acceptance for and then promote mass vaccination.' The plan to create acceptance for novel mRNA gene transfer technology in lieu of a conventional vaccine by suppressing treatment options has been explained in detail in Dr. Peter Breggins book, COVID-19 and the Global Predators: We Are the Prey, and Pamela Poppers book, COVID Operation: What Happened, Why It Happened and Whats Next. McCullough recommends both, if you want to understand how this was coordinated and planned. Robert Kennedy Jr.s book, The Real Anthony Fauci also shows, using extensive documentation, that Moderna was working on an mRNA injection for COVID-19 well before the world even knew it existed. He reveals extensive collusion occurred to push this novel gene transfer technology on the world, with devastating effects. When asked why more doctors arent using these early treatment protocols, McCullough points out that of the 1 million or so doctors in the U.S., probably only 500 or so actually understand that viable treatments are being suppressed with the intent to drive uptake of the gene transfer shots. Those relatively few who do understand whats going on face censorship and the threat of having their medical license removed if they speak out about treatment. Questions About Reinfection Linger A widespread concern that Rogan brings up is whether or not you can actually get COVID twice. According to McCullough, the answer is a hard no. You cannot. You might think you have it twice, because youve tested positive. After intense pressure to produce evidence of reinfection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention finally admitted they dont have a single verified case of someone getting sick with COVID twice. To prove reinfection, McCullough says, youd need to have a positive PCR test at a cycle threshold below 28 (not 40 or 45, as is routinely done), and a positive antigen immunoassay test to show that you actually had antibodies from the first infection, and a gene sequencing test showing you in fact have the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Whats more, dozens of studies confirm that natural immunity is robust and long-lasting. So why is there so much resistance to the idea that people have natural immunity? Rogan asks, to which McCullough replies, All roads lead to the vaccine.' Dr. Robert Malone disagrees with McCullough on this issue, pointing to a December 4, 2021, study showing 12% out of a sample of 1,200 individuals experienced COVID reinfection. In a Twitter post, Malone said: I have caught it twice, as has my wife. I was asymptomatic, she was not. This is a rapidly mutating RNA virus. Just like the common cold. The symptoms will not be as severe but yes, people catch it more than once. Even Delta Relative Versus Absolute Risk Reduction Now, when it comes to the efficacy of these COVID shots, the manufacturers have employed a classic strategy to mislead the masses and make the shots sound far better than they actually are. That strategy is looking at relative risk reduction rather than absolute risk reduction. While the COVID shots boasted efficacy rates between 67% and 95% at the outset, those were the relative risk reductions. The four available COVID shots in the U.S. provide an absolute risk reduction between just 0.7% and 1.3%. Now, compare that to the noninstitutionalized infection fatality ratio across age groups, which is 0.26%. Since the absolute risk that needs to be overcome is lower than the absolute risk reduction these injections can provide, mass vaccination simply cannot have a favorable impact. Yet here we are, being told to get used to the idea of getting booster shots at ever-increasing intervals. It just doesnt add up. Of course, as Ive reported on several occasions, research and clinical experience clearly show that the effectiveness of these shots rapidly wanes. Six months after the second dose, your protection is nil. Meanwhile, your body continues producing toxic spike protein for at least 15 months after each dose. Efficacy Rapidly Wanes McCullough cites a Swedish study published October 25, 2021, which looked at data from 842,974 pairs, where each person who had received two COVID jabs was paired and compared against an unvaccinated individual, to see if the vaccinated had fewer symptomatic cases and hospitalizations. Early on, the double-jabbed appeared to have good protection, but that quickly changed. The Pfizer jab went from 92% effectiveness at Day 15 through 30, to 47% at Day 121 through 180, and zero from Day 201 onward. The Moderna shot had a similar trajectory, being estimated at 59% from Day 181 onward. The AstraZeneca injection had a lower effectiveness out of the gate, waned faster than the mRNA shots, and had no detectable effectiveness as of Day 121. All the while, millions of Americans have already had COVID and have natural immunity that doesnt wane in this manner. Yet they are being shunned and fired for not complying with COVID jab mandates. Again, it just doesnt add up. Never before has a vaccine been required for anyone with natural immunity against a disease, and theres good reason for that. Its completely illogical. Just like you dont need a measles vaccine if youve had measles, you dont need a COVID shot if youve had COVID. In fact, you are at increased risk of adverse events if you do take it. Remember, if you already have natural immunity, youre exposing yourself to the harms of the shot with no hope of benefit. Myocarditis Will Likely Be Widespread Interestingly, the shots appear to harm men and women differently. Women are having far higher rates of neurological injuries, whereas boys and young men account for some 80% of myocarditis (heart inflammation). Just how bad is the myocarditis wave? Research published in 2017 calculated the background rate of myocarditis in children and youth, showing it occurs at a rate of four cases per million per year. Assuming there are 60 million American children, the background rate for myocarditis would be 240 cases a year. How many cases of myocarditis have been reported to VAERS following COVID injection so far? 16,918 as of December 3, 2021, and its going up by several hundred to a couple of thousand every week. Were also seeing myocarditis in adult men. Doctors have never seen so many cases of myocarditis, McCullough says. It is frequent, and it is severe. Patients require heart medication, and must remain sedentary for extended periods of time. While myocarditis is typically a nonfatal adverse event, it can shave years off your life. Research published in 2019 showed 13% of myocarditis cases ends up with progressive heart failure. Their hearts just never fully recover from the damage. In the study, another 36% improved but never fully recovered. My fear is, some of these kids who develop myocarditis will be in the 13% category where they have progressive left ventricle dysfunction and heart failure, McCullough says. While we dont yet know exactly how COVID jab myocarditis compares to naturally-occurring myocarditis, the data we currently have suggest the damage incurred by the spike protein is rather severe. According to McCullough, 86% of youth who develop myocarditis in response to the jab are sick enough to require hospitalization. Research also shows young boys are far more likely to be hospitalized with myocarditis than they are being hospitalized with COVID-19, McCullough says. Reject Boosters If youve taken one or two COVID jabs months ago and nothing bad happened, count your blessings. Youre among the lucky ones. If you persist in taking boosters, however, your luck is probably going to run out at some point. Its really only a matter of time before the amount of spike protein in your system overwhelms it, producing noticeable damage. Again, evidence suggests the spike protein may remain for 15 months post-injection. McCullough believes it will last at least a year after each dose. If you start getting boosters every three to six months, youre never going to get rid of that spike protein. Youll be adding more and more with each dose, and its the same spike protein that causes problems in COVID-19. If you fear COVID-19, you ought to be just as fearful of the COVID shots, if not more so, as you end up with far more spike protein from the shot than you do from the natural infection. At this point in time, the evidence is clearly weighing against the COVID shots. Theyre causing far more harm than good, especially among children, who are not at high risk of dying from COVID-19 in the first place. References Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. Three MS-13 Criminals Arrested by Border Patrol in Single Day, Including a Child Sex Offender The U.S. Customs and Border Protections (CBP) agents stationed at the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) arrested three illegal immigrants affiliated with the MS-13 criminal gang on Feb. 7, along with another member belonging to the rival 18th Street Gang the following day. The McAllen Border Patrol Station (MCS) arrested a Salvadoran national near the city of Mission, Texas, on Feb. 7 who admitted that he was a member of the Mara-Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang. He has previously been arrested in El Salvador for resisting arrest, according to a CBP press release. Another Salvadoran MS-13 gang member was later discovered by MCS processing agents. The female, who showed symptoms of COVID-19, was transferred to a hospital. Agents at the Rio Grande City Border Patrol Station took into custody a third MS-13 member the same day who is also from El Salvador. The individual was convicted of sexually assaulting a child in 1994, sentenced to three years probation, and was eventually removed from the United States. A 36-year-old male member of the 18th Street Gang was arrested by MCS agents on Feb. 8. The man has dual citizenship from Guatemala and Mexico. He was living in Canada between 2017 and 2019. The Biden administration had asked the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to cease Operation Talon, which was aimed at removing illegal immigrants who have committed sexual offenses in the country. In August 2021, there was a 1,400 increase in the number of sex offenders apprehended by border agents in Del Rio for the fiscal year as compared to the same period in the previous one. Border Patrol agents in the RGV region have encountered over 137,000 migrants between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2021, a 163 percent increase when compared to the same period the previous year. During this time, RGV agents also seized more than 11,000 pounds of narcotics, which made up roughly 43 percent of all narcotics seized by Border Patrol across all ports of entry in America, based on a Feb. 9 press release. As the illicit activities of the criminal gangs grow, they are using social media to recruit minors for smuggling operations in the RGV area. The criminals entice minors to drive migrants across the border, promising them fast cash and assuring that they will not face the same consequences as adults if arrested by law enforcement. New minor recruits also come from other areas like Houston and San Antonio. This is an alarming trend because many of these teenagers underestimate the severity of the crime. Not only can they be prosecuted and sent to jail, but they also endanger lives through their actions. I encourage parents to talk to their children and educate them on the potential consequences and dangers of this trend, RGV Chief Patrol Agent Brian S. Hastings said in the report. For the 2021 fiscal year, there were 1.73 million border apprehensions made by Border Patrol at the southwest land border. This is more than three times the 458,088 apprehensions in the 2020 fiscal. Brandon Judd, president of the National Border Patrol Council, recently stated that a 150-mile border region of Arizona now only has four agents manning it when previously there were 75 to 90 agents. Protesters demonstrate against COVID-19 mandates and restrictions during a blockade of the Ambassador Bridge border crossing in Windsor, Ont., on Feb. 9, 2022. (Geoff Robins/AFP via Getty Images) Trucker Protests: The Deeper Problem Is Canadas Entrenched and Divisive Media-Politico Class Commentary Signs abound that Canadas media-politico class is losing, however temporarily, its collective mind. The signs come daily, often hourly. Or in the immortal words of Ontario Premier Doug Ford: The cheese is slipping off the cracker. That would be the same Doug Ford who just declared a state of emergency to deal with a few hundred big rig truckers blocking key Canada-U.S. border crossings. Some cheese. Some cracker. Ford, and the other media-politicos ki-yiiiing that the truckers protest risks wrecking the economy, seem to be under some quasi-hallucinatory spell that casts the truckers protesting as the source of the problem. In reality, the truckers are protesting because they have a problem to protest. Short of mass psychiatric intervention for our approaching-delusional-liftoff leaders, maybe what we need is for the Office of Clear-Eyed Understanding of Cause and Effect to restore a sane distinction between symptom and disease. Yes, of course, the truckers blockades are economically disruptive. Maybe theyre even as consequentially dangerous as predicted. We can agree they should end. But surely, after two years of non-stop COVID, it should be second nature for us that the itch and the scratch are not the illness. Or are we so far gone in amnesia about the underlying malady that made the truckers mad enough to roll cross country in convoy? Do we forget what prompted them to block the streets of Ottawa, the bridges of Windsor-Detroit, and other pressure points? Is the media-politico cohorts imposition, and increasingly feckless justification, of pandemic public policies lost in the mists of memory? Have we lost the thread of free citizens suffering under senseless state edicts? Wreck the economy, you say? In the immortal words of Randy Newman: Where are we? On the moon? Who devastated economic life lockdowns that came down like the iron heel of two-tonne boots on vulnerable members of the working class? Who threw millions of service workers out of work? Who drove federal and provincial debt to the borderline of catastrophe by paying workers to stay home rather than investing in health care to spare us overwhelmed hospitals? Hint: It wasnt the truckers. They were too busy crossing Canada and its borders to keep supply lines open. Heres a partial list of other things the truckers didnt do: Prevent us from visiting the bedsides of elderly or dying loved ones Bar us from funerals, marriages, graduations, etc., of loved ones Block us from attending houses of worship to seek comfort in praise and prayer Force us to display state-mandated cleanliness cards to carry out daily activities Stick their honkers into our houses to tell us how many people could visit All these, and many more, were the doing of the political class. The media class relentlessly cheered on such measures while abandoning its basic question-asking function. And the truckers are the problem? No. The trucker problem was resolvable on Day One by Prime Minister Trudeau promising to drop cross-border vaccine mandates. The air would have gone from the convoys tires with a timeline setting out when other federally imposed affronts to liberty will cease. As Liberal MPs have protested, the prime minister chose instead to play cynical wedge politics. His scurrilous behaviour supports Conrad Blacks contention of his unfitness for office. Yet focusing all attention on him is myopic. The deeper problem is a political-bureaucratic-media bolus that is entrenched and divisive. It acts from a sense of its entitlement to control the commanding heights of right argument, giving it the prerogative to decide the elect and the outcast. In the immortal words of King Lear on his way to the crazy place: That way madness lies. Being an eternal optimist, however, I believe in restoratives. Politically, the prescription is repeated waves of electoral cleansing, sometimes described in the politico-nostrum handbook as throwing the bastards out. The key is continual doses. Party partisanship must give way to the one term and youre gone solution until we restore democratic balance. Likewise, pressure must be applied to incoming administrations to turn senior public service sinecures into ejection seats. Mandarins, being a species of weasel, fear most the knock on the office door followed by: Heres a bankers box for your things. The escort out of the building awaits. As for legacy media egomania, well, the poor darlings have two feet in the grave anyway, dont they? Patience might prove a virtue. When it does, lets remember the catalytic converter was Canadas truckers who went about, in the immortal words of the great Tom Waits, blowin their horns in every window in town. Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times. UK to Withdraw Troops From Ukraine as Citizens Are Told to Leave Immediately UK citizens in Ukraine have been told to leave now by commercial means and the remaining British troops in the eastern European country will be withdrawn this weekend. It comes after Defence Secretary Ben Wallace suggested Russia is in a position where it can invade Ukraine at any time. After meeting his Russian counterpart Sergei Shoigu on Friday, Wallace said they had a frank and constructive conversation during which he reiterated that the weapons the UK gave Ukraine are purely defensive and NATO is not interested in dividing and ruling Russia or seeking confrontation, while Shoigu assured him that Kremlin was not planning to attack its southern neighbour. But with 130,000 Russian troops massed along the borders and large-scale military exercises taking place in Belarus, Wallace said although he did take Shoigus assurance seriously, he would judge such assurances by Moscows actions and that he was less optimistic than he had been previously that there could be a diplomatic solution to the crisis. In this handout image provided by the Ministry of Defence, UK Secretary of State for Defence, Ben Wallace (R), and Defence Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu (L), are seen inside the Russian Ministry of Defence building in Moscow on Feb. 11, 2022. (Tim Hammond/MoD Crown Copyright via Getty Images) Currently theres over 130,000 troops stationed at readiness or exercisingplus warplanes, plus ships into the Black Seaon the borders of Ukraine and that is an action that is not normal, he told a news conference in the British embassy. It is beyond normal exercising therefore we will judge that statement on the evidence. Wallace said the current disposition of Russian forces meant they could do a whole range of actions, including an invasion of a neighbouring country, at any time. The Foreign Office updated its travel guidance on Friday evening, advising against all travel to Ukraine and telling citizens in the country to leave now while commercial means are still available. Speaking on BBC Breakfast on Saturday, Armed forces minister James Heappey said British nationals should leave immediately. We are now confident that the artillery systems, the missile systems, and the combat air are all in place that would allow Russia to launchat no noticean attack on Ukraine. Heappey said, unlike the situation in Afghanistan, where the Royal Air Force (RAF) was able to carry out a two-week evacuation operation, the RAF will not be in a position to airlift civilians out. So they need to leave now by commercial means or drive out of Ukraine into a neighbouring country, he said. In a separate interview with BBC Radio 4s Today programme, the minister said all British troops helping with training in Ukraine will be leaving over the course of the weekend. All of them will be withdrawn. There will be no British troops in Ukraine if there is to be a conflict there, he said. A Ukrainian Military Forces serviceman aims with a Next generation Light Anti-tank Weapon (NLAW) Swedish-British anti-aircraft missile launcher during a drill at the firing ground of the International Center for Peacekeeping and Security, near the western Ukrainian city of Lviv on Jan. 28, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images) Former soldier, Conservative MP Tom Tugendhat told the same programme that from his experience, training local forces to fight for themselves is a significantly better defensive technique than putting troops in. The reality is that the Ukrainians already have some 145,000 in their army, they have anotherdepending on how you count100-odd thousand border guard reserves and people like that so they have a significantly larger army even than we do and they are increasingly capable to defend themselves. Another former soldier and Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood, who currently chairs Parliaments Defence Select Committee, argued that British-led NATO divisions should be in Ukraine instead of being around it. Ellwood said: This is our Cuban missile crisis moment as a Russian invasion of Ukraine will affect prices of food, oil, and gas and further threatens European security. He also said the consequences of allowing Ukraine to fall would see a new era of instability with a Russia and China axis developing while the West is shrinking in size and authoritarianism is on the rise. Sir Malcolm Rifkind, who served as the secretary of state in both the foreign and the defence departments under John Major, said it would be very, very unwise to have a NATO combat division in Ukraine. There cant be a NATO division in Ukraine; Ukraines not a member of NATO and you cannot send troops to that country without being involved in what could turn out to be a full-scale war. That is not going to happen. Rifkind said he believes theres a serious possibility that Russia might send troops into part of Ukraine, which would most likely be the land bridge between Donbas and Crimea, but hes sceptical that Kremlin will launch a full-scale invasion of its southern neighbour. PA Media contributed to this report. A Starbucks sign hangs above the entrance of one of the chain's coffee shops in the Loop in Chicago on Jan. 4, 2022. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Union Efforts Grow Across Starbucks Stores Amid National Labor Shortage In early February, Starbucks fired seven workers at a store in Memphis, Tennessee, in the midst of efforts to unionize company employees. While Starbucks claimed the firings were the result of violated policies, workers argued the policies were unclear. The firings appear to be the latest spark in a growing fire that involves Starbucks workers who want to unionize and are facing pushback from the corporation. The first corporate Starbucks store unionized in Buffalo, New York, in December 2021, after executive-level Starbucks officials traveled there seeking to deter the campaign. On Jan. 10, another Starbucks store in Buffalo unionized. Now workers at more than 50 stores in 19 states across the country have considered unionizinga number thats too large to make it possible for high-profile Starbucks figures to visit each location individually. Memphis workers are calling on partners around the country to support them by organizing more stores across the nation, Starbucks Workers United, which has a Twitter account with more than 30,000 followers, wrote in a Feb. 9 tweet. We are organizing Starbucks partners coast to coast to stand united! Starbucks runs nearly 9,000 stores in the United States. Unionization in the fast-food industry has been threatened for a long time, David D. Schein, president and general counsel at Claremont Management Group, a management and HR consulting firm in Houston, told The Epoch Times. While most fast food sites are franchised, the Starbucks locations in the United States are generally corporate-owned. Since it costs time and money for unions to organize, it may not be as effective to unionize each location individually. Given that, the unions might focus on organizing all or a large group of the outlets, and not just one or a small handful, Schein said. Even if more stores unionize, the overall benefits may not be significant for workers. The fast food industry tends to provide entry-level jobs, and workers are often transient. The average QSR [Quick Service Restaurant] brand may have only one to two full-time employees with another 12 to 15 that are part-time, Robin Gagnon, co-founder of We Sell Restaurants, the nations largest business broker franchise focused exclusively on the sale of restaurants, told The Epoch Times. Even full-time employees typically leave within a year. With so much turnover, if employees join a union, they might not reap long-term benefits. Starbucks barista Casey Moore, part of the organizing committee in Buffalo, New York, speaks in support of workers at Seattle Starbucks locations that announced plans to unionize, during a rally at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Wash. on Jan. 25, 2022. (Jason Redmond/AFP via Getty Images) In October 2021, Starbucks announced wage increase schedules for U.S. hourly employees. It stated that by summer, U.S. hourly employees will average nearly $17 an hour, with a range of $15 to $23 for baristas. If workers unionize, it isnt clear how much they will be able to further raise wages, as the fast-food industry tends to operate with low margins. Like all ideas, this one appears to have momentum now, but that should be viewed in the context that union membership overall shrunk dramatically last year, Gagnon said. In 2021, union membership dropped by almost 250,000 members, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, unions bring about work rules as part of most of their Collective Bargaining Agreements, Schein said. A counter person might be classified as such and refuse to clean tables or put out the trash. As restaurant owners deal with issues such as labor shortages, they may fight against arrangements that limit the areas in which their employees can work. Those seeking union support for restaurant workers may soon face the realities of other trends such as automation and robotics. Restaurants are beginning to incorporate more of these technologies, which tend to focus on back-of-house tasks that include scheduling and inventory. Bill Bellissimo, a restaurant technologist and founder of CrunchTime, a restaurant operations platform, estimates that over half of restaurant operators will integrate automation technology in 2022. This is a win-win because while robots dont mind unfulfilling tasks, smoothly running software gives management more time and money to create a less overwhelming workplace; ultimately fostering an environment for retaining more loyal employees, he told The Epoch Times. In the short term, however, workers could view the implementation of automated technologies as a threat to their jobs. Education about the benefits versus the costs provided by the union is the most powerful anti-union messaging a restaurant owner can deliver, Gagnon said. For instance, if $20 is taken out of an employees paycheck and given to the union, the employee may have to reduce their living expenses. They should also be aware of the perks they will receive from sending in the $20. Franchisors and owners have never been more aware of the needs of the employee and as focused on retention and engagement than in the current labor market, she said. The marketplace is teeming with new ideas for benefits, support, education, and increases in wages for the industry. A syringe is filled with the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine in British Columbia on April 10, 2021. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP, File) Vancouver Pharmacist Sues London Drugs Alleging Wrongful Dismissal Over COVID Vaccine Mandate A Vancouver pharmacist who had worked at London Drugs for 16 years is suing her former employer, alleging that the retail chain wrongfully dismissed her for not getting vaccinated for COVID-19. On Nov. 1, 2021, Lina Reid was placed on an unpaid leave of absence for an undetermined length of time because she was not fully vaccinated and did not consent to COVID-19 Testing, according to her lawsuit filed in the B.C. Supreme Court. London Drugs had announced in August 2021 that it was introducing a policy requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Nov. 1, with two doses of the vaccine, or undergo ongoing testing. Reids civil claim said it was expected that the policy would be extended to future booster requirements as recommended by public health. The claim noted that Reids employer then provided her with the policy in October 2021 and that the policy expressly stated that the Defendant [London Drugs] reserved the right to charge for such testing. Reid, who was 60 years old at the time, claims that there is no explicit or implicit agreement or term of employment between herself and London Drugs that allowed the vaccine mandate to be imposed. By putting Reid on unpaid leave, London Drugs has effectively wrongfully dismissed her because of the unilateral changes the company made to the terms of her employment, the lawsuit claims. Reids lawyer, Osaro Obaseki, says his clients personal reasons for refusing the vaccine or COVID-19 testing arent relevant to the case. Her decision doesnt ultimately impact the reality that the employer cant impose a vaccine policy absent government mandate, Obaseki told The Epoch Times. The employers decision to place her on unpaid leave as a result of the policy is what is at issue here. He added that there are hundreds of similar claims across Ontario, Alberta, and B.C., although hes unaware of any court decisions to date. However, he noted that an arbitrator in Ontario recently ruled that a mandatory vaccination policy issued by seniors living company Chartwell Housing, which included automatic termination for non-compliance, violated specific provisions of the local unions relevant collective bargaining agreement. Public Service vs Private Sector In an email statement, the College of Pharmacists of B.C. (CPBC) said provincial health orders issued in October 2021 mandating vaccination for health-care workers in the B.C. public service didnt apply to regulated pharmacists in privately licensed community pharmacies. It said its important for those in community-based practice to review the order to confirm how it applies to them. The college is not able to provide guidance as to whether a specific pharmacy would or would not be included in this specific order, the CPBC said. However, the college noted that B.C. Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry announced on Feb. 9 that the provinces vaccine mandate would be expanding to all regulated health-care workers, including pharmacists. While London Drugs says it cannot comment on ongoing legal disputes with a specific employee, the company said it has put in place numerous policies and procedures intended to protect the health and safety of its employees and customers. Our COVID-19 vaccination policy is another important layer of protection, London Drugs said in an email statement. We are confident our health and safety measures are appropriate, justified, and strike a fair and measured balance protecting the rights of our employees and creating a safe work and retail environment for all. London Drugs is confident its workplace safety policies would be upheld in any court proceedings. The company added it will be filing a response to Reids claim shortly. Reid says that since the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, she has been able to operate safely by following public health guidelines, including masking, social distancing, contact tracing and health questionnaires. This point is further underscored by the fact that the British Columbia government has specifically chosen not to impose a vaccine mandate on the Defendant or the general population, the court document stated. In her statement of claim, Reid said that in her position as a staff pharmacist she was being paid $83,460 annually, received benefits, was part of the companys pension plan, and had an annual pay for performance bonus and five weeks of paid vacation. She is seeking damages for wrongful dismissal equivalent to 18 months of notice; special damages for out-of-pocket expenses incurred while trying to find alternate, comparable employment; pre-judgment interest; post-judgment interest; court costs; and any other relief allowed by the judge. At a press conference on Feb. 9, Henry said the government has been working for months with the provinces 19 health regulatory colleges to expand the vaccine mandate. The new mandate, effective March 24, will apply to all doctors, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists, psychologists, and all other regulated health professionals who work in private practice. The move comes as other provinces are starting to lift their various COVID-19 mandates and restrictions. Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba have announced an end to their provincial COVID-19 vaccine passports effective Feb. 9, Feb. 14, and March 1 respectively. Prince Edward Island is expected to discontinue its vaccine pass on April 7, and Ontarios vaccine passports will soon go under review. The provincial changes are happening against a backdrop of multiple anti-mandate protests taking place across Canada, which have extended to the United States, Australia, and other countries. It's official: Lebanons school district will ask voters for $20 million to replace leaking roofs, seizure-prone air-conditioning machinery or heaters at all eight of its schools, and renovate the communitys 55-year-old public swimming pool when it sends a bond to the voters in May. The Board of Directors for Lebanon Community Schools unanimously approved a resolution on Thursday, Feb. 10 to place a facilities bond request on the May 17 primary ballot. If approved, Oregon would provide an additional $4.3 million. And it doesnt even come close to covering what Lebanon Community School District needs to fully update, repair and renovate all of its facilities, district spokesperson Susanne Stefani said. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Lebanon Express. The hope, she said, is to keep Lebanons school buildings free of leaks and potentially dangerous aging air-conditioning machinery through the next decade. A faulty heater filled two classrooms at Green Acres Elementary with smoke in December, triggering a fire alarm. No students were in the building. The kids get buildings that are safe and up to code, Stefani said. Its not anything anyone necessarily will see, but itll keep our roofs intact. Itll keep our fire safety systems up to date. An architect in 2021 reported all eight school buildings, the districts administrative building and Lebanon Community Pool owned by the school district, but operated by Lebanon Aquatics District needed repairs or renovations, with several elementary schools clocking in at more than $3 million in estimated costs. The district would need $5.5 million to repair Seven Oak Elementary. Lebanon High School would cost just less than $16.6 million. All district buildings but Pioneer and Riverview Elementaries were identified in the report as poor-condition, with some buildings approaching functional failure. Survey respondents told the district last year they wanted to prioritize renovating the pool that has settled at an angle and risks rusty iron pipes bursting under the building. Those survey answers showed the city sees its pool as important. Maybe your kid doesnt swim, but it hires high school students to work as lifeguards, Stefani said. It benefits seniors with a therapy pool. The district estimates the bond would cost $50.75 each year for a property owner with a home assessed at $175,000. Taxpayers would start paying in 2023. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The FBI is looking for a serial bank robber who they say hit several locations in Connecticut. Nicknamed The Route 91 Bandit on his wanted poster, the FBI said the man has committed 11 bank robberies along Route 91 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Vermont. A construction management firm at the center of a federal grand jury probe into school construction grants got two no-bid contracts worth a combined $530,000 to oversee the building of a new elementary school in Tolland during the same period of time it hired the daughter of Konstantinos Diamantis. Diamantis had been the director of the Office of School Construction Grants and Review until he resigned Oct. 28. Tolland officials hired Construction Advocacy Professionals, or CAP, based in Plainfield, to first oversee installation of portable classrooms at the Birch Grove Primary School on June 20, 2019, according to contracts obtained by the Connecticut Mirror. They were paid $70,000 for the work. Then, in July 2019, CAP hired Diamantis daughter Anastasia, documents state. Weeks later, a contract amendment, giving CAP another $460,000 worth of work, was signed on Sept. 18, 2019 for the construction of a new Birch Grove school. The old school needed to be replaced immediately because the foundation was crumbling. The initial contract was signed by Tolland Superintendent of Schools Walter Willett and Antonietta DiBenedetto, one of the owners of CAP, while the second was signed by then-Town Manager Michael Rosen and DiBenedetto, records show. Willett and Rosen did not respond to numerous phone calls to their offices on Friday, but Willett issued a written statement to The Hartford Courant. In his statement, Willett alleged that local officials in Tolland were pressured by Diamantis to choose CAP and another contractor, DAmato Construction, for the school construction project. Representatives of the town and the board felt they had no real choice as to CAP and DAmato because Mr. Diamantis routinely emphasized there would be detrimental effects to the project if Tolland chose contractors or consultants other than CAP or DAmato, he said, according to the statement provided to The Courant. Kosta Diamantis daughter, Anastasia, could not be reached for comment. West Hartford Attorney Craig Raabe of Izell, Kendall & Raabe said Friday he is representing CAP and DiBenedetto and that they would not comment. According to statements included in a recent report compiled by former U.S. Attorney Stanley Twardy Jr., Anastasia Diamantis told investigators that the owner of CAP called her out of the blue and offered her the job. She described CAP as a Rhode Island-based company. But she also acknowledged that she did work on school projects in Connecticut for CAP. Anastasia said she worked on spreadsheets and did filings for CAP, according to the investigation report. Diamantis influence under investigation Anastasia Diamantis employment at CAP was not the only position she held that was of interest to investigators. Twardy was hired by Gov. Ned Lamont to conduct an independent review of how Anastasia Diamantis came to get an executive assistant position at Chief States Attorney Richard Colangelos office at the same time Colangelo was lobbying Kosta Diamantis to help him get pay raises for staff in Colangelos office. Kosta Diamantis also was an undersecretary at the Office of Policy and Management, the agency that could approve such pay raises. On Oct. 28, Diamantis was removed from the OPM position by the governors office and suspended with pay from the school construction post. Rather than accept the suspension, Diamantis retired. He has since filed a grievance with the state Employee Review Board alleging he was targeted by the administration after he complained that two of Lamonts top aides, Joshua Geballe and Paul Mounds, had been disrespectful to OPM Secretary Melissa McCaw. Meanwhile, a federal grand jury issued a subpoena to the state Department of Administrative Services on Oct. 20 for all emails, text messages and attachments involving Kosta Diamantis and a broad range of construction projects. Federal authorities sent an addendum to that subpoena eight days later asking the state to prioritize 19 search terms among them Anastasia, Antoinetta, DiBenedetto-Roy, Construction Advocacy Professionals and Birch Grove. Emergency contract The Birch Grove school project was considered an emergency by state legislators in January 2019 after tests revealed that the foundation of the school was cracking because the concrete used to build the foundation contained pyrrhotite, a mineral that was causing cement to deteriorate in foundations and houses and buildings all over Eastern Connecticut. The state initially agreed to pay 89% of the costs for the project and waived normal bidding procedures because of the emergency. The state funded two contracts the first for about $9 million to build portable classrooms at the site so students could go to school while the old school was demolished and replaced. The state also agreed to a $46 million contract to build the new school at the same site on Rhodes Road. The time frame was tight, as officials wanted the new school open in time for the first day of school in 2021. The Tolland Board of Education established the Birch Grove Building Committee, which began meeting in May of 2019. Diamantis appeared at the committee several times in person and later by Zoom during the pandemic to discuss everything from the design of the new school, to timely submissions of change orders, to questions about budget increases at one point admonishing the group when a $2 million add-on occurred because of soil issues, according to minutes of the meeting. He first appeared at a June 18, 2019 meeting to address questions from the committee about the cost of the portables, the availability of design options and overall costs. Tony DAmato, the owner of DAmato Construction, which had just been named the builder, also attended the meeting, according to the minutes. Two days after that meeting, Construction Advocacy Professionals was hired as construction manager for the Birch Grove project. The minutes show that Diamantis attended an October meeting to make sure the committee was submitting change orders to the state on a timely basis so they could be reviewed by his 16-member team. Mr. Diamantis explained that the purpose of the building committee is to keep the project moving forward and on schedule as well as ensuring it is an amenable design. In regard to the latter, the school will need to be somewhat similar to the original building. Based on the recognition that additional space is needed, an exception has been made and an agreement is in place that states that the space standard is not involved, the minutes from the Oct. 1 meeting state. $2 million dollar soil After the old school was demolished, contractors ran into a serious problem almost immediately: The soil could not bear the weight of the new school and needed to be replaced. The cost would be nearly $2 million, significantly increasing the total budget, but since the town had approved a $46 million budget at a referendum, the committee couldnt exceed that amount without special approval. Diamantis attended the May 19, 2020 committee meeting to discuss the soil issue and the budget implications, according to the minutes. Diamantis addressed the unsuitable soil situation and expressed concern that the town did not have a record of this. He is a bit shocked in regard to the degree of unsuitable soil, $1M+, that is being removed and cuts need to be made to trim the project to $46M if the town is not in a position to provide additional funding, the minutes state. Because the town had approved spending no more than $46 million, committee members started discussing what could be cut from the project to bring the budget back in range. Mr. Kosta noted that cuts can be made but they must keep the building healthy and provide an adequate educational experience. He would like to keep the project to $46M unless the overage is needed, the minutes state. The committees budget concerns were alleviated a week later when DAmato made a surprise announcement that the state had agreed to cover the $2 million cost to dispose of and replace the soil. The legislature eventually not only approved the extra $2 million for soil but also agreed to fund the entire project all $57 million. The project stayed within its $46 million budget, and the school opened on time for the 2021 school year, even as contractors finished small items throughout the building into October. EDWARDSVILLE A Collinsville man faces multiple weapons- and drug-related charges from a November incident. The charges were originally filed Nov. 16, but the file was sealed until Thursday. Terry L. King Jr., 37, of Collinsville, was charged with armed violence and unlawful possession with intent to deliver methamphetamine, both Class X felonies; two counts of unlawful possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, all Class 2 felonies; and aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. According to court documents, on Nov. 5 King allegedly had 15-100 grams of methamphetamine with the intent to deliver; alprazolam and huydrocodone with intent to deliver; and a Smith & Wesson 9 mm handgun. He allegedly was driving a BMW X5 SUV and attempted to flee form a Collinsville police officer, reaching speeds in excess of 21 miles above the posted speed limit. The armed violence charge stems from King being armed with a dangerous weapon during the commission of a felony. He has a 2019 conviction for possession of a firearm with a revoked Firearm Owners ID out of Madison County. Bail was set at $250,000. Other felony charges filed Feb. 9 by the Madison County States Attorneys Office include: Rico L. Toney, 33, with a last known address in Alton, was charged with aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony, and unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony. The case was presented by the Alton Police Department. According to court documents, on Feb. 5 Toney allegedly strangled a household or family member and had a Taurus 9 mm G2C handgun. He has a 2009 conviction for unlawful delivery of a controlled substance out of Madison County, making him ineligible to possess weapons. Bail was set at $50,000. Dakota D. Haas, 19, of Fredrickstown, Missouri, was charged with unlawful possession of a stolen firearm, a Class 2 felony, and aggravated unlawful use of weapons, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Glen Carbon Police Department. On Feb. 8 Haas allegedly had a reported stolen Ruger .22 caliber single-action handgun. Bail was set at $50,000. Ryan D. Ewing, 28, of OFallon, Illinois, was charged with unlawful possession of weapons by a felon, a Class 3 felony, and unlawful possession of a controlled substance, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Collinsville Police Department. On Dec. 20 Ewing allegedly had Nosler 9 mm ammunition and less than 15 grams of fentanyl. He has a prior conviction for possession of a controlled substance and resisting/interfering with arrest for a felony out of Newton County, Missouri, making him ineligible to possess ammunition. Bail was set at $50,000. Jenna L. Johnson, 22, of Bethalto, was charged with stalking, a Class 4 felony. The case was presented by the Madison County States Attorneys Office. On Feb. 2 Johnson allegedly followed a woman to her place of employment and home and made statements to (the victim) that placed her in a reasonable apprehension of receiving a sexual assault. Bail was set at $25,000. EDWARDSVILLE Southern Illinois University Edwardsvilles Riza Demirer, PhD, professor of finance in the School of Business Department of Economics and Finance, has joined a prestigious group of tenured faculty members, achieving the universitys highest academic rank of Distinguished Research Professor. The distinction is awarded in recognition of significant contributions to research and creative activities. It is a great honor to receive this special award, said Demirer. Research is very personal and requires a lot of dedication, sacrifice and self-motivation, so being recognized with such a special award means a lot to me. The Department of Economics and Finance has a long tradition of high-quality scholarship, and I am happy that I can continue this tradition and hopefully inspire junior faculty. Since joining the School of Business faculty in 2003, Demirer has become an internationally-known and highly-respected scholar in the areas of investor behavior and asset pricing in emerging and frontier stock markets and energy economics/finance. He has written more than 100 papers and has collaborated with over 75 co-authors from think tanks, research centers, universities and governmental institutions in at least 25 countries. My finance and engineering background allows me to tackle research questions both from an engineering and social scientist perspective, and this has allowed me to collaborate with a wide range of scholars from different disciplines, explained Demirer, whose published works and working papers have been cited more than 3,000 times by other researchers. Dr. Demirer is a prolific scholar whose work appears in top-tier journals, which have garnered an impressive number of citations and have earned him recognition as a leading expert, said Jerry Weinberg, PhD, associate provost for research and dean of the SIUE Graduate School. Dr. Demirer has raised SIUEs global reputation through his international collaborations and his leadership as a research fellow with the Economic Research Forum, a think tank dedicated to sustainable growth in developing countries. Demirers research on emerging stock markets and the interaction between energy and financial markets has gained widespread attention, while his work on investor behavior and its asset pricing implications has provided new insights into the effect of herd behavior in financial markets. Additionally, Demirers work on the interaction between oil and stock markets has led to a new line of research; many studies now build on Demirers findings on the effect of oil market uncertainty on stock market anomalies. Dr. Demirers research productivity brings great honor and recognition to SIUE and the School of Business, said School of Business Dean Timothy Schoenecker, PhD. Scholars from around the globe seek him out for his expertise and to explore potential collaborations. Several years ago, he was selected by a faculty review committee for the Schools inaugural Heitz Faculty Research Award. His accomplishments make him a worthy choice as a Distinguished Research Professor. Not only does Dr. Demirer have an extraordinary research record and program, but his service as a scholar is also impactful and far-reaching, exemplified by his international leadership for high-quality economic research in developing countries, said Gregory Fields, PhD, distinguished research professor in the Department of Philosophy. Research Papers in Economics, a research network which focuses solely on economics and finance research, ranks Demirer in the top 5% of the 62,000 members from 102 countries registered on the network. Demirer is proud of this and other rankings, but he is also grateful for the opportunities he has had to collaborate with his students on high-impact publications. My research has had a tremendous effect on my teaching as I share the new findings with my students and design class research projects based on the research ideas that come out of my papers, explained Demirer. I truly appreciate the research support provided by the School of Business and the Graduate School even during times when they face budgetary restrictions. I think this research focus is another feature that makes SIUE stand out from its peer institutions. The School of Business is among an elite 5% of business schools worldwide that have earned the prestigious accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). This accreditation represents the highest standard of achievement for business schools worldwide. Less than 25% of AACSB accredited schools also hold the accounting accreditation. For the 16th consecutive year, the School of Business is named an outstanding business school by The Princeton Review: The Best Business Schools: 2022 Edition. The Princeton Review recommends the School as one of the best institutions in the U.S. from which students can earn an MBA. Nearly 29,000 alumni have earned degrees from the SIUE School of Business. MOORE, Okla. Lucas Mundt cant spend all of his time at a vacation hideaway in the woods, but he found the next-best thing at his office. The 36-year-old Mundt, a former Edwardsville resident, is a logistics analyst for Simple Modern, which is based out of Moore, Oklahoma. The company makes drink containers and also makes lunch boxes, backpacks and pouches. Mundt became a viral sensation when photos were posted on Twitter after he converted his cubicle at the office into a lakeside cabin or hunting lodge theme. I wanted to do something fun at the company and when I moved into my cubicle, people were decorating and fixing up their spots, said Mundt, who is a 2004 graduate of Bethel Christian Academy. Ive helped a lot of people hang up pictures or paintings, but I hadnt done anything for myself yet. I decided that if I was going to do it, it would be something ridiculous and over the top. I came in over the weekend and our CEO, Mike Beckham, saw it and thought it was hilarious and he put it on Twitter. The next thing, I knew, two days later, it was the No. 1 trending story on Apple News. For Mundt, that was just the start of cubicle mania. A couple of people at the office thought it was pretty funny and said it had the potential to go viral, but I didnt think much about it, Mundt said. Mike Beckham texted me the night he tweeted it with a surprise face emoji and it was getting some major traction. I woke up the next morning and it had 21,000 likes. It kept going and now its over 300,000 likes. Mundts 12-hour weekend decorating stint was mostly done with secondhand decor, including light fixtures, a leather chair and a faux sheepskin rug. Using leftover laminate flooring, Mundt created the appearance of a hardwood floor. He applied contact paper to give his cubicle walls, desk and file cabinet the look of a cozy cabin. The space heater that looks like a wooden stove is purely decorative. On Sunday night, with Beckhams blessing, Mundt went into the office to remove the ceiling tiles above his cubicle and hang a large remote-activated chandelier. I wanted to keep it budget-friendly, so the desk and the walls were a stick-on wallpaper that looks like a wood finish, Mundt said. I took the cubicle all the way apart because I wanted it to look really good. I found the flooring on Facebook Marketplace, where somebody had posted they had a couple of boxes left over from a project they did at their house, and I got those for $20. I got the chair for $10 on Facebook Marketplace and I got the chandelier for $10. I also got the fake sheepskin rug and the animal mounted heads secondhand. Mundt said he got the idea for the lakeside cabin motif from his love of camping and hiking and being in the mountains. He noted the irony of the two fake mounted animal heads, as he has never gone hunting. I wanted to find something that I enjoyed and find a way to add my personal touch, Mundt said. If I think of a place thats peaceful and relaxing to me, a cabin in the mountains is what I would pick. I enjoy working here, but its still work. I wanted to bring some of that atmosphere to the office in a unique and funny way. The cubicle, though, wasnt the first example of Mundts creativity at the Simple Modern office. As a gift on Boss Day, he set up a button at his managers desk that would shut the door to his office. We were thinking around Christmas about what we could do for him, and he gets a lot of phone calls., Mundt said. We have a pretty open workspace here and he doesnt want to bother people, so he gets up often to close his door. I installed a self-closer on the door and wired up a maglock behind the door to keep the door open and then wired a release button underneath his desk. If he gets a call, he can just push a button and the door will close automatically. As a ministry student at Mid-America Christian University, Mundt built a 10-by-12-foot screened-in porch on a balcony he shared with a neighboring dorm room. I had forgotten about that story, but we wanted to something fun and different, so we did it overnight, Mundt said. We bought all of the materials and me and my roommate built everything and assembled it. Our resident director, who lived next door, went to sleep and it was normal, and he woke up the next morning with a fully functional screened-in porch. He was the one who brought it up when he saw the photos of the cubicle. Mundt, who didnt become a minister after graduating from college, instead went into IT security in the oil and gas industry. When he was in between jobs last summer, some friends hooked him up with a temporary warehouse role at Simple Modern as the company dealt with a manufacturing issue. A manufacturer had made an adjustment to the water bottles that basically rendered them inoperable and didnt tell our company that, Mundt said. This little rubber gasket was the wrong size, and you couldnt drink the water out of the bottle. They hired a crew of people for a couple of months, and we poked out this valve on 855,000 bottles and repackaged them and put them all back. Ive had some friends that worked here, and I had heard it was a great company to work for, but I came in here and I was working on the line with everybody else. Our chief manufacturing officer was the one running the show and every day there would be a few employees from the office working there as well. It was primarily high school and college students they had hired (for the temporary jobs), but the way the office employees connected with these students was impressive, and the CEO himself would come to the warehouse for a day and get on the line next to a 16-year-old and poke valves. It wasnt long before Mundt became the project manager for the job, which in turn led to his current position as a logistics analyst. They saw that I worked hard and put me in charge as the project manager to see it through, Mundt said. They said that I fit their culture and they wanted to offer me a position in logistics. After seeing what Beckham created, Beckham is planning to give each Modern Simple employee $200 or $300 to decorate their space. Mundt, who said that the ideas include a beach theme and a backyard barbecue theme, is anxious to see what his colleagues can do. Weve been doing a lot of brainstorming, but the message behind this is that a lot of people are going back to work for the first time after COVID, Mundt said. This company cares more about people than it does about its profits, and they let you be yourself and feel comfortable. People are excited to come back to the office and be able to do something like this. The whole thing (involving the cubicle) has been unexpected, but its been neat to have strangers talking to me about their ideas and how they can do this in their workspace. For various reasons, Mundt has changed apartments five times in the last year and a half. He admits that his cubicle is much more detail-oriented than his apartment. I think Im going to settle down for a while, which is good, said Mundt, who lives in Oklahoma City. Mundts cubicle has been shown on the Today Show and the Drew Barrymore Show and was the focus of a story for an Oklahoma City television station. It has also gotten Mundt recognition from outside the U.S. Ive gotten messages from Africa, New Zealand, Canada and a lot of other places, so its been pretty amazing, Mundt said. A website in Lithuania called Bored Panda reached out to me with a story about the top 30 times an employee has done some crazy things to their workspace, and my cubicle had the No. 1 spot. Mundt isnt sure what his next decorating project will be, but he added that his cubicle is a work in progress. Im going to do a couple of tweaks to it because I feel like people have gotten used to it and some upgrades are in the works, Mundt said. Its also fun for me to get creative with other people who want to do something similar. To plan a house, an estate or nation you must have a vision outlining what the nation is to achieve. For Nigeria it came as a national prayer: "Oh God of all Creation grant this our one request: Help us to build a nation where no man is oppressed. And so with peace and plenty Nigeria may be blessed" These words were expressed at independence and scored into the national anthem. It remains unchangable despite unsuccessful efforts to do so over the years. You cannot suspend a constitution, change the national Anthem and leave the flag and coat of arms which represents the same package geared to achieving the same national goal under the name Nigeria! To build "a nation where no man is oppressed". That was the simple goal of Nigeria at Independence. Why would anyone stand against that? Simple. Because such a nation would enthrone merit and some of us do not want that. So they suspended the constitution! Yes, they suspended the Constitution in 1966 (in writing) until the return of law and order! And for 66 years to date law and order is yet to return to Nigeria!! Okay if I'm wrong why not end the suspension!! Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has alleged that the root cause of insecurity in the country can be traced to highly placed individuals in the society. He also blamed the federal government for the high rate of insecurity in the country. The governor made this statement last Wednesday when he received the team from the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON) led by a representative of the Director-General, Mrs. Cecilia Gaya at the Government House in Makurdi. He said: The problem of insecurity in Nigeria today is man-made. The present federal government is responsible because I took proactive steps right from 2016 when I came in because I saw this coming. And today, I am warning Nigerians-those who are sitting in their comfort zones-I want them to understand this situation. Last week, one of my colleagues in the Northeast raised the alarm that ISWAP has taken over part of his state and they are gradually coming in. They are deadly and they can overrun this country based on what he saw. And I agree with him that if we don't take time, it will happen. Like I raised the alarm earlier about the challenges we have that if we don't take time, one day, what happened in Afghanistan, God forbid, will happen in Nigeria. And it will appear to me that this leadership wants to surrender Nigeria to the insurgents. Their action and inaction have proven to me that they are working with the insurgents. That's the truth! Ortom stressed that the insecurity was man-made, and if necessary steps to curb further spread are not taken, the country might likely be headed for 'an Afghan experience'. The governor, however, posited that the people of Benue State have resolved to trust in God and committed to ensuring that they do the right thing in line with the provisions of the Constitution of Nigeria as well as to fight for equity, fairness and justice. Similarly, the governor said he has already prepared his 'Will' due to the spate of insecurity in the country. Known to be outspoken about the insecurity in the country, the governor said he is confident that his family will not fight over his property if anything happens to him. Ortom said: I have written my Will. I'm not afraid of anybody. If I die now, my family will not be fighting because of what I have. I have stated what I want. And those people who are keeping quiet about what is happening in Nigeria, I want to tell them that they have children. Yes, because silence is consent. So, Nigerians must resist the evil that is happening. I have played my part and I promised myself not to be intimidated by anyone. I'm over 60 years. God has given me enough. God has been so gracious to me and I appreciate Him. So, nobody should think that he or she will cage Samuel Ortom in this life. But I believe that the God that I serve will surely protect me as He has been doing. (THISDAY) Aside from the painful fact that public offices in Nigeria erroneously view their positions as an opportunity for private gain/personal enrichment instead of an avenue for public good, there exist in my view, two other constraints that explain why Nigerias democratic experience remained nascent, socioeconomically stunted and devoid of democracy dividends after over two decades of unbroken practice. The first and very fundamental has to do with the fact that public office seekers/holders are usually laced with set vision/agendas which are at odds with the general inspirations and motivations of the citizens. And even when such visions are in consonance with that of the masses needs, there is colossal failure of recognition that the feasibility of a vision/agenda is not enough as visions do not make civilization nor achieve growth and progress unless the visionary in question transforms his vision into a reality within a reasonable period. The second centres on politicians' non-understanding that democracy works where politicians have the culture of accommodation and tolerance which makes a minority accept a majoritys right to have its way until the next, and wait patiently and peacefully for its turn to become the government by pursuing more voters to support. Yet, from the ashes of hopelessness and bye-gone years of national leadership failures, disappointment and hemorrhage came two capable and creative leaders that cannot be associated with any of the shortcomings/leadership ills mentioned above. These leaders are; Governor Ifeanyi Okowa and Barrister Kingsley Burutu Otuaro, Governor and Deputy Governor of Delta state respectively. Governor Okowas leadership vision, agenda, inspiration and motivations have always aligned with that of the larger Deltans. This fact needs not be over-flogged or subjected to further debate as such relentless efforts by the Mr. Governor particularly in the areas of Infrastructures (road) , a few years ago, earned him road master as a title. Likewise, evidence abounds that Otuaro judging from his actions and inactions, is not just a Deputy Governor as he is laced with attributes of a true follower and a loyal party man. His exemplary, inspiring and heroic support to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and to Governor Okowa bears eloquent testimony to this fact. His unalloyed loyalty to both instituted and constituted authorities in the state significantly ushered a rancor-free administration in the state. The obvious irony is that some of these silent but giant contributions of the Deputy remain hazy as they are not properly documented or well covered by the media. This piece considers as instructive the need to look at the Deputy Governors contribution in this dispensation as the government of and for the people is supposed to be generally opened to scrutiny by the people. Without much labor, there are in fact countless examples of realistic appreciation of how the Deputy Governor has demonstrated/approached the job of public leadership with wider range of strategic alternatives that prevented bureaucratic shortcomings from becoming a bottleneck to growth and development in the state Beginning with his knack for truth, simplicity, love of God and humanity , the Deputy Governor has in the past seven years of being in the saddle proved beyond reasonable doubt through his actions, that simplicity is always more appealing than complexity, and faith is always more comforting than doubt. Going by commentaries, there are people in both political parties(PDP and APC) that are presently worried that there is something deeply unique about the Deputy Governor-his relationship to reason, his love for peace, his unalloyed and blind obedience to his Boss/Principal and undying love for, and development of the coastal communities of the state. Take as an illustration, very recently, during the Delta State PDP Mega Rally held at the Cenotaph, Asaba, he said something remarkably striking and alien to the nations public leadership corridor. The present administration will not fail the people of the state, Delta State is a praying state, Gods state, and the government believes in the magnificence of God. We will not tell our people half-truth, we will tell you the whole truth because, from the onset of this government, God has been our guide and we will not take our eyes off Him. We believe in God, we believe that Delta State is for God, we believe that God enthroned kings and we believe that going forward, God will enthrone the best leader, As a government, we will not fail you, we are determined to ensure that we finish strong and enthrone a better and secured Delta for future generations, he concluded. Away from simplicity, truth and love for God, to the area of peace, the state Deputy Governor has reputedly become a peace advocate. He is known for preaching politics without rancor. Some years ago, Otuaro going by reports, was used to save the nation from serious economic debacles occasioned by the threat issued by the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA).He was at the forefront of the campaign that got the Avengers to see reasons as to why they should not engage in the wanton destruction of oil facilities or plunder the nations economy. In recognition of his effort in this direction, a recent report among others, observations noted that he (the Deputy Governor) is a humane administrator and amazingly simple-minded individual. The report further noted that nobody ever expected he would venture into the dicey and precarious nature of Nigerian politics. Barr. Kingsley Otuaro however, saw the need to boost the socio-economic prowess with political interest of the common man as well as bridge the lacuna of the rural-urban dichotomy of his people through the provisions of social infrastructure. Beyond the state level, the Barrister turned public office holder cum peace ambassador has succeeded in enshrining the needed inter-states security cooperation, especially among adjoining Niger Delta coastal states. To further illustrate his peace building and conflict management competence, Deacon Kingsley Burutu Otuaro , it was reported, demonstrated an unequalled sagacity on behalf of Delta State Government, spearheading the rescue of six students of Igbonla Model College, Epe, Lagos State, from kidnappers. That was a few years ago. To take another example of how Otuaros obedience and his friction free relationship with the Governor is building peace and promoting development in the state, this piece will cast a glance at the tremendous development recently recorded in the coastal areas of the state and Gbaramatu kingdom in particular where he(Otuaro) hails from. if a visit is made to the coastal areas of Delta state, and analysis/report of such visit placed side by side with documented accounts of deprivation, degradation and abandonment that formerly characterized the region, it will, however, reveal something fundamentally new and different about the crisis in the region; justify the belief that creative concepts of leaders can bring both disruptive and constructive aspect; and authenticate the conviction that a leaders action and inactions is laced with the capacity to shatter set patterns of thinking, threaten the status quo, or at the very least stir up peoples anxieties. The ongoing development of the region cannot in any way be attributed to speculation but a decision process built on right judgment and supported by rational inferences basically different from mathematical probability. It has also shown that strategic success cannot be reduced to a formula, nor can one become a strategic thinker by reading books, but through constant demonstration of competence, connection, character and unity between the Governor and his Deputy. Today, as a result of the present peace and unity that exists between the duo, the age-long excuse by previous administrations that the coastal region cannot be developed because the terrain is marshy-a feature that renders construction difficult if not impossible can no longer be sustained. As recently argued by a coastal dweller, Okowa/Otuaro being God sent, used their politics of peace and development to send such an excuse to the dustbin of history. Even though the roads are yet to be connected to major cities in the state, they noted that coastal areas are now blessed with an appreciable number of pedestrian roads-a feat that qualifies the Governor and his deputy as the first to give a sense of belonging to the people of the region. Certainly, the Governor Ifeanyi Okowa/Oturo administration has scored some good points in certain areas of life-particularly infrastructure. This feeling came to mind following a recent media report that the Delta State Government has approved an upward review of contract cost of Ayakoromo Bridge project from N6 billion to N10.5 billion, elicited two sets of reactions among deltans particularly those in the riverine communities of Burutu, Patani and Bomadi local government areas of the states. This decision by the state government to complete the bridge looks good both in practical and pragmatic terms. The transport sector has a huge role in connecting populations to where the work is. Also, Infrastructure investments help stem economic losses arising from problems such as power outages or traffic congestion. The World Bank estimates that in Sub-Saharan Africa, closing the infrastructure quantity and quality gap relative to the worlds best performers could raise GDP growth per head by 2.6% per year Again, like the Bomadi bridge which was executed by Chief James Onanefe Iboris administration, connecting three local government areas, (Burutu, Ughele and Patani), likewise, the Ayakoromo bridge going by commentaries, when completed, promises to promote the socioeconomic lives and wellbeing of Deltans living in over in four local governments of the state. Take as another illustration, Bobougbene community and its environs are reputed for the production of palm oil in commercial quantity and supply to Warri metropolis and Okwuagbe markets in Ugheli South. The bridge when completed will provide easy access to these markets. Even more, it will open up the majority of communities that are yet to have access to the uplands. This massive infrastructural development in the state, I insist, is one of the fruits of effective, peaceful and productive collaboration between Governor Okowa and his Deputy. Utomi, is the Programme Coordinator (Media and Public Policy), Social and Economic Justice Advocacy (SEJA), A Lagos-Based Non Governmental Organization (NGO). He could be reached via [email protected]/08032725374 . . The Inspector General of police has nominated CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi as the new Public Relations Officer of the Force. This development became necessary after the former PRO, CP Frank Mba, was nominated by the Inspector General of Police to attend Senior Executive Course at the National Institute For Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Kuru, Jos. Adejobi who resumed work with immediate effect, is an alumnus of the Prestigious University of Ibadan where he majored in Archeology and Geography (Combined Honours). In a statement on Saturday by the Administration Officer attached to the Force Public Relations Department, SP Banjamin Hundeyin: He also holds a Masters Degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the same University. He was the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the Ogun State Command from 2008 2016; PPRO Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, in 2016 and PPRO Lagos State Police Command between September 2020 and August 2021. CSP Olumuyiwa is an experienced communicator and image manager who has achieved great strides in his previous appointments. He is a member of several professional bodies and associations which include: Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR); International Public Relations Association (IPRA); Pointman Leadership Institute, USA; International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP), USA; and the Institute of Corporate Administration, Nigeria. CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi can be reached on cell phone number 08037168147 while he seeks support from all and sundary as he discharges his duties. Leading the way The Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon has become the first hotel to complete and roll out the joint initiative Living Waters Phuket and the Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) Life Bag Project. COVID-19economicscharity By Press Release Saturday 12 February 2022, 10:00AM The hotel on Wednesday (Feb 9) handed out 200 Life Bags directly to the Sakhu community, which is their local community in the area around the Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon. Each Life Bag is packed with staple dried and canned foods and household products which feed a family of 4 people, for up to 4 days and costs just 140 baht each bag. If there is one thing this pandemic has taught us, it is that we need more compassion, empathy and community spirit on this planet which needs to start at a local level and build from there. The fantastic job Shaun and his team are doing should be an inspiration to us all and the 200 Life bags to the Sakhu area is the least we could do to support, said Bret Wilson, GM of the Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon. Why Life Bags? With the current economic situation, we are seeing rising COVID-19 cases across Phuket and the surrounding islands, thousands are in community quarantine, many for extended periods of time and there is little to no help being offered. The situation in our villages is at a critical point, and these Life Bags provide staple food and household items to those in need. What is the PHA Life Bag Initiative? Living Waters Phuket are all too familiar with the fact that the local communities need immediate attention, and currently there is an all-time high demand for short-term emergency food relief. As a result of this, they engaged with the Phuket Hotels Association to create a campaign where hotels in and around Phuket could donate 100+ Life Bags to their local community. This campaign is a short-term CSR initiative targeted at hotels aiding their own local districts, who are in need of assistance. The Pullman Phuket Arcadia Naithon was quick to understand the local community need and join the cause to help out. As GM Bret Wilson commented further on his support for this initiative: This Life Bag project ties in with our 9th year Hotel anniversary, and instead of using funds to celebrate with our guests we decided to spend it where it is truly needed, and give back to the community we live in. Seeing the smiles and relief on the local peoples faces makes it worthwhile, and we will continue to support these types of initiatives the best we can in Phuket during 2022 and beyond. Living Waters Phuket Shaun Stenning commented on the initiative, Its great to see businesses, foundations and private individuals all combining together to recognise the needs of the local community during this difficult rebuilding time. These sorts of joint effort business, government and Foundation projects should be the cornerstone of how we rebuild Phuket sustainably. More To Come Living Waters Phuket are continuing to work with the Phuket Hotels Association to roll this project out across Phuket and the surrounding islands. They are currently liaising with the local OrBorTor and Village Chiefs to identify critical needs for each hotels area. Further Information on Living Waters Phuket: Shaun Stenning +66 (0)93 720 6221 Website www.livingwatersphuket.com Facebook Living Waters Phuket Instagram Living Waters Phuket Twitter Living Waters_TH PR Dept denounces involvement in loan shark lure PHUKET: The Phuket office of the Public Relations Department (PR Phuket) confirmed the existence of a fake PR Department (PRD) page on Facebook used by scammers to lure people into taking loans. The real PR Phuket office assured it has nothing to do with the page and warned people not to trust the ad, luring people to take out informal loans. crime By The Phuket News Saturday 12 February 2022, 09:30AM Dont trust scammers offering loans, PR Phuket warns. Photo: PR Phuket Found a gang of scammers. They disguise themselves as a Public Relations Department page but the truth is they are posting fake news to lure people into getting loans. Please dont be fooled by those people!!!" PR Phuket said in a warning posted on its official page yesterday (Feb 11). PR Phuket stressed that the fake page imitates the real one in many aspects and already has over 4,600 followers. "The scammers use the PRD logo as the page profile pictures and same cover photo as well as detailed information that is identical to the one of the real page," PR Phuket said. "The administrators of the fake page also post links, news and infographics of the PRD alternating them with fake news posts about loans to build credibility," the agency added. "The scammers attach links and invite people to borrow money. And it was found that a large number of people expressed interest in those loans judging by the comments under such posts," PR Phuket said, stressing that the page in question has nothing to do with the agency. PR Phuket urged people not to trust the scammers and never click on the links on the fake page. Yet PR did not reveal the actual URL of the fake page (the real one is available here.) "This scam can lead to you losing your property," PR Phuket warned. If anyone finds any clues about fake news, the information can be reported to the relevant officials via m.me/realnewsthailand. Serious, fun to be found in Marry Me There was a time when gifted filmmakers treated the romance genre the same way they treated every other film they approached. They wanted the film to be original and showcase their skills. The result was classic romance films such as Pretty Woman and When Harry Met Sally. Yes, they were still kind of sappy but they had something different about them that made them an enjoyable watch for both women and men alike. World-Entertainment By David Griffiths Saturday 12 February 2022, 01:00PM Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson in Marry Me (2022). Image: IMDB Somewhere along the line though it felt like there was a major change in the romantic genre. The films became generic and predictable and it also felt that filmmakers and studios had forgotten that both sexes enjoy these films. That seems to have all changed with director Kat Coiros (A Case of You) new film, Marry Me, which ends up being a much needed breath of fresh air in the genre. The film explores what happens when single Dad, maths teacher Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson Marley & Me) is dragged along to a pop concert by his daughter, Lou (Chloe Coleman My Spy), and over-zealous colleague, Parker (Sarah Silverman Wreck-It Ralph). The concert is supposed to be the wedding of the year as worldwide popstar Kat Valdez (Jennifer Lopez Hustlers) will celebrate the release of her new single titled Marry Me by tying the knot with her beau singing sensation Bastian (Maluma Encanto). The wedding is destroyed mid-concert though when footage of Bastian cheating on Kat comes to light. During a moment that her minders call a breakdown Kat decides to do something out of the blue and plucks the man she sees holding a MARRY ME sign in the audience onto the stage and marries him that man just happens to be Charlie. While the world is expecting the marriage to be annulled the very next day Kats manager, Collin (John Bradley Moonfall), sees their maybe PR potential in the marriage so urges the couple to stay together for a few months. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Marry Me is the deep topics that the film explores. From what it is like being a single father in 2021 through to the pressure that a superstar feels to have the perfect personal life is all explored in detail through the sensational screenplay delivered by a gifted team of writers and based on the graphic novel by Bobby Crosby. The film doesnt just brush over these topics, instead it focuses on them and makes them a key point as Kat and Charlie try to get to know each other. Even more important is the fact that the film is often told by Charlies point of view which gives the screenplay the opportunity to explore the emotional storyline that Charlie feels that he just isnt good enough for a woman of the calibre of Kat. This is not a theme normally explored in cinema, outside of teenage dramas, and the result is a film that will not only be enjoyed by men but may also be very important for single fathers everywhere. The film doesnt forget about its female audience though as it also sees Kat wondering whether at this time in her life she should just settle for a guy even if is a sleazy cheat while also showing the pressures that women must endure when it comes to work and a personal life and what is expected of them by society. There is something kind of special about this film as it features a storyline that is easily going to captivate the audience watching it while delving into some deep topics and themes that nobody will see coming. Making the film even more special are the performances of its main actors. Owen Wilson is perfect as Charlie and casting him opposite Jennifer Lopez turns out to be a stroke of pure genius. Lopez rises to the occasion as well and while a cynic may say she is playing herself as a performer she takes her performance to the next level and brings Kat to life in an almost fairytale way. Then there is Chloe Coleman. We have said with her past two films that she is going to become one of Hollywoods biggest stars and Marry Me just further cements that prediction. Marry Me is one of the biggest surprises of 2021. On the surface it appears to be a fluffy romance but dig down a little and you discover a film that has some very important things to say about what it is like to be a man or woman in the dating game today. Write this movie off at your peril because this is something special and once again reminds us all that romantic films can be works of art as well. Marry Me is currently screening in Phuket and is rated G. 3.5/5 Stars David Griffiths has been working as a film and music reviewer for over 20 years. That time has seen him work in radio, television and in print. You can follow him at www.facebook.com/subcultureentertainmentaus Star Petroleum criticised over second oil slick BANGKOK: The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment has criticised Star Petroleum Refining Public Company Limited (SPRC) for ignoring a command to halt work and causing a second leakage of crude oil in Rayong province within two weeks of the first spill on Jan 25. accidentspollutionwildlifemarineenvironment By Bangkok Post Saturday 12 February 2022, 10:48AM A screen caption from a navy plan shows the area of an oil spill off the Rayong coast on Thursday. Photo: Royal Thai Navy The ministry urged the police yesterday (Feb 11) to launch an investigation into the company over its pipeline operations, as it had been told to cease operations in the wake of last months incident, reports the Bangkok Post. Earlier on Thursday, SPRC revealed that at least another 5,000 litres of crude oil had leaked from the same underwater pipeline off the coast of Rayong. Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa said the company failed to give clear or adequate answers to key questions when grilled on the matter by a panel, including the exact size of the oil spill and why the company broke an order to suspend the pipelines operation. We have no authority to investigate the case so we would like the police to help us clarify the facts. We are wondering why the company restarted the pipeline operation despite the authoritys order to suspend it, Mr Varawut said. I should not say this mistake was caused by the companys ignorance and carelessness. But if it wants to do business in Thailand, it must follow the regulations. The Department of Pollution Control is now considering the companys request to use an additional 5,000 litres of dispersant chemicals to clean up the spill, according to department chief Attaporn Charoenchansa. Over 83,000 litres of such chemicals have already been used to control the first spill. The department said it found high levels of heavy metal and hydrocarbon in the affected seas, exceeding the safety standard. Phuriphat Thirakunphisut, deputy director-general of the Marine Department, said the firm has been told to commence tier-1 emergency operations, set up oil booms and provide boats to support the department. The oil sludge has been contained but surveillance will be beefed up for closer monitoring, Mr Phuriphat added. The Rayong branch of the Marine Office has been instructed to engage a third party, such as the Council of Engineers Thailand, to inspect for the area for safety. The damage will then be restored, and an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study conducted. Thailands digital health pass now accepted in EU BANGKOK: The testing, recovery and vaccination status of each person on Thailands Mor Prom system is now recognized and accepted as part of the EU Digital COVID Certificate (EU DCC) platform. Travelers from Thailand can use the QR code provided on their Mor Prom account to have their status verified in some 60 participating countries. CoronavirusCOVID-19tourism By National News Bureau of Thailand Saturday 12 February 2022, 02:50PM Thai testing, recovery and vaccination records are now recognizable by Europe. Photo: NNT The ministries of public health, foreign affairs, and digital economy and society all announced the new EU DCC feature of the Mor Prom application. This feature makes testing, recovery and vaccination records in Thailand recognisable and verifiable in participating countries,reports state news agency NNT. Meanwhile, the EU DCC QR codes generated in European countries and other participating countries will be accepted in Thailand. The information displayed on the Thailand Digital Health Pass page consists of identifiable personal information, such as the account owners full name, national ID number, age, nationality and passport number. Test results from RT-PCR or approved antigen tests will be valid for 7 days, while the recovery status will be valid for 180 days, as well as vaccination status following the final dose. Each of these QR codes will contain a unique certificate identifier to prevent copies and alterations. The EU DCC was first introduced as a common digital certificate platform for members of the European Union. The system is currently used among some 60 participating countries. Thailand is the second country in the ASEAN region to adopt this common standard for digital certification. Travelers are, however, encouraged to check with their destination countries prior to travel. Southern Pines, NC (28387) Today Partly cloudy early. Scattered thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. High 88F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Considerable clouds early. Some decrease in clouds late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Today Partly cloudy in the morning. Increasing clouds with periods of showers later in the day. High 59F. S winds shifting to NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tonight Considerable cloudiness with occasional rain showers. Low 44F. Winds NW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. Tomorrow Showers in the morning, then cloudy in the afternoon. High 59F. Winds NW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 50%. A GoFundMe page was set up by Eva Fanous Flores to help support the victims family during this tragic period. Lucas was a pure hearted son, brother, friend and teammate, Flores wrote. Lucas Gaudet, a sixteen year old Pierrefonds hockey player and John Rennie High School student, had suffered violent and fatal injuries resulting from an altercation and later passed away on February 10th, 2022. This fundraiser was made to help his family with the hospital and funeral expenses. ALTON For the eighth consecutive year, Target is celebrating Black History Month with an extraordinary display of support with an array of Black-owned product assortments and empowering visuals. The Alton Target store is no exception to the nationwide retailers marketing, in-store merchandising and media campaign. The Black History Month product collection features Black designers and creatives who worked in partnership with Targets in-house design and merchandising teams to develop designs in line with this years theme of Creating Our Own Future, which is intended to celebrate the makers of today and tomorrow, illuminating Black joy as the foundation of Targets work and the collection, explained Target Communications Gena Gatewood, Diversity and Inclusion. When Alton resident Sheila Goins walked into the Alton Target this month, she extolled the stores support and passion. I would like to give a hardy shout out to Targets corporate office!, Goins, who is the wife of Alton first Black Mayor David Goins, posted on her Facebook profile. Target is officially my favorite department store, seriously, she said. Target is the only department store with a big, bold, out front youll see it as soon as you walk in the front door Black History section. The online selection is amazing, too. JCPenney gave it a try, but is no comparison to Target. You will not find a thing at Walmart. Gatewood explained that the bold front-and-center presentation is an in-store experience intended to provide joy, elicit a sense of pride and show support for the Black community. We also want to honor a culture of ingenuity and the future of Black creators living unapologetically and authentically true to themselves, Gatewood said. The in-store marketing spotlights the voices and stories of the founders and creators, and showcases inspirational photography of people wearing the apparel from the collection, created for them and by them. Also Target is expanding partnerships nationwide with Black-owned businesses and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to co-create exclusive products and designs in its annual cross-category collection that celebrate Black culture and joy, she said. This years product collection features new categories, including athleisure, as well as products created and designed by Black team members, artists, designers and entrepreneurs, such as headwraps and home decor that address the needs and interests of Black guests at Target. Highlights from the collection include designs from Targets three winning HBCU Design Challenge artists; tees for the family made with cotton sourced from Bridgeforth Farms, a fifth-generation Black family farm; and select stationery and home items developed in partnership with Targets current Black-owned business partners, such as Be Rooted, from founder Jasmin Foster, a former Target team member. Notably, in February 2021, Target teamed up with HBCUs for Targets inaugural HBCU Design Challenge, to invite HBCU students to submit designs for inclusion in this years collection. Three winning designs were selected, and in addition to having their designs featured as part of last years collection, the winners also had the opportunity to partner with the Target team to learn about all aspects of production from textile selection to placing the new products in stores. For the second consecutive year, the 2022 collection also will feature designs from three HBCU students: Trey Baker, Hampton University; KahMilah Ledgester, Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University - College of Law; and, Sharone Townsend, Bowie State University. The Black History Month presentation strategy and execution was developed completely in-house at Target, from its merchandising and design teams to its internal creative agency, Target Creative. Target Creative developed the BHM signing package and store team members maintain it, Gatewood said. Working with an enterprise cross-functional team, the placement at front-of-store was prioritized to create an immersive experience for intentional storytelling. Understanding that storytelling moments resonate with our guests, the in-store marketing strategy is intended to deepen emotional connection with our Black guests and inspire discovery of the BHM collection. Go behind the scenes at Target with target.com/abullseyeview and Twitter @targetnews. Your morning rundown of the latest news from overnight and the stories to follow throughout the day. Sign Up View all of our newsletters. ALTON Aaron Del Mar, a Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, visited Madison County Friday to discuss his campaign. Del Mar is running with Republican gubernatorial candidate Gary Rabine, a McHenry County businessman from Bull Valley. The crowded field includes seven other Republican candidates seeking the GOP gubernatorial nomination. Del Mar believes he and Rabine are the only ones who can beat Pritzker. "Gary is a very successful businessman," Del Mar said. "If you compare and contrast true credentials not about personalities, not about being nice I think the clear pick is Gary Rabine." For Del Mar, this is not his first time in politics. In 2009, he was elected as the youngest and first minority councilman for Palatine. He is a the Palatine Township Highway Commissioner and a trustee for the Palatine Township Rural Fire Protection District. In 2018, he was appointed to a three-year term on the Illinois International Port Authority. Del Mar said he believes every person who wants access to the COVID-19 vaccine should have it for free. He said Pritzker has "failed Illinois" on the way he's handled the COVID-19 pandemic. "In the beginning he was telling us we could only go to Walmart and we can't go to local businesses," Del Mar said. "He stood with big business instead of standing with local mom-and-pop stores." He noted that this week Priztker announced the state will lift its mask mandate, with some exceptions such as schools and daycares, on Feb. 28. "What is so magical about Feb. 28?" Del Mar asked. "Did COVID magically go away? "I think its an arbitrary number," he said. "Pritzker does not trust the normal citizens of Illinois to make their own health decisions and the best decisions for their children." If elected, Del Mar said one of his first tasks will be creating a public safety and crime prevention task force. "He (Pritzker) has failed to protect us," Del Mar said. "On Day 1, we are going to work with county sheriffs, work with police forces, and we are going to back our blue." Del Mar Rabine's campaign message across the board will stress integrity. And he acknowledged that Rabine is not a "seasoned politician." "He's (Rabine) not polished," Del Mar said. "But he is authentic, and he's a good man. And he's doing it for the right reasons." One of the few positive developments of 2020 was surprisingly overlooked. The United States was a net petroleum exporter for the first time since the Truman administration that year. In other words America achieved its long-coveted goal of energy independence, an objective pursued by every president dating back to Richard Nixon. Not only was the energy security benchmark barely noticed, it may be slipping away before it becomes painfully apparent how important it is. A little more than a year later, the United States is trending toward becoming a net petroleum importer again, as our crude oil imports from Russia and other foreign adversaries are soaring and domestic production is struggling to keep pace with record demand. Anyone who doubts just how ominous this trend is need only look to the geopolitical nightmare developing in Europe. Due at least partly to Russia-backed anti-fracking campaigns, most European governments have banned hydraulic fracturing, a technology used to complete 95 percent of the new wells drilled in the United States. Fracking has made energy dependence possible here, but its rejection across the pond has kept Europe from developing hydrocarbon resources many feel are comparable to the United States, making the continent hopelessly reliant on Russia for its energy needs in the process. Russia provides about one-third of the oil and natural gas Europe consumes. It is because of Moscows stranglehold on European energy supply (and the inadequacy of wind energy to fill the void) that natural gas prices are currently six times higher in Europe than they are here. Germany, Europes largest economy, is particularly at the mercy of Vladimir Putin for its energy needs, as nearly two-thirds of its natural gas and one-third of its petroleum comes from Russia. Retired General and former U.S. National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster summed up the situation in a recent NPR interview, saying, The fact that they are dependent on Russian gas has given Vladimir Putin tremendous coercive power over Europes economies. Unfortunately, policies are being implemented to push the United States in the same energy-dependent quagmire Europe finds itself in and not just in the traditional energy space. All forms of energy ultimately come from the ground, which is why the Keep It In the Ground movements quest to inhibit the domestic mineral mining needed for renewable energy presents a threat to our energy security as well. The latest example is the cancelation of mineral leases for the Twin Metals mining project in Minnesota. Already dependent on China for critical minerals needed for electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines, the green campaign to nix the project shows how Keep It In the Ground is really an anti-U.S. energy movement. History shows us with crystal clarity how important having plentiful domestic energy resources is. Historians widely agree that it was largely because Germany and Japan were both severely lacking in domestic petroleum resources that the energy-rich Allied Forces emerged victorious in World War II. America produced half of the worlds oil during this time and six out of seven barrels of petroleum consumed by the Allied Forces during WWII was produced in the United States. London, KY (40741) Today Cloudy early with partial sunshine expected late. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 84F. Winds SSW at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Variably cloudy with scattered thunderstorms. Low 58F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 50%. MADDY BARRETTE, Chariho, Softball, Sophomore; Barrette hit a two-run single in the seventh inning, lifting Chariho past Cumberland. For the week, Barrette was 4 for 8 with three RBIs and a double in three games. MADDIE STEPSKI, Stonington, Softball, Senior; Stepski hit two home runs in back-to-back games for the Bears. In three games during the week, she was 10 for 13 with four homers, two doubles and 12 RBIs. Stepski is hitting .750 for the season with 22 RBIs and six home runs. MICHAEL POOLE, Westerly, Baseball, Freshman; Poole struck out 14 Rogers batters to earn his second win of the season. Poole pitched a four-hitter and allowed just one earned run. For the season, Poole has 19 strikeouts in 12 innings with a 1.14 ERA. SEAN BERGEL, Wheeler, Baseball, Sophomore; Bergel pitched a complete-game two-hitter in a 1-0 win against Putnam. Bergel struck out seven and did not walk a batter. He is 2-1 with a 1.68 ERA this season. Vote View Results By Trend Georgias re-export of cars to Azerbaijan in 2021 amounted to $248.3 million, which is an increase of 9.7 percent, compared to $226.3 million over 2020, Trend reports via National Statistics Office (Geostat). The volume of the re-exported cars from Georgia to Azerbaijan over the reporting period of 2021 also increased by 66.7 percent from 23,348 to 38,942. According to Geostat, Azerbaijan imported $20.1 million worth of cars from Georgia in December 2021, which is a decrease of 9 percent, compared to $22.1 million over the same month of 2020. The amount of re-exported cars to Azerbaijan from Georgia in December 2021 also decreased by 4.7 percent, compared to $21.1 million in November 2021. Thus, Azerbaijan ranks first among the main importers of re-exported cars from Georgia over 2021, followed by Ukraine ($88 million) and Kazakhstan ($23.4 million). Meanwhile, Georgias re-export of cars in 2021 amounted to $456.5 million, which is an increase of 12.9 percent, compared to $404.1 million over 2020. Statement on the current political and security situation in Ukraine Statement The Department of Foreign Affairs is in ongoing contact at senior level with EU partners, as well as the UK and the US, regarding the political and security situation in Ukraine. Our Embassy in Kyiv is in constant coordination with partners on the ground in respect of consular and security contingency planning and that coordination will continue through the weekend. We are aware of the decision today by the US and UK to change their travel advice to their citizens currently in Ukraine and to advise them to leave. Ireland, along with other EU MS, continues to advise against all non-essential travel to Ukraine and is asking all citizens in Ukraine to ensure that they are registered with our Embassy in Kyiv. Travel advice will be kept under constant review, in consultation with EU partners. A small number of Embassies in Kyiv, including the UK, US, Canada, have drawn down non-essential personnel and family members of diplomatic staff only. Essential diplomatic and consular staff remain. There are no plans to withdraw staff from the Embassy of Ireland in Kyiv at this time. The Department is in ongoing direct contact with Irish families scheduled to travel to Ukraine for surrogacy purposes and will continue to provide advice and assistance. We continue to call on Russia to de-escalate, abide by international law and engage constructively in dialogue. Recent high-level discussions are welcome. These now need to translate into immediate, tangible actions and a commitment to dialogue. ENDS Press Office 11 February 2022 Previous Item | Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. Ms J.F. writes: I live in a small block of flats which has a communal boiler. We have one communal gas meter, and bills are paid by the block's managing agents and then billed to leaseholders through service charges. However, I have been receiving emails, letters and calls from Eon, asking for my meter reading, and now I have received a demand for 3,658 dating back to 2013 when the flats were built. Error: Eon does not even supply gas to Ms F's block but still billed her Tony Hetherington replies: This is one of the oddest utility customer problems I have ever had to investigate. Not only do you pay your gas bills as part of your service charges, but Eon is not even the gas supplier to your block of flats. You have not been able to make callers from Eon understand that you have no gas meter, and the meter number that Eon gave you is not the number shown on the communal meter that covers the block. When I asked Eon to explain, I was told: 'We set up the gas account based on information provided to us by the building company, and this led to us incorrectly issuing bills to Ms F.' So far, so good. But why would Countryside Properties, the developer that built the flats, wait all these years and then suddenly tell Eon to send bills to you? There are 17 other leaseholders in the block, so why hand over your details and nobody else's? At first, Countryside denied to you and me that it had told Eon to bill you. It insisted: 'Countryside do not provide customer details to third parties.' And it hinted that Eon could have got your name from Land Registry records or the local electoral register. So, back to Eon, where further questioning revealed that Eon was actually given your name by a completely different company called AJR Management Limited, which was acting on behalf of Countryside. And Countryside told me that AJR's job was to deal with 'legacy utility issues' involving a large number of developments. AJR boss Andrew Read explained that his company had been hired in 2018 to sort out any problems arising from when Countryside handed over completed properties to buyers. AJR found that Eon had incorrectly opened an account in 2013 and incorrectly attached that account to your address, and it was holding Countryside responsible. AJR gave your name as the person who occupied the flat. The account was blocked, but AJR says: 'Unfortunately, someone from Eon removed the block on this account in error, causing an invoice to be issued for eight years of estimated usage.' I know you have been concerned that your details were handed over in an apparent breach of data protection rules. However, property developers are allowed to give utility companies the names of property buyers so bills can be issued to the right person. What went wrong in this case was a series of errors that were not your fault in any way. You tried hard for months to sort this out yourself before contacting me, but nobody took real responsibility. In a final statement, Countryside told me: 'Following a misunderstanding by Eon, Ms F was sent bills in error.' It is just a shame that it has taken months for all those concerned to identify this 'misunderstanding' which should have been clear from the start. Eon's demands have now been scrapped. How NatWest met its match with Black Watch Honour: Bank offered goodwill gesture of 250 P.D. writes: I am Secretary of the Newcastle upon Tyne branch of the Black Watch Association. Our long-serving treasurer sadly passed away in 2020 and the only other signatory on our NatWest account was also deceased. In July 2020, we elected a new treasurer and notified the bank. NatWest provided various documents, which we submitted, but later when our treasurer enquired he was told the forms were not completed correctly and further forms were needed. Tony Hetherington replies: The Black Watch now absorbed into the Royal Regiment of Scotland has a long and distinguished history in battle, but your association came close to defeat at the hands of NatWest. Frequent visits to the bank were always met with a fresh problem or requests for further documentation including passports. NatWest would accept deposits from you but banned withdrawals, and you have been in banking limbo for 18 months. I asked officials at the bank's head office to step in. They stuck to their guns over the forms they said were incomplete, but they also cleared up every single outstanding issue simply by speaking to your treasurer. Your account is now fully operational, and NatWest added that 'the consistency of our communication could have been better, and to apologise for this aspect of the experience, we have credited the account of the Black Watch Association with 250 as a gesture of goodwill'. Honour preserved all round. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. NatWest has become the first bank this year to push through a new round of branch closures. Although the bank made no official announcement of the 32 branches that it will axe across its NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland brands later this year, it confirmed its decision after it was leaked to The Mail on Sunday. 'We can confirm we've made the difficult decision to close 32 branches,' it said. 'These are under the NatWest and Royal Bank of Scotland brands in England and Wales.' It added that the closures were a result of 'most of our customers shifting to mobile and online banking because it's faster and easier for people to manage their financial lives'. A sign of the times: NatWest made no official announcement of the 32 branches that it will axe The closures are the first to attract independent scrutiny from cash machine network provider Link under a new scheme agreed with the banks by the Access to Cash Action Group. The scheme is designed to protect communities which are losing their last high street bank branch. The group, chaired by 'cash champion' Natalie Ceeney, has persuaded the banks to sign up to a voluntary arrangement whereby Link is allowed to assess the impact on access to cash in any community where a closure will leave it bankless. If Link believes the closure will compromise the community's access to cash, it can order the banks to collectively finance the installation of a free-to-use cash machine, improve the facilities at the local Post Office, or fund a new style banking hub. Such hubs, successfully trialled last year, are operated by an independent company such as the Post Office. But customers of all the major banks can use them and speak to a representative from their own bank on a specific day of the week. The Access to Cash Action Group is hoping between 20 and 25 banking hubs will be up and running by the end of the year. Details of NatWest's 32 closures were sent to Link ahead of last week. Only one branch closure is being scrutinised the NatWest branch in Headingley, Leeds. Link told The Mail on Sunday: 'We have already started a review to assess the quality of alternative access to cash services.' Headingley does have a local post office. Currently, Link can only assess the need for access to cash in communities left bankless by a branch closure announced since the start of this year. But the Access to Cash Action Group is hopeful that from July, communities that have already lost their last bank will be able to demand that Link do an independent assessment. Experts believe 800 bank branches will shut this year. Sources say Lloyds will be the next to carry out a cull although the bank will not confirm this. Cumberland, MD (21502) Today Mostly cloudy skies. Slight chance of a rain shower. High around 75F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A steady rain early. Showers with perhaps a rumble of thunder developing late. Low 59F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%. On my way to the airport at four oclock in the morning, I was considering my choice of flight departure time. I did this to myself last weekend when I flew to Dallas. I scheduled myself on super early flights. I was getting up at three oclock in the morning. For me, thats a bedtime, not a remaining of SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM! 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. Thomasville, GA (31792) Today Partly cloudy in the morning followed by scattered thunderstorms in the afternoon. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 64F. Winds light and variable. Princeton, KY (42445) Today Scattered thunderstorms in the morning becoming more widespread in the afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High 76F. Winds SW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 51F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Kingsport, TN (37660) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Isolated thunderstorms in the evening, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 63F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60%. U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will speak on Saturday as Western nations warned a war in Ukraine could ignite at any moment. Putin requested the telephone call between the leaders to take place on Monday, a White House official said, but Biden wanted to conduct it sooner as Washington detailed increasingly vivid accounts of a possible attack on Ukraine. Australia and New Zealand on Saturday joined the countries urging their citizens to leave Ukraine, after Washington said a Russian invasion, including a possible air assault, could occur anytime. Moscow has repeatedly disputed Washingtons version of events, saying it has massed more than 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border to maintain its own security against aggression by NATO allies. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed hope that Putin would choose diplomacy but said Washington would impose swift economic sanctions if Moscow invades. I continue to hope that he will not choose the path of renewed aggression and hell chose the path of diplomacy and dialogue, Blinken told reporters after a meeting with Pacific leaders in Fiji. But if he doesnt, were prepared. Putin, jostling for influence in post-Cold War Europe, is seeking security guarantees from Biden to block Kyivs entry into NATO and missile deployments near Russias borders. Washington regards many of the proposals as non-starters but has pushed the Kremlin to discuss them jointly with Washington and its European allies. Still, Biden, who will join the weekend call from the mountainside presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland, has long believed that one-on-one engagement with Putin may be the best chance at a resolution. Two calls in December between Biden and Putin produced no breakthroughs but set the stage for diplomacy between their aides. The two leaders have not spoken since, and diplomats from both sides have struggled to find common ground. Four-way talks in Berlin between Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France on Thursday made no progress. Putin also plans to speak with French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, according to Russias TASS news agency. GATHERING FORCES U.S. intelligence believes a rapid assault on Kyiv is possible and that Putin could order an invasion before the Winter Olympics end on Feb. 20, Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters on Friday, adding it remains unclear whether such a command has been given. He said they had gathered sufficient troops near the border to invade the country and that they may initiate an aerial bombing. On Twitter, Russias Deputy U.N. Ambassador Dmitry Polyanskiy accused Washington of fanning hysteria and mounting a panic campaign. Ukrainian officials have tried to tamp down Washingtons assessment an invasion could be imminent. Nonetheless, Washington planned to send 3,000 extra troops to Poland, Ukraines western neighbor, in coming days to try and help reassure NATO allies, four U.S. officials told Reuters. They are in addition to 8,500 already on alert for deployment to Europe if needed. Meanwhile, Russian forces gathered north, south and east of Ukraine as six Russian warships reached the Black Sea and more Russian military equipment arrived in Belarus. Commercial satellite images from a U.S. firm showed new Russian military deployments at several sites near the border. Ahead of the talks with Putin, Biden spoke about the crisis with the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Poland and Romania, as well as the heads of NATO and the EU. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also spoke with Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba. Our support for Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity is unwavering, Blinken said after the call on Friday. Washington also expressed concern that Russia and China were cooperating at the highest level, with a senior administration official saying on Saturday the two were working to undermine us. A partnership agreement between Moscow and Beijing shows they are in fundamental alignment that is growing closer, and a meeting between Putin and Chinas President Xi Jinping shows Beijing sees Moscows moves regarding Ukraine as legitimate, the official told reporters accompanying Blinken on a flight from Australia to Fiji. SOURCE: REUTERS KINDERHOOK A precocious political science major, a Marine reservist, a popular Instagram meme account and a man who displayed a gun as Black Lives Matter protesters marched past his house recently announced their campaigns for village mayor. The three humans have filed petitions with the town clerk to run in the March 15 election, while The Kinderhooker, an anonymous Instagram account that posts memes poking fun at aspects of the village and its government, announced a write-in candidacy on Instagram after conducting a poll about whether they should actually run. When messaged for an interview by the Times Union, the Kinderhooker said over the social media app that they would be dropping out to avoid splitting the vote, which they said might inadvertently lead to the election of candidate Barry Knights. They "entered the race in all seriousness," thinking the only other candidate would be Marine reservist and current Trustee Mike Abrams. "However, Barry (Knights) is famously known for pulling a gun on a peaceful protest ... When he entered the race I realized I needed to step aside so that my votes would go to a candidate that is not him," the anonymous writer said in a statement. (State election law makes it unlikely that a victorious write-in campaign for an anonymous person would have resulted in that person taking office regardless.) The incident the meme account referred to occurred at a July 2020 Black Lives Matter march though the village that included Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson. State Police confronted a a man and a woman after protesters reported two Kinderhook subjects initiated a verbal argument while armed with a handgun," according to a statement from State Police at the time. Knights has not been previously identified as the man in the incident, but in an interview Friday with the Times Union, Knights readily admitted he was the man involved but said he was only "sticking up for law enforcement." Knights said he was out on his porch, watching the march, when he saw two marchers spit at a state trooper and a female marcher start yelling at the trooper through a bullhorn. Knights said he knew the trooper personally and called out to the marchers, saying, "Why don't you walk in their boots and try to do their job?" He said four marchers then walked a few feet onto his driveway, calling him "racist names." Knights said he told them to get off his property. "That's when I said (to his wife): 'Look, just get my piece and put it out here,'" Knights said. His wife placed the gun on the porch, but Knights said he never waved or pointed the gun at marchers, and the incident "had nothing to do with race." "I didn't know what they were going to do," he said, explaining his decision. Johnson said in a Facebook Live video filmed after the 2020 incident that the couple came out of their home yelling obscenities at the marchers. The man then told his wife to get his gun, and after going inside, she re-emerged with a gun in her hand, waving it at the crowd before handing it to her husband, Johnson alleged. Police officers were escorting the marchers. Johnson said the woman took the gun back inside, followed by an officer. The officer came out about 40 minutes later, Johnson said, carrying the gun. The couple was never charged with a crime, with the State Police stating six days later the gun was legally possessed and "the incident, which was captured on video obtained by police, did not reveal any violation of law." Knights, 57, who announced his candidacy on the social media platform Nextdoor, said he was a former electrician, former chief in the fire department, and lifelong resident of Kinderhook. The candidates are running to replace Dale Leiser, who is not seeking reelection after his term ends March 31. The village had become less of a community since his youth, Knights said, with mom-and-pop shops being replaced by businesses many lifelong residents could not afford. "I miss everyone knowing each other," he said. When asked about marijuana lounges, which the current Kinderhook Village Board opted out of allowing, Knights said he wanted to listen to the community, but he said he saw no difference between smoking pot and "people having some cocktails." "This is not going anywhere ... so why don't we try to work with it?," he said. Knights said he knew candidate Mike Abrams, the reservist, and would be happy to see him as mayor if he himself did not win. "If I win I win, if I don't I don't," Knights said. The Kinderhooker concluded their statement about leaving the race by saying they would run under their real name in four years. The village runs its own elections, unlike most municipalities in Columbia County, which use the county Board of Elections, but county Democratic Elections Commissioner Ken Dow said he would not have certified a write-in win by an anonymous meme account. Even write-in ballots with nicknames or aliases for a candidate get thrown out, according to Dow, and writing in a name without a known person attached was beyond the pale. "You have to write in a human being," Dow said. Candidates in Kinderhook elections traditionally do not align themselves with the major parties, instead creating party names for their individual candidacies. Knights is running under the "Kinderhook Ole Timers" party. Downtime is the best time Make the most of your Hudson Valley weekend, every week with our newsletter. Student and lifelong resident Quinn Murphy is running under the Kinderhook People's Party. Murphy, 19, said he was "passionate about the village," which needed the perspective of someone who had grown up there. Murphy, who commutes to Siena College to study political science and pre-law, said he wanted to promote Kinderhook's history, and said it was good to have visitors, but added, "we don't want this to become New York City." In recent years, Columbia County has seen an influx of downstate residents interested in buying area homes. "I know how great it was to grow up here, and I want to attract younger families to come to Kinderhook and give them the opportunity to have an established house here and grow up with other families around them," he said. Children he grew up with moved away because the village had become unaffordable, Murphy said, which he partially blamed on "wealthy people from the city buying up houses and turning them straight into Airbnbs." Murphy said he is fine with people renting out part of their homes, but wants to prevent entire homes from being used as short-term rental investments by placing a cap on the number of short-term rentals in the village, or by only allowing owner-occupied short-term rentals. The village, which has a population of about 1,100, has 11 short-term rentals, including 10 that are entire homes, according to AirDNA, a short-term rental data tool. Murphy said there were "many benefits" to marijuana lounges, but he did not want to force his opinions on the village. Villages can opt back into allowing the lounges, but Murphy said it was something he would do only if residents wanted it. Murphy also wanted to have more events in the village, including bringing back the popular Food Truck Night, which has not been held since the beginning of the pandemic, and leveraging the tourism opportunities of the Empire State Trail, which runs through the village. Candidate Mike Abrams, an Afghanistan veteran, businessman and village trustee, says he wants to address speeding in the village and keep it "family-oriented." When asked about his accomplishments on the Village Board, he said it was "the everyday little things" he was most proud of, mentioning repaving three roads, buying a fire truck, and putting together a grant to replace part of the village's aging water-supply system. The village should hear back about the grant sometime later in February, Abrams said. Abrams moved to Kinderhook from New York City in 2015 and is the founder of FourBlock, a service that helps veterans transition to civilian jobs. Abrams said the village was going to invest in "speed-feedback signs," which clearly display a motorist's speed as they drive by, to combat reckless driving in the village, and was also looking into the sheriff's "enhanced enforcement program," which allows municipalities to pay for extra coverage by a deputy. Abrams said he had heard "no complaints" about short-term rentals in the village. On the subject of marijuana lounges, Abrams said he was "really not happy with the discourse and the conversation we've had as a village about this." Abrams voted against marijuana lounges as a trustee, and said he would prefer the village not have dispensaries, which the board passed. Part of this is a zoning conundrum, Abrams said. He was not happy with a dispensary going into the village's historic district, but this district overlapped with the business district, leaving only residential areas not zoned for businesses. With The Kinderhooker dropping out of the race, only Murphy, Abrams and Knights remain. The election is March 15. GEs radio station WGY gave its inaugural broadcast live from the Kenmore Ballroom in Albany on Feb. 20, 1922, an event that launched just the 10th radio station in the country and also put the Capital Region at the forefront of broadcast and entertainment. That historic day is being celebrated on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 20, with a recreation of the original broadcast, a project that has brought into collaboration three cultural organizations of the area, Schenectady Light Opera Company, Musicians of Maalwyck and miSci. Ticketed audience members will be welcomed for the event and the performance can be heard live on WGY (810 AM and 103.1 FM), which is devoting the entire afternoon to centennial programing. GE engineers wanted to start a station but the head of engineering thought it was a passing fad. An engineer named Walter Baker thought it was too good to pass up and went to the publicity manager and convinced him to start a radio station, says Chris Hunter, vice president of miSci, the science and technology museum in Schenectady that houses the vast GE archives. At the time, GE was becoming aware of the value of their brand, continues Hunter. The publicity department latched onto the idea of a radio station for public good will, a way of giving back to community. GE was also making all of the transmitting equipment for stations and through a part ownership with RCA was also making the radios for consumers. WGY became a showcase for technology. Besides GEs focus of branding, the company pursued another endeavor that has a contemporary resonance the need to make content. There was music playing constantly on the air and it was all live. Walter Damrosch conducted the GE Orchestra. They played music of Sibelius who was a popular living composer. Its stunning, this caliber of music right in Schenectady, says Ann-Marie Barker-Schwartz, founder of the Musicians of Maalwyck. Besides having performances in its studio, WGY also broadcast from the ballrooms of hotels in downtown Albany, including the Kenmore, Ten Eycke and DeWitt Clinton. Well into the 1940s, artists like Tommy Dorsey, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Frank Sinatra were drawn to these venues because of the opportunity for exposure on WGY, which was heard across the Eastern Seaboard. Just a couple of years after launching the station, GE execs were pleasantly surprised to learn from a survey that 50 percent of citizens of Albany, Schenectady and Troy already owned radios. Thats according to Hunter of miSci, who also points out the involvement of local talent. There was representation of the region from the beginning. You had the engineers from Schenectady, a theater company from Troy and an announcing staff from the teachers college in Albany. Today WGY airs a news/talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The centennial celebrations have been overseen by news and program director Jeff Wolf. Last month his team launched a series of podcasts titled Wireless: 100 Years of WGY featuring discussions with staff members past and present. More events are in the offing. To commemorate that first broadcast, Wolf wanted a new radio play and he turned for guidance to Schenectady Light Opera Company. SLOC President Matthew Dembling suggested writer Ben McCauley, a 31-year old native of Colonie now living in Chicago. Also an improvising performer, McCauley has worked extensively in creating scripted comedies with live sound effects. Its just that rather than being broadcast on radio, theyre distributed as podcasts. (Some of his work can be heard at starlightradiodreams.com.) For his commission from WGY, McCauley took inspiration from the inaugural broadcast, which featured an adaptation of the Eugene Walter play The Wolf: A Play of the Canadian Woods. I took it upon myself to find the play and some of it was rather outdated so I changed the plot a bit. Its now a fictionalized telling of the WGY Players putting on the first radio play, says McCauley. Titled A play of a play in the Canadian Woods, the piece calls for a cast of six who are drawn from SLOC and also the WGY staff. The director is Michael Camelo, who also serves as a cast member. While all this was coming together last year, Barker-Schwartz was following a trail of research that led to WGY and its upcoming centennial. Last summer she got in touch with the station and soon her planned concert was folded into the broadcast. It was a natural fit of course, says Wolf, the program director. Besides being a violinist and impresario, Barker-Schwartz is something of a cultural historian for the region. In the GE archives at miSci, she examined years of the biweekly corporate newsletters. Each issue had program listings for WGY, but there was much more the company provided for its employees, things like fishing competitions, a womens camp at Lake George, English lessons for immigrants, and musical bands from each division of the company. Its a fascinating slice of life thats hard to wrap your head around today, she says. Its not hard to image that such research will be fodder for further programming for Barker-Schwartzs ensemble. But for the centennial broadcast, the Musicians of Maalwyck are hewing close to what was done 100 years ago. The lineup includes a movement of the Violin Concerto No. 2 by Polish composer Henryk Wieniawski (the first music ever played on the station) and Sibelius Rigaudon for violin and piano. Tenor Charles Eaton will perform songs by Rachmaninoff, Kern and Hermann Lohr, with Max Caplan at the piano. The event will start at 3 p.m. with a talk by Hunter of miSci about the early days of radio before and after the launch of WGY. GEs involvement in radio goes back to 1906, he says. Before there were tubes, they built alternators and a generator helped send radio signals. These weighed 4,000 pounds. Also at the Kenmore will be a pop-up exhibit of photographs of the era. Its just a sampling of whats available in the GE archive, which comprises 800 boxes of corporate documents and publications, including 4,000 photos. A more extensive photo exhibit, WGY: Radios Laboratory Celebrates Its Centennial, is currently on view at the museum and coming in the fall is a major exhibition on the history and evolution of communication technology. Celebrating 100 Years of WGY A live broadcast featuring Musicians of Ma'alwyck and Schenectady Light Opera Company When: 3 p.m. Sunday, February 20 Where: Kenmore Ballroom, 76 North Pearl St, Albany Tickets: $35. Available at the door or order online at: musiciansofmaalwyck.org. Note: The program begins with a presentation by miSci archivist Chris Hunter on the history of WGY and the early days of broadcasting. The performance starts at 4 p.m. and will be broadcast live on WGY (810AM and 103.1FM), where on-air centennial celebrations start at 1 p.m. See More Collapse Joseph Dalton is a freelance writer based in Troy. ALBANY Christopher Pences story sounded like reality television. A Microsoft internet security engineer, Pence and his wife lived in a huge home on a 20-acre property in a desolate area of Utah with 16 children. But in October, Pences story became more like an Alfred Hitchcock movie. That's when the dad with no prior criminal history was charged in U.S. District Court in Albany with trawling the dark web to arrange the murder-for-hire of a Hoosick Falls couple who are the biological parents of five of Pences children whom he adopted. On Friday, at a hearing to determine whether Pence, 41, should remain jailed as he awaits trial, a prosecutor quoted Pence's chilling words to an administrator on the dark web. That's where Pence allegedly tried to pay a killer $16,000 in Bitcoin cryptocurrency to handle the murder. "Good day Admin!" Pence said in the July 20, 2021, message, which was read aloud in court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Emmet O'Hanlon. "I have a couple targets, husband wife, that I am needing removed. However, it is known that they and I dont quite see eye-to-eye on something. "I am a couple days away from submitting the job as an accident, but before I do, I was wondering, in your experience, even if it is an obvious accident, what kind of investigation will be ran against me, knowing that we are not on the best of terms?" Pence allegedly said. "I have the $$ in CoinBase, but is there something I can do, to help obfuscate my role in this? Will agencies be looking into my CoinBase history? Thank you in advance!" The prosecutor said Pence made it clear he wanted the couple killed but not anyone else. "They most likely will have 3 children in the car with them... I am really trying to avoid them from being hurt," Pence allegedly stated. "I'm wondering if a mugging-gone-wrong might be an option. Or maybe you have another suggestion? ....They currently live in NY.Thank you for your quick response." As the prosecutor spoke, Pence's relatives, including his wife, father and two young children, listened in the first-floor courtroom of U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Stewart. So did the couple whom Pence allegedly sought to kill. They were holding a baby. O'Hanlon said Pence marked the couple for death because they wanted to spend more time with their biological children. And O'Hanlon said Pence, as an Internet security expert, took efforts to cloak his involvement. But despite exhaustive measures, Pence's involvement was exposed when the would-be hit man went to law enforcement and revealed the ghastly plan, he said. On Oct. 27, Pence was arrested in Utah. He was indicted on Nov. 9 in Albany on charges of use of a facility of interstate commerce in connection with a murder for hire. An FBI agent's affidavit said Pence tried to arrange the murders between July 16 and Aug. 9. The agent said there was an "escalating dispute between the two families such that the intended victims desired to regain custody of their children and were involved in the reporting of Pence's family to local child welfare authorities, both of which reportedly angered Pence." Pence and the couple also "did not agree on how the children should be raised or the personal choices and lifestyle of the intended victims," the agent said. At the end of the hearing, the judge ordered Pence to be held without bail. He cited arguments made by O'Hanlon as well as Eric Schillinger, the attorney representing Pence. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Schillinger had reminded the judge that the maximum amount of time Pence faces is 10 years in prison. He said federal courts regularly allow defendants facing more time to be allowed to be free under conditions of release. And Schillinger said the couple whom his client allegedly targeted also did not oppose Pence's release. O'Hanlon later countered that they still want a relationship with their children, which could be a factor in their stance. Schillinger said no hit man actually existed. The would-be killer, he said, went to the authorities. "It's a scam ... how dangerous is it really?" the attorney asked. The judge said the case included "shocking allegations under any circumstances." He said the risks were too severe to allow Pence to be released home, even under strong monitoring. The case will now head toward trial before Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas McAvoy. BALLSTON SPA Many of the same Saratoga County supervisors who railed against the county's pandemic pay debacle almost two years ago ended their first year in control by dishing out double-digit raises and creating dozens of new jobs. The cost of the increases is about $3.8 million. They include a 50 percent pay raise for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Daniel Kulhes whose pay rose from $137,797 to $206,635. Others: County Historian Lauren Roberts, a 27 percent increase, from $54,000 to $69,000; Election commissioners Bill Fruci and Roger Schiera, from $85,700 to $94,000; Sheriffs Office Director of Communications Steve Gordon, up 10 percent, from $88,700 to $98,000. Sheriff Michael Zurlo's salary rises from $138,600 to $144,600 (According to SeethroughNY.net, he receives about $62,000 a year in state pension benefits). The salary of Director of Emergency Management Carl Zeilman, who is also the countys Republican chair, went from $89,600 to $95,800. Administrator Steve Bulger said in a Dec. 8 meeting, when the salaries and titles were overwhelmingly approved, that many of the new jobs, including a number in the Sheriffs Office, were necessary to comply with state mandates. Other raises -- such as a 30 percent pay hike for Bulgers executive secretary Audra Hedden, from $63,091 to $82,021 -- are being questioned by supervisors like Northumberlands Bill Peck, who said they will have ripple effects in years to come, including future raises and, ultimately, pension payouts. "Those are recurring costs each year (that) exponentially go up," he told supervisors. The raises, approved by the Republican-majority Board of Supervisors on Dec. 8, also included an 11 percent hike in pay for both Chairman Todd Kusnierz and Vice Chair Jonathan Schopf, as well as an 8 percent increase for the rest of the 21 supervisors on the board. We got 55 salary increases, Peck said at the meeting where the special salary increases were approved. I'm not saying we don't have people that aren't worth it. We have tremendous people that work here. But it seems like this was an interesting time to all of a sudden put 55 salary increases in. He requested that the supervisors' salary increases be removed from the budget because "that's not good optics." So too did Saratoga Springs Supervisor Tara Gaston, one of two Democrats on the 23-member board. "I don't have a problem with salary increases for the staff, the non-elected staff," Gaston said. "We underpay many of these people comparatively. I dont think any of the elected (officials) should get increases now, especially, we are saying we are strapped and cant spend on nonprofit sector. Me getting a raise, that should not be a priority. When we ran for office, we knew what it would be." Peck, a Republican, also complained that a few years ago, the county re-examined all of the grades and steps for workers. He said he cant understand why they did not stick with those calculations or reassess again. Typically if some salaries were out of line, "HR would do a review of our grades and steps and overall system, said Peck, who is in his 19th year serving the county. We did that three or four years ago ... but the change of grades and steps were never done (in 2021). This was a multitude of grades and steps and whole slew of new titles. I never heard it discussed. New titles include two assistant district attorneys at $94,188 each. Public works saw the creation of a bridge and highway operations manager at $83,400 while the Sheriffs Office got another captain at $86,300 and a nurse practitioner at $104,200. The Administrator will get $97,000 a year budget director. Of the aforementioned officials, only Gordon responded to a Times Union request for comment. Rather than speak directly about the raise, however, he spoke of his responsibilities in the 911 center. As a 25-year employee of Saratoga County I am proud to be tasked with supervision of 36 dedicated public safety telecommunicators (911 operators), Gordon wrote in an email. The Communications division (911 center) has been accredited since 2009 and its members saves lives every day with the work they do. The growth of Saratoga County has impacted our 911 center fielding over 220,000 phone calls and dispatching assistance to over 155,000 incidents in 2021. Ensuring this team of professionals has state of art equipment, technology, and resources to allow them to do their job, is extremely rewarding to me. Kusnierz did not respond to the Times Unions request for comment. However, county spokeswoman Christine Rush did send out a statement on his behalf. Saratoga County operates with one of the leanest county workforces in the region and I have repeatedly stated that our employees are our greatest asset here in county government, Kusnierz stated. We compensate employees as appropriate for their assigned position based on current public sector wage trends to ensure we retain a workforce that can best meet the needs of our residents. He also defended the new titles, saying our plan to hire additional employees, as outlined in the countys 2022 budget, largely reflects the need to fulfill state mandates and to meet new public safety initiatives. Rush also said a majority of county employees, a total of 1,177, got a 2 percent raise in 2022. The results are in See the winners of each category of the 2022 Best of the Capital Region contest, as determined by popular vote. Kusnierz swept into the chairmanship in 2021 after the then-county leaders spent 2020 trying to contain the pandemic pay flap. That involved paying all employees, including department heads and some elected officials, time and a half for every hour worked during the early weeks of the pandemic. While scrapped early on, the public uproar ended with the firing or resignation of several key administrators. Kusnierz and his large-town caucus, which holds sway with its weighted vote, signaled that their ascension would usher change and transparency. One of their first moves in 2021 was was hiring Bulger to replace former administrator Spencer Hellwig. Bulger, a former appointee of President Donald Trump at the U.S. Small Business Administration, was also the former county GOP chair. In that role, lasting one year before going to Washington, D.C., he was criticized for spending committee money on consultants. Bond payment, budget disputes Peck, who was punished for speaking out about spending in December by the leadership, who excluded him from choice committee assignments, was also taken aback by the countys $14.1 million capital spending plan for 2022. Of that, $11.47 million is to be borrowed. Those improvements include a hangar and building at the Saratoga County Airport at $3 million, vault renovations in the County Clerks office of $1.65 million and the purchase of more land for the Zim Smith trail at $1.5 million. I got serious concerns about are the bonding of the $11.5 million in the various items that would normally be part of the regular budget, Peck said at the December meeting. He also said hes really worried about responding to future budgets as bond payments linger. Bulger argued, meeting minutes show, that the bonded spending was important because the county has to start doing, in my opinion, and I think a number of the Board's opinion, more investment in our facilities, that we have to just make them more effective and appropriate for serving our constituents. Finally, Peck argues the county misled the public when it released its 2022 budget of $381 million, saying it was $10 million over 2021. However, the 2021 budget, which was calculated by Hellwig, was $340 million. Thus the 2022 budget is actually $41 million more. Gaston also finds it troubling that the county was not more transparent with fellow supervisors on the salary increases. "We asked for information and we didnt get it," Gaston said. "Its not great. I had high hopes that we would be more open, and transparent, but its not working. We cracked the door, but we didnt open it." Note: The story was updated on Monday afternoon to note that Ridge Harris the deputy county administrator, not the budget director. Farmington, WV (26555) Today Cloudy in the morning, then thunderstorms developing later in the day. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 79F. Winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 80%.. Tonight Thunderstorms. Low near 60F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%. A brief online video has sparked outrage over the racially charged discourse throughout the nation. It's worth considering that just like the horrific advice in the bestselling hit "White Fragility" . . . This is, in fact, a white on white crime . . . Or at least just another silly faux pas. It turns out there's more to the story and, again, the incident isn't really so one sided: The Wichita, Kansas principal "showed his staff the video because students had been shown it late last year, following an incident in which racially-based comments were made to some students. He wanted to ensure the staff were aware what the students had seen, he told the outlet." Take a peek . . . A quick description . . . "In this story from Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity, a film from World Trust, author and educator Dr. Joy DeGruy shares how her sister-in-law uses her white privilege to stand up to systemic inequity." Even more insight and instruction: Examples of Privilege: Being able to... - assume that most of the people you or your children study in history classes and textbooks will be of the same race, gender, or sexual orientation as you are - assume that your failures will not be attributed to your race, or your gender - assume that if you work hard and follow the rules, you will get what you deserve - succeed without other people being surprised; and without being held to a higher standard - go out in public without fear of being harassed or constantly worried about physical safety - not have to think about your race, or your gender, or your sexual orientation, or disabilities, on a daily basis... Looking at this list . . . It's kinda clear that most of the po'folk working-class white people or ethnic whites that I've encountered don't really have these kind of "privileges" under discussion. But I digress . . . As readers already know . . . The somewhat boring clip caused Kansas teachers to lose their mind AND sparked an international news sensation. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . Kansas principal ordered to apologize for showing a video about white privilege after teacher said it created a hostile work environment A Wichita school principal was told to apologize after showing an anti-racist video to staff. The video showed a racist incident and how someone leveraged white privilege to be an ally. KMUW reported that one teacher objected to the video, calling it offensive. You decide . . . Day after day we keep up with this blog because we, begrudgingly, love Kansas City and all of its news. And so, here are a few community-minded news links that deserve a look and help us keep up with some of the nicer day to day stories concerning this town. Here's our TKC news gathering . . . Kansas City community center closed for repairs KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two weeks after a metro community center unexpectedly closed, repairs are underway. A water main broke near West 21st Street and West Pennway Street on Jan. 27. It impacted water in the area. The Tony Aguirre Community Center closed again Thursday so crews could fix the issue. Here's where work on the new KCI airport terminal stands after 2021 As the largest infrastructure project in Kansas City's history nears its last full year of construction, work on the $1.5 billion new terminal at Kansas City International Airport has passed several important milestones. In January 2021, crews "topped out" the new KCI (Code: MCI) terminal with the erection of all 17,500 individual steel pieces. Melgren brothers relocate Flagship Books to Strawberry Hill Independent book store owners Joel and Ty Melgren live in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood and have fallen ass-over-teakettle in love with the Kansas City, Kansas borough. When they outgrew their shipping container storefront in the Iron District of North Kansas City, the brothers had a location in mind. The housing market was on a wild ride this year. Here's what to expect in 2022 The U.S. housing market has had a white hot year. Home sales are on track to reach the highest level in 15 years, with an estimated 6 million homes sold in 2021.But whether you benefited from this surge depended a lot on if you were selling a home or buying one.Homeowners saw average home prices skyrocket nearly 20% through the third quarter compared to a year ago, according to the Federal Housing Finance Agency. Developer seeks special tax district for new apartment complex LENEXA, Kan. - The City of Lenexa will host a public hearing to consider creating a new tax district to support the creation of a new apartment complex near Interstate 435. Developer 87 Renner, LLC is requesting the creation of a Community Improvement District (CID) for a mixed use development at the northeast corner of 87th Street Parkway and Renner Boulevard. How Wyandotte County spent $37.3 million in CARES Act funds From $2,500 to aid a therapeutic horse riding center to $1.25 million to support a nonprofit program focused on housing stability, heres how WyCo spent its federal COVID relief money. Lee's Summit veteran takes horrific experience, uses it to help others LEE'S SUMMIT, MO (KCTV) - A Lee's Summit veteran is taking a horrific personal experience and making it a positive for hundreds of other veterans. Almost 50 years ago, Jack Alley was sexually assaulted by a fellow soldier while serving overseas on a military base far from home. Report: Kansas parents fight high child care costs A new report finds day care in Kansas can cost more than in-state college tuition. Fortunately, there may be a way to ease the burden on families.In Kansas City, Kansas, and day cares statewide, toddlers are learning their shapes and numbers, but something isn't adding up.Child care costs are astronomical. Which states have worst, best life expectancy? See where Kansas, Missouri rank A report released Thursday found life expectancy in the U.S. can vary wildly based on which state you were born in. The data, analyzed by the National Center for Health Statistics, found Hawaii residents had the highest life expectancy at birth at 80.9 years, while Mississippi was lowest at 74.4 years. Missouri farmers support right-to-repair bill Imagine going to an auto parts store to fix something yourself on your car and they won't sell it to you. That is what many area farmers say is happening to them.Now, there is a new push to change that with Missouri House Bill 2402. Federal programs offer assistance paying utilities KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Colder temperatures means many people are likely cranking up the heat at home, which means higher utility bills. This comes as federal officials warned us about a rise in utility costs back in October. 'Stomp', Winter Jam, 'Jedi' & more this Valentine's weekend - Downtown Council of Kansas City Downtown A&E for Valentine's Day weekend 'Stomp' to storm into the Kauffman Center KC Symphony to celebrate 'Return of the Jedi' Skillet to headline Winter Jam - no ticket required 'Barbecue' - on the menu at KC Melting Pot Theatre Master pianist Vladimir Feltsman to light up the Folly Circus Spectacular coming to Hale Arena [...] Eat This Now: The Chocolate Cupcookie from McLain's Bakery The chocolate cupcookies at McLain's. // Photo by April Fleming Opened in 1945, the original McLain's Bakery in Waldo is a bona fide Kansas City institution. One not-at-all-small reason for that longevity is a humble cupcookie. They don't appear in the display cases alongside McLain's glitzy, camera-ready cakes and cupcakes or even with their big, pillowy cookie cousins. Developing . . . Right now we share a rare endorsement of a blogger with whom we don't often agree. But consider this . . . TKC readers are searching for content, perspectives and insight far outside of the mainstream. The same impulse to ban books would apply to any "alternative" view of news, discourse and educational material. Even if it's remarkably frivolous like our hottie-powered endeavors. With that, we'll let this prolific local scribe make his own arguments which probably won't persuade people who haven't already made up their minds. Check-it . . . "Oh, heavens. We don't want our children to imagine that there's more than one way to think about things or that there could possibly be conflicting beliefs about faith, do we? Well, yes, we do. Locking children in protective cocoons will simply cause enormous problems later -- problems like we're already experiencing from people who are convinced that they alone have (or their religion alone has) all the answers." Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news link . . . There's no shortage of political hacks looking to decipher the implications of an FAA letter to KCI. However, here's the main takeaway for voters and residents who will be forced to endure this ongoing drama . . . THE FEDS DEMAND MORE TRAINING FOR COUNCIL AND NEW KCI MANAGERS AND MAKES THE OPERATION SEEM SLOPPY!!! The rebuke from on high demonstrates that our local leaders don't really know what they're doing and have likely been cutting corners throughout the process. Here are more deets . . . The Aviation Department was told it needs to train all direct contractors on Title VI obligations and processes, and make sure they train subcontractors and suppliers. The FAA said members of Kansas Citys City Council must also be trained on the same obligations. The Aviation Department is also required to prepare a plan to investigate the complaint filed in 2015 and actually investigate it. The FAA said it is waiting for a report to be filed on how the complaint was addressed. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com news links . . . FAA investigation finds "significant compliance deficiencies" on hiring of women and minorities for $1.5B KCI airport project KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -- The Federal Aviation Administration is warning KCI Airport to immediately comply with requirements on hiring of women and minorities for construction contracts, saying it has failed to follow federal law on transparency and accountability on hiring practices. FAA puts KCI on notice over civil rights 'deficiencies' KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Federal Aviation Administration has put Kansas City on notice. At stake is critical funding needed to complete the new terminal project. The FAA evaluated programs and services at KCI Airport in September. The federal review is to ensure the airport is in compliance with certain Civil Rights requirements. Developing . . . Brevard, NC (28712) Today Partly cloudy. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 81F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy early with increasing clouds overnight. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 63F. Winds WSW at 5 to 10 mph. Johnstown, PA (15901) Today Cloudy with occasional showers for the afternoon. High 71F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Rain early with thunderstorms developing late. Low around 60F. Winds S at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 100%. BLANFORD [mdash] Eric Todd Vandevender, 60, of Blanford and formerly of Cayuga, passed away at 7:55 a.m. EDT Saturday, April 16, 2022 at Clinton Gardens in Clinton, Indiana. Eric was born on May 6, 1961 in Danville, Illinois, the son of the late Floyd A. and Irma Jean (Weir) Vandevender. Sur Mark Bennett has reported and analyzed news from the Wabash Valley and beyond since Larry Bird wore Sycamore blue. That role with the Tribune-Star has taken him from Rome to Alaska and many points in between, but Terre Haute suits him best. Follow Mark Bennett 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 Instant unlimited access to all of our content on triplicate.com. The Triplicate's E-Edition Newsletter emailed to you each week, the night before the paper hits the street! This subscription is for NEW or RENEWING online subscribers. (The charge will appear as "Country Media Inc." on your credit card statement) MOSCOW (AP) With the risk of war looming larger, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden held a high-stakes telephone call Saturday as a tense world watched and worried that an invasion of Ukraine could begin within days. Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made toward cooling down the tensions. The closely watched call between Biden and Putin began shortly after 11 a.m. and lasted just over an hour, according to the White House. Biden conducted the call from Camp David. There were no immediate details about the discussion. In a sign that American officials were getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital, and Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine. Russia has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, but denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. The timing of any possible Russian military action remained a key question. Read the full story: More updates: President Volodymyr Zelensky has enacted a Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council decision "On the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)." According to Ukrinform, the decrees to that effect, Nos. 51/2022 and 52/2022, have been published on the president's website. "In accordance with Article 107 of the Constitution of Ukraine, I decree to put into effect the decision of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine of February 11, 2022 'On the Application of Personal Special Economic and Other Restrictive Measures (Sanctions)'," the document reads. It says the NSDC secretary has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the relevant decision. The decrees come into force from the date of their publication. On February 11, at a meeting in Kharkiv, the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council imposed sanctions on a number of companies, including the Nash TV channel. op The Ukrainian authorities are making every effort to keep Ukraine stable and ready for different scenarios, but it is very important to remain calm, stay consolidated within the country and refrain from any actions that undermine stability and sow panic. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said this in a statement on measures to counter the aggressive actions of the Russian Federation, Ukrinform reports. "Right now it is critical to remain calm, stay united and consolidated within the country, and refrain from actions that undermine stability and sow panic. The Armed Forces of Ukraine are constantly monitoring the developments and are ready to repel any attack on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine. Ukrainian diplomacy is in touch with all key partners, promptly receives the necessary security information, which allows Ukraine to take timely actions. We continue working on reducing tensions and mobilizing support from international partners to keep Russia in the framework of the diplomatic dialogue," the statement said. The ministry stressed that from the very beginning of the escalation by the Russian Federation, the leadership of Ukraine, Ukrainian diplomacy and the army have been making every effort to keep Ukraine stable and ready for various scenarios and any aggressive intentions. In particular, on February 11, under the chairmanship of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the National Security and Defense Council made a thorough analysis of the current security situation and further actions of Ukraine. "Due to recent decisions of the President, Parliament and Government, as well as the assistance of key partners, Ukraine has further strengthened its capacity to protect the security of the state and citizens," the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry added. It also stressed that the comprehensive package of measures to deter Russia, which Ukraine proposed to its partners in November 2021, has become an effective tool for countering the Kremlin's aggressive policies. Ukraine has now a strong position, including due to coordinated diplomatic contacts at all levels, conclusion of preparation by the U.S. and the EU of the tough economic sanctions, arms supplies and macro-financial assistance. Earlier reports said that Russia had continued to build up troops on Ukraine's borders, in occupied Crimea, Belarus and the Black and Azov Seas. Western politicians consider a new Russian invasion probable in the next few days. At the same time, Moscow accused Western countries and the media of spreading an "unprecedented disinformation campaign" about a possible invasion. op The Armed Forces of Ukraine are absolutely ready to repel the aggressor. Anyone who has looked our soldiers in the eyes at least once is convinced that there will be no repeat of 2014, that the aggressor will not take Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, or any other city. Such a statement by Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi was published on the website of the Ministry of Defence, Ukrinform reports. The army and volunteers managed to stand in 2014, when the brother brazenly stabbed in the back. At that time, many people were not psychologically ready to resist those with whom they sat at the same table yesterday. Now the situation is completely different. The Kremlin is well aware of this, and it is an important deterrent. Today we have the most powerful army in Ukraine for the last 15 years and the most powerful army in Europe, our army is led by combat generals and officers. Ilovaisk, Debaltsevo left scars on its heart, but hardened its will. The heroic defence of Donetsk and Luhansk airports, the daily defence of dozens of settlements from Stanytsia Luhanska to Shyrokyne made the fighting spirit unbreakable. Anyone who has looked our soldiers in the eyes at least once is convinced that there will be no repeat of 2014, that the aggressor will not take Kyiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, or any other city. Do not doubt, the Armed Forces are absolutely ready to fight back and will not give up the Ukrainian lands! stressed Minister of Defence of Ukraine Oleksii Reznikov. 420,000 Ukrainian soldiers and every without exception commander have already looked in the eyes of death. Commanders of the Forces, commanders of brigades, battalions and companies are specialists in their field and patriots of their state. We will not give away a single piece of Ukrainian land! added Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The Minister of Defence, in turn, added that this is not the first time in the last six months that announcements of a large-scale Russian invasion were made, and they should be seen as an additional way to break the enemys plans. Reznikov also noted that today Ukraine has unprecedented support from international partners the largest one since Independence. In particular, this is manifested in the supply of defence weapons, which has increased the capability of the Armed Forces of Ukraine to repel the aggressor. During the month, almost 2,000 tons of modern weapons, ammunition and body armour were received from various countries. Our soldiers have already been trained and are ready to use the whole arsenal of tools. The Minister of Defence stressed that the situation is controlled by Ukrainian intelligence, the army and diplomats. Ukraine coordinates its actions with the worlds leading states 24/7. Such a union of leading democracies has not existed for decades. Many countries are now truly comprehending the threat by Russias actions and are emotionally go through it. Ukraine went through this eight years ago. No one can look into the heads of Kremlin leaders and say for sure what exactly the actions could be taken. But we calculate absolutely all scenarios and are ready for them. Today, many statements are being made, and Moscow is even saying that Ukraine is planning to attack Russia. This is absurd. We are not going to attack anyone, but we are doing everything to strengthen the defence and eliminate the possibility of escalation. We plan to follow the political-diplomatic path. I will tell you more, it is through diplomacy and peace that both Donetsk and Luhansk regions and Crimea and Sevastopol will return home! It is through this path that we now have incredible political and military-technical aid from our partners, and it is through this path that the Kremlin has lifted its brazen blockade of the Sea of Azov. Based on this path, we will seek to unblock the waters of the Black Sea. The powerful army that we are building up every day, the Territorial Defence Forces, are our important diplomatic arguments, the Minister of Defene of Ukraine added. I assure that the Armed Forces of Ukraine are ready to fight back. We conduct and will conduct training. Already the active phase of the command-staff exercises Snowstorm-2022 is being carried out throughout our country. We are constantly improving our defence capabilities, coherence of units and military skills. We have created combat formations and managed to deploy the Territorial Defence Forces in a short time and arm them with ATGMs and MANPADS. We have strengthened the defence of Kyiv. We went through the war and received proper training. Therefore, they are ready to meet enemies not with flowers, but with Stingers, Javelins, and NLAW. Welcome to hell! said Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, Lieutenant General Valerii Zaluzhnyi. What to do now? Keep calm, support the Armed Forces and diplomats. Calmness is now the main weapon that can provide us with a solid foundation for defence. To continue a normal life, to work is to ensure normal economic activity, and hence the ability of the Armed Forces to defend the country as much as necessary. Keep calm and do whatever you have to do, so that we all become stronger together, Oleksii Reznikov summed up. As reported, the Servant of the People faction stated that the MPs are ready to convene the Verkhovna Rada meeting any moment to make important decisions to defend the country and strengthen its defense capabilities. At the same time, the statement emphasizes that Ukraine now has the most powerful army since 2014 and the largest coalition of partners in our support since independence. The authorities have done everything possible to ensure that pro-Russian forces in Ukraine have the fewest opportunities during the entire period of independence, the Servant of the People faction stressed. ol The Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council has imposed sanctions on a number of companies, including the Nash TV channel. NSDC Secretary Oleksiy Danilov said this at a briefing following a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council in Kharkiv on Friday, February 11, according to an Ukrinform correspondent. "[Chief of Ukraine's SBU State Security Service] Ivan Hennadiiovych [Bakanov] had a report on the application of personal economic and other restrictive measures. Several issues were considered. All these issues were accepted. Who are we talking about? First of all, we are talking about Liberton-start, a construction company that is already under our sanctions. It was registered in Odesa. The city of its registration was changed to Kyiv, and its name was changed under this procedure. We imposed sanctions on the same company for the second time," Danilov said. According to him, sanctions have also been imposed on Vitryna-TV LLC, a Moscow-registered company that provides broadcasting services for Russian TV channels blocked in Ukraine in order to promote the companies that are subject to restrictive measures in Ukraine. Sanctions have also been imposed on Nasha Praha, Nash 24, Nash 365 and a company that, according to the National Security and Defense Council, owns all of these companies and is registered in Cyprus. When asked by a Nash TV journalist about the reasons for the sanctions, Danilov said: "Your parent company is in Cyprus. I don't know if you know that you are partly Cypriots. [] Today's sanctions have been imposed against this company. They have been introduced on the basis of a motion from the Security Service of Ukraine." Restrictive measures against the channel have been introduced for five years. In September 2021, the National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting filed a lawsuit with Kyiv District Administrative Court to revoke its broadcasting license for the Nash TV channel. On January 17, it emerged that a petition to the head of state demanding the introduction of sanctions against the Nash TV channel with the subsequent cessation of its broadcasting in Ukraine had gathered the required 25,000 signatures. The author of the document said that the Nash TV channel "regularly broadcasts anti-government statements and propaganda in the interests of the aggressor state." Danilov said earlier that as soon as the authorized bodies received a request to impose sanctions on the Nash TV channel, the NSDC would urgently consider this issue. op | By Joanne Morrison While the United States has been a leader in many advances in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), the state of education in this area and access in the U.S. is on the decline, warned Claire M. Fraser, PhD, director and founder of the University of Maryland School of Medicines (UMSOM) Institute for Genome Sciences, a pioneer in the field of microbial genomics, and the outgoing president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Frasers sobering remarks about the state of U.S. STEM education and the future of a strong U.S. workforce in these fields were made to a University System of Maryland Board of Regents meeting Feb. 11 at the SMC Campus Center on the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus. She warned that the decline in STEM education is an urgent national problem that must be addressed with early interventions among schoolchildren and by encouraging and promoting access to underserved populations. We now have to come to grips with the fact that the world is changing and changing rapidly, said Fraser, who also is the Deans Endowed Professor in the Department of Medicine at UMSOM. Fraser warned that U.S. STEM education has already fallen behind other industrialized countries, which ultimately will greatly impact the health of the workforce and the greater population. She cited the pandemic as a key example of the importance of supporting education and training in critical science and health care fields. I think we have seen [the importance of STEM education] much more recently in developing vaccine platforms that allowed us to develop, approve, and deploy COVID vaccines in less than two years time, she said. Broadening Access to STEM Education Interventions to promote, boost, and encourage students to move into STEM education and careers must start at the K-12 phase, with a focus on broadening access to underserved populations that have been overlooked, Fraser said. She further stated that there must be changes in the way academic institutions support those early in their careers. I would argue that we need to move in this direction with a sense of urgency its not lowering the bar but broadening it, she said. Fraser warned that the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that the general public has been swayed by misinformation campaigns, leading to many needless deaths. This alone is strong evidence for supporting STEM instruction and awareness early and broadly in education to ensure that science is at the foundation of public policy. It has become painfully obvious during the pandemic that anti-vaccine and anti-science rhetoric has grown strong and toxic, Fraser said. Its so hard to come to terms with the fact that about 200,000 Americans lost their lives to COVID-19 because they trusted the misinformation propagated by social media more than the science or the biomedical scientists. Without steps by policymakers and educators to make STEM education and training more accessible to all U.S. students, misinformation campaigns will continue to sway the public on important public safety issues, she said. Unless and until we do a better job of making STEM for all a priority, the politicization of science as a consequence of misinformation campaigns will continue, Fraser said. Reaching underserved populations also is critical to improving the countrys strength in STEM, Fraser added. We have to commit to a goal that STEM education is for everybody, she said. Building Trust, Better Communication Amidst the powerful web of misinformation campaigns, Fraser warned, scientists must do a better job of communicating their findings. This must also include building trust with the public. Currently, she said, the scientific community is losing this battle. We in science spend most of our time talking to each other. Thats not the kind of communication and engagement thats going to make a difference, Fraser said. Ultimately, our ability to effectively transmit our scientific knowledge to an increasingly skeptical public requires us to understand why individuals and groups hold beliefs that are not supported by scientific evidence. And this is where more of us must play a more active role in engaging with the public in meaningful ways actually getting out into our respective communities to work with civic leaders and local and state policymakers to address a range of issues that they deem to be relevant to them. | By Alex Likowski "I've lost many friends to gun violence, and seeing poverty and drugs in my community, honestly, has been really traumatizing for me." Those are the words of Young Elder, a youth ambassador in the Healing Youth Alliance, led by University of Maryland School of Social Work (UMSSW) Clinical Associate Professor Kyla Liggett-Creel, PhD, MSW. Formed in 2020, the Healing Youth Alliance is a partnership between UMSSW, the Black Mental Health Alliance, and Heartsmiles thats working to address the effects of untreated trauma and the stigma around receiving mental health treatment. Healing Youth Ambassadors Shelah Johnson and Jima Chester speak to UMB Police in July 2021. HYA does that by teaching youth about mental health in the African American community, finding ways to de-stigmatize mental health issues, and giving them tools to cope with trauma. Its giving voice to the experiences of Baltimore teens to help heal the trauma they and really everyone in their communities face. And they face a wide array of trauma, from exposure to violence and drug addiction, mental health issues, sickness and the loss of family members, incarceration, poverty, and of course, systemic racism. Its not enough to think of trauma as the effect on one person of one event or even a series of events. The community is traumatized, so everyone is traumatized. The approach on which Dr. K as shes affectionately known is leading the way is called Healing-Centered Engagement. The term was popularized by Shawn Ginwright, PhD, of San Francisco State University in 2018. In his article, The Future of Healing: Shifting From Trauma Informed Care to Healing Centered Engagement, Ginwright asserted that trauma-informed care runs the risk of focusing too much on pathology and not enough on achieving well-being. Trauma-informed care or engagement considers the pervasive nature of trauma in a community and how that affects the individual. The focus is on actions that promote recovery and avoid actions that might unintentionally re-traumatize, potentially starting the cycle all over again. A healing-centered approach looks at trauma as a collective experience, so the focus is on collective healing. Its important to consider culture, spirituality, and community actions. As Liggett-Creel points out, its very similar to a traditional South African concept called Ubuntu, sometimes translated as I am because we are. Ubuntu stresses the interconnectness of a community, and the need not only to heal just the person perceived to be traumatized, but to collaborate to heal the entire community. In short, focusing on the healing we want and not just suppressing the symptoms we dont want. That approach is now being applied in a very thoughtful way by University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) police to help them understand and engage with the community, and to help the community particularly young people understand and engage with them. As you might imagine, this program is called Healing-Centered Policing. It all started with visits by Healing Youth Alliance ambassadors to the UMB Police Department in July 2021. The young people talked about their impressions of and experiences with police, which were not positive, and how their treatment made them feel. So, it was a little surprising to everyone involved when at subsequent visits and on ride-alongs something happened. In January, one of those first speakers, Jima Chester, presented UMB Police with a painting she made as a gesture of appreciation. I painted this for the police department out of appreciation for all their genuine efforts and success with caring, bonding, and teaching youth, she explained. They probably dont even know it but being around them and being able to see some of the things they do, and experience created transparency and vulnerability between me and the officers. The painting was a thank you for them helping me understand their job and for them understanding me and for treating me as family. Liggett-Creel and UMB Police Department Chief Thomas Leone, MSL, joined UMB President Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS, on Virtual Face to Face with President Bruce Jarrell on Feb. 10 to explain how police and city youth, with the help of UMSSW social workers are taking the next step. Their first-in-the-nation partnership is changing hearts and minds and helping to deliver needed services to vulnerable residents. Watch the entire discussion at the link at the top of this page. Bernard Benedict James, shown at his La Mirada, California, home on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. James, one of the few surviving World War II veterans and a retired aerospace engineer who worked on the Apollo and Mercury space missions, celebrated his 101st birthday this month. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times/TNS) People visit a pagoda in Hanoi during the Lunar New Year holiday on February 1, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy With a high vaccination rate, Vietnam should now start living with Covid-19 and prepare to resume normalcy, according to the Hanoi Medical University Hospital director. "With the Omicron variant having dominated global coronavirus infections and penetrated Vietnam, I think we have moved past the pandemic peak and are now likely on the downward slope," Associate Professor and Dr. Nguyen Lan Hieu told VnExpress in an interview. Omicron has been confirmed by different countries to be less likely to cause severe conditions and fatalities among young Covid-19 patients. There is a one third reduction in the risk of going to hospital associated with the Omicron variant compared to Delta, researchers at Imperial College London confirmed in scientific publication issued by the British government in January. The reduction in risk from Omicron compared to Delta increased to two-thirds when looking at severe outcomes like formal admission or death, the researchers said. "It means we have overcome the toughest time," said Hieu. However, for now, with the rapid spread of the Omicron strain, it could be concluded that there is no hope of zero Covid anymore. "At this point, it is necessary to consider Covid-19 an endemic disease like any other disease that people usually get all the time. It means if you get it, you would visit the Covid-19 specialist department of a hospital for examination and treatment." The payment for Covid-19 medical examination and treatment also needs to be treated like any other disease instead of being covered by the state budget as currently, he suggested. It is necessary to consider getting Covid-19 normal and avoid getting panicked if infected. The community also needs to change its mindset about Covid-19 patients and restrain from alienating them. Be prepared Doctor Hieu said with a high vaccination rate, Vietnam should now get ready for the post-Covid era. So far, 74.6 million of the nations 96-million population have received their second Covid-19 vaccine shot, and 31 million, their third. Nguyen Lan Hieu, director of the Hanoi Medical University Hospital. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy "I think Vietnam is on the right track when switching from its zero-Covid policy to safely responding to Covid-19." Once Vietnam is able to look at Covid-19 as a common disease, "we can completely live calmly with Covid-19 and actively reopen socio-economic activities," he said. For now, "we should wait to see how the entire world responds to Omicron to see if we could announce the end of the Covid-19 pandemic." However, Vietnam should not wait until the world declares the end of the pandemic, but prepare to adapt to the post-Covid period. First, macro policies should be prepared to amend regulations to treat Covid-19 like a common disease. In the meantime, solutions to prevent Covid-19 spread should be made consistent among localities and adjusted to achieve the highest efficiency, Hieu said and pointed out several rules he thought have caused more trouble than help to prevent Covid-19 infection. "Currently when getting on a plane, passengers must keep a distance from each other but then once on the plane, they all have to sit close together. Meanwhile, students have returned to school already but schools are not allowed to accommodate them for lunch, he said." Hieu said he hopes that in future there would be no more "shutting down and reopening" due to Covid-19 outbreaks. "Getting back to normal is feasible if the Omicron strain is as shown by studies not as aggravating as the Delta variant." He predicted that the Omicron wave would achieve its peak in February and decline in March. By late March, if severe cases caused by Covid-19 keep falling, Vietnam can rest assured to fully reopen, he said. According to official data from the Ministry of Health, the number of severe patients in the past week has remained at 15,326 per day on average, compared to 19,000 the previous week. Policymakers should also pay attention to setting up specialized departments to take care of those that have recovered from Covid-19 as the disease has been reported to leave certain impacts on the health of former patients, both physically and mentally, Hieu said. On the other hand, Vietnam should also prepare medical resources to deal with Covid-19 in the long run, he said. He also noticed that being optimistic about the future does not mean everyone should let their guard down during this period, because Vietnam has yet to vaccinate the group of under 12 years old and until now, there are still elderly people with underlying health conditions that do not want to get vaccinated. He suggested people should still wear masks in public spaces and disinfect their hands regularly while authorities speed up the vaccination rate and review all elderly cases that have yet to get the shot. ELKO An Elko man who was arrested for a burglary at Southside Elementary School in April 2020 has been sentenced to 12-30 months in prison. Raul M. Duran, 24, pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in March 2021 and was given a deferred sentence. He was arrested again in December 2021 on a probation violation and was sentenced to the prison term on Feb. 3 by District Judge Kriston Hill. The school break-in occurred at about 2 a.m. April 25 by breaking through a glass door. Police arrived later that morning and found evidence that led them to a residence in the Panorama Trailer Park, where the suspect was located. Officers said they found property stolen from the school in Durans residence. They also reported finding a small amount of cocaine. Duran was originally arrested on charges of burglary, possession of stolen property, possession of cocaine, petit larceny and malicious damage to property. He was given credit for 59 days already served at Elko County Jail. Love 0 Funny 6 Wow 0 Sad 3 Angry 3 Union Springs, AL (36089) Today Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 87F. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable. (@FahadShabbir) Port of Spain, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Trinidad and Tobago repatriated 35 Venezuelan migrants on Friday after a coast guard interception of their boat ended in a deadly at-sea incident in which a baby died, officials said. The Caribbean island's authorities said they had attempted to halt a boat carrying 40 migrants last week but after the vessel from Venezuela refused to stop, the coast guard ship opened fire in "self-defense." The baby died in its mother's arms. Over 100 people have lost their lives since 2018 in sinkings in the area between Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela -- only around 100 kilometers (60 miles) apart -- as scores of migrants try to escape the crisis-hit South American nation. Venezuela has demanded an "exhaustive investigation" into the incident. On Friday, Trinidad's National Security Ministry said a "repatriation exercise was carried out" of 35 migrants, who had illegally entered the island's territorial waters, in accordance with bilateral agreements between the two countries. The fate of the four remaining migrants from that boat was not clear. Trinidadian Prime Minister Keith Rowley sought to downplay the gravity of the incident, denouncing "the hysteria around this matter" and saying that similar incidents take place in other countries. The route is heavily trafficked by people smugglers transporting migrants on overloaded boats that are prone to overturning. According to the UN, some five million Venezuelans have fled the country of 30 million since 2015, with 25,000 choosing to go to Trinidad and Tobago, a country of 1.3 million, which says it has recorded the arrival of 16,000 Venezuelans. Washington, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :The White House warned Friday that a major Russian assault on Ukraine, presaged by aerial bombings and missile attacks, could begin in days and told Americans there to leave within 48 hours in a dramatic elevation of the war threat level. "We continue to see signs of Russian escalation including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border," said National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, warning US officials now believe Moscow may not delay an invasion -- as some had suggested -- until after the Winter Olympics in Beijing. "Our view that military action could occur any day now, and could occur before the end of the Olympics is only growing in terms of its robustness," Sullivan told reporters at the White House, calling such a scenario "a very, very distinct possibility." Sullivan stopped short of saying the United States now believes President Vladimir Putin has actually made the decision to attack. Still, the White House's tone and language on the possibility of war in Europe were much more pointed and strident than just days ago. With more than 100,000 Russian troops and an array of military materiel amassed on the border with its pro-western neighbor, Sullivan urged Americans in Ukraine to get out quickly, while they can. "An invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it," he said. " "It could begin during the Olympics.""If a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians," he added. Biden has already spoken to Putin twice and warned of severe economic sanctions against Russia if it invades, and Sullivan said he expects the two leaders to speak again. UNITED NATIONS, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the international community to "change track" in protecting the ocean from the climate crisis. Global warming, biodiversity loss and pollution are a triple crisis facing the planet, he said in a video message to the One Ocean Summit taking place in the northern French coastal city of Brest., warning that the ocean "shoulders a great deal of the burden". As the ocean serves as a giant carbon and heat sink, it is growing warmer and more acidic, causing its ecosystems to suffer. "Polar ice is melting and global weather patterns are changing", the UN chief told the conference on Friday. The communities who rely on the ocean are hurting as well, he added: "More than three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods". He painted a grim picture of dwindling marine species; dying coral reefs; coastal ecosystems turned into "vast dead zones" as they serve as dumping grounds for sewage; and nutrients and seas choked by plastic waste. Moreover, fish stocks are being threatened by over and destructive fishing practices, along with illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. "We must change tack", the Secretary-General stressed. Pointing out that it is 40 years since the signing of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the UN chief said, "The importance of legal certainty in the ocean is paramount". He upheld that the second UN Ocean Conference, which will be held in Lisbon from 27 June to 1 July this year, is "an opportunity to cement the role of the ocean" in global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. The UN chief stressed that intensified efforts must be made to protect the ocean, saying that a "sustainable blue economy can drive economic progress and job creation", while protecting climate. "We need more, and more effective partnerships, to address land-based sources of marine pollutionurgency in the deployment of offshore renewable energy, which can provide clean power and employment, and(less) fossil fuels in the ocean economy", he said. Guterres welcomed "encouraging steps" taken by some countries, including France, to end single-use plastics and urged others to follow suit. With some 90 per cent of world trade transported by sea, he said that shipping accounts for nearly three per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. "The shipping sector needs to contribute to the necessary 45 per cent cut in emissions needed by 2030, and zero emissions by 2050, in the effort to keep alive our hopes of limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius", spelled out the UN chief. A breakthrough on adaptation and resilience for coastal communities whose lives, homes and livelihoods are at risk is also imperative. "We must capitalize on the opportunities that nature-based solutions, such as mangroves and seagrasses, provide", he added. To promote a sustainable ocean economy, the Secretary-General highlighted the need for global partnerships and investment along with increased support to ocean science "so our actions are based on knowledge and understanding of the ocean". "Too much remains unmapped, unobserved and unexplored", he said. Throughout the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, Guterres encouraged concerned citizens everywhere to "deliver on our collective promise of a healthy blue planet for future generations". Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was determined to protect the rights of journalists and multiple steps were being taken for their welfare LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Farrukh Habib Saturday said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was determined to protect the rights of journalists and multiple steps were being taken for their welfare. He was addressing a ceremony held for members of the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists at the Governor's House here. President Lahore Press Club Azam Chaudhry and a number of journalists were also present. Farrukh Habib said that the government believed in press freedom and added that the media had always played a vital role in ensuring the rule of law in the country. However, he said the media should realise the difference between facts and fake news and should avoid spreading misinformation. He said the government had passed media protection bill with the cooperation of the journalist bodies, as it would ensure provision of conducive working environment to the media professionals. Farrukh Habib said that journalist community was being made part of many other government initiatives including Health Card, Kamyab Jawan Programme, low-cost housing schemes and soft loans for construction of houses for journalists. He said the Health Card had been awarded to journalists in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) as whole of the province had been provided the facility. He said that the Health Card was now being provided to the people of Punjab province and most of the divisions had been given the facility. Before the Health Card initiative, he added, people had to face hardships to get medical treatment for their loved ones; however, now people could get treatment from the place of their choice (public or private) through the facility. He said that medical treatment amounting to one million rupees was allowed to each family every year. He termed the Health Card a welfare project in true sense and not a political tool as the PTI government, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, was taking practical steps to solve the public problems. He said the so-called political leaders sitting abroad had to be answerable for the misdeeds committed during their tenures in government. He said that billions of rupees were transferred through the accounts of Sharif family employees in Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The minister of state said that the recent meeting between Shehbaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari was aimed to protect their personal interests only. He urged the Sindh government to utilise some of the money got through National Finance Commission on the poor people of the province rather than pocketing it through kickbacks. To a question, he said that the so-called PDM (Pakistan Democratic Movement) alliance of the opposition had taken so many decisions so far, but they could not implement them due to differences in their ranks. He said they had given a call to resign from the assemblies earlier, but could not do practically. Then they announced staging a long march, but again failed. He said that the recent announcement by the PDM about bringing a no-confidence motion in the parliament would also face defeat like in the past. To another query, he said that the PTI government was taking all its allies along; however, they were independent to meet anyone they want to. (@FahadShabbir) The Belgian Foreign Ministry updated its travel advice on Ukraine on Saturday, calling on Belgian citizens to leave and saying that evacuation cannot be guaranteed if tensions escalate MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2022) The Belgian Foreign Ministry updated its travel advice on Ukraine on Saturday, calling on Belgian citizens to leave and saying that evacuation cannot be guaranteed if tensions escalate. "All trips to the entire Ukrainian territory are strongly discouraged. Nationals who are currently in Ukraine and whose presence is not absolutely necessary are strongly advised to leave the country," the new travel advice read. The ministry advised citizens to modify their travel plans depending on the security situation in Ukraine as tensions with Russia allegedly grow, adding that should the situation deteriorate, disruptions might affect air travel, internet and phone connectivity in Ukraine. "If the situation worsens, evacuation from Ukraine cannot be guaranteed. It is, therefore, advisable that you leave the country while it is still possible," the ministry said. Countries like New Zealand, Australia and Finland told their citizens to leave Ukraine earlier in the day. The United States and the United Kingdom have issued similar recommendations and began evacuating families of diplomatic staff. Russia decided to "optimize" the staff of Russian foreign missions in Ukraine in the event of possible provocations from Kiev or third countries, but the main missions to the country continue their work, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said on Saturday. In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of massing troops near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for invasion. Russia replied that it has no intention of invading Ukraine, while stressing that it has the right to move its forces within its own territory. Russia has also expressed concerns over NATO military activity near its borders and ongoing military support of Ukraine, including an increase in the number of Western instructors in the breakaway Donbas region. Lavrov said that Moscow is not excluding that the "hysteria" around Ukraine fueled by the West is aimed at concealing Kiev's plans to sabotage the Minsk Agreements on Donbas. Belgium on Saturday advised its nationals to leave Ukraine after the US warned that a Russian invasion of its neighbour could begin within days with aerial bombardments Brussels, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Belgium on Saturday advised its nationals to leave Ukraine after the US warned that a Russian invasion of its neighbour could begin within days with aerial bombardments. Belgium joins the US and several European countries, who have called on their citizens in Ukraine to leave the country for fear war breaks out. "Nationals who are currently in Ukraine and whose presence is not strictly necessary in the country are strongly advised to leave the country," the Belgian foreign ministry said on its website. It said it strongly advised against travel to the country, adding that an evacuation could not be guaranteed. The ministry said that in case of a "sudden deterioration, communication links including internet and telephone lines could be seriously affected" and air links hampered. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters in Washington on Friday that an attack by the more than 100,000 Russian troops currently massed next to Ukraine "could occur any day now" and said Americans in Ukraine "should leave as soon as possible." The European Union has told non-essential staff from its diplomatic mission in Ukraine to leave the country but has not issued an evacuation order. Several EU countries have also asked their nationals to leave Ukraine, notably Estonia and Lithuania. csg/ach/cb By Trend It is necessary to subsidize the first installment on a preferential mortgage in the amount of 10 percent for certain citizens in Azerbaijan, MP Vugar Bayramov proposed Trend reports. "The amount of preferential mortgages does not exceed 100,000 manat ($58,857) and is issued for a period of 30 years at an annual rate of four percent. The minimum down payment on these loans accounts for 10 percent. Considering that citizens taking preferential mortgages are identified as the population in need of special support, we offer to subsidize soft mortgages for some of them, Bayramov said. According to him, the low salaries of reporters and secondary school teachers are the biggest obstacle to paying the down payment on subsidized mortgages. Therefore, for citizens applying for a preferential mortgage loan, a 10 percent down payment may be subsidized by the Azerbaijan Mortgage and Credit Guarantee Fund. He also added that in this case, a person can get credit and buy an apartment without the down payment. This can help our citizens to benefit more from concessional mortgages and will improve the availability of loans. According to the MP, the related proposals have already been submitted to the government for consideration. ELKO Hunger is real. We see it every day without even knowing it. Just because a person is out and about, it does not mean they have had a meal that day. Or the day before. In fact, there is probably no way to ever calculate the many cases of food insecurity that occur in our community on a regular basis. Micro pantries, blessing boxes and karma boxes have been popping up all over the USA as a way to provide nutritional support to those in need. In the Reno area the Karma Box Community Initiative was started to bring nonperishable food, first aid and toiletries to those in need in an anonymous way. Reno resident Grant Denton, who was once a homeless addict, instituted the project. Since recovery, he has dedicated his life to helping others. Michelle Joy, vice president of Carson Tahoe Health, was also very involved. Now there is a new micro pantry at the First Presbyterian Church in Elko, 1559 Sewell Drive. Church members bonded together to help provide a solution for residents who may be in a food crisis. Suzy Jones is a member of the Presbyterian Church. She and others are on the Mission and Outreach Committee. Then we pulled in our Deacons, said Jones. When we got going on this, we realized we needed more support. There was an article in Presbyterian Today about micro pantries, Jones said. They talked about how their church has a big, red door and they built a pantry with a red door. Jones started doing more research on them. She became very interested in the project and realized the boxes are all over the country. Its totally anonymous. People can leave and people can take, nobody sees anything. Jones was impressed by the need in our area when she and her husband were walking by FISH one day and she noticed there was a line of cars stretched almost to Fifth Street waiting to get help from their food pantry. People are suffering, Jones said. There are a lot of hungry people. Its not just for homeless people, its for people who cant make their mortgage that month and feed their kids. Jones said the pandemic has contributed to this type of need, especially when people lost jobs or were temporarily suspended because of the economic shutdown. She recommends that people leave non-freezable, non-perishable items. As the weather warms, canned food is acceptable. If people want to donate those items anyway, the parishioners have an entire pantry inside the church to store donated food and hygiene products. Two high school students helped construct the micro pantry box. I am with Carlin High School SkillsUSA, said shop teacher Justin Munson. Skills USA is a vocational club. We compete in welding, but there are over 90 competitions. It prepares students for the workforce. We take on projects fairly often. Its good for the students and it helps the communities and people who ask us to do it. I looked them up so I could see what I was building, Munson said. One of the things I read about is make sure the critters cant get in there. This micro pantry is constructed of metal and has a tight seal with a glass front. A latch in the form of a Cross secures the door. Jones hopes others, especially church organizations, will recognize that these small boxes of food can help many in our community who have food insecurity. The pastor at the Presbyterian Church contacted Micro Pantry about supplying a metal sign. They shipped one immediately and it was installed after this interview was conducted. Love 4 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. (@FahadShabbir) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the tensions around Ukraine with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after her visit to Russia earlier in the week, the US State Department said Saturday WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2022) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the tensions around Ukraine with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after her visit to Russia earlier in the week, the US State Department said Saturday. "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss today about acute and shared concerns that Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days," the statement read. The two sides also discussed international efforts to "seek a meaningful dialogue with Russia on mutual security concerns that could lead to a diplomatic resolution," the State Department said. Blinken further stressed the importance of the US working together with NATO allies and European partners to impose "swift, severe costs" on Russia in response to "any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine," according to the statement. (@ChaudhryMAli88) Iceland's Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir has tested positive for Covid-19 after contracting the virus from a family member, she announced on Facebook on Saturday Reykjavik, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Iceland's Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir has tested positive for Covid-19 after contracting the virus from a family member, she announced on Facebook on Saturday. "My youngest son tested positive for Covid-19 on February 1. Since then, another member of our household has also contracted the virus, so it was no great surprise when I tested positive last night", she wrote in a post. Jakobsdottir, 46, will isolate at home for at least five days, in line with recommendations in Iceland. The subarctic island nation has registered a record more than 2,000 daily Covid cases on average over the past four days, but hospital admissions have remained stable. The country of 370,000 people has registered a total of 85,980 cases and 54 deaths linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to latest figures released on Friday. On Saturday, Iceland eased some coronavirus restrictions -- including limits on crowd numbers and restaurant opening hours -- and will lift all measures at the end of the month. The coastal Madagascar town of Mananjary was largely destroyed after Tropical Cyclone Batsirai, aid workers said Saturday, as more relief supplies arrived by plane Mananjary, Madagascar, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :The coastal Madagascar town of Mananjary was largely destroyed after Tropical Cyclone Batsirai, aid workers said Saturday, as more relief supplies arrived by plane. The storm left 120 people dead, mainly on the east coast of the Indian Ocean island nation, which took the hardest hit. "For the moment, the initial evaluations undertaken are very alarming. We're talking about nine out of 10 homes damaged by the cyclone, especially around Mananjary," said Martin Marin, a French Red Cross logistics officer. He spoke to AFP as the Red Cross was loading two tonnes of equipment onto a French military plane to deliver from the Indian Ocean island of Reunion to Madagascar. Doctors without Borders (MSF) said in a statement that their teams had visited the town and found it "largely destroyed". "The hospital is no longer functioning, five health centres are completely destroyed in the area and the roofs of 35 other structures have been blown off. The hospital patients have been evacuated to a clinic opened urgently to receive them," said MSF logistics officer Joaquin Noterdaeme. "The state of the roads is getting worse as we go, and many of them are still being cleared," he said. "The roads are unstable, sometimes with a deep hole under the asphalt, and can collapse at any time." Nosy Varika, about 100 kilometres (65 miles) north, is only accessible by sea. The town's hospital was destroyed, and electricity has yet to be restored, he added. The national disaster management agency BNGRC said the majority of deaths were in Ikongo district, also near the east coast. About 125,000 people were in need of aid after Batsirai struck one week ago, the agency said. Madagascar is one of the poorest countries in the world. Some 42 percent of children suffer from chronic malnutrition, even without a natural disaster. Five Micronesian nations suspended on Saturday breakaway plans from a crucial Pacific Islands political bloc as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the region Wellington, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Five Micronesian nations suspended on Saturday breakaway plans from a crucial Pacific Islands political bloc as US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the region. The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru and Palau "have agreed to temporarily rescind their withdrawal" from the Pacific Islands Forum, the FSM foreign ministry said in a statement. The five territories announced a year ago they were quitting the group after their nominee lost the vote for a new forum secretary general. They said the majority decision by the 18-nation body to elect former Cook Islands prime minister Henry Puna had overridden an informal agreement that the position would be filled by Micronesia and had caused an irreparable rift. However, in a statement the Micronesian leaders said they had discussed "specific substantive reforms of the Pacific Island Forum" and had given the forum until June for the reforms to materialise. The announcement came as Blinken arrived in Fiji in a visit intended to highlight Washington's interest in the region where China has stepped up efforts to build footholds. The Pacific Islands Forum was formed in 1971 to enhance the economic and social well-being of its 18 South Pacific islands nations which both the United States and China view as being in strategic locations. Myanmar's junta on Saturday announced an amnesty for more than 800 prisoners, as it held a parade and show of force in the capital to mark the country's Union Day Yangon, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Myanmar's junta on Saturday announced an amnesty for more than 800 prisoners, as it held a parade and show of force in the capital to mark the country's Union Day. The country has been in turmoil since last year's coup, with mass protests and a subsequent military crackdown that has killed more than 1,500 civilians, according to the UN's human rights office. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing issued the "pardon order" -- a regular feature of major holidays in the country -- for 814 prisoners, state media said, marking the 75th Union Day. The annual holiday commemorates an agreement between independence hero Aung San and several ethnic groups to form a Union of Burma independent of British rule. Those given amnesty will be mostly from prisons in commercial hub Yangon, junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told AFP. He did not say whether Australian academic Sean Turnell -- who has been detained for more than a year -- would be among those released. The economics professor was working as an adviser to civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi when he was arrested last February, days after she was ousted by the military. He has been charged with violating Myanmar's official secrets law and faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison if found guilty. About 100 people gathered outside Yangon's Insein prison on Saturday morning hoping to be reunited with loved ones, AFP correspondents said. Four minibuses left the prison around noon local time (0530 GMT) and drove away, with those inside waving as people in the crowd shouted the Names of relatives. Thin Thin Aye, 46, waited in the hope her son -- jailed last year for incitement against the military -- would be among those freed. She kept waiting even after the last bus pulled away and prison staff said no other prisoners would be released. "I hope my son will be released as soon as possible and I want him to stay with our family," she told AFP through tears. The junta marked Union Day with a show of force in the military-built capital Naypyidaw. Hundreds of troops paraded alongside civil servants waving national flags in unison, and there were choreographed dances. Helicopters carrying the country's yellow, green and red flag flew overhead, followed by jets trailing the same colours in smoke. In a speech to troops, Min Aung Hlaing repeated the military's claim of massive fraud in 2020 elections won by Suu Kyi's party. He also invited the myriad ethnic armed organisations that have been fighting Myanmar's military -- and each other -- for decades to sit for peace talks. The Karen National Union, whose fighters have clashed repeatedly with junta troops in the east, said it would not attend talks. "They say it was union day, but where was the union?" spokesman Padoh Saw Taw Nee told AFP. "They stole power from the civilian government. They are not the official government." "The message for Union Day is at complete odds with the reality that is Myanmar," said independent analyst David Mathieson, adding the junta was not sincere about peace. "It's pretty absurd that on the 75th anniversary of Union Day the country is more divided than at any point in its history."bur-rma/leg Nine people were killed and three injured in the southern Philippines Saturday when a convoy of SUVs was shot at in an ambush linked to a feud between rival Muslim clans, police said COTABATO, Philippines, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Nine people were killed and three injured in the southern Philippines Saturday when a convoy of SUVs was shot at in an ambush linked to a feud between rival Muslim clans, police said. The attack occurred in a region with a long history of violence, and a short drive from where 58 people -- including 32 journalists -- were murdered in the nation's worst political massacre in 2009. Clan leader Peges Mamasainged and eight others were killed as they travelled down a farm-lined road in Maguindanao province, according to police. Both the victims and attackers were led by former commanders of a Muslim guerilla group that waged a bloody, decades-long insurgency in the region before a peace agreement was signed in 2014, provincial police spokesman Fhaeyd Cana told AFP. Authorities are looking for suspects led by Mamasainged's rival, Cana said, adding the two families were involved in a long-running blood feud. Well-armed Muslim families in the mainly Catholic country's lawless south at times resort to clan warfare to settle disputes that can last for generations. "(Guindulungan town) police described this attack as a rido," Cana said, using the local term for blood feud. The attack was the province's bloodiest since the 2009 massacre, he added. Five clan members were among the gunmen found guilty of those killings. The family's leaders were sentenced to 30-year prison terms in 2019. Both the main suspect in Saturday's attack and the slain Mamasainged were once commanders of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces, the military arm of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The front signed a peace deal with Manila in March 2014, ending decades of rebellion that claimed tens of thousands of lives. Its leaders now head a self-ruled area in the former battlefields that includes Maguindanao. However, the decommissioning of thousands of former guerrilla fighters and their weapons has been delayed by the coronavirus pandemic as well as technical issues. str-cgm/cwl/rbu (@ChaudhryMAli88) A French "freedom convoy" of cars and vans began arriving in Paris on Saturday for a protest over coronavirus restrictions, but the police moved quickly to prevent a Canadian-style blockade of the capital by issuing hundreds of fines Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :A French "freedom convoy" of cars and vans began arriving in Paris on Saturday for a protest over coronavirus restrictions, but the police moved quickly to prevent a Canadian-style blockade of the capital by issuing hundreds of fines. Inspired by the truckers that shut down the Canadian capital Ottawa, thousands of demonstrators from across France said they planned to form "a mass of vehicles that the security forces would find impossible to contain". Several hundred vehicles, mostly vans, mobile-homes and cars, converged on the main ring road around the city after spending the night camped on the outskirts of the capital. But the police acted quickly, issuing 283 fines for "participation in an unauthorised protest" by mid-morning. The demonstrators include anti-Covid vaccination activists, but also people angry at fast-rising energy prices, some of whom took part in the "Yellow Vest" protest movement of 2018/2019. Just two months ahead of presidential elections and with the government desperate to avoid a repeat of the "Yellow Vest" riots that shook the capital, Macron said Friday he understood the "fatigue" linked to the Covid-19 pandemic. - 'Fatigue leads to anger' - "This fatigue also leads to anger. I understand it and I respect it. But I call for the utmost calm," he told the Ouest-France newspaper. Nearly 7,200 officers have been deployed to prevent a blockade, with the Champs-Elysees avenue, which was the epicentre of the "Yellow Vest" protests, under particularly heavy guard. Police showed off their anti-blockage arsenal on Twitter, publishing photographs of loader tractors for the removal of barricades as well as trucks equipped with cranes or water cannon. Gendarmerie armoured vehicles have also been deployed in the streets of the capital for the first time since the "Yellow Vest" protests. Prime Minister Jean Castex vowed to remain steadfast. "If they block traffic or if they try to block the capital, we must be very firm about this," he told France 2 television. The convoys set out from Nice in the south, Lille and Vimy in the north, Strasbourg in the east and Chateaubourg in the west. - 'It's a betrayal' - They are demanding the withdrawal of the government's vaccine pass, which is required for access to many public spaces, and more help with their energy bills. "People need to see us, and to listen to the people who just want to live a normal and free life," said Lisa, a 62-year-old retired health worker travelling in the Chateaubourg convoy, who did not want to give her surname. Paris police banned the gathering saying it posed a threat to public order and said protesters who tried to block roads would face fines or arrest. The order prohibiting the assembly of convoys was upheld on Friday by the courts, which rejected two appeals. "It's a betrayal. The basis of the order is not respectful of the law, of the freedom to demonstrate," anti-vaccine and "yellow vest" activist Sophie Tissier told AFP. The prime minister defended the clampdown. "The right to demonstrate and to have an opinion are a constitutionally guaranteed right in our republic and in our democracy. The right to block others or to prevent coming and going is not," he said. From Paris, some of the protesters plan to travel on to Brussels for a "European convergence" of protesters planned there for Monday. Phil, a 58-year-old on his way by truck from Brittany, said his refusal to get vaccinated had created "upheaval" in his family and work relations. "When you join a demonstration you feel less alone," he told AFP. Thousands of protesters marched through Australia's capital to the parliament building on Saturday to decry Covid-19 vaccine mandates, the latest in a string of rallies against pandemic restrictions around the world Sydney, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Feb, 2022 ) :Thousands of protesters marched through Australia's capital to the parliament building on Saturday to decry Covid-19 vaccine mandates, the latest in a string of rallies against pandemic restrictions around the world. Demonstrators packed Canberra's streets before massing outside the parliament, some waving the red Australian ensign flag associated with "sovereign citizens" who believe national laws do not apply to them. Protesters, many with children, rallied under bright skies brandishing banners proclaiming "Fight for Your Freedom & Rights", "Free Aus Freedom Now", or "No forced drugs" written above a symbol of a syringe. Police estimated there were up to 10,000 protesters. They were "generally well behaved", a police spokesman said. Three people were arrested including one man who drove his truck through a roadblock. Two others were taken into custody for a breach of the peace. Australia says 94 percent of people aged over 16 have had at least two Covid-19 vaccinations. Though getting the jab is voluntary, it is generally required for people entering the country and for those working in a range of professions deemed at particular risk such as caring for the elderly. Some Australian states such as New South Wales have begun to relax proof-of-vaccine requirements for entry to pubs, restaurants or shops. Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who must call a general election by mid-May, called on the protesters to act peacefully. But the Australian leader also said he understood their concerns, and stressed that the states -- not the Federal government -- were responsible for many of the vaccine requirements. "My message to them today is Australia is a free country and they have a right to protest and I would ask them to do that in a peaceful way and a respectful way," Morrison told reporters when asked about the rallies. "Those who are protesting today are speaking up for the things that they feel strongly about." Morrison said he wanted to be "very clear" that the federal government had only supported mandates that relate to aged care workers, disability workers and those working in high-risk health situations. "All other mandates that are related to vaccines have been imposed unilaterally by state governments," the prime minister added. "So, I understand their concerns about these issues." Anti-vaccine mandate rallies have also swelled outside the New Zealand parliament in Wellington, where protesters and police faced each other under heavy rain on Saturday with no clashes. Though the protests have been mostly peaceful, New Zealand police arrested 122 people and used pepper spray to quell scuffles on Thursday before taking a more hands-off approach in tackling the demonstrations. World attention has been focused on Canadian truckers who have jammed a key bridge linking Canada and the United States, defying a judge's order to leave Friday night. Thousands of people were also driving towards Paris on Friday hoping to blockade the capital in protest at Covid vaccination rules in France. UK Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said on Saturday that she continues running the embassy in Kiev together with the core personnel despite growing tensions and the departure of families of diplomats KIEV (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2022) UK Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said on Saturday that she continues running the embassy in Kiev together with the core personnel despite growing tensions and the departure of families of diplomats. On Monday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia informed it about their intention to evacuate families of diplomats. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that member countries of the bloc are not going to evacuate their diplomatic staff from Ukraine. "I am staying in Kyiv and continue to work there with a core team. The embassy remains operational," Simmons wrote on Twitter. Ukraine and several Western countries have been accusing Russia of military build-up along the Ukrainian border in an alleged preparation of invasion. Russia has rejected these accusations. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia was not threatening anyone but was being threatened. Moreover, Russia warned Western counterparts supplying lethal weaponry to Ukraine that the latter could use it against the breakaway parts of the Donbas region. What's up Vol Nation?! Check out @Sami_whamiii on this weeks episode of the Weekly Wrap-Up for news involving @tpusautk and their guest speaker @tomilahren, the largest increase to the HOPE Scholarship since its founding, @josiah.j.james declaring for the draft. As always, a wrap up of our MOSCOW (AP) With the risk of war looming larger, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden held a high-stakes telephone call Saturday as a tense world watched and worried that an invasion of Ukraine could begin within days. Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made toward cooling down the tensions. The closely watched call between Biden and Putin began shortly after 11 a.m. and lasted just over an hour, according to the White House. Biden conducted the call from Camp David. There were no immediate details about the discussion. In a sign that American officials were getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital, and Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine. Russia has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, but denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. The timing of any possible Russian military action remained a key question. Read the full story: More updates: Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Lithuanian troops set up a razor wire fence along the border with Belarus in July 2021 Pope Francis sends an aid package to Caritas Vilnius to assist migrants stranded in Lithuania near its border with Belarus, as many complain of harsh treatment and difficult living conditions. By Devin Watkins The Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development announced Saturday that Pope Francis has sent 50,000 Euro to Caritas Vilnius, which is assisting migrants stuck near Lithuanias eastern border. The Popes aid package offers an immediate expression of his feeling of spiritual closeness and paternal encouragement, according to a statement. He has sent the funds through the Apostolic Nunciature in Lithuania, which will go toward providing migrants with medicines, foodstuffs, and warm clothing. The statement says the aid will help them endure the harsh living conditions which they are suffering during this cold winter, which are aggravated also by the ongoing pandemic. Engineered migration crisis Thousands of migrants streamed from Belarus into Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia in the summer of 2021, sparking a renewed migration crisis. The European Union accused Belarus president of orchestrating the migrant influx in retaliation for EU sanctions. Lithuania threw up a fence along its Belarus border and opened hastily-constructed reception centers for migrants. Most hail from Middle Eastern and African nations, and many have been stuck for months in the reception centers. Harsh life in the camps Lithuanias parliament passed a law in July 2021 that allowed asylum seekers to be detained for up to six months, which was later extended for up to a year. The law also allows migrants to be deported while their asylum appeal is being considered. Reports have emerged from the migrant camps of harsh treatment at the hands of military personnel. Asylum seekers complain of poor hygienic conditions, including discolored water, very little soap, and poor heating. Holy Fathers care and concern Pope Francis has frequently voiced his support for migrants facing difficult conditions in the area. Earlier this year, he sent a separate donation to assist migrants stuck on Polands border with Belarus. One important aspect of his upcoming visit to Malta in April will be to highlight the dangerous plight of migrants seeking to enter the EU. Normal, IL (61790) Today Mostly cloudy with showers and a few thunderstorms. Morning high of 59F with temps falling to near 50. Winds NNW at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy after midnight. Low around 40F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Music Time in Africa is VOAs longest running English language program. Since 1965, this award-winning program has featured pan African music that spans all genres and generations. Ethnomusicologist and Host Heather Maxwell keeps you up to date on whats happening in African music with exclusive interviews, cultural information, and of course, great music -- including rare recordings from the Leo Sarkisian Library of African Music. U.N. and other aid agencies are increasing humanitarian operations in Myanmar in response to a growing displacement crisis there. The number of displaced people in Myanmar has doubled to more than 800,000 since the military junta seized power from the democratically elected government a year ago. The U.N. Refugee Agency says that number is likely to rise in the coming weeks and months, as fighting and armed conflict intensify across the country. UNHCR spokesman Matthew Saltmarsh says his agency and others are increasing emergency aid in support of as many of the displaced as possible. He says they are living under precarious conditions and have pressing humanitarian needs. Humanitarian access in many parts of Myanmar remains restricted due to insecurity, roadblocks and challenges in obtaining access approvals, Saltmarsh said. As a result, host communities and local responders continue to play a leading role in assisting displaced populationsdemonstrating solidarity with each other by donating what they can. The U.N. says hostility toward the military has grown since the coup and violence is spreading across the country. U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet warns Myanmar is heading toward civil war and the escalating conflict is threatening regional stability. The U.N. and other international aid agencies have a somewhat fluid, ambiguous relationship with the countrys military leadership. Saltmarsh stresses the need for organizations to have access, to get aid into the country, and to ensure that humanitarian staff can work freely. That access comes and goes, he says. For example, agencies have only been able to reach some 600,000 stateless Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state sporadically. He adds development projects for their benefit have been relatively rare. Life there is extremely difficult. The questions about pathways to citizenship still remain. This is a stateless population, Saltmarsh said. As of course you all know, there is almost a million Rohingya who fled several years ago across the border to Bangladesh and the situation on the ground in Rakhine state remains extremely challenging. Some 200 UNHCR staff work in 10 locations across Myanmar. Saltmarsh says the agency remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance despite the difficulties. The Roman Catholic Church in Cameroon says armed men Friday torched a renowned girls school dormitory in Mamfe, an English-speaking southwestern town. English-speaking separatists have claimed responsibility, saying that they punished the school for preparing to take part in National Youth Day activities organized by the central government in Yaounde on February 11. Parents are withdrawing their children from the school. These are the voices of armed men ordering students to open the doors of their school dormitories. In the video, widely circulated on social media platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, the students cry for help while the armed men torch beds, dressers and furniture in the dormitory. Cameroon's military says the video is that of separatists burning dormitories and administrative blocks of Queen of the Rosary College Okoyong. Queen of the Rosary college Okoyong is a girls-only Roman Catholic Church institution in Mamfe, an English-speaking southwestern town. The Catholic Church in Mamfe reports that in the early hours of Friday February 11, armed men stormed the institution, setting dormitories and the administrative block of the school on fire. The church says none of the 142 girls in the school died, but that many received minor injuries. Enow Valery is a human rights lawyer who has a child in the school. He says the attack on Queen of the Rosary college has spurred many parents to insist on withdrawing their children from the school. He spoke via a messaging app from Kumba, a commercial town near Mamfe. "There is so much insecurity. It is high time the Cameroon government put an end to the uncomfortable situation we find ourselves in," said Enow. "Children will be afraid to go back to that school, teachers afraid to teach and parents afraid to send their children to that school." The school has temporarily relocated remaining students to surrounding buildings and is pleading with parents to allow their children to continue to pursue their education in the institution. School officials have also asked the government to ensure the security of the school and its students Cameroons government is assuring parents of their children's safety. The military says it has deployed troops to arrest separatists that the military says torched the school. Capo Daniel is defense chief of staff for the Ambazonia Defense Forces, said to be Cameroons largest separatist group. Capo says video footage of the attack shared on social media platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook appear to show people identifying themselves as fighters torching the school. "Despite the fact that the school was accused of preparing its students to participate in Cameroons 11th February celebration, nothing justifies the burning down of private institutions such as this [Queen of the Rosary College Okoyons]," said Capo. "Our ban remains against Cameroon government institutions not religious or mission schools." Cameroon annually commemorates Youth Week that ends with its National Youth Day on February 11. Cameroonian government officials said this year, activities were focused for the first time on the country's anglophone separatist conflict. The government said the teaching of English and French would bridge the gap between English speakers and the French-speaking majority. Cameroon is beset with two violent conflicts that directly affect education. The Boko Haram insurgency on its northern border with Nigeria has killed over 30,000 people, torched several hundred schools and displaced 2 million people within the past 10 years according to the United Nations. The United Nations says the separatist crisis has forced more than 500,000 people including several hundred schoolchildren to flee their homes since the crisis degenerated into an armed conflict in late 2017. More than 3,500 people have been killed according to the U.N. A December 2021 Human Rights Watch report says Cameroon separatists attack schools, train children as fighters and have deprived at least 700,000 children from having education since 2017. Human Rights Watch also says government troops organized abusive counterinsurgencies that affected education. Thousands of children have fled the English-speaking regions to safer French-speaking towns for education. Six people from the same family, including two children, were killed in a Syrian military artillery strike on a rebel-held village in northwest Syria on Saturday, opposition activists said. Residents said the family was outside their house enjoying sunny weather and drinking tea when the shell struck. Low-flying reconnaissance aircraft circled the area, Maarat al-Naasan village in Idlib province, after the strike. The opposition's Syrian Civil Defense group, also known as the White Helmets, said the two children were three and seven years old. It said a total of 65 children have been killed in a renewed bombing campaign by the Russian-backed Syrian government targeting Idlib in the past six months. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Syria war monitoring group, also reported the deaths. It said government forces also shelled areas around the villages of Kafr A'ama and Taqad, west of the city of Aleppo. Idlib province is the last rebel stronghold in war-torn Syria, and is home to about 3 million people, many of them internally displaced. It is regularly bombed by Syrian President Bashar Assad's government. Syria's decade-old conflict has killed nearly half-a=million people and displaced half the country's pre-war population of 23 million. Botswana health authorities say, starting Monday, fully vaccinated travelers entering the country will no longer need a negative COVID-19 PCR test result. Unvaccinated visitors can also get inoculated free at Botswana's entry points. From Gaborone. In a televised address on Friday, Minister of Health Edwin Dikoloti said all people age 12 and older will be required to show proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 at entry points. Travelers without a vaccination certificate will still be required to undergo a PCR test. He says, starting Monday, those entering the country will be required to produce proof of full vaccination. Those who are not fully vaccinated will have to take PCR tests at entry points at their own cost. Botswana has nearly 3 million vaccine doses in stock and Dikoloti says the country will offer free shots to visitors at entry points. What will happen is that there will be health officers at entry points to vaccinate those willing to receive the shot. This will enable visitors or returning citizens to be allowed into Botswana, Dikoloti says. Director of Health Services Pamela Smith-Lawrence says, right now, booster shots are not required to be considered fully vaccinated but that will change in the near future. For now, when we say fully vaccinated, we mean those who have received two doses, or a single dose for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine," Smith-Lawrence said. "But in the future, as more take the booster dose, we will specify that full vaccination includes the additional dose." Truck drivers are among those who welcome the decision to waive COVID-19 PCR testing requirements for the fully vaccinated. Truck driver Kealeboga Motsumi, who frequently travels to South Africa, is happy with the decision. "We do frequent PRC tests, and some of us travel in and out of Botswana every other day," Motsumi said. "We are fully vaccinated so it makes sense that the government says we should not do PCR test. That is welcome." With a population of 2.4 million, Botswana is one of Africas most highly vaccinated countries, with at least 73 percent of adults fully inoculated against COVID-19. Progressive zealots efforts to alter the Supreme Court by adding four justices for nakedly partisan and ideological purposes have presently failed. Numerous polls show Court-packing hugely unpopular with the general public, just as it was defeated with overwhelming bipartisan opposition when attempted by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937. But progressive Democrats have not abandoned the implied threat to bring it back later. Fortunately, Americans have an option to protect against either party ever attempting Court-packing again: a constitutional amendment to keep the Court at nine justices. The Amendment would be the shortest Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It simply states: The Supreme Court of the United States shall be composed of nine Justices. The Amendment would set the current number of nine Justices in the Constitution and prohibit a future Congress and President from altering the size of the U.S. Supreme Court. If adopted, the Keep Nine Amendment would become the 28th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Its text is simple and unambiguous. That text would prevent any future efforts to expand the Supreme Court beyond the nine justices that have been the established size since 1869. It would place in the Constitution what has been until now the statutory tradition: a Court unchanged in size for 150-plus years. By doing so it would preserve the independence of the Supreme Court from any effort by a future Congress and President to manipulate the size of the Court for political advantage. An independent Court free from the control of Congress is critical to the Rule of Law. In 2020, a bipartisan group of former State Attorneys General (8 Democrats and 7 Republicans) formed the Coalition to Preserve the Independence of the U.S. Supreme Court to support the Amendment. That group now consists of 21 former AGs, and includes Nevadan Robert List. More than 500 current and former elected officials around the country support Keep Nine. In the 117th Congress (2021-22), 20 Senators and 178 House members are resolution co-sponsors supporting the Amendment. Nevadas Mark Amodei is a co-sponsor. A poll taken in September 2020 by McLaughlin and Associates found an overwhelming majority of voters favor the Keep Nine Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. That poll showed voters support the Keep Nine Amendment to stop Court-packing by more than a 3-1 margin (62% to 18%). To permanently end the risk of Court-packing, simple opposition to Court-packing is not enough. A Constitutional Amendment is required. Amending the Constitution isnt easy. Proposing an amendment requires two-third votes in both houses of Congress, and it takes 38 state legislatures to ratify it. The Constitution has been amended only 27 times in 234 years. But an engaged public helped persuade Congress to propose the Bill of Rights in 1789, the 19th Amendment (guaranteeing a womans right to vote) in 1919, and the 22nd Amendment (setting presidential term limits) in 1947. Similar citizen energy could persuade Congress to propose the Keep Nine Amendment. For Republican legislators, supporting the Keep Nine Amendment should be a no-brainer. Preserving the Court is a popular cause with Republican voters. Backing the Keep Nine Amendment is a tougher sale to Democrats, but not every Democrat is a diehard burn-down-the-system progressive. The late iconic-liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg opposed court expansion, saying in 2019, nine seems to be a good number. In his recent book written before his announced retirement, Justice Stephen Breyer, the Supreme Courts pragmatic liberal dean, voiced strong opposition to current Court-packing efforts. And, President Joe Biden in 1983 denounced Roosevelts Court-packing scheme as a boneheaded idea. It was a terrible, terrible mistake to make. Nevadas Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto has expressed strong reservations about expanding the size of the Supreme Court. Will she oppose Court-packing permanently by supporting the Keep Nine Amendment? Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Trucker-led protests against coronavirus vaccine mandates that began in the Canadian capital, Ottawa, and spread to the U.S.-Canadian border are leading to copycat protests in Europe and elsewhere in the world. Canadian police began early Saturday to clear the protesters, who were blocking the Ambassador Bridge, a key connector between the two countries. Media reports said the standoff eased as police persuaded protesters to move their trucks. However, more protesters arrived, gathering a few blocks away and controlling the road to the bridge. As night neared, traffic had not resumed on the Ambassador Bridge. "We appreciate the cooperation of the demonstrators at this time and we will continue to focus on resolving the demonstration peacefully. Avoid area!" Windsor police tweeted, adding that no one had been arrested. Truckers demanding an end to Canadas coronavirus restrictions started the Freedom Convoy protests that eventually blocked the bridge between the Midwestern U.S. city of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, Canada, as well as other key passageways between the two countries. The closure disrupted the North American auto industry. Police said they began to enforce the order after a judge granted an injunction to end the blockade on Friday, when the Canadian province of Ontario declared an emergency. Demonstrations elsewhere The protests have sparked Freedom Convoy demonstrations in France, Australia and New Zealand. In Paris Saturday, Freedom Convoy protesters in vehicles snarled traffic around the Arc de Triomphe monument in defiance of an order not to enter the city to demonstrate. After managing to get past police checkpoints in central Paris, motorists were seen defiantly honking horns and waving flags. The police said they stopped 500 vehicles and issued 300 tickets. Police used tear gas to break up a small crowd of protesters on the Champs Elysees. New Zealand, Australia Anti-vaccination rallies that have been held in recent days in New Zealand and Australia gained momentum Saturday as demonstrators blocked roads and disrupted life in their capitals. Some 10,000 protesters converged on Canberras primary showgrounds, blocking roads and forcing the cancellation of a popular book fair. Police said three people were arrested but that the demonstrators were generally well-behaved. In the New Zealand capital of Wellington, hundreds of protesters assembled on parliament grounds for a fifth day, despite heavy rain. While the protests in New Zealand and Australia, both highly vaccinated countries, have been relatively small, they have occasionally turned violent. As the crowd of protesters on the parliament grounds in Wellington grew larger despite downpours, some danced and shouted and one group performed a Maori haka, an indigenous ceremonial dance. After days of failed efforts to disperse the protesters with tactics such as soaking them with sprinklers, Parliament Speaker Trevor Mallard resorted Saturday evening to using a sound system to drown out vaccine messages, blaring decades-old Barry Manilow songs and the 1990s earworm hit "Macarena" on a repeat loop. Protesters responded by blasting their own songs, including Twister Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take It." 'Time to go home' Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is being pressured by opposition party leaders to intervene in the protests, while U.S. President Joe Biden's administration urged Trudeaus government to use federal powers. Trudeau has informed Biden he will take quick action to end the protests. After a phone call with Biden on Friday, Trudeau said all options to end blockades are being considered, and added the consequences were becoming "more and more severe." "We've heard your frustration with COVID, with the measures," Trudeau told reporters Friday while addressing the demonstrators concerns. "It's time to go home now." Some information for this report came from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press and Reuters.s of 2018. French troops in an anti-jihadist mission have killed 40 militants in Burkina Faso linked to deadly attacks this week in neighboring Benin whose victims included a Frenchman, the army said Saturday. The French-led Barkhane force in the Sahel region "engaged its air intelligence capacities to locate the armed group" responsible for the attacks, carrying out air strikes that killed 40 jihadists, the army's general command said. The Frenchman was among nine people killed this week in two attacks in the W National Park, a wildlife reserve in Benin's remote north bordering troubled Niger and Burkina Faso. One patrol was trying to flush out poachers and another hit two roadside bombs on Tuesday, killing five park rangers, one park official, one soldier and a French trainer, according to the Beninese government. Two days later, a third patrol hit an explosive, killing another park official. The toll was the deadliest in recent attacks Benin has suffered as coastal West African states face spillover from Sahel countries battling jihadists. France said on Thursday it had opened an investigation as a 50-year-old citizen was among those killed in a "terrorist attack" in the park. African Parks, the organization running the reserve, said the Frenchman had been a "chief law enforcement instructor" there. Benin had long been one of the more stable countries in West Africa, where militants from the Islamic State group and al-Qaida threaten Sahel countries. Criminal smuggling gangs also operate along its frontier. In January, two Benin soldiers were killed when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device in the northern Atakora region. Authorities in Myanmars Mandalay region on Wednesday detained nearly 20 people accused of participating in a silent strike, bringing the number of those arrested in connection with the nationwide anti-junta protest to more than 200 in recent days, according to sources. Residents of Mandalays Mahar Aung Myae township told RFAs Myanmar Service on Thursday that security forces blocked off streets for most of the previous day and arrested at least 19 people including a Buddhist monk and several youth activist leaders. Ashin Raza Dhama, the leader of the Mandalay Buddhist Monk Union, said junta forces searched Mahar Aungs Sein Pan ward and detained around 15 people. In the evening, four leaders [who led] boycotts were taken, he said of the youth activists, whose names were withheld due to concerns for their safety and that of their families. Today, I heard they are searching in Myaukpyin area the same way they did in Sein Pan, he added. Authorities also arrested a Buddhist monk from Mandalays Thingazar Monastery, alleging that he was involved in the protests. Streets in Myanmar were largely empty on Feb. 1, as people across the country took part in the Silent Strike to protest the one-year anniversary of the military coup, despite a week of junta threats and arrests of organizers. Public areas around the country were noticeably barren, except for occasional groups of young people holding flash protests. In the lead-up to the anniversary of the Feb. 1, 2021, coup, authorities had warned of tough punishments including life in prison for anyone found applauding, honking or otherwise expressing support for the strike. The movement marked the third Silent Strike since the military seized power, the others coming in March in the immediate aftermath of the putsch and in December on International Human Rights Day. In the past year, security forces have arrested more than 9,000 civilians and killed 1,546 mostly during nonviolent anti-junta protests, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Residents of Mandalay said the junta is arresting protest leaders in the region to tighten security ahead of the 75th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of Union Day on Feb. 12. The holiday commemorates the 1947 signing of the Panglong Agreement by ethnic majority Burmans and the countrys minorities to form a union following Myanmars independence from Britain on Jan. 4 a year later. Sources expressed concern for the safety of the four protest leaders who were arrested Wednesday, who they said are on the juntas wanted list. One source, who spoke on condition of anonymity citing fear of reprisal, said that arresting the youth leaders will not end the resistance against the military regime. The revolution will not be stopped. It may take some time to recoup, but it will be restarted. The protesters will come out again, he said. The source called on more people to participate in the movement against the junta, saying that the political situation in the country has worsened. Popular participation has declined. We no longer have safehouses, and it has become more challenging to organize, he said. We hope nothing happen to [the leaders]. I feel bad because they are very important for us. Tayzar San, a protest leader in Mandalay, said the juntas violent crackdown on dissent will be its downfall. People throughout the country are fully motivated and in the mood for revolution, he said. The peoples participation in the Silent Strike during the anniversary of the coup is evidence of that. The people of Myanmar will push back when the military tries to push them down. Dozens arrested over silent strike Prior to Wednesday, the junta said that authorities had arrested 193 people throughout the country between Jan. 27 and Feb. 8 for allegedly offering support for, or encouraging others to take part in, the strike by committing to close their shops on social media. The announcement said that it will charge the alleged strike supporters under the Counter-Terrorism Act and the Electronic Communications Act, and that those found guilty of violating the laws are subject to having their property confiscated. Family members of those arrested told RFA on Thursday that they were not talking about participation in the strike when they posted messages about closing shops, but just writing about how they intended to observe the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which also fell on Feb. 1. A woman who declined to be named said she hadnt had contact with her husband since his arrest for allegedly closing his shop. We are ethnic Chinese. We announced on Facebook that we would close our shops on Feb. 1 according to New Year tradition, she said. Now my husband has been arrested, and I am in trouble taking care of three kids. A fortune teller in Yangon named Thar Htet Hsann was also among those detained in recent days. His wife said he was arrested for allegedly participating in the strike but that he always takes the day off on Mondays. He closes his fortune teller shop every Monday. He used to call me when he is coming home, but he didnt that evening, she said. Later, I saw something about his arrest on the news on TV. I have two children. They are still very young, and I dont know what to do. Instilling fear through arrests The spokesperson of a social media watchdog group in Myanmar said the junta works with popular pro-military influencers to monitor the activities of users. There are so many accounts of people named Kyaw Zwar, Han Nyein Oo or Thazin Oo on Telegram, he said, referring to a popular social media platform. We found out that they are military supporters. We found that they are monitoring activities on these channels and taking actions by initiating these arrests. Attempts by RFA to contact junta Deputy Information Minister Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun for comment on the arrests related to the silent strike went unanswered Thursday. A court attorney who works on human rights violation cases in Yangon told RFA that if a person runs their own private business and independently pays municipal taxes, the authorities cannot arrest them for closing their shop. The arrests are illegal and unlawful. They are using the law to oppress the people. I believe they are just using the laws to limit individual freedom, the attorney said. A Facebook user and youth activist in Yangon said the military council is trying to intimidate its opposition with the arrests. They are trying to instill fear among young people from using internet, he said. We will make sure they cannot govern us. We will continue the resistance online. Another surge in hate crimes and incidents aimed at Asian Americans, ranging from verbal harassment to violent assaults, has that community searching for ways to stop it. Among the victims, Michelle Go, 40, was pushed onto the tracks of the New York subway January 15 in an unprovoked deadly attack. A senior manager at a financial consultancy, Go was a Chinese American who had volunteered to help the homeless. Authorities said her assailant, an African American homeless man, had a history of psychiatric illness. The lethal attack drew international attention. While many assaults have been captured on video, others go unnoticed. A Chinese immigrant named Michelle, who asked that her full name not be used, was also the target of an unprovoked attack in an upscale neighborhood in Long Beach, California. The event was not recorded and received no news coverage, but it left an indelible mark on Michelle. On May 2, 2021, "a beautiful morning," Michelle recalls, she went for her daily walk. A small woman in her early 50s, she passed a Sunday farmers market, busy restaurants and yachts moored in the harbor. She doesn't remember what happened next, but a bystander who helped her has a clear recollection. Max Wilson, a student and athlete at San Diego State University, was walking near the water with his father. "A small Asian woman was just minding her business, walking past a man," Wilson, 20, recalls. "All of a sudden, we saw him turn around, and he starts punching the back of this poor Asian woman's head and repeatedly bashing it." Wilson says he and his father "couldn't believe their eyes." On regaining consciousness, Michelle found herself, bleeding and in shock, on the ground, being helped by bystanders. She later learned she had suffered a concussion along with injuries to her shoulder, teeth and mouth and had bruises and cuts from head to ankle. Wilson followed the man, who grabbed a heavy wooden board from a dumpster and swung it repeatedly, attacking the young man and smashing it against a car, but Wilson overpowered him. Passers-by found ice for Michelle's injuries and called an ambulance. Police arrived quickly. Wilson pointed to the man's hiding place under a dock, and he was arrested. "There was absolutely no reason for him to target this tiny woman," Wilson recalls. Michelle has mostly recovered but is "afraid of going out (and is) extremely vigilant," she said. She suffers from nightmares, headaches and chronic shoulder pain. Police and prosecutors have charged the man with assault. "I have to think it was racially motivated," Michelle says. She did not know her attacker, she had done nothing to offend him, and non-Asians on the scene were unmolested, she says. Robbery wasn't a motive because he took none of her belongings. Attacks such as Michelle's are on the rise, according to U.S. Department of Justice statistics. In 2020, hate crimes against Asian Americans were up, with 279 recorded incidents versus 158 the previous year. Not the full story The FBI-compiled numbers don't tell the whole story. Manjusha Kulkarni of the organization Stop AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Hate notes that "not all law enforcement entities collect the data. They don't all report it to the FBI." Kulkarni says language barriers keep some immigrants from reporting crimes. Others, without legal status to stay in the country, fear immigration authorities. Kulkarni, whose organization tracks self-reported hate incidents, says that "90% of what is reported to us are not crimes." Instead, they are "comments made in the workplace, at school. It can be bullying. It can be harassment," she says, "and it can be discrimination in retail." From March 2020 through September 2021, her organization tracked more than 10,000 self-reported incidents and collaborated on a survey that found 1 in 5 Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders had experienced hate incidents in the past year. Whatever their background, "from Vietnamese, Filipinos, even South Asians and Pacific Islanders," they are often targets of anti-Chinese bias, Kulkarni said. That happened to Thai American Tanny Jiraprapasuke, who was verbally attacked aboard a Los Angeles metro train in February 2020. The young woman was subjected to a tirade against Chinese immigrants by a man who berated China as the source of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus. It was "almost like a performance," she recalls, with "big gestures. He was standing up, he was yelling." It soon became clear the rant was directed at her. After 15 minutes, the man eventually disembarked, but the episode left her shaken. Prosecution of hate crimes Authorities can sometimes stiffen penalties by charging perpetrators with hate crimes under federal or state laws. This happened to six men in San Jose, California, in December. Prosecutors said the men had worked together in more than 170 incidents in the San Francisco region, targeting Asians for robbery, burglary or theft. Yet even when police file assault charges in violent attacks, as in the Long Beach case, prosecutors are reluctant to file hate crime enhancements because the bar is so high, says May Lee, host of the The May Lee Show podcast and an adjunct professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism at the University of Southern California. Federal authorities define a hate crime as a crime against a person or property motivated by an offender's bias against a race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity. Yet hate itself is not a crime, notes the FBI website, which says free speech needs to be protected. Successful hate crime prosecution requires both a crime and a provable motive, and "a lot of DAs (district attorneys) don't want to even try because they don't want to lose," Lee said. Culture plays a role in obscuring the extent of the problem, say Asian American analysts. Victims often don't want to make waves, so they keep quiet. Yet videos of hate incidents keep surfacing "almost every single day," Lee said. One of the brutal attacks captured on video showed an 84-year-old Chinese American man being pushed to the ground in San Francisco; the victim suffered serious injuries. Another showed two older women stabbed at a bus stop, and a third depicted the fatal attack in San Francisco of an elderly Thai immigrant. Some people say Asian Americans are viewed as easy targets. Others look elsewhere for motivation, blaming fear of COVID-19. Some accuse former U.S. President Donald Trump of inflaming hatred through his remarks that China was responsible for the coronavirus, which he called the "China virus," "Wuhan virus" or "Kung Flu." Historical roots Analyst Jessica Lee of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a Washington think tank, sees historical precedents for the hate, saying "anti-Asian violence has really ebbed and flowed." At least 17 Chinese immigrants were killed in a racial massacre in Los Angeles' Chinatown in 1871. Eight men from the mob of 500 white and Hispanic men were convicted of manslaughter, but the convictions were overturned. Arsonists burned San Jose's Chinatown to the ground in 1887, and city officials formally apologized only last year. Asians have also been singled out for restrictive legislation. Chinese were barred from immigration to the United States under the Chinese Exclusion Act, initially to limit competition for laboring and mining jobs. The measure passed in 1882 and was extended and in force until 1943. Beginning the previous year, following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, more than 100,000 Japanese Americans, many of them U.S. citizens, were held in internment camps during World War II. Later, "during the Cold War," says Jessica Lee, "the FBI targeted Chinese and Chinese American scientists and students and questioned their loyalty to the United States" amid talk of a "yellow peril." Kulkarni of Stop AAPI Hate says that's happening today with the China Initiative, a Department of Justice program aimed at curbing economic espionage by China. The Trump administration launched it in November 2018, and it is still in place. The DOJ says the initiative is aimed not at Americans but at China, which it says is connected to 60% of trade secret theft cases. Jessica Lee of the Quincy Institute says the Biden administration's continuing tensions with China are inadvertently fostering ethnic divisions. While others dispute a connection between geopolitics and hate crimes, Jessica Lee says racially tinged rhetoric triggers deep-seated prejudices. She said Asian Americans, regarded as "perpetual foreigners," are vulnerable. "No matter how many generations of Asian American family you trace back to," she says, "you will always be seen as a foreigner because you're not white." Kulkarni adds, "Not only are our communities viewed as bringing disease, but they're also thought of as sly and cunning." Heightening racial tensions Stop AAPI Hate says most perpetrators of self-reported hate incidents against Asian Americans are white, but African Americans and Hispanics are the perpetrators in a number of violent attacks recorded on video. Analysts say this adds to intergroup tensions, even though Blacks and Hispanics are themselves the targets of hate crimes. "Sadly, even those who don't subscribe directly to white supremacy still can fall victim to it in terms of their own thinking," Kulkarni says. Michelle, the Long Beach attack victim, says her attacker was African American and so was the young man who saved her. Wilson, the student athlete, is mixed race, with a white father and Black mother. He has lived in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Beijing, and he and his family speak Mandarin, thanks to his father's service as a U.S. diplomat in China. The Wilsons "saved my life," Michelle says. The United States is a nation of immigrants, and its 22 million Asian Americans are a diverse group, note researchers at the Pew Research Center. But one-third of them fear threats and physical attacks, and 80% say violence against Asian Americans is rising. Searching for solutions Hate incidents have Asian Americans searching for solutions, individually and through organizations. Michelle believes Chinese Americans are scapegoats for frustration with the coronavirus and the economic problems it has brought. The hatred is misdirected, she notes, adding, "I've been living here for over 20 years. I'm as American as any other American." She is encouraged by those who came to her aid and says Americans must "create a positive culture that unites people." Tanny Jiraprapasuke says discussion about China and the coronavirus pandemic sparked the insults directed at her and shows "how words really matter." The Quincy Institute's Jessica Lee says politicians must tamp down rhetoric that may unintentionally inflame racial tensions. May Lee, of USC, credits social media with exposing a wide-ranging problem and creating incentive for change. She believes schools can do a better job of highlighting Asian American contributions to the American story, and notes that Illinois and New Jersey have mandated Asian American history classes in their public schools. It is a history unknown to many Americans, she adds. Kulkarni says a national commission to discourage hatred could be modeled on local initiatives. In Los Angeles, the Human Relations Commission works to defuse racial tensions, and New York City's Commission on Human Rights enforces human rights laws. And there are similar programs in other cities. All say that recognizing the problem of hatred against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is the first step in addressing it. VOA's Elizabeth Lee contributed to this report. U.S. President Joe Biden announced Friday that he intends to nominate Philip Goldberg, a career diplomat and a former North Korea sanctions enforcer, as ambassador to South Korea, a White House statement said. Goldberg has served since 2019 as ambassador to Colombia and previously as charge d'affaires in Cuba and ambassador to the Philippines and Bolivia, among other postings. Goldberg also worked as coordinator for the implementation of United Nations sanctions on North Korea over its nuclear weapons and missile programs from 2009 to 2010. Reuters reported plans for Goldberg's nomination last month. The post in one of the United States' key allies has been filled by a charge d'affaires for more than a year since the last ambassador to South Korea, former Navy Admiral Harry Harris, stepped down when Biden took office in January 2021. While Seoul and Washington insist their alliance is "ironclad," the sanctions have been a source of controversy as they blocked South Korean President Moon Jae-in's desire for more economic engagement with North Korea. Harris' tenure was marked by tension in the alliance as then-President Donald Trump pressed Seoul to pay billions of dollars more toward supporting the roughly 28,500 U.S. troops stationed there, while South Korea chafed at the U.S. push for strict sanctions enforcement. The nomination of Goldberg, who faces a Senate confirmation hearing, comes at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula over a spate of missile tests by North Korea, which has long been seeking relief from U.S. and international sanctions. The tests included the first of an intermediate-range ballistic missile since 2017, raising fears that North Korea may resume tests of intercontinental ballistic missiles and nuclear bombs for the first time since that year. The Biden administration has repeatedly urged North Korea to return to dialogue aimed at persuading the reclusive state to give up its nuclear weapons programs but has been rebuffed, with Pyongyang saying it would not engage further unless Washington dropped hostile policies. U.S. President Joe Biden again warned Russian President Vladimir Putin in a telephone call Saturday of swift and severe consequences if Russia invades Ukraine, according to a statement from the White House. Biden and Putin discussed the crisis as tensions continue to grow amid concerns that Russia is ready to mount an invasion of Ukraine. Russia continues to add to the more than 100,000 troops it has massed at the Ukrainian border in recent months. After the call, Yury Ushakov, the Kremlins top foreign policy adviser, said Biden had largely repeated ideas offered in January to address Russias security concerns. "But unfortunately, and this was said, these considerations do not touch upon the central, key elements of Russian initiatives," the Kremlin official said. He added that Russia would respond to those counterproposals soon. Ushakov said the call was balanced and businesslike and that the two leaders agreed to continue contacts at all levels. But he also took issue with U.S. statements that an invasion could come soon, saying: "Hysteria has reached its peak." Washington has received intelligence reports that the invasion could happen as early as Wednesday. The White House said Biden conducted the call from the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, from 11:04 a.m. EST to 12:06 p.m. EST. President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia, the White House statement said. President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios, the statement added. A senior U.S. administration official told reporters after the call there was no change in the fundamental dynamic of the crisis. The official said Biden again proposed diplomatic solutions and that the call ended without an indication of what Putins next move would be. The U.S. has closed its embassy in Kyiv and has evacuated most of its staff. Routine consular services, including passport and visa services, are no longer available. The department has issued an advisory warning people not to travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and advised those in Ukraine should depart immediately. A few U.S. diplomats are expected to be relocated to Lviv, in western Ukraine, near Poland, a NATO ally, a move that would allow the U.S. to maintain a diplomatic presence in Ukraine and provide emergency consular services. Australia and Canada have announced they also are relocating their embassies to Lviv, which is also home to a Ukrainian military base. Poland is allowing American citizens in Ukraine to cross into Poland without advance approval, as long as they can present a passport and proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Saturday that Moscow has decided to "optimize" its diplomatic staff numbers in Ukraine, citing fears of "possible provocations from the Kyiv regime." Zakharova did not describe the move in detail but said the embassy and consulates in Ukraine continued to perform key functions. Also Saturday, Britain told its nationals to leave Ukraine, and Germany and the Netherlands told their citizens to leave as soon as possible. Earlier Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, about what appears to be Russias imminent invasion of Ukraine. "The Secretary made clear that a diplomatic path to resolving the crisis remained open, but it would require Moscow to de-escalate and engage in good-faith discussions, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. Many analysts have said that Russia is unlikely to carry out any invasion before the Winter Olympics in China end Feb. 20. Russian officials have denied they plan to invade Ukraine, but diplomatic talks with Western officials have led to a standoff. Russia has demanded that the United States and its allies reject Ukraine's bid for membership in NATO. The West has rejected that as a nonstarter but has said it is willing to negotiate with Moscow over missile deployment and troop exercises in Eastern European countries closest to Russia. Western governments have been calling on Russia to take steps to de-escalate the crisis and have vowed to impose swift and severe economic sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine. VOA State Department correspondent Cindy Saine, Carla Babb at the Pentagon and national security correspondent Jeff Seldin contributed to this report. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. Experts say an undeclared North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile base near China, detected via satellite imagery, indicates that Pyongyang has expanded its locations from which it can deploy long-range missiles to attack the U.S. mainland. North Korea has diversified the missiles in its arsenal, as evidenced by the 11 missiles tested in January. It tested what it called hypersonic missiles, tactical guided missiles, cruise missiles and an intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of striking the U.S. territory of Guam. It stopped short of testing an ICBM. North Korea's Foreign Ministry boasted Tuesday of its capability to strike the U.S. "There's only our country on this planet that can shake the world by firing a missile with the U.S. mainland in its range," Pyongyang said. All the while, North Korea has been working to expand a base from where it can deploy ICBMs for wartime use, said experts analyzing satellite images reported by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) this week. Jeffrey Lewis, director of the East Asia Nonproliferation Project at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey, said commercial satellite photos indicate Pyongyang is ready to station ICBMs at the Hoejung-ni missile base in Chagang province after having tested them several times in 2017. The province borders on China's Jilin and Liaoning provinces. Possible ICBM deployment "This isn't a sign of an ICBM test," Lewis said, referring to the satellite photos indicating the completion of the base. "This is a sign that North Korea is deploying some ICBMs. It's an operation base to use the missiles in a war." He continued: "The [ICBM] tests that they did in 2017 validated two ICBM designs. They are probably deploying some of those ICBMs at this location, which is why we saw the big uptick in construction in 2018." North Korea tested three ICBMs in 2017 and conducted its sixth nuclear test, drawing wide condemnation from the international community. "Although construction began almost 20 years ago," the CSIS report said, "the Hoejung-ni missile operating base represents one of the latest Strategic Forces bases to be completed." North Korea's strategic forces include short-range and intermediate ballistic missiles. Joseph Bermudez, one of the authors of the report and a senior fellow for imagery analysis at CSIS, said, "This missile operating base is reported to be selected for the deployment of ICBMs." Of North Korea's approximately 12 missile bases, two to three are for ICBMs, according to Lewis. Ian Williams, deputy director of the Missile Defense Project at CSIS, said the missile base shows North Korea is expanding locations from where it can launch attacks. "What we're seeing is North Korea building a number of locations from which it can fire missiles," Williams said. "By spreading [the bases] out more, you can make them more resilient to attack and harder to destroy before they launch." The Hoejung-ni missile base is in the remote rugged mountains of north-central Chagang province. North Korea launched its Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile from the province on January 30. "The more enemy territory you have to traverse to get to your target, generally considered, a bit more challenging" to attack, said Williams. "It's still a tough challenge for North Korea to keep their missiles invulnerable from an attack" because it is a small country, "which I think is one of the reasons why they've been diversifying not only their locations but their delivery platforms," he said. To protect the location of its weapons, North Korea has launched missiles from trains, submarines and road-mobile transporter erector launchers (TEL). Proximity to China Experts also noted the base's location, which, at 25 kilometers from the Chinese border, poses a deterrent to a U.S. or South Korean attack. Bruce Bennett, a senior defense analyst at the Rand Corporation, said that "having the base close to China will make the ROK/U.S. less likely to fire a preemptive attack at the base because of the risk that a ROK/U.S. missile or aircraft attacking the base might accidentally enter Chinese territory and start a war." "ROK" stands for Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name. David Maxwell, a senior fellow at the Foundation of Defense for Democracies, said, "If the U.S. assess that this is an ICBM launch base and that it will be used to strike the U.S., it will be attacked regardless of [a] possible response" from China. VOA's Korean Service contacted the Chinese Embassy in Washington and North Korea's Mission to the U.N. asking for comments but received no response. Responding to the CSIS satellite report, U.S. Pentagon spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Martin Meiners told VOA's Korean Service that the U.S. does not speak to "matters of intelligence or commercial imagery analysis." "However, we have been very clear on the threat posed by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's missile programs, and our commitment to the defense of the ROK, Japan and the U.S. homeland," said Meiners, who used North Korea's official name in his response on Tuesday. Responding to VOA Korean Service's question about North Korea's ICBM base Wednesday, State Department principal deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter said, "The United States has a vital interest in deterring the DPRK." Porter continued: "That includes defending against its provocations or use as a force, limiting the reach of its most dangerous weapons programs, and, above all, keeping the American people, deployed forces and our allies safe." Young Gyo Kim contributed to this report. Facing increasing pressure from China, Lithuania has been gaining support this week in a standoff that began over trade and was elevated when the small Baltic nation became the first European Union member to allow Taiwan to use its name on a de facto embassy. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis met on Wednesday and agreed to step up cooperation on challenges rising from China's pressure on both countries. Landsbergis traveled to Canberra to open Vilnius' first embassy in Australia. Payne said it's important for like-minded countries to work together to maintain an international rules-based order. "We are sending the strongest possible message about our rejection of coercion and our rejection of authoritarianism," she said. That meeting came after Britain announced on Monday that it would be joining an EU case against China over Beijing's trade curbs on Lithuania. The EU launched a challenge at the World Trade Organization late last month, accusing China of discriminatory trade practices against Lithuania. "We support our allies, Lithuania & the EU, in standing against China's use of coercive trading practices," Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Britain's international trade secretary, said on Twitter. The dispute began early in 2021, when Lithuania's talks with China about export permits for feed, nonanimal products and edible offal began faltering, according to The Baltic Times. By August, Beijing had stopped approving new permits for Lithuanian food exports to China and halted direct freight train service to Lithuania. On November 18, Lithuanian authorities allowed Taiwan to open a representative office in its capital under the name "Taiwan" instead of "Taipei," the term preferred by Beijing, which views Taiwan as part of its territory. Since then, China has recalled its ambassador from Vilnius while ordering Lithuania's ambassador to leave Beijing, and it has implemented an embargo against Lithuania, boycotting all its exports as well as any EU products that use Lithuanian-made components. By December 9, China was "sending messages to multinationals that if they use parts and supplies from Lithuania, they will no longer be allowed to sell to the Chinese market or get supplies there," according to Mantas Adomenas, Lithuania's vice minister for foreign affairs. 'Wake-up call' Jonathan Hackenbroich, head of the European Council on Foreign Relations' Task Force for Strengthening Europe Against Economic Coercion, called China's move "a wake-up call." "Imagine China has disputes with Lithuania, and then it starts telling German, French and Swedish companies to stop trading with Lithuania. Then you could easily imagine if China had a dispute with Taiwan or another country, it could also start telling German, French or Swedish companies to stop trading with that country," Hackenbroich told VOA Mandarin in a phone interview. "Now Beijing has done it once. You can't exclude the possibility that it will happen in the future." The European Commission in December proposed legislation to create an EU anti-coercion instrument, with the goal of strengthening the protection of its members against economic coercion. It's the first legal framework allowing EU members to act against economic coercion by nonmember states. "You will have the full power of the EU market in response to grave acts of economic coercion," Hackenbroich said. At a daily press briefing Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said that China was adhering to WTO rules in its dealings with Lithuania. "The ins and outs of the fraught China-Lithuania relations are very clear," he said. "China has responded properly in defense of its legitimate rights and interests and international justice, which is completely legitimate and lawful. China always follows WTO rules. "The so-called 'coercion' of China against Lithuania is purely made out of thin air," Zhao said. He added that Lithuania "should stop confounding right with wrong and maliciously hyping things up, let alone trying to rope other countries in to gang up on China." Optimism on anti-coercion measure Matas Maldeikis, a member of the Lithuanian Parliament, told VOA Mandarin that France, which holds the presidency of the Council of the European Union from January to June this year, has promised to accelerate adoption of the anti-coercion instrument. "Unfortunately, as we have to negotiate between the 27 very different countries, it takes time to come to decisions. Good news is many understand the necessity of such an instrument and the importance of unity within the EU," he told VOA in an email. Andrius Kubilius, a member of the European Parliament and former prime minister of Lithuania, told CNN in January that he didn't expect bigger EU countries to take it upon themselves to stand up to China. But, he added, "maybe from Lithuania it will spread to others, and in time, Europe will stand united against a country that doesn't meet our standards." "China needs to learn lessons, because until now, they have been allowed to behave in a way that doesn't adhere to our values and rules, simply because they were so wealthy," he told CNN. Kubilius told VOA in an email that EU members could adopt several actions to help counter economic coercion, including taking a "unified stance," settling disputes in the WTO and providing EU financial support for businesses that suffer losses. The U.N. deputy secretary-general on Friday urged Ethiopians to cease fighting, rebuild trust and begin reconciliation, as the conflict in the countrys north continues to inflict unimaginable suffering on civilians. For me, trust has been broken in Ethiopia, Amina Mohammed told reporters at the United Nations. We need to find ways to support the country, the leadership, the people, find that pathway back to rebuilding that trust and, therefore, rebuilding peace for their people. Just back from Ethiopia, Mohammed said she got a sense from all the leaders she met in the north and in Addis Ababa that there is now more of an effort to find peace. Certainly, we are in a different place when I was there this week and over the weekend than we were even just a couple of months ago, she said. Its how to sustain that, and how to accompany it, and to put pressure on the momentum for peace, and not to have it unravel, which it could, its very fragile. The federal government of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has been fighting the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) since November 2020. A de facto government blockade on the TPLFs stronghold of Tigray has left more than 5 million people there in dire need of humanitarian assistance; some may already be in famine conditions. The conflict has spread to neighboring Amhara and Afar, leaving an additional 4.2 million people in need of aid. Mohammed said that the aid getting into besieged Tigray is insufficient. Its a trickle, she said. The deputy U.N. chief attended the African Union summit in Addis Ababa last weekend and then visited the three northern conflict regions. She also went to the Somali region, which has been suffering from severe drought. In Ethiopias north, she met with regional leaders and told them that no one wins in conflict, and she urged them to stop fighting. Our discussions really did focus on how to get to that path to peace: the humanitarian access, the cessation of hostilities, in some cases the lifting of the siege in Tigray, she said. But most importantly, the efforts they were making now at the national dialogue and how to get to that with the parties concerned. On December 29, the federal parliament voted to establish a commission for national dialogue. But it excludes key actors: the TPLF and the Oromo Liberation Army. They have both been declared terrorist groups by the federal government. Local media reports say the legislature has shortlisted 42 individuals to be on the 11-person commission. The list includes academics and diplomats but only three women. Survivors The deputy secretary-general said it was heartbreaking to see how the social fabric has torn in northern Ethiopia. She expressed particular concern for the appalling abuses perpetrated against women. Ethiopian women, writ large, were affected in a way that is unimaginable, she said. In your worst nightmares you cannot imagine what has happened to the women in Ethiopia. She said atrocities have been committed across the north and she met many survivors of gang rape who shared horrific stories that affected not just herself, but the interpreters who were translating them. She said it would be a lifelong healing process for many Ethiopian women, especially as so many have been rejected by their communities because of the violations they have endured. Men go to war and come home heroes, it doesnt matter their injuries, Mohammed said. Women have been unimaginably injured. They are not heroes, they are outcasts. That has to stop. She noted that in the Afar region, where women are off-limits in conflict, the men were outraged at the abuses their women had been subjected to. Here, where they had witnessed their women being killed and being harmed, this is something I think they will find very difficult to get over, she said. The different aspects of where people feel the pain of this war, it has to be taken into that conversation of national dialogue. Sudan's military leader General Abdel-Fattah Burhan on Saturday dismissed Western threats of sanctions and said meetings between Sudanese and Israeli officials were part of security cooperation rather than political in nature. Burhan led a military coup on October 25 that ended a partnership between the army and civilian parties which was meant to lead to democratic elections, leading to months of protests as well as Western condemnation. U.S. officials have said they are looking into options to respond to the killing of at least 79 protesters, according to a toll by medics, and to moves to impede civilian-led government. First interview since coup In his first interview on state television since the coup, Burhan said Washington was receiving inaccurate information. "Sanctions and the threat of them are not useful," he said. Burhan said he took personal responsibility for investigations of protester deaths and that five or six were ongoing. But he added that there were suspicions of involvement by "outside groups," without elaborating. The armed forces were committed to handing over power to an elected government or to an arrangement decided through "national consensus," he said, repeating a commitment to holding elections in mid-2023. The military had met resistance committees that are leading the protest movement, and they agreed on many points, he said. In statements, resistance committees have rejected dialog with the military. Prior to the coup, the military had led steps to reach an agreement in late 2020 to normalize relations with Israel, a move also made by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Meetings with Israelis Burhan said meetings between Israeli and Sudanese officials since the coup had not been high-level and only involved the security and intelligence apparatus. "This is a legitimate matter for these agencies, and it is no secret that the information shared enabled us to catch several terrorist organizations located inside Sudan," he said. Protesters have accused the military of bringing back loyalists of ousted President Omar al-Bashir. This week, two prominent politicians involved in a committee to dismantle Bashir's network were arrested. In response, Burhan said officials appointed since the takeover were already part of civil service, and that the committee had diverged from its goals though he was not involved in the arrests. Editor: A Federal Income Tax, enacted in 1861, to help pay war debts was struck down by the Supreme Court as unconstitutional. After the Civil War, Reconstruction, Americas failed attempt at guaranteeing equal rights, ended in 1877. Prior to 1913, government was funded through excise taxes, customs duties and public land sales, had few expenses and was limited to basic operations: Social insurance, welfare programs or agricultural subsidies were not included. With the passage of the 16th Amendment, Congress gave themselves the right to plunder our wages and income without regard to any census or enumeration. Our freedoms began to disappear. Powerful influences, mainly financial (mainly Britain), wanted America to be in the thick of things and even though we were overwhelmingly reluctant, Woodrow Wilsons non-neutrality dragged us into World War I, the greatest folly thus far to have befallen Western civilization. He was progenitor of the Wilson Doctrine: Americas responsibility to make the world safe for democracy. (This doctrine controlled American politics up until the Trump presidency who believed it was Americas responsibility to make the world safe for Americans living in America.) In 1919 (Paris Peace Conference), Wilson and others convinced participant-nations to create a League of Nations. We were saved from membership by the Senates refusal to ratify such a relationship; then, in 1943, the U.S. joined the Allies to form a United Nations after WWII. Roosevelts New Deal helped create the monster administrative states we experience today, progressing wildly beyond anyones imagination. America survived all: the 1929 Stock Market Crash, the Great Depression fueled by the Federal Reserves over-speculation, World Wars I and II, and others. Hopefully we can overcome the radical roots of the progressive movement threatening to destroy the greatest nation in the history of mankind. In reflection: Those who mine history for sins, are not searching for truth, but for opportunities to denigrate their own societies, or for grievances that can be cashed in today at the expense of people who were not even born when the sins of the past were committed. (T. Sowell) Thelma Homer Elko Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 Angry 0 The URL has been copied to your clipboard The code has been copied to your clipboard. The Biden administration is urging Americans in Ukraine to leave within 24 to 48 hours, saying Russians could invade within days. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan said a Russian invasion would likely include an assault on Kyiv. VOA's Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports. Britain joined the United States on Friday in urging foreign nationals to evacuate Ukraine while there are still commercial means to do so. The British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office updated its advice shortly after the countrys defense minister, Ben Wallace, flew out of Moscow after talks with senior Kremlin figures. Estonia is also urging citizens to leave Ukraine immediately due to an increased risk of military action by Russia. The evacuation calls came as senior U.S. officials warned that Russia could invade Ukraine at any time and had sufficient forces deployed to do so. The European Union's envoy to Ukraine, Matti Maasikas, has urged nonessential staff at its embassy in the Ukrainian capital to leave amid heightening tension with Russia. I have urged all expat colleagues with the exception of the essential staff to leave Ukraine ASAP to telework from outside the country, he wrote in an email message to EU diplomats. I feel very sad, he added. A European Commission spokesperson, however, emphasized that the EU isnt pulling out all diplomats. We continue to assess the situation as it develops, in line with the duty of care we have towards our staff and in close consultation and coordination with the EU member states, said Peter Stano, the foreign affairs spokesman. The Kremlin denies it has any intentions to invade and is accusing Washington and London of provocative alarmism. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Maria Zakharova, the Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson, Friday. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems, she added. While senior Ukrainian officials acknowledge the threat of a Russian provocation, there is deep frustration in Kyiv with the calls for foreign nationals to leave, with concerns mounting that the message is demoralizing for Ukrainians and at this stage premature. Ukraine has frequently played down warnings from the United States, and Ukrainian officials say they are seeing nothing new in Russian military activity now. The secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defense Council, Oleksiy Danilov, said Ukrainian authorities are well aware of the possible provocations Russia could stage. We are currently considering all options, he added. Ukraine says it is giving Russia 48 hours to explain the presence of its troops at the border under the terms of the Vienna Document, a series of agreements on European security. But Dmytro Kuleba, Ukrainian foreign minister, said the statement is not evidence of some radical change of the situation. Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Netherlands have also asked their citizens in Ukraine to leave. British diplomats say a meeting Friday between the heads of government and ministers of NATO members was sobering. Next week is the working assumption, a senior British official said. During the meeting U.S. President Joe Biden was clear an invasion was imminent, he added. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the meeting he feared for the security of Europe in the current circumstances, Downing Street said in a statement. He impressed the need for NATO allies to make it absolutely clear that there will be a heavy package of economic sanctions ready to go should Russia make the devastating and destructive decision to invade Ukraine, the statement continued. Some British lawmakers added their concerns to Ukrainian worries that the calls for departures and evacuations were sending the wrong signals to Moscow and suggest the West is giving up on Ukraine. Tobias Ellwood, a Conservative member of Parliament and chair of the House of Commons Defence Committee, said the rhetoric being used by Washington and London appears to be bordering on panic. Ellwood conceded the governments have a duty of care for their citizens, particularly when the threat picture changes. But it's almost bordering on panic and that absolutely fits into [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's objective. He'll be delighted to see the West and the NATO alliance crumbling in this way. Ellwood has been advocating for a serious NATO force to be deployed in Ukraine for weeks, arguing that would be the only way to deter Russia. The least we can do now is provide a no-fly zone, he added. Ukraines envoy in London has also been arguing for NATO deployments. Britain should send troops to Ukraine to deter an invasion, Vadym Prystaiko told The Times of London. Most of the thousands of Britons and Americans in Ukraine have deep roots there. Many have dual nationality, strong family ties and are married to Ukrainians and are unlikely to leave. U.S. Embassy staff have been telephoning American nationals in Ukraine urging them to evacuate. Biden has announced military plans to fly American troops into Poland to help with any evacuations, hoping to avoid the chaos seen during the August U.S. evacuation from Afghanistan. Britain is also drafting evacuation plans. Like the Americans, Britain is planning to evacuate more Kyiv-based diplomats and to relocate them to Poland, British officials say. The aim is to strip down to the bare bones, an official told VOA. Working with the famous Chinese dissident Harry Wu, long-term China observer Orville Schell first encountered forced labor in China three decades ago. Pretending to be a businessman interested in items for export to America, Wu and reporters from the CBS News show 60 Minutes shot hidden camera footage of prisoners forced to make the products. More recently, China has repeatedly denied the current use of Uyghur forced labor; evidence continues to point to the contrary. Last month, Schell brought the issue to the fore again when The Wire China published an article, Changeless China?, based on an edited version of Schell's diary from that investigation with Wu. VOA Mandarin spoke with Schell about what's happening today in China. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: What you did with CBS in 1991 is so impressive and unthinkable. A: You couldn't do it today. You wouldn't even get off the plane. It's unthinkable. You can understand why the Communist Party under (President Xi Jinping) increased control, because they're aware that if they don't control everybody in China and foreigners outside China as well, they will start doing things like this. They are becoming more savvy, and the logic of their savviness is more control. Q: China has been accused of committing crimes against humanity and possibly genocide against the Uyghur population in Xinjiang. What do you think of it being described as "genocide"? A: I don't particularly like the use of the word "genocide." I don't think it describes what's actually happening. Genocide does so irrevocably (go) back to the Holocaust in Europe during the '30s and '40s. I think what's going on in Xinjiang is quite different, not less pernicious in a way. But it has less to do with actually killing people, as the Germans did in the labor camps, and more to do with something that is very uniquely Chinese Communist, namely trying to change the thinking, religion, the cultural habits of the Uyghurs, the Muslims, the other minority in China. That is a new kind of technocracy, which we are not familiar with. It's very uniquely Chinese. It needs a new name. I think it's very dangerous, and (it) certainly violates many fundamental principles of individual rights that liberal democratic countries cherish, but it is not a cutout of Holocaust and genocidal experiences we've seen in Rwanda, Armenia and Europe. Q: Do you think China's Xinjiang policy is effective? A: Will this kind of techno autocratic "thought reform" and detention sort of experience work? I don't know the answer to that. It probably will work in the short run. Whether it'll work in the long run is another question. Because if you believe as I do, human beings fundamentally would like to have lives as free as possible within a reasonable social contract. Then you have to assume what's going on in Xinjiang is really making people unhappy. Everybody is scared. And that is the power of the Chinese Communist Party people are scared. They don't want to talk out, they don't want to get in trouble. But history shows that governments that rule by fear rather than by assent tend to be short-lived and not tremendously durable. Q: It's difficult for the outside world to get the full picture in Xinjiang, especially on forced labor. A: It's doubly difficult because what the Chinese Communist Party is doing is not transparent. I think some camps are closing down, I think there are people who were released last year. I think the Chinese Communist Party does listen to what foreigners say, what the foreign media says, foreign governments say. But on the other hand, I think they're very reluctant to let go of these tools of control. This is what the Communist Party knows how to do. If there is a problem, control is always the answer. Q: Do you think what's going on in today's China is inevitable? How much does it have to do with the current leadership's own mindset? A: I think it certainly has a lot to do with the character and logical nature of Xi Jinping. He was a child of the Cultural Revolution, and we now get a return to the past. He never went abroad, doesn't speak a foreign language, does not feel comfortable with foreign companies. He is not a cosmopolitan person. He is very insecure, very insular, he's very "tu." ("unsophisticated" in Mandarin Chinese) So he didn't want to become absorbed into the global order. He wanted to go above it. Xi Jinping just happened to come at a time China did have acquired sufficiency and power. Q: Are you optimistic at all looking at where China is going now? I feel, having watched (China) for a long, long time I first started studying (it) in the late 1950s I feel (Xi's failure to adapt to change) is one of the greatest tragedies in modern history. China, just as it gained the power and wealth, and the influence, the ability to be respected by the world, instead of joining the world order, and enjoying this immense success that Chinese people have accomplished, it is now making everybody feel uncomfortable, it's antagonizing one country after another, and it's rallying all of the states in Asia into a very serious tension, and possible military clashes toward a war. That is one of the great tragedies of any country in the past century, particularly in Asia. ST. PAUL, MN Delivering needed assistance to Minnesotas 74,000 farmers, Governor Mark Dayton signed the bipartisan $35 million Rural Finance Authority legislation (H.F. 14) into law Friday. The new funding will allow the Authority to continue offering eligible Minnesota farmers affordable financing and terms and conditions not offered by other traditional lenders. Without the investment, many Minnesota farmers would face a credit crunch caused by several years of low commodity prices and rising expenses. Rural Finance Authority loans are particularly important early in the year when Minnesota farmers review their finances and restructure debt ahead of the growing season. This investment will provide important assistance to Minnesota farmers struggling with low commodity prices and rising expenses, said Governor Dayton.I thank the Legislature for moving quickly to pass this bipartisan legislation. I look forward to working with Legislators on additional help for our farm families throughout the Session. Minnesota's farm families are the backbone of Minnesota's economy and support hundreds of thousands of good jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity, said Lt. Governor Tina Smith. The Rural Finance Authority is important because it helps farmers facing the perfect storm of low commodity prices and high costs. I thank the many legislators who worked together across party lines to get this done. In addition to helping farmers secure financing, the Rural Finance Authority also offers a variety other programs to strengthen Minnesota farm families and communities. These programs are designed to help new farmers purchase land, restructure debt, invest in farm improvements, and finance livestock production facilities. Overall, more than $270 million has been invested in Minnesota farm operations since 1986. The Rural Finance Authority has delivered affordable, low interest loans to thousands of Minnesota farmers to finance expansions and land purchases, and to restructure their debt, said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson. Keeping family farmers in business is important not only to our rural communities, but to the entire state. The Rural Finance Authority has lacked funding since December 31, 2016, because the Minnesota Legislature failed to pass a bonding bill last session. Since exhausting the funding, the Authority has been working with local banks to take loan applications, but has been unable to authorize new financing for Minnesota farmers. The agriculture industry is the second largest employer in our state and the cornerstone of Minnesotas economy, but the average farmer is 57 years old, said Senator Andrew Lang (R-Olivia). These low interest loans will continue our tradition of supporting family farms, and help young beginning farmers start their own farms or take over their family farms. I want to thank my colleagues in the House and Senate for working so well together, and I am glad to have the support of Governor Dayton on such an important program. I am honored to have been a part of passing this legislation that will provide famers critical access to low interest loans, said Senator Kent Eken (DFL-Twin Valley). Programs like the Rural Finance Authority allow our agricultural producers and family farms to remain competitive, especially given the current downturn in the agriculture economy, and in turn has a direct impact on the success of rural communities throughout the state. Providing funds for the continuation of the Rural Finance Authority's agricultural loan program is an urgent issue I am pleased we were able to resolve swiftly, said Representative Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin). These loan opportunities benefit both our hardworking farmers and the local lenders who participate. Minnesota farmers interested in learning more about the assistance offered by the Rural Finance Authority should visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website or contact: 651-201-6004. As director of Czech Security (BSI), Colonel Michal Kudelka (see photo) had accused Russia of being involved in the 2014 explosions at the ammo storage facility in the Czech village of Vrbetice. He was subsequently relieved of his functions by President Milos Zeman, who accused him of making unfounded accusations and was categorically opposed to his being promoted to the rank of general. Despite the internal battle it gave rise to, the government of Prime Minister Petr Fiala has decided to re-appoint Michal Koudelka to his former position as of 15 February 2022. Colonel Kudelka was trained by the foreign intelligence service of the United Kingdom (MI6) and bestowed with a top CIA award. He tried, unsuccessfully, to implicate President Zeman in a case of espionage in the service of Russia. He maintains close relations with Hakan Fidan (head of the Turkish intelligence services) and with Imam Samer Shehadeh (ex-number two of the Muslim Community in Prague, sentenced to 14 years in prison for his links with Al-Qaeda in Syria). In 2014, the Czech press had reported that the weapons stockpiled in Vrbetice were supposed to be shipped to to Ukraine by Bulgarian trafficker Emilian Gebrev (murdered in 2015). But according to the Seznam website, these weapons were actually intended for the jihadist groups involved in the Western war against Syria. Russia, for its part, has always denied being in any way involved with the explosions. Kudelkas accusations against Russia were aimed both to protect Samer Shehadeh and to prevent the Russian company Rosatom from winning a major contract for the expansion of the Czech Dukovany nuclear power plant. Denmark has started negotiations with the United States with a view to concluding a Defense Cooperation Agreement. As a precautionary measure, the Pentagon seeks to strengthen its ties with its allies at a time when the continuity of NATO could be in doubt. For its part, Slovakia has authorized the Pentagon to use two military air bases for a ten-year period. In recent weeks the conflict on the border between Ukraine and Russia has escalated rapidly as Russian President Vladimir Putin amasses a considerable military presence on the ground. Those tensions appear to have reached new heights over the past 24 hours and reports suggest that Putin has told his military generals to prepare for invasion. In a White House news briefing on Friday US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned that an attack could be imminent. As weve said before, we are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time, should Vladimir Putin decide to order it, Sullivan told reporters. I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information, but I do want to be clear: It could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics. In response a Russian ministry statement published online on Friday insists that reports of an invasion are unfounded and blamed a media campaign unprecedented in its scale and sophistication for the allegations. President Joe Biden will speak with Putin on Saturday to discuss the situation in Eastern Europe and attempt to deescalate matters. Russian troops stationed on the Ukrainian border For weeks Putin has maintained that the 100,000 troops located at various points encircling Ukraine are simply carrying out military exercises. However he has warned that Russia could take unspecified "military-technical" action unless the West meets some of his demands, which would require a pledge from NATO never to admit Ukraine and to withdraw forces from Eastern Europe. Last month a statement from the US State Department confirmed: What concerns us is the total picture It is the amassing of 100,000 troops along Ukraines borders combined with moving forces into Belarus over the weekend these numbers are beyond, of course, what we would expect with regard to a normal exercise. The Guardian reported that Russian troops have travelled more than 4,000 miles to reach Ukraines border, doing so on the pretence of a naval drill. In addition to that a significant amount of weaponry, including elite spetsnaz troops and Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, has been relocated from Russias eastern military district. From that range, analysts predict that Russia would be able to target the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Hopes of a diplomatic solution now seem distant Last month US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Geneva to meet with representatives from both sides in the hope of finding a diplomatic solution. He met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the two are thought to have discussed the deployment of troops on the Ukrainian border. However the 90-minute meeting did not result in any new agreement between the two nations. Speaking after his meeting with Lavrov, Blinken told reporters: If Russia wants to begin to convince the world that it has no aggressive intent toward Ukraine, a very good place to start would be by deescalating by bringing back and removing these forces from Ukraines borders. Ukraine was the most populous nation, aside from Russia, to emerge from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and there are many cultural and historical similarities between the two sovereign nations. A Russian take-over of Ukraine has long been one of President Putin's greatest ambitions, according to reports. Decatur, IL (62521) Today Rain showers early with overcast skies later in the day. High 66F. Winds W at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%.. Tonight Considerable cloudiness. Low 44F. Winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Cioccolentino chocolate festival returns to Terni in the Umbria region of Italy. The 2022 edition of the Cioccolentino festival takes place in the Umbrian town of Terni, in honour of St Valentines Day, from 10-14 February. The event is designed to unite chocolate with eternal love and there is nothing casual about the choice of location: a third-century bishop from Terni was none other than St Valentine himself. Under the title Lamore non conosce distanza (Love knows no distance), Cioccolentino is now in its 18th year. The five-day festival includes lessons in handmade chocolate and tastings as well as demonstrations and workshops by some of the regions most skilled pastry chefs and master chocolatiers on the streets of the historic centre. Visitors to Terni can even pay their respects to St Valentine, whose relics are preserved in the citys basilica under the sign St Valentine, patron of love. Terni is about 75km from Rome and can be reached by train from the capital's Termini station. For more details see the Cioccolentino website. Placeholder while article actions load For an ambitious, career-ladder climber, what sort of person makes the best mate? The human heart is not known for being coldly calculating, but pretend, for a moment, that it could be. What personality traits should be preferred? Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight One no-brainer is finding someone who is conscientious. Conscientiousness is one of the so-called big five personality traits, which are fairly measurable and stable. (The other four are extraversion, agreeableness, openness and neuroticism.) Researchers Brittany Solomon and Joshua Jackson analyzed data from over 4,500 married people and found that of the big five, only conscientiousness had a meaningful impact on the other spouses job satisfaction, income and likelihood of being promoted. Regardless of their gender, partners who are reliable, organized and hard-working are an asset, perhaps because they take on more housework. Advertisement They may even serve as role models for their spouses. Whatever the cause, the effect is measurable: Andrew OConnell, writing about these findings for Harvard Business Review, notes that for every one standard deviation increase in a partners conscientiousness, their lucky spouse was likely to earn $4,000 more a year. A second desirable trait is a partner who can serve as a secure base. This is a term from attachment theory, which initially was thought only to apply to childrens relationships with their parents, but which psychologists increasingly realize also applies to adult relationships. A secure base is a spouse who can be dependably supportive while also encouraging exploratory behavior. When ones career feels as unstable as Jell-O, a secure-base spouse will both offer sympathy and push you to keep going. INSEAD professor Jennifer Petriglieri, who developed this theory after interviewing 113 dual-career couples for her book, Couples That Work, calls this push a loving kick. Advertisement That may not sound very romantic. But in the couples Petriglieri interviewed gay and straight, young and old, of varying nationalities -- this dynamic allowed them to successfully navigate multiple life transitions, from moving in together, to relocating to a new city, to welcoming children, to midlife crises and retirement. Having a mutual secure-base relationship doesnt make life easier and more straightforward, she warns. Paradoxically, it can make life more challenging. When we have a secure base in our partner, we are more likely to take risks and try new things. It may not make a quiet life, but it certainly makes for an interesting one. Of course, in some couples, only one person consistently serves as the base. These uneven relationships are a bit like a statue: a beautiful sculpture on top, an overlooked plinth on the bottom. The marriages can work fine, as long as each partner is OK with their role which is to say, they work until they dont. Advertisement Which brings me to a research-backed warning note involving another personality trait. Although Solomons study found that agreeableness in one spouse did not predict higher earning power for the other, there is potentially a danger in marrying someone who scores low on this trait. Perhaps youre thinking, Why would I marry someone who isnt agreeable? The answer is: because disagreeable people can be assertive, confident and competitive. Heres why this matters. Agreeable people tend to earn less money than disagreeable people a phenomenon known in the literature (really!) as nice guys finish last. Scholars are still debating why. One hypothesis is that for men, being very agreeable modest, compassionate and cooperative flies in the face of expected gender norms. (Studies vary, but by and large women who are agreeable arent penalized with lower salaries or at least not to the same degree.) But another study, also led by Brittany Solomon, found that when disagreeable married men were separated out from their unwed peers, only the married men earned more. Solomon and her colleagues theorize that perhaps the disagreeable married men earn more not because they are more competitive at work, but because they are better at avoiding chores and child care at home thus securing more time to fulfill their professional ambitions. In other words, theyre not sharks at work. They just shirk at home. This extra time, not their behavior in the office, could be what nets them a wage premium. Advertisement This all leads to something married folks can ignore: the matter of which partner makes more money. While it is true that a depressing amount of research shows that heterosexual marriages are more likely to end in divorce when the wife earns more, lets not overthink this. Economic independence is always something to be celebrated. If a woman has the financial means to leave a marriage thats not working for her, so much the better. And when researchers looked at relationships in which lower-earning men performed a significant share of housework, there was no greater risk of divorce. Husbands who wish to stay on the gravy train, take note. Such studies are fascinating in the aggregate, but are they useful in the particular? Can individuals use them to reform their spouse, or choose a better one? Probably not. As scholar Beth Livingston notes, Couples do not always act as rationally as the economic perspective of family bargaining would suggest. Advertisement But anyone lucky enough to have a conscientious, supportive, not-too-disagreeable spouse should count their blessings and their extra Benjamins. More From This Writer and Others at Bloomberg Opinion: Am I Underpaid? Too Often, Younger Workers Dont Know: Sarah Green Carmichael Decades After the Pill, Another Revolution for Womens Health: Therese Raphael The Housing Party Is Starting to Wind Down: Gary Shilling This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Sarah Green Carmichael is an editor with Bloomberg Opinion. She was previously managing editor of ideas and commentary at Barrons, and an executive editor at Harvard Business Review, where she hosted the HBR Ideacast. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article In what is a growing international crisis, Saturday saw US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin conclude their call regarding the troop build-up around Ukraine, in what was believed to be one of the final attempts to calm tensions and ward off an invasion of Ukraine. As confirmed by a White House official, the secure call started at 11:04 a.m. eastern time in the United States and ended just over an hour later, at 12:06 p.m. In the call, Biden is said to have made it clear that Russia would face a "swift and severe costs" if they were to attack. President Biden was clear that, if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia, the White House said in a statement. President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russias standing. There were conflicting reports about which leader instigated the call between Biden and Putin with the White House saying that the Kremlin had made the suggestion while the reverse was said by Russian officials. This call followed another by a Nato leader as France's Emmanuel Macron spoke with Putin for over an hour and a half. US secretary of state Antony Blinken had dialogue with his counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, hours before the two leaders spoke and called on a diplomatic resolution to Russias unprovoked military build-up around Ukraine, adding that, "further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive, and united transatlantic response. How likely is a Russian invasion into Ukraine? In recent weeks the conflict on the border between Ukraine and Russia has escalated rapidly as Russian President Vladimir Putin amasses a considerable military presence on the ground. Those tensions have reached new heights over the past 48 hours and reports suggested that Putin has already told his military generals to prepare for invasion. In a White House news briefing on Friday US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned that an attack could be imminent. As weve said before, we are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time, should Vladimir Putin decide to order it, Sullivan told reporters. I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information, but I do want to be clear: It could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics. In response a Russian ministry statement published online on Friday insists that reports of an invasion are unfounded and blamed a media campaign unprecedented in its scale and sophistication for the allegations. President Joe Biden will speak with Putin on Saturday to discuss the situation in Eastern Europe and attempt to deescalate matters. Russian troops stationed on the Ukrainian border For weeks Putin has maintained that the 100,000 troops located at various points encircling Ukraine are simply carrying out military exercises. However he has warned that Russia could take unspecified "military-technical" action unless the West meets some of his demands, which would require a pledge from NATO never to admit Ukraine and to withdraw forces from Eastern Europe. Last month a statement from the US State Department confirmed: What concerns us is the total picture It is the amassing of 100,000 troops along Ukraines borders combined with moving forces into Belarus over the weekend these numbers are beyond, of course, what we would expect with regard to a normal exercise. The Guardian reported that Russian troops have travelled more than 4,000 miles to reach Ukraines border, doing so on the pretence of a naval drill. In addition to that a significant amount of weaponry, including elite spetsnaz troops and Iskander short-range ballistic missiles, has been relocated from Russias eastern military district. From that range, analysts predict that Russia would be able to target the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv. Hopes of a diplomatic solution now seem distant Last month US Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Geneva to meet with representatives from both sides in the hope of finding a diplomatic solution. He met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the two are thought to have discussed the deployment of troops on the Ukrainian border. However the 90-minute meeting did not result in any new agreement between the two nations. Speaking after his meeting with Lavrov, Blinken told reporters: If Russia wants to begin to convince the world that it has no aggressive intent toward Ukraine, a very good place to start would be by deescalating by bringing back and removing these forces from Ukraines borders. Ukraine was the most populous nation, aside from Russia, to emerge from the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and there are many cultural and historical similarities between the two sovereign nations. A Russian take-over of Ukraine has long been one of President Putin's greatest ambitions, according to reports. Moscow police confronted Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov, seen here in 2015, as he performed at a recent antiwar concert. (Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) As Russia wages its war on Ukraine, the Kremlin is cracking down to quell dissent within its own borders. Placeholder while article actions load When the 10th annual World Happiness Report comes out next month, several things are sure bets. The Nordic countries will score highest. The U.S. wont be in the top 10. And commentators will suggest that if Americans could only be more like the Finns and Danes with a stronger social safety net, less economic inequality, more ethnic homogeneity or cozier homes we wouldnt be so grumpy. What few will notice is that the ranking doesnt measure happiness. It measures contentment and complacency. It penalizes imagination, opportunity and ambition. The underlying Gallup survey uses a question called the Cantril Self-Anchoring Scale, better known as the Cantril Ladder. It goes like this: Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from zero at the bottom to 10 at the top. The top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you and the bottom of the ladder represents the worst possible life for you. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time? Advertisement What kind of life you consider possible determines how you rank the life you have. The Cantril Ladder measures the difference between imagination and reality. High scores go to those who cant picture a significantly better life than the one they already know. A country, or a class, with modest opportunities will score higher than one with great ones. Take the contrast between Oprah Winfrey and her grandmother Hattie Mae Lee, who worked as a maid in the segregated South and died in 1963. Her idea of having a big dream, Winfrey said in a 2007 Howard University commencement speech, was to have White folks who at least treated her with some dignity, who showed her a little bit respect. And she used to say, I hope you get some good White folks that are kind to you. If the best possible life you imagine is being a maid with a decent employer, its easier to achieve a 9 or 10 than if your best possible life is being a billionaire media mogul. Expanding the opportunities available to a Black woman allowed Winfrey achieve her dreams but shes just one individual with unusual talent and drive (and some luck). A Howard graduate working in corporate public relations while harboring Oprah-inspired ambitions will feel dissatisfied. Her present circumstances might dazzle her ancestors, but she can imagine something much grander. Opportunity breeds discontent. Advertisement Nearly two centuries ago, Alexis de Tocqueville captured the paradox. Despite their prosperity and freedom, the (mostly White) Americans he met as he toured the country in 1831 struck him as gloomy.(1) It seemed to me as if a cloud habitually hung upon their brow, he wrote in Democracy in America. He contrasted these fortunate citizens with the peasants of European backwaters, who were ignorant, poor and oppressed, yet their countenances are generally placid and their spirits light. The difference, he concluded, was that the peasants took their hardships for granted while Americans are forever brooding over advantages they do not possess. Imagining better lives, the people of the young United States were never content. Born an aristocrat, Tocqueville may have overestimated the happiness of those with few opportunities. But he was right about the dynamic. More opportunity breeds greater dissatisfaction. People see others living better lives and seek to emulate them. They either achieve their goals, only to imagine something even better, or they fail. In either case, ambition leads to brooding over advantages they do not possess. Advertisement Greater opportunity also means greater competition. Tocqueville described it this way: When all the privileges of birth and fortune are abolished, when all professions are accessible to all, and a mans own energies may place him at the top of any one of them, an easy and unbounded career seems open to his ambition and he will readily persuade himself that he is born to no common destinies. But this is an erroneous notion, which is corrected by daily experience. The same equality that allows every citizen to conceive these lofty hopes renders all the citizens less able to realize them; it circumscribes their powers on every side, while it gives freer scope to their desires. Not only are they themselves powerless, but they are met at every step by immense obstacles, which they did not at first perceive. They have swept away the privileges of some of their fellow creatures which stood in their way, but they have opened the door to universal competition; the barrier has changed its shape rather than its position. We see this phenomenon everywhere these days. More people can go to college, but the number of applications can be overwhelming. UCLA, the most popular U.S. school, got 139,490 applications for the class of 2025 and accepted 11%. A decade earlier, 61,554 applied and 25% were accepted. Its easier than ever to produce a song, make a movie, publish a book, or market a consumer product. But its harder than ever to grab the audiences attention. Advertisement Opportunity leads to competition, and competition leads to disappointment: Its the story of our time, and the source of many of the stresses and resentments roiling U.S. culture. But its also the source of American achievement and American strength. Discontent is woven into the fabric of the nation, intertwined with ambition. The two cannot be separated without unraveling the whole. In democratic times, wrote Tocqueville, enjoyments are more intense than in the ages of aristocracy, and the number of those who partake in them is vastly larger: but, on the other hand, it must be admitted that mans hopes and desires are oftener blasted, the soul is more stricken and perturbed, and care itself more keen. If youve never felt like a failure, you arent ambitious enough. Or you live in a society that limits your potential and its own. Advertisement More From Bloomberg Opinion: Is America Losing the War for Global Talent?: Virginia Postrel Why the Most Qualified Person for a Job Rarely Is: Stephen L. Carter America Is Facing a Great Talent Recession: Adrian Wooldridge (1) Tocqueville wrote that free Blacks in New York and Philadelphia werecondemned by the laws and by public opinion to a hereditary state of misery and degradation. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Virginia Postrel is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist. She is a visiting fellow at the Smith Institute for Political Economy and Philosophy at Chapman University and the author, most recently, of The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load States across the U.S. have dropped their mask mandates this week, worrying Americans who think theyre still needed and cheering people who are ready to go back to normal. Both groups need to take a deep breath: Dropping mask mandates isnt the same thing as ignoring Covid-19. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Masks have been the most visible part of Americas pandemic response, but one of the least consequential. The fact that 500,000 people worldwide died during the omicron surge means its time to change tactics, and focus on what went wrong that led to so many hospitalizations and deaths. Mask mandates are predicated on the effectiveness of universal masking in which everyone wears a mask to keep case numbers lower. One of the leaders in proposing universal masking, Monica Gandhi of UCSF, has unfairly been accused of being an anti-masker for talking about the limitations of her own strategy and the much greater importance of vaccination campaigns. Advertisement But theres no avoiding it: The benefits of universal masking have been difficult to quantify. One controlled study in Bangladesh showed a small but statistically significant benefit among people who consistently used masks, 7.6% got symptomatic infections compared to 8.6% in the control group. Other studies have been inconclusive. It is intuitive that a barrier ought to prevent germs from being emitted into the air. But if thats true, why isnt there more evidence for the benefits of masking two years into the pandemic? Experts associated with The Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP) at the University of Minnesota have laid out a more complex analysis: Given the current understanding that the virus is transmitted in fine aerosol particles, its likely an infectious dose could easily get through and around loose-fitting cloth or surgical masks. Many experts say only N95 respirators or similar devices are truly effective at stopping this virus and some, such as the CIDRAP head Michael Osterholm, have been going public urging people to put less faith in cloth masks and adopt respirators such as N95s. He does not advocate universal N95 use in schools, however, where children are unlikely to be able to wear them consistently or correctly. Advertisement Most of the people who were only wearing masks because of the mandate were donning the less effective masks. Those concerned enough to get an N95 arent going to stop because its not required. Future policies should focus on helping people understand their risks and making sure everyone who wants a supply of N95 masks can get one. The most visible change will be in stores, and these are not the most dangerous venues. Much riskier are crowded bars or private gatherings where people were already removing their masks to eat and shouting to be heard. Several studies have shown that the louder someone talks, the more particles they expel. Other studies show prolonged exposure to others indoors is much riskier than fleeting exposures. All those factors may explain why the states with mask mandates havent fared significantly better than the 35 states that didnt impose them during the omicron wave. Rhode Island, where I live, has had a mask mandate since mid-December; nonetheless, we saw our January surge rise far higher than any other state. Theres little evidence that mask mandates are the primary reason the pandemic waves eventually fall though much of the outrage over lifting mandates is based on that assumption. Many experts acknowledge that the rise and fall of waves is a bit of a mystery, as epidemiologist Sam Scarpino explained to me on my podcast. Advertisement What is clear is that states with high vaccination rates have fewer hospitalizations and deaths, and that booster shots are essential for anyone over the age of 65 or at high risk of severe disease. Megan Ranney, an emergency medicine physician and a dean at the Brown University School of Public Health, says most of her hospitalized patients were unvaccinated or they live in multi-generational homes and got the disease from younger family members who skipped the shots. She sees no problem with the idea of lifting mask mandates when the stress on hospitals has eased. Its absolutely appropriate to relax mask mandates as cases drop below a threshold, particularly in areas with high vaccination and particularly once hospitals are not in crisis mode, she says. She would have liked to see some states wait a bit longer, though, and says lifting mandates in schools should depend on both case counts coming down and vaccination rates among students getting above 85%. (Vaccination rates are currently at 23% for kids ages five to 11 and 57% for kids 12 to 17.) Advertisement In other countries, mask mandates have been imposed and lifted with little or no rancor. Last week I talked to Michael Bang Petersen, a political scientist and psychologist who has been directing a research project on pandemic behavior at Aarhus University in Denmark. There, remarkably, all restrictions were lifted this month with little controversy. Some of that is due to good communication and trust. We can see that a clear majority of the population feel that they actually getting clear information from the authorities, he said. And Danish authorities have a realistic goal not minimizing all cases or eliminating the virus but preventing the healthcare system from breaking down. I think if we look at how it is that the Danish public thinks about coronavirus, they dont think of it as an individual threat they think of it as a societal threat, he said. Advertisement Americans are not selfish we think about protecting society too but were deeply divided about what our obligations should be. One way we might ease our tensions is by putting the role of mask mandates in perspective. More From Writers at Bloomberg Opinion: Can the FDA Get It Right on Covid Vaccines for Younger Kids?: Lisa Jarvis Americas Long War on Cancer: What Was It Good For?: Stephen Mihm For Kids, Mask Mandates No Longer Make Sense: The Editors (Corrects number of deaths due to omicron in second paragraph.) This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Faye Flam is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and host of the podcast Follow the Science. She has written for the Economist, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Psychology Today, Science and other publications. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Placeholder while article actions load Every February, birthday celebrations for George Washington and Abraham Lincoln bring Democrats and Republicans together around what really matters: mattress markdowns and special sales. Nothing inspires national unity more than discount shopping. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight As Americans scan deals, nine of our fellow citizens are in the midst of deciding the nations most divisive issue: abortion rights. The Supreme Court is reviewing a Mississippi law limiting abortion to the first 15 weeks of pregnancy. By July, it will issue a ruling upholding, rolling back or overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that established a right to abortion prior to fetal viability. Neither Washington nor Lincoln can tell us how the justices should rule, despite what some advocates on each side may claim. But Lincoln does have something vital to teach us about the debate, which is deeply rooted in the Civil War. Advertisement The court based its decision in Roe on the 14th Amendments guarantee of due process and equal protection under the law, which was intended to protect Black citizens civil rights. Once the court used it to establish reproductive rights, it was inevitable that battles lines would be drawn around different understandings of freedom. Pro-choice advocates consider abortion to be a matter of womens emancipation and equality, while pro-life advocates identify themselves as modern-day abolitionists, seeking equality for the unborn. Each side sees the issue as a question of rights, just as abolitionists and Confederates did with slavery only in this case, each side claims the role of liberator. By deciding the question for the nation in 1973, before Congress had taken up the issue and as states were grappling with it, the court preempted a debate still unfolding in the public square, a move that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg later criticized as contributing to political polarization. Her argument that the political and legislative process should have been allowed to unfold formed the core of Lincolns reaction to the most divisive court ruling of his day, Dred Scott v. Sandford. Advertisement Abortion opponents often compare Dred Scotts conclusion that Black people could not be citizens and slavery must be permitted in federal territories to Roe. The legal treatment of Black people as less than human, they argue, correlates to the legal treatment of the unborn as less than human. Pro-choice advocates counter that the analogy ignores all the Black women who were raped and forced to give birth against their will. The argument over Dred Scott isnt going away, but the public reaction to it not the case itself is what holds a critical lesson for both parties. Lincoln strongly opposed the ruling not only on moral and legal grounds, but on procedural grounds, too. He believed that such weighty questions needed to be decided by the people, not a few judges, as did his fellow Republicans, who assailed the court mercilessly for overstepping its authority. Advertisement In their debates during the 1858 Senate campaign, Senator Stephen Douglas took Lincoln to task for these attacks, accusing him of trying to bring the Supreme Court into disrepute among the people destroying public confidence in the court, so that people will not respect its decisions, but will feel at liberty to disregard them, and resist the laws of the land. Lincoln, he charged, was promoting mob rule. Lincoln responded by rejecting violence, while also mocking Douglas for treating the courts rulings as holy writ: a decision of the court is to him a Thus saith the Lord. He returned to this point in his first inaugural address, which we remember for its poetic rhetoric the better angels of our nature and mystic chords of memory while forgetting its blunt denunciation of judicial rule: if the policy of the Government upon vital questions affecting the whole people is to be irrevocably fixed by decisions of the Supreme Court, the instant they are made the people will have ceased to be their own rulers, having to that extent practically resigned their Government into the hands of that eminent tribunal. Advertisement A year later, Congress passed and Lincoln signed bills that flatly contravened Dred Scott by emancipating slaves in Washington D.C. and the existing territories. In effect, Lincoln and Congress said to the court: Buzz off. Matters of fundamental freedoms are the domain of elected leaders, not appointed judges. Now, against that backdrop, consider the Democratic response to Roe. For five decades, pro-choice politicians have viewed the courts decision as settled law, absolving them of the need to act. They have done little more than pay lip service to the idea of passing a bill codifying Roe and guaranteeing womens reproductive rights. Even when Democrats have controlled Congress and the White House, the partys position on abortion has been defined by complacency and avoidance. During President Barack Obamas first two years in office, when Democrats held supermajorities in the House and Senate, they made no push to pass a bill. As a candidate, Obama had told a Planned Parenthood audience, The first thing Id do as president is sign the Freedom of Choice Act. Thats the first thing that Id do. Four months into his term, when asked about the bill at a news conference, he responded, the Freedom of Choice Act is not the highest legislative priority. In fact, it wasnt a priority at all the bill was never even introduced. Advertisement When NARAL Pro-Choice America was later asked about this, the group said the reason the bill was never introduced was simple: They didnt have the votes to pass it. That admission spoke volumes about how little interest congressional Democrats had in sticking their necks out and how little pressure Democratic voters placed on them to do so. Only after Roe began teetering last year did they act. As the Supreme Court heard arguments in the Mississippi case in September, the House passed the Freedom of Choice Act. The Senate should be able to pass a bill, too Republican Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have long supported Roe but at least for the moment Democrats appear more committed to preserving a procedural rule, the filibuster, than abortion rights. Would Lincoln have allowed the filibuster to prevent a vote on a bill outlawing slavery in the territories and Washington, D.C.? Based on his view of Dred Scott, fat chance. The people, he believed, must be heard. Advertisement In a famous 1984 speech at the University of Notre Dame, New York Governor Mario Cuomo laid the onus on the Catholic Church for convincing the public that abortion is a moral wrong before expecting legislators to ban it. He was right, in my view, but he neglected to say what has proved no less true: There is also an onus on abortion-rights supporters to persuade their representatives to endorse it. That has never happened. Roe provided a false sense of security that led Democrats to view the court as they did after Dred Scott: an adequate substitute for the will of the people. Roe has allowed Republican politicians to avoid responsibility, too. Quietly, many would rather preserve abortion rights for political reasons, given public polling showing majority support for them, while others are happy to let the court take the blame for overturning Roe. If Republicans in Congress believe that abortion is murder, they must believe that murder is a lesser crime than ending the filibuster, because during the first two years of Donald Trumps presidency, the Republican-controlled Senate opted to keep the arcane rule rather than save the unborn. Legislators in both parties have lacked the courage of their convictions. The court has become a stand-in for Congress on fundamental rights, including gay rights, because members have been unwilling to stand up and be counted. Advertisement Lincoln held a different view of democracy. Of the people, by the people, and for the people did not mean legislative abdication and judicial genuflecting. It meant vigorous action by the peoples elected representatives. Historians regularly rebuke Lincoln for showing a lack of deference to the judiciary, but their criticisms typically center on his decision to ignore a Supreme Court ruling that he lacked authority to suspend habeas corpus. This, historians have often told us, was a grave mistake even as they fail to carry their logic further by saying that the adoption of emancipation laws in defiance of Dred Scott was a grave mistake, too. For Lincoln, as for the Founders, the Constitutions checks and balances did not require thinking of the judiciary as the first among equals or even as an equal. Only two of the three branches include elected representatives, and it is their obligation to be the primary voice of the people. The court can and must constrain the peoples voice to prevent a tyranny of the majority, but it cannot replace it. Democracy is not a passive activity. Advertisement If the court establishes a new constitutional right that, after a half-century, the people never endorse or reject through their federal representatives, it should not come as a surprise that a later court might take a different view of the issue. But for 49 years, Democrats have mistaken silence for governance. Today, as the court considers rolling back or reversing Roe, Democrats appear to be coming around to Lincolns position that the people must speak, lest the court speak for them. As a supporter of abortion rights, Im glad to see it. Lets move the debate from nine robed jurists with lifetime tenure to the 535 people who must answer to all the voters and call the roll. Something to think about while shopping for a new mattress. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Frank Barry is a columnist for Bloomberg Opinion. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Photo for illustration (Source: VOV) According to the Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam), the figure represented an increase of 73 codes compared to that of February 8. From January 1, 2022, businesses producing food for export to China have to print the commodity codes granted by the GACC or authorised agencies of Vietnam both inside and on the product packages. Among those freshly getting the GACCs codes on February 11, the Volcafe Vietnam limited company in the southern province of Dong Nai said with delight that it will soon export coffee products to China. Truong Trieu Vi, a representative of the State-owned Dakak September 2nd Import-Export Company Limited (Simexco Daklak), which also obtained a code, said it took his firm almost four months for the licence. Vietnam exported over US$50.16 billion worth of goods to China between January and November, up 16.1% from a year earlier, according to the General Department of Vietnam Customs. By the end of November, China was the second largest destination of Vietnamese commodities, following the US. It also ranked second among importers of agro-forestry-fishery products from Vietnam, with import turnover of US$8.4 billion during the period. Vietnams largest blood donation festival opens in Hanoi The Red Spring Festival, the largest blood donation event in Vietnam that turns 15 this year, kicked off in Hanoi on February 12. Individuals honoured at the Red Spring Festival 2022 for their contributions over the past 15 years (Photo: VOV) Director of the National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) Bach Quoc Khanh, head of the festival organising board, said the event, held annually after the Lunar New Year holiday, aims to help ensure sufficient blood supply for medical use which, in the past, often faced a serious shortage after the countrys biggest and longest holiday, said the Vietnam News Agency. First held in the spring of 2008, the festival has attracted hundreds of thousands of participants and received nearly 92,000 units so far. Most of localities nationwide and many agencies, businesses, and organisations have also organised annual blood donation activities on this occasion. People donate blood at the Red Spring Festival on February 12. (Photo: VNA) This years festival in Hanoi will last for nine days, until February 20, expected to attract 10,000 donors and receive about 7,000 blood units. People can donate at the NIHBT headquarters on Pham Van Bach street of Cau Giay district, the three fixed blood donation locations (No. 26 on Luong Ngoc Quyen street, No. 132 on Quan Nhan street, and No. 10 of Alley 122 on Lang street), as well as the cultural centre of Gia Lam district. They can register to make donation via https://hienmau.vn/events/lehoixuanhong/ or the app Hien mau. At the festival opening ceremony, Meta - the company running Facebook - and the NIHBT debuted the Blood Donations feature on this social network in Vietnam. This feature will become operational on February 16, enabling donors to easily connect with blood reception facilities. Vinfast hosts Roadshow for promotion of electric vehicles in US VinFast the global electric vehicle (EV) maker from Vietnam has announced it is hosting the VinFast California Roadshow until March 6, aiming to promote its electric SUV models VF 8 and VF 9 in the US market, reported by the Vietnam News Agency. Following the reveal of VinFast's full lineup of EVs at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2022) last month, VinFast is bringing its new all-electric sport utility vehicles directly to Californians. The VinFast California Roadshow will kick-off with a private event and VF 8 vehicle display on February 11 and 12 at Penthouse 56, this week's headquarters for the Los Angeles Rams as part of their big game celebrations. A product of VinFast (Photo: VNA) The tour will run concurrently in Los Angeles at the Westfield Century City from February 11 13, and will continue to three more cities in Northern and Southern California, then concluding on March 6 at the Ferry Building in San Francisco. The tour will be held in the most populous areas in Californian cities, directly providing specifications and images of VinFast's EV models to potential customers and the locals. The roadshow provides potential customers a first-hand opportunity to experience the brand and learn more about its premium electric SUVs, said Van Anh Nguyen, VinFast US Chief Executive Officer. California is VinFast's home in the US, with operations in Los Angeles and San Francisco, he said, so the company wants to start its journey building relationships with local communities in its own backyard. India lifts anti-dumping duty on certain steel products from Vietnam India has decided to rescind the anti-dumping duty on flat rolled products of steel plated or coated with alloy of aluminum or zinc originating in or exported from Vietnam, the Republic of Korea (RoK) and China, according to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam. The Notification No. 7/2022-Customs (ADD) was issued by the Indian Ministry of Finance on February 1, according to the Vietnam News Agency. Photo for illustration (Source: vneconomy.vn) The ministry last June imposed the anti-dumping duty on imports of certain types of steel products from these countries. Accordingly, the anti-dumping tax rates applied to Vietnamese enterprises are as follows: Dong A Steel Co. Ltd, US$23.63/MT; Hoa Sen Group, US$46.87/MT; Tay Nam Steel Manufacturing & Trading Co. Ltd, US$48.96/MT; Nam Kim Steel JSC, US$81.3/MT; and other manufacturers, US$173.1/MT. According to the Trade Remedies Authority of Vietnam, the country annually exports about 170,000 tonnes of steel plated or coated with alloy of aluminum or zinc, worth over US$140 million, to India./. This episode, as jaw-dropping as it was, had little to do with the Religious Discrimination Bill. It raised a tangential concern about an exemption in federal sex discrimination law, in force for nearly a decade, which allows religious schools to decide which children they are prepared to educate on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. An expert panel commissioned by the federal government to conduct a review into religious freedom concluded that, while religious schools should have the right to preference students who uphold the religious convictions of their school, that right should be limited to protect the interests of the child and apply only to new enrolments, not existing students. This is the issue which triggered a mutiny inside the Liberal Party and led to a series of amendments which ultimately prompted Prime Minister Scott Morrison to kill the bill. For faith-based educators, it was never the main game. What matters to them is the broader principles behind the religious discrimination legislation. Loading Where the rubber really hits the road is our employment practises, Wells says. We have no interest in harming anyone with offensive statements or conduct. What we want to see established is our right to employ people who have a consistent worldview to ensure a consistent influence in the lives of children who are entrusted into our care. We want that to be seen as not only legal, but common sense. Freedom of religion is one of only a few rights expressly protected in the constitution. It is described by the High Court as the paradigm freedom of conscience and the essence of a free society. Australia, as a signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), is committed to preserving it. But as Australian Human Rights Commission president Rosalind Croucher noted in 2016, the common law provides little protection for it. Liberal MP Tim Wilson during his tenure as Human Rights Commissioner dubbed it the forgotten freedom. Had the Religious Discrimination Bill found a way through the internal politics of the Liberal Party and a bitterly contested federal parliament, it would have added religion to sex, age, disability and race as attributes protected under Commonwealth law. State-based anti-discrimination laws cover religion in Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and Western Australia but not in NSW and South Australia. For the first time, all people of faith would have been protected against discrimination in employment, education and provision of goods, services and access to government programs on the basis of religious belief and activity. Loading For faith-based schools, the proposed laws would have formally enshrined at a federal level their right, long exercised through carve-out provisions in anti-discrimination laws, to hire teachers and other staff who share their religious ethos. Religious school leaders believe this principle is under threat from a combination of secular law reform, most notably through recent changes to Victorias Equal Opportunity Act, and a campaign by gay and trans rights activists to challenge any rights and special privileges given to religious organisations. Australia is not alone in wrestling with this. Ahmed Shaheed is the United Nations special rapporteur on freedom of religion. He warned four years ago, at the time Australia was embarking on its ill-fated legislative journey, that states which intervene extensively, overzealously and aggressively in the manifestation of religion or belief in an attempt to protect other rights such as gender equality or sexual orientation were at risk of breaching their commitment to the ICCPR. Michael Stead, the Anglican bishop for South Sydney, wrote in a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into the Religious Discrimination Bill that Australia had a long-standing live and let live social compact which allowed people of all faiths to express their beliefs without fear of discrimination or persecution. This is now changing, and legal protections are necessary to protect people from religious discrimination, he wrote, describing as an extraordinary overreach the Victorian governments changes to its Equal Opportunity Act, which restrict religious schools right to preference employment to those circumstances where religion is an inherent requirement for the job. The Victorian law, which came into force in December, galvanised the religious freedom movement. Victorias Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said the previous exemptions for religious organisations were too broad and the change would better protect LGBTIQ+ and other Victorians against discrimination. Jacinta Collins, a former Labor senator who runs the National Catholic Education Commission, says the idea of a state government or a court assessing when faith matters and doesnt matter in a religious school is a significant incursion into church affairs by the state. National Catholic Education Commission executive director Jacinta Collins. Credit:Rohan Thompson There is really no justification of it in a public policy sense, she tells The Age and Herald. If you have a pluralist school system where everyone has access to public education and families choose to provide a faith-based education for their children, that should be free to occur. Our biggest concern out of all this isnt the treatment of kids, its arrangements which allow activists to try to compromise our capacity to provide faith-based education. For people of other faiths, the Religious Discrimination Bill promised protections of a different kind. Loading Executive Director of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council Colin Rubenstein says Jewish people rely on community organisations to provide culturally compatible education, aged and disability care and these need to be managed by people who share their faith. Jewish communities are also experiencing a rise in what Rubenstein calls the oldest hatred, with the Executive Council of Australian Jewrys annual report on anti-semitism in Australia last year recording a 35 per cent increase in incidents from the previous reporting period. To some extent, religion is under attack, Rubenstein says. Even though we have certainly had a record of religious freedom and tolerance in this country, the tide is moving in a problematic direction, and certainly for the Jewish community. There is a great concern about the resurgence of anti-semitism in recent times and the emergence of far-right extremism. One of the central concerns raised by critics of the bill was the statement of belief provision. This provision meant that a statement of religious belief, made in good faith according to the teachings of that religion, would not breach other existing anti-discrimination laws. This protection would not apply to any statement that was malicious or intended to threaten, intimidate, harass or vilify. When Bilal Rauf, a spokesman for the Australian National Imams Council, appeared last month before a parliamentary committee, he was asked whether Muslim people were concerned that Islamophobia could be spread under the protection of this provision. His response was instructive. Loading The greatest source of concern for us is as we saw with the manifesto by [Christchurch mass murder Brenton] Tarrant, he said. Statements coming from that angle and those perspectives, which are more real, which are actually occurring and which are widespread online. Heres something on the table, we want to take it, we want the benefit of it. The minority faith communities, based on our interactions, want the benefit of it. If that goes off the table we are left again with nothing, as we started. Australian Association of Christian Schools executive officer Vanessa Cheng, whose organisation represents 120 schools across Australia, including the Chairo Christian School in Pakenham, lamented that once again religious freedom had been kicked down the road. In late 2017, as Australians were being asked by postal survey whether the legal definition of marriage should be expanded to include same-sex couples, Father Frank Brennan was approached by then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to consider an even thornier question; whether more needed to be done to protect religious freedom. A Jesuit priest, law professor and human rights advocate who had publicly flagged he would be voting yes to gay marriage, Brennan was an obvious choice to help bring Australias piecemeal protections against religious discrimination into the post-survey era. Along with Croucher and former Federal Court judge Annabelle Bennett, he agreed to join the Religious Freedom Review chaired by long-serving Liberal MP Philip Ruddock. Father Frank Brennan was part of an expert panel commissioned by then prime minister Malcolm Turnbull to review religious freedom in Australia. Credit:Elke Meitzel Brennan says there was a clear need for the Commonwealth to introduce protections against religious discrimination. What convinced us was that, if you look on paper at the coverage of discrimination law, this was the one notable deficiency at the federal level, he says. And in the public atmosphere, there seemed in the wake of the [postal survey] to be increasingly hostility and concern, particularly towards some Islamic groups and the more conservative evangelical Christian groups. The panel also recommended changes to the Sex Discrimination Act to put tighter boundaries around the exemptions that existed for religious organisations. The political problem was that, right from the start, the idea of what the proposed new law should do split the government. Where moderates supported vanilla religious discrimination legislation, conservatives wanted laws that codified a positive affirmation of religious freedom, something the expert panel had explicitly warned against. The risk inherent in such an approach was that religion might be seen to be protected at the expense of other rights. The government sought to appease both sides of this divide. Some of Australias most established church groups and charitable organisations the Uniting Church, parts of the Anglican Church, the St Vincent de Paul Society and the Sacred Heart Mission believed they got the balance wrong. Uniting Church general secretary Colleen Geyer feared that proposed law would have a corrosive effect on society. We believe there are certain provisions in this bill that actually increase the likelihood of discrimination against people of minority faiths and also people from more vulnerable groups within society, she told a parliamentary inquiry. We believe it does this by privileging powerful religious voices at the expense of minority and vulnerable voices in society, which seems to be the exact opposite of its purpose, and by providing what we see as extraordinary and excessive religious exceptions. The review of existing anti-discrimination legislation, a separate but related process, was referred to the Australian Law Reform Commission. The ALRC was initially told to report by April 2020. Under the direction of then attorney-general Christian Porter this was pushed back to December 2020 and finally, to 12 months after the passage of the Religious Discrimination Act. Brennan says this was absolutely perverse. At Christmas 2018 we had them all sanctimoniously carrying on about how dare kids be put at risk? and this needs to be fixed immediately. Nothing was done and here we are in 2022 and they still havent fixed it. Brennan became so disillusioned that he refused an invitation to make submissions to the most recent parliamentary inquiries, explaining that he had lost all faith that the 46th Parliament will be able to resolve the deadlock on these issues. Why in Gods name couldnt there be a bipartisan approach with an open consultation process to get that set up? he asks. We were able to do it with racial discrimination and sex discrimination; why not with religious discrimination? The Australian government has ordered the evacuation of its embassy in Kyiv amid concerns that Russian troops massing on Ukraines border are preparing to invade. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the remaining three staff members at the Australian embassy had been directed to leave as the situation becomes increasingly dangerous, and he condemned Russias actions as utterly unacceptable. Military exercises involving Russian and Belarus forces on the border with Ukraine. Credit:AP I want to send a very clear message on behalf of Australia a liberal democracy who believes in freedom and the sovereignty of states, not just in Europe but in our own region as well that the autocratic, unilateral actions of Russia to be threatening and bullying Ukraine is something that is completely and utterly unacceptable, Mr Morrison said. He said the government had already relocated other Australian-based staff and their families from the mission in Kyiv. Washington: The Biden administration has unveiled a broad-ranging plan to thwart Chinas growing influence in the Indo-Pacific, singling out the economic coercion of Australia as one of the reasons for the US to bolster its presence in the region. The White House released the new framework on Friday (Saturday AEDT) committing itself to a free and open Indo-Pacific, a day after US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken wrapped up his visit to Australia and headed to Fiji. The strategy is the result of months of consultation with regional allies, and makes a range of commitments, from addressing climate change to improving supply chains, to investing in a free press and developing AUKUS the strategic military pact announced last year to help Australia acquire nuclear-powered submarines. Joe Biden with Xi Jinping, pictured in 2013 when Biden was US vice-president. Credit:AP It also commits to expanding the United States diplomatic presence in the region particularly in south-east Asia and the Pacific as well as strengthening ties with the Quad alliance between the US, Australia, India and Japan. Police say a man in Hardin County was helicoptered to UofL Hospital after his son attacked him with a fireplace poker early Friday morning. The Ministry of Industry and Trade will make efforts to remove difficulties and maintain smooth trade activities. (Photo: hanoimoi.com.vn) Specifically, export and import turnover between Vietnam and the Asia-Africa region in 2021 totaled 444 billion USD, an increase of 22.38% against last year, contributing 67.3% of Vietnams total exports and imports. In which, the countrys exports to the region in 2021 were valued at 165.9 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 14.62%, accounting for 50.2%. Groups with large turnover include phones of all kinds and components at 32.29 billion USD; computers, electronic products and components at USD 27.32 billion; other machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts at 13 billion USD; and garments and textiles at USD 10.6 billion. Vietnams main export partners in the region, such as China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and ASEAN, have all maintained high growth rates, contributing to the positive growth of Vietnam's exports. According to estimates, export turnover to these markets in 2021 was: 56 billion USD, up 14.51%; 21.7 billion USD, up 13.61%; 19.8 billion USD, up 3%; and 28.6 billion USD, up 23.6%, respectively. In the opposite direction, Vietnams import turnover from Asia-Africa in 2021 totaled 278.35 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 27.52%, accounting for 84.3% of Vietnams total imports from the world. In which, groups of goods with large import turnover include computers, electronic products and components at 64.7 billion USD; other machinery, equipment, tools and spare parts at USD 40.7 billion; phones and components at USD 20.7 billion; fabrics of all kinds at 13.7 billion USD; iron and steel of all kinds at 10.7 billion USD; and plastic materials at 10.39 billion USD)./. Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. Images Sorry, there are no recent results for popular images. Weatherford, TX (76086) Today Cloudy skies. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High 69F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms late at night. Low 59F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Workers process pangasius for export at a factory in the Mekong Delta. (Photo: VNA) Exports rose quite sharply thanks to a surge in shipments to markets such as Brazil (48.6 percent increase), Colombia (68.5 percent), Russia (72.8 percent), and Egypt (51.7 percent). VASEP said exports were up also thanks to the US increasing buying amid an increasing COVID-19 vaccination rate and reopening of restaurants. Exports to the US in fact doubled from 2020 to 370.6 million USD. The fact that the US imposes zero import tariffs on Vietnams two leading pangasius exporters, Vinh Hoan Company and Nam Viet Company, has been a big factor in exports to that market increasing consistently. Meanwhile, exports to China were down 12.6 percent to 450 million USD, or 27.8 percent of total exports. Exports to the EU declined for a fourth straight year, falling 17 percent to 106.2 million USD. VASEP said the pandemic had a major impact on pangasius trade with many countries including France, Italy and Germany. It forecast exports of the fish reach 1.7 billion USD this year. The pangasius export market is improving and is expected to fully recover this year with companies' efforts and the Governments support, VASEP general secretary Truong Dinh Hoe said./. GREENWICH An accounting and human resources executive for a family-run kitchen design and remodeling business with a location in Greenwich has been charged with embezzling funds. Susana Rivera, 40, of the Bronx, N.Y., was arrested this week and accused of stealing some $550,000 from the company, which also operates in Bedford and Mamaroneck, N.Y. Federal prosecutors said Rivera diverted funds from the remodeling business and used them to pay for jewelry, beauty treatments, laser treatments, travel, pets, cosmetic surgery, clothing and cars, including a partial payment on a $100,000 Corvette, according to court paperwork. She also paid her utility bills with stolen funds, the complaint states. According to the complaint filed in the Southern District of New York, Rivera began using the company credit card to buy goods and services for herself beginning in November 2019 in the amount of $175,000. She also set up a fake vendor to channel funds of more than $370,000, according to the federal prosecutors. The complaint said Rivera posed as a member of the family business to use the credit card for big expenses, lifting spending restrictions on the credit card, and she also used a photo of another persons drivers license as part of the fraud. On Wednesday, she was charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. The wire fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. The federal indictment says Rivera began working for the remodeling business, which was not named, in October 2019 at a salary of $80,000. FBI Assistant Director Michael J. Driscoll said in a statement on the case: No more than one month after joining the company she allegedly defrauded, Susana Rivera started down a path of embezzlement that would eventually result in more than half a million dollars in losses to her victim. Spending this money on a variety of luxury and personal items, she jumped headfirst into this scheme with seemingly no signs of slowing down until we showed up to levy the charge, Driscoll said. Financial fraud schemes wreak havoc on private businesses and the economy alike. Any attempt to defraud a victim in this way will most certainly be met with consequences in our justice system. Rivera was released from custody after posting a $250,000 bond after being processed in the federal court in White Plains, N.Y. Mickey Mouse has turned Leftist Lousedue to circumstances beyond his control, and the long love affair that Disney has enjoyed with almost every American family appears headed for the rocks. The company has chosen to go woke, and that decision could conceivably leave the entertainment gia If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. Juliette Bridals by Ivana has relocated to 161 Glenworth Rd., Pottsville and is having a "relocation celebration" on May 19 at noon. Iqor has opened a new 30,000 square-foot call center in Allentown Life Advance Fitness at 436 State Ave. in Emmaus opens on May 11 Grocery Outlet Bargain Market is open at 561 S. Broad Street in Lansdale, in the former Super Foodtown location. The Caribbean Grill will hold its grand opening on May 10, 5:30-7:30 p.m. at 1800 Sullivan Trail in Forks Township. A new mafia-themed bar named Capo & Co. Keg and Cork Kitchen is hiring staff in Emmaus. The restaurant is at 1375 Chestnut St. and will feature a self-tap wine bar. Terrain on the Parkway, at 1625 Lehigh Parkway East in Allentown is open and renting apartments ranging from studio to three-bedroom size. Sports and Social opened April 28 in Allentown. The sports bar and restaurant at 645 Hamilton St. is part of a national chain. McCall Collective Brewing plans a May opening for its second location at 7743 Hamilton Blvd. in the Breinigsville section of Upper Macungie Township. The original brewpub is in Allentown. Project Paw cat cafe and thrift shop opens April 30 at 452 Northampton St., Easton. The cats in the cafe will be available for adoption. The business supports The Center for Animal Health & Welfare in Williams Township. McDonald's of Coopersburg is opening at 6690 Short Drive, Upper Saucon Township, just off Route 309. Oley Valley Inn in Oley Township is coming back as The Riedenau House, a farm-to-table restaurant. It will serve a German menu. Margaritaville resort, a Jimmy Buffett-inspired resort is coming to Monroe County. Construction in Tobyhanna and Pocono townships may begin next year, with an opening in 2024 at the site of the old Pocono Manor. La Dolce Casa, at 16 W. Broad St. on Tamaqua's main thoroughfare, has added La Dolce Casa Bakery and Italian Market just three doors away at 32 W. Broad St. in the former Bittner's General Store. Rutter's opens 3rd location in Berks at Route 222 and Long Lane in Maxatawny Township, north of Kutztown. Berks Nature opened The Rookery. The Rookery is in Angelica Creek Park, on top of the existing Nature Place structure. New Santiago's Restaurant at 125 S. Third St. in Coopersburg has reopened after about a year off. Obsidian Tattoo & Piercing Parlor of Bethlehem has expanded to Emmaus. The 173 Main St. location is open now. Ocean State Job Lot, a Rhode Island-based discount store, will open at the former site of the Kmart at Shillington Plaza in Cumru Township. Elpedio's Ristorante will open May 1 at the site of the Seipsville Inn in Palmer Township. King Wing has opened at 129 E. Third St. in south Bethlehem, serving buffalo wings, along with sandwiches. Royal Farms convenience store and gas station is headed to the site of the Brass Rail in Allentown on Lehigh Street. 3 Men & A Bagel is back open after a brief closing for surgery for the baker. The shop is located at 3350 Schoenersville Road, Bethlehem. Wert's Cafe is back after a brief closing following the death of owner Greg Wert. Vinyl Press Signs & Graphics has moved to 15 S. Second St. in Emmaus. A grand opening will be held May 5. Juliette Bridals by Ivana will hold a ribbon cutting May 19 at 161 Genworth Road, Pottsville. JPMorgan Chase & Co., the biggest bank in the U.S., is coming to downtown Allentown. The Easton Farmers' Market will open May 7 at Scott Park along Larry Holmes Drive. My Sister's Closet has relocated to the Bethlehem Village Shoppes at 3650 Nazareth Pike in Bethlehem Township. Fortunoff Backyard Store is open at Hamiliton Crossings. . Pocono Dessert Co. opens women owned coffee and dessert shop at 2185 PA-611 in Swiftwater Today Seasonably mild with some sunshine to start, then becoming mostly cloudy. Tonight Cloudy with showers likely. Tomorrow Cloudy and a little cooler with a few showers. The views expressed by public comments are not those of this company or its affiliated companies. Please note by clicking on "Post" you acknowledge that you have read the TERMS OF USE and the comment you are posting is in compliance with such terms. Your comments may be used on air. Be polite. Inappropriate posts or posts containing offsite links, images, GIFs, inappropriate language, or memes may be removed by the moderator. Job listings and similar posts are likely automated SPAM messages from Facebook and are not placed by WFMZ-TV. The film, titled Chat doc da cam - Qua bom no cham (Agent Orange - A delayed-action bomb), was produced in 2013 under the direction of Ho Thuy Tien and Laurent Lindebrings. Screened at Paul Eluard Theatre, it attracted a large number of local residents. In his remarks prior to the screening, Vietnamese Ambassador to France Dinh Toan Thang thanked the support of local residents and the France - Vietnam Friendship Association in Choisy-le-Roi for the Vietnamese people, especially AO/dioxin victims. The film screening at Paul Eluard Theatre in Choisy-le-Roi city on February 10. (Photo: VNA) He stated the assistance and solidarity from international friends will help ease the pain suffered by the victims and enhance their determination in the fight for justice. Following the screening, the audience joined in a talk with Tran To Nga, an 80-year-old Vietnamese-French woman and also an AO/dioxin victim, about the destructive toxins impacts on human health and the environment. According to Choisy-le-Roi Mayor Tonino Panetta, the film screening aimed to honour Ngas fight for justice and also demonstrated his citys support for her and other AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam The official said he hopes through this event, locals would understand that war is not the only solution to problems, and that regardless of victory or loss, the result of every war is only disaster and to Vietnam, that disaster is AO/dioxin. On this occasion, the France - Vietnam Friendship Association in Choisy-le-Roi called for both material and spiritual support for AO/dioxin victims in Vietnam and for solidarity with Nga in the lawsuit against the chemical companies that produced or supplied herbicides for the US army during wartime. In 2014, Nga, who used to be a war correspondent in south Vietnam during wartime, sued the multinational companies, including Monsanto - Bayer, that produced or supplied herbicides for the US during the war in Vietnam. On May 10, 2021, the Crown Court of Evry city in the suburbs of Paris rejected her lawsuit, citing it did not have jurisdiction to hear the case, a ruling that disappointed the Vietnamese and international public. However, Nga and her lawyers decided to file an appeal, and the struggle for justice for AO/dioxin victims is still underway. From 1961 to 1971, the US army sprayed 80 million litres of herbicides which contained about 400kg of dioxin - one of the most toxic substances, on Vietnam. Over the last 60 years, effects of this deadly chemical have still lingered in land, water, and many peoples bodies. More than 4.8 million Vietnamese people are suffering from its consequences. Every year, Vietnam reserves more than 10 trillion VND (over 440 million USD) from its budget for providing aid and health care for AO/dioxin victims and for assisting the disadvantaged areas severely affected by the herbicides./. Thank you for reading the Herald-Whig You have reached our free-content limit. If you are a current subscriber, please log in to continue viewing content or purchase a subscription by clicking the Subscribe button below. Thank you for supporting independent Journalism. Joe Conover was the editor of The Herald-Whig 1983-2001. John and Hannah Carter were his great-great-great grandparents. The Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County is preserving the Governor John Wood Mansion, the History Museum on the Square, the 1835 Log Cabin, the Livery, the Lincoln Gallery displays, and a collection of artifacts and documents that tell the story of who we are. This award-winning column is written by members of the Society. For more information visit hsqac.org or email info@hsqac.org. Programme Associate - Nutrition, Karachi, Pakistan Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Childrens Fund Country: Pakistan City: Karachi Office: UNICEF Karachi, Pakistan Closing date: Tuesday, 15 February 2022 Fixed Term: Programme Associate - Nutrition, GS-6, Karachi, Pakistan, # 99006 Job no: 547629 Position type: Fixed Term Appointment Location: Pakistan Division/Equivalent: Kathmandu(ROSA) School/Unit: Pakistan Department/Office: Karachi, Pakistan Categories: Health, Nutrition UNICEF works in some of the worlds toughest places, to reach the worlds most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. And we never give up. For every child, Education! Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges. UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves. In particular, UNICEF will work so that: Every child survives and thrives -- being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food. Every child learns. Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth. Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo Under the supervision and guidance of the supervisor, the programme associate supports the respective section (s) by carrying out a range of programme support functions to help develop, implement and monitor their country programme, ensuring effective and timely delivery that is consistent with UNICEF rules and regulations. The Programme Associate works in close collaboration with a range of staff in the field office, external partners and agency counterparts in support of programme design and delivery. S/He provides regular feedback on the status of projects through monitoring milestones and advises on improvements to keep activities on track. How to make the difference? The incumbent shall be responsible for following key functions, accountabilities and related duties/tasks; Participate in planning and review meetings (monthly, quarterly, MYR and EYR) and support Programme Specialist and POs for taking the minutes and drafting reports Ensuring the timely and accurate recording and administrative processing of government & NGOs proposals and requests for direct cash transfers (DCTs). Contribute in implementation of HACT programmatic assurance activities (Programme Visit and Spot-check) with relevant line-departments and IPs Support Programme Specialist/ POs on timely planning of cash disbursements including fund monitoring reports and managing supply related to Nutrition Support Programme Specialist and POs for planning and implementation of capacity development sessions of staff at line-departments and partners (i.e. training and workshops) related to Nutrition Conduct periodic field monitoring visits and provide timely reports Contribute in processing and reviewing of DCTs, Reimbursement, DCT and direct payments (including ICE, Summary of Expenditures, FACE form), processing with operation and finance Support to develop supply plan, distribution plan, process Sales/ purchase Order, supply requisition and work order. Track supplies for timely procurement/shipment to implementing partners and conduct post-delivery inspection of supplies including physical inventory count and verification at warehouses Carrying out transactions in VISION ensuring programme results, activities and programme coding are as per annual work plans (AWPs), and making amendments and alterations as per section revisions when necessary. Carrying out transactions in VISION pertaining to grants and programme-related items for his/her section including but not limited to registering grant allotments and tracking expiring programme grants c6w9csa Dh7qKS Helping prepare periodic or ad-hoc financial reports relating to country office and donors to support the office in optimizing use of programme funds Review outstanding DCTs, run DCT Monitoring Reports, refunds, and compilation of cash forecasts and monitor budgets and financial expenditures of section regularly by employing applicable tools, ensuring compliance with UNICEF rules and regulations, keeping supervisor informed and advised on actions for decision and/or follow up Perform vendor creation and updating and raising TAs. Conduct orientation sessions for line-departments and partners on HACT related issues. Preparing monitoring and reporting information for supervisor and team on agreed performance indicators to drive more efficient management and accountability for results Organize and provide logistical arrangements for internal and external meetings, donor mission and Coordination meeting and workshops with Government and partners To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have... Completion of secondary education is required, preferably supplemented by technical or university courses related to the work of the organization. A minimum of six years of administrative or clerical work experience is required. Prior experience in programme support functions is an asset. Work experience with Health and Nutrition IPs including Government counter parts in Sindh will be an added value. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset. Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of local language of duty station is an asset. For every Child, you demonstrate... UNICEFs values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA). The core competencies required for this post are Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness, Works Collaboratively with others, Builds and Maintains Partnerships, Innovates and Embraces Change, Thinks and Acts Strategically, Drive to achieve impactful results, Manages ambiguity and complexity, View our core competency framework at: Competency Framework Brochure.pdf Click here to learn more about UNICEFs values and competencies. Life at UNICEF Working at UNICEF is highly rewarding. With attractive remuneration package encompassing competitive pay and benefits, a culture that helps staff thrive and diverse opportunities for personal and professional development, we aim to help you maintain a fulfilling life both at and outside the office. We make sure you and your loved ones receive the resources and care that you need to thrive. Our contracts, benefits and wellbeing policies and initiatives ensure that you are well equipped to effectively deliver for children such as; Tax exemption, family allowances, hardship benefits, 10 UN holidays and annual leave allowance, maternity, paternity, adoption leave, medical and dental insurance, pension etc. Career support, staff wellbeing programme, breastfeeding policy, flexible work arrangements, childcare room, family support, policies & initiatives, security etc. UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. UNICEFs active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, suitable female candidates will receive preferential consideration and selection, as long as they meet the eligibility requirements stated above. Remarks: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Higher Education Commission (HEC) attested Degree(s) are a pre-requisite for employment at UNICEF. During the recruitment process candidates will be required to present HEC attested degrees/certificates Advertised: Feb 02 2022 Pakistan Standard Time Application close: Feb 15 2022 Pakistan Standard Time Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1644266213130 Technical Monitoring Officer / UAV Operator, Ukraine Organization: OSCE - Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Country: Ukraine City: Kyiv Office: OSCE in Kyiv, Ukraine Closing date: Thursday, 17 February 2022 General Minimum Requirements The general minimum requirements for working with the OSCE are: Excellent physical condition Possession of a valid automobile driving license and ability to drive using manual transmission Ability to cope with physical hardship and willingness to work extra hours and in an environment with limited infrastructure Field of Expertise Requirements The general minimum requirements for working in this field of expertise are: Demonstrable organizational skills Proven ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing Demonstrable interpersonal skills and documented experience in negotiations Depending on the field activitys mandate, significant prior experience in relevant fields such as international customs practices and procedures, law enforcement, and military observations and arms control may also be required Negotiating experience, preferably in the area of monitoring operations and/or related activities Level of Professional Competence Requirements Furthermore, this level of responsibility requires the following: Education: First-level university degree in relevant field(s); certified training course is desirable Experience: Minimum 6 years of relevant professional experience including minimum 1 year in a relevant field strongly preferred Mission Specific Requirements Additionally, this particular post has specific requirements: Mandatory: Minimum six years of relevant professional experience in any of the following fields: military, police, government or international/multilateral organizations in a field environment; Minimum one year of experience in the field of civilian or military aviation: experience in piloting military or civilian manned aircraft (helicopters or planes), experience in operating small to large multi-rotor or fixed-wing UAVs in a military, law enforcement or commercial setting, experience in planning aerial operations, or work experience on projects related to unmanned aviation; Sound organizational skills, with the ability to communicate clearly and concisely and work to tight deadlines and under minimum supervision; Proven experience of working in a demanding and constantly changing operational environment; Strong diplomatic skills, tact, cultural sensitivity and political judgement; Strong analytical and report writing skills; Demonstrated gender awareness and sensitivity, as well as the ability to integrate a gender perspective into tasks and activities. Excellent oral and written English communication skills; Ability to cope with physical hardship and willingness to work extra hours and in an environment with limited infrastructure; proven resilience to high stress environments; Demonstrated ability and willingness to work as a member of a team, with people of different cultural and religious backgrounds, different gender, and diverse political views, while maintaining impartiality and objectivity; Ability to operate computer Windows applications, including word processing and e-mail. Desirable: Current UAV or remotely piloted aircraft system license provided by national aviation authorities or internationally-recognized UAV training centres; c69Sw1J Dh7qKS Working knowledge of Russian and/or Ukrainian language(s); Experience in utilizing image and video editing software; Experience in analyzing aerial images and in identifying military equipment; Experience in using Geographic Information System (GIS) applications; Possession of C driving license. Tasks and Responsibilities The Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM), in line with the OSCE Action Plan for the Promotion of Gender Equality, is committed to further improving gender balance among staff in all areas and levels within the SMM. We encourage qualified applicants, especially women to apply for this position. If applicable, deployment is subject to attendance to and successful completion of pre-deployment training and assessment. Applicants are hereby notified that the Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (SMM) is designated by the OSCE as a nonfamily duty station. This designation is based on the fluid and dynamic working environment in the SMM. The currently prevailing working conditions in the duty station may include working in a hazardous location with extended hours of service, and possibly curtailed freedom of movement. Successful candidates who are appointed to locations deemed by the OSCE as hazardous will receive hazard pay. In addition, all successful candidates will be required to participate in the OSCE accident and life insurance scheme in accordance with the OSCE Staff Regulations and Staff Rules. In line with its Mandate and specific tasks assigned by political agreements reached in Minsk, the SMM utilises Unmanned and Unarmed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in order to collect data from inaccessible locations and to assess the security situation, on both sides of the Line of Contact in eastern Ukraine. Long-range UAVs allow for safe and efficient assessment of the security situation of large areas over a short period of time. Furthermore, in light of current security-related restrictions that do not allow ground patrols to operate during night time or on unpaved roads, the long-range UAV asset is the only tool that can effectively overcome these significant limitations. As such, close co-ordination between the SMMs long-range UAV team and Donetsk and Luhansk MTs allows for pin-pointing and subsequent long-range UAV monitoring of areas which are of potential interest to the SMM but are inaccessible to ground patrols. Under the overall guidance of the Deputy Head of Operations and direct supervision of the Technical Patrol Group Leader/UAV Operator, the Technical Monitoring Officer (TMO)/UAV Operator will provide overall on-the-ground co-ordination of Long Range (LR) UAV monitoring activities. This includes: Day-to-day co-ordination of LR UAV contractors service provision during operational shifts: overseeing contractor execution of daily flight plans, directing in-flight observations, maintaining flight logs and daily status reports; Carrying out preliminary post-flight data analysis, preparing LR UAV Teams daily reports; Co-ordinating reporting and data analysis-related matters with relevant Head Office units (Information Management Cell, Reporting and Political Analysis Unit); Supporting the LR UAV Patrol Group Leader in the following tasks: conducting pre-flight briefings (security situation in the AOR, weather forecast, daily flight plan) and post-flight debriefings (relevant observations, incidents, technical issues, preparing post-flight documentation), quality control of the flight log, daily status report and LR UAV Teams daily/weekly reports; Supporting in preparing LR UAV Teams regular Patrol and Flight Plans; Performing other duties as assigned, including regular ground patrolling activities; Furthermore, as a secondary responsibility, the TMO/UAV Operator will conduct tasks pertaining to Mini and Mid-range UAV operations in line with the Operational Instruction on the use of Mini and mid-range UAVs for designated patrols and applicable Security Instructions. For more detailed information on the structure and work of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, please see https://www.osce.org/special-monitoring-mission-to-ukraine The OSCE is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages the nomination of qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious, ethnic and social backgrounds. Please note that nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are not eligible to apply. Candidates should be aware that OSCE officials shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting the status of an international civil servant. This includes avoiding any action which may adversely reflect on the integrity, independence and impartiality of their position and function as officials of the OSCE. The OSCE is committed to applying the highest ethical standards in carrying out its mandate. For more information on the values set out in OSCE Competency Model, please see https://jobs.osce.org/resources/document/our-competency-model. Candidates should, prior to applying, verify with their respective nominating authority to which extent financial remuneration and/or benefit packages will be offered. Please apply to your relevant authorities well in advance of the deadline expiration to ensure timely processing of your application. Delayed nominations will not be considered. The OSCE can only process Secondment applications that have been nominated by participating States. For queries relating to your application, please refer to the respective delegation as listed here: https://www.osce.org/contacts/delegations. Additional Information Issued by: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine Requisition ID: OPE000009 Contract Type: International Secondment Grade: S2 Job Level: Senior Professional Job Type: Seconded Number of posts: 2 Location: OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine, Ukraine Posting Date: Feb 3, 2022 Closing Date: Feb 17, 2022 Employee Status: Fixed Term Schedule: Full-time Education Level: Bachelors Degree (First-level university degree or equivalent) Link to the organizations job posting: https://unjobs.org/vacancies/1644448134815 By Trend China supports Azerbaijan in the light of the future activities of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (Parliament of China) Li Zhanshu stated in a letter addressed to the Speaker of the Azerbaijani Parliament Sahiba Gafarova, Trend reports. The author of the message shared his opinion on the constituent assembly of the NAM Parliamentary Network, which took place on November 28, 2021 in Madrid, noting that it had been a success. Li Zhanshu highly appreciated the efforts of the Azerbaijani parliament and its Speaker Sahiba Gafarova on expanding cooperation between the parliaments of the NAM Member States. The letter also expressed China's readiness to establish close cooperation with the legislative bodies of member countries of the Parliamentary Network of the Non-Aligned Movement. In addition, the message notes the importance of the joint efforts on developing multiculturalism and strengthening peace throughout the world. Mexican Ambassador Alejandro Negrin Munoz (centre) comes to present his credentials to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 11. (Photo: VNA) At the reception for Mexican Ambassador Alejandro Negrin Munoz, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc believed that the diplomat will excellently fulfill his term of office in Vietnam to help bolster the traditional friendship and multifaceted cooperation between the two countries. Munoz noted with satisfaction that bilateral cooperation has been growing well over the last 47 years, expressing his hope that Vietnam and Mexico will set up a strategic partnership, which will be a basis for further augmenting their collaboration. The Vietnamese President said the bilateral ties have been thriving unceasingly in the recent past as seen in the maintenance of all-level meetings, along with the continued promotion of the political consultation and the joint committee on economic, trade, and investment cooperation. Mexico is currently the second largest trade partner of Vietnam in Latin America with bilateral trade approximating 5.2 billion USD, he said. Vietnam will work closely with Mexico to increase high-level meetings and cooperation in defence, finance, customs, agriculture, and education, he affirmed. As both countries are members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), President Nguyen Xuan Phuc said they should expand partnerships to new areas and remove obstacles in a timely way to develop their ties in a comprehensive, sustainable, and substantive manner. He also called on Mexico to back Vietnams candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023 - 2025 term, and for continued mutual support at multilateral forums. The President wished Mexico success as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2021 - 2022 and, via the ambassador, invited his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to visit Vietnam at an appropriate point of time. US Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper (R) presents his credentials to President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on February 11. (Photo: VNA) Congratulating Marc Evans Knapper on his appointment as the US Ambassador to Vietnam, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc welcomed the diplomats return to Hanoi, and spoke highly of Knappers performance while working in Vietnam during 2004 - 2007, which greatly helped promote relations between the two countries. Recalling the visit to Vietnam by US Vice President Kamala Harris last August, President Nguyen Xuan Phuc noted the Vietnam - US comprehensive partnership has been developing more intensively and practically. Bilateral trade hit a record of 111 billion USD in 2021, turning Vietnam into one of the 10 largest trade partners of the US, he added. He thanked the US for the provision of 24.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines for Vietnam, assistance in response to climate change, and cooperation in settling war aftermath and building mutual trust. The State leader expressed his belief that during his term of office in Vietnam, the ambassador will contribute more to the bilateral ties. For his part, Knapper held that the Vietnam - US relations will develop further in the time ahead, pledging all-out efforts to promote their cooperation, particularly in trade, investment, education, defence, and security. He also voiced his delight at the USs vaccine assistance for Vietnam amid the COVID-19 pandemic and expressed his hope that when the outbreak is gradually put under control, the two countries will organise many high-level mutual visits./. Willmar, MN (56201) Today Sun and a few passing clouds. High 56F. Winds NE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Partly to mostly cloudy. Low 37F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. A variety of factors has exponentially driven up the price consumers pay if they use natural gas in their homes and U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and a group of his colleagues want the Biden administration to take steps to reduce the cost of the fuel. Blumenthal said the amount that Southern Connecticut Gas, Connecticut Natural Gas and Eversource Energy pay for natural gas has increased by 100 percent. Because the utilities cannot mark up the cost of supplying the fuel, that amount is passed along directly to more than 600,000 customers of the states three natural gas companies, according to Frank Reynolds, president and chief executive officer who oversees the operations of Orange-based Avangrids utilities in Connecticut and Massachusetts. We want to make sure natural gas remains affordable, reliable, Reynolds said during a media conference lasts week with Blumenthal at a CNG facility in East Hartford. Making sure we take care of this energy supply chain issue that currently exists in New England that impacts our region is critically important to reducing the cost and affordability of natural gas. A typical homeowner is paying 10-15 percent more for gas service to their home in the past year than the previous 12 months, according to Gage Frank, a spokesman for SCG and CNG. Thats about, on average, an additional $15 per month, Frank said. The 100 percent increase in the cost of the supply of natural gas cited by Blumenthal is then spread across every natural gas consumer in the state, he said. Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource Energy, said residential gas customers pay 66.02 cents per 100 cubic feet and their gas bill, on average, was about $77 per month between July and December 2021. Natural gas costs are reviewed monthly and customers should expect to see fluctuations during the heating season, Gross said. Just like electricity, Eversource purchases natural gas from suppliers on behalf of its customers and passes the cost directly to them with no profit to the company. Reynolds said the Avangrid companies, which include United Illuminating, support the efforts of Blumenthal and his fellow senators. Right now, its a supply and demand issue, he said. Right now the supply is not meeting the demand. Eversouce Energy has 246,000 natural gas customers in 74 Connecticut communities. Southern Connecticut Gas has 206,096 customers and Connecticut Natural Gas has 183,446. Gross said Eversource officials share the senators concerns, thats why weve been sounding the alarm on rising global energy prices and the effects they have on customer bills since early last fall. As an energy distribution company, we have no control over fluctuating energy prices, but we always want to help our customers better manage their energy use, he said. Even though three interstate natural gas transmission pipelines run though Connecticut, they are often at full capacity during periods of peak demand of energy. The three pipelines are: Algonquin Gas Transmission, which originates in New Jersey where it connects to Texas Eastern and runs from Danbury northeasterly to Thompson, with major spurs to North Haven and New London. Iroquois Gas Transmission System, which starts at the Canadian border, enters Connecticut in Sherman and runs southeast through Milford, then offshore to Long Island. Tennessee Gas Transmission starts in the Gulf of Mexico, enters Connecticut in Greenwich and runs northeasterly leaving Connecticut in Suffield, with a spur from Massachusetts to Torrington. But efforts to expand the existing transmission lines or build new ones have failed. Pipeline constraints, combined with the emergence of the United States as the worlds largest exporter of natural gas, are producing rising home heating costs, Blumenthal said. We owe it to the American people to make sure we continue our energy independence and keep natural gas affordable to America families, he said. This issue is monumental. Im going to continue pummeling these agencies do the right thing: This has to stop. Blumenthal and his Senate colleagues have sent a letter to U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to take the necessary steps to curtail natural gas exports. The senators also want the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to control the costs associated with the pipelines that bring natural gas to Connecticut and the rest of New England. Stop the natural gas exports until you have a plan to lower the costs of natural gas to American families, Blumenthal said. If the Biden administration does its job ... exports can continue. But not until American families pay less for natural gas. In a letter to FERC Chairman Richard Glick, Blumenthal and his colleagues wrote that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has a significant role to play in promoting energy justice and protecting United States residents from unfairly high energy costs. Under its statutory authority, FERC has the power to influence retail rates for natural gas and electricity, including by preventing market manipulation in wholesale natural gas and electricity markets and enforcing gas spot market transparency, the letter to Glick said in part. We urge the commission to use its existing regulatory authority to ensure that households energy bills are not driven up by manipulation, obfuscation, or other malfeasance from regulated entities, and to work collaboratively with other agencies to address energy debt. Disparate energy debt burdens are a serious economic, racial, and health justice issue. In the letter to Granholm, the lawmakers wrote that despite the heavy burden rising natural gas prices has placed on American families, the U.S. is exporting record levels of natural gas to other countries, a trend that is only expected to continue. Reports indicate that in December, U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports topped 7.7 million tons, for the first time making the U.S. the worlds leading LNG exporter, the letter said in part. And on December 9, the EIA (Energy Information Administration) issued a report indicating that the U.S. is on track to have the largest LNG export capacity in the world by the end of 2022. Blumenthal said Granholm has the power to curtail imports by stopping permits for new liquid natural gas facilities. Natural gas is converted to a liquid form to make it safer and easier to transport. But according to Charles Crews, president and chief executive officer of the Northeast Gas Association, one of the reasons natural gas prices are so high is because the region lacks adequate storage and pipeline capability, leaving users of the fuel to buy LNG on the volatile spot market. NGA is a Massachusetts trade group whose members represent natural gas companies in the region as well as transmission pipeline operators. There is enough natural gas out there, Crews said. We are just constrained in the ability to deliver it here. As an example, western New England is just a few hundred miles from the northernmost section of the Marcellus Shale Deposit, one of the most prolific supplies of natural gas basins anywhere, he said. The Marcellus Shale is a geological formation that stretches beneath 575 miles of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Ohio and New York. While some of its supply eventually makes its way to New England, there are no direct pipelines to bring more to the six-state region. Other regions of the country are able to store large reserves of natural gas in underground tanks, Crews said. But because of New Englands geology, those facilities are not feasible in the region, he said, resulting in above-ground LNG tanks like the one Eversource has in Waterbury. Its hard to site anything in New England, Crews said of energy infrastructure. As an example, he cited the 2008 rejection of a floating liquefied natural gas terminal and pipeline in Long Island Sound between Connecticut and New York. Massachusetts is responsible for two of the largest entry points for liquified natural gas in the region, he said. In Everett, Mass., LNG has the longest-operating import facility of its kind in the United States. The terminal, which is adjacent to Boston Harbor, connects to two interstate pipeline systems. The second is the Northeast Gateway facility, a terminal that is 18 miles offshore, near Cape Ann, Mass., which started commercial operations in May 2008. Ships off-load their LNG cargo at the Northeast Gateway terminal, which is capable of injecting vaporized natural gas into the existing offshore HubLine natural gas pipeline system, according to NGA officials. I think the industry has seen ups and down of having blame cast its way Crews said. The industry has been doing a lot to transition to a clean energy economy. I dont think the industry is getting the credit it deserves. luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com Winchester, VA (22601) Today A mix of clouds and sun this morning followed by increasing clouds with showers developing this afternoon. High 73F. Winds ESE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely this evening. Then a chance of scattered thunderstorms overnight. Low 57F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%. As a boy learning to draw in Kabul, Tameem Safi didnt need to look far to find beautiful scenes. The old city was filled with them everywhere he looked: the streets, the people, and buildings, like the Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque. As a boy learning to draw in Kabul, Tameem Safi didnt need to look far to find beautiful scenes. The old city was filled with them everywhere he looked: the streets, the people, and buildings, like the Shah-Do Shamshira Mosque. But they paled in comparison to the mountains he could see by simply looking out his window. When he was eight years old, in the early 1990s, he put his pencil down and picked up a paint brush, and got started on his first canvas, using the only two colours he had to create a mountain of his own. "The orange was the sun, and everything else was yellow," he says. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Tameem Safi (left), with his daughter Nehal Safi, 7, wife Shabana Dastageerzada and son Adham Safi, 3, at Tameems exhibit, Through & Through, at the Cre8ery Gallery. Safi never forgot that painting. As his homeland and home city experienced turbulence and war, he continued to paint, using oils to depict with simple realism the landscapes he connected with so deeply. And when in 2002, at 19 years old, he left to start a new life in Winnipeg with his mother, sisters and grandmother, the mountains stayed etched in his memory. "They asked us where we wanted to go, and we said a small city," recalls Safi. The cold was no issue: it got cold in Afghanistan too. But it was different. It was flat. The closest thing to a mountain here was Garbage Hill. Safi didnt have much time to paint anyway. He was studying for his Grade 12 equivalence at Glenlawn Collegiate. Each morning hed walk there at 7 a.m., and when the school day was done, he went to work as a sewist for a local jeans manufacturer. Most nights, he didnt get home until 1 a.m. Tameem Safi Golden Peak, acrylic on canvas After getting his Grade 12, Safi, who harboured fantasies of filmmaking, entered Tec Voc High Schools radio and television broadcasting program, graduating in 2005 and embarking on a career in photography and videography. He freelanced, and started his own company, Golden Horse Productions, which he still runs, returning to Afghanistan to capture where he came from for a still-unreleased documentary. But in 2013, he opened a corner store on St. Annes Road, with a coffee shop tucked inside. Business was not very good," he says. But it wasnt such bad news: with nobody sitting in the coffee shop, he had the time and space to set up a canvas and start painting mountains again. When the store closed nine months after it opened, it was a minor blessing in disguise. He painted more and more, and his style shifted from purely realist to abstract expression, perhaps in part because he no longer had the luxury of painting what he could see in front of him. In Winnipeg, he allowed his hands to move freely and guide the painting. "I decide to let it loose, and once I let it loose, its just a feeling." JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Afghanistan-born artist Tameem Safi is exhibiting his work, at the Cre8ery Gallery, for the first time since he started painting as a boy in Kabul. Eventually, he painted serene base layers before splashing and drizzling paint on top. He hadnt seen any Jackson Pollocks until local gallerist Jordan Miller told him the name. After a few years of painting, around 2019, Safi felt more confident in his work, and went to a gallery to see about organizing an exhibition. He was kindly told his work did not fit the space, and redirected to Miller, who runs the Cre8ery gallery & studio in a large space on Adelaide Street just south of William Avenue. The gallery runs bi-weekly shows for local artists, but theres a wait list for those who apply. This month, Safis name was called, and his show, Through & Through, is on until Feb. 19. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Artworks by artist Tameem Safi at Cre8ery Gallery. Miller said Safi actually came to her with his portfolio as a photographer, which was filled with work that captured nature as well. "And then he came through with all these paintings," she says. "It was unexpected." But nevertheless, a very pleasant surprise: the paintings had texture and depth, and his love of nature shone through. As in his paintings, Safi is very dedicated to capturing the beauty of natural landscapes in his photography, which in North America has adapted to include pictures of winding highways and rusted-out trucks parked on farmland, along with stunning Prairie skyscapes. Safis photographs often have the qualities of his non-abstract paintings, and vice-versa; it can be difficult to tell which is which. A photograph of a full-moon is rendered so clearly, it appears at first to be a painting. He used an expensive lens purchased specifically for that picture, and it clearly paid off. Tameem Safi Cloudy Mountain, oil on canvas He drives to Banff a few times a year for inspiration, and in October, drove 36 hours roundtrip with his nephew to take a single photograph of the sun peeking over the mountains at Moraine Lake south of Lake Louise, Alta. the day before it was closed for avalanche season. He waited three years to take that picture. "We stood there and breathed a little bit, and then we came back." That picture hangs in the large gallery, which Safi filled with both grace and ease; his basement is filled with other work yet to be seen by the public, though it has been seen by his favourite critics. On a Tuesday afternoon, his wife Shabana and his two children, seven-year-old daughter Nehal and three-year-old son Adham, came to see their favourite artists work in a big gallery for the first time ever. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Nehal Safi, 7, is learning to paint alongside her dad, Tameem. Adham and Nehal walked around with terrific energy, with their parents keeping a close eye. Nehals favourite piece was the photograph of the moon. Adham was very focused on a comfortable stool in the centre of the room. Seeing a reporters pad of paper, Nehal politely asked for a blank page and started to draw a girl with a fox. "She is painting very well," Safi says of his daughter, who often sets up a canvas right next to her fathers. She paints mostly cartoon characters, but shes started to paint the natural world birds, water, trees, even the mountains just like her dad. "The other day she painted something and sent me a picture, with a very beautiful note. Thank you daddy for painting with me," Safi says. Adham marched around the gallery carrying one of his sisters pieces, a small canvas with splattered paint in one of their dads styles. JESSICA LEE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Safi has transitioned from realism to abstract expression since immigrating to Canada. It was obvious how proud Safi was of his children, and it was mutual. "I am happy and I am proud," Nehal says, when asked what she was feeling. Growing up in Kabul, Safi says he never expected to see his work in a gallery. Back then, as now, he painted for joy and to express himself, with any recognition coming his way as a delightful bonus. He was a boy looking out his window at mountains. "I still feel they talk to me all the time," he says. Since about 2004, he has toyed with the idea of moving closer to snowy peaks. "But it never happens, and I dont know why," he says, pausing. "Maybe, I am stuck in Winnipeg." Safis exhibition runs at the Cre8ery (125 Adelaide St.) until February 15. The gallery is open to the public Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tameem Safi can be found on Instagram @tameem.safi. ben.waldman@winnipegfreepress.mb.ca If you value coverage of Manitobas arts scene, help us do more. Your contribution of $10, $25 or more will allow the Free Press to deepen our reporting on theatre, dance, music and galleries while also ensuring the broadest possible audience can access our arts journalism. BECOME AN ARTS JOURNALISM SUPPORTER Click here to learn more about the project. From left: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Australian Foreign Minister (FM) Marise Payne, Indian FM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Japanese FM Yoshimasa Hayashi at a press conference in Melbourne, Australia on February 11, 2022. (Photo: AFP/VNA) Australian Foreign Minister (FM) Marise Payne, Indian FM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Japanese FM Yoshimasa Hayashi and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, made the commitment in a joint statement issued after the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting in Melbourne, Australia, on February 11. The ministers recognise that international law, peace, and security in the maritime domain underpins the development and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific. We reiterate the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South and East China Seas. We are determined to deepen engagement with regional partners, including through capacity-building and technical assistance, to strengthen maritime domain awareness; protect their ability to develop offshore resources, consistent with UNCLOS; ensure freedom of navigation and overflight; combat challenges, such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; and promote the safety and security of sea lines of communication, they said in the joint statement./. This biography/autobiography is a detailed look at Luis Navias 25 years working for the deadliest Colombian and Mexican cartels as a pure narco, a drug smuggler only, which allowed him to escape the ever-present violence and death that marked the international cocaine trade. This biography/autobiography is a detailed look at Luis Navias 25 years working for the deadliest Colombian and Mexican cartels as a pure narco, a drug smuggler only, which allowed him to escape the ever-present violence and death that marked the international cocaine trade. That he is now able to live a good life in Florida after being captured by U.S. drug enforcement agencies, giving evidence against the cartels and serving only a short jail sentence, is further evidence of his skills at reading dangerous situations and avoiding violence, and his incredibly good luck. Pure Narco The book is a mixture of autobiography Navias story in his own words and biography, including Finks research on cartel operations and interviews with family, friends and drug enforcers involved in the 12-nation Operation Journey that brought down Navia and many bigger players in 2000. As international drug traffickers dont keep diaries, the book is largely based on Navias recollections and, as Fink explains, Navia maintains the account is true, but is not to be taken as definitive. Navia was born into the privileged life of Cuban high society. His family fled Castros revolution and relocated in Florida, where his father continued to do well in the sugar trade. Navia could have joined the family business after university, but a stint at Georgetown University where he sold drugs to fellow students set him on a quarter-century path of smuggling 200 tons easy of cocaine to the United States and later Europe. After leaving university, Navia became involved in the wild west of 1970s drug trafficking in Miami, fuelled in large part by the influx of Cubans exiled by the Castro regime, a group that included many young criminals with little to lose (reference the movie Scarface). He was selling a few grams before falling for a woman with connections to the Medellin Cartel and becoming an expert smuggler specializing in logistics. He easily settled into a life of prostitutes and sampling the wares he was transporting. Navias protestations that he didnt take part in the rampant violence dished out by sadistic cartel killers that he was just delivering the product ring hollow. The 66-year-old admits he doesnt have the highest regard for human life. The gruesome violence didnt disturb him; for example, he didnt let the sight of someone being waterboarded before getting two in the head distract him from his lunch. Yet, Navia also claims he was a hapless Mr. Magoo figure, a normal father and a very loving dad whose calling card was his refusal to carry a gun. That allowed him to walk out of the criminal underworld alive (he talked his way out of three kidnappings and was almost fed to crocodiles). Non-violence is a very powerful weapon, he says. Its like that Gandhi s---. The former drug smuggler shows no remorse or guilt for his role in a trade that has meant misery for so many addicts. He made millions of dollars, spent the bulk of it, but still has money in offshore accounts. He runs a construction business in Miami, consults with federal enforcement agencies and lives a good life that includes an ongoing relationship with two of the American drug enforcement agents who arrested him and shepherded him through the plea deal that allowed him to serve a short sentence and ease into a new life. Australian-based Fink, the author of five books, including bestselling biographies Bon: The Last Highway and The Youngs: The Brothers Who Built AC/DC, spoke almost daily with Navia for three years while working on this book, and his research is extensive the bibliography and endnotes run to almost 50 pages. While there are descriptions of life among the cartels during their blood-soaked heyday such as the wanton violence, corrupt police and government officials, and extensive control of drug trade the result is still the tale of a man born with an opportunity to make a good, legal life opting for an illegal fortune based on misery and death. Chris Smith is a Winnipeg writer. OTTAWA - Police in Windsor, Ont., were locked in an apparent standoff with protesters clogging a key trade artery between the United States and Canada on Saturday, even as demonstrations against COVID-19 public health measures continued in Ottawa and other cities across the country. Truckers and supporters block the access leading from the Ambassador Bridge, linking Detroit and Windsor, as truckers and their supporters continue to protest against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette OTTAWA - Police in Windsor, Ont., were locked in an apparent standoff with protesters clogging a key trade artery between the United States and Canada on Saturday, even as demonstrations against COVID-19 public health measures continued in Ottawa and other cities across the country. Officers with the Windsor Police Service, the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police and others began moving in on protesters near the Ambassador Bridge around mid-morning after a court-ordered deadline for clearing the site passed and was largely ignored on Friday evening. Shortly before noon on Saturday, a line of police officers slowly advanced on the protesters who had gathered at an intersection at the foot of the bridge, forcing the demonstrators farther away from the site. The officers were supported by two RCMP armoured vehicles and several police cruisers in a show of force that the roughly 200 protesters greeted with renditions of "O Canada" before falling back. Yet police soon halted their advance before standing nose to nose with the demonstrators, whose ranks grew as hundreds more arrived throughout the afternoon. The resulting impasse continued to block traffic from crossing the bridge. By late afternoon, hundreds of protesters continued to occupy a stretch of road near the bridge, with efforts to clear the area having ground to a standstill. Windsor resident Wesley Dippoliti, who chose to get vaccinated but believes others should be able to choose not to without fear of consequences, said he's willing to stay "as long as it takes." The way I see it, in the past, people have fought wars and died for their freedoms, freedoms of their people and the things they believe in," he said. "And if coming out here and fighting for my freedoms means simply standing around and having a coffee and having these conversations, then thats all that matters." Jason Bellaire, deputy chief of operations for the Windsor Police Service, said officers were doing what they could, in a "reasonable way," to try and resolve the situation. Police were trying to negotiate with the demonstrators to protect the safety of all involved, he added. The blockade at the Ambassador Bridge linking Windsor and Detroit has stemmed the flow of hundreds of millions of dollars in cross border trade, prompting entreaties from U.S. President Joe Biden and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer for Canadian officials to reopen the crossing. The blockade of Canadas busiest border crossing followed nearly two weeks of protests that first started in Ottawa but have since spread to other cities and ports of entry here and around the world. The Canada Border Services Agency announced Saturday that services at the border crossing at Coutts, Alta., have been temporarily suspended after two weeks of protests at the normally busy port. While the agency was directing commercial traffic to other crossings North Portal and Regway in Saskatchewan, and Rooseville and Kingsgate in British Columbia, it recommended travellers continue to check for updates due to evolving circumstances. Federal, provincial and municipal politicians of all stripes are calling for an end to the blockades, whose original stated aim was to protest vaccine mandates for cross-border truckers. Protesters face police officers as they enforce an injunction against their demonstration, which has blocked traffic across the Ambassador Bridge by protesters against COVID-19 restrictions, in Windsor, Ont., Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette The demonstrations have since evolved into a catch-all movement opposed to all public health restrictions and sometimes calling for the unlawful overthrow of democratically elected governments. While the protests have disrupted businesses and trade in different parts of the country, concerns have also been raised about the presence of far-right extremists and hate groups using the demonstration to advance their ideological agendas. The police action in Windsor is arguably the strongest law enforcement response to the mass protests to date, and came as demonstrators continued to cause disruptions in other parts of Canada. Hundreds of people and dozens of trucks remained dug in along Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill and around downtown Ottawa, where many have been parked since the end of January. The mood on the streets resembled a carnival or Canada Day celebration as hundreds of people, including some families with children, streamed toward the seat of Canadas democracy, many carrying Canadian flags. Yet amid the revelry was an uneasy vibe. Mingled amid the Maple Leafs were other flags and placards, many bearing vulgar words and messages attacking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other political leaders. Protesters tore down a fence around the National War Memorial, which had been set up after some participants stood and danced on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the base of the memorial during the first weekend of demonstrations. Police stood by and watched as the fence was removed and protesters, including some veterans, started to gather around the monument dedicated to Canada's war dead. It wasn't immediately clear where the fence had gone. Completely unacceptable, Veterans Affairs Minister Lawrence MacAulay tweeted in response. Fences were put up to prevent the flagrant desecration and disrespect of our sacred monuments. This behaviour is disappointing and Im calling on protesters to respect our monuments. Police were also seen parked one block away from Parliament, where demonstrators had taken over a parking lot and were blasting music while passersby danced. The officers did not respond when trucks began honking their horns, in contravention of a court order. Demonstrators were also seen filling jerry cans from a fuel tank in the back of a large pick-up truck only a couple of blocks away from Parliament and within eyesight of several other police officers. The Ottawa Police Service, which has been criticized for not taking a harder line with the protesters, reported some demonstrators exhibited aggressive behaviour by refusing to follow directions and even overwhelming officers. All available officers were deployed last night, the force said in a statement. We have a plan to end this unlawful occupation and await the necessary reinforcements to do so. Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly said Friday the biggest limitation on his force's ability to end the crisis is a lack of officers, adding he'd received no response to his request for 1,800 personnel from the RCMP and Ontario Provincial Police. Trudeau previously said the RCMP and OPP had reviewed the request, adding "what is needed is being provided to be able to move through this in a peaceful, responsible way." Trudeau has refused to speculate on when the current crisis might end, and antigovernment protesters railing against COVID-19 measures seemed unfazed by the latest efforts to rein them in. Jurisdictional battles and partisan tensions also appeared to be hindering collaboration on resolving the disruptions. Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency Friday that will allow his cabinet to impose $100,000 fines and up to one year in jail as punishments against people who continue to illegally block roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure. More demonstrations were underway or being planned this weekend in other parts of the country, with blockades continuing at the border crossings in Alberta and Manitoba and another planned in Saskatchewan. Protesters gathered in Edmonton continued honking their horns in violation of a court injunction obtained by the city to address the noise. Demonstrator Lois Hyatt said she felt the noise was a fair price to pay in order to "get our freedoms back." "Honk away!" she said over the noise of horns. Meanwhile, hundreds assembled outside the Ontario legislature in Toronto, where crowd members of all ages waved Canadian flags and cheered as a speaker declared the event to be about freedom. Diane Elms, a homeopath from Hagersville, Ont., was on hand with her grandchildren. She said she felt it was important to show them the importance of fighting for their rights to choose whether or not to get a vaccine and argued governments should not require inoculations. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Since this has all started even common sense has not prevailed in this country anymore, the 62-year-old said. "We have the right to stand up and say this is wrong." In Quebec, thousands gathered at one of Montreals largest parks on Saturday in solidarity with other convoys. Among them was the leader of the Peoples Party of Canada, Maxime Bernier. The wind is turning around," he told the crowd. "We don't want a reopening plan, we want it to be over now, today." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2022. with files from Noushin Ziafati in Windsor, Ont., Erika Ibrahim in Ottawa, Virginie Ann in Montreal, Rob Drinkwater in Edmonton and Ross Marowits in Toronto SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California would mandate that all businesses require their employees and independent contractors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under legislation announced Friday by Democratic state lawmakers that was immediately criticized by Republicans as government overreach. FILE - Jenean Lubinski, center, who works as a patient registration representative at Marshall Medical Center in Placerville, joins others in a demonstration against mandatory vaccinations at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Aug. 16, 2021. Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks introduced a bill, Friday Feb. 11, 2022, that if approved, would mandate all businesses must require their employees and independent contractors to have received a COVID-19 vaccine. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File) SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) California would mandate that all businesses require their employees and independent contractors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine under legislation announced Friday by Democratic state lawmakers that was immediately criticized by Republicans as government overreach. Employees or contractors who qualify for medical or religious exemptions would have to be regularly tested under a planned amendment to the bill. New employees would have to get at least one dose by the time they start work and the second dose within 45 days of being on the job. Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks introduced her bill months after delaying an original proposal last fall. The previous version would have allowed workers to submit to weekly testing as an alternative to getting vaccinated, but that is not an option in her new proposal. Vaccines mandates are highly controversial and there have been many rallies at the state Capitol in Sacramento opposing such requirements. Wicks and other supporters said the mandate is needed even as California moves to ease other requirements and anticipates moving into a new endemic phase that accepts the coronavirus is here to stay but is manageable as immunity builds. Thats fundamentally what this bill is about," she said. "Getting back to some sense of normalcy so we can go on with our lives, and we dont have these constant interruptions and outbreaks and all these things that weve been experiencing for so long. The mandate would stay in place unless the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decides that COVID-19 vaccinations are no longer needed. The bill would require state health and occupational safety officials to advise employers on what qualifies as a medical condition, disability, religious belief and valid vaccination status. Businesses that didn't comply would face penalties that have yet to be determined. Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher said he is vaccinated and urges others to also get their shots. But telling people they cant feed their family unless they get the vaccine is just wrong, Gallagher said. "I trust Californians enough to treat them like adults who can make their own health care decisions. Its unfortunate that a few Democrats in the Legislature dont. The proposal drew similar concerns from Jonathan Keller, president of the conservative California Family Council advocacy group, who said that "Government should not force employers to fire people over personal medical decisions. Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year ordered all of the states roughly 2.2 million health care workers to to be vaccinated or lose their jobs. He also required state workers and teachers to either get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. And California's school children by summer must be vaccinated to attend in-person classes. Wicks' proposal is just the latest of several far-reaching measures introduced by Democratic state lawmakers this year. Among others, Sen. Scott Wiener would allow children 12 and up to be vaccinated without their parents consent, while Sen. Richard Pan would eliminate a personal belief exemption in school-based COVID-19 vaccination requirements. Pan argued in support of Wicks' bill that having a safe workplace is essential to ... keeping our economy going. Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. People can't be scared of getting infected when they go to work or while patronizing businesses, and businesses cannot endure frequent outbreaks that sideline their employees, he said. More than 2,000 of the 30,000 San Francisco Bay Area members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 have been sickened and some have died from the coronavirus, said Jim Araby, the union's director of strategic campaigns. Just like we would never ask a construction worker to go to a construction site without a hardhat, we shouldnt ask our members and workers who work in these essential industries to go in without the protection of a vaccine, he said in backing Wicks' bill. The California Chamber of Commerce, California Restaurant Association, California Retailers Association and California chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses did not immediately comment on the bill. But the bill has support from the Small Business Majority advocacy group that has 85,000 members nationwide, including nearly 20,000 in California. Small businesses dont want to be traffic cops in debates about public safety, said John Arensmeyer, the group's chief executive. Theyre looking for a common statewide standard that disentangles them from politics and enables them to operate their businesses safely and predictably. PARIS (AP) Paris police fired tear gas Saturday against a handful of demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees Avenue who defied a police order by taking part in a vehicle protest against virus restrictions inspired by Canadas horn-honking truckers. Protesters load goods into a truck part of a convoy of vehicles in Lyon, central France, Friday, Feb.11, 2022. Authorities in France and Belgium have banned road blockades threatened by groups organizing online against COVID-19 restrictions. The events are in part inspired by protesters in Canada. Citing "risks of trouble to public order," the Paris police department banned protests aimed at "blocking the capital" from Friday through Monday. (AP Photo/Laurent Cipriani) PARIS (AP) Paris police fired tear gas Saturday against a handful of demonstrators on the Champs-Elysees Avenue who defied a police order by taking part in a vehicle protest against virus restrictions inspired by Canadas horn-honking truckers. In the Netherlands, dozens of trucks and other vehicles ranging from tractors to a car towing a camping van arrived in The Hague for a similar virus-related protest Saturday, blocking an entrance to the historic Dutch parliamentary complex. But a threatened blockade of Paris failed to materialize Saturday, despite days of online organizing efforts. Police set up checkpoints into the French capital on key roads and said they successfully stopped at least 500 vehicles from heading to the banned protest, but a few dozen vehicles were able to slip in and disrupt traffic on the boutique-lined Champs-Elysees. Authorities fired tear gas as they demanded that the demonstrators disperse, some of whom climbed onto their vehicles in the middle of the road to create chaos. Bicycles pass police cars as some 20 trucs blocked one entrance to the government buildings, rear, in The Hague, Netherlands, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, to protest against COVID-19 restrictions. The events are in part inspired by protesters in Canada. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) An Associated Press photographer was hit in the head with a tear gas canister as police struggled to control the crowd. Police at the scene were growing increasingly tense, and fired the tear gas after several photographers took photos of officers kicking and subduing a protester. Police detained 54 people and handed out 300 tickets to motorists involved in the protest. Police also seized knives, hammers and other objects in a central Parisian square. Protesters railing against the vaccination pass that France requires to enter restaurants and many other venues have converged in recent days toward Paris from the north, south, east and west, waving and honking at onlookers as they drove by. Some convoys sought to avoid police detection by traveling on local roads instead of the major highways leading into the capital. Waving French flags and shouting Freedom!, the protesters were galvanized in part by truckers who have blockaded the center of Ottawa, Canadas capital, and blocked border crossings to the U.S. Most of the French convoys appeared small, and it is unclear how many people participated. The protest came as months of demonstrations against French government vaccination rules have been waning and as the government is relaxing virus restrictions. Nearly all French adults are vaccinated against COVID-19 and the protests have represented a small minority. In the Dutch protest, protesters on foot joined the truckers, carrying a banner emblazoned with the Dutch words Love & freedom, no dictatorship. Police urged the protesters to move to a nearby park and warned the public about traffic problems. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Online chat groups, meanwhile, are encouraging French and Dutch protesters to join an attempted blockade convoy on Monday in Brussels, capital of Belgium and the 27-nation European Union. Belgian federal police were urging people to avoid Brussels on Monday, including commuters, and said all vehicles coming to demonstrate will be escorted to a giant parking lot north of town where a protest will be authorized. ___ Aleksandar Furtula in The Hague, Mike Corder in Ede, Netherlands, and Sylvain Plazy in Brussels contributed. ___ Follow all AP stories on the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic. REGINA - Premier Scott Moe is asking protesters who are planning to attend demonstrations at Saskatchewan border crossings to not obstruct the freedoms of other people. Premier Scott Moe speaks to The Canadian Press at the legislature in Regina on Tuesday Dec. 14, 2021. Moe is asking protesters who are planning to attend demonstrations at a Saskatchewan border crossing to not obstruct other people's freedoms. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Michael Bell REGINA - Premier Scott Moe is asking protesters who are planning to attend demonstrations at Saskatchewan border crossings to not obstruct the freedoms of other people. Moe said in a statement Friday that Saskatchewan's economy relies on trucks to carry goods to U.S. markets and bring back materials to help run farms, canola crushing plants, potash mines and forestry mills. "The people in those trucks and other vehicles crossing the border are your fellow Canadians," Moe said. "They are your Saskatchewan friends and neighbours. Don't advocate for your freedoms by obstructing theirs." Moe said his Saskatchewan Party government understands the concerns of protesters and respects their right to peaceful protest, noting the province will end its remaining COVID-19 mandates by the end of February. "Advancing your concerns through public demonstrations and protest is an important part of our democracy," he said. Protesters are planning to demonstrate against COVID-19 mandates at the Regway border crossing Saturday afternoon, which is believed to be the first border protest in Saskatchewan since the so-called "Freedom Convoy" arrived in Ottawa. A second protest is planned for Feb. 18 at the North Portal crossing, which is the only 24-hour crossing on the North Dakota-Saskatchewan border. The Saskatchewan RCMP said it will monitor any demonstration that could take place this weekend. "Demonstrations may interrupt the normal flow of traffic," RCMP said in a release. "Our objective in policing any road closures/blockades is to work to restore the orderly flow of traffic in the safest manner possible." RCMP are encouraging the public to check for any road closures and to monitor local media for information on alternate routes. Meanwhile, a Regina tow truck company said it is being harassed following a demonstration against COVID-19 mandates last Sunday at the Saskatchewan legislature. Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. TJ's Towing was called by Regina police to impound a vehicle that was blocking a street. "Shortly after that we started getting death threats," said a spokesperson for the company, who asked to go by the name Lynn because she didn't want to be identified due to the harassment. "They said they'd shoot me between the eyes if I tried to tow their truck. It's brutal. It's very brutal." Lynn said people continue to scream at employees, and are trying to tie up their business line with calls. She has received threatening calls from around the world. As Saskatchewan braces for the possibility of more protests, blockades continued Friday at the border crossing near Coutts in southern Alberta and at the border crossing near Emerson, Man. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2022. Like many Canadians watching the pandemic protests unfold across the country, its taken me some time to sort out how I feel about it all. Opinion Like many Canadians watching the pandemic protests unfold across the country, its taken me some time to sort out how I feel about it all. Everyone loves a parade. No one likes the pandemic restrictions. Wed all like to be done with COVID-19. The question is, restrictions or not, whether its done with us. As someone who works in the media, is focused on agriculture and who lives in rural Canada, it was seeing farm equipment showing up in the images that brought things into sharper focus. Dont get me wrong. Its a free country. Farmers have as much right as any citizen to express their opinion as long as they abide by the laws that govern us all. Their choice of vehicle on this one, however, gives me pause. Of all subsets of Canadian society, farmers have fared better than most through the pandemic. Social distancing is naturally a part of their daily life. Last years disastrous drought, which had nothing to do with the pandemic, hurt yields and forced a cattle-herd selloff. But the crops they did harvest sold for record prices, which in some cases more than compensated for the drop in production. Unlike front-line workers in food or health care, farmers, vaccinated or not, havent been singled out for extraordinary hardships due to the pandemic. So why attend a protest in a tractor or plaster posters on the sides of a farm truck, which identifies you with agriculture? Do dental hygienists show up with their toothbrushes, or plumbers with a pipe wrench? Theres no denying that rolling into town looking down on everyone from the cab is a show of power that wont be easily forgotten by the people looking up. However, and this is what should make their farming neighbours back home and farm organizations cringe, these images now shape how non-farmers perceive farmers. Farm leaders legitimately expressed concerns early on in the debate over cross-border vaccination mandates out of fear that these might affect supply chains for farm goods and inputs. But since then, theyve largely remained silent. The trucking industrys leadership has publicly distanced itself from the protests, indicating a high percentage of its workforce is already compliant with the mandate and its more than capable of transporting the necessary goods. Supply chain disruptions are more closely tied to whether the goods are available and whether drivers can get through the border blockades popping up across the country. So what are these self-appointed ambassadors for farming and rural Canada supporting? The organizers demands are fluid but have included a call to dissolve the duly elected government and replace it with a coalition of opposition parties and unelected protest leaders. The original manifesto also called upon the Governor General to certify that the COVID-19 vaccines dont contain microchip trackers. Honestly, if someone wanted to use microchips to track the activities of this particular population subset, theyd embed them in ivermectin and then tell people not to drink the horse dewormer. These protestors demonstrated this week they are not above using their children as shields against law enforcement. They are using the very culture of compassion afforded to us by our democracy as a weapon to erode and ultimately destroy it. This is fighting for freedom? Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Social media feeds from these groups say that journalists cant be trusted and should be silenced or worse because the media receives subsidies. They werent saying that when the media was reporting on the Prairie drought or B.C.s floods. As for whether governments should be in the subsidy business, farmers might want to consider that one carefully too. A lot of rural Canadians, including community leaders, appear to be going along with this because they dont like the prime minister or the pandemic rules either, which is more insidious than the protests themselves. Do we support the rule of law or rule by mob? Do those with the biggest rigs or the loudest horns make the rules? If this isnt the image that farmers and their organizations want urbanites to see when they think of rural Canada and farming its time for them to speak up. Laura Rance is vice-president of content for Glacier FarmMedia. She can be reached at lrance@farmmedia.com OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says about half of the money being raised for protesters blockading Parliament Hill and several border crossings is coming from the United States, but an expert says attempting to stop the flow of cash is like playing a game of whack-a-mole. A Bitcoin ATM sticker is posted to the window of a coffee shop in downtown Vancouver on Oct. 28, 2013. An anti-money laundering expert says attempts to stop funds going to protesters blockading Parliament Hill and several border-crossings is like a game of wac-a-mole. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward OTTAWA - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says about half of the money being raised for protesters blockading Parliament Hill and several border crossings is coming from the United States, but an expert says attempting to stop the flow of cash is like playing a game of whack-a-mole. An order recently approved by an Ontario court to freeze millions raised through GiveSendGo will be effective at least temporarily in stopping those funds flowing into organizers' hands, said anti-money laundering expert Matthew McGuire. The order, obtained by the provincial government, prohibits not only the fundraising platform and organizers, but third-party payment processors and financial institutions, from disposing of or dealing with the millions raised. "The prohibition that really matters is the prohibition against Canadian financial institutions and payment processors dealing with the donations themselves. And so that can lock them in place here," McGuire said. So far, around US$8.8 million has been raised through the GiveSendGo campaign page, a Christian fundraising platform, and more than $700,000 has rolled in through another page on the website called "Adopt-a-Trucker." McGuire said the order serves as a notice to institutions like banks that if "you deal with funds related to this subject you do so at your own peril." In an affidavit filed along with Ontario's application, Ottawa Police Service detective Chris Rhone outlines how he believes the money raised through these campaigns is offence-related property. The officer goes on to say the donations "are facilitating the indictable offence of mischief which has been committed, is being committed, and is intended to be committed for so long as there are funds available to keep protesters and their trucks in Ottawa." The campaigns were quickly put together last week after GoFundMe cancelled an earlier fundraiser that had gathered more than $10 million. The website said it had determined the protest in Ottawa had turned into an "occupation." Local police and leaders had raised concerns about the crowdfunded cash given how many of the hundreds of the trucks and protesters that rolled into the nation's capital had refused to leave, clogging up streets and sidewalks and resulting in nearby businesses shutting their doors. Two weeks after their initial arrival, some trucks have left Parliament Hill, but many others haven't budged. Drivers continue to honk their horns, albeit more sporadically, given a 10-day court injunction in place to prevent the incessant honking that residents heard for days. McGuire said nothing can prevent another campaign from popping up, which would present the same challenge for governments and police. It's also no wonder convoy organizers are turning to cryptocurrency including Bitcoin to generate funds because it's decentralized, he said. "You can't serve an order on the Bitcoin system as a whole. There's nobody there to take that instruction." Earlier in the week, convoy organizers touted Bitcoin as a way for supporters to ensure the protests are sustained, characterizing it as offering financial freedom. In his affidavit, Rhone references how organizers "are already transitioning from traditional currency fundraising to Bitcoin fundraising" because they feel Bitcoin cannot be confiscated. Stay informed The latest updates on the novel coronavirus and COVID-19 delivered to your inbox every weeknight. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. McGuire said there are many ways for protesters to use cryptocurrency, including by changing it into other value. "It's not hard to turn Bitcoin into a gift card," he said. "It's not hard to load it onto a prepaid card and use it like a regular Visa." Trudeau said Friday that he spoke with U.S. President Joe Biden that morning about the influence of foreign money in funding the "illegal activity" on Parliament Hill and blockades at several border crossings. "We see that almost half of the funding through certain portals that is flowing to the barricaders here in Canada is coming from the United States," he told reporters. "Canadian banks are monitoring financial activity very closely and taking action as necessary." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2022. The horns start blaring at 9 a.m. On this morning they blow for exactly two minutes and 19 seconds, braying a discordant symphony across Winnipeg. An announcement that the convoy of trucks set up in front of the legislature is still here, as if anyone living downtown could forget, and also the soundtrack of a national clash that is heating to boiling. The horns start blaring at 9 a.m. On this morning they blow for exactly two minutes and 19 seconds, braying a discordant symphony across Winnipeg. An announcement that the convoy of trucks set up in front of the legislature is still here, as if anyone living downtown could forget, and also the soundtrack of a national clash that is heating to boiling. About 160 metres from the convoy, in a small teepee surrounded by a huddle of low tents, Daniel Caneda, 28, and Holly Enns, 33, look up from the fire theyve been tending. Its a sacred fire, started and protected by Indigenous elders, and its peace is broken these days by the horns that periodically blast throughout the day and evening. "Thats the first time weve heard them today," Enns says, unruffled. The tents rose on the legislatures eastern flank last July, long before the convoys rolled across Canada, and they will be here long after. Organizers vowed the sacred fire will burn until all the graves of children who died in residential schools have been found, and they have brought together a tight-knit community of volunteers who share in the vision. The teepee where the sacred fire has been burning on the grounds of the Manitoba Legislative Building since July. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) Caneda and Enns are among them. The pair are allies to the Indigenous-led camp Enns is Mennonite, Caneda is Filipino and have been doing shifts at the fire every Thursday and Friday for a few weeks. They wear goggles to shield their eyes from the smoke, and help manage the food and supplies, and chat with everyone who comes in. "Its a chance to give back," Enns says. "Its a chance to be involved, and a chance to really participate in decolonizing and helping to remember what happened at residential schools. Theres just something really existential about sitting beside a fire that makes me feel alive, and makes me feel good. The way the hours pass, its a really peaceful place to be." And they were at the camp last week, when the convoy set up. Theyd been warned the day before by police who came to visit in street clothing, as vigil organizers had asked them to do last summer. There might be conflict, the cops said, so when Enns and Caneda arrived early the next day and the trucks were already there, they werent sure what to expect. They have tried to be mindful, keeping an eye on each other when they need to step outside the camp. But there are always elders around the fire, listening and sharing stories and providing medicine. One of them told Enns and Caneda that he had no visions of anything bad happening at the sacred fire vigil, so that was reassuring. "He didnt have a bad feeling," Caneda says. "It was just reaffirming that were going to be safe when an elder says they dont have any bad vibes. Because its pretty powerful, spiritually, being around a sacred fire, and having an elder there just to talk to, and to confide in." Volunteer fire keepers Holly Enns (left) with her partner Daniel Kuya Caneda (right) and full-time fire keeper John Butler (centre) keep watch over the sacred fire. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) So far, true to the elders perception, there has been no conflict between the camps, at least not that Enns and Caneda have seen or heard about, and very little contact of any kind. A few people from the anti-mandate protest have ambled by, asking what the sacred fire vigil is about, but for the most part the two groups have stayed in their own places. Still, Enns agrees, its sort of interesting: two occupations, sprung up in the same place, albeit with very different roots and very different stories. This one belongs to Indigenous people, holding their culture on their own territory and supported by allies. The injustice they protest lasted for generations, and still they are here, they are standing. "That is the really significant part to it," Enns says. "Just being here, and taking up space." The horns have died down, now. Caneda stands up and rummages outside the tent for more logs to place on the fire. As he does, he plucks a bit of cedar leaf, from a bough that hangs inside the teepees walls. Its medicine, he explains. It cleanses the fire, so every time you feed the flames, you put a bit of cedar in along with the wood. An elder taught him that, and other ways to be around the fire. You do not gossip at the fire, or use profanity. You share, and you listen. You stay focused on what matters, and you have to be sober, and that part heals people too: one man who stays at the camp had struggled with addiction. Now he is sober, and spends his days tending to the camps needs. Organizers have vowed the sacred fire will burn until all the graves of children who died in residential schools have been found. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) As we sit, the conversation drifts with the smoke that rises up through the blackened poles of the teepee. We talk about music, and journalism, and about the people who have come together at the vigil, like the teen girl who visits because its safe, and she needs it. But shes missing now, so they keep her in their thoughts, praying she will soon find her way back to the fire. I tell them about how I had stared all week at a blank page, thinking I should write about the anti-mandate occupations but not knowing what, amidst all the noise, was for me to say; and about how, late the night before, a reader had emailed to ask if I would consider visiting the sacred fire vigil, an idea which, in that moment, arrived as a gift. Everything is so loud, right now. It feels right to take a moment and focus on what is quiet, and healing. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Caneda passes me a pinch of tobacco. I hold it in my left hand for a moment, before offering it in prayer to the flames. Outside the teepee, new snow lays a tender blanket over the old. Somewhere in Ottawa, the daily battle for the soul of a city is playing out on clogged streets. Somewhere in Beijing, athletes are falling into their beds, heads filled with hope for the next days competitions. All over the world, people are angry, joyful, divided, united. Some are bracing for war. Inside the teepee, where it is warm, none of this can quite reach. The world shrinks until it is contained by the fire, until the mind nestles into the embers and the body aches to stay there forever, lost in conversations that roam like the bends of a river, wandering territories known and unknown but always meandering back to the reason the fire burns. As the morning grows long, my newspaper deadline begins calling. I wrench myself away from the fire as a smattering of car horns squeals over Broadway. As I step out of the teepee, Caneda calls out a goodbye: come back any time, he says. Any time you want to talk, or just want to listen. "The fire will always be here," he says. "It will be here for a long time." melissa.martin@freepress.mb.ca Organizers of the Winnipeg anti-mandate convoy at the legislature have reached out to religious leaders to seek their support. Organizers of the Winnipeg anti-mandate convoy at the legislature have reached out to religious leaders to seek their support. "While we understand that many of the restrictions imposed over the past two years do not fall under the jurisdiction of religious organizations, we know that as community leaders you have seen first-hand the division that mandates have created in our cities, towns and neighbourhoods," reads an email from the group. Organizers said they understand religious groups have responded to mandates "with diligence and integrity while trying to balance the needs of your congregants." Caleb Brown of the Winnipeg convoy, confirmed they had reached out to a number of religious leaders, but didnt specify who or which denominations. "We respect and value the role that these (religious) organizations play in our communities and invite conversation with a wide spectrum of voices," he said in an email to the Free Press. Eric Friesen, interim pastor at Church of the Way, an evangelical congregation in Winnipeg, received the email and said his leadership team didnt want to respond to the request for support. Some of them are health-care workers and they are "angry and fed up" with the protests. "We dont intend to signal our support for the protest," Friesen said. The convoy established itself in front of the legislature on Feb. 4. Since then it has erected portable toilets and fire pits and has hunkered down for a long stay as it demands an end to all vaccine and mask mandates. Michael Pahl, executive minister of Mennonite Church Manitoba, said he had also received the convoys email. "I read your letter with interest, and not without sympathy," he replied, noting "The past two years have been hard on all of us." CP In its request for support, the convoy organizers wrote that the freedom of religious groups to gather is a fundamental right. (John Woods / The Canadian Press files) "The restrictions necessary to curb a deadly virus have saved lives, but they have also made life challenging. "Nonetheless, as Christians our highest calling is to love God by loving our neighbours, especially our neighbours most vulnerable to harm," he said in declining to offer his denominations support for the protest. "The restrictions have been difficult, but the death or long-term debilitation of these people and others is a much greater burden that we are still living and healthy have had to bear." Pahl affirmed the organizers for stating they "condemn all manifestations of hate, racism, misogyny and disrespect," urging them to make that sentiment clearer in their public statements and to take steps to distance the protest from those who "espouse those hateful words." "The email is moderate in tone," Pahl noted in an interview, adding "it could be successful in getting support from some groups." Pahl said he hoped his response to organizers might spark some reflection for Christians about the issues of freedom and rights. But he said he "didnt expect to change any minds." In its invitation for support, the convoy organizers write that the freedom of religious groups to gather is a fundamental right. Shelley Cook | Uplift A weekly review of funny, uplifting news in Winnipeg and around the globe that is delivered to your inbox each Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Given the evidence that the vaccines have an increasingly waning ability to prevent transmission and infection, and given that effective treatment options are now available, it is exceedingly clear that it is time to transition to a society free of COVID-19 mandates and to allow individuals to access and manage their own health risks and decisions in consultation with their medical care providers," the convoy email said. "We ask that we stand together in supporting our health care workers while also lifting mandates and allowing our communities to once again come together," the email concluded. Organizers attached a copy of a letter they wrote to Premier Heather Stefanson in which they made several demands, including the reinstatement of all provincial employees who were placed on leave or terminated due to mandates and ask her to urge the federal government to remove travel and border restrictions. Two of the citys largest churches, Church of the Rock and Gateway Church, said they did not receive the email. On Friday, the Manitoba government said it would ease restrictions further as of Tuesday and it outlined a plan to list all restrictions by mid-March. Convoy organizers have pledged to stay at the legislature until all restrictions end. faith@freepress.mb.ca At the event (Photo: baotintuc.vn) The event was attended by representatives of the Vietnamese Embassy in Israel, leaders of the AICAT, and a large number of Vietnamese students and international friends. At the program, Vietnamese students and guests shared memorable experiences since arriving in Israel. The art performances prepared and presented by the students received enthusiastic support from the audience. "We love Vietnamese students very much because you have many similarities with Israelis, such as culture and behaviors. We highly appreciate the way you express your views directly and your creative thinking," said Ms. Hanni Arnon - Director of the AICAT. On this occasion, the program also presented gifts to 12 students, whose families in Vietnam are in difficulty and they themselves are assigned to work in Israels farms, where they have lower salary than other ones. Ha Kim Nguyen, a student from Binh Dinh province, upon receiving the gift this time, shared that she appreciated the support from leaders of the group and her friends; she felt happy and tried to study and work better and then returning to Vietnam, she will try to develop further and bring values to society. The group of Vietnamese students at AICAT hoped that the model would be disseminated, spreading affection and supporting each other to overcome difficulties to well complete their study in Israel, making a foundation to return home to develop the economy of the country./. The symbols that are part of an anti-vaccine mandate protest in front of the legislature are most often signs touting freedom and Canadian and American flags. On Friday, the day the province announced its speeding up the plan to lift pandemic restrictions, a new flag appeared. The symbols that are part of an anti-vaccine mandate protest in front of the legislature are most often signs touting freedom and Canadian and American flags. On Friday, the day the province announced its speeding up the plan to lift pandemic restrictions, a new flag appeared. The yellow banner with a snake and Dont Tread on Me Live Free or Die popped up on the Broadway median. Dont tread on my freedoms, said a protester who stood close to the flag over the noon hour and waved to motorists. Most of them waved back. Were opposing government tyranny, said the man who declined to give his name. Were all good people, were all respectful, nobodys hurting anybody, he said. Weve got one common enemy the government that is taking control of our lives. This is where it ends. The yellow snake flag the Gadsden flag dates back to the American Revolution and has been used by groups pushing for minimal government and more extreme causes, like the Tea Party that rose to prominence protesting the first African American president, and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, said Helmut-Harry Loewen, a retired Winnipeg sociology professor who studies extremism and hate groups. The slogan Dont Tread on Me was popular in the mid-1770s to express the American colonists desire for freedom from British rule, he said. Canadians who want a radical change politically look to the U.S. for revolutionary symbols and ideas. The U.S. flag is emblematic, says an Ottawa academic who sees Canadian protesters importing and adopting American imagery. In (Canada), weve almost always stayed away from a revolutionary model of politics, said Stephanie Carvin, a Carleton University national security professor. Peace, order and good government is just how we do things. Whereas, in America, the revolution mentality is still very alive, said Carvin who has lived in the U.S. When youre talking about a movement that wants to kind of radically change Canadian politics, theyre turning to American imagery to do that because their culture is so pervasive, she said. Stars and Stripes flags are on display at so-called freedom convoy protests for a reason. Theyre using that flag because we know what it means and we know what the American flag is and we know who Trump is and all those kinds of things, she said. The academic is watching to see if the protests are signs of a Tea Party-style of politics forming in Canada. We dont know yet. And the reason is that the Tea Party is emblematic of a populist movement, she said. We really havent seen that in Canada in a big way, possibly until now. She pointed to the 2019 United We Roll populist convoy that was supposed to be about supporting oil and gas but was really based on conspiracy theories, she said. This time, the freedom convoy organizers have had more success organizing events, raising millions of dollars and receiving attention. They were able to tap into anti-government sentiment around the pandemic, Carvin said. The question is, will this movement be able to continue? This is a very fractious bunch of people, Carvin said. Theres a lot of egos. When large amounts of money are involved, people start fighting. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Infighting has been reported among convoy movers and shakers, she said. When the pandemic is over, theyll need to find another issue. It could be cost of living. It could be immigration. It could be carbon tax. So theres a number of other issues they could use, but theres no guarantee of success, said Carvin. A politician might give credence to a group like the freedom convoy but that doesnt mean the extremist group will support that politician, she said. They dont really care about the politician. They just care about the politician legitimizing their message. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca Uniformed police officers formed a line to separate two groups of protesters one of which was chanting freedom, while the other was shouting go home at the former outside the Manitoba legislature Saturday. Uniformed police officers formed a line to separate two groups of protesters one of which was chanting "freedom," while the other was shouting "go home" at the former outside the Manitoba legislature Saturday. On the north side of the line, hundreds of people continued to gather between parked semi-trucks and tractors in the middle of Broadway and Memorial Boulevard. Protesters held signs calling for the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in solidarity with the "freedom convoy." On the other side, a similar sized group of counter-protesters called on the group to pack up and leave. The Standing 4 Freedom group has had a presence in downtown Winnipeg, in turn frustrating residents with incessant honking and slowing traffic in the area, for more than a week. "I feel like theyre taking our city hostage, and Im tired of it," said Michelle York, a Winnipegger who stood with counter-protesters that mobilized under Defend Wpg, a collective that formed in response to concerns about the ongoing event. One of the signs she brought with her stated, "If youre selfish and you know it honk your horn." York said members of the convoy represent a small minority of the population, but their big trucks and farm equipment makes the protest look bigger than it is. Upwards of 400 people took part in the ongoing protest that has been raising concerns about noise levels among downtown residents and business owners since Feb. 4. According to Defend Wpg, its event drew roughly 450 people at the peak around noon. The environment was tense, with people on both sides screaming obscenities towards one another at points, but police said no charges were laid during the events. In a release, the Winnipeg Police Service said two individuals were detained under the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act "for their safety," in relation to traffic concerns, and were taken to a residence where they were turned over to friends. "It is our priority to ensure public safety. We also strive to balance the right of everyone to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, as well as the rights of the general public, local residents and businesses to a safe environment," police wrote. Videos of police officers apprehending an Indigenous protester who was holding a sign while standing in front of a vehicle equipped with a Canadian flag in downtown Winnipeg have been making the rounds on social media. The clips appear to be from the Saturday event, but WPS could not immediately confirm the incident was one of the two above detainments. We've received additional video of the arrest of an Indigenous person following the counter-demonstration at the Legislature. Shame on the @wpgpolice for this blatant act of colonial violence and aggression, while ignoring the ongoing fascist occupation.#AbolishTheWPS pic.twitter.com/A30REhiaje A mascot waves to children at the protest. (David Lipnowski / Winnipeg Free Press) Winnipeg Police Cause Harm (@WpgPoliceHarm) February 12, 2022 "Prove that theyre intoxicated. Prove it," says one voice that was recorded in a video. Other voices shouted that everyone has the right to protest and called the actions captured in the clip racist. Convoy organizers recently announced they would limit intermittent honking to between the hours of 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., with extended horns allowed for two minutes at the top of every hour, "to respect the residents of the area." Participants have voiced their opposition to a range of issues, from mask requirements to restrictions linked to COVID-19 immunization status. Caleb Brown, an organizer of Freedom Convoy 2022 in Winnipeg, said in a statement that the "counter demonstration shows that over the past two years our communities have been divided by COVID-19 mandates and it is time that we come together and heal. "Manitoba has taken steps to help bring us together as a community once again and we call on Justin Trudeau and the federal government to enter into respectful dialogue and remove the federal mandates so that we can all go home." Premier Heather Stefanson announced Friday that all public health restrictions under Manitoba jurisdiction will be lifted as of March 15. As a result, the events held downtown Saturday were equal parts celebration and protest. Anti-restriction protesters sat around campfires, played hockey in the street, and listened to a DJ who set up a tent on Memorial to blast upbeat music. Tara and Daniel Kauenhofen made a two-hour trek to Winnipeg from their home near Wawanesa Saturday to participate. "The lockdowns and the mandates have gone on long enough, and its time to be humans again and interact with people and just live our lives," Daniel said. The duo expressed excitement about restrictions being repealed, but both of them indicated they want reassurance that there are no future lockdowns or mandates. Tara, a mother of three, started crying Saturday as she described how the pandemic has affected her childrens wellbeing. "(Our six-year-old) has felt stuck for two years He didnt know what his teachers face looked like until his online parent-teacher interview," she said, adding that bothers her, as does the fact he comes home from school with hands that are raw from constant sanitizer use. Tara added: "We have followed the rules because we believe in following (them). Were not law breakers, by any means. I wouldnt even say were anti-vaxxers. We have an eight-month-old that just finished getting all of his regular vaccines. I just think that its a dangerous precedent to set to not give people the choice to choose this (COVID-19) vaccine." In Daniels view, lockdowns are "a bandaid on a gushing wound" that is Manitobas strained and broken health-care system. Protesters were calling for the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions in solidarity with the freedom convoy in Ottawa, Ont. (David Lipnowski / Winnipeg Free Press) Some of the people at the afternoon protest downtown took part in an earlier protest at CF Polo Park, during which anti-maskers showed up to walk around the mall without face coverings and flout public health protocols. Manitoba RCMP spokesman Robert Cyrenne said approximately 25 vehicles, most of which were personal cars and pick-up trucks, departed Selkirk around noon and began a slow roll towards Winnipeg Cyrenne said there were multiple protest convoys in other areas of the province on Saturday, including a slow-roll on the Perimeter Highway, one on Highway 3 near the Boundary Trails Health Centre, and another convoy starting at Deacons Corner and heading towards Winnipeg on the Trans-Canada Highway. "There were no issues noted with any of the convoys," he said. Cyrenne added a blockade by vehicles at the Emerson border crossing was "largely unchanged" on Saturday with about 50 vehicles on Highway 75 and Provincial Road 200, blocking all four lanes of traffic. Simon Resch, co-owner of the Emerson Duty Free, said he opened the business for the first time in three days on Saturday when it appeared trucks with essential items were being let through the border by protesters who blocked lanes north and south bound lanes of traffic starting Thursday morning. The Canada Border Service Agency was reporting they were experiencing no delays in traffic. Resch said by about 1 p.m. they hadnt had a sale, but one person had come in. "It was an American who had been turned around at the Canadian border and came in here to use the washroom," he said. But while the border was open, Resch said there were more vehicles blocking lanes of traffic on the highway. "It has definitely grown in numbers," he said. "There are pickup trucks with Canadian flags and there are cars - there are more personal vehicles than before. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "They are doing a bit of a turnaround at the Manitoba Travel building." Meantime, in downtown Winnipeg Saturday, counter-protester Harold Thwaites said he questions the true motivations behind some of the protesters. Thwaites, who lives in Winnipeg, pointed to the large American flag displayed by the convoy. "They want to have a Trump-like person in charge," he said. Thwaites said he hopes Manitoba officials take note of the counter-protest turnout so that elected officials grow a backbone and do not further appease the minority of the population that makes up the convoys. with files from Kevin Rollason maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie OTTAWA The federal government has no qualms about paying $1,000 to pick up a single COVID-19 PCR test swab in rural Manitoba, arguing its a matter of equitable service. OTTAWA The federal government has no qualms about paying $1,000 to pick up a single COVID-19 PCR test swab in rural Manitoba, arguing its a matter of equitable service. "Everyone has a right to receive the same quality of services; its the foundation of the (entire) health-care agenda," Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Friday, in response to questions from the Free Press. "Thats for (contracted companies) to decide the way in which that has to be done." Over the past month, a handful of Manitobans have stepped forward to question a program that randomly selects Canadians returning home from the United States by land for a take-home COVID-19 test. Those selected swab their own noses during a supervised video call, and have the samples sent to a private lab such as Dynacare or LifeLabs, via courier. People in rural areas of Manitobas parkland region, who lack access to Purolator or FedEx, have had couriers or even taxis from Winnipeg show up. That has meant 10-hour return trips; a metered Unicity cab ride from Winnipeg likely cost around $1,075. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. The federal government has refused to divulge how much it pays for the pickup-and-delivery trips. Conservative MP Dan Mazier (DauphinSwan RiverNeepawa) has called the program a massive waste of funds, given that the program is for people who already had a PCR test 48 hours before reaching the border and experience no symptoms. But Duclos had no problem with the expense. "We have, obviously, a big country, where people live in very different places and sometimes quite far away from urban centres," he said Friday. "Our suppliers have been told that they need to do what is needed, to provide everyone with the level of service that they need and deserve." dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca OTTAWA The federal government says nurses inadvertently administered outdated COVID-19 vaccines to residents of a remote northern Manitoba reserve because a shipment of doses was mislabelled. OTTAWA The federal government says nurses inadvertently administered outdated COVID-19 vaccines to residents of a remote northern Manitoba reserve because a shipment of doses was mislabelled. The mistake, which affected 26 people, was revealed by Hubert Watt, chief of Gods Lake First Nation in a news release issued Friday. It takes time for some people to feel comfortable to receive a vaccine. It is my hope this news does not increase hesitancy, Watt said. In December, a shipment of Pfizer vaccines was sent to the fly-in reserve, 550 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg. The box was mislabelled. As a result, the doses were kept in a freezer at the nursing station, for 20 days, which was too long, Indigenous Services Canada acknowledged as it apologized for the incident. The shipment received from the province was mislabelled by the distributor, which led to incorrect storage, wrote spokeswoman Megan MacLean, who did not name the distributor. The department informed the band on Feb. 4 that 26 residents had received improperly stored doses that Pfizer said were likely no longer effective but not dangerous to a persons health. In addition, the chief said teenagers had received a third shot despite not being eligible for the booster. No one from the band could be reached Friday and its unclear how many teens had been vaccinated or whether they received some of the outdated doses. Watt said the shots were given between Dec. 19 and Jan. 9. He said the band was notified on Feb. 4, but Ottawa said local nurses discovered the problem during the week of Jan. 17. ISC has communicated with the distributor and they have immediately removed labels from any future shipments, wrote MacLean. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. She said everyone will be offered another dose. She said the department is investigating the incident to prevent it from happening again, and that no other nursing station run by the federal department has had the same issue. Im concerned to know guidelines were not followed when it came to properly storing the vaccine, wrote northern Grand Chief Garrison Settee. The fact that teenagers received a booster shot before they were eligible is alarming. A Manitoba government spokesperson said more information was needed to verify Ottawas claim the shipment had been mislabelled. The province is responsible for shipping vaccines to communities. dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Almost exactly two years ago, premier Brian Pallister wrote a fundraising email to Progressive Conservative supporters decrying what he called two-tier justice in Manitoba. Almost exactly two years ago, premier Brian Pallister wrote a fundraising email to Progressive Conservative supporters decrying what he called "two-tier justice" in Manitoba. About a dozen Indigenous activists occupied a Canadian National Railway line west of Winnipeg for 24 hours in support of Wetsuweten communities resisting the Coastal GasLink natural gas pipeline in northern British Columbia. Criticizing the "illegal blockade," Pallister promised to seek injunctions and arrests, and to "stand up for the freedom and rights of all people." Pallisters point was that governments and police give Indigenous people special treatment. "We wont stand back while two-tiered justice happens in our province," he wrote. I wonder if Manitobas new premier would write that email today, as mostly white men and boys chant "freedom" and park their trucks and other vehicles wherever they want downtown and harassing anyone who dares travel down Broadway, tries to cross the border at Emerson or attends school in Steinbach. I wonder what the difference is. Oh, yeah. Former premier Brian Pallisters wrote a fundraising email decrying what he called two-tier justice in Manitoba in regards to a 24-hour Indigenous-led protest of a rail line. (Mikaela MacKenzie / Winnipeg Free Press files) Ten months after writing that email, Pallisters government introduced Bill 57, the Protection of Critical Infrastructure Act, a law that would allow police to arrest anyone "interfering" with "public infrastructure." At the time, now-premier Heather Stefanson supported Bill 57, which was a near copy of an Alberta bill and a part of Erin OTooles 2021 federal Conservative platform. The law also allowed police to "seize any motor vehicle, trailer, or other thing" standing in the way of institutions and services that "make a significant contribution to the health, safety, security, or economic well-being of Manitobans." Stefanson is probably thankful the bill was one of many scrapped after Pallister stepped down as premier in October. If it had become law, Manitoba would look as terrible as Alberta does now, with a premier who has the power to stop "Freedom Convoy" protesters clearly interfering with public infrastructure but wont because they are part of the governing partys political base. Police officers arresting groups of angry, white men waving Canadian flags is also not exactly on-brand for Conservatives. Unlike Indigenous or Black Lives Matter protests, which dissipate in hours, "Freedom Convoy" protesters dont leave. Like colonizers, they arrive, stay and take up as much space as possible. They also make inane, unreasonable and, at times, impossible demands such as the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the immediate end of all pandemic restrictions and vaccine mandates. They refuse to wear masks and are endangering others. Premier Heather Stefanson has not told the protesters to go home. (Mike Deal / Winnipeg Free Press) The "Freedom Convoy" is not about "freedom." Its about privilege, individualism and people who take rights from others and refuse to stop. As seems to be her way as premier, Stefanson speaks through news releases, offering three statements on Thursday in response to the ongoing occupation. The first was about a city council motion on taking action against protesters. Stefanson said the province does "not have jurisdiction, nor would it be appropriate to interfere with civic protests or police operations." Where was this Heather Stefanson during the introduction of Bill 57? The province clearly has the jurisdiction, and she cant blame everything on Trudeau. In the second statement, Stefanson and Education Minister Wayne Ewasko wagged a finger at protesters occupying Steinbach Regional Secondary School, stating "protesting at a school is not an appropriate place." While they called the occupation "dangerous," Stefanson and Ewasko reminded Manitobans that "protesting is an essential right." So much for the danger. Stefansons third and shortest statement said simply that the premier met with Winnipeg Mayor Brian Bowman, calling on protesters to "be respectful of the rights of others to live and work downtown in peace." DANIEL CRUMP Why hasn't the government clamped down on this protest when it opposed an Indigenous protest last year supporting Wetsuweten communities? (Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press files) Nowhere does Stefanson tell protesters to cease, desist and go home. Even federal Conservatives in Ottawa have done that, with interim Conservative Leader Candice Bergen saying, "Take down the blockades." Instead, Manitobans got a fairly clear directive from Stefanson through Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen, who told Manitobans in a news conference "to step back (and) think about the reasons that other people feel differently than you do." Imagine, for just a moment, a premier or cabinet minister asking Manitobans in the midst of a protest to stop and consider how Indigenous peoples feel when their lands are stolen, their rights ignored and how they should step back and think about why some people feel differently. Exactly. Its unprecedented. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. I wonder what the difference is. Oh, yeah. Watching Stefansons provincial government stickhandle around a protest being driven by the very political base they need to survive the next election is incredible. Its also dangerous, irresponsible and evidence of a "two-tier justice" system. I wonder who it benefits. Oh, yeah. niigaan.sinclair@freepress.mb.ca Even more ambulances are sitting idle in rural Manitoba due to a lack of staff, according to fresh data obtained by the union for most paramedics outside Winnipeg. Even more ambulances are sitting idle in rural Manitoba due to a lack of staff, according to fresh data obtained by the union for most paramedics outside Winnipeg. "The paramedics who are out there are running ragged," said Bob Moroz, president of the Manitoba Association of Health Care Professionals. "They are burning out; they continue to leave (the profession), and I think our data are showing that." A month ago, the union published internal reports showing showing a steep rise in the monthly hours ambulances are supposed to be on rotation but lack the legislated requirement of a two-person crew. As of October 2021, that metric had tripled since March 2020. The problem got even worse in December, according to data from the Medical Transportation Co-ordination Centre, the command centre for almost all ambulances outside of Winnipeg, obtained by the union. The new data also show a steep increase in response times in the last three months of 2021, compared with the same period three years prior. The average response time for 90 per cent of patients, regardless of the severity of injuries, jumped by 35 per cent in the Interlake-Eastern Health Region, compared with 23 per cent in Prairie Mountain and 10 per cent in Southern Health. "We just dont have enough people working as paramedics in this province," said Moroz, whose union represents more than 800 rural paramedics. The data is published internally, and is available through media requests, but it used to be posted online every quarter until Shared Health took over some functions from health regions. Moroz said he wants Health Minister Audrey Gordon to hire more staff, but her office said Friday its up to Shared Health, since its technically the employer. Ian Shaw, lead of Manitobas provincial health reform, told reporters Friday the government is expanding rural health services, and argued that will mean shorter trips for paramedics in the long run. "That additional (rural health) capacity means less trips thats really the key to improving thing over the long run for these individuals," he said. The PCs had made some headway on rural ambulance response times after they took office in 2016, with the number of hours ambulances could not be deployed dropping up until May 2020. Since then, monthly out-of-service hours have skyrocketed. While Shared Health has added 149.2 full-time equivalent paramedic positions since 2016, Moroz said the system remains short-staffed and people are quitting. As evidence, the total hours Manitoba was able to deploy rural ambulances dropped by five per cent in that time, suggesting the system has operated on a skeleton crew. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Manitoba officials have tried to use technology to make the system more efficient, such as by sending paramedics into busier regions when they have fewer calls. "During the pandemic, these efforts have included redeployment, engagement of relief staff and callouts for recently retired or former paramedics to rejoin the workforce as part of our COVID response," wrote Shared Health spokesman Jason Permanand, who reiterated a January list of actions the agency has taken. Moroz argued those amount to tinkering around a system that simply needs more new staff. "Technology systems and geoposting all those things are fine, but they really dont matter because we dont have enough people." with files from Katie May dylan.robertson@freepress.mb.ca Security guards stationed themselves at every entrance of Manitobas largest mall Saturday in preparation for the arrival of anti-mask protesters. Security guards stationed themselves at every entrance of Manitobas largest mall Saturday in preparation for the arrival of anti-mask protesters. Shortly after noon, small groups of unmasked shoppers walked through various doors of CF Polo Park. The overwhelming majority of visitors to the mall followed public health protocols, but approximately 50 people were walking around without face coverings within half an hour of the first protesters arriving on site. Despite the provinces plans to rollback mask requirements in the coming weeks, individuals showed up to express their opposition to mandates under the "Mega Maskless Manitoba" banner. "I have never worn a mask. Its a muzzle. Its a psychological manipulation. Its not a crime to breathe freely," said Dee Black, who lingered by the food court without a mask. Upon being approached by a reporter, some protesters expressed distaste for media outlets and spouted both conspiracy theories and misinformation. Leading up to the event, organizers took to social media to encourage participants to wear "any trucker or Canadiana clothing." A security guard speaks with a protester who walked around CF Polo Park Mall without the required face mask. (David Lipnowski / Winnipeg Free Press) A handful of people sported black toques with the Monstrosity Burger logo on them. The restaurant has openly flouted public health orders throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Mall management indicated earlier this week they were preparing additional security measures for Saturday. Winnipeg police also dispatched officers to the mall to monitor the situation. One security guard said he and his colleagues goal was to maintain peace at the mall throughout the day. He indicated all they can do is inform unmasked people of the current public health rules. Every guard stationed at an entrance each had a supply of medical disposable masks on them to offer people who arrived without face coverings. Pierto Espacito, a hairstylist who has worked in the mall for 50 years, said he didnt understand Saturday why people are protesting against a mandate that is going to be repealed next month. "Some people have nothing better to do," he said, under a medical mask. Espacito added it is stressful to have to turn unmasked people away as a frontline service worker: "Nobody wants to argue with customers." Since late September 2020, face coverings have been required in malls and all other indoor facilities in Manitoba to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 via aerosols. Ty Redl walked around CF Polo Park Mall in protest of wearing a required face mask Saturday. He said it was to stand up for freedoms, and for free rights we deserve. (David Lipnowski / Winnipeg Free Press) The mandate was lifted for a total of three weeks at the end of the summer. It was reintroduced before the 2021-22 school year got underway to both address a rising caseload and protect the healthcare system from being overwhelmed during the fourth wave. On Friday, Premier Heather Stefanson announced that mask requirements and remaining public health orders will disappear, as of March 15. "We need to end the divisiveness between families, between communities, we need to move forward," Stefanson told reporters. "Its time to bring Manitobans back together again." Meanwhile, earlier in the day RCMP said the semi-trailers, farm implements, and passenger vehicles that are prohibiting access to the Emerson border on Feb. 10 remain in place. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Emerson and Morris RCMP detachments are on scene as all four lanes of Highway 75 at Provincial Road 200 are blocked. Police are advising travelers to expect substantial delays in the area and to avoid it, if possible. Its estimated around 50 vehicles are participating in the blockade. No tickets have been issued and no arrests have been made. Authorities also reported multiple active convoy protests Saturday, including a slow-roll on the Perimeter Highway, one on Hwy. 3 near the Boundary Trails Health Centre, and a third that launched at Deacons Corner. RCMP did not report any incidents related to the protests as of Saturday afternoon. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie Protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions are expected to ramp up in Manitoba this weekend, in defiance of calls for demonstrations and a U.S. border blockade to end. Protests against COVID-19 vaccine mandates and restrictions are expected to ramp up in Manitoba this weekend, in defiance of calls for demonstrations and a U.S. border blockade to end. Events are due to take place across southern half of Manitoba one day after Premier Heather Stefanson announced key public health restrictions will be scrapped in March, as the provinces pandemic response level is lowered to yellow from orange. Protests threaten to disrupt traffic and cause delays around Winnipeg, Winkler, Morden and Selkirk. RCMP warn they will not tolerate any blocking of roads or highways leading to hospitals. RUTH BONNEVILLE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Omar Kinnarath, an organizer with Defend Winnipeg, a group that formed in opposition to the anti-mandate convoy. A so-called "freedom convoy" camped across from the Manitoba Legislative Building since Feb. 4 is expecting dozens more supporters, including a group from Steinbach, to arrive Saturday as it plans a "family fun day." Organizers anticipate a "celebratory feel" following Stefansons announcement, but have no plans to go home, as they continue to demand Ottawa cancel its vaccine mandate for cross-border truckers, among other things. (As of Jan. 22, the U.S. government requires all non-Americans crossing at land and ferry terminals including long-haul truckers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and to provide proof.) At noon, opponents are holding a counter protest at the same downtown Winnipeg site, raising concern the situation could escalate. We want to let them know theyre not welcome. Omar Kinnarath "We want to let them know theyre not welcome," said Omar Kinnarath, an organizer with Defend Winnipeg, a group that formed in opposition to the convoy. "We believe in freedom of protest, and we welcome anybody else wanting to come and protest," Winnipeg Freedom Convoy co-organizer Zoey Jebb said in response. "Were prepared to remain here as long as it takes." Convoy protester Doug Stern wasnt declaring victory Friday, when he learned the province is accelerating the lifting of public health restrictions. "Theyre trying to make us go away," the truck driver said. DANIEL CRUMP Daniel Crump / Winnipeg Free Press The convoy encampment has been at the Manitoba legislature for over a week. The Winnipeg Police Service said its plan for weekend demonstrations includes sending more officers to the streets in front of the legislative grounds to keep the peace. "We ask everyone to be patient and respectful of each other," WPS said in a statement. Mayor Brian Bowman, whos urged the protesters to leave, encouraged both sides to demonstrate peacefully. City council is considering seeking a court injunction. Police are also expected at Polo Park shopping centre, which will be stormed by maskless protesters at noon, according to social media posts. Theyre trying to make us go away." Convoy protester Doug Stern Security is being increased and management is working closely with city police, said a spokeswoman for mall owner Cadillac Fairview. In Emerson, protesters in about 50 vehicles, including semi-trucks and farm tractors, are likely to continue a blockade of Manitobas main U.S. border crossing, which began early Thursday. RCMP officers on site have been speaking to organizers. "We will continue to use discretion to guide our response to this evolving situation," RCMP Chief Supt. Rob Hill said in response to calls for the blockade to be cleared. MIKAELA MACKENZIE / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Polo Park mall is the target of a maskless protest planned for Saturday. Dave Carlson, reeve of the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin, hopes the group will agree to open one lane. "Im hoping by (Manitoba) going to code yellow they will see it as a victory and unblock," he said. Emergency vehicles and livestock trucks have been allowed to pass through. Several convoys are due to roll along highways Saturday. A social media post encouraged supporters to meet in Winkler for a "slow roll" to Winnipeg. RCMP will be stationed along Highway 3 to make sure people can get to the hospital between Winkler and Morden, a spokeswoman said. Im hoping by (Manitoba) going to code yellow they will see it as a victory and unblock." Dave Carlson, reeve of the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin Hospital-bound drivers should call 911 if they are blocked by protesters. Southern Health urged protesters not to disrupt access to medical care. Stefanson, who has been accused of failing to do enough to halt or discourage disruptive protests, said demonstrations outside hospitals and schools are not appropriate. On Feb. 3, a slow-roll protest involving semi-trucks and farm tractors brought traffic to a crawl, preventing Morden resident Marlene Demke, 82, from getting to Boundary Trails emergency room quickly while she suffered chest pains. A three-kilometre drive that normally takes a few minutes turned into a one-hour, 15-minute journey, said her brother, Terry Titchkosky, who drove her to the hospital. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. "Im not anti-protest, but I think we have to have protocols in place for holding demonstrations so they dont risk the lives of others," said Titchkosky, 74, who was unable to call 911 because he doesnt have a cellphone. Social media posts claim a convoy will twice circle the Perimeter Highway on the edge of Winnipeg on Saturday, and one will travel to Portage la Prairie from Brandon and back. Convoys are also expected in the Selkirk area and at Deacons Corner in the Rural Municipality of Springfield, the RCMP said. with files from Carol Sanders chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching On Feb. 2, after voting to remove Erin OToole as party leader, the parliamentary caucus of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) elected Candice Bergen, MP for Portage-Lisgar, to serve as interim party leader of the party. Opinion On Feb. 2, after voting to remove Erin OToole as party leader, the parliamentary caucus of the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) elected Candice Bergen, MP for Portage-Lisgar, to serve as interim party leader of the party. Many media commentators used the term "caretaker" to describe Bergens new role. The term suggests she is just "maintaining things" until a permanent leader is selected and cannot make any decisions of consequence. This is misleading, and an exaggeration. The caretaker label is popular because the media need a shorthand way to describe interim leadership situations. However, it hides the different causes and consequences of filling a leadership vacancy with a time-limited appointment of an interim leader. Also, rather than being unusual, reliance upon interim leaders occurs more frequently at the national and provincial levels than is generally recognized. During the past decade, interim leaders have been chosen twice to head the CPC, the Progressive Conservatives and the NDP in Manitoba, the Liberals in B.C. and P.E.I., and the Green party nationally and in at least one province. Despite the frequency of interim leaders, there has been extraordinarily little study of their impacts on the performance of parties, their internal unity, and their electoral success. Multiple different circumstances can create the need for an interim leader. The most common occurrence is a leadership resignation or removal after an election loss, or even after a poor result which did not match expectations going into the contest. The contemporary CPC seems to have become a "one-and-done" party that allows only one loss before a leader is removed. This happened to Andrew Scheer in 2020, and now to Erin OToole. Dissent within the party over the performance of the incumbent leader is another common circumstance which can lead to a formal vote in caucus and/or by the executive of the party to replace a leader. Not all parties have a mechanism to trigger a leadership vote by caucus; however, this does not preclude pressure being applied within caucus and beyond that forces a "voluntary" resignation of a leader. Death of a leader, resignation for health or personal reasons, temporary absences for assorted reasons, entanglement in a scandal, appointment to another position and other developments can result in the selection of interim leaders. The caretaker label implies the temporary replacement leader is powerless, which is inaccurate. In theory, such leaders have all the rights and responsibilities of a permanent leader; in practice, however, because they lack a mandate from the full party, they do not have the latitude to change the policy directions and the organization of party. As prime minister or premier, an interim leader of a governing party has several prerogatives that are not available to an interim opposition leader. For example, if multiple cabinet ministers resign to enter the leadership race, the interim leader can fill the vacancies. An interim opposition leader can shuffle the lineup of the so-called "shadow cabinet," as Ms. Bergen has already done by replacing some of the inner group of MPs who previously worked with Mr. OToole. Interim leaders serve as the official representative of the party which means they receive the bulk of the media attention. Even as interim leader, they have some latitude to comment on events and to make policy statements on behalf of the party. Interim leaders, whether in governing or opposition parties, should not be dismissed as unimportant, because they contribute to the adversarial clash between government and opposition, which is meant to produce transparency, responsiveness, accountability and learning about how better policy can be achieved. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Limited authority and limited time mean major accomplishments by interim leaders are generally not possible. However, they can make a difference. Just a couple of examples will have to suffice: As interim leader and Progressive Conservative premier of Manitoba, Kelvin Goertzen took steps to repair broken bonds of trust with important stakeholder groups whom former premier Brian Pallister had antagonized. At the national level, from 2011 to 2013 interim Liberal leader Bob Rae performed effectively in opposition, holding the Harper Conservative government to account, especially on Indigenous issues. Returning to the case of Bergen, she has been described by her colleagues as a peacemaker. Her primary task is to begin to heal the divisions over leadership and/or ideology that have handicapped the CPC in recent decades. This will be a big challenge for someone who clearly leans to the right. Keeping more moderate MPs in the CPC caucus content, especially during a year-long leadership contest that will likely amplify divisions, will take all her interpersonal and negotiating skills. Paul G. Thomas is professor emeritus of political studies at the University of Manitoba. One student at Steinbach Regional Secondary School says he felt immense fear, panic and frustration after he witnessed hundreds of his peers crowd the halls and take off their masks to join a protest of COVID-19 restrictions. One student at Steinbach Regional Secondary School says he felt immense fear, panic and frustration after he witnessed hundreds of his peers crowd the halls and take off their masks to join a protest of COVID-19 restrictions. "My grandpa passed away from COVID. Its frustrating seeing so many people treat that as unimportant and treat that as nothing," said Garrett Hurst, a Grade 11 student. The 16-year-old was among those who were forced into lockdown and later, "hold and secure" mode at the high school on Thursday, owing to concerns about a rowdy protest on school grounds. Around 9 a.m., students gathered inside the building and prepared to exit in solidarity with the anti-COVID-19 restriction movement. Garrett said he came across a "jam-packed" group of protesters in the main area of the school when he left his first class to get something to eat. He peeked outside to see the gathering, which he estimated at 400 people. Citing safety concerns, officials locked the doors of the school after student protesters streamed out. Both teenagers and adult protesters, some of them equipped with signs condemning public health orders, surrounded the school. Drivers honked in support of the crowd as they circled the school. It was not until 11 a.m. that Garrett said administrators sounded a lockdown alarm, prompting the eleventh grader, who had a spare during that time, to enter the closest classroom. "During the lockdown, we had to close the door, lights off, hide the whole nine yards," he said, adding that lasted for around 20 minutes. "I felt scared for the first little while. I was very stressed out." In an email Friday, the superintendent of Hanover School Division informed families that initial communication within the school referred to a lockdown, but the status was changed within minutes to a hold and secure situation, which is where it remained for the rest of the school day. "The hold and secure, initiated during the protest, was to ensure the safety of students and staff within the school. Adults attempted to gain access into the school, and their intent was unknown," Shelley Amos wrote. Jordan Ross / The Carillon In the wake of the protest, the high school was scheduled to temporarily move to remote learning Friday, but inclement weather cancelled courses. Lockdowns are only to be used when there is a major incident or threat of violence within a school or related to it, per the Manitoba School Boards Association. Hold-and-secures are to occur when there is an ongoing situation outside a K-12 building, but classes can safely operate, as long as the exterior doors are locked until the situation is resolved. Amos said school staff were confronted with "belligerent behaviours" by both adults and students, while some adult protesters engaged in banging on windows and doors with fists and flagpoles Thursday. Also in her email, she indicated the division has been made aware of a video circulating on social media that shows an altercation at a point of entry into the school during the protest. The adult involved is not an employee, Amos said, adding RCMP is aware of the clip. "Its extraordinarily disappointing when demonstrators want to take their message to public schools. Its often viewed as intimidating to students. Its really inappropriate," said James Bedford, president of the Manitoba Teachers Society. Bedford applauded administrators for doing the right thing, by temporarily restricting access to the building. In the wake of the protest, the high school was scheduled to temporarily move to remote learning Friday, but inclement weather cancelled courses. The majority of students will learn from home on Monday instead. Despite the looming loosening of restrictions in schools and across society, Garrett said he plans to continue wearing a KN95 mask upon his return to in-person learning and for the foreseeable future. He said he questions whether the lifting of restrictions is too early and in response to events at his school, the Manitoba legislature and the border, as well as the "Freedom Convoy 2022" in Ottawa. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. A notable number of students at his school either consistently wear face coverings improperly, with the personal protective equipment either tucked under their nose or chin, or do not wear them at all, he said. Data obtained by the Free Press through freedom of information requests show at least 23 mask exemptions have been approved among SRSS students in 2021-22. The Steinbach school has one of the largest populations in all of Manitoba, with upwards of 1,700 students. Administrators at Sisler High School, which has matching enrolment, estimate five students all of whom are enrolled in an inclusive education program do not wear masks for medical reasons. maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @macintoshmaggie Namely Vietnams digital boom to lift the economy, the article noted while there will be challenges to overcome, such development will also present many opportunities for investments across sectors. Tran Gia Minh Chau, owner of Xu Phan company, sells her products online. (Photo: VNA) According to the author, Vietnam is popular for its golden demographic population, with nearly 56 percent of its people are under 35, the highest among countries in the region with similar income levels. With Gen Xs and Gen Ys forming most of the countrys labour force and consumer markets, and Gen Zs rapidly emerging as the next wave of consumers, Vietnam is set to climb eight places to 18th position in the global ranking of top 30 largest consumer markets by 2030. The article also wrote Vietnams middle-income class earning above 700 USD a month is estimated at one third of the population and expected to double its size by 2030. Such growth will underpin domestic consumption for services and higher value-added products, it said. As the young middle class are ever ready to embrace new trends such as digitalisation and sustainability, this will likely present new investment opportunities in financial services, information technology, consumer goods and green products. The author continued to say that digitalisation is becoming an integral part of consumers daily life in Vietnam. The countrys digital economy is growing by double digits and the total market value is expected to hit 57 billion USD in 2025. Vietnams digital market is fast growing driven by strong growth in e-commerce, fintech, and education. The article said with increasing internet penetration, wider adoption of smartphones and various online shopping platforms, the e-commerce market is expected to generate a higher growth of 25 percent per annum and have a market value of 35 billion USD by 2025 one tenth of total retail sales according to the countrys long-term vision. An increasing number of foreign investors have been seeking investment opportunities in many Vietnamese e-commerce platforms. Vietnams e-commerce, boosted by the digitalisation trend and compounded with fast growing funding, is on track to achieve high growth rates. The author noted the financial services are capitalising the digitalisation trend in Vietnam. Following the State Bank of Vietnams plan for digital transformation by 2025, the industry has been designated to take a pioneering role in establishing an entirely digitalised, human-centered system. Given this, Vietnamese banks are pursuing notable strategies for digital development. The article added that active users of select banking apps in Vietnam recorded a growth of 73 percent on-year in the first nine months of 2020, which is the highest region wide. It also stated there is plenty of room for growth in the nations digital financial services over the coming years./. There are two takeaways from Premier Heather Stefansons unexpected announcement Friday that all pandemic restrictions, including mask use, will be lifted over the next month. There are two takeaways from Premier Heather Stefansons unexpected announcement Friday that all pandemic restrictions, including mask use, will be lifted over the next month. First, under her leadership, data and evidence will no longer play a role in managing the pandemic; all decisions regarding COVID-19 and how it affects the health of Manitobans will be made at a political level, not a public health one. Second, the premier is easily influenced by protests, especially when the substance of what demonstrators are calling for aligns with her political views. Stefanson believes the province has relied too much on the scientific advice of public health officials during the pandemic and not enough on the views of other "stakeholders," such as business groups. She said so last month. "A lot of emphasis was put solely at the feet of public health and thats a lot of responsibility in one place," she said. In other words, she doesnt trust that public health officials strike the right balance between mitigating severe illness and death and limiting the impact restrictions have on the economy and on peoples mental health. Stefanson took her antiscience stance a step further Friday. She essentially declared that she will no longer be guided by public health data or evidence. Manitoba hospitals crashed several times during the pandemic, including having to airlift 57 ICU patients out of the province during the third wave last year when Stefanson was health minister. Manitoba also has the second highest COVID-19 death rate in Canada, so its hard to imagine how the goal of protecting hospital capacity could have been given less weight. Even with current restrictions, Manitoba has the second highest COVID-19 death rate among the provinces over the past 14 days at 5.6 per 100,000 (Quebec is first with 6.4). Stefanson took her anti-science stance a step further Friday. She essentially declared that she will no longer be guided by public health data or evidence. By deciding in advance that virtually all public health restrictions will be lifted by March 15, regardless of infection rates, hospitalizations and other surveillance metrics used by public health, she has decided that evidence no longer matters. Her decisions will be purely political ones. Thats pretty frightening. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Heather Stefanson believes the province has relied too much on the scientific advice of public health officials during the pandemic and not enough on the views of other stakeholders, such as business groups. Meanwhile, its no coincidence that Fridays announcement comes at the same time protesters across the province are demanding the removal of all public health restrictions. As recently as Wednesday, the province insisted it would make decisions on restrictions gradually and in two-week cycles after carefully reviewing data. Dr. Jazz Atwal, deputy chief provincial public health officer, said it would likely take eight weeks to reduce the number of COVID-19 patients in ICUs to manageable levels. Two days later, Stefanson abandoned that approach and announced that mandatory masks and vaccine mandates would be eliminated in half that time. The public health information in front of government hasnt changed over the past few days. Hospitalizations have come down slightly, but are still higher than they were during previous waves. Surgical backlogs continue to grow, as hospital resources are still redeployed to treat COVID-19 patients. And overall ICU occupancy climbed again to 101 patients Friday, up from 96 Thursday (41 of which are COVID-19 patients). Pre-pandemic ICU capacity was 72 beds. Considering there have been no significant improvements in hospitalizations or other metrics over the past few days, its hard to ignore the connection between the protests and Stefansons sudden policy shift. Considering there have been no significant improvements in hospitalizations or other metrics over the past few days, its hard to ignore the connection between the protests and Stefansons sudden policy shift. There are no valid reasons to drop mask mandates or vaccine passport in the coming weeks. Those interventions have very few, if any, negative consequences. Unlike capacity limits on businesses and not-for-profits, which do cause severe financial hardship and should be lifted first, wearing masks and showing proof of vaccine cards have no economic downside. In fact, by helping keep public places safe, those measures promote consumer confidence. Mask wearing and vaccine passports may be a slight inconvenience, but they are effective ways of controlling the transmission of the virus. They are low cost, high benefit measures. Eliminating them should be based on data and evidence, not political ideology. Sadly, it appears Stefanson has embraced the latter. tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca Premier Heather Stefanson was accused of taking a page from former U.S. president Donald Trumps playbook Friday after she refused to tell protesters at the legislature to go home and called for balance in respecting their rights, as well as the rights of people whose lives theyve disrupted. Premier Heather Stefanson was accused of taking a page from former U.S. president Donald Trumps playbook Friday after she refused to tell protesters at the legislature to go home and called for balance in respecting their rights, as well as the rights of people whose lives theyve disrupted. In her first public appearance since anti-vaccine mandate protesters parked their trucks and farm equipment in front of the Legislative Building a week ago, the premier told a news conference Friday that shes leaving the work of dealing with the demonstrators "to the professionals." Rather than using the megaphone or authority of her office to call for an end to the protests downtown and at the Emerson U.S. border crossing, Stefanson said she will take the advice of police gauging the temperature of the situation "and making decisions in the best interest of Manitobans." MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Premier Heather Stefanson told a news conference Friday shes leaving the work of dealing with the demonstrators "to the professionals." The premier wouldnt commit to telling the protesters to go home, as Ontario Premier Doug Ford and interim Conservative leader Candice Bergen have done this week. Instead, Stefanson said she will ask protesters to respect the rights of the people whose lives and livelihoods are being impacted, but noted that the democratic right to protest also has to be respected. "We need to have a balanced respect for one another here," she said. "There needs to be respect for the rights of those individuals to protest as long as its in a law-abiding way, and we ask for them to also respect those people who are living in the vicinity and maybe think about those people, as well. "There needs to be respect on both sides." That drew outrage from critics who compared Stefansons comments to those of Trump who said there were "very fine people on both sides" after a 2017 white-supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Va., erupted in violence and a woman was killed. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Protesters at Broadway and Memorial Friday morning. "Remember Donald Trump theres good people on both sides?" said Opposition Leader Wab Kinew. "I reject that. Theres a clear Canadian consensus theres a clear Manitoba consensus on vaccinations, on public health and on us all working together to fight COVID-19. "To see the premier parrot anti-vax talking points is disappointing." Kinew said hes concerned that the "freedom convoy" is being used by some groups to attack "some of the most important freedoms in our country" after a week of incidents in which media members were threatened, Steinbachs high school had to go into lockdown, the road to a hospital was blocked and so was the provinces main U.S. border crossing in Emerson. "These are clearly unacceptable threats to our freedom and to our democracy," he said. "The least that a leader in the public sphere can do is to say, Its time to wrap it up, time to go home and take action to support that message." Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said there can be no equivalence in assessing the situation. MIKE DEAL / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Dougald Lamont, Manitoba Liberal party leader talks to the media after the announcement by Premier Heather Stefanson Friday morning that the government would be reducing public health restrictions next week. "How do you balance people whove been following the law and getting vaccinated and doing everything they can to protect their fellow Manitobans, versus people who are ignoring the law, putting people at risk and who are associated with far-right elements?" he said. Stefanson was asked whether she would follow Fords lead and declare a state of emergency or back a court injunction to deal with protesters blocking traffic at the border. She said its up to the federal government to take action. "I have reached out to the prime minister and (asked) what is the plan for moving forward," she said, adding the RCMP are at the border and the Winnipeg Police Service is keeping the peace downtown. Stefanson said shes working with the authorities and other levels of government and taking a "collaborative approach." Thus far she has not met with protest organizers, but told reporters she hasnt ruled out the possibility. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca STEINBACH HORNS blared for hours in downtown Steinbach as a crowd of protesters, in vehicles and on foot, denounced Manitobas vaccine mandates and public health restrictions Friday. STEINBACH HORNS blared for hours in downtown Steinbach as a crowd of protesters, in vehicles and on foot, denounced Manitobas vaccine mandates and public health restrictions Friday. A variety of passenger vehicles, tractors, transport trucks, and a grader and grain truck, took part in the event, which occurred less than 24 hours after a protest by students and adults outside the Steinbach Regional Secondary School. Educators locked the doors to prevent raucous protesters from entering the school. Many of the vehicles flew Canadian flags or displayed placards as they drove slowly up and down Main Street honking their horns. Traffic slowed to a crawl but continued to flow through downtown. A few pedestrians who were running errands darted in and out of shops and tried to avoid getting caught in the traffic. JORDAN ROSS / THE CARILLON As the second anti-mandate protest in two days took place in Steinbach, Mayor Earl Funk said hes not concerned about the impact. Bitterly cold weather, including a windchill value of -37, didnt deter the protesters. Hours earlier, an overnight blizzard closed highways around Steinbach in every direction. Hours before the protest, the Manitoba government announced it would accelerate the rollback of restrictions but insisted at a news conference that protests across the province werent a factor in the decision. As the second anti-mandate protest in two days took place in Steinbach, Mayor Earl Funk said hes not concerned about the impact. Funk said he was not opposed to protests as long as traffic could still move, participants were respectful, and safety was maintained. "Ive always supported freedom of speech, Ive always supported the right to an opinion, Ive always supported the right to protest," he said. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. JORDAN ROSS / THE CARILLON Bitterly cold weather, including a windchill value of -37, didnt deter the protesters. While he prefers to negotiate and work for change with methods such as writing letters, Funk said some would rather gather and hold an event. "Its all good as long as youre safe and peaceful," he said. Despite different methods of showing it, Funk said most people want the same thing: the end of restrictions. "We have to remember at all times that for the most part, were all wanting the same result," he said. "Whats exciting is were all moving toward a free province, a free city, a free country." with files from Greg Vandermeulen Steinbach Carillon Winnipeg small-business owner Paul Taylor welcomes Fridays announcement by the provincial government to drop capacity limits, as part of sweeping COVID-19 public health order changes coming into effect Tuesday. Winnipeg small-business owner Paul Taylor welcomes Fridays announcement by the provincial government to drop capacity limits, as part of sweeping COVID-19 public health order changes coming into effect Tuesday. This is definitely good news, said the owner of Brickhouse Gym on King Edward Street. The biggest benefit is for our members not to have to completely move their days around (to meet capacity limits). They can just go in their car and come to get a workout. Be it the owner of a gymnasium or restaurant or music school, head of a museum or organizations which represent businesses all welcomed the change. Tony Siwicki, owner of Silver Heights restaurant in Winnipeg, said after two years of public health orders that have been crushing for the hospitality industry: Im trying to soak it all in. Theres a lot of stress off the shoulders. Weve been fighting for this for a long time, and this is sooner than we thought. We were anticipating lesser restrictions on Feb. 22. To get it this morning, it is a big shock, but we will get moving, he said. Siwicki, who is also chairman of the Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association, said he has already heard from some serving staff theyre not comfortable with the removal of the mask order March 15. He will be having a staff meeting on the weekend to discuss options. As well as masks, the Manitoba government said Friday all remaining restrictions will end March 15. Im sure some (in the industry) will continue wearing them, said Siwicki. They say they will continue to wear them in respect of the customers who might not be comfortable without them. Canadian Federation of Independent Business (Manitoba) provincial affairs director Kathleen Cook said consumer confidence will take awhile to come back. She said only about 24 per cent of small businesses in the province have seen sales levels return to pre-pandemic levels. It has been a long road but were not out of the woods yet. They are dealing with ongoing labour shortages and consumer confidence is not what it was before, Cook said. But this is a very good day for a lot of small businesses. Robert Burton, owner of River Heights School of Music in Winnipeg, said the changes may allow the school to do something it hasnt for a long time. We havent had a music recital in two years, said Burton. For a lot of people, this is the day weve been waiting for. Dorota Blumczynska, Manitoba Museum chief executive officer, said: It is certainly good news. JOHN WOODS / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Tony Siwicki, owner of Silver Heights Restaurant and Lounge. The Manitoba Museum has over 50,000 square feet of roaming space. Even with or without capacity limits, people themselves can distance from each other depending on their comfort levels Im cautiously optimistic. We are all deeply interested in the health and safety of our community, she said. Andre Lewis, Royal Winnipeg Ballet artistic director and CEO, said the Feb. 25 to March 13 production of Sleeping Beauty will remain virtual, with spectators watching it on a computer screen or TV. However, the lifting of restrictions means its production of A Cinderella Story could be before a full house at the Centennial Concert Hall in May. Im very much hoping Cinderella will be on the stage, said Lewis. Loren Remillard, president and CEO of the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce, said hes glad the government has provided a plan to reopen, with dates to look towards. We knew wed always come to this day, when we would have to think about moving away from vaccination mandates and the use of masks, said Remillard. The message the chamber has had is: make sure you provide sufficient lead time for businesses and the timeline for changes. Todays announcement reflects that recommendation, he added. We always want to keep business open to the full extent it can be, but consumer confidence will ultimately address the reopening. People are still making decisions based on their personal comfort levels. Remillard said he expects to see a number of people still wearing masks six months from now, and some businesses will continue to tell customers to wear them inside after March 15. The choice for you to continue to use a mask remains your choice, he said. I would hope all Manitobans will respect it will be that companys choice. Jeff Traeger, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 832, which represents about 8,000 employees at grocery stores in Manitoba, said he hasnt yet spoken to membership. However, more than a dozen made contact with him Friday. Jen Zoratti | Next A weekly look towards a post-pandemic future delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. It was a very small subset of almost 8,000 workers we represent, but they say this feels way too soon to remove the mask mandate, said Traeger. It took months to put safety measures in place and they they are taking them away so quickly, they say it isnt right. Traeger said some store workers say, even with restrictions in place, people buy groceries without masks on. One member says he is the risk to his family because of the number of people he has contact with every day Every employer has had a high levels of absenteeism because the employees are sick or isolating, he said. There are so many people off work right now, Im not sure if the employers want this. kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden told Russias Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would cause widespread human suffering and that the West was committed to diplomacy to end the crisis but equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House said Saturday. It offered no suggestion that the hourlong call diminished the threat of an imminent war in Europe. US soldiers line up during the visit of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase, near the Black Sea port city of Constanta, eastern Romania, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. Stoltenberg paid an official visit to Romania on Friday, where he joined the country's president Klaus Iohannis at a military airbase that will host some of the 1,000 U.S. troops deployed to the country as the alliance bolsters its forces on the eastern flank as tensions soar between Russia and Ukraine. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) WASHINGTON (AP) President Joe Biden told Russias Vladimir Putin that invading Ukraine would cause widespread human suffering and that the West was committed to diplomacy to end the crisis but equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House said Saturday. It offered no suggestion that the hourlong call diminished the threat of an imminent war in Europe. Biden also said the United States and its allies would respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs if the Kremlin attacked its neighbor, according to the White House. The two presidents spoke a day after Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned that U.S. intelligence shows a Russian invasion could begin within days and before the Winter Olympics in Beijing end on Feb. 20. Russia denies it intends to invade but has massed well over 100,000 troops near the Ukrainian border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, encircling Ukraine on three sides. U.S. officials say Russias buildup of firepower has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. Ukrainians attend a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, during a protest against the potential escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the U.S. announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) The conversation came at a critical moment for what has become the biggest security crisis between Russia and the West since the Cold War. U.S. officials believe they have mere days to prevent an invasion and enormous bloodshed in Ukraine. And while the U.S. and its NATO allies have no plans to send troops to Ukraine to fight Russia, an invasion and resulting punishing sanctions could reverberate far beyond the former Soviet republic, affecting energy supplies, global markets and the power balance in Europe. President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our Allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios, the White House statement said. The call was professional and substantive but produced no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters following the call on condition of anonymity. The official added that it remains unclear whether Putin has made a final decision to move forward with military action. Yuri Ushakov, Putins top foreign policy aide, said that while tensions have been escalating for months, in recent days "the situation has simply been brought to the point of absurdity. Ukrainians attend a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, during a protest against the potential escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the U.S. announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) He said Biden mentioned the possible sanctions that could be imposed on Russia, but this issue was not the focus during a fairly long conversation with the Russian leader. Before talking to Biden, Putin had a telephone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. A Kremlin summary of the call suggested that little progress was made toward cooling down the tensions. Putin complained in the call that the United States and NATO have not responded satisfactorily to Russian demands that Ukraine be prohibited from joining the military alliance and that NATO pull back forces from Eastern Europe. In a sign that American officials are getting ready for a worst-case scenario, the United States announced plans to evacuate most of its staff from the embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Britain joined other European nations in urging its citizens to leave Ukraine. Canada has shuttered its embassy in Kyiv and relocated its diplomatic staff to a temporary office in Lviv, located in the western part of the country, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said Saturday. Lviv is home to a Ukrainian military base that has served as the main hub for Canadas 200-soldier training mission in the former Soviet country. Ukrainians attend a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, during a protest against the potential escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the U.S. announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) The timing of any possible Russian military action remained a key question. The U.S. picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a U.S. official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he told his Russian counterpart Saturday that further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive and united trans-Atlantic response. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy tried to project calm as he observed military exercises Saturday near Crimea, the peninsula that Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014. "We are not afraid, we're without panic, all is under control, he said. Ukrainian activists attend a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, during a protest against the potential escalation of the tension between Russia and Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the U.S. announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Placard on left reads: "Russian residents are not welcome in Ukraine". (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky) Ukrainian armed forces chief commander Lt. Gen. Valeriy Zaluzhny and Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov issued a more defiant joint statement. We are ready to meet the enemy, and not with flowers, but with Stingers, Javelins and NLAWs anti-tank and -aircraft weapons, they said. Welcome to hell! U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu, also held telephone discussions on Saturday. Further U.S.-Russia tensions arose on Saturday when the Defense Ministry summoned the U.S. Embassys military attache after it said the navy detected an American submarine in Russian waters near the Kuril Islands in the Pacific. The submarine declined orders to leave, but departed after the navy used unspecified appropriate means, the ministry said. Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 U.S. troops to Poland to reassure allies. This image provided by The White House via Twitter shows President Joe Biden at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022. Biden on Saturday again called on President Vladimir Putin to pull back more than 100,000 Russian troops massed near Ukraines borders and warned that the U.S. and its allies would respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs if Russia invades, according to the White House. (The White House via AP) The U.S. has urged all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country immediately, and Sullivan said those who remain should not expect the U.S. military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. The Biden administration has been warning for weeks that Russia could invade Ukraine soon, but U.S. officials had previously said the Kremlin would likely wait until after the Winter Games ended so as not to antagonize China. Sullivan told reporters on Friday that U.S. intelligence shows that Russia could take invade during the Olympics. He said military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action, Sullivan said, adding that Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine. He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the U.S. talk of urgency. The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever, said Maria Zakharova, a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems. Zakharova said her country had optimized staffing at its own embassy in Kyiv in response to concerns about possible military actions from the Ukrainian side. In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that U.S. officials say Russia has assembled along Ukraines eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week, Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. Biden has bolstered the U.S. military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on NATOs eastern flank. The 3,000 additional soldiers ordered to Poland come on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The U.S. Army also is shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Russia is demanding that the West keep former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe demands flatly rejected by the West. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraines Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing the Crimean Peninsula and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed over 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. ___ Heintz reported from Moscow. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee and Colleen Long in Washington; Mark Lewis in Stavanger, Norway; and Robert Gillies in Toronto contributed to this report. WASHINGTON (AP) The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. A construction worker is backdropped by the yellow-blue colored "Ukraine" road sign as the walks over broken pavement in a repairs area outside the crossing point from Ukrainian government to pro-Russian separatists controlled territory in Stanytsia Luhanska, the only crossing point which is open daily, in the Luhansk region, eastern Ukraine, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. The chill of a Cold War hung over Eastern Europe again Friday, with Russian maneuvers and drills close to Ukraine, and NATO's chief boosting troop morale on the Black Sea. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda) WASHINGTON (AP) The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. U.S. officials say the State Department plans to announce early Saturday that all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave the country ahead of a feared Russian invasion. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The new move comes as Washington has ratcheted up its warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine. The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, said a limited number of U.S. diplomats may be relocated to Ukraines far west, near the border with Poland, a NATO ally, so the U.S. could retain a diplomatic presence in the country. The Pentagon announced Friday it is sending another 3,000 combat troops to Poland to join 1,700 who already are assembling there in a demonstration of American commitment to NATO allies worried at the prospect of Russia invading Ukraine. The additional soldiers will depart their post at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over the next couple days and should be in Poland by early next week, according to a defense official, who provided the information under ground rules set by the Pentagon. They are the remaining elements of an infantry brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division. Their mission will be to train and provide deterrence but not to engage in combat in Ukraine. Want to get a head start on your day? Get the days breaking stories, weather forecast, and more sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign Up I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement. That announcement came shortly after Jake Sullivan, President Joe Bidens national security adviser, issued a public warning for all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible. Sullivan said Russian President Vladimir Putin could give the order to launch an invasion of Ukraine any day now. In addition to the U.S. troops deploying to Poland, about 1,000 U.S. soldiers based in Germany are shifting to Romania in a similar mission of reassurance to a NATO ally. Also, 300 soldiers of an 18th Airborne Corps headquarters unit have arrived in Germany, commanded by Lt. Gen. Michael E. Kurilla. The American troops are to train with host-nation forces but not enter Ukraine for any purpose. The U.S. already has about 80,000 troops throughout Europe at permanent stations and on rotational deployments. ___ Associated Press writers Robert Burns and Lolita C. Baldor contributed to this report. Through both his words and his work, a Mexican immigrant filmmaker delivered a powerful message to Winona Senior High School students on Friday morning: Your voice has value, said filmmaker Alejandro Palacios, director of The Latinx Photography Project, one of the films playing at this weeks Frozen River Film Festival. Whatever you have to say, whatever your story is, it is worth sharing. Palacios talked with students after a screening of his bilingual documentary, which follows a small group of Latinx photographers and explores the groups impact on their life and their community in West Marin a rural area of California north of San Francisco. More information about the film can be seen at latinxphotoproject.com. The film also will be shown during the Power of the Arts Set at 10 a.m. Sunday on the Winona State University campus as part of the Frozen River Film Festival. Palacios is also hosting a workshop on sharing your film through PBS later in the day Sunday. Winona Area Public Schools has partnered with the Frozen River Film Festival in the past, bringing both filmmakers to speak with students and also hosting film sets in the high school auditorium. Jed Reisetter, a special education teacher at the high school, is a co-chair of the festivals board. He and managing director Eileen Moeller introduced Palacios. The students took advantage of the opportunity to ask engaging questions of Palacios, including about what he wanted to get out of the film, where he finds his inspiration, and how long the film took to make. Palacios stayed behind afterward and talked to students individually as well. WSHS students have the opportunity to attend the festival for free. More information about the Frozen River Film Festival can be seen at frff.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Putin, Macron to talk over phone on Sat Russian President Vladimir Putin and French President Emmanuel Macron will talk over phone on Saturday, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told the press. "Indeed, [Putin's] call with Macron is planned for tomorrow," he said on Friday evening. A vial of the new children's dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine (that will supply ten doses, once reconstituted) sits in the foreground as children play in a hospital room waiting to be able to receive the vaccine at Hartford Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut on November 2, 2021. British Veteran war cameraman Peter Jouvenal speaks on the phone after he was freed, at his guest house in Kabul November 26, 2004. [Afghan authorities freed a former British soldier and journalist after questioning over his role in efforts to free three U.N. election workers held hostage for nearly a month in Afghanistan.] President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak on Saturday as tension builds over Russian threat to Ukraine. US national security adviser Jake Sullivan warned Americans in Ukraine on Friday to leave within one to two days, spelling out what a Russian attack on the country could look like -- and that civilians could die. Articles Sorry, there are no recent results for popular articles. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia calls on residents of Latvia who are in Ukraine to leave it as soon as possible. The Foreign Ministry's Communications Group told BNS that this recommendation was given, considering the serious threat to Ukraine's security from Russia and the likelihood of an aggravation of the situation on the Russian-Ukrainian border. To leave, the MFA recommends using any available safe means of transport air or land routes leading to or through member countries of the European Union or NATO. Latvians who cannot leave Ukraine for justified reasons must register in a consular register or contact the Latvian Embassy in Kyiv, taking into account the latest information. The Foreign Ministry calls now not to travel to Ukraine. In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sends a situation alert in the form of text messages to all mobile subscribers registered in Latvia who are currently in Ukraine. The ministry reports that the Latvian embassy is working in an enhanced mode. A483 reopens after full closure due to horse on carriageway This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 12th, 2022 Update 9:20am The road has fully reopened. Update 8:30am Traffic Wales have released a rare picture from the A483 cameras that, unlike the A55, are usually kept private. They say, Heavy congestion in the area as the road remains closed. We are still in the process of recovering a Horse safely from the carriageway . Thank you for your patience. Original information below: Police have closed the A483 both ways between the Belgrave junctions and Junction 7 Rossett due to an ongoing incident. Traffic Wales has said the road is closed due to live animal in the carriageway. **Update 07:32** Road remains closed . Diversion Northbound is via #A483 Black circles. https://t.co/LRLTPmfLag Traffic Wales North & Mid #KeepWalesSafe (@TrafficWalesN) February 12, 2022 North Wales Police posted an update on social media at 7.13am, it states: Due to an ongoing incident on the A483 there are closures on the Southbound carriageway at the Belgrave junction and the Northbound carriageway at Junction 7 Rossett . Cheshire and NWP officers are dealing, please use alternative routes. Bread-loving high flyer lands dream job at fast-growing Jones Village Bakery This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 12th, 2022 A fast-growing bakery has hired an industry high flyer to lead its ambitious expansion plans. Lesley Arnot has been appointed as commercial director at the Jones Village Bakery in Wrexham after moving from the worlds biggest bakery company, Grupo Bimbo. Her meteoric rise to the top tier of the UKs food industry began when she was among the first intake on the pioneering graduate scheme at Asda after gaining a classics degree at Newcastle University. From there she moved to Tesco where she worked for nine years in a number of buying roles and was promoted to category buyer manager before crossing the aisle to work in food production with Grupo Bimbo for seven years. A series of swift promotions saw her becoming head of retail in the UK, responsible for 90 per cent of the companys sales in Britain where Grupo Bimbo are best known for their New York Bagels. But she said the opportunity to work with the Jones Village Bakery was one that she could not pass up because of the family firms fantastic reputation in the food industry. She was also incredibly impressed with the way they had bounced back following a devastating fire in 2019 when their flagship bakery was destroyed. Fast forward less than two years and the company, led by managing director Robin Jones and his brother, Christien, the projects director, had built a new, state-of-the art bakery thats four times the size of the one it has replaced. The 140,000 sq ft complex also includes offices, a new Baking Academy to train the next generation of bakers and a gleaming, ultra-modern New Product Development kitchen both of which are twice the size of the original versions. Last year the Jones Village Bakery which has three bakeries on Wrexham Industrial Estate and another up the road in Minera secured extra investment to accelerate its growth plans and create an extra 115 jobs. Ms Arnot, who hails originally from St Albans in Hertfordshire, said: Working with Robin and Christien and the brilliant team of people we have here is fantastic because they are very passionate about what they do and thats very infectious. Its a very exciting business thats growing at a phenomenal rate. The energy behind that is very attractive. I have very much bought into the vision of the Jones family and their growth agenda and I think we will deliver for the business whilst continuing with our fantastic relationship with our customers, as well as growing and developing our relationship elsewhere in the market with multiple retailers and food service channels. The business is agile and dynamic so it can make things happen very quickly and its great to be part of a company that wants to move apace and satisfy customers needs. Its really refreshing to be part of that. Managing director Robin Jones was delighted to welcome Lesley Arnot to the companys senior management team. He said: We are really pleased to have Lesley on board. We had a really thorough selection programme and a wide field of exceptionally talented candidates in which Lesley shone as a rising star in the food industry so we are very lucky to have her. She has bought into the quality-led ethos of the Jones Village Bakery and she will undoubtedly help turbo charge our ambitious growth plans. Lesley has come from the worlds largest bakery and she will help us reach the next level and we are super excited about what we are going to achieve together. Thats also going to be great news for the local economy because our success will generate more jobs and prosperity in Wrexham. Pro-independence march to take place in Wrexham in July This article is old - Published: Saturday, Feb 12th, 2022 A pro-independence march will take place in Wrexham town centre later this year, an rearrangement of the event planned for 2020 before the pandemic hit. The march has been confirmed via the All Under One Banner Cymru organisation which has announced independence marches for 2022. The first march will be held in Wrexham on Saturday 2nd July, with a second march to be held in Cardiff on the 1st October. AUOBCymru described themselves as a voluntary grassroots movement which organises marches calling for independence for Wales, noting they are not affiliated with any other group or political party, but work closely with groups and individuals who share its core beliefs and goals. A spokesperson for AUOBCymru, Llywelyn ap Gwilym, said: Its great to be able to announce these two dates today. Its been a frustrating time since our last march in Merthyr, especially having to cancel the marches planned for 2020 but, if anything, the pandemic has shown just how important it is to be able to make decisions here in Wales, for the benefit of people here in Wales. I cant wait to finally get to Wrecsam its going to be great! Three marches had been planned for 2020, following three what organisers described as hugely successful marches in 2019, but were subsequently cancelled following the outbreak of Covid-19 and ensuing lockdowns. Llywelyn ap Gwilym added: Everyone recognises that the past two years have been incredibly difficult, but one of the really positive developments has been the growth in the number of local groups supporting independence, who are making a real difference in their communities. Were hoping to be able to use these marches to do something similar its been an amazing, joyful experience to hit the streets with others who share our goals but we also want to help make a lasting difference to the places we live and work in, to demonstrate to everyone that independence is the vehicle for a better future. AUOBCymru say they will be releasing details of both marches as they become available, as well as launching a fundraising campaign in order to raise funds for the marches via their website www.auob.cymru. Top pic: AUOBCymru march in 2019. Biden and Putin will talk Saturday as US warns Americans to leave Ukraine in 48 hours over fears of Russian attack Sanctions against Russia to be imposed only if it attacks Ukraine Biden adviser The U.S. administration still advocates the imposition of sanctions against Russia only if the Russian Federation launches an attack on Ukraine, U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Friday. "The President believes that sanctions are intended to deter. And in order for them to work to deter, they have to be set up in a way where if Putin moves, then the costs are imposed," Sullivan said. "We believe that that is the right logic," he added. As reported, some U.S. congressmen insist on imposing part of the prepared sanctions against Russia immediately: regardless of whether there will be an attack on Ukraine. A wave of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus is sweeping through workplaces and factories in Germany. Workers are paying a heavy price. The death toll from the virus in Germany is nearing 120,000. One hundred twenty thousand people have died unnecessarily and too soon, leaving behind sons and daughters, grandchildren, partners, friends, colleagues. Hundreds of thousands more who survive the epidemic risk the chronic effects of Long COVID. Since the pandemic began, the system-relevant industrieshealth care, social services, schools, transportation and logisticshave been particularly hard hit by coronavirus infections. Since the outbreak of the Omicron variant in November, health insurers have been registering increasingly severe outbreaks in private-sector companies, in automotive manufacturing, automotive engineering, metal processing, plastics and rubber production, and in mechanical and industrial engineering. From the beginning of the pandemic onward, few figures on COVID-19 infections made their way into public view. The economy is to be kept running so that profits continue to flow. That is why schools are kept open while the pandemic is allowed to rage unchecked. From the factories filter only single stories, however typical and telling, that enable a glimpse of the virus spread. Workers in a hog slaughter and processing plant (Wikipedia Commons) On January 20, when new daily infections in Germany exceeded 100,000 for the first time, the business newspaper Handelsblatt published a survey of several DAX-listed corporations and smaller companies, concluding that companies are feeling the increase in infection figures pretty much everywherealbeit with varying degrees of intensity. At MN Maschinenbau in Saxony, for example, the sickness rate was rising steadily, and at the end of January, nine out of every 100 employees were absent. Engine manufacturer MTU noted a significant increase in infection figures since the beginning of the year, and the situation was similar at chipmaker Infineon. According to the report, several companies are keeping reserve staff on standby and hiring additional temporary workers to make up for coronavirus absences. This is the case at BMW, for example, as well as at laser specialist Trumpf in Austria and Switzerland. Carmaker Opel in Russelsheim is also hiring a mid-three-digit number of temporary workers through Adecco, WirtschaftsWoche reported. The automaker, now owned by Stellantis, cut several thousand jobs since it was acquired by PSA; 2,100 employees have been terminated just since the beginning of 2020. Now, however, workers are being hired to compensate for shortfalls due to the Omicron wave, as explained by Opel management. In Russelsheim, more people have contracted the coronavirus since the Omicron wave (i.e., since November) than in the whole of last year. At Volkswagen in Wolfsburg, news reached the public on February 8 that the paint shop was ordering renewed shift cancellations as a result of clusters of workers calling in sick due to coronavirus. At VW, it is particularly difficult to obtain information about colleagues who have fallen ill. All reports indicate that an unusually high number of workers have contracted SARS-CoV-2 since the beginning of 2022. According to a study by the insurer AOK, more than 130,000, or 5.5 percent, of the 2.4 million workers insured by AOK Baden-Wurttemberg had sick leave due to a COVID-19 diagnosis between March 2020 and November 2021. Of these, nearly 20 percent fell ill just in the month of November 2021. Without doubt many more workers have contracted the disease since then, in December 2021 and January 2022. In the energy industry, enough workers are falling ill that management is training additional staff, bringing back workers and those recently retired, a spokesman for the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) told the news portal ntv.de. The situation in the slaughterhouses is dire. New coronavirus infections have been on the rise for weeks, especially in the cutting area, where workers toil shoulder-to-shoulder. These are ideal conditions for the virus to spread and workers can do virtually nothing to protect themselves. Here, too, the outbreaks are not made public by alarmed health authorities or the representative NGG trade union, but through the complaints of entrepreneurs afraid for their profits. For example, on January 24, the Federation of Livestock and Meat Producers Associations (VEZG) complained of difficulty meeting the quota for slaughtered pigs because due to a sharp rise in coronavirus infections, there was a shortage of staff in the slaughterhouses, especially in cutting. The Aalen slaughterhouse in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg has been closed since early February due to an undisclosed number of coronavirus infections. There are also new coronavirus outbreaks at the Bamberg slaughterhouse and the Danish Crown cattle slaughterhouse in Husum. As announced on February 1, 120 employees had been infected with the coronavirus at the Husum plant. In the first summer of the pandemic in 2020, Tonnies slaughterhouses in the district of Gutersloh became notorious as coronavirus hotspots. Over 1,500 employees were infected with the coronavirus onsite. At the time, the Social Democrats (SPD) passed a new Occupational Health and Safety Control Act, prompting both the owner, Clemens Tonnies, and the district and state governments to promise to remedy the miserable working and living conditions that led to the outbreak. These were but empty words. Today there are once again reports of coronavirus outbreaks at Tonnies. This was reported on February 2 by the ZDF magazine Frontal, which likewise documented life-threatening violations of occupational health and safety and illegal dismissals in the event of illness. Omicron is raging particularly rampant in the public transport sector. Cities such as Berlin, Leipzig, Hamburg, Augsburg, Chemnitz, Frankfurt am Main are trimming schedules and shutting down routes because of the persistently high level of sick leave. In the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, the cities of Hamm, Remscheid, Monchengladbach, Herne and Castrop-Rauxel, among others, have done likewise in recent days, and the city of Bielefeld has suspended night bus service. In the Rhine-Main region, public transportation in Wiesbaden and Frankfurt has been reduced for days. In Wiesbaden, school bus routes are also affected, resulting in crowdingand increased risk of infectionon the buses still running. On February 7, Redaktions Netzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on a cross-industry flash poll conducted by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce. Of 370 entrepreneurs, one in four described their current staff shortages as considerable. Another 4 percent rated their understaffing as critical. Thirty-one businesses in the health care sector said the impact was significant, while among transportation and logistics companies, the figure was as high as 36 percent. Virtually all businesses expect the situation to worsen. The RND introduced this information with the sentence: The German economy is suffering from the consequences of the current coronavirus wave. This entrepreneurs lament was combined with a demand to the government to shorten quarantine periods. This shows with complete clarity that profit maximization, not public health protection, is at the heart of such considerations. In all of this, no one asks how the workers are faring. According to official figures, more than 11 million people have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 so far, 4 million of them just since the beginning of 2022. In Germany last month, around 5,000 people, 175 per day, paid for the virus with their lives. Yet everything could have been different. If scientific advice had been heeded from the start of the pandemic and a global strategy had been adopted to eliminate the virus, as was done, for example, in the eradication of measles and smallpox, then several million people worldwide could still be alive today. China has shown the way: Unlike most governments, China is pursuing a strategy that repeatedly eliminates the virus through a combination of vaccination, systematic testing, contact tracing and temporary shutdowns. The worlds most populous country, with 1.4 billion people, has recorded fewer than 5,000 deaths and just under 100,000 cases of the disease. Even today, it is still possible to bring the pandemic under control and defeat the deadly disease internationally. However, this is only possible by taking up a fight against the new coalition government in Berlin and their counterparts in all other countries, who are in the process of deliberately mass infecting schools and all of society in the interest of capital. The focus is not on the lives of the people, but on the profit of the capitalist corporations. Unions are also an integral part of this conspiracy to force workers to labour under life-threatening pandemic conditions. They, too, systematically conceal coronavirus outbreaks in the factories and downplay their consequences. The chairman of IG Metall union, Jorg Hofmann, stated that the facts do not support shutting down industry to reduce the number of coronavirus infections. ... Shutting down industry would have the most severe economic consequences. From the start, the service sector union Verdi stated on its website that becoming infected with disease at work is part of the general risk of life. And the teachers union GEW has continuously pushed to keep schools open at all costs. The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (the Socialist Equality Party in Germany) and the World Socialist Web Site call on workers to reject this and to fight the pandemic by organizing independently of the unions into rank-and-file committees. Resistance to the governments mass infection policy is also developing in schools. The youth organization of the Fourth International, the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE), issued a statement calling for the establishment of independent rank-and-file committees. The statement says: A social system that walks over corpses for profits and destroys the health and future of entire generations must be abolished and replaced by a system that gives priority to life over profits. The struggle against the pandemic, like the struggle against social inequality and war, is at its core a struggle against capitalism and for socialism. We call on all our readers to participate in this struggle. Write to us about your experiences with the pandemic so that we at the WSWS can expose the true extent of mass infection. Dame Cressida Dick, Britains most senior police officer, resigned Thursday, hours after telling journalists she had absolutely no intention of quitting. Dick became Metropolitan Police Commissioner in 2017. Her decision was prompted by Labour Party Mayor of London Sadiq Khan telling her he was not satisfied with her plans to address racism, sexism, homophobia, bullying, discrimination and misogyny in the police force, after a recent scandal involving London officers joking about beating their wives, rape and killing black children. Dick issued a statement saying it is clear that the Mayor no longer has sufficient confidence in my leadership to continue. He has left me no choice but to step aside. Cressida Dick (credit: Wikimedia Commons) Khan has pulled the trigger following a build-up of discontent in the ruling class with the Commissioners performance. Dick was an utterly loyal and merciless servant of the British state, who in 2005 led the operation which assassinated an innocent man Jean Charles de Menezes in the aftermath of the July 21 London bombings. She instituted armed foot patrols, was a staunch defender of stop and search and the use of facial recognition systems and led mass arrests of Extinction Rebellion climate protestors. She was also incompetent and a walking public relations disaster. There were very few crises confronted by the Met which she failed to inflame. Her time in charge was epitomised following the murder of Sarah Everard last March by serving Met police officer Wayne Couzens, nicknamed the rapist by his colleagues. The Met responded by suggesting women stopped by plainclothes police officers should challenge them and consider waving down a bus if they didnt feel safe. A vigil held for Everard on Clapham Common was brutally broken up by a police mob, just an hour after Prince Williams wife Kate Middleton had laid flowers at the site in an attempt to ease tensions. Three months later, Dick was personally censured for obstruction in a report into the 1987 murder of Daniel Morgan, which uncovered a cesspit of police corruption. The case was possibly connected with that of Stephen Lawrence, killed in a racist murder in 1993 effectively covered up by the Met. Dick closed the case in August 2020, with three of the killers still at large. In 2012, she had shut down the work of Clive Driscoll who had brought two of the murderers to justice. Each incident has further eroded the tarnished reputation of the Metropolitan Police, a key pillar of the British state, earning Dick the enmity of most of the political establishment. Nazir Afzal, a former chief prosecutor at the Crown Prosecution Service, is quoted in the i newspaper as saying Dicks career was marked by a catalogue of blunders. The paper explains Afzal has spent three decades trying to restore confidence in law and order after allegations of corruption involving several high-profile miscarriages of justice and in the aftermath of Stephen Lawrences murder. He argued last month that Dame Cressida was undoing all that painstaking work. The Daily Mail wrote, By any reasonable measure, her tenure has been a catastrophic failure. She has overseen cover-ups, displayed incompetence and has entrenched public despair and distrust. Even the BBC reported, The career of Cressida Dick has seen her weather a number of storms that would have sunk many others. Allegations relating to an unholy trinity of dishonesty, prejudice and incompetence dogged the Met for almost all of her tenure. Much of the commentary has pointed to Dicks failure to tackle racism and misogyny in the police as the reason for her departure and asks whether her replacement can address deep-seated cultural issues. This is all so much blather. While they would doubtless prefer a less frequently embarrassing operation, few of these commentators are under any illusions about the type of people entrusted with the task of cracking down on protest and the consequences of poverty and social inequality. The real concerns animating the clamour against the former commissioner were summed up by the Guardian s Marina Hyde. Also referring to the partygate scandal gripping Prime Minister Boris Johnsons premiership, she wrote that there is something increasingly dangerous about ordinary people thinking: If I behaved like the prime minister or those police officers, Id be sacked. Trust is the very hardest thing to get back, and trust in the police and in politicians is demonstrably nosediving. Hydes comment echoes Labour leader Sir Keir Starmers invocation of Margaret Thatcher against Johnson last week: The first duty of Government is to uphold the law. If it tries to bob and weave and duck around that duty when its inconvenient, if government does that, then so will the governed. As the Socialist Equality Party explained, Preventing opposition from developing among the governed is the overriding political imperative of both Labour and the Tories. The same applies to the Met. Under conditions in which the UK is helping to spearhead the US war-drive against Russia in Europe and heading into the worst collapse in living standards in recent memory amid an uncontrolled pandemic, the growing feeling in media and political circles was that Dick was not up to the job. The brief for her successor was most bluntly set out in the Daily Mail, whose editorial yesterday demanded, Neededa no-nonsense cop to arrest decline. Those tipped to replace her show what can be expected. The frontrunner, although considered out of favour in Downing Street, is Neil Basu, until recently the head of counter-terror policing. He came to public prominence in 2019 by threatening journalists who publish leaked information with criminal charges. After UK ambassador to the US Sir Kim Darrochs frank assessments of the Trump administration were published in the Mail on Sunday, Basu warned that Counter Terrorism Command would investigate alleged breaches of the Official Secrets Act, telling the leaker, Turn yourself in at the earliest opportunity, explain yourself and face the consequences. He also threatened journalists, The publication of leaked communications, knowing the damage they have caused or are likely to cause may also be a criminal matter. I would advise all owners, editors and publishers of social and mainstream media not to publish leaked government documents that may already be in their possession, or which may be offered to them, and to turn them over to the police or give them back to their rightful owner, Her Majestys Government. The Mail describes Basu as well-liked within the force and by intelligence officials at MI5. Two other possible replacements, Matt Jukes and Mark Rowley, have also served as head of the counter-terrorism unit. Rowley is a frequent contributor to the Tory think-tank, the Policy Exchange. Another candidate, Martin Hewitt, is a former army lieutenant. Simon Byrne, Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, is described by the Guardian as the shock and awe candidate. He caused controversy in 2019 for posting a Christmas Day message on Twitter with a photo of him standing next to machine-gun-wielding officers outside a heavily fortified police station in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. The final decision on the appointment will be made by Home Secretary Priti Patel, who will be looking for someone to enforce her Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill criminalising protest and regime of savage deportations. The Mail reports sources saying she could go abroad for candidates with the senior Tory known to have been scouring Australia for a no-nonsense police chief. As exemplified in the crisis facing the government and now the Met, facing a social explosion the capitalist state is making use of a series of scandals in its upper echelons to prepare for major confrontations with the working class. The US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been running a secret program collecting information on US citizens for decades. The program was not known about by the US courts or Congress, the two branches of government responsible for oversight of the surveillance activity of the agency. This April 13, 2016, file photo shows the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. [Credit: AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File] On Wednesday, a partially declassified letter from Democratic Party Senators Ron Wyden of Oregon and Martin Heinrich of New Mexico to CIA Director William Burns dated April 13, 2021, was released, showing that the secret surveillance program has been operated by the CIA under the authority of an executive order originally issued in 1981 during the Reagan Administration. The letter from the two members of the Senate Intelligence Committee states that the CIA program has been conducted in defiance of congressional efforts that have been expressed over many years and through multiple pieces of legislation, to limit and, in some cases, prohibit the warrantless collection of Americans records, as well as the publics intense interest in and support for these legislative efforts. Furthermore, the senators say, the CIAs secret bulk collection program has been operated entirely outside the statutory framework that Congress, and the public believe govern this collection, and without any of the judicial, congressional or even executive branch oversight that comes with FISA collection, and the nature of this operation has been kept from the public and from Congress. FISA is the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. FISA was passed following revelations of the CIAs abuse of power and the targeting of US citizens for spying by the agency during the Watergate investigation of the Nixon administration. The law established the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and a secretive procedure by which law enforcement and intelligence agencies obtain approval for warrantless surveillance of alleged foreign spies within the US. Warrantless surveillance of US citizens is unconstitutional. While the specific nature of the data being gathered and what the CIA has been doing with this information were redacted from their letter, the senators state that what the American public deserves to know are the nature of the CIAs relationship with its sources and the legal framework for the collection; the kind of records collected [passage redacted] the amount of Americans records maintained; and the rules governing the use, storage, dissemination and queries (including U.S. person queries) of the records. The senators letter explains that the nature and full extent of the CIAs collection was withheld even from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence until the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Boards (PCLOB) Executive Order 12333 Central Intelligence Agency Deep Dive II was issued in March 2021. Wyden and Heinrich then call on CIA Director Burns to declassify the Deep Dive II report as well as the PCLOBs two other EO 12333 reports. The senators do not indicate what these two other reports are about. According to a report in the New York Times, an anonymous intelligence official said the Senate Intelligence Committee did in fact know about the bulk data collection program of the CIA. However, the Times reported that the official said, The Deep Dive II report instead focused on repository and analysis tools for storing and querying that data after its collectionsystems the committee may not previously have been told about. The PCLOB was created by Congress in 2004 at the recommendation of the 9/11 Commission for the stated purpose of establishing an enhanced system of checks and balances to protect the precious liberties that are vital to our way of life. However, the oversight board did nothing for ten years. The PCLOB issued its first report in January 2014, only after the previous years revelations by former intelligence analyst and whistleblower Edward Snowden about the global warrantless electronic surveillance activities of the NSA. In response to the Snowden revelations, the US government claimed it was scaling back the NSA surveillance program with the modifications to the USA Freedom Act, signed into law by Barack Obama on June 2, 2015. While the corporate media and political establishment claimed that the NSA spying operations had been ended, the truth is that revisions were made to the FISA requirements while the bulk collection of electronic communications was left intact. Meanwhile, as the latest revelations make clear, the querying, sifting through and analyzing of the 2015 authorized mass dragnet of dataincluding that of US citizenshas been carried out by the CIA under the authority of Executive Order 12333 without interruption all along. Executive Order 12333 was signed by Ronald Reagan on December 4, 1981. It dramatically expanded the authority of the government to gather information essential to the national security of the United States. The 16-page executive order, which was modified and updated in 2004 and 2008 by the administration of George W. Bush, contains specific details about CIA information collection techniques. The timeframe of four decades is significant in that it corresponds to the turn by the ruling elite to open class war policies driven by the decline of the US as an economic and industrial power. Beginning with the Reagan administration, the attacks on the living standards of the working class were accompanied by a resumption of militarism abroad and a growing assault on democratic rights at home. It is no accident that Executive Order 12333 was passed just four months after Reagan fired the PATCO air traffic controllers who went on strike on August 5, 1981. The attack on democratic right was significantly deepened during the second Bush administration with the passage of the USA Patriot Act following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which were used as a pretext to launch the wars against Afghanistan and Iraq. Of course, electronic information of individualsincluding smartphone voice calls, email messages, text messages, social media activity and locations data among themhas grown exponentially over the past twenty years. And so have the tools and methods of surveillance used by the US government to spy on everyone. Rally in support of the far-right Convoy in Vaughan, on the outskirts of Toronto, Jan. 27. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP) Under mounting pressure from the Biden administration and big business, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a meeting with the leaders of the countrys three opposition parties late Thursday to discuss how to end the far-right occupation of downtown Ottawa - referred to in the media as the Freedom Convoy - and the blockades of three Canada-US border crossings. Indicating that all options, including the deployment of the military to forcibly disperse the blockades, are on the table, Trudeau declared in a statement after the meeting that his government would do whatever it takes. At a Friday afternoon press conference, Trudeau was repeatedly asked whether his Thursday statement meant that plans to deploy the armed forces were being prepared. Trudeau responded by claiming that we are a long way from such a decision, but added, [W]e have to be ready for any eventuality. The political crisis gripping the Trudeau government has intensified dramatically in recent days. The major economic impact in both the United States and Canada of the blockade of the Ambassador Bridge connecting Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, has provoked a growing clamour from big business and the political establishment for the blockades to be brought down and the far-right siege of Ottawa to be ended. Even many sections of the ruling elite that promoted the far-right Convoy and fashioned it into an extra-parliamentary movement to shift politics far to the right are now demanding the Convoy end. There are two principal reasons for this shift. First, they have been successful in their immediate objective of using the far-right Convoy as a bludgeon to ram through the ending of all anti-COVID-19 mitigation measures and to destabilize the Trudeau government, which they deem insufficiently aggressive in imposing capitalist austerity and in pursuing the predatory interests of Canadian imperialism around the world. Over the past week one provincial government after another has announced either the immediate or imminent end of all remaining public health restrictions, despite daily COVID-19 deaths remaining at a near pandemic high. Meanwhile, Theresa Tam, Canadas Chief Officer of Public Health, who serves at Trudeaus pleasure, has endorsed the homicidal claim that COVID-19 must be allowed to run rampant. She recently said that all anti-COVID-19 mitigation measures will need to be re-examined in the coming weeks because this virus isnt going away. The second reason that many of the ruling class elements who only a few days ago were championing the far-right Convoy as the authentic voice of working Joes are now pressing for its end is the adverse economic impact of the border blockades. These include an almost continuous two-week shutdown of the Alberta-Montana border at Coutts, Alberta, and a blockade of the border crossing at Emerson, Manitoba, that began yesterday. Not only are the blockades causing significant short-term losses; they are raising a large question mark over the viability of the cross-border integrated production chains that are so critical to Canadas manufacturing sector. Already Buy American advocates in the US are invoking the blockades as a further argument to reduce the dependence of American plants on Canadian suppliers. The blockade of the Ambassador Bridge has been ongoing since Monday. The bridge carries over $300 million worth of goods on a daily basis, accounting for some 25 percent of Canada-US trade. Auto plants and other manufacturing facilities have been forced to close on both sides of the border due to parts shortages. The Detroit Big Three automakers are in talks with the Biden administration and Trudeau government to end the blockades, while over 70 Canadian business organizations have appealed for urgent and decisive measures to bring down the blockades. Meanwhile, the occupation of downtown Ottawa by Convoy activists entered its third week Friday. The collection of far-right thugs and outright fascists encamped menacingly outside Canadas Parliament building were built up and incited by the official opposition Conservative Party and large sections of the corporate media. They also have received critical political, financial and logistical support from the US far right, beginning with the ex-US president and leader of the failed January 6, 2021 coup attempt, Donald Trump. The occupiers have vowed to remain in place until all COVID-19 restrictions are abolished and called for overthrow of the democratically-elected government and its replacement by a 90-day emergency junta composed of Convoy leaders, the unelected Governor General, and unelected Senate. The major economic impact of the border blockades has caused the Biden administration to openly intervene in the crisis the Convoy has precipitated in Canada. Senior Biden administration officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, held talks with Trudeau government representatives Thursday. At his Friday press conference Trudeau revealed that he had discussed the need to end the blockades in a phone conversation with Biden himself. Mayorkas reportedly urged Canadian officials to use all the federal powers at their disposal to dismantle the blockades forthwith. A White House statement noted that senior administration officials are seized with this issue. At Thursdays all-party leaders meeting, Trudeau urged opposition leaders to unite around a call for the occupation and blockades to end. He also indicated that his government is working on a plan to clear the border crossings and stop the occupation of downtown Ottawa. In a statement released following the meeting, New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh made clear his party would support all measures Trudeau decides to take, up to and including a military deployment. In a gesture of accommodation to the far right he demanded the government outline a plan to end all COVID-19 restrictions. Singh appealed to Trudeau to use every tool available to stop these occupations and announce a plan to get Canadians out of the pandemic. The Conservatives and sections of the right-wing media have been demanding for the past two weeks that Trudeau meet with the Convoy leaders, a move that he has rejected to date. The alternatives open to the federal government are to increase police deployments to Ottawa and the blockaded border crossings in Windsor, Manitoba and Alberta, or call on the military to forcibly remove the far-right activists. All of these options are fraught with considerable political risks for the Liberal government. Any compromise gesture made to the far-right occupiers, such as the abandonment of federal vaccine mandates, would embolden the far right and put their Conservative backers on the political offensive. On the other hand, a violent clash between the strengthened ranks of the police and the occupiers, or the deployment of the military to break up the blockades would create conditions for the Conservatives to paint the far-right elements whom they have blessed as peace-loving patriots as victims of Trudeaus authoritarian leftist regime. Criticism of Trudeaus leadership has been mounting on all sides, with a stream of media commentary openly questioning his future as prime minister and Liberal leader. Earlier Thursday, Conservative interim leader Candice Bergen shifted her position on the occupation and border blockades, which she had previously supported. Speaking in the House of Commons, she declared, I believe the time has come for you to take down the barricades. Bergen tabled a motion, which the opposition Bloc Quebecois has vowed to support, that would require the government to present a plan by the end of February to scrap all remaining public health measures. Speaking as if to the far-right protesters, Bergen declared, Conservatives have heard you, and we will stand up for all Canadians who want to get back to normal life. We will not stop until the mandates have ended. On Friday, Ontario Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency and vowed to end the border blockades and occupation of downtown Ottawa, which he labeled a siege. He pledged to convene cabinet to use legal authorities to urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure. These measures could include fines of up to $100,000 and prison terms of up to a year for occupiers. Ford, who has sought to balance between extending limited support to the occupiers and criticizing the disruption of daily life in Ottawa, also announced his intention to present a plan to lift all remaining COVID-19 measures. However, a faction of the Tories continues to unreservedly back the far-right would-be putschists. On February 2 Erin OToole was unceremoniously dumped as party leader for failing to give full-throated support to the Convoy. Pierre Poilievre, the frontrunner to succeed him, declared Thursday, I am proud of the truckers, and I stand with them. Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has also refused to call on the far-right Convoy supporters to end their occupations. The Canadian convoys have rapidly become a cause celebre in far-right and fascist circles around the world, especially after Trump urged his supporters to emulate it. This weekend a like Convoy is supposed to be launched in California, with its arrival in Washington planned for early March. In France, a Convoy started from various locations Wednesday and is to converge in Paris today. Authorities have vowed to use large-scale police deployments to bar them from entering the French capital. The only progressive solution to the present crisis is through the independent political mobilization of the working class to fight for a global COVID-19 elimination strategy. This requires the building of a mass worker-led movement to overturn the ruling elites homicidal pandemic policies, which have been guided by the principle of protecting corporate profits rather than human life. Absent the political intervention of the working class fighting for a socialist program, the inevitable outcome of the current standoff, however it is resolved, will be a further lurch of Canadian political life to the right, imperiling the most fundamental democratic and social rights of the working class. In an extraordinary outburst in parliament on Thursday, Defence Minister Peter Dutton declared that the opposition Labor Party was guilty of appeasing China, which was seeking to coerce Australia. The Chinese Communist Party has also made a decision about who theyre going to back in the next federal election [due by May], Dutton asserted. They have picked this bloke as their candidate, he shouted, gesturing at Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Dutton speaking to soldiers at the Lavarack Barracks in May 2021 [Credit: Twitter, @PeterDutton_MP] Even in the context of a years-long anti-China campaign, waged by the Liberal-National Coalition, Labor and the corporate media, Duttons statements were unprecedented. One of most senior government leaders effectively accused the opposition party of treason. Duttons comments, quickly backed by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, were a clear attempt to whip up a wartime atmosphere. Such statements recall nothing so much as the government roundups and authoritarian measures directed against enemy residents and anti-war dissenters that accompanied Australian participation in the world wars of the 20th century. The immediate targets of Duttons statement, in the Labor leadership, are fully committed to Australias frontline position in the US war preparations against China, as they have re-emphasised over the past two days. His comments are thus a particular warning of the anti-democratic measures that the government and the ruling class intend to deploy against opponents of imperialist war and the working class as whole. Two elements of the political situation underlay Duttons hysterical intervention. The first is the crisis of the government, which is in meltdown in the lead-up to the election. Not only are its polling results the worst in years, but factional warfare threatens Morrisons leadership and the very survival of the Coalition. The unravelling is being driven by popular anger over the let it rip policies that have resulted in an explosion of COVID infections over the past two months, as well as deep-going hostility to the decades-long pro-business policies implemented by both major parties. Amid the factional infighting, Dutton is coming to ever-greater prominence. He is the government figure most closely identified with authoritarian measures, having headed the powerful Home Affairs ministry before becoming defence minister. He has adopted the image of a soldiers man, downplaying war crimes in Afghanistan, and insisting, in the words of his assistant minister Andrew Hastie, that the militarys core business is the application of lethal force. This core business is now being readied, not against Afghan villagers as before, but some of the worlds largest states, as Australia plays a key role in the US confrontation with China, and backs its provocations against Russia. Duttons comments coincided with a three-day visit by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to Australia. Yesterday Blinken presided over a meeting of the Quad, a de facto military alliance of Australia, the US, Japan and India. In an interview with the Australian, on the very night of Duttons parliamentary outburst, Blinken declared that the US aimed to ready a coalition of states to take on China, which he accused of seeking to dominate the world and establish an illiberal order. Blinken emphasised the importance of AUKUS, a military pact of the US, Australia and Britain unveiled last September, to these plans for conflict. Amid expressions of public shock over Duttons remarks, he doubled down. On Friday, Dutton insisted that his allegations against Labor were based on the facts, as contained in unspecified open source and other intelligence that he had seen. Open source means publicly available, but Dutton did not specify what he was referring to. Dutton was also hinting at the annual report released by the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), the domestic spy agency, on Wednesday. ASIO director Mike Burgess said it had unveiled a foreign interference plot. A wealthy individual, dubbed the puppeteer, had hired another individual and provided them with funds to secretly shap[e] the political landscape in Australia, including through some sort of interference in an election. But Burgess reported that ASIO had saved the day, foiling the mysterious plan before it had accomplished a single thing. Burgesss story would have been given a fail were it a primary school homework assignment. The spy chief neglected such essential plot elements as who, what and when. The why and how were exceedingly sketchy too. It was not even clear whether the election referenced was the forthcoming federal ballot, or some other poll. Such minor details as the identity and nationality of the participants were not stated. Nor was it explained why, if they had engaged in the conduct alluded to, they were not in custody or facing criminal charges. In 2018, Labor and the Coalition joined hands to pass sweeping foreign interference laws, in line with a McCarthyite campaign targeting China. The legislation potentially criminalises a wide gamut of activities, including anti-war activism conducted alongside an international organisation. Despite the far-reaching provisions, intended to illegalise activities that fall short of spying, they have not been used in a single successful prosecution. Supposed cases of foreign interference, announced with blaring media headlines, have generally not met the basic legal threshold. For the past several years, ASIOs annual report has contained similar tales of thwarted operations. Uninterested in essential facts, and anxious to align with the war drive, the media joined Dutton in trumpeting Burgesss vague story. In a breathless report on Thursday, the state-funded Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) revealed that the puppeteer was likely a Russian with close links to President Vladimir Putins regime. The information was confirmed because unnamed intelligence sources had told the ABC that it was so. But on Friday, the ABC and Nine Media declared that the culprit was actually Chinese. An ABC headline announced China behind failed attempt to bankroll Labor candidates in federal election. This new version of the story, contradicting that of the previous day, was also confirmed. In a court of law, providing multiple conflicting accounts of an event would amount to perjury. For the intelligence agencies and their media mouthpieces, it is all in a days work. Conveniently for Dutton, the ironed-out version of the ASIO tale conformed directly to the allegations he had made in parliament the previous day. To describe Labors response to the accusations of treason as spineless would be a gross understatement. Albanese lamented that Duttons comments were not in the national interest, while insisting on his partys full alignment with the US military build-up and provocations against China. In a private meeting with Blinken, Albanese demonstrated his commitment to the Australian alliance with the US by giving his full backing the new AUKUS pact that also involves the UK, as well as the provision of nuclear-powered submarines to Australia. Other Labor figures sought to outdo Dutton in a perverse witch-hunting competition, pointing to Chinese donors to the Liberal Party. The entire political establishment is on board with the war drive. A minority faction of the ruling elite occasionally has voiced concern over the economic implications of Australia participating in a war against its largest trading partner, China. But this layer increasingly has been sidelined. That factions statements are always framed from the standpoint of defending Australian capitalism. They frequently go in the direction of advocating an even greater expansion of the Australian military, to buttress a supposedly more independent foreign policy within the framework of the US alliance. Workers and youth must reject the attempts of both the Coalition and Labor to whip up a wartime atmosphere. A political struggle must be waged to build an international anti-war movement of the working class, to prevent a catastrophic war. Such a movement must be international, independent of all the official parties and based on a socialist program directed against the source of conflict, the capitalist system. In a futile attempt to wash responsibility for millions of COVID-19 deaths from his hands, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday in parliament blamed opposition parties for spreading COVID-19 to rural areas. Indian Prime Minister Modi of the BJP (Source: Wikipedia) Modi attacked the Congress Party in particular for committing a Paap (sin) by instigat[ing] migrants to defy Covid lockdown. He blamed Congress for giving free train tickets to migrant workers to leave Mumbai, after the national coronavirus lockdown announced by Modi on March 24, 2020. Mumbai, Indias financial capital, is located in the state of Maharashtra, ruled by the fascistic Shiv Sena-led alliance in which the Congress is a partner. Modi also attacked the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which rules the National Capital Territory of Delhi, for having provided them [migrants] with buses to leave Delhi. As a result, Modi said, Covid spread rapidly in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. While COVID-19 clearly spread to rural India when migrant workers from the cities returned to their villages, Modis statements are drenched in hypocrisy. In response to mass public concern and anger at the pandemic in March 2020, Modi suddenly announced a month-long, countrywide lockdown. He announced it, however, with only four hours notice, with the same complete contempt for the well-being of Indias workers and rural toilers that led him to keep workers at work during the Delta variant wave last year that claimed millions of lives. In March 2020, however, the entire Indian ruling elite led by Modi abandoned workers to their fate as they made dangerous trips home. Neither Modis Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP), nor Congress nor the AAP provided social supportwage support during the lockdown, or distributing food and medical suppliesthat would have allowed workers to remain safely in the cities. The BJP, Congress, the AAP and Indias other bourgeois parties bear political responsibility for the criminal policies that were implemented and the mass death that followed. Maharashtra and then Delhi became epicentres of Indias COVID-19 pandemic. Delhi saw horrible scenes of makeshift funeral pyres on road sides as cemeteries ran out of space; panic searches for hospital beds and ventilators, and patients struggling with running out of medical oxygen last year. With 143,155, or 28 percent, of Indias highly undercounted official COVID-19 deaths, Maharashtra has suffered the most recorded COVID-19 deaths of any Indian state. Modi is not attacking Congress and the AAP, which has links to Indias Stalinist parties, because they criminally abandoned hundreds of millions migrants to their own fate. Indeed, Modis central government itself bears the principal responsibility for washing its hands of the fate of Indias workers and rural masses. Modi's ill-prepared lockdown triggered a massive humanitarian crisis, plunging hundreds of millions of migrant workers into misery. Facing joblessness and with no proper food, medicine and shelter coming from the government, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers had no other option but to flee back to their villages, thousands of kilometres away. Thousands had to walk on foot and hundreds died of hunger or were run over by passing trains as they slept. Ultimately, authorities stopped migrant workers from leaving urban areas and dragged them into makeshift shelters without proper medical attention, food or water. They largely had to depend on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), other voluntary groups and individuals for food and medical support. This indifference of Modi and the Indian ruling class for the poor was further exposed when the government admitted that it did not have any data on how many migrant workers lost their jobs or their lives during the lockdown, or how many died in the pandemic. The Ministry of Labour and Employment in September 2020 informed the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indias parliament, that no such data is maintained. So much for their posturing about concern for working people! By cynically denouncing the lockdowns effects, and blaming them exclusively on his political rivals, Modi is trying to justify the policy of mass infection that his government and other capitalist governments internationally are now pursuing. Modi acts with utter contempt for the death toll, which, according to independent research, is at least eight times higher than the official death toll of 507,208 in India. Questioned on February 7 in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, government officials said they had no information on the number of dead bodies floating in the Ganges River during the peak of the COVID-19 wave in May last year. Masses of corpses of COVID-19 victims were dumped in the river, by the relatives of the deceased who could not afford funerals. Likewise, last July, the Health Ministry informed the parliament that it had no data on COVID-19 deaths due to medical oxygen shortages, which claimed countless lives last year. Today, hundreds die of COVID-19 every single day in India. On February 9, India reported 1,217 COVID-19 deaths in 24 hours, and the seven-day average of daily deaths stood at 1,044. Nevertheless, the Indian government and media once again are parroting the lie that the situation is returning to normal. On February 9, India registered 71,365 new cases, putting the overall infection count at 42.41 million. Superficially, this shows a significant reduction of daily infections compared to a week ago, when India registered 161,386 daily cases. The fall in cases corresponds, however, to a fall in testing over the same period, to 1.57 million tests from 1.74 million on February 2. The government hides this to hide the true state of affairs. Based on these manipulated numbers, the government is pressing ahead with abandoning even limited COVID-19 restrictions and reopening schools. The BJP state government of Assam will withdraw all COVID-19 restrictions from February 15, BJP Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said Monday, citing a sharp decline in new cases over the past two weeks. There will be no night curfew, and shopping malls and cinema halls can function at full capacity, he said, adding that weddings could be held so long as guests are double vaccinated. The same is occurring in Haryana on February 10; on February 7, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala and Delhi reopened schools for higher classes and Bihar for all students. Abandoning all restrictions as the highly infectious Omicron variant spreads continues Modis criminal herd immunity policy of letting the virus rip through the population unchecked. This will result in a massive spike of infections and deaths in coming days. In recent days, Modi has also repeatedly boasted of higher vaccination rates in India to imply that his government has resolved the pandemic. In reality, India has fully vaccinated only 52.43 percent of its population, leaving hundreds of millions totally unprotected from the virus. Only 2 percent of the fully vaccinated population has received a recommended booster shot. Nevertheless, Modi drastically cut the budget for pan-India vaccinations from 350 billion rupees (US$4.6 billion) in 202122 to 50 billion rupees ($669 million) in 202223. The Health Ministrys budget fell 7 percent in real terms. Moreover, the share of health spending in the total Indian budget fell from 2.35 percent last year to 2.26 percent. This makes clear that the ruling elite protects not the well-being of the Indian people, but the profit interests of a handful of the super-rich. Mars-Wrigley has announced the closing of its long-established west side Chicago chocolate factory. Over the next two years, production will be ramped down until the plant closes its doors. Built and operated since 1928, the factory has earned praise from architects for its Spanish design style and has been noted by historians for its role in Chicago's industrialization. Mars, Inc. candy factory in Chicago, IL (Credit: Glassdoor) Mars-Wrigley has said that it will donate the factory for the use of the community. However, it said nothing of the fate of the 280 factory workers that the company will be laying off and forcing into financial peril. As reported in the Chicago Tribune, a Mars-Wrigley spokesperson said only that workers are encouraged to explore the opportunities to apply for open roles across our network, specifically in the Chicago area. In other words, workers are left to fend for themselves to bid on open positions in the company, look for employment elsewhere, or face unemployment. The factorys closure is a further step in the restructuring of the companys US operations as it winds up operations in Chicago. In 2017, Mars-Wrigley moved its US headquarters out of Chicago to New Jersey, a decision made following Mars $23 billion acquisition of Wrigley in 2008. While the company has not explained the decision to close the factory, it is not for lack of profits. Mars-Wrigley reported net sales of $20 billion worldwide in 2020 and controlled an estimated 27.2 percent of the two hundred-billion-dollar confectionery market, according to Statista. However, the process seems likely to continue. The Chicago Tribune reported that an email sent out by a Mars-Wrigley spokesperson earlier this week noted that workers were informed yesterday of the decision to move the majority of operations to other facilities in the U.S. over the next two years. The loss of the factory and its jobs will severely impact the Chicago West Side Austin neighborhood. However, it cannot be seen separate from the deindustrialization of vast areas of the US, including Chicago, which were once booming centers of industry. Known for its meat processing and steel plants, Chicago was once also considered the Candy Capital of the World. In Chicago, like Detroit, Gary, Indiana, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, historic centers of manufacturing were devastated starting in the late 1970s and the process accelerated into the 1980s and 90s. Wall Street's offensive through austerity measures against the working class has been overseen by successive Democratic city administrations in Chicago, who, except perhaps for their gender and ethnicity, have differed little from each other, all sharing a deep hostility to the interests of workers. As in many working class West and South Side Chicago communities, Austin has experienced the economic effects of deindustrialization as seen in demographic data compiled by the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning from the 2020 Census and 20152019 American Community Survey five-year estimates. The population of this area fell by 17.8 percent, from 117,527 residents in 2000 to 96,557 in 2020. The median household income declined even more drastically, falling from $51,534 in 2000 to just $33,515 in 2019, with 39 percent of households earning less than $25,000 a year. Chicago politicians are looking to offset manufacturers leaving the city by offering tax incentives and private upscale development contracts that are publicly funded to entice corporations and businesses to stay or return to the city. Some claim that replacing manufacturing with these jobs has produced economic growth over the past several years. However, these corporate handouts have not benefited the working class neighborhoods blighted by deindustrialization. Rather, they have further accentuated the stark class divide between the citys working class neighborhoods and the booming Lakeshore and Gold Coast areas downtown, home to corporate services like law, finance, real estate, tourism, public relations, and advertising that now fill downtown high-rises towers. At the same time, working class neighborhoods on the south and west sides of the city are desolate, often lacking basic accommodations like grocery stores. In contrast to Austin, the median income in the downtown Loop area increased from $99,704 in 2000 to $108,676 in 2019. The closure of the Mars-Wrigley Chicago factory is another blow to the working class that will further exacerbate the social ills attendant on declining living standards. It is another reminder that there are two Chicagos: one of the capitalist class and the wealthy upper middle class, and the other of the struggling working class, increasingly being deprived of even the most minimal means of subsistence. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky has stated the importance of preparing all structures of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prevent destabilization within the country. "We understand that any offensive, any occupation begins with destabilization within the state, with the work of sabotage-reconnaissance groups," he said in Kherson region on Saturday. Zelensky noted that special exercises of the Interior Ministry units on the border with the temporarily occupied Crimea, which are currently underway, are dedicated to this. "Today we see that everything is working out perfectly. In the coming days it will continue In parallel, we will hold military exercises," he said. Answering a journalist's question about the threat of destabilization within the country, the President said: "Such 'surprises' [internal unrest] can be. We must rely on our strength. We understand that such things may happen without warning, so the most important thing is that we are ready for anything. And that's what we're doing." At the same time, Zelensky noted the appropriate training of specialists: "I think that our specialists, our ministries, our military are at a very serious level. This is the level they demonstrated today." He also recalled that an off-site meeting of the National Security and Defense Council was held in Kharkiv the day before. "We are not afraid of anyone, do not panic, everything is under control," the head of state assured. Zelensky watched special exercises of the Interior Ministry units on the border with the temporarily occupied Crimea on Saturday in Kherson region. Amid the intensifying US-NATO build-up to a potentially catastrophic war with Russia, New Zealands Labour-Green Party government has positioned itself firmly on the side of the countrys imperialist allies. Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said in a January 26 statement the government strongly supported Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity. Mahuta declared: We call on Russia to act in a manner consistent with international law and to take immediate steps to reduce tensions and the risk of a severe miscalculation. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told a media conference that the government was deeply concerned and recognised the need to further reinforce the sovereignty of Ukraine. New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern answers a question during a press conference at Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand. (Robert Kitchin/Pool Photo via AP) Mahuta said New Zealand is in contact with our international partners on the situation, and strongly supports international efforts to resolve the crisis diplomatically. Operating from the same playbook as the US Biden administration and NATO, however, Mahuta made it clear that the government identifies Russia as the aggressor, decrying the continuing and unprecedented build-up of Russian military forces on its border with Ukraine. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade earlier warned that New Zealand citizens in Ukraine should consider leaving, as the situation was highly volatile with security conditions ready to change at short notice. The Russian Embassy in Wellington insisted that Russia was following international law and had no plans to invade Ukraine. Russian troops are carrying out manoeuvres strictly in the national territory in full compliance with international rules, and, as was repeatedly confirmed, have no intention to invade anyone, the embassy said. NATO, with the US and UK taking the lead, is ramping up war preparations, delivering Javelin missiles and other weaponry to the Ukrainian army while stationing thousands of troops on Russias borders. The war drive did not start in the Kremlin but, as the WSWS has pointed out, by an utterly toxic mixture of deranged geopolitical ambitions and insoluble internal crisis of the imperialist powers, accelerated by the COVID pandemic. New Zealand is under growing pressure from its partners in the Five Eyes intelligence sharing network, including the US and Australia, to take a more adversarial position toward both Moscow and Beijing. A Ministry of Defence strategic assessment released in December devoted a section to Russia, alleging it was undermining the international rules-based system and frustrating collective actions on a range of important issues. Such rules are those set and enforced by Washington, designed to maintain its own global hegemony. With the current crisis escalating, New Zealands foreign policy establishment has fallen into line. Victoria University Professor of Strategic Studies, Robert Ayson, told Radio NZ: New Zealand does have an interest in having a strong United States committed to supporting other democraciesNew Zealand wants the EU to work, you want NATO to work. You want Europe to be confident. Do we want a world where the strong bully the weak? In this upside-down world, Ayson presented Ukraine, with a government installed in a US-engineered regime-change operation in 2014, and infested with fascists, as a beacon of democracy. Russia meanwhile, surrounded by hostile troops with advanced offensive weaponry, was accused of challenging the rules of the UN Charter that states may not use force except for in self-defence. Ayson said Russias increased troop presence was one of the largest build-ups in Europe since World War II, evoking tragic memories of what happened 70 years ago. Russian President Putin, Ayson charged, wants a greater Russia with Imperial kind of aspirations. A Russia that is the dominant European power. Yet it was the Soviet Union that was invaded by German imperialism in 1941, as the Nazis sought to redraw the map of Europe. While New Zealand may not be in a position to send troops, Ayson observed, I think this is one of our us too moments, youre showing a concrete sense of unity with our partners. This could include placing travel restrictions on Putins mates and helping with humanitarian distress in Ukraine in the event of an invasion. An op-ed in Stuff on January 28 asked: Russia may invade Ukraine. Whats at stake for New Zealand? Reporter Thomas Manch trotted out the lies perpetrated by the international media, declaring that Putin was ready to pull the trigger. He falsely claimed that Washington had no malign intent, declaring: US President Joe Biden has ruled out deploying US troops to Ukraine in response to an invasion. An embedded video of US NATO ambassador Julianne Smith in the same article showed her warning that an invasion would have dire, serious or massive consequences, principally economic, for Putin. In fact, the White House is already applying pressure on its allies and partners to impose significant sanctions on Russia as a prelude to armed conflict. Playing a critical role in the propaganda campaign are the pro-imperialist sections of New Zealands pseudo-left. The International Socialist Organisation (ISO) has posted articles on its Facebook page depicting Ukraine as an innocent party caught in the crosshairs between US imperialism on the one hand and aggressive Russian imperialism, ready to invade, on the other. The ISO shared material from International Viewpoint, a publication which, as the WSWS noted, has a long record of lining up behind humanitarian imperialist interventions. It is currently calling for Western troops to enter Ukraine, under the guise of a UN peacekeeping contingent in the Donbas. The WSWS pointed out that the false designation of Russia and China as imperialist serves to diminish the central and decisive global counterrevolutionary role of American, European and Japanese imperialism, thereby facilitating the pseudo-lefts active collaboration with the United States in regime-change operations, such as in Syria. Indeed, in October 2016 New Zealands pseudo-left groupsSocialist Aotearoa, Fightback and the ISOheld protests denouncing Russian intervention in Syria, and blaming Moscow, not the US, for the mass destruction and carnage in that country. The Wellington protest was held outside the Russian embassy, echoing a call by then British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson for demonstrations at the Russian embassy in London, calculated to whip up support for Washingtons agenda. Also coming forward to demonise Russia is the pro-government Daily Blog, a collection of liberal, trade union and pseudo-left commentators. In his outlook for 2022 at the beginning of January, the blogs editor Martyn Bradbury predicted that Putin might invade Ukraine after the Winter Olympics so that Xi can crack down on Hong Kong at the same time. In a January 23 post, Bradbury intoned that New Zealand should not get dragged into this madness. The conception that the country can remain outside escalating global conflicts is absurd. As a minor imperialist power, New Zealand has participated in wars for over a century, attaching itself to Britain and the US, in return for their support for NZs colonial dominance over parts of the South Pacific. Today, what is emerging is not a localised conflict but a devastating war involving the US, Europe, Russia and Chinaall of them nuclear armed. Next month will mark two years since the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. This grim milestone approaches as the spread of the Omicron variant has propelled a sharp rise in infections, hospitalizations and deaths throughout the world. In just the first six weeks of 2022, there have been more than 100 million reported cases of COVID-19 globally, nearly half the number of reported cases in all of 2021. More than 350,000 people have died. If this rate continues through the remainder of the year, more than 3 million people will die from the coronavirus in 2022, compared to 2.5 million in 2021 and just over 2 million in 2020. And this is according to official figures, which far understate the reality of infections and deaths. In the United States, which remains the epicenter of the pandemic, more than 2,600 people are dying every day, according to the BNO trackers 7-day average, a level that is higher than all but a few weeks during the winter of 2020-2021. Hospitals throughout much of the country remain overwhelmed. While daily reported cases have fallen from their Omicron peak in mid-January, they are still higher than at any other point since January 2021. The state of the pandemic in its third year raises critical questions of perspective in combatting the virus. Nurses on the picket line at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester, Massachusetts [Credit: MNA Facebook] Six months ago, in August of 2021, prior to the emergence of the Omicron variant, the World Socialist Web Site published a statement outlining the three basic strategies that have been advanced in response to the coronavirus pandemic: herd immunity, mitigation and elimination-eradication. The first strategy, herd immunity, we explained, is the bogus claim that the rapid spread of the virus among the younger and hardier sections of the population will create a human shield around the most vulnerable. According to the proponents of herd immunity, infection is to be encouraged, as it creates immunity in the population and will eventually bring the virus under control. This program of deliberate mass infection was implemented most aggressively in the US under the Donald Trump, in Brazil under Jair Bolsonaro and in the UK under Boris Johnson. The catastrophic loss of life over the past two years in these countriesled by the US, with more than 900,000 deadhas exposed the herd immunity strategy as a homicidal and criminally insane policy of mass death. The second strategy, mitigation, we wrote, proposes an amorphous collection of measures that tries to negotiate between the realities of the virus and the financial interests of the ruling elites. The mitigationists argued that the virus can be contained and the pandemic brought to an end through masking, social distancing, testing, vaccination and other measures. As one variant of the mitigation strategy, the statement pointed to the Biden administrations claim that the pandemic could be ended through vaccination and masking alone. The emergence of the Omicron variant, however, has been used by the political establishment of all the major capitalist countries to justify abandoning any pretense of a policy even of mitigation. This has been done under the pretext that Omicron is mild, that the infection of tens of millions of people is increasing population immunity and, most recently, that it has led to a situation where COVID-19 is endemica term that is used widely without any scientific basis. In Sweden, the home of the herd immunity strategy (Swedish Model), the few remaining pandemic restrictions were scrapped on Wednesday, and even most testing for COVID-19 has been ended. On the same day, the UK government of Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that laws requiring infected individuals to self-isolate will likely be lifted by the end of this month. The government of Denmark announced earlier this month that it was no longer treating COVID-19 as a societally critical disease, despite the fact that, driven by the more dangerous strain of Omicron, BA.2, new cases in Denmark are far above their previous records, and average daily deaths are rapidly approaching the peak from early 2021. Italy and Spain are ending outdoor mask mandates, and Switzerland is removing vaccine requirements as soon as next week. In the United States, Democratic state governors, under the guidance of the Biden administration, are ending mask requirements in schools and other regulations, bringing their policy into line with what has already been in place in most Republican-controlled states. Californias Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that the state will transition to an endemic strategy, by which he means that COVID-19 will now be treated like the common cold or flu. As a component part of ending restrictions, the US and other countries are moving toward ending or undermining reporting mechanisms that allow for an accurate tracking of cases and deaths. To justify a position that no further measures are required to contain viral transmission, the corporate media now regularly publishes articles asserting that COVID-19 has become endemic. Such assertions have absolutely nothing to do with scientific fact, let alone public health. Writing in Nature magazine last month, infectious disease expert Aris Katzourakis, a professor of zoology at Oxford University, noted that the word endemic has become one of the most misused of the pandemic. Not only is an endemic infection one in which overall case rates are static and predictablewhich is clearly not the case with COVID-19determining that a virus is endemic has nothing to do with declaring that the danger has passed. A disease can be endemic and both widespread and deadly, Katzourakis wrote. Malaria [which is considered endemic] killed more than 600,000 people in 2020. Ten million fell ill with tuberculosis that same year and 1.5 million died. Endemic certainly does not mean that evolution has somehow tamed a pathogen so that life simply returns to normal. The proponents of the let it rip, new normal and endemic strategy ignore certain basic facts: that the global death toll is close to its highest level on record and rising sharply; that while Omicron may be less severe for many of those who are vaccinated, it is still a serious and deadly illness, particularly for the elderly and immunocompromised; that much of the worlds population is still unvaccinated, including most children; and that, so long as viral transmission continues, there is a perpetual evolutionary pressure for the emergence of new, more virulent and vaccine-resistant variants. Underscoring the latter point, the World Health Organizations chief scientist, Soumya Swaminathan, warned yesterday: We have seen the virus evolve, mutate so we know there will be more variants, more variants of concern, so we are not at the end of the pandemic. Finally, none of the new proponents of mass infection acknowledge the still little understood long-term consequences of contracting the virus. A report in Science this week found that individuals infected with COVID-19even if they were not hospitalizedhad, one year later, a substantially increased risk of heart and vessel maladies, including heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrest. Eric Topol, a cardiologist at Scripps Research, called the findings stunning. If anybody ever thought that COVID was like the flu this should be one of the most powerful data sets to point out its not. How many additional people will die from heart disease and other consequences of Long COVID over the coming years when millions of people are contracting the virus every single day? There is little historical precedent for such a situation. In the face of mass infection and death, the representatives of all the major capitalist countries are simply declaring: Enough! This is the new normal. Accept it. Get back to work, get back to school, and stop complaining. The open and unabashed embrace of mass infection by all the major governments has no doubt shocked many principled scientists and epidemiologists, including those who advocated for strong mitigation measures. The basic fallacy in their approach has been to treat the pandemic primarily as a medical issue. The collapse of the mitigation strategy, however, exposes in the most direct way that the fight against the pandemic is a class question, which can be resolved only through the methods of social struggle. The catastrophic pandemic policy throughout the past two years has not been the product of mistakes. The pandemic was used by the ruling class to hand out trillions of dollars to the markets, all of which must be paid for through the exploitation of workers who have to be back on the job. The necessary measures that could and still can be implemented to stop the pandemic have been rejected because they cut across this social and economic imperative. Explaining the bankruptcy of the mitigationist policy, the WSWS wrote last August: Mitigation is to epidemiology what reformism is to capitalist politics. Just as the reformist harbors the hope that gradual and piecemeal reforms will, over time, lessen and ameliorate the evils of the profit system, the mitigationists nourish the delusion that COVID-19 will eventually evolve into something no more harmful than the common cold. This is a pipe dream totally divorced from the science of the pandemic. As it is impossible to negotiate with the virus, so it is impossible to negotiate with the ruling class. On the part of the Biden administration, the pretense of attempting to reform the pandemic through mitigationist measures has collapsed along with the pretense that it would implement a policy of social reform in general. Its effective embrace of herd immunity is of a piece with its program of war and reaction. They are different expressions of the same class intereststhe interests of the corporate and financial oligarchy. As the WSWS has insisted, the alternative to herd immunity is not mitigation but elimination-eradication, which, we explained in August, entails the universal deployment of every weapon in the arsenal of measures to combat COVID-19, coordinated on a global scale, to stamp out the virus once and for all. Mitigation measures are necessary, but the pandemic can be brought to an end only to the extent that they are combined with a broader global strategy aimed at eliminating the virus. All claims that such a policy is impossible and unviable are refuted both by historical experienceincluding the successful eradication of smallpoxand the example of China. China, the most populous country in the world, has shown that it is possible to contain COVID-19 through a Zero COVID policy, utilizing the methods that have long been employed as part of basic public health policy. The implementation of a strategy of global elimination, however, must be rooted in the working class. The experience of the past two years has produced an enormous wellspring of social anger among millions of workers throughout the world. This is now intersecting with growing opposition to inequality, exploitation and the massive social and economic dislocation that has been produced by the ruling classs response to the pandemic. In the third year of the pandemic, the fight for the global elimination of COVID-19 must be connected to a mass social, political and revolutionary movement of the working class, which has as its aim the complete restructuring of social and economic life. At its most fundamental level, the pandemic has exposed the bankruptcy of capitalism and, therefore, the necessity for socialism. The foreign ministers of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue or Quad, a quasi-alliance of the US, Japan, India and Australia, met yesterday in Melbourne amid the mounting danger of a US-triggered war with Russia over the Ukraine. Under the smokescreen of allegations of Russian aggression, the Biden administration is accelerating its dispatch of US troops to Eastern Europe and provision of advanced weaponry to the Ukrainian government. At the same time, the US is continuing to menace China, including through the staging of naval war games in waters off the Chinese mainland. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken used the Quad meeting to once again accuse Russia of an imminent invasion of Ukraine. In a joint media conference after the meeting, he branded Russias military threats as a challenge to the rules-based order and declared that it mattered to the Quad, even through the Ukraine was half a world away. Secretary of State Antony Blinken speaks to the media after a closed-door morning session of US-China talks in Anchorage, Alaska on Friday, March 19, 2021 [Credit: Frederic J. Brown/Pool via AP] Blinken hypocritically declared that he was standing for very basic principles like one country cant simply dictate to another its choices, its policies, [or] with whom it will associate. It is US imperialism, not Russia or China, that has repeatedly resorted to military force and illegal invasions over the past three decades to prop up the post-World War II rules-based order in which Washington dictates the international rules to meet its interests. Significantly, the joint statement did not mention the Ukraine. Moreover, in the joint press conference, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, unlike Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, refused to endorse Blinkens attack on Russia. Jaishankar dodged the issue by declaring that the Quad was for something, not against someone. He said it was focussed on the Indo-Pacific region and referred to Indias position, elaborated in the UN Security Council earlier in the month. At the UN, India declared that the security interests of all countriesthat is, including Russiahad to be addressed and called for a peaceful resolution to the confrontation over Ukraine. Moscow has repeatedly called for security assurances that Ukraine not be permitted to join NATO, putting NATO on Russias border. The US has refused point blank to offer such a guarantee and instead is exploiting the crisis to justify its military build-up in Eastern Europe. The failure of the Quad to concur over Ukraine did not stop the four powers from targeting China, despite the Indian ministers claim that the grouping was not directed against anyone. The Biden administration elevated the status of the Quad by convening the first-ever leaders summit last September in Washington, as part of its strengthening of US alliances and partnerships against Beijing. In an interview with the Australian, Blinken openly expressed the fear that China would eclipse the United States, declaring: Theres little doubt that Chinas ambition over time is to be the leading military, economic, diplomatic and political power not just in the region but in the world. But, he added, highlighting Washingtons aims at the Quad meeting, the US and its allies were a more formidable coalition than the emerging China-Russia alignment. While posturing as the defender of liberal values against the illiberalism of China and Russia, Blinken blurted out that Washingtons real goal was to bring together literally dozens of allies and partners through NATO, through the EU, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and, of course, here in the Indo-Pacific, with our closest allies, whether its Australia, Japan, South Korea against Beijing and Moscow. The US secretary of state boasted that we are constantly putting new coalitions, new partnerships, together, whether its the Quad or AUKUS. The US, Britain and Australia announced the formation of the AUKUS pact last September in another move that was aimed against Chinaan alliance that included the arming of Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. While the acquisition of the submarines has been mooted as decades away, Blinken in his interview said the Biden administration was determined to find a way for Australia to get nuclear-propelled submarines as soon as possible. There is nothing defensive about Australia acquiring nuclear-powered attack submarines. Their only purpose is work alongside the US Navy in the event of a war against, or a blockade of, China. Blinken added that AUKUS was about much more than submarines. It included collaborating on critical technologies and building supply chain resiliencethat is, ensuring key supplies in the event of war. He said the US and Australia already had a comprehensive and extensive security partnership before AUKUS. This alliance has greatly intensified over the past decade to include critical basing arrangements that turn Australia into a vital platform for the US military in any conflict with China. The joint statement issued from the Quad meeting was replete with platitudes about the collaboration of the four countries in providing COVID-19 vaccines to the Indo-Pacific region and sending disaster aid to Tonga after its huge volcanic eruption. These are initiatives aimed at countering Chinese influence. The statement also expressed concerns about the crisis in Myanmar, without condemning the military junta, and about North Koreas missile tests. Even though China was not named, the central thrust of the meeting was undoubtedly directed against Beijing. Greg Sheridan, foreign editor for the Australian, put the matter bluntly in his comment today, entitled Quads unity puts China on notice. He wrote: Everyone knows that the Quad is designed to make sure that Beijing cannot exercise hegemony over a large part of the Indo-Pacific. Sheridan, who is well-connected in Washington, is parroting its propaganda. The US accuses China of expansionism in the South China Sea and aggression toward Taiwan, but it is the US that, in the name of freedom of navigation, continues to escalate its naval provocations in the South China and East China Seas in waters vital to Chinese security. The Quad likewise proclaimed the need to advance a free and open Indo-Pacific, adding: We reiterate the importance of adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the South and East China Seas. Significantly, in its invocation of UNCLOS, the Quad neglected to point out that one of those sitting around the tablenamely the United Stateshas not ratified the UN Convention because it conflicts with its own maritime interests. The Quad meeting demonstrates once again the accelerating pace of US war preparations. It is pushing Russia to the brink of war in Eastern Europe while continuing its war drive against Chinaall fuelled by a deepening economic, social and political crisis at home. The danger is that regardless of how a conflict starts, it will rapidly expand to engulf the world. On Thursday evening, Colombo district courts issued an enjoining order against Government Nursing Officers Association (GNOA) President Saman Rathnapriya, directing him to immediately suspend the unions involvement in ongoing indefinite strike action by tens of thousands of health workers. The judiciary will issue its final decision on the order on February 24 and has told Rathnapriya to appear in court on that day. The GNOA, which has about 20,000 members, is one of 18 unions involved in the Federation of Health Professionals national strike that began on Monday. Over 65,000 health workers, including nurses, paramedic services, public health inspectors, medical laboratory technologists and pharmacists, are on strike. Northern Province health workers strike in Jaffna on December 30, 2021 [WSWS Media] The Federation of Health Professionals (FHP) was compelled to call the action amid the growing opposition of its members over low wages and deteriorating conditions. The strikers are demanding rectification of salary anomalies, higher transport and on-call duty allowancesfrom 3,000 rupees ($US15) to 10,000 rupeesincreased overtime rates and improved promotion procedures. Although the courts have singled out the nurses, the strike ban is aimed at breaking the industrial action of all health employees. Health workers, however, are defying the court order, making clear their determination to win their long outstanding demands. Yesterday thousands of health workers demonstrated in the Anuradhapura, Hambantota and Nuwara Eliya districts. Similar numbers protested on Thursday in the Kurunegala, Matara, Badulla, Vavuniya and Ampara districts. The request for a strike suspension order was made by the Sri Lankan Attorney General (AG). State lawyers appearing for the AG told the courts that patient care has been gravely affected by the strike. The AGs intervention would not have occurred without a directive from the highest levels of the government. It followed President Gotabhaya Rajapakses condemnation of the strike at a public rally of his Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) party in Anuradhapura on Wednesday. Rajapakse declared that public servants were resorting to strikes under the influence of various political forces, adding: Public officials have a responsibility to serve the people and the country. Rajapakses concerns about the people are bogus. His government have ended public health measures to suppress COVID-19 and are attempting to condition the population to mass infections and deaths. It is determined to impose the burden of crisis worsened by the COVID-19 global pandemic on workers and the poor. Colombo is desperate to suppress the industrial action by health employees, fearing it will encourage other sections of the working class to fight the governments social attacks. Last year strikes and struggles erupted across the island involving health, education, government administration, railway, electricity, ports, petroleum and plantations workers. Yesterday around 26,000 university non-academic workers held a national one-day protest to demand a salary increase. Protest by striking non-academic workers at Jaffna University on February 10, 2022 [WSWS Media] The Socialist Equality Party (SEP) condemns the governments attack on the health workers right to strike and other industrial action. We urge the entire working class to oppose the governments repressive legal moves and mobilise to defend all health employees. At stake is the basic democratic right of all workers to defend their living and social conditions. The pro-government Public Services Nurses Union (PSNU), and the All Ceylon Health Services Union (ACHSU), which is controlled by the opposition Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, are scabbing on the strike. This has strengthened the governments hand and opened the way for its repressive measures. Many PSNU and ACHSU members, however, have begun to join the industrial action in recent days and condemned their unions strike-breaking. Last year, the FHP held 10 limited strikes over the current demands. These struggles were shut down and betrayed by the union body, following empty promises by President Rajapakse and his health minister. While health workers remain on strike, the FHP are marking time waiting to abandon the strike after the court order. Yesterday morning the GNOA rhetorically declared on Facebook: Despite bringing not one enjoining order but 10 of such, the more than 65,000 officers in this coalition will continue this struggle. Yesterday evening, Rathnapriya told the media that the unions executive committee would convene a meeting immediately after receiving the enjoining order and discuss the future course of action. FHP President Ravi Kumudesh said, We are not aware of an issuance of any orders. In case there are any, we will seek legal advice regarding such. The FHP has no intention of turning to other sections of the working class to defend the democratic rights of their members and taking up a political struggle against the governments latest assault. Tied to the nation state, all the unions fear that a mobilisation of workers would produce a direct confrontation with the government and the capitalist class. This week, the FHP President Kumudesh publicly appealed to Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella to make a promise on unions demands and enabling the union alliance to call off the strike. Significantly, not a single union in Sri Lanka condemned the attack on health workers or has come to their defence. Strengthened by this silence, the government stepped up its attack. Yesterday Health Minister Rambukwella denounced the strikers, declaring that unionists are in the habit of dismissing well-founded reasons and discussions for a sharply constructed and manipulative political agenda. Minister for Ports and Shipping Affairs Rohitha Abeywardhana attacked the striking health workers in parliament, declaring: There should be laws curbing strikes in sectors related to essential services. People are dying without medicine. He urged Justice Minister Ali Sabry to introduce anti-strike laws. Last month Sabry called on President Rajapakse to ban strikes in key institutions. The media is backing the government threats, churning out vicious propaganda against strikers with stories about a man and a child who died because they were unable to get medical attention and photographs of suffering patients. A hysterical editorial in Divaina, a Sinhala daily, cited ruling party MP Tissa Kuttiarachchi, who said strikers should be attacked with clubs. This country is facing a multiple crisis We oppose strikes which are sabotaging the essential services of the public Health workers are digging graves of people. If the people get provoked health workers would be thrown into the same graves, the newspaper declared. Workers must condemn the filthy propaganda of these media outlets who fully support the Rajapakse governments let it rip coronavirus policies, putting profit before human lives, undermining public health measures, reopening the economy, and normalising pandemic deaths. The court ban on health workers industrial action indicates that Rajapakse regime is moving into direct confrontation with the entire working class. Facing a desperate economic crisis, the government, like its counterparts around the world, cannot tolerate any action by the working class. Once again, it sharply poses the necessity for the independent mobilisation of political and industrial strength of the working class to defeat the Rajapakse government and its big business policies. Workers must build action committees in every workplace, independent of the trade unions and forge their unity with working class across Sri Lanka and internationally. This struggle must be based on fight for socialist policies. Workers, students and youth should join the Socialist Equality Party and fight for this program. As Washington and its NATO allies work to militarily surround Russia, US officials yesterday declared that a US-Russia war is imminent. US soldiers line up during the visit of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Mihail Kogalniceanu airbase, near the Black Sea port city of Constanta, eastern Romania, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022 [Credit: AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru] Yesterday, Washington announced the deployment of 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to bases in Poland, which borders Ukraine. Britain and Germany will send hundreds of soldiers to strengthen NATO battlegroups in Estonia and Lithuania. This comes after NATO countries have for weeks delivered Javelin anti-tank missiles, Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and Turkish TB2 Bayraktar drones to the Ukrainian regime in Kiev. The narrative NATO is peddlingthat it is acting to defend Ukraine from Russiais a pack of lies. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has publicly declared that Russias military posture is not consistent with plans for an all-out invasion of Ukraine. Moreover, when reporters challenged US claims that Russia is preparing an attack, State Department spokesman Ned Price could do nothing but argue that undisclosed intelligence information meant his claims were true. Nearly two decades after Washington invaded Iraq based on lies that it had weapons of mass destruction, US imperialism and its NATO allies are concocting a strategy to trigger a war with Russia, a nuclear-armed power, under conditions where they can blame Russia for it. Reports of mounting Ukrainian military activity in the Donbass region suggest that a NATO-backed military provocation can be staged there to trigger the war. Yesterday, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said Russia is in a position to be able to mount a major military action and refused to give any further details, stating: I will not comment on the details of our intelligence information. But I do want to be clear, it could begin during the Olympics, despite a lot of speculation that it would only happen after the Olympics. On this basis, Sullivan urged US citizens in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible. Significantly, Sullivan added that the NATO alliance had concluded very detailed planning for a confrontation with Russia. He said, We have achieved a remarkable level of unity and common purpose from the broad strategy down to the technical details. If Russia proceeds, its long-term power and influence will be diminished, not enhanced by an invasion. It will face a more determined transatlantic community. This followed a statement by Biden the day before calling on US citizens to leave Ukraine, adding that things could go crazy quickly and that a US-Russian conflict would be world war. This strategy is coordinated with the European powers. Yesterday, Bidens emergency call went to Prime Ministers Boris Johnson (UK), Justin Trudeau (Canada), and Mario Draghi (Italy); Presidents Emmanuel Macron (France), Andrzej Duda (Poland) and Klaus Iohannis (Romania), German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and EU and NATO officials. According to a White House report, they pledged to impose massive consequences and severe economic costs on Russia, should it choose military escalation, and to continue reinforcing the defensive posture on NATOs eastern flank. US officials insist war could begin next week, Der Spiegel reported, stating that both the CIA and the US military informed the German government and other NATO states on Friday that they feared, based on new information, that the attack could take place as early as next Wednesday. At the same time, NATO is holding several major military exercises. The Dynamic Manta 22 anti-submarine exercise begins on February 20 in the Mediterranean, followed by the Dynamic Guard exercise in Norway two days later. Both transition into Cold Response, the largest war game in Norway since the 1980s, involving 35,000 troops from 28 countries. Yesterday, at Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, NATO General Secretary Jens Stoltenberg promised to reinforce Eastern Europe. About an upcoming Madrid summit, he said, next week, NATO Defence Ministers will meet and discuss how we can further strengthen our presence in the Eastern part of the Alliance, including with new battlegroups. And I welcome Frances offer to lead a NATO battlegroup here in Romania. A war would be the product not of Russian aggression but of the imperialist powers aggressive response to the Stalinist dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. Over the last 30 years, Washington sought to establish its global primacy by dominating the Middle East and Central Asia. NATO waged wars, notably in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria, that cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars. Russia and, increasingly, Chinas rising economic weight have become major obstacles to this strategy. In 2013, Russian warships based at Sevastopol in the Crimea confronted NATO warships that were threatening to bomb Syria, after which NATO backed down. Alongside Iran, Russia then intervened and defeated NATO-backed Islamist militias in Syria, whose government has now joined Chinas Belt and Road global industrial infrastructure project. In 2014, shortly after Russia helped prevent direct NATO intervention in Syria, the NATO powers backed a putsch in Kiev, where far-right militias toppled a pro-Russian Ukrainian president and set up a NATO puppet regime. As these militias backed by NATO mercenaries attacked Russian-speaking areas of Ukraine like Donbass and Crimea, these areas broke off from Ukraine, with Crimea voting to rejoin Russia. Since then, far-right Ukrainian militias have faced off against Russian troops in Crimea and Russian-backed militias in the Donbass. NATOs conflict with Russia has been escalating again after last years humiliating NATO defeat in Afghanistan. The alliance is now redeploying towards Ukraine, bidding to seize a vast swath of territory around the Black Sea, the Caucasus and the Caspian Sea. This would allow them to isolate and threaten Russia, cut off Russian military aid to the Middle East, and intervene in Central Asia up to Chinas western borders. This plan is being set into motion in Ukraine. Russian-speaking areas of Ukraine are reporting highly advanced NATO war preparations. Yesterday, Donetsk Peoples Republic (DPR) leader Denis Pushilin cited Bidens call on US citizens to leave Ukraine, warning that war was imminent. The US President, probably, given US influence in Ukraine, has information that allows him to make such statements and take such a position. Ukraine may attack at any moment. Ukraine has everything ready for that: the concentration of forces and means makes it possible to do it at any moment, as soon as a political decision is made. On February 9, the DPR Militias Deputy Chief Eduard Basurin said Ukrainian tanks are taking positions only 15 kilometers from theirs, near Avdeyevka, Gorlovka and Novgorodskoye. Yesterday, Basurin said Ukrainian forces also deployed an S-300 missile system. Such deployments violate the 2015 Minsk accords, which temporarily froze the Ukraine conflict and sent the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to monitor the front line. Basurin said, however, that Kiev regime forces are using electronic jamming to prevent OSCE observers from using drones to observe these deployments. It seems that OSCE observers are quite content with a situation where it is impossible to record violations by Ukraine, he said. Significantly, DPR forces last month warned, based on their sources in Kiev, that they expect an attack to come as soon as Ukrainian armored assault brigades are assembled and in position. On January 28, Basurin said: According to our intelligence, the Ukrainian General Staff under the guidance of US advisers at the Ukrainian Defense Ministry is putting final touches to a plan for offensive operations in Donbas. The date of aggression against the peoples republics will be set when the attack groups have been created and the operations plan approved by Ukraines National Security and Defense Council. These are conditions in which NATO could goad Russia, a nuclear power, into war. Were such an attack to begin, DPR forces would likely require Russian military assistance to avoid being overrun by far-right Ukrainian militias, which call for killing Russians and have bombed Russian-speaking Ukrainian cities near Russias borders. If Moscow intervened against this, however, it would provide grounds for NATO war propaganda, denouncing Russian aid to the DPR as an invasion of Ukraine. The decisive question more than ever is the building of an international movement in the working class against the mounting danger of a nuclear world war. It cannot be opposed based on Russian nationalist militarism, to which imperialism offers only the alternatives of total capitulation or all-out war. The broad opposition to militarism in the working class must be mobilized on an international basis, in a struggle against imperialism and for socialism. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted production at Stellantis as well as at other auto and auto parts manufacturing facilities. The social character of the production process, where workers must continuously work in close proximity on assembly lines, contributes to outbreaks. Large numbers of absences due to illness cripples the ability of the companies to manage the shop floors. At the Warren Truck Assembly Plant in suburban Detroit, it is estimated that at any given time, there are 500 employees off work, quarantining or simply staying away to avoid getting themselves and their families infected. That is slightly over 10 percent of the labor force. This is likely a significant underestimation of the human impact, since real figures on the prevalence of COVID in the factory are being covered up both management and the United Auto Workers. Stellantis workers at Warren Truck Plant in suburban Detroit [Credit: WSWS Media] However, Stellantis management has implemented a strategy to address this shortage. More than 5,500 low-paid contingent workers have been added to Stellantis Detroit-area workforce since July 2019, facing conditions of superexploitation amid a deadly pandemic that shows no signs of abating, despite the loud claims of the media and Biden administration. Many of these workers have been recruited from the city of Detroit, which has offered up workers from the city as cheap, exploitable labor for the auto companies. Once dubbed the Paris of the Midwest, Detroit has been transformed by decades of plant closures and social spending cuts into the poorest big city in America. The Detroit bankruptcy in 2013-2014 robbed city workers pensions and imposed further massive cuts on spending on public services, including transportation, water and the arts. Thousands of city workers lost their jobs as a result of privatizations. The administration of Detroit Democratic Mayor Mike Duggan has marketed the city to auto and auto parts makers as a low-cost haven. At every annual address on the Detroit State of the City for the last several years, Mayor Mike Duggan boasts of the deals he has made with businesses to bring them back into the city. The cheap labor potential resulting from blight-stricken conditions within the city limits, as well as significant tax abatements, have made it lucrative for companies such as Flex-N-Gate, to set up operations in Detroit. Stellantis has carried out a major expansion, opening the Mack Avenue assembly plant on the east side of Detroit last year. Beginning in 2016, Detroit began its Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO), ostensibly to prioritize the interests of Detroit neighborhoods over corporate developers. One of the touted successes of the Detroit CBO reported last fall was the hiring of 5,576 Detroit residents to Stellantis manufacturing facilities in the area. Supplemental workers are hired into Stellantis as well as other companies through local jobs fairs. But they dont tell people that they might only be working part-time, a Stellantis supplemental worker told the World Socialist Web Site. They are also required to cover shifts in other plants with little or no notice. Many of the Detroit residents seeking work are attracted to jobs that are advertised within the city for transportation reasons, but they then are compelled to travel to plants, such as Warren Truck, miles away outside the city limits of Detroit. As described in a letter from a supplemental employee posted by the WSWS last month, these workers are required to work whatever hours are demanded by management. In the letter, the worker explained, On January 4, 2022, at 5:01PM I was notified via email that I am being required to work a Mandatory six-day, 12-hour shift effective Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Management Supplemental Employees, in the 2019 contract between Stellantis and the UAW, are designated as a special class of workers who can be scheduled to work whatever hours management deems, without the contractual limitations that apply to seniority workers. Though they work side by side, the company, with the active support of the UAW, has implemented a caste-like division within the workforce. The exact timeline in which supplementals can become rolled over to regular workers with their rights and benefits is murky or nonexistent. Supplementals who have asked their UAW representatives about this have been answered along the lines of, Dont hold your breath. Even the percentage of supplementals working in the plant is kept hidden. One worker told the WSWS, They dont tell us, but my guess is that close to 50 percent of the workers on the floor are supplementals I know of some supplementals who have been working for five or six years. The level of disgust and outright anger among workers is high. The worker added, This is nothing new. Working here is a revolving door. The letter exposing the conditions facing supplemental workers at Warren Truck published by the WSWS was read widely in the plant. Another worker said there was a lot of talk and all kinds of investigations over who wrote it. They said it wasnt just the UAW but regular employees, close to the union bureaucracy, who told supplemental employees that theyre lucky to have a job and to quit whining. They added, If you get found out, you can bet your bottom dollar that youll be fired. Its all over the shop floor: who did this? They continued, Its brutal! Like a meat grinder. You go in and you dont know how youre going to come out. They move you around all over the place, working two jobs, and putting workers in a position where it is impossible to social distance. A worker was out with COVID for 10 days last month, got a negative test, but before being cleared to go back to work they had to stand in line and wait to go through a long procedure so they could start their shift next day. Its harder to get back in than it is to get out. Your negative test has to be verified with an official hospital or urgent care clearance on paper. They dont even care about the pandemic. When I was out, I had to pay a total of $150 to get back to work, including $75 for a certified PCR test, the worker said. Everybody has [COVID], said a supplemental worker. Were losing people. The more they bring in, the more we lose. They know theyre going to lose half of the new ones they bring in. The pandemic has exacerbated the pressure on workers that has been mounting after decades of concessions and the imposition of layers of tiered workers with the vital support of the United Auto Workers. There is intense opposition to these sweatshop type conditions. However, this finds no expression in the UAW. The WSWS calls on workers to join and build rank-and-file committees in every auto plant to oppose the ripping up of workplace conditions and brutal subordination of the health and safety of workers during the pandemic to the drive for profits. These committees should demand that all supplemental workers be made full time. This must be connected to the demand for the closure of all nonessential workplaces with full pay until the pandemic is contained. Morgan Saylor in You Mean Everything to Me Written and directed by Bryan Wizemann In You Mean Everything to Me, the new film by American writer-director Bryan Wizemann that is set in New York City, Cassandra (Morgan Saylor) finds herself in a difficult predicament. When we first meet her, knocking on the door of her sister Roxanne (Lindsay Burge), she has just left a boyfriend. There were problems. I should have been more involved in the finances, she understatedly admits. Cassandra needs to stay at her sisters for a little while. She dreams about opening a womens clothing store. Living with Roxanne doesnt work out either. Now essentially homeless, facing the possibility of having to sleep in her car, Cassandra encounters the aggressive and persuasive Nathan (Ben Rosenfield), a local DJ, at a bar. They hit it off. It doesnt take long for him to declare, Youre the best girl and Ill do anything for you. The latter turns out to have threatening implications. Nathan begins to take over Cassandras life. He more or less forces her to quit her restaurant job. Eventually, he convinces her to dance at the seedy club where he provides the music. Her job is to entice customers to buy drinks. The work has a sordid aspect, and things take a turn considerably for the worse when Nathan encourages Cassandra to sleep with another club employee, perhaps to help his career. Afterward he tells her, It was really hard for me, and then further isolates her from family and friends. One thing leads to another. Cassandra needs to take dramatic action to remove herself from the increasingly volatile, potentially dangerous situation. Ben Rosenfield and Morgan Saylor in You Mean Everything to Me There are important aspects of You Mean Everything to Me that ring true: the generally impoverished social and cultural surroundings, the straitened circumstances of a generation (in their mid- to late 20s) at loose ends in numerous ways, the intense physical and psychic coldness that New Yorks streets present to the destitute or near-destitute. Wizemann makes an effort to portray contemporary life accurately and honestly. In a 2011 interview with the WSWS for his film About Sunny (entitled Think of Me at the time), the writer-director asserted that emotional truth and social truth are something I am always going to aspire to. There is no reason to doubt his sincerity. The WSWS explained that Wizemanns earlier film recounted a few days in the life of Angela Jacobs (Lauren Ambrose), a single mother in Las Vegas struggling to keep her head above water. Angela works in a call center, resides in a shabby apartment with her young daughter Sunny (Audrey Scott), and lives, as the production notes suggest, one paycheck away from complete desperation. In the end, Angela is approached by a childless couple who want Sunny to come live with them, permanently. The couple is prepared to pay a great deal of money for the opportunity to give Sunny a better life. The offer throws Angela into a deeper crisis. About Sunny/Think of Me is a stronger film, with its focus on the dreadful things that people can be forced to consider doing under fierce, constant economic pressure. In You Mean Everything to Me, Wizemann takes a step backward. The concentration has shifted, in the direction of Nathans manipulations and coercions. Behind that, one senses the gravitational pull of various trends and campaigns that have dominated the headlines over the past several years. The writer-director told Filmmaker magazine, Around the time I was writing this, the stories of Evan Rachel Wood and Marilyn Manson, FKA Twigs and Shia Labeouf came out, both involving alleged abuse. For the men there seems to be a personality typetheyre a little sociopathic and controlling, he went on. They confuse love with ownership. Wizemann told another interviewer that You Mean Everything to Me is a less a film about one womans descent into prostitution than what happens when a giver meets a taker, when a vulnerable young woman who has been conditioned to live for others encounters a narcissist incapable of empathy. He also explained that he had researched coercive relationships. The sad fact, Wizemann said, is that the transition from a somewhat normal relationship to prostitution seems incredibly quick. I still dont understand what in the human condition leads to this, but by dramatizing one specific fictional case, I was hoping to get closer to some understanding. There are undoubtedly mysterious features of the human condition, but paying close attention to the social processes that determine its overall course is a good starting point. Wizemann is sufficiently thoughtful and socially aware to place Cassandra in economically hazardous conditions, but then suggests that individual psychological vulnerability is the central issue. It may be in this or that case, including among wealthy celebrities, but the principal source of domestic abuse, prostitution and other social miseries is overwhelmingly economicpoverty, precarious employment, harsh working conditions, low wages, unaffordable housing, all of which have been sharply worsened by the pandemic. The new film sidesteps that social truth. The result, despite (or because of) the occasional histrionics, is something artistically and dramatically less compelling, less urgent, secondary. In December, Wizemann wrote: Whenever I point folks toward a film Ive made, I almost always feel like I have to apologize for it in advance. I know not everyone looks forward to a kind of realism that explores poverty, or addiction, or exploitation. Of course, he has no reason to apologize for a kind of realism. On the contrary. But, in You Mean Everything to Me, Wizemann has been slightly blown off course by the concerns that dominate in current artistic circles. The great problem in America and everywhere else is not the small-time manipulator, who may only be a few, or perhaps zero, degrees from being a social victim himself, but the billionaire oligarchs who profit from the entirety of the brutal social and economic setup. Nonetheless, Wizemann remains an artist to keep an eye on. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Saturday stresses that there is an opportunity to diplomatically resolve the situation around Ukraine, this requires de-escalation from Moscow. "The Secretary made clear that a diplomatic path to resolving the crisis remained open, but it would require Moscow to deescalate and engage in good-faith discussions," according to a press release issued by the U.S. Department of State. Blinken also expressed his concern to his Russian colleague that "Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days." On Twitter, Blinken wrote: "I spoke with Foreign Minister Lavrov today to urge a diplomatic resolution to Russia's unprovoked military build-up around Ukraine. I reiterated that further Russian aggression would be met with a resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response." Heads of the Verkhovna Rada factions and groups may hold a closed meeting with the leadership of law enforcement agencies on Sunday, co-chairman of the European Solidarity faction Petro Poroshenko has said. "Tomorrow, preliminary at 16.00, there will be a closed meeting of the leaders of factions and groups and representatives of groups... with representatives of the power bloc this is the Minister of Defense, the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Head of the Security Service, the leadership of intelligence, both military and foreign one,... the National Bank, and the Ministry of Finance," Poroshenko told reporters on Saturday after a meeting of representatives of factions and groups with Parliament Chairman Ruslan Stefanchuk. He noted that the participants of today's meeting proposed to invite Prime Minister of Ukraine Denys Shmyhal to this meeting. "We very much hope that tomorrow all these leaders will discuss with the parliament our effective cooperation to improve the defense capability of the state," Poroshenko stressed. By Trend Georgia and the UK assessed Georgias investment potential and business opportunities, Trend reports via the press service of the Georgian Parliament. The issue was discussed at the meeting between the Head of the London Chamber of Commerce Richard Burge and the MPs of the Georgian Parliament on their official visit to the UK. According to Nikoloz Samkharadze, a member of the delegation and the Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, the meeting focused on Georgia's investment potential. We talked about investment opportunities in Georgia, we also spoke about the tax benefits that exist in Georgia for foreign investments, Samkharadze said. We agreed that after the circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic improve, a delegation from the London Chamber of Commerce alongside with various business representatives will visit Georgia to get known with the investment potential of the country, he added. Twenty new warriors from a Chinese emperors massive terracotta army were uncovered by archaeologists in Xian, the capital of Shaanxi Province, on Friday. China Global Television Network reported that the newly discovered sculptures were found in Pit No. 1, outside the emperors secret tomb, and remain well-preserved. Notable among these findings are statues of a general and a middle-ranking army officer. Pit No. 1, a section full of infantry and chariots, has a total area of 14,260 square meters. When the excavation is complete, it is expected to yield more than 6,000 pottery figures and horses. More from Robb Report The Terracotta Army, created 2,200 years ago to protect emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife, is the only known collection of military sculptures produced en masse in the world. As the countrys first emperor, Qin Shi Huang unified China. He is believed to have had an army of more than 500,000 men. Historical Chinese texts do not discuss the Terracotta Army or indicate why it was created. To construct the Terracotta Army and mausoleum, researchers believe it took 700,000 laborers a span of 30 to 40 years to complete. Qin Shi Huang was also responsible for conceiving of the Great Wall of China. In 1974, the Terracotta Army was discovered by local farmers who were trying to dig a well roughly a mile east of the emperors tomb. There, they discovered a vault containing thousands of unique, human-sized military figures positioned for battle. Since then, archaeologists have found roughly 8,000 statues from the army, all of them constructed using exact measurements per their military ranks, with generals being taller than soldiers, standing at an average height of 5 feet 8 inches. Story continues The 20 newly found warriors, which appear to be in pieces, are currently undergoing restoration at Emperor Qinshihuangs Mausoleum Site Museum. Further research will be conducted in an effort to gain better insight into the ancient military and its practices. Last January, archaeologists uncovered roughly 200 warriors, 12 clay horses, and 2 chariots, as well as a number of bronze weapons over the past 10 years. Best of Robb Report Sign up for Robb Report's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Most of Cambodian director Rithy Panhs family were killed in Khmer Rouge labor camps. He was lucky enough to get out and, after months in a Thai refugee camp, move to Paris where he eventually went to film school. His adult years have been spent making innovative, impressionistic documentaries about Cambodias terrible years of struggle, mingled with personal memories. More recently, as with his last film Irradiated, he has launched himself at an increasingly broad canvas showing how shockingly cruel people can be, juxtaposing war footage from numerous conflicts and such familiar signifiers of evil as the Nazi death camps. If you had the temerity to summarize his work so far, you could say that he has spent decades telling us that everything is absolutely not OK. More from Deadline His new film, Berlin competition entry Everything Will Be OK, begins with a fairytale illustrated with Panhs trademark dioramas of clay figurines of an ogre coming to a village and enslaving both people and animals. The ogre of the story is gradually revealed to be a king-pin wild boar, which has a gold effigy of itself erected in the middle of the defeated kampong. Eventually, that statue will be crowned with a bristling ring of surveillance cameras. Ideology is an ogre, reflects the French voiceover, spoken by Rebecca Marder. There is something else looming over Rithy Panhs disturbing dioramas: the shadow of Jean-Luc Godard. His influence, acknowledged by Panh, is everywhere. Like the great Swiss auteur in his later essay films, Panh plaits together images in counterpoint to the musings of an often gnomic commentary. Panh is fascinated as is Godard by language and the ways in which it can be twisted or misread. At the same time, language is our great hope: during the burning of the world, we are told, there will still be poetry. Story continues You couldnt really call Everything Will Be OK a documentary, at least as the term is usually understood, but it is absolutely rammed with information: you may be baffled, but rarely bored. The screen splits frequently to show a spread of pictures sometimes multiple images, sometimes repeated. A black screen fills with a gallery of houses being blown up and forests being felled. People march, are beheaded on camera, work in factories. Rockets blast off to the moon. Starting everything over? What a lie! exclaims Marders voice. Songs of life and death are not confidential, she tells us later, as naked children are seen swimming in a river a rare bucolic image. Through all this exuberant picture-scaping we keep returning to the clay world, where nothing goes well: a temple is devastated, humans are roped together and masked while the animal elite takes charge and the wild ones those less equal than others hide in the decimated jungle. When they are not in the village, the ruling tusked boars relax in a TV control room, also sculpted with clay, gleefully watching home movies of their own successful scorched-earth victory. Those in power keep watching us, says the commentary. They even control images. Panh weaves and piles up sounds in the same way he does pictures. At any one moment, the soundtrack may be layered with squawking birds, the insistent pounding of an axe, dense electronic music and, over all of this, the voice of our guiding philosophe. No longer fixed on his own countrys tempestuous history although the killing fields piled with skulls are immediately identifiable Panh gives us an encyclopedia of horrors: war, the destruction of nature, our cruelty to each other and to animals. All these elements are too many and too disparate to absorb as specifics, but they coalesce into a general impression of doom. What we can do with all thus information is another matter. That we have made a terrible mess of things is clear enough. In his directors statement, Panh says he wondered if animals would do any better. Not if pigs are in charge, you might say and arent the pigs always in charge, once the revolution is over? Maybe not. Here is a woman in the Amazon, giggling as she suckles a baby monkey an initially shocking image, but her luminous smile puts us at ease. Ill take you to the forest. Thats where Im from, says Marders voice. Yes, some people are cutting it down for profit. But some can hear the spirits in the new season. There is something lovely in that, but it doesnt seem much of a defense against the cascade of destruction we have witnessed for the last two hours. If anything, the chances of everything being OK now seem slimmer than ever. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. El Paso Sector U.S. Border Patrol agents disrupted two more smuggling attempts at Interstate 25 and Interstate 10 checkpoints. The first smuggling incident happened late Feb. 7, when Las Cruces Border Patrol agents assigned to the I-25 checkpoint encountered a U-Haul freight truck with 20 adult migrants crammed inside the cargo compartment. The migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Peru and Colombia were medically evaluated, processed and expelled to Mexico under Title 42. On Wednesday, Las Cruces Border Patrol agents working at the I-10 checkpoint inspected a white van with a day care logo and found 23 migrants from Guatemala inside the small passenger vehicle. The driver, a permanent resident, remained in custody as of Friday afternoon, U.S. Border Patrol officials said in a news release. The second encounter was late Wednesday, when Las Cruces Border Patrol agents working at the I-10 checkpoint inspected a white van with a day care logo. The agents discovered 23 migrants from Guatemala inside the small passenger vehicle. The migrants were processed, then expelled to Mexico under Title 42. The driver, a U.S. citizen, was detained and will face a charge of conspiracy to transport. These two smuggling incidents followed one in which 132 migrants were found crowded into the back of a semitractor-trailer on Feb 7. On Wednesday, Las Cruces Border Patrol agents working at the I-10 checkpoint inspected a white van with a day care logo and found 23 migrants from Guatemala inside the small passenger vehicle. More: Court hearings in controversial 'Remain in Mexico' asylum program resume in El Paso More: Asylum seekers' odds of winning relief in immigration court rise under Biden administration More: El Paso Border Patrol finds 132 migrants inside trailer in 'dangerous smuggling' attempt The incidents and previous ones add up to 456 smuggling attempts disrupted by Border Patrol agents of the El Paso Sector since Fiscal Year 2022 began. The El Paso Sector recorded 1,304 disrupted smuggling events in FY2021. Ruthless human smugglers continue to endanger the lives of migrants as they smuggle them further into United States, El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez said in a news release. I am extremely proud of the Las Cruces Border Patrol Agents who displayed professionalism and empathy as this smuggling scheme could easily have developed into a tragedy. Our Immigration checkpoints are extremely valuable and have been strategically placed in locations to purposely disrupt illicit activities such as these. Story continues The incidents are under investigation. No other information regarding the cases is available at this time. People can report suspicious activity to the U.S. Border Patrol while remaining anonymous by calling 1-800-635-2509. On Feb. 7, Las Cruces Border Patrol agents assigned to the I-25 checkpoint encountered a U-Haul freight truck with 20 adult migrants crammed inside the cargo compartment. This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Las Cruces Border Patrol agents find dozens of migrants at checkpoints Franklin County Common Pleas Court in downtown Columbus on Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021. The Franklin County Prosecutor's Office announced late Friday afternoon the indictments of 79 people and the seizure of nearly $6 million in drugs in what they're calling the county's largest drug bust in recent history. The investigation, begun almost a year ago, involved several Ohio agencies, including the Ohio High Intensity Drug Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC) task force, and focused initially within Greater Columbus. In a prepared release, authorities described an "incredibly complex drug trafficking organization which was believed to be receiving large quantities of narcotic including cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl from several different sources. Many of the shipments arrived in Ohio from Puerto Rico and Mexico. In late May 2021, detectives from the task force began final work on the case, which Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney G. Gary Tyack's office presented to a grand jury for indictments. Numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies participated. Among the illegal drugs confiscated were: 12 kilos of fentanyl (more than $1 million in estimated street value), 48 kilos of cocaine (more than $4.5 million in estimated street value), 3.5 kilos of methamphetamine (about $300,000 estimated street value), and more than $500,000 in cash. In addition to dozens of indictments for alleged drug traficking, one of the defendants Michael A. Nichols Jr., 33, of Columbus' North East Side was indicted for aggravated murder, two counts of murder, convicted felon illegally in possession of a weapon, plus repeat violent offender specifications, court records state. Nichols has pleaded not guilty to all charges, which were filed in connection with the July 20 shooting of 30-year-old Billy Sanders around 7:30 p.m. near the intersection of Columbian and Sullivant avenues on the Hilltop. Sanders died early the next day, July 21, at OhioHealth Grant Medical Center. Story continues These indictments and seizures highlight the effectiveness of our Organized Crime Investigations Commission Task Forces, which combine federal, state, and local assets to thwart the supply of narcotics across Ohio, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said in a written statement. This multi-agency effort was only possible through the hard work of the law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and investigative professionals who saw this investigation through to the end. They all did incredible work to bring this organization down, said Prosecutor Tyack in a written statement.. Their work has saved countless lives, and will surely prevent future loss of life to the disease that is addiction." All of these cases have been assigned to Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge Julie Lynch, with the arraignment and discovery process beginning early this year. Law enforcement agencies involved in the case include Columbus police, Gahanna police, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, Homeland Security Investigations, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Madison County Sheriffs Office, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency's Columbus and Puerto Rico offices, U.S. Postal Service inspectors, Miami Valley Bulk Smuggling Task Force, and Northwest Ohio Bulk Smuggling Task Force. dnarciso@dispatch.com @DeanNarciso This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Franklin County officials report largest drug raid in recent history By Pavel Polityuk and Valentyn Ogirenko KYIV (Reuters) - Several thousand Ukrainians rallied in Kyiv on Saturday to show unity amid fears of a Russian invasion, as Ukraine's leader told people not to panic and pushed back against what he said was a glut of bleak war predictions being reported in the media. Tension has mounted as Russia has built up more than 100,000 troops near Ukraine and carried out large-scale exercises. The United States said on Friday an invasion could start at any moment. Russia denies planning to invade. Ukrainians filed through the centre of Kyiv in a column, chanting "Glory to Ukraine" and carrying Ukrainian flags and banners that said "Ukrainians will resist" and "Invaders must die". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who attended police drills in southern Kherson region, said a Russian attack could happen at any time, but pushed back against what he called excessive amounts of information about a major looming war. "The best friend of our enemies is panic in our country. And all this information is just provoking panic and can't help us," he said. "I can't agree or disagree with what hasn't happened yet. So far, there is no full-scale war in Ukraine." The United States and numerous Western governments have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine, and Washington on Saturday said it was ordering most of its Kyiv embassy staff to leave. "We have to be ready each day. It did not begin yesterday. It began in 2014, so, we are ready and this is why we are here," Zelenskiy said in a reference to Russia's annexation of Crimea and backing for an anti-Kyiv separatist insurgency in the east. In a separate statement, the head of Ukrainian armed forces Valery Zaluzhny and Defence Minister Oleksii Reznikov said the aggressor won't take Kyiv, Odessa, Kharkiv, or any other Ukraine's city. "We have strengthened the defense of Kyiv. We have gone through the war and due preparation. Therefore, we are ready to meet enemies and not with flowers, but with Stingers, Javelins and NLAW. Welcome to hell!", Zaluzhny said, referring to an array of anti-rocket and anti-aircraft weapons received from the West. Story continues The military says Ukrainian intelligence and the army have control of the situation on the borders and Kyiv is coordinating its actions with allies. "Such a union of leading democracies has not existed for decades," Zaluzhny and Reznikov said. Zelenskiy voiced frustrations just last month with dire assessments of a war. Such warnings have taken their toll on the economic, piling pressure on the national currency. U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin will speak later on Saturday. (Editing by Tom Balmforth and Frances Kerry) The U.S. State Department has ordered non-emergency employees to leave the U.S. embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, ahead of a possible Russian invasion. "Today, the [State Department] ordered non-emergency U.S. employees at the Embassy to depart due to continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, indicating potential for significant military action," the embassy tweeted early Saturday morning. Diplomatic sources told CBS News that embassy evacuations started overnight. But not all of the staff will be leaving the country, Christina Ruffini reports for "CBS Saturday Morning." Some will be going to Lviv a city closer to the Polish border to provide limited services for Americans who might need them. As of Sunday, consular services at the Kyiv embassy will be suspended. "U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine, and those in Ukraine should depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options," said a travel advisory for Ukraine issued on Saturday. The U.S. embassy building in Kyiv, Ukraine. / Credit: Bloomberg via Getty The White House is telling all Americans they have less than 24-48 hours to get out. "If you stay, you are assuming risk, with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and there ... no prospect of a U.S. military evacuation," said national security adviser Jake Sullivan. Sullivan repeated warnings Friday that the State Department has issued for weeks. But the message for Americans to leave Ukraine came with a new sense of urgency. "We obviously cannot predict the future," he said. "We don't know exactly what is going to happen. But the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that this is what prudence demands." The Pentagon press secretary also said Saturday that 160 members of the Florida National Guard who have been in Ukraine since November advising and mentoring Ukrainian forces will be moved "elsewhere in Europe," "out of an abundance of caution." Story continues U.S. officials say Russia now has 80% of the forces it will need to launch a full-scale invasion, and the rest are en route. More than 100,000 Russian troops are amassed along Ukraine's borders to the east, in Russia, and the north, in Belarus. "We're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time. And to be clear, that includes during the Olympics," said Secretary of State Antony Blinken. The U.S. is deploying additional forces to bolster the American military presence in Eastern Europe. The Pentagon announced on Friday it is sending 3,000 more troops into Poland. They will join the 3,000 others already there and in Romania, to reinforce allies should Putin decide to make a move. The White House says the American military is not going into Ukraine to fight Russia, or even to help evacuations. "That's a world war, when Americans and Russians start shooting at one another," President Biden said in an interview with NBC. He said Russian President Vladimir Putin knows not to put American lives at risk."I'm hoping that if in fact he's foolish enough to go in, he's smart enough not to in fact do anything that would negatively impact on American citizens," he said. Sources told CBS News about 7,000 Americans have registered with the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, but there could be as many as 30,000 in Ukraine. However, many of them have family members, business interests or homes in Ukraine they might not want to leave. In a phone call Saturday, Secretary of State Blinken spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov "to discuss acute and shared concerns that Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days," State Department spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement. Blinken told Lavrov that pursuing a diplomatic path to resolve the crisis would require Russia "to deescalate and engage in good-faith discussions." According to Price, Blinken also reminded his Russian counterpart that invading Ukraine "would result in a resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response." Mr. Biden and Putin spoke on the phone Saturday morning. No details about their discussion were immediately available. Jessie Diggins on her historic win at Beijing Olympics Record number of Americans expected to wager on Super Bowl LVI Dr. David Agus on impact of loosening COVID restrictions The phrase Live free or Die is New Hampshires unique standard for independent thought and action. But while our frugality is legendary, legislation costs money. Hence we do not pass legislation proactively. Instead it is either tabled or dropped until we can find someone else to foot the bill. If a new tax could be initiated, targeted only on the issue at hand, the bill would die in committee. If a user fee requires an increase to cover a necessary new service, it will be tabled. There is nothing more important in the eyes of the legislature, no matter what the issue, than avoiding a new tax. This being New Hampshire, this is who we are. Michael Cameron Ward But the road has forked. The nationalization of local political thought predominates. The 2022 midterms and 2024 presidential elections are blooming just over the horizon. How does the majority party maintain its relevance on the national stage? There is a burgeoning nationwide trend among a group of legislators to burnish the performance of the white race in the nations historical record. The ultimate goal is to sanitize events in the areas of Civil Rights and Social Responsibility where they have underperformed. More: New Hampshire teachers push back against lawmakers' efforts to regulate instruction It isnt pretty. From now until the midterms, any and all initiatives emerging from New Hampshires legislative committees must adhere to the majority partys national plank. Thus, policy and legislation is piped in from out of state to address nonexistent issues. The legislative majority then morphs into a show dog, abandoning any pretense of our oft trumpeted myth of local control. Should they fail to lie down and roll over on command; the choke chain will be yanked. Obedience is rewarded, and a full financial war chest is the reward. Live free or Die? Not so much. Instead it's more like, Live free and wait for the check. 'Effort to erase past': New York Times journalist to talk NH 'divisive concepts' rules in Portsmouth Story continues Take for example, the past year in the state of New Hampshire legislature. We have seen a series of strange bills sent to committee. They are not all locally based initiatives. Most were influenced by legislation from the former states of the Confederacy or the Republican National Committee. With regards to their ignorance of the Constitution and due process, they are breathtaking in their scope, moral and intellectual bankruptcy. The process under which these laws will be implemented has been directly transplanted from the Stalinist, and Nazi era playbooks. Minor children will inform on their teachers for the glory of the state. Heres a more in-depth summation of the majority partys attempt at infusing the states Primary, Secondary, and College curricula with Alternative Facts and Exclusions. 1. Students will be instructed to inform on their teachers. a. This is an introduction of the North Korean, Chinese, and Iranian regime policies in America. b. Scenario: A students family believes that Ivermectin and other non-certified remedies are efficacious with regards to treating the Covid influenza. i. If a biology teacher fails to discuss the issue in a manner that is acceptable to the student and his parents, will they be required to defend their teaching certificate before the State Board of Education? ii. Will the School District be liable? 2. If the process proceeds as designed and a teacher and school district are in violation. a. If a student is later found to have fabricated a charge: i. What will the students punishment be? ii. Will the parents become liable for court costs? iii. Will a teacher have their certification returned and their legal costs reimbursed? 3. If parents disagree with a topic or how its taught, they will be able to sue the school district. a. If a group of parents harbor a vendetta against a school district. i. Will their cases be merged into one like a class action suit? ii. Will they be allowed to pursue individual suits? b. If the School District loses: i. Is there a cap on damages? ii. Will double jeopardy apply? Or can they be sued multiple times by another group of individuals for the same issue? c. If a School District prevails: i. Will they be able to recover their legal fees and court costs? ii. Can they counter sue for frivolous litigation and defamation? 4. Topics defaming the behavior of a: race, religion, region, nationality, or gender cannot be taught. a. In 1830, President Andrew Jackson prosecuted the Trail of Tears," the eviction of the Choctaw, Creek and Cherokee tribes from the southeastern United States. They were driven like cattle by the US Army for 1,600 miles to the Oklahoma Territory. According to New Hampshire law, the citizens of the United States, the residents of the Southeastern United States, and the US Army are not responsible for those actions. b. At the time all of the voters during the presidencies of Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren were white men. Who is responsible for this forced march: the presidents, their race, their gender, or the Army? c. It is worth noting that the Japanese did virtually the same thing to our POWs during the Bataan Death March, except there were no children. Does that change the narrative? 5. Any topic which could conceivably cause a student emotional distress shall not be taught. a. A child cannot be taught about slavery, the Holocaust, or Hiroshima and Nagasaki if it makes them feel uncomfortable. History is not a Sunday school lesson, it isnt nice. Attempts to sanitize it will not yield a long term beneficial result. 6. All historical topics must be discussed with an accompanying alternative view point. a. Historical analogues must be found before teaching can begin about the: Holocaust, Manzanar, and Civil Rights Act. b. This will require that alternative views be debated: justifying enslavement and genocide, extrajudicial incarceration and appropriation of private property, as well as the benefits of 2nd class citizenship. 7. Information must be presented demonstrating that another society followed a similar path during the time period. a. Why is this comparison important? b. What relevance does it have to the subject being discussed? c. If another society did the same things, does that legitimize the action? d. Does the number of practitioners of an action negate its effect? 8. Teachers classroom sessions shall be recorded and reviewed to ensure that their work is loyal to the Constitution and state laws. a. Which individual or committee will create the States purity of thought doctrine? b. How often will this auditing occur? c. Will the state review the teacher recordings, or will that be left up to the district? d. If the district has to staff this position will the state reimburse them? e. Will the state fund the equipping of classrooms statewide with the necessary technical support, and equipment? f. If a district refuses to pay for any of these unbudgeted costs, what is the penalty for noncompliance? 9. Teachers will be hauled before the state Board of Education to confess their sins and plea for their jobs. Should they fail, they will lose both their state certification and their job. a. If a teacher loses their certification: i. Will they be banned from teaching in the state of New Hampshire for perpetuity? ii. If not: Will the State provide reeducation coursework to allow them to be recertified? How much will this reeducation cost the affected individuals? b. What effect will this policy have on the state of New Hampshires ability to: i. Retain the teachers it has? ii. Attract new teachers from out of state? 10. Should the curricula redefinition go far enough it could have a deleterious effect on a students out of state post high school aspirations. a. If a students religion does not believe in evolution, do we then halt the teaching of it for just that class or all sections of biology? b. Likewise, if a parent doesnt believe that a comparative study of political philosophy should include Marxism, what is the proposed remedy? This entire program serves but a single purpose, to intimidate teachers and administrators into lockstep with the national political agenda of the majority party. These laws are gratuitous, conceived in mendacity, and their implementation cannot be any better. The implications of this wrong-headed initiative are daunting. With every failed lawsuit, the taxpayers will foot the bill. Should the plaintiffs prevail, New Hampshires mandates will be known as Whiteman Uber Alles. Michael Cameron Ward is an author and a resident of Lee, New Hampshire. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Ward: NH's majority party aims to intimidate educators Raise a glass of bubbly to the Queen's Platinum Jubilee with her very own vintage sparkling wine. The Royal Collection Trust, a department of the Royal Household, has released a special edition vintage English sparkling wine. The classic Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier blend was made exclusively from hand-picked fruit grown on vineyards in Kent and West Sussex, according to the Royal Collection Trust. PHOTO: A special edition English Sparkling Wine to celebrate The Queens Platinum Jubilee. (Royal Collection Trust) Its gold color and aromas of "honeyed citrus fruit, white peach and hints of sweet spices" would be a perfect pairing for English cheddar and British seafood, amidst the Platinum Jubilee celebrations this summer. The design for the label depicts a crowned EIIR cypher surrounded by golden olive leaves and ears of wheat to symbolize peace and plenty. It was inspired in part by the gold embroidery on Her Majestys Robe of Estate, which she wore on Coronation Day, June 2, 1953. PHOTO: A special edition English Sparkling Wine to celebrate The Queens Platinum Jubilee. (Royal Collection Trust ) The profits from the sparkling wine and hand-cut champagne flutes that are engraved with an emblem depicting the national flowers of the United Kingdom will go to The Royal Collection Trust charity. The new sparkling wine retails for 39 per bottle. Raise a toast to the Queen's Jubilee with her new sparkling wine originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com Feb. 11A New Mexico State Police officer is in stable condition after he was wounded by gunshot Friday morning near Sedillo Hill, an area between Edgewood and Tijeras, the agency said. The incident began when the officer responded to a report of a suspicious woman at a gas station in Edgewood, state police said in a news release. When he tried to speak with a man and a woman in a Cadillac, the man drove the vehicle in reverse, ramming the officer's patrol car, and then sped away, the release said. Following a high-speed chase, the officer performed a maneuver to stop the fleeing Cadillac, causing it to crash into a guardrail. The officer and the driver exchanged gunfire, and the officer was struck, the release said. The couple ran away from the scene. New Mexico State Police Chief Tim Johnson said in a news conference Friday afternoon a man and woman who fit the description of the suspects had been picked up for questioning along Central Avenue in Albuquerque and were awaiting interviews. Johnson opened the news conference with a blunt statement: "Here we are again." Friday's shooting occurred almost a year after the death of New Mexico State Police Officer Darian Jarrott, who was fatally shot Feb. 4, 2021, by Omar Cueva after initiating a traffic stop along Interstate 10. "I feel like we are here more often than we should be," Johnson said. "If you sense the disgust or frustration in my voice, you would be correct." He did not identify the wounded officer, a supervisor with the agency but said it appeared he was going to be OK. The officer was treated at a hospital in Albuquerque, state police said in a Twitter post, adding the officer's condition was stable. Johnson said the officer had responded to a call for service from a clerk at a Mr. Gas Mart at the intersection of N.M. 333 and N.M. 334 in Edgewood around 8:15 a.m. The clerk said a woman was locked in the gas station's bathroom, likely doing drugs or other "criminal activity," Johnson said. Story continues The officer encountered the woman in a silver Cadillac parked in front of the store. He parked behind the Cadillac and walked over it, the chief said, prompting the man driving the car to ram the patrol vehicle and then flee west onto N.M. 333, which runs parallel to Interstate 40. The Cadillac crashed on the Sedillo Hill overpass. Johnson said it was unclear who fired the first shot or if either of the suspects were wounded by a gunshot before they ran. State police have described the suspects as a "heavy set" man between 5-foot-2 and 5-foot-4, wearing a black hoodie and blue pants, and a thin woman, about 5-foot-7, wearing a tan shirt with black leggings. The investigation at the shooting scene remains active, Johnson said, though two people have been detained for questioning. Various agencies were called in to assist state police, including authorities from Bernalillo County, Albuquerque, Edgewood and Santa Fe County, and were still at the scene Friday evening. "Every agency around the metro area is out there," Johnson said. "... If there is any silver lining, it's how quickly the law enforcement community rallies together and works together to get these folks in custody." During a House floor session Friday at the Roundhouse, Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park, asked her colleagues to keep the officer in their prayers as police work to "find the despicable person that did this." Sen. Gregg Schmedes, R-Tijeras, said he was taking his wife to breakfast for her birthday Friday morning when he saw police cars rushing to a scene. "About two minutes after we left my house, a sheriff's deputy with sirens on came blasting by," he said. "I thought, 'It went pretty fast.' And then another state police car, and then what I figured to be a federal police car, and that's when I knew something really bad was going on." At Schmedes' request, senators stood for a moment of silence for the injured officer. Anyone with information is asked to dial 911 or call state police at 505-841-9256. Staff writers Robert Nott and Daniel J. Chacon contributed to this report. WASHINGTON President Joe Biden warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday that an invasion of Ukraine would result in "swift and severe costs for Russia" during a high-stakes hourlong phone call that failed to ease rising tensions. A senior Biden administration official described the call as "professional" but said the dialogue resulted in "no fundamental change in the dynamics that have been unfolding now for several weeks." The call, which lasted a little over an hour, ended shortly after noon ET. It came as the White House says a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be imminent, perhaps before the conclusion of the Beijing Winter Olympics, which end Feb. 20. Biden told Putin that "if Russia undertakes a further invasion of Ukraine, the United States together with our Allies and partners will respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs on Russia," according to the White House. 'Wakeup call for Americans': Russia, Ukraine in behind-the-scenes lobbying war over Nord Stream 2 A woman walks past the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, Jan. 24, 2022. The State Department is ordering all but core staff to leave the Embassy. The move comes amid rising fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine. "President Biden reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russias standing," the White House said, adding that Biden was also clear the U.S., while committed to diplomacy, is "equally prepared for other scenarios." The talks came after the State Department late Friday directed most staff who remain in the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv to leave Ukraine immediately. The Pentagon also ordered the withdrawal of 160 National Guard troops from Ukraine. Biden is in Camp David in Maryland for the weekend. During a phone call earlier Saturday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned Russias foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, that if Russia invades Ukraine, it would result in a "resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response." The spark for a wider war?: Why Americans should care about Russia's aggression against Ukraine Story continues Sincere dialogue incompatible with military escalation, Macron tells Putin Putin also spoke on Saturday with French President Emmanuel Macron, who has tried to serve as a chief European interlocutor in the crisis. Macron told Putin that sincere dialogue is not compatible with military escalation, during a phone call that lasted more than an hour, according to French media. Putin, meanwhile, suggested the United States was engaging in provocative speculations about a possible Russian investigation of Ukraine, according to a statement from the Kremlin on the Russian leader's conversation with Macron. Putin also raised concerns about the massive supplies of modern weaponry the West is sending to Ukraine and suggested that would create conditions for a Ukrainian military assault in the eastern Donbass region of Ukraine where Russian-backed separatists have been operating. Deirdre Shesgreen Russia-Ukraine explained: Inside the crisis as US, allies await next move US directs most embassy staff in Ukraine to leave The State Department late Friday directed most staff at its embassy in Kyiv to evacuate as the White House warned a Russian invasion of Ukraine could be imminent. The embassy is suspending consular services but will still provide some emergency services with a small team remaining. The embassy will operate at a "bare minimum" to maintain "core functions," according to a senior State Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. The move comes as Washington has ratcheted up warnings for Americans to leave the country. If a conflict materializes, Americans in Ukraine should not expect the U.S. military to rescue them, the official said Saturday morning, adding: "It isn't just time to leave Ukraine. It is past time for private citizens to leave Ukraine." The State Department had earlier ordered families of U.S. Embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave, but it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. The department also updated its travel advisory urging Americans not to travel to Ukraine. U.S. officials say they don't have a count of how many Americans are in Ukraine. More: How big is Ukraine's military compared to Russia's? How long could Ukrainians hold off an attack? US orders withdrawal of 160 troops from Ukraine Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered the withdrawal of 160 National Guard troops from Ukraine on Saturday amid signs of an imminent invasion by Russia. The troops from the Florida National Guard have been advising Ukrainian forces since November. They will be sent elsewhere in Europe. The secretary made this decision out of an abundance of caution with the safety and security of our personnel foremost in mind and informed by the State Departments guidance on U.S. personnel in Ukraine, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in a statement. On Friday, Austin ordered 3,000 soldiers from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to Poland to reinforce NATOs eastern flank. Jake Sullivan, President Joe Biden's national security adviser, also urged all U.S. citizens to leave Ukraine. Tom Vanden Brook Biden, Putin to speak; US warns Russia of 'resolute, massive' response to invasion President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to speak by phone Saturday morning as the U.S. seeks to cool the tensions at the Ukraine border, where Russia has amassed more than 100,000 troops. Earlier Saturday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin spoke to Russian Minister of Defense Sergey Shoygu to discuss Russia's military build-up, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke to Russias foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov. More: Why is Vladimir Putin threatening Ukraine? Respect, fear, power at play in Russian leader's motivations Blinken pushed for a "diplomatic path to resolving this crisis," according to a State Department readout of the call, but said it would require Moscow deescalating and engaging in "good-faith discussions." Blinken said that if Russia invades Ukraine, it would result in a "resolute, massive, and united Transatlantic response." Sullivan said Friday there is a "credible prospect" military action could occur before Feb. 20, when the Beijing Olympics end. The 3,000 combat troops on the way to Poland will join 1,700 who already are assembling there in a demonstration of American commitment to NATO allies worried at the prospect of Russia invading Ukraine. Reach Joey Garrison on Twitter @Joeygarrison. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Ukraine: Biden, Putin speak amid fear of Russian invasion - updates The Southern Colorado Safe Streets Task Force is seeking the public's help to locate two wanted suspects in Pueblo. Brandy Aragon, 34, has three outstanding warrants for alleged failure to appear in court in connection with a string of charges, including public order crimes, motor vehicle theft, possession of a controlled substance, identity theft, possession of a weapon by a previous offender, criminal impersonation and violation of a protection order.. Brandy Aragon Aragon is described as a 5-foot-3 Hispanic woman weighing 147 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. Phabian Trujillo, 19, has a warrant for alleged public order crimes, including controlled substance possession with intent to distribute. Phabian Trujillo Trujillo is described as a 5-foot-7 Hispanic male weighing 130 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Yearly arrest rates for the Southern Colorado Safe Streets Task Force Sgt. Franklyn Ortega, public information officer for the Pueblo Police Department, said the arrest rate for criminal suspects featured in the weekly Safe Streets Wanted Criminal Roundup is very high. This is a very successful program for the Pueblo Police Department," he said. "We get the community involved and they help us apprehend wanted criminals. Pueblo PD is asking anyone with information on Aragon or Trujillo to contact the department. Anonymous tips can be called in to 719-542-STOP (719-542-7867) or filed at pueblocrimestoppers.com. Information that leads to a felony arrest could qualify its submitting party for a cash reward. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime. Chieftain Content Coach Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter @ZachHillstrom This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Pueblo suspects Aragon, Trujillo, wanted by Safe Streets Task Force I'm Damien Willis, a lead reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News, and this is The Reporter's Notebook, a free newsletter highlighting some of the week's best stories. This week, we'll talk to our reporters about how they reported their stories in an effort to bring some transparency to our reporting process. This is a way to pull back the curtain and to take you inside the newsroom our conversations, our reporting process and the tips that occasionally led to interesting and important stories. Undated Stephanie Garcia booking photo from the Florida Department of Corrections, left, next to Judy Young's photo on the White Sands Schools' website (which has since been taken down). Young was accused of being Garcia, who allegedly absconded from a probation sentence in Florida in 2000. 'A devastating situation': Las Cruces teacher responds to 21-year-old warrant in Florida A Las Cruces Public Schools teacher is on personal leave after facing a bizarre allegation about her past. Judy Young, a 15-year employee at the district, was charged with being a fugitive and booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center in September. Prosecutors alleged Young is wanted in Florida under the name of Stephanie Ann Garcia, who was convicted of grand theft and passing worthless checks in that state 22 years ago and later walked out on her probation. The charge within Dona Ana County was dropped after Florida prosecutors declined to extradite her. However, last week she appeared in court via video conference to address the fugitive warrant. Las Cruces Sun-News reporter Algernon D'Ammassa has been chasing this story for months. Here's how it came to pass, according to Algernon: We received an anonymous tip in September from someone at White Sands Missile Range that a teacher had been arrested, and a few confidential sources told us a very old booking photo from Florida for a fugitive was making the rounds on base, because the subject one Stephanie Garcia appeared to resemble the teacher. Some pieces fell into place right away. Court documents and a state police report showed us that schoolteacher Judy Young was also known as one Stephanie Ann Garcia, who allegedly walked out on probation for felonies in Florida back in 2000. Young said she had been a victim of identity theft around that time and that this woman was not her. Florida did not extradite her and Dona Ana County dropped its charges against her. Story continues It was now clear this was a strange story. If you do some googling, you may find some fascinating news reports about innocent people arrested for crimes after their identities were stolen. (Here's a tip from me: Protect yourself against identity theft.) It is also the case that people who have achieved professional success and trust in their communities sometimes have unhappy chapters in their past. Over several weeks, I researched court documents from criminal cases in Florida as well as New Mexico dating back to the 1990s. This is time-consuming and expensive work, and your subscriptions help pay for this. We constructed a timeline covering more than 20 years, pored through court documents and police records and vetted claims made on an employment application from 2004, discovering a discrepancy in her work history that happened to coincide with Stephanie Garcia's legal problems in Florida. Finally, we reported very carefully in our December story, keeping in mind the many unanswered questions and every person's right to a presumption of innocence when accused of a crime. Ms. Young, who has been on personal leave since the arrest, is now addressing the warrant, as we reported in our recent follow-up story, based on court transcripts. Her next hearing, later this month, will require a personal appearance where a judge will decide whether to let her remain free on bond. Jason Estrada attends a Las Cruces City Council hearing to determine the fate of Speak Easy's business license at City Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022. Estrada ends mayoral bid following Speak Easy license revocation Local businessman Jason Estrada ended a bid for Las Cruces mayor hours after the Las Cruces City Council revoked the license for one of his businesses Tuesday, Feb. 8, denying an appeal from Estrada. The business, Speak Easy, a CBD and cannabis-themed retailer, had its license revoked by the city Community Development Department in September after Estrada was charged with a cannabis-related felony. He allegedly sold cannabis to undercover law enforcement at Speak Easy. Though Estrada has not been convicted, the city decided the charge was enough to warrant the revocation of the license. "It's a violation of our own city code to allow a business, have a business or premise that allows crime to occur," Deputy City Attorney Robert Cabello said at the public hearing before the council Tuesday. Speak Easy appealed the decision, delaying the revocation and putting the decison in the hands of the city council. While Estrada's case was dismissed without prejudice Jan. 7, his attorney has said the state may seek a grand jury indictment. Las Cruces Sun-News Reporter Michael McDevitt, who covers city and county government, has been following the story since September. He said it's one we'll continue to watch. This story left more questions than answers in some ways, some of which I will attempt to resolve in the upcoming weeks. For one thing, this was the first business license revoked by the city in at least four years possibly longer. We expect to figure out the last time something like this happened, including the precedent for revoking a business license on the basis of criminal suspicions. Second, Estradas attorney, Matt Madrid, raised some precarious precedents possibly started by the councils decision. Although Estrada has not been convicted of a crime, the city is acting as if a guilty verdict has been handed down taking away his license for what they claim is the allowance of criminal activity on the premises. As we follow this story, well seek to answer the authority by which the city can do something like this, as well as address potential due process concerns raised. Finally, there are questions about the investigation. The undercover operation against Speak Easy appears to have been given high priority. Former metro narcotics agent Ryan Holguin testified to the council that he personally drove evidence to Albuquerque to be tested instead of waiting several months for results. Additionally, Madrid argued to the council that legal CBD was sold to undercover law enforcement not cannabis. The lab tests completed by law enforcement were not presented to the council Tuesday. While Councilor Johana Bencomo pointed out in the council meeting she would hope drug enforcement cops would be able to tell the difference between CBD and cannabis, it might be too early to rule out what would be a shocking development in this case. Students march through New Mexico State campus in Las Cruces demanding the university fire President John Floros and Provost Carol Parker on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021. NMSU conducts audit following faculty vote of no confidence: Here's what we learned By late October 2021, faculty and students of New Mexico State University had had enough with university administration. Both the student and faculty senates claimed they had no confidence in President John Floros and Provost Carol Parker and called on the NMSU regents to ask Chancellor Dan Arvizu to fire both of them. (They've both since been terminated.) Those students and professors who were loudest alleged the top brass were bullies to, or at least dishonest with, those beneath them on the organizational chart, leading to low morale and retention within the university community. The regents ordered their auditing committee to investigate five specific claims from faculty: misappropriation of university funds, unethical hiring and promotion practices, deliberate circumvention of due process, rejection of principles and practices of shared governance, and broader impacts of a systemic failure of leadership. Within the three months it took the committee to probe the allegations, Parker was put on administrative leave and Floros announced he would be taking a year's sabbatical with no intention of returning to his role. Shortly after regents and the chancellor had the audit in hand, Parker was let go permanently. Miranda Cyr, the Sun-News' education reporter and a Report for America fellow, has been following this story closely since the issue arose. Last week, NMSU released its audit in response to the Faculty Senate's vote of no-confidence. This is something I've been closely following for the majority of the school year. What started as discussions lead to votes, resolutions, on-campus protests and employment terminations. Then the audit came out and I think a lot of people were disappointed. Most of the claims we unsubstantiated. And what was substantiated was in the grand scheme of the claims very minor. There was all this build-up, and it does seem like things are headed in the right direction, but I think most who were involved in the resolutions would say this isn't enough. In talking with NMSU Professor Jamie Bronstein, she explained that the audit only evaluates what is legal. She said that hiring an exorbitant amount of upper administration is legal, but it may not be ethical, and that seems to be what the student and faculty senates are concerned about more than the legality of it all. However, there seems to be progress being made. Chancellor Dan Arvizu is meeting more frequently with students and staff. With the dismissal of President John Floros and Provost Carol Parker, it will be interesting to see how the university functions with a slightly smaller upper admin team. I think that's something we'll see over time. I will be sure to cover it as it unfolds! Scooter's Coffee is opening five locations in Louisville, with the first two opening in November. Scooter's Coffee, Drive-thru-only franchise, coming soon to Las Cruces Scooter's Coffee, a drive-thru-only coffee franchise, is coming to Las Cruces in the coming months. Las Cruces healthcare professionals Matt and Jamie Yeager will own the local franchises the first in New Mexico. The Yeagers plan to build at least three Scooter's Coffee kiosks in town, though the locations have not yet been determined. A franchise widely known around the Midwest, Scooter's has become one of the biggest drive-through brands in that area. It first opened in Bellevue, Nebraska in 1998. Since then, the brand states it has been committed to high-quality drinks, speed of service and good customer service, and has had over two decades of success. Scooter's is now approaching 400 locations in 20 states. The first Las Cruces location is scheduled to open in May. Our new intern from NMSU, Cielo Rodriguez who also works for The Round Up shared the story with our subscribers and readers. As it turned out, she happened to know someone from the small city of Bellevue, Nebraska, where the company started. She reached out to her for input. Here's how it went down, according to Cielo. Talking to Matt and Jamie Yeager was a great experience. They actually seem excited and passionate about their new business endeavor. Getting to know more about them and the reasons why they wanted to open up a new business franchise was truly inspiring. When doing more research about the brand Scooter's Coffee, I found out that it was originally founded in Bellevue, Nebraska which I found cool. I remembered that my good friend, Kaitlyn Fye lived there for most of her life, and is a student who now goes to Kansas State University. I met her around five years ago at a marching band competition and met with her again the following year at the Band Of America Super Regional competition in St. Louis, Missouri. Getting to hear her speak about how she's loved Scooter's Coffee because she had a Scooter's Coffee in her hometown was so enlightening, and I enjoyed hearing her experiences. Getting her input felt like it truly belonged in the story. It only reminded me of how important all the connections I make as a person, and as a journalist really are. 'The Reporter's Notebook' podcast In this week's The Reporter's Notebook podcast, I talk to Sun-News public safety reporter Justin Garcia and former reporter Bethany Brunelle-Raja about several unfortunate anniversaries we're marking this month. They are three of Dona Ana Countys biggest crimes of the past several decades all of which mark anniversaries in the first half of February. First, its been one year since the death of New Mexico State Police Officer Darian Jarrott, who was shot and killed by a motorist on Feb. 4, 2021 after conducting a traffic stop east of Deming while assisting Homeland Security Investigations. Jarrott was 28 years old. Then, we talk about the abuse and murder of 5-month-old Brianna Lopez Baby Brianna who would have turned 20 years old on Valentine's Day this year. Finally, we're joined by Anthony Teran as we mark the 32-year anniversary of the Las Cruces bowling alley massacre. Anthony's brother, Steven Teran, and his two young nieces Paula and Valerie died in the attack. It remains unsolved to this day one of the largest unsolved mass shootings in the nation. I hope you'll give it a listen. Listen to all of our podcasts HERE. Damien Willis is a Lead Reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News. He can be reached at 575-541-5443, dwillis@lcsun-news.com or @DamienWillis on Twitter. This article originally appeared on Las Cruces Sun-News: White Sands teacher hides identity for 20 years, Speak Easy's license revoked, NMSU audit Photo Illustration by Luis G. Rendon/The Daily Beast; Getty; YouTube The congregants of University AME Zion Church have owned their building in Palo Alto, California, for nearly 50 years. As far as the congregation was aware, the churcha low, white building where more than 100 people from around the city gather each Sundayhad not had a mortgage, taken out a loan, or so much as missed a utility bill since the early 1970s. So when Pastor Kaloma Smith received a default notice in June 2020 alerting him that his church was $235,730 past due on mortgage payments and facing imminent foreclosure, he was stunned. According to a recent filing by the church in California Eastern Bankruptcy Court, Smith quickly sought counsel from Bishop Staccato Powellthen one of the highest-ranking members of the national AME Zion Church, and the leader of the Episcopal district in which University AME Zion resides. We received notice of foreclosure in the mail today, Smith texted Powell, attaching a photo of the notice. Is this real. It is being resolved, the bishop responded cryptically. On a call. What do I do, Smith asked, still shellshocked. Put the letter in the [drawer], the bishop responded, and remember what I told you. Bishop Staccato Powell was promoted to the position of President of the Board of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (A.M.E. Zion) at the February 2020 Winter Board of Bishops meeting in Atlanta, GA. Congrats Bro. Bishop Powell. #omegapsiphi pic.twitter.com/weNmon89VU Omega Psi Phi (@OfficialOPPF) February 21, 2020 AME Zion is one of the oldest and largest Black religious institutions in the country. Founded in the early 19th century by African Americans fleeing discrimination in white Methodist churches, it has since grown to more than 1.4 million members around the world. Its ranks have included Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, and Bishop Alexander Walters, the co-founder of the NAACP. Story continues As bishop of the Western Episcopal Districtwhich stretches from Washington to California, and includes Arizona, Alaska, and ColoradoPowell was one of the most powerful AME Zion figures; as a pastor of more than 30 years, he was one of its most trusted. But an indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for Northern California last month claims Powell betrayed that trust in order to enrich himself and his business partnersorchestrating an audacious scheme that has left multiple churches facing the threat of foreclosure and the bishop in debt for more than $12 million. Powell is now facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted, and the churches under him have filed adversary proceedings against him in his bankruptcy case. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges and maintains that his actions were for the benefit of the district. And while the reverend was disrobed as a bishop last year, a number of AME Zion leaders are still supporting him, leaving members to question whether their charismatic leader was a visionary or a scammer. The first sign of trouble, according to University AME Zions bankruptcy court filing, was at the conference of Western Episcopal District pastors that Powell called in April 2017, less than a year after he took over as bishop. According to the filing, Powell laid out his grand vision for the districtsome of which can still be seen online, in a brightly colored pamphlet called Powells Prioritiesand insisted that in order to carry it out, the churches would have to pool their resources and increase their donations to the episcopal district. According to a recently filed indictment, however, Powells alleged pressure campaign started even earlier than that. In February of that year, the indictment alleges, he suggested to the pastor at Kyles Temple in Vallejo, California, that he sign over the deed to the church so that Powell could use it as collateral on a loan for his new residence. According to the indictment, the pastor asked Powell to provide a written proposal for the congregation to review. (Under AME Zion doctrine, any church property transfer must be approved by a majority of the congregation, its board of trustees, and its quarterly conference.) Instead, the indictment claims, Powells assistant pretended to be the secretary of Kyles Temple and created a fake resolution allowing Powells business partner, Sheila Quintana, to negotiate with a lender on the churchs behalf. On March 23, the complaint alleges, Quintana did just that, using the church as collateral to obtain a $500,000 loan on the propertywithout the knowledge of the pastor and his congregation. Six months later, Powell approached Smith, the pastor of the Palo Alto church, about signing over the deed to his property, too. This time, according to the churchs bankruptcy court filing, Powell claimed that the property would be used as collateral on a loan of about $200,000 to pay off the debts of a struggling church in Sacramento. Believing that the building would be held in trust by the district, and that it would be used to help another congregation, the churchs board approved the transfer. According to the Palo Alto churchs bankruptcy court filing, however, the deed was transferred not to a trust, but to Powells for-profit business, and used to take out $2 million in loans that same day. Over the course of more than a year, the filing states, Powells associates would refinance the property multiple times, ultimately securing nearly $4 million in high-interest loans. According to the indictment and multiple bankruptcy court filings, Powell ran this scheme for years, using manipulation, coercion and deception to secure the deeds to at least five different church properties and take out at least 22 high-interest loans. In some cases, such as in Palo Alto, he allegedly told congregations that giving over their property would benefit the district as a whole. In others, he claimed that the AME Zion Book of Disciplinethe official record of church law, which Powell was partially in control of editing and updatingmandated that the churches hold their resources collectively. In still others, such as Vallejo, he allegedly did it in secret. For a while, it worked. According to the indictment, Powell used the proceeds of the Los Angeles church loan to add land to his family farm in Hallsboro, North Carolina, and used other loans to pay down debt on his personal residence in Wake Forest. The episcopal residence he ultimately purchased, in Granite Bay, California was worth more than $1.8 million, and contained four bedrooms, six bathrooms, a sauna, and an outdoor pool. According to the indictment, Powells business partner, Quintana, also benefited from the scheme, writing checks from the WED Inc bank account to her husband, who did no documented work for the company. And then it all came tumbling down. Staccato Powell grew up in a working-class, God fearing family in Hallsboro, North Carolina, the fifth son of a housekeeper and a civil service worker, according to a profile in the religious publication Faith and Leadership. He has repeated, in multiple interviews, how he was called to service from a young age, giving his first sermon at 16 and accepting his first pastorate at 18. In 2003, Powell was called to serve as pastor for Grace Zion Church in Raleigha role he told Faith and Leadership he took kicking and screaming. According to the profile, Powell rapidly expanded membership at the poorly attended church from 50 to 1,300, and increased its presence in the surrounding community. Attendees there professed that he had elevated all of our lives. Evonne Bolding, who worked with Powell at Grace Zion Church between 2005 and 2007, told The Daily Beast that Powell was a compassionate boss and a committed family man. She recalled him moving church services in the summer to earlier in the morning, so parents could go home and spend more time with their kids. [He was] very personable and really in tune and sensitive to whatever your needs were, Bolding said. Whatever he could offer to get you, he would give that to you. But even in Raleigh, Powells bold vision led to conflicts with church authorities. Powell claimed to be ushering in a new church, which would focus less on denominations and more on unity as Christians. George Washington Carver Walker, the senior bishop of the AME Zion Church at the time, told Faith and Leadership he didnt think much of that message, quipping: As a bishop, I cannot go with the post-denominational church. That would be against my philosophy. Despite the pushback, Powell took on a larger and larger national role over the coming years. He served as deputy general secretary of the National Council of Churches, a coalition of 38 different Christian faiths, and as a board member on several other cross-denominational coalitions. In 2010, he hosted a joint gathering of leaders from all three major African-American churches called The Great Gathering, which drew attendees from Cornell West to Marian Wright Edelman and ended with a taped message from President Barack Obama. When he arrived in the Western Episcopal District in 2016, much like he did at Grace Church more than a decade earlier, Powell had an ambitious plan for reform. The Powell Priorities pamphlet he created for the district is brimming with hopefulif slightly improbableoptimism, pledging his members to everything from eliminating plastic pollution to acquiring their own nationally chartered bank. In an interview with the Religion News Service, he did not deny having asked his churches to give more of their incomes to the district, but claimed it was in service of usher[ing] in a new paradigm of growth and expansion. Whether this talk of expansion and ingenuity was genuine, or cover for a massive, self-enriching scheme, is up for debate. (There is, in fact, an entire Religion News Service article dedicated to this question, entitled, Staccato Powell: pioneer or swindler? in which several pastors pledged their support for him.) Some former colleagues who spoke to The Daily Beast said they still held out hope that the charges against Powell were false, and that he would fully explain himself in court. But they also left open the possibility that the self-proclaimed reformer had gotten too swept up in his own revolution. Hes a spiritual person, hes a good guy, said Bishop John R. Bryant, who worked with Powell on the Great Gathering. [But] all of us can fall. And I would just hope that thats not the case. Pastor Smith first sensed something was off in January 2019, when the Palo Alto church received a notice of overdue property taxwhich, as a nonprofit organization, it had never had to pay before. Smith, unaware that Powell had transferred ownership of the property to his for-profit corporation, forwarded the notice to the bishop and his staff. According to the churchs court filing, an employee of Powells responded by claiming that the agency was simply confused. But in April 2020, according to the filing, the pastor received a call from a concerned third party, informing him that there was a $3.6 million mortgage on the church property and approximately $11 million in mortgages on multiple church properties in the area. A month later, as rumors about the situation swirled, the church claims Powell called the pastors in his district to assure them that their mortgages would all be taken care of, and that each of them would have money in the bank after this was all done. What he did not tell them is that his company had doubled down on his scheme just one month before, increasing the loan balance on a Los Angeles church from $1.2 million to $1.5 million, according to that churchs court filing. Finally, in July 2020, the AME Zion Board of Bishopsthe churchs governing bodysent a letter to all of the Western District congregations announcing what many of them already knew: A number of church properties had transferred ownership without following proper church procedure, and several had received foreclosure notices due to delinquent payments. The board said its members had met with Powell that month, and that he had promised to bring this situation to an appropriate resolution. Three days later, Powells company filed for bankruptcy. The scale of the bankruptcy filing is striking. Powells company claims to own 11 churches, a parsonage, and the bishops official residence, for a total of more than $26 million. It also claims to have taken out $14 million in loans on the properties, and to be nearly $12.5 million in debt. The filing was the first time many churches in the Western District learned exactly how much they owed on their properties. But even more surprising was the plan to pay it off: Sell the church properties and use the proceeds to pay his debtdespite being instructed by the Board of Bishops to return the properties to their rightful owners. At least three churches have filed adversary proceedings in the bankruptcy proceeding, hoping to block Powells company from selling off their properties. A filing by a Los Angeles church is unsparing in its depiction of its former leader, claiming that his company had no revenue generating operations of its own, and was now attempting to sell off coopted local church properties in order to satisfy a massive debt incurred by the Debtor alone. The Palo Alto filing lays out the consequence of this scheme in stark relief: If the Debtors unlawful attempts to sell [the church property] are not stopped by this court, it reads, Palo Altos oldest Black church will lose its sanctuary. In July 2021, almost a year to the day after Powells company filed for bankruptcy, the General Conference of the AME Zion Church took the step last year of removing him as a bishopthe first time this had been done since 1948. The move followed a months-long internal investigation into the bishop, and a full trial at the General Conference. A core principle of Methodism is accountability, the Board of Bishops said at the time. No position, regardless of prominence, is beyond this proposition. Powell, meanwhile, continued to deny the charges against him, telling the Religious News Service he expected to be totally exonerated. Five months later, he was arrested on four counts of mail fraud and wire fraud. There is a section of the Western Episcopal Districts website, next to the tab on Powell Priorities, titled Dare2Believe, which quotes from section Mark 9, in which Jesus appears before a sick child and his father and tells them that all things are possible if they believe. The father declares his belief, and the boy is magically healed. According to the site, the moral of this story is that, regardless of ones plight, BELIEF in God can and will turn things around. If you BELIEVE, it reads, God will fix the situation for you. Throughout this process, Powell has not only maintained his innocence, but also his belief that it was all a part of Gods plan. In an interview with Religion News Service in 2021, after his removal as bishop, Powell declared the decision a providential move of God, that would allow him to practice ministry outside the confines of the AME Zion Church. I have no animusnothing, he told the news service. I feel that God has moved in a mighty way and what some may have intended to be adversarial and evil, God will use ultimately not just for my good, but for the good of his people. Powell did not return multiple calls and emails from The Daily Beast; his attorney declined to comment. (Quintana has not secured a lawyer and could not be reached for comment.) The former bishop pleaded not guilty to all four charges in a brief, virtual court hearing in California earlier this month. Both he and Quintana were released on bond. At the court hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan Lee described how Powell and his associates pressured pastors into giving up their property and forced them into unimaginable debt. The loss afflicted on the affected congregations is incalculable, he said. The three churches that filed adversary proceedings in Powells bankruptcy proceedings are continuing to move forward; the Palo Alto church, represented pro bono by the law firm Mayer Brown, is moving into discovery. But in a statement issued the same day the charges were announced, the AME Zion Board of Bishops sounded almost woeful that Powell had been charged. It has never been the desire of the Board of Bishops to pursue prosecution of Dr. Powell, the board said. Upon hearing the news today, we will continue to keep Dr. Powell, Dr. Quintana, their families, the congregations that were involved as well as the A. M. E. Zion Church in our prayers. We will continue to look to our God for comfort, inspiration and directions as all of us journey through this strange place, they added. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here 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. Christian Eriksen got the biggest cheer of the day before Brentford were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace. Eriksen was introduced to the Bees supporters on the pitch ahead of kick-off, eight months to the day since his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020. The Denmark international, who has signed a six-month deal with Brentford, is expected to play in a behind-closed-doors friendly next week before a potential debut at Arsenal next Saturday. On this evidence that first appearance cannot come too soon after a bore draw crying out for someone of Eriksens creativity and craft. Brentford did at least end a run of five straight defeats to leave Palace still searching for their first league win of 2022. The hosts looked the most likely to make the breakthrough, with Christian Norgaard firing over early on before Rico Henrys drive was deflected over by Joachim Andersen. Brentford felt they should have been awarded a 15th-minute penalty when the ball struck the out-stretched arm of Palace defender Marc Guehi at a corner, but despite a VAR check nothing was given. Then Sergi Canos played Bryan Mbeumo in behind with a clever through-ball, with Eagles keeper Vicente Guaita quickly off his line to make the block. But Thomas Franks side have conceded the opening goal in 16 of their past 17 Premier League games and they nearly did so again on the half-hour mark after a mistake by Norgaard, who played a blind back-pass straight to Odsonne Edouard. The French forwards through-ball sent Jordan Ayew racing through on goal but he shanked his effort into the side-netting. Wilfried Zaha took time out from his running battle with Canos to fire in a shot which David Raya held and Canos headed Mbeumos cross wide before half-time. After the break Bees substitute Josh Dasilvas low centre just evaded Mbeumo before Andersen hacked it clear, and Guaita pulled off a fine reaction save to keep out Pontus Janssons header. Story continues Canos was perhaps lucky to escape a second yellow card for body-checking Zaha into touch as the game descended into niggly foul after niggly foul. Eagles boss Patrick Vieira sent on Jean-Philippe Mateta and Michael Olise in a bid to pep up his labouring attack, but Zaha squandered their best chance when he took a touch from Conor Gallaghers cross rather than shooting. Zaha took a late tumble in the area which came to nothing and Raya saved in stoppage time from Andersen. But in a match where defences were on top, neither side was able to muster a winner to leave Palace still with only one away victory to their name this season. The Philadelphia 76ers made a huge move on Thursday as they acquired James Harden. Big name, right? A former league MVP, an easy bucket, a playmaker, and a guy who instantly makes the Sixers title contenders with Joel Embiid. While Harden is the obvious big name in this deal, the Sixers also got a solid veteran in the form of Paul Millsap in the deal with the Brooklyn Nets. Millsap is a 4-time All-Star in his own right, but the 16-year veteran has not played since Dec. 27 as the Nets and Millsap agreed that it was best for him to sit out while they find a new home for him. Millsap has been to the conference finals three times with three separate teams, the Utah Jazz, the Atlanta Hawks, and the Denver Nuggets, and he will look to bring that to Philadelphia now. He has career averages of 13.5 points and 7.1 rebounds. We can use him, said coach Doc Rivers. We want to see him. I told him on the phone, if we use him, itll be at the 5 because I think thats where hes at and I just think a vet, high, high, high character guy is never bad to put in your locker room. Millsap is obviously not the All-Star player he used to be, but he is still a useful veteran who can help in short spurts and he is a guy who can bring a voice to the locker room. Millsap will be helpful as a calming influence for this team. With that being said, Rivers is unsure when both Millsap and Harden will be here with the team. Pauls been in Atlanta working out, Rivers added. For us, I got to just see them. Once they come in, well do something and well make decisions. I dont want to put either one of them out there until they are really ready. I just dont want to go down that rabbit hole of injury and stuff. This post originally appeared on Sixers Wire! Follow us on Facebook! List 2021-22 Philadelphia 76ers roster after the big James Harden trade Related Feb. 12Five months before Lincoln's birthday, Peter Hatalla starts growing his beard. When February rolls around, he pulls out his old black wool coat and vest and hat, and walks out the door dressed as Abraham Lincoln. For 25 years Hatalla, a Laurens native, has impersonated Lincoln almost every year for Presidents Day and Memorial Day celebrations. Hatalla is 6-feet-2-inches tall. With his beard dyed and trimmed in a Shenandoah cut long over the chin and jaw, scooping up to the sideburns with no mustache he looks remarkably like Old Abe. Hatalla worked for Corning in Oneonta for 32 years until he retired in 2020, he said during an interview Friday afternoon. "I was growing a beard for hunting season. And the guys at the plant said, 'Wow, you look like Abraham Lincoln' cause I was wearing this same wool coat that I had gotten from my mom." Hatalla grew up on a farm; the family didn't have money to buy dress clothes, so he appreciated the jacket passed on from relatives. "I started looking into what Abraham Lincoln looked like. And I said, 'Well, one thing I don't have is a hat.' One of the maintenance guys at the plant said, 'I got a hat for you, I used to be a chimney sweep.' Hatalla's mother-in-law provided a black bowtie. All these years he's worn this same outfit, he said. It transforms him from a retiree who spends his time renovating his basement, damaged in the 2006 floods to a stately figure who turns heads as he goes by. For Hatalla, it's not just a costume. "When I started to act the part of Lincoln, I did a lot of research, and learned a lot about not only where he stood, politically, but his love for God and for country." He admires Lincoln and readily spouts off whole passages from his speeches. In the Gettysburg address, Lincoln "goes on to say, 'It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.' The fight for freedom never ends," Hatalla said. "The expression freedom is not free has been voiced a lot, but we, we have to remember that our freedom will always cost us something." Story continues Hatalla asks people: what kind of sacrifice are they willing to make, for their community or their country? "Lincoln's desire was to see all the states come together and become united ... 'And that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth.' And with all the unrest in the United States today, people have forgotten the value of their freedom, wanting to change the United States" to suit their own self-interests. "It just seemed like there's so much division in the United States today that should concern every one of us, to do what we can to secure that unity, that was so hard fought for," Hatalla said, walking in downtown Oneonta in his full regalia. "My hopes are that these whole racist issues that are out there today will melt into a unity, that we will become stronger as a nation. And my biggest fear is that this unrest and this racism going on today will divide our nation up." On Main Street, three older women stared at Hatalla out the window of Simply Thai. Two college-aged men rolled down their car window, shouting "Honest Abe!" "I try to wave at all of them," Hatalla said, smiling. A man in a baseball cap stopped to pose for a picture. A gray-haired woman pushing a walker told him, "I wish there were dozens of you, all over." There is, however, one person who doesn't even want to see Lincoln. "My wife will not have anything to do with me or go with me anywhere," he said. "She feels embarrassed for me looking like Lincoln and she's not dressed up or anything, she's just like a normal person. And I guess I'm not normal." He once suggested to her that they find an old-fashioned dress so she could play Mary Todd Lincoln, but she had no interest. "Saturday will be Lincoln's 213th birthday. So I will be going into Walmart dressed as Lincoln. I've got to get a few things there." Then the outfit will get put away until May. "It's a wool hat. And this wool coat, which in summer for Memorial Day gets really hot." After that, Hatalla will shave off the beard for the summer, maybe get a buzz cut. Last time, at the barber, he looked in the mirror "and my first impulse was, I looked like Bill Murray." Mike Forster Rothbart, staff writer, can be reached at mforsterrothbart@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7213. (Photo: Illustration: Damon Dahlen/HuffPost; Photos: Getty Images) More likely than not, youll find Sarah Traxler in an airport terminal, staring at her watch and wondering When is this plane getting here? Traxler, an abortion provider, flies from her home state of Minnesota to South Dakota twice a month to provide care in the last abortion clinic left in the state, Planned Parenthoods Sioux Falls health center. The center has been providing abortion care for South Dakotans for more than 20 years, but in all that time the clinic has never had an in-state abortion provider. Hospital systems in the state dont allow physicians to work for them if they also provide care for Planned Parenthood. So Traxler, along with four other physicians, work on a rotating schedule each doctor takes one week a month, flying in twice that week to accommodate the states 72-hour waiting period for patients. And each physicians travel is scheduled down to the minute. South Dakota law requires patients seeking an abortion to undergo an initial in-person consultation and then wait for 72 hours before they can return for the procedure. Although many states have waiting periods, South Dakota is one of a handful that enforce such a long wait, and its the only state that doesnt include weekends or holidays in that time. The additional hurdle here is that South Dakota law also requires the patient to see the same doctor on both visits. Thats why Traxlers timing is so critical. Nothing can really start with the patients until my arrival, which is why I get so anxious. Theyre all waiting on me, Traxler told HuffPost in a conversation earlier this week. Although South Dakota bans abortion after 20 weeks, Sioux Falls clinic offers the procedure up to 13 weeks and six days due to a law requiring out-patient procedures to have access to a blood bank, a rule that isnt applied to hospitals. There are physicians who can provide abortion care later than that in the hospital system, but those procedures are rarely done and only in specific cases when the mothers life is at risk or there are lethal fetal anomalies, and the entire process has to go through a hospital ethics board. Story continues Traxler and her other four colleagues are essentially South Dakotans only option. A flight delay or winter storm could cost someone their short window to get an abortion. Abortion access is already so limited in South Dakota that many people facing unintended pregnancies are already living in a post-Roe world, said Traxler. South Dakotas long history of a Republican majority in its legislature has allowed it to routinely pass anti-abortion measures that slowly but surely have siphoned off access. Abortion care is being threatened on a national level through a 2018 Mississippi law that bans abortion at 15 weeks and that is in direct violation of Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 Supreme Court decision that protects the right to abortion. Experts and advocates agreed that the courts conservative majority signaled it would likely uphold the Mississippi law by either banning abortion outright or tinkering with the definition of fetal viability after Decembers oral arguments. The lived experience of so many South Dakotans is about to become a reality for people across the country. A Logistical Nightmare Traxlers schedule is time-stamped: Typically, she might fly in from Minnesota in time to arrive at the clinic at 11 a.m. on a Monday and see 12 to 15 patients. That same day shed fly back to Minnesota and, three days later, do the entire process over again. If she arrives at the clinic any earlier than 11 a.m. on the second day, she cant start seeing patients until those 72 hours between visits have been completed. This causes a logistical nightmare for Traxler: If she misses her flight on Day One, her entire week is shot; if her flight is delayed on Day Two, she may not get to all of her patients, forcing her to restart the process for those who werent seen. It has a ripple effect where all of those patients who couldnt be seen that week have to be rescheduled and do the entire process over again because the consenting procedures that I do with them on day one arent valid for the next physician, said Traxler. There are times I feel personally responsible. Even if Im sitting at the airport and the airline tells me my flights going to be three hours late, I think about if I can get in a car, Im texting with the clinic manager and were trying to problem-solve, she said. Its really hard. Its sort of devastating when we end up not being able to make it. The burden on the patients is even worse. They have very little flexibility in appointment times, and the costs of getting to the clinic are doubled because of the two in-person visits requirement (the governor is currently trying to require a third visit). Sioux Falls sits in the southeast corner of the state, which means many patients are driving up to five hours to get to the clinic. There have been several times when patients couldnt make it to that second visit, recalled Traxler, who has worked at the Sioux Falls center since 2015. Sometimes its because a bad snowstorm has blocked the roads or because a patient has used all of their money on the first trip. Ive had patients who look at me and say, You mean I cant have my abortion today? Ive used all my money. I dont know how Im going to get back here on Thursday, said Traxler, noting that usually the clinic is able to rely on privately raised abortion funds that help pay for the procedure. Theres one patient experience that has stuck with Traxler all of these years. A teenager, Traxler recalled, had gone through a judicial bypass no small feat to obtain an abortion. She came to see me on the first day, we went through everything, she was determined that she wanted to follow through with an abortion, Traxler said. She went the 72 hours, and then on the day that she was supposed to come back to the health center for her abortion, the principal of her school found out and refused to let her leave school. And she was unable to make it for her appointment that day. Traxler says it was deeply upsetting to her, the young woman and the clinic staff. They were able to work with the teenager to get her to come back a week later. But, again, she had to go through the entire process from the start, Traxler said. From Bad To Worse Like many GOP-controlled state legislatures, South Dakotas is preparing for the fall of Roe sometime this spring. Ahead of the looming court case, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, a Republican opposed to reproductive rights, introduced a copycat of the most extreme abortion ban in U.S. history: Texas six-week ban that deputizes private citizens to enforce it by filing civil lawsuits. Noem is also preparing to finalize a September executive order blocking telemedicine abortions, which means in-person visits would be required to receive care. If Roe falls, South Dakota has a so-called trigger law on the books, which would ban all abortions immediately. North Dakota also has a trigger ban ready, and other surrounding states, including Nebraska and Iowa, are set to introduce similar laws this legislative session. Its already really difficult in the region, but depending on how legislation goes and how [the Supreme Court decision] goes were looking at a really tough map in the Midwest when it comes to abortion access, said Emily Bisek, the regional director of strategic communications at Planned Parenthood North Central States. Traxler tried to be optimistic, but shes also a realist. She knows that soon enough her days as a traveling abortion care provider could be over: Patients in South Dakota will have to come to her instead. But not everyone can do that. Its going to be pretty grim in South Dakota, said Traxler. Were going to see an increase in the number of unintended pregnancies that are carried to term, and were going to see more people self-managing their abortions. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Feb. 12Students at Southern Maine Community College were happy to hear Friday that Gov. Janet Mills is proposing two free years of community college, but most said it will take some time to assess the personal impact of the proposal. During her annual address to the Legislature on Thursday, Mills proposed that the state cover tuition and fees for two-year associates' degrees or one-year certification programs in the Maine Community College System. The program is aimed at the high school graduating classes of 2020-2023 Mills said she wants it to benefit those students most affected by the pandemic. "That would be great," said Myles Brown of Deer Isle, who is attending SMCC to get an electrical engineering degree and then, he hopes, start his own company as an electrician. Brown, who is also a point guard on the SMCC basketball team, said he works full time and also has some scholarships that help cover his college costs. But no longer having to pay tuition would ease financial stresses as he moves into the second year of his program in the fall, he said. Grace Marshall, who is majoring in liberal studies with a concentration in art, said she, too, is uncertain of the impact of Mill's plan on her college costs. But Marshall worries that if community college becomes free at least for some students it could devalue it. "It's a relatively good thing," she said of Mills plan, "but when something is free, I'm always wary." Mills' plan got a warm reception Friday at Central Maine Community College in Auburn, where Myah Nicholas of Lewiston called it both "a great idea" and "a great opportunity" for students who might otherwise go straight from high school to a job. Community college leaders also praised the plan, which Mills touted during her visit to CMCC. "It will have a really positive impact not only on this campus, but systemwide," said William Cassidy, who chairs the board of the Maine Community College System. Story continues But not everyone supports the idea, which requires legislative approval. The executive director of the Maine Republican Party, Jason Savage, said Friday that "given that Janet Mills' school lockdowns deeply hurt students and parents' mental, emotional and financial health, any of her election-year proposals funded by federal funny money should be met with extreme skepticism." Sarah Poli, a student from Benton, said the governor's proposal would help out many students who are struggling and who need the extra money to make it possible to earn their degrees or certification Maine Community College President David Daigler said the pandemic has driven many low-income students out of the system as they've struggled financially and with other hardships related to COVID-19. Offering to make it free for them to return, he said, will likely spur some to come back. He anticipates about 8,000 young people will take up the offer if the Legislature backs the plan. In the fall, Maine's community colleges enrolled more than 15,000 students statewide, but only a third of them attend full-time. And many said their educations have been disrupted by the pandemic, which forced many students to take some courses online, rather than in person. That has forced some students to extend their college enrollments to complete degree or certification programs. Christian Dubuc said he estimates that he will have $12,000 in debt by the time he's done at SMCC, where he is majoring in human services and hopes to become a therapist or a substance abuse counselor. He expects it will take him about eight years to pay back that debt, meaning he will likely be struggling financially when he starts his career. If the state covers some of that tuition, it would ease that crunch, Dubuc said. "Maybe I could finally pay off my car," he said. Scott Coburn, who moved to Maine from Pennsylvania to study electrical engineering at SMCC, said he would appreciate any help that makes college more affordable for him and other students. "This is one of the most affordable places, but it's still a bundle," he said. Mills and Daigler said students who come to Maine's community colleges from other states may qualify for free tuition if they indicate they will stay in the Pine Tree State. Sun Journal Staff Writer Steve Collins contributed to this report from Auburn. Stephen Wade, Topeka's director of administrative and financial services, talks budget spreadsheets for fiscal year 2023 with senior finance analysts Josh McAnarney, left, and Adam Vaughn on Friday at City Hall. The city is having workshops to involve the community in the budget process. Budgeting is a topic that can make one's eyes roll. And when a city budget is in question, forget it. Lights out. Topeka is trying to change that perception by adopting an outcome-based budget for FY23. Following in the footsteps of Redmond, Wash., and Baltimore, Md., outcome-based budgeting can open a direct line of dialogue between the city and those who live in it. To date, Topeka has held four virtual workshops that have focused on neighborhoods, quality of life, infrastructure and public safety. The penultimate workshop will be Feb. 21 and focus on good governance. The final will be March 10 and summarize the findings of the previous five. "These workshops are about vision," said Stephen Wade, Topeka's director of administrative and financial services. "What we're truly trying to find from the community is what what do they want to see for Topeka? What are their hopes and dreams?" More: Population growth, COVID among concerns as Topeka mayor, city manager lay out vision for 2022 A collaborative approach to the city budget A balance sheet regarding new projects related to infrastructure, pubic safety and good governance are displayed on a budget spreadsheet by Stephen Wade. Despite the titled focus of the workshops, community members like Jessica Porter, of the Shawnee County Democrats, have noted that common themes have emerged throughout the sessions. "The biggest issues are housing, childcare and homelessness," she said. These focuses have been echoed by others who attended two council meetings last week, where the city council heard public comment regarding how to best use American Rescue Plan Funds. More: Topeka City Council asked to spend city COVID relief money for 'human infrastructure' purposes What excites residents and city officials alike is the high degree of involvement that an objective-based budget can afford. In the workshops, community members have been able to voice their needs and wants directly to city officials. "The desire with the objectives-budget system is to really focus more on addressing community needs, rather than business as usual," said Clark Duffy, a professor at Washburn University. Story continues And each of the workshops have provided Topeka and residents an opportunity to do just that. Jim Edwards has been a resident of Topeka since 1982. For 20 years, he worked as a lobbyist at the Kansas Statehouse. He initially planned to stay in the capital city for three years. "For the community to succeed and prosper, it takes it takes both," Edwards said. "It takes city leadership, but it also takes individuals getting involved." The idea of a "two way street" is one that isn't lost on Wade, the city's finance director. Giving the community input on the process also gives them a small degree of ownership, he said. he said he hopes the community recognizes that. "We want them to hold us accountable," Wade said. More: 'I'm really proud that we're not raising taxes': Topeka City Council adopts 2022 municipal budget Some cause for hesitation due to previous failures The College Hill plan cost taxpayers $2.6 million in development costs. That project has one Topekan reserving judgment on the city's new outcome-based budgeting process. Porter, of the Shawnee County Democrats, said she is remaining cautious about the process. "We've seen plans before where the College Hill plan was a five-year plan that did not happen," she said. "It's gotten worse since I got here. Not better." In 2006, the Topeka City Council voted to provide tax-increment financing to improve the College Hill business district. The move ended up costing taxpayers $2.6 million in development costs. Porter is originally from North Topeka and attended Seaman High. After graduating in 2005, she attended the University of Kansas until graduating in 2010. Porter then found herself in Austin, Texas, and North Carolina before moving back to Topeka amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the workshops are "refreshing to be a part of," Porter said she hopes the city pays attention to the issues that she and others raise regarding childcare, housing and homelessness. "I'm not even struggling," she said. "I'm not one of the families that can't find housing, that has three kids and a low paying job that has to pay for childcare." More: A new middle school and more preschool classrooms? Auburn-Washburn USD 437 takes case to community Participant appreciated being able to join by Zoom In light of COVID-19, the decision was made to hold the workshops in a virtual environment. For Edwards, those were a success. "(Zoom) allows everybody to see everyone and you're looking face to face with everybody in the group," he said. "And it also allowed us to see how other people reacted to what we said." Edwards describes himself as a "proponent" of Zoom, highlighting the ease with which he could see the faces of the 25 other participants. Edwards also felt the city staff "did a great job" of handling Zoom and features of the application, such as breakout rooms. With the workshops, Topeka is seeking to open a more direct line of communication to residents. But with topics as complex as city budgets, Porter said she wonders how much of the public's message will get through. "I just truly wonder what's going to get heard," she said. This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: How Topeka and residents are building a collaborative budget for 2023 Nearly two-and-a-half years after they first clashed in the Octagon, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker will go head-to-head for the UFC middleweight title again this evening. In October 2019, Adesanyas meteoric rise through the 185lbs division culminated in the then-interim champions victory over Whittaker in Melbournes Marvel Stadium, as the biggest crowd in UFC history watched their home fighter get knocked out in the second round to surrender his belt. For Whittaker, the pressure of a seismic fight against his antagonistic foe in front of more than 57,000 fans as well as the Australia vs New Zealand narrative proved too much, and the defending champion was unusually reckless as he was outfought by Nigerian-born Adesanya. Whittaker has fought and won three times since then, navigating a tough route back to Adesanya, who has competed four times since beating the Reaper. While Whittaker recorded impressive wins against Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum, there were three successful title defences for Adesanya against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori though he suffered a first professional loss in unsuccessfully challenging for the light heavyweight belt last year. Finally, Adesanya and Whittaker rematch at UFC 271 in Houston, Texas tonight, where Derrick Lewis competes in front of a home crowd in his co-main event against fellow heavyweight Tai Tuivasa. There is also a meeting between middleweight contenders Cannonier and Derek Brunson, with the winner of that contest potentially next for the victor of the main event. Follow live updates and fight results from UFC 271, below. UFC 271 23:13 , Alex Pattle Nearly two-and-a-half years after they first clashed in the Octagon, Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker will go head-to-head for the UFC middleweight title again this evening. In October 2019, Adesanyas meteoric rise through the 185lbs division culminated in the then-interim champions victory over Whittaker in Melbournes Marvel Stadium, as the biggest crowd in UFC history watched their home fighter get knocked out in the second round to surrender his belt. For Whittaker, the pressure of a seismic fight against his antagonistic foe in front of more than 57,000 fans as well as the Australia vs New Zealand narrative proved too much, and the defending champion was unusually reckless as he was outfought by Nigerian-born Adesanya. Whittaker has fought and won three times since then, navigating a tough route back to Adesanya, who has competed four times since beating the Reaper. While Whittaker recorded impressive wins against Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum, there were three successful title defences for Adesanya against Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa and Marvin Vettori though he suffered a first professional loss in unsuccessfully challenging for the light heavyweight belt last year. Finally, Adesanya and Whittaker rematch at UFC 271 in Houston, Texas tonight, where Derrick Lewis competes in front of a home crowd in his co-main event against fellow heavyweight Tai Tuivasa. There is also a meeting between middleweight contenders Cannonier and Derek Brunson, with the winner of that contest potentially next for the victor of the main event. You are the owner of this article. Douglas Irwin told a Yakima County Superior Court jury Thursday that Randy Shea Gardner killed Julian Wabinga in front of him, and then forced him to help bury the body in 2018 in Gleed. The rules governing activities and events at wineries, breweries and other agritourism operations could change under a proposal that will go before the Yakima County Planning Commission next week. Assessing COVID-19 risk Health officer Dr. Neil Barg with the Yakima Health District said there is no specific metric for people to look to for decisions on whether or not to wear a mask once the state mandate is lifted. He said it is safer if community transmission is lower, with case rates in the single digits per 100,000, but there is no single way to know whats best for an individual. No matter what the case rate is, wearing a mask properly is going to be safer than not wearing a mask, Barg said. Continued mask wearing through a downward trend will help to prevent another rise in community transmission and hospitalizations, he said. Lets say those people that are masking now all of a sudden stop, there could be a bump, in cases or hospitalizations, Barg said. If we just are patient, just wait a little bit longer, maybe into March, and start relaxing the masks, I think well be OK. Greensboro, NC (27407) Today Mixed clouds and sun this morning. Scattered thunderstorms developing this afternoon. Gusty winds and small hail are possible. High near 85F. Winds SW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 40%.. Tonight A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 66F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. The government announced that Ford, Tata Motors, Suzuki, Hyundai, Kia, and Mahindra & Mahindra will be among the 20 firms eligible for incentives under the Production Linked Incentives Scheme for the automobile and auto components sector. "The Scheme has been a huge success in terms of overwhelming response received with a proposed investment of Rs 45,016 crore from approved applicants," the Heavy Industry Ministry stated. As many as 20 applicants have been approved under the Champion Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) Incentives scheme. Also read: Govt makes seatbelts mandatory for all cars carrying up to 8 passengers These include Ashok Leyland, Eicher Motors, Ford India, Hyundai Motor India, Kia India, Mahindra & Mahindra, PCA Automobiles India, Pinnacle Mobility Solutions, Suzuki Motor Gujarat and Tata Motors Limited. This category does not include two-wheelers and three-wheelers. Under incentives for two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturers, Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp, Piaggio Vehicles and TVS Motor have been selected. Firms selected under the new Non-Automotive Investor (OEM) category include Axis Clean Mobility, Booma Innovative Transport Solutions, Elest, Hop Electric Manufacturing, Ola Electric Technologies, and Powerhaul Vehicle, the Heavy Industry Ministry stated. The incentive of up to 18 per cent is to encourage industry to make fresh investments in the indigenous supply chain of advanced automotive technology products of PLI Scheme for the auto sector to enable India to leapfrog to environmentally cleaner, sustainable, advanced and more efficient electric vehicles (EV) based systems. A total of 115 companies had filed their application under the PLI scheme for the automobile and auto component industry, which was notified on September 23, 2021. Incentives are applicable under the scheme for determining sales of advanced automotive technology (AAT) products (vehicles and components) manufactured in India from 1st April 2022 onwards for five consecutive years. The government approved the scheme for enhancing India's manufacturing capabilities for advanced automotive products with a budgetary outlay of Rs 25,938 crore. Apart from Indian business groups, approved applicants for the Champion OEM Incentive scheme include groups from countries such as the Republic of Korea, USA, Japan, France, Italy, UK and Netherlands, the Heavy Industry Ministry stated. The overwhelming response shows that the industry has reposed its faith in India's stellar progress as a world-class manufacturing destination which resonates strongly with the Prime Minister's clarion call of AtmaNirbharBharat - a self-reliant India, it added. With inputs from PTI Live TV #mute New Delhi: Since Shakun Batra's 'Gehraiyaan' has been released, it is gathering the lights from every corner. Ananya Panday has made her strong mark in front of experienced actors at such a young age. Her character of 'Tia' is garnering love from the audience. The actress also feels different sheds of the character to keep up with her for a lifetime. Ananya Panday's performance in 'Gehraiyaan' has made a very strong impact on the audience. As 'Tia' people got to see a real potential of her's which she put in with utmost maturity to bring different emotions of the character. The actress took to her social media today and shared some stills of 'Tia' from 'Gehraiyaan' expressing her attachment to the character. In the caption, she wrote, For her, it comes as a treat in her life, and the different emotions that she imbibed in herself are something she would like to stay with. "The many moods of TIA she was such a treat to play - her innocence, patience, insecurity, maturity, vulnerability, loyalty, love, heartbreak - will stay with me forever #GehraiyaanOnPrime out now" Other actors such as Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Dhairya Karwa also took to Instagram to express gratitude for their characters in the film - Alisha, Zain and Karan respectively. Deepika wrote, "Alisha has got to be my most delicious and indelible experience" along with a video capturing Alisha's essence in the film. Siddhant Chaturvedi said he was thankful to play the beautiful but messy role of Zain. Taking to Instagram, he wrote, "This is a special movie that gave me a chance to live this messy but beautiful life of Zain. Oscillating between good and bad, right and wrong, choices and their consequences, Zain was the character that stood strong and did what he thought was right. The journey might have come to an end but this character will always live in my heart." Lastly, Dhairya Karwa who impressed the audience with his notable performance as Karan wrote, "Calm, happy-go-lucky, go with the flow, thats who Karan is for me. This experience of living his life and looking at the world through his eyes was incredible, and being a part of this movie was a blessing. Hope you guys enjoy these beautiful characters living a beautiful story." With 'Gehraiyaan' Ananya, Deepika, Siddhant and Dhairya put forward their great potential to portray such deep layered characters and they've done absolute justice with it. It's a treat for the audience as well to see them playing the character with such ease. The film Gehraiyaan is currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. New Delhi: IndoStar Capital Finance on Saturday reported a 40 per cent decline in its net profit to Rs 15 crore in the quarter ended in December 2021 as it parked aside a substantial amount towards provisions and write-offs. The non-banking finance company had posted a net profit of Rs 24.2 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year. Total revenue from operations was up by 4 per cent to Rs 163.8 crore in the October-December quarter of FY22 against Rs 156.8 crore in Q3FY21, IndoStar Capital said in a release. For the quarter, the company put aside Rs 42.7 crore towards provisions and accelerated write-offs against Rs 46.2 crore reserved for the year-ago quarter. The AUM stands at Rs 9,236 crore, up 8 per cent against the previous quarter, despite gradual reduction in the corporate lending book, which the company plans to reduce further. The company aims to be a 100 per cent retail company, it added. In line with its retailisation strategy, the share of retail is now 82 per cent up from 75 per cent last year. Despite a cyclical slowdown in commercial vehicles and in the introduction of BS-VI, the segment remains to be profitable, underscoring the quality of the retail franchise. Deep Jaggi, CEO, IndoStar Capital Finance said: "We have undertaken an endeavour of expanding our presence to the length and breadth of the country and will leverage technology to its fullest potential in fulfilling our ambitions. Our internal focus coupled with a gradual up-tick in the economy positions us well to capitalise on the tremendous post pandemic opportunity." New Delhi: Industry leaders on Saturday paid rich tributes to noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj (83) who passed away due to illness at his home in Pune. Taking to Twitter, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra stated: I stand on the shoulders of giants. Thank you, Rahulbhai, for letting me clamber up onto your broad shoulders, advising me, cheering me on, encouraging me to be bold. Your footprints on the sands of Indian Business will never be extinguished." Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw tweeted: "Industrialist Rahul Bajaj, Former Chairman Of Bajaj Group, Dies At 83 - I am devastated - he was a dear dear friend and will miss him dearly. The country has lost a great son & nation builder." TVS Motor Company Chairman Venu Srinivasan stated that Bajaj strode across the Indian industrial landscape like a colossus. "He was among the few stars who created the Indian automotive industry. He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology. He stood for high integrity in business and stuck to his principles. Rahul played a key role in industry bodies around the world like World Economic Forum and CII and was very well respected. He will be sorely missed," he stated. Expressing similar feelings, Raymond Chairman and Managing Director Gautam Hari Singhania stated that the passing away of Rahul Bajaj, the patriarch of the Bajaj Group, one of the largest diversified groups of India, is a terrible loss to the corporate world. "The doyen of the Indian business world will be missed for his intellectual honesty and straightforwardness. His contribution to the auto industry and steering the group during the license raj days will always be remembered. In immeasurable manner he has contributed to the growth of Maharashtra and the country. On behalf of the Raymond Group I offer my sincere condolences to the Bajaj family," he said in a statement. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Union Labour Minister Bhupender Yadav on Saturday announced the expansion of the pilot scheme of annual preventive health check-up programme for ESIC members aged above 40 years to 15 cities from the existing five. In December, 2021, Yadav had launched the annual preventive health check-up programme for Employees' State Insurance Corporation's (ESIC) insured members aged above 40 years in pilot mode at ESI hospitals in Ahmedabad, Faridabad, Hyderabad, Varanasi and Kolkata. Addressing at 187th meeting of the ESIC, Yadav said, "In last (ESIC) meeting, we have approved the proposal that we will launch a pilot scheme for free medical check of insured persons of the age of 40 and above in five hospitals in Hyderabad, Faridabad, Varanasi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad. The results are satisfactory." He informed that now the ESIC in its meeting has approved second phase of pilot and expanded it to total 15 cities. Under this pilot, factories/MSME clusters will be considered as a unit and ESIC will coordinate with them for the preventive health check-ups of the workers, he added. It is objective of the 'Fit India' movement that all should be healthy in the country, the minister stated. However, the name of the 10 cities to be added to the pilot would be announced later. He urged the industrial associations and trade unions to come together for facilitating free medical check of MSMEs together (in one bunch) in their area where workers number in each unit is 10 or 15. He also informed that the ESIC has approved the proposal to conduct cleanliness drive and organise Yoga camps for one week ahead of Yoga Day on June 21. Yadav also announced that vacancies for appointing 5,000 doctors at ESIC hospitals will be filled in this calendar year expeditiously. He also said that it was felt in the ESIC meeting that there is a huge dearth of doctors and staff at the ESIS hospitals. Noting the disparity in scales of medical professionals and others personnel between ESIC and ESIS ( ESIC hospitals run by states) to be bridged, he stated that remuneration of the doctors and staff to be revised. He also talked about ESIC and ESIS to digitize health record of all insured persons to, integrate its data with Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission for boosting telemedicine services through e-Sanjivani portal. Yadav further informed that pending projects of the ESIC will be expedited as well as construction work of the hospitals of the ESIC as well as doctors and staff availability will be taken care off and called on the doctors to join the ESIC hospitals serving the poor and assured that remuneration of the doctors and staff would be revised by the ESIC corporation. "Also, open, digital and transparent transfer policy for the employees will be put in force", said the minister Yadav inaugurated two ESIC management dashboards viz. Construction project dashboard and hospital dashboard. The health dashboard will give key information at a glance related to the performance of the ESI hospital. It will also provide the viewers the current occupancy and OPD footfall at the hospital dashboard. The construction dashboard will give key information about various construction projects of the ESIC. Addressing on the occasion, Rameshwar Teli, Minister of State for Labour & Employment pitched for extending medical benefits to plantation labourers in uncovered areas and the informed about the various schemes of the government for the welfare of workers and labourers across the country. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Amid a steady decline in daily Covid-19 cases, the Election Commission on Saturday (February 12) further relaxed the provisions of campaigning for the ongoing Assembly elections in five states. The poll body allowed padayatras with a limited number of people and reduced the campaign ban period. The political parties can now conduct election campaigns between 6 am and 10 pm instead of earlier 8 am to 8 pm. The official statement added, Political parties/candidates may campaign with a maximum of 50% of the capacity of the designated open spaces or the limit prescribed by SDMA, whichever is less. Pad Yatra with a limited number of persons as per limitations of SDMA allowed. Political parties/candidates may campaign with a maximum of 50% of the capacity of the designated open spaces or the limit prescribed by SDMA, whichever is less. Pad Yatra with a limited number of persons as per limitations of SDMA allowed, the official statement further added ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 Earlier, in the wake of an exponential rise in coronavirus cases, the EC had imposed a ban on physical rallies, roadshows and padayatras when it announced the poll schedule for five states on January 8. The poll body has since been reviewing the coronavirus situation and easing curbs accordingly. Elections for 403 assembly seats in UP, 117 in Punjab, 70 in Uttarakhand, 60 in Manipur and 40 in Goa will be completed in seven phases conducted between February 10 and March 7. Uttarakhand and Goa will vote on February 14 in one phase and Manipur in two phases on February 28 and March 5. Punjab will go to vote on February 20. The first phase of UP polls is over, the rest 6 phases will be held on February 14, 20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7. The result will be announced on March 10. (With agency inputs) Live TV Jalandhar: With a week to go for the Assembly elections in Punjab, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Punjab Lok Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) alliance released a joint manifesto for the elections scheduled to be held on February 20. Addressing a press conference here, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri highlighted the importance of a stable government with Punjab being the "sensitive border state"."Punjab is a very sensitive border state & it is important for the state to have people in power who themselves are stable," he said. BJP-Punjab Lok Congress-Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt) alliance releases manifesto for Punjab Assembly elections, in Jalandhar. "Punjab is a very sensitive border state & it is important for the state to have people in power who themselves are stable," says Union Minister HS Puri pic.twitter.com/A5nuT7ydJI ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 Earlier, BJP President JP Nadda had announced that the BJP would contest 65 seats out of the 117 Assembly seats in Punjab. Captain Amarinder Singh`s party and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa`s party are going to contest 37 seats and 15 seats respectively. Meanwhile, Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has said that the BJP alliance will script history in all the 117 seats including Patiala from where former Chief Minister and party ally Captain Amarinder Singh is contesting. Punjab will go to the poll on February 20. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. Live TV New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (February 12) expressed grief at the demise of noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj and recalled his contributions to the world of industry. The president said Bajaj's career reflected the rise and innate strength of the nation's corporate sector and his death leaves a void in the world of industry. Saddened to learn of Shri Rahul Bajajs demise. A doyen of Indian industry, he was passionate about its priorities. His career reflected the rise and innate strength of the nations corporate sector. His death leaves a void in the world of industry. My condolences to his family. President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) February 12, 2022 Prime Minister Modi said Bajaj was also passionate about community service and was a great conversationalist. Shri Rahul Bajaj Ji will be remembered for his noteworthy contributions to the world of commerce and industry. Beyond business, he was passionate about community service and was a great conversationalist. Pained by his demise. Condolences to his family and friends. Om Shanti. Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 12, 2022 Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin also condoled the death of noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj. Stalin tweeted, "Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Mr Rahul Bajaj, Chairman Emeritus of Bajaj Group and a philanthropist. I convey my heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family and friends." Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed grief over the demise of noted industrialist Rahul Bajaj and said the country has lost a visionary with courage. Rahul Bajajs passing is a big loss to India. We have lost a visionary whose courage made us proud. My love and condolences to his family and loved ones. pic.twitter.com/SnWJpYDV85 Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 12, 2022 An icon and a business legend who shall be remembered for his vision and zeal, tweeted Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma expressing his grief. An icon and a business legend who shall be remembered for his vision and zeal. The passing away of Rahul Bajaj ji is a big loss for India. His and Bajaj Groups business acumen added to the glory of Buland Bharat. I mourn his demise and send my condolences to his family. pic.twitter.com/8aAMbCT7ch Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 12, 2022 Rahul Bajaj will be accorded a state funeral, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Saturday (February 12) as he and state governor B S Koshyari condoled the demise of the veteran industrialist saying his contribution in the field of industrial development in the country was unparalleled. Live TV Bengaluru: Amid an ongoing row over wearing hijab in schools, Karnatakas Higher Education Minister Dr CN Ashwatha Narayana has that there would be no ban on mobile phones in colleges. The minister said a ban on mobile phones is not possible as digital learning has become part and parcel of the study process. Replying to a query by reporters about rumours that usage of mobiles will be banned in schools and colleges, he said, "Nowadays modern gadgets such as mobile, computer, laptop, tab, etc have become an integral part of the teaching-learning process." "When such is the situation, how usage of mobile can be banned?" he asked. "Neither students nor the parents should believe such rumours. The government`s aim is to provide quality education to students at all levels using modern gadgets. Accordingly, usage of mobiles in institutions will be continued", Narayana emphasized. Live TV The Jammu Kashmir police said a major tragedy was averted as security forces timely busted a terror module. The terrorists were planning a big attack on security forces in the coming days in north Kashmir. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) North Kashmir Udhay Bhaskar said, Four Al-Badar terrorists and their three associates have been attested along with warlike store." Udaya Bhaskar in a joint press conference of police and other security forces said that the module was planning to attack in the coming days. DIG further elaborated that in two different operations four terrorists and three terrorists' associates were arrested in a joint operation by Army, Police, and CRPF. He said that a huge quantity of arms and ammunition and cash have been recovered from their possession and the operation was launched on specific information. "First three arrests were made and on their sustainable interrogation, more arrests were made by the joint team of security forces in two operations," the DIG said. DIG further added, So far during the investigation, it has been revealed that they were in touch with a Pakistan-based handler Yusuf Balochi aka Khursheed Ahmad a resident of Anantnag district of South Kashmir Anantnag who is presently living in Pakistan. About their plans, he said that the group was planning to carry out a big attack on the security forces in the coming days, and with their timely arrest a major attack has been averted. He said in north Kashmir the threat is not only active terrorists but also Narcotic smuggling and Narcotics terrorism he said that in the recent past heroine-like substances have been recovered and the work on narcotic terrorism is ongoing. In the recent past, at least five cases have been registered in narcotic terrorism cases. The case on people involved in the terror module is registered and further investigation is going on police hopes that they will get further leads soon and there much possibility that more arrested are made and more arms ammunition recovery can't be also ruled out. It has been a very successful year for security since January this year. Security forces have managed to kill 25 terrorists including 8 Pakistani terrorists until now in 14 anti-terror operations besides 14 active terrorists were arrested alive, and 20 terrorist associates were also arrested including today's operation. Live TV New Delhi: Continuing his attack on Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks in Lok Sabha, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday (February 12) called the Congress leader a modern-day Jinnah. Rahul Gandhi had said in his Lok Sabha speech during the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's address that India is a union of states, irking BJP which has been targeting him since over the remark. It seems for him (Congress leader Rahul Gandhi), India is only from Gujarat to West Bengal. I've been observing what he has been saying in the last 10 days. Once he said India is a union of states. Another time he says India means from Gujarat to Bengal, Himanta Biswa Sarma was quoted as saying by ANI. Sarma said that Gandhis language is similar to that of Jinnah before 1947. So, I am saying the ghost of Jinnah has entered into Rahul Gandhi, I said this in Uttarakhand, Rahul Gandhi's language is similar to that of Jinnah before 1947. In a way, Rahul Gandhi is modern-day Jinnah, the Assam CM added. ...So, I am saying the ghost of Jinnah has entered into Rahul Gandhi, I said this in Uttrakhand, Rahul Gandhi's language is similar to that of Jinnah before 1947. In a way, Rahul Gandhi is modern-day Jinnah: Assam CM & BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma pic.twitter.com/nyMzZgBTC8 ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 A day before, the Assam CM had made controversial remarks while taking a potshot at Gandhi. During a rally in poll-bound Uttarakhand, he had slammed the former Congress chief for demanding proof of the September 2016 surgical strike launched by the Indian Army against terrorist camps in PoK. Further, he said if BJP had ever demanded proof of him being the "son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi", drawing sharp criticism from the Congress party. Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma over his controversial remarks on Rahul Gandhi. "Modiji! Is this our Indian culture? Is this what has been taught in Vedas, Mahabharat, Ramayana and Bhagavad Gita? I am asking BJP National President Naddaji. Is it our culture?" KCR said referring to Sarma's comments. Seeking the resignation of Sarma, the Telangana CM added, "... Can a Chief Minister talk like this? There are limits. Are you egoistic? Doing tamasha? You think people will remain silent?" (With agency inputs) Live TV Amritsar: The ten Sikh Gurus laid due stress on 'Sewa' or selfless service to humanity, and it is not unusual to see a Sikh performing the same, least of all at a 'Joda Ghar' at a Gurudwara, where devotees keep their shoes before entering the shrine. But what lends distinction to the Sewa performed by Baljinder Singh Balli, otherwise a vegetable vendor by profession is his consistent presence at a mosque every Friday for the past over 35 years to render his services at the Joda Ghar there. The mosque in question is none other than Amritsars historic Jama Masjid Khair-ud-Din. Rain or shine, Baljinder Singh has been rendering his services at the Joda Ghar of the mosque every Friday during the prayers held there. I was 35 when I started coming here to watch over the shoes. Earlier we used to keep shoes at Sri Darbar Sahib. My elders rendered their services there for 90 years. Later, they made me sit here. Come rain or storm, I have to be here every Friday no matter what happens, he says. The fact that he keeps shoes at the Joda Ghar at a mosque does not mortify Baljinder Singh at all. He claims that no one has ever humiliated or castigated him for this. No one has ever said anything to me either from within my own family or anyone from outside. People treat me with immense love and greet me with a hug with brotherly affection when they meet me. They address me as 'Bapu Ji'. I am 60-years-old now. Everyone greets me with love and says, 'Sardar Ji, you are doing a great job reaching out to the Muslims with the message of unity! You are doing a good thing', he asserts proudly. Every Friday, his day begins with laying out the tokens. I lay out the tokens as soon as I arrive and start with the process of keeping the shoes in order soon after, says Baljinder Singh. Besides this, he also oversees the maintenance, sanitation, parking of vehicles, solving the problems faced by namazis (devotees, who come to offer namaaz). Sardar Ji has been performing Sewa as the keeper of shoes for the past more than 40 years without any discrimination and very selflessly. Probably nowhere else in the world would one find a man of another creed rendering his services not only as a shoe-keeper, but also every other kind of Sewa at a mosque every Friday and on all Eids. This is a rare gesture of love, says Mohammed Danish, whose father is a Maulavi at the Mosque. The spirit of bonhomie is mutual between Baljinder Singh and the Mosque authorities, who did everything that they could to help him out when his liver got damaged. I do not get any pension from the government, said Baljinder. They did a lot for me and helped me stand back on my feet again. I would have died without their help, he said. Baljinder sends his son to perform the Sewa when he is unable to make it on account of frail health. Baljinder says that coming to the mosque gives him immense peace of mind. He says his Sewa as a shoe-keeper at the mosque gives out the message of universal brotherhood. "What is brotherhood? Hindu, Sikh, Musalman lets all unite." This is a story of a Sikh gentleman Baljinder Singh who has set an example of communal harmony by doing selfless service of taking care of "Jodas" (footwear) of Muslim devotees during every Friday prayers at #KhairuddinMosque located in the walled city Amritsar#FridayMotivation pic.twitter.com/l4clj7JfCR Ravinder Singh Robin (@rsrobin1) February 11, 2022 Mian Mir, a Muslim, laid the foundation stone of the Harmandir Sahib on the brick thrown by Sri Guru Ram Dass ji. See how smoothly everything is going on there, he states. Our ancestors shared the same Thali (plate) prior to the partition and lived together in peace. Let us all follow in their footsteps, he adds. Live TV Budaun: A party that has "deviated" from the ideals of Babasaheb Ambedkar is fighting the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections with the sole purpose of stopping the SP from defeating the ruling BJP, Akhilesh Yadav said on Saturday in a veiled attack on the BSP. Addressing a public meeting here, the Samajwadi Party chief said, all Samajwadis and Ambedkarites should join hands to bring about a change in Uttar Pradesh and protect the country's constitution. "Samajwadi Party is working to defeat the BJP, but one party intends to stop the SP," Yadav said without naming the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) or any of its leaders. "The party has deviated from the ideals of Dalit icon B R Ambedkar and is contesting (polls) not to win, but to help the BJP retain power," he said. "For protecting the Constitution, Samajwadis and Ambedkarites have to jointly bring a change in Uttar Pradesh because this election will decide the future of youth," he added. He also said many people of 'that party' have joined the SP. BSP chief Mayawati has on several occasions attacked the SP for allegedly working against the interests of Dalits, when they were in power from 2012 to 2017. She has cited the renaming of Sant Ravidas Nagar to Bhadohi by the previous SP government to justify her allegations. A majority of the 19 BSP MLAs, who had won in the 2017 UP Assembly elections, including its former legislative party leader Lalji Verma and senior party leader Ram Achal Rajbhar, have crossed over to the SP, ahead of the assembly elections. Sant Ravidas was a 16th century spiritual leader who is revered by Dalits. Hitting out at the BJP-led government in the state for the 'exorbitant rise' in the prices of petrol and diesel, he said, "If they return to power, the prices of petrol and diesel may cross Rs 200 a litre." The BJP had promised the poor would travel in aeroplanes, but due to the spiralling fuel prices, they cannot even own a motorcycle or car. Going by the first phase of polling on 58 seats on February 10, people have made up their mind to defeat the BJP and we don't have to wait till March 10 (counting of votes) to know the result, Yadav said. The opposition SP-RLD alliance is coming to power. In the second phase of elections in Budaun, Sambhal and Moradabad, the BJP is going to be wiped out, he claimed. Taking a dig at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over his 'garmi nikalna' (to calm down somebody) remark, Yadav said after the first round of polls, the BJP has "cooled down". "The second round (of voting) will further cool them down," Yadav said. He also attacked the BJP over the issue of doubling farmers' income, saying the saffron party has failed to keep the promise. Yadav highlighted his party manifesto which promises generation of employment, resumption of old pension scheme, providing fertilisers to farmers, and MSP on crops. Live TV New Delhi: Days ahead of the Uttarakhand Assembly election, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday (February 12) promised that if BJP is re-elected to power, they will constitute a committee to prepare a draft Uniform Civil Code soon. He added that the panel will consist of legal experts, retired people, intellectuals and other stakeholders. The CM further said in a video statement that the committee will deal with issues related to marriage, divorce, landed property and succession. "It will be a significant step towards fulfilling the dreams of India's Constitution makers and will realise the spirit of the Constitution. It will also be an effective step towards Article 44 of the Indian Constitution which presents the concept of equitable law for all citizens of society regardless of their religion," PTI quoted the CM as saying. Dhami said that a common civil code will "promote social amity and gender equality". The BJP government in Uttarakhand will derive inspiration for the decision from Goa which has set an example before the country by implementing a common civil code. A common civil code will promote social amity and gender equality besides strengthening women empowerment, the Uttarakhand CM said on the last day of campaigning. Dhami's statement comes amid the ongoing Hijab row in Karnataka where a few students of a government pre-university college in Udupi who attended classes wearing headscarves were asked to leave the campus. The Karnataka High Court is currently hearing the pleas on the Hijab ban. Earlier on Friday, Union Minister and BJP leader Giriraj Singh had said the Uniform Civil Code is the "need of the hour", adding that it should be discussed both in Parliament and in the society. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand will elect a 70-assembly House on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: All eyes are on Punjab as it heads towards the polling day to elect a new 16th assembly of the state, which is rightly called the Grainery of India. The focus this time is on issues concerning farmers income, employment and job creation for the youth, rehabilitation of drug abusers and reviving the rich industries of the state. While all the key players including the veteran Shiromani Akali Dal, Congress, BJP and Captain Amarinder Singhs alliance are running the race, the comparatively fresher outfit Aam Aadmi Partys Raghav Chadha is confident of a thumping victory in Punjab. In a conversation with Zee Media, Raghav Chadha, AAPs co-in charge for Punjab, ruled out even a possibility of a post-poll alliance because his party would not need it at all. On being asked about the mood of the people in the state, Chada said that things are looking positive for the Aam Aadmi Party and for the first time, voters, who are fed up with the previous regimes are voluntarily looking forward to giving this new outfit a chance. The undercurrent is that the people of Punjab are so fed-up of the failed governments in the past that they are themselves saying that we want to give AAP a chance, they want to give us their next 5 years to bring about a revolution in Punjab, said Chaddha. This inclination that I see this time is because of the fact that the voters of Punjab had already seen Kejriwals Delhi model of governance, it is our exhibit, and this gives them the confidence to vote for us and it acts as a sample for us to show them what we are capable of, he added. When asked about a post-poll alliance plan, if needed, Raghav was quick to respond that his party will not need it at all as they will secure a majority in Punjab and make it khushaal and rangla again. We do not have a post-poll alliance plan because we are winning with a thumping majority this time, and will definitely form a government on our own. Theres no question of an alliance, Chadha said. Live TV New Delhi: The West Bengal State Election Commission (SEC) will on Saturday (February 12, 2022) conduct the civic polls in four municipal corporations -- Siliguri, Bidhannagar, Chandannagar and Asansol. Voting has started at 7 am and will continue till 5 pm. The counting will be held on February 14. In Bidhannagar, a total of 203 candidates are contesting in 41 wards, while in Siliguri, there are 200 contestants in 47 wards. There are 120 aspirants for 33 wards in Chandannagar, while Asansol has 106 wards for which a total of 430 candidates are contesting. Hooghly: People cast their votes for Municipal Corporation election in Chandannagar as the #WestBengalCivicPolls gets underway. pic.twitter.com/y1PU2N9Qkr ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 People cast their votes at Bidhannagar Govt. High school after thermal checking and sanitization#WestBengalCivicPolls pic.twitter.com/ZvAGCXbYrC ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 The state election body had earlier announced to conduct the polls in these four municipal corporations on January 22 but following the high court directive, it had to defer it to February 12. The West Bengal SEC will also hold the civic polls in 108 municipalities in the state on February 27. The elections were due for nearly two years but could not be held due to the Covid-19 situation. Meanwhile, the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) is looking for a clean sweep in the elections while the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), CPI(M)-led Left Front and Congress seek to make a comeback after disconcerting results in the 2021 Assembly polls. The opposition parties have alleged strong-arm tactics by TMC supporters to browbeat their candidates into submission, while the ruling party pooh-poohed such claims as attention-grabbing tactics. In the 2015 elections, Siliguri was won by the Left Front, while the three other municipal corporations were secured by the TMC. The BJP is expected to give a strong fight in Asansol, where it had its MP for two consecutive terms from 2014 till Babul Supriyo resigned and joined the Mamata Banerjee-led party in 2021. The Left Front, which was wiped out from the West Bengal assembly in the 2021 elections, is pinning hopes of doing well in Siliguri under the stewardship of the north Bengal city's former mayor Ashok Bhattacharya, a senior CPI(M) leader and minister in the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya cabinet till 2011. With its candidate Shankar Ghosh, who left the CPI(M) to join the BJP, winning from Siliguri assembly constituency in 2021, the saffron party may also put up a spirited fight in this municipal corporation. In Bidhannagar, the TMC has fielded the first mayor of the relatively-new municipal corporation Sabyasachi Dutta from ward 31 of the municipal corporation. He had joined the saffron party in 2019, unsuccessfully contested as a BJP candidate in the 2021 assembly polls and returned to his former party later. Election to Kolkata Municipal Corporation was held in December, where most of the 144 wards were won by the TMC, even as the opposition alleged malpractices and inaction of police. While the BJP emerged as the main opposition party in the state with 77 seats, the Left Front and the Congress could not open their accounts in the 2021 elections to the 294-seat West Bengal assembly, which was swept by the Mamata Banerjee-led party with a huge mandate. (With agency inputs) Live TV New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (February 12) addressed a rally at the poll-bound Uttarakhand and talked about his partys Parvat Mala initiative along with the other development projects laid down in the state. Modi while addressing the gathering also attacked the Congress party questioning the national sentiments of the outfit and its leader and claimed that BJP will restore the divinity of Uttarakhand. Here are some key quotes from PM Modis speech at Uttarakhand today: India is one, this country is one...Congress says there is no nation. Congress is not even ready to consider India a nation (Rashtra). BJP will secure the 'Devatava' (divinity) of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, said Modi. #WATCH | India is one, this country is one...Congress says there is no nation. Congress is not even ready to consider India a nation (rashtra). BJP will secure the 'Devatava' (divinity) of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand: PM Modi speaking at a public rally in poll-bound Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/RGwS1oxSbZ ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) February 12, 2022 Our govt provided support to poor during Covid-19 via free ration & several other schemes. Corruption would have happened if Congress was ruling the state, the BJP leader said. We are constructing highways & airports here. Under Parvat Mala, ropeway connectivity will be provided in remote areas via the national ropeway development programme, the BJP leader asserted. New medical colleges & degree colleges will be opened, said Modi. I want to congratulate Pushkar Singh Dhami that they decided to remove 'Poorvi Pakistan' mention from caste certificates of rehabilitated Bengalis, Modi said in Uttarakhand. Uttarakhand will go to the polls on February 14 in a single phase and the results will be counted on March 10. Live TV Srinagar: Three active terrorists of the Al-Badr proscribed terror outfit have been arrested in Jammu and Kashmir`s Sopore area, police said on Saturday. The three active Al-Badr terrorists were arrested by a joint party of local police and other security forces in Dangiwachi village, the J&K Police said. J&K | Three active Al-Badr terrorists were arrested in Dangiwacha area of Sopore District by Police; arms and ammunition recovered. ANI (@ANI) February 12, 2022 "An FIR under relevant sections of law has been lodged in this case," a J&K police officer police said. The J&K police officer added that "during the search operation, three terrorists affiliated with banned outfit Al Badr were apprehended while arms and ammunitions.'' Terrorists were identified as Waresh Kamran Tantray, Amir Sultan Wani and Tarik Ahmed Bhatt and the recovery made from them includes 01 AK-47 Rifle, 01 AK-47 Magazine, 30 live rounds, 02 Pistol, 02 Pistol Mag, 37 live rounds and 2 lakh cash, he informed. The arrest comes a day after terrorists hurled a grenade on a joint party of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) in Bandipora, killing one police personnel and injuring four other personnel. Live TV New Delhi: Amid Karnataka hijab row, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that India will run by the Constitution and not by Shariya law. Speaking for the first time on the Hijab controversy, Adityanath told Zee News that every organization has the right to formulate its own dress code but the system should run according to the constitution. "The system of the country will be run by the Constitution and not by Shariat. There is a dress code for discipline. Every organization has the right to formulate its own dress code, but we should see that it is done according to India's constitution. This will be in everyone's interest," he said. Earlier on Friday, the Karnataka High Court, in its interim order pending consideration of all petitions related to the Hijab row, had requested the state government to reopen educational institutions and restrained all the students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, Hijab and any religious flag within the classroom. Ahead of the reopening of schools for high school students from February 14, and for Pre-University and Degree Colleges thereafter, the state government has issued a series of directions to district administrations, aimed at maintaining peace and that the High Court order is not violated. CM Basavaraj Bommai held a meeting with some Ministers, Deputy Commissioners (DCs), Superintendent of Police (SPs), Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPIs) and CEOs of Zilla Panchayats of all districts, via video conferencing, to review the ground situation. Holiday announced to universities belonging to the Department of Higher Education and colleges under the Department of Collegiate and Technical Education (DCTE), however, has been extended till February 16. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: Malegaon Mayor Tahira Shaikh on Saturday (February 12) said, the Urdu Ghar will be named after Muskan Khan, the student who became the face of Muslim girls' protest against dress code rule in Karnataka. Talking to ANI Shaikh said, "Even if there was a Hindu in her place, we would've done the same." Meanwhile, protests had intensified in several parts of Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes wearing Hijab while others protested against wearing the hijab. The Supreme Court on Friday (February 11) refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is "watching" what's happening in the state and in hearing before the High Court. The Karnataka High Court, in its interim order pending consideration of all petitions related to the Hijab row, on Thursday (February 10) had requested the state government to reopen educational institutions and restrained all the students from wearing saffron shawls, scarves, Hijab and any religious flag within the classroom. Live TV Gangtok: The Sikkim government has announced the restrictions will be lifted in the state after a significant decline in the Covid-19 cases. The Sikkim government has issued an order that reads, "the decision to lift the restriction was taken after the state noted a significant decline in the COVID-19 cases." "Markets, shops, and commercial establishments shall function as normal. All educational institutions shall function as per guidelines. No restrictions on social, political, religious & sports-related gatherings," reads the order. The Sikkim government also asked its civilians to exercise caution in the ongoing pandemic. According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Sikkim lodged 541 active cases. Live TV New Delhi: For the first time ever, Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan made an appearance at an event recently. Along with his sister Suhana, Aryan Khan was seen attending the Pre-IPL Auction 2022 briefing held in Mumbai. The star kids filled in for their superstar father Shah Rukh Khan ahead of the IPL mega auction 2022. SRK co-owns the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) Team along with actress friend Juhi Chawla and the Khan brother-sister duo represented their dad at the event. Now, inside pictures from the event have flooded the internet and netizens can't really keep calm. Take a look here: MY Name Is Khan & I am The Future King Of Bollywood #AryanKhan #ShahRukhKhan pic.twitter.com/E7BjR0mbnI (SRKIAN) (@Asliy0gi) February 11, 2022 Both Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan can be seen wearing masks and paying all attention to the event. Juhis daughter Jhanvi Mehta also attended the event and was spotted with the Khan duo. Last year, Aryan Khan, Merchant and Dhamecha were arrested by the NCB on October 3 and were booked under relevant sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act for conspiracy, possession, sale, purchase and illicit trafficking of banned substances. The court in its order noted that Aryan Khan was not found in possession of any objectionable substance and this fact has not been disputed. Merchant and Dhamecha were found to be in illegal possession of drugs, the quantity of which is considered a small quantity. Aryan Khan had walked out of the Arthur Road prison on October 30. New Delhi: Under the 7th Pay Commission, central government employees are hoping to hear soon from the Centre about dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) arrears, hike in DA/DR, and housing rental allowance (HRA), among other issues. While the government hasnt officially announced much, it is expected that the official updates could come soon, especially with the Budget session 2022 ongoing. Meanwhile, several state governments have also announced big salary hikes for their employees. 5 Big Updates every government employee must know: 1. Fitment factor to be hiked to 3.68? The Indian government is soon expected to announce a hike in the fitment factor of central and state employees. A hike in the fitment factor will push the minimum wages of central employees higher, according to media reports. Several employees unions have been asking the government to increase the fitment factor be raised from 2.57 times to 3.68 times. 2. Arrears of Rs 2 lakh to be given in one go? According to media reports, the Union Cabinet is expected to discuss the matter on the pending DA arrears. A Zee Hindi report, quoting Shiv Gopal Mishra of the National Council of JCM, had pointed out that certain employees could receive DA arrears of up to Rs 2 lakh in one go if the government decides to pay arrears. 3. Hike in basic pay If the government increase the fitment factor from 2.57 times to 3.68 times, the basic salary of the central government employees will also increase. In such as case, the minimum pay will increase from Rs 18,000 to Rs 26,000. 4. DA increase to 34% The dearness allowance of central government employees could increase by an additional 3% to 34%. According to media reports, the government could make an official statement anytime before Holi. 5. Himachal Pradesh announces DA hike Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, on January 31 (Himachal Pradesh Statehood Day), announced a 31 per cent dearness allowance (DA) for the state government employees. Also Read: RBI to observe financial literacy week during February 14-18 He said: "My government had recently announced a new pay scale, which will benefit 2,25,000 employees while putting a monetary burden of Rs 6,000 crore to the state exchequer. Also Read: Google Search reveals jobs people want amid Covid-19 pandemic Live TV #mute New Delhi: Voting will take place in several assembly constituencies spread across three states - Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Uttarakhand - on Monday (February 14) - during the second phase of polls in 2022. In India, a Voter ID card is considered one of the most important documents for citizens. Election Commission issues a Voter ID card to eligible voters. For the unversed, voter id cards were first introduced in 1993. The election ID has the photo of the individual along with their names and address. The names of the eligible voters are also mentioned on EC's electoral rolls. The electorate should ensure that their name is present in the electoral roll before going to the polling stations to cast a ballot. Heres how you can check your name in the electoral roll using your Voter ID: Step 1: In the first step, you need to visit the National Voters' Service portal on www.nvsp.in. Step 2: Select the Search in electoral roll option. Step 3: Click on the link - https://electoralsearch.in/. Step 4: You can search your details via search by EPIC (Electors Photo Identity Card) number, commonly known as a Voter ID card. Step 5: Enter the alphanumeric number on the voter ID card. Step 6: You can also choose to search your information by details such as your name, age, sex, state, date of birth, district, father's or husband's name. Step 7: Enter the required details and verify the captcha code. Step 8: Click on the search button. Also Read: iPhone 12 mini available at as low as Rs 28,000 on Flipkart; here's how to get this deal Step 9: If you are eligible to cast your ballot for state assembly polls on Monday, February 14, your name will appear on the screen. If your name is missing from the list, its likely youre not eligible for voting in the coming polls. Also Read: Want to stop auto-play of unwanted videos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? Heres how to do it Live TV #mute New Delhi: The platform which sold an NFT of Jack Dorsey's first tweet for $2.9 million has halted most transactions because people were selling tokens of content that did not belong to them, its founder said, calling this a "fundamental problem" in the fast-growing digital assets market. Sales of NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, soared to around $25 billion in 2021, leaving many baffled as to why so much money is being spent on items that do not physically exist and which anyone can view online for free. NFTs are crypto assets that record the ownership of a digital file such as an image, video or text. Anyone can create, or "mint", an NFT, and ownership of the token does not usually confer ownership of the underlying item. Reports of scams, counterfeits and "wash trading" have become commonplace. The U.S.-based Cent executed one of the first known million-dollar NFT sales when it sold the former Twitter CEO`s tweet as an NFT last March. But as of Feb. 6, it has stopped allowing buying and selling, CEO and co-founder Cameron Hejazi told Reuters. "There's A spectrum of activity that is happening that basically shouldn`t be happening - like, legally" Hejazi said. While the Cent marketplace "beta.cent.co" has paused NFT sales, the part specifically for selling NFTs of tweets, which is called "Valuables", is still active. Hejazi highlighted three main problems: people selling unauthorised copies of other NFTs, people making NFTs of content which does not belong to them, and people selling sets of NFTs which resemble a security. He said these issues were "rampant", with users "minting and minting and minting counterfeit digital assets". "It kept happening. We would ban offending accounts but it was like we`re playing a game of whack-a-mole... Every time we would ban one, another one would come up, or three more would come up." "MONEY CHASING MONEY" Such problems may come into greater focus as major brands join the rush towards the so-called "metaverse", or Web3. Coca-Cola and luxury brand Gucci are among companies to have sold NFTs, while YouTube said it will explore NFT features. While Cent, with 150,000 users and revenue "in the millions", is a relatively small NFT platform, Hejazi said the issue of fake and illegal content exists across the industry. "I think this is a pretty fundamental problem with Web3," he said. The biggest NFT marketplace, OpenSea, valued at $13.3 billion after its latest round of venture funding, said last month more than 80% of the NFTs minted for free on its platform were "plagiarized works, fake collections and spam." OpenSea tried limiting the number of NFTs a user could mint for free, but then reversed this decision following a backlash from users, the company said in a Twitter thread, adding that it was "working through a number of solutions" to deter "bad actors" while supporting creators. OpenSea did not immediately respond to a Reuters` request for comment. To many NFT-enthusiasts, the decentralised nature of blockchain technology is appealing, allowing users to create and trade digital assets without a central authority controlling the activity. But Hejazi said his company was keen on protecting content-creators, and may introduce centralised controls as a short-term measure in order to re-open the marketplace, before exploring decentralised solutions. It was after the Dorsey NFT sale that Cent started to get a sense of what was going on in NFT markets. "We realized that a lot of it is just money chasing money." Live TV #mute New Delhi: After initially announcing its entry-level Galaxy A03 in November, South Korean tech giant Samsung has finally released it early this year, and now the device is speculated to land in India before the end of this month. Galaxy A03 Expected Price As per GSM Arena, the device is said to retail for around Rs 12,000. Only two of its three international colour options will make it to India: Red and Black. Galaxy A03 Performance Only two RAM / storage versions will be available 3 / 32GB and 4 / 64GB. The reports obtained by GSM Arena also revealed that the A03 is powered by the Unisoc T606 SoC with a 1.6 GHz octa-core CPU. Also Read: Want to stop auto-play of unwanted videos on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter? Heres how to do it Galaxy A03 Specs The smartphone has a 6.5-inch 720x1600 PLS TFT screen, a 48 MP main rear camera and a 2 MP depth sensor, a 5 MP selfie snapper, and a 5,000 mAh battery and it runs Android 11. Also Read: Ahead of Feb 14 polls, check how to find name online on National Voters' Service portal Live TV #mute New Delhi: WhatsApp has been testing many improvements to improve the user experience of its app over the previous few weeks. The graphic components, voice call interface, and notifications are the most prominent aspects. According to the newest report from Wabetainfo, a WhatsApp development tracker, the instant messaging service is working on forming a 'WhatsApp Community.' While many of these features are still in the conceptualization and development stages, the messaging platform is expected to release them shortly. 'WhatsApp Community,' according to reports, is a private area on WhatsApp where group managers have more control over their groups. Simply put, the community functions similarly to a group chat, with admins having the ability to link to other groups inside the community. There have been references to the idea of attaching groups to a community in the past, according to WABetainfo. According to reports, this was intended for the Android 1.21.25.17 release. According to the portal, the function would allow users to form groups and connect them to the community. According to the portal's report, the first feature offered to group admins would help them better manage their WhatsApp groups. "By sending messages to all participants of those groups linked to the community, it will be possible to reach everyone at once," WABetainfo reported. It was announced earlier this week that the instant messaging app was developing a new speech interface for beta users. Upgrades such as iMessage-like replies, backgrounds for voice conversations, a dark look for Windows, and an updated camera UI for iOS were among the standout improvements that sparked users' interest. All of these features, as suggested by various portals, are at varying phases of development or conception, and the application may or may not include them. Live TV #mute New Delhi: Meta-owned WhatsApp has started rolling out a new interface for voice calls for select beta testers on Android. According to WhatsApp beta tracker WABetaInfo, WhatsApp for Android beta 2.22.5.4 has brought the updated voice calling interface to some users. A few users are also able to see the change on WhatsApp for Android beta version 2.22.5.3. As of now, the new interface was not spotted on the iOS beta app, but the report says that WhatsApp might roll out to WhatsApp too in a future update. To understand who is speaking on a group voice call, WhatsApp is working on bringing waveforms so that users can identify the speaker. In addition, WhatsApp has been spotted working on a new screen for responding users about their account ban reviews. WhatsApp is also working on some new features, including tweaking the built-in camera and a redesigned caption view, for iOS users. Also Read: With the latest betas, the app is tweaking the built-in camera, as well as revamping other functions. Also Read: Moscow: Presidents Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin have concluded a call to discuss the crisis in Ukraine as the White House says intelligence shows Russia could invade on short notice. The call lasted 62 minutes, according to the White House. Biden planned once again to call on Putin to de-escalate and pull back the well over 100,000 Russia troops that have massed near Ukraine's borders. The US Picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date for an invasion, according to a US official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorised to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was. The White House says publicly that the U.S. Does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to an invasion. Russia denies it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. Live TV New Delhi: The United States on Friday (local time) said that Russia could invade Ukraine 'any day' now and warned its citizens in the country to leave within 48 hours. "We continue to see signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border," White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters and added that "the risk is now high enough and the threat is now immediate enough". "If a Russian attack on Ukraine proceeds, it is likely to begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could obviously kill civilians without regard to their nationality," he added. US intelligence believes a rapid assault on Kyiv was also possible and that Russian President Vladimir Putin could order an invasion before the Winter Olympics end on February 20, Sullivan said, adding it remains unclear whether such a command has been given. "And I want to take a moment to echo what both President Biden and Secretary Blinken have already said: We encourage all American citizens who remain in Ukraine to depart immediately. We want to be crystal-clear on this point: Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible, and in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said. ALSO READ | Thats a World War: Biden says he wont send troops to help Americans evacuate Ukraine He informed that US President Joe Biden also held a secure video conference on Friday with key allies and partners to coordinate their approach to this crisis. "The participants were the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Canada, Poland, Romania, the Secretary-General of NATO, and the presidents of the European Union," Sullivan said. "Whatever happens next, the West is more united than its been in years. NATO has been strengthened. The Alliance is more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than at in any time in recent memory," he added. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan gives an update on Russian aggression towards Ukraine and encourages American citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. pic.twitter.com/2tynHWT2Li The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 11, 2022 Moscow, however, denies planning to invade Ukraine but says it could take unspecified "military-technical" action if its demands are not met. Russia, notably, has already massed more than 1,00,000 troops near Ukraine, and this week had launched joint military exercises in neighbouring Belarus and naval drills in the Black Sea. Meanwhile, Biden and Putin plan to have a phone conversation on Saturday. Live TV MOSCOW: Amid fresh warning from the United States that the Russian forces could invade Ukraine 'any day' now, the simmering tension over the Russia-Ukraine conflict has escalated. The United States has warned the American citizens in the country to leave within 48 hours amid signs of Russia escalation. The United States is also set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv as Western intelligence officials warn that a Russian invasion of Ukraine is increasingly imminent. What triggered the Russia-Ukraine crisis? Russia-Ukraine tension which has triggered one of the greatest security crises in Europe since the Cold War, started ever since Moscow seized Crimea, a strategically important port region in Ukraine in 2014. Fearing a potential ground invasion by the Russian forces, the US-led NATO nations extended tactical support to Ukraine by sending additional troops and military equipment there. The current Russian build-up of 100,000 troops along the Ukraine border has further escalated tensions to unprecedented levels. In a move to defuse the crisis and to prevent it from triggering the possible Third World War, the United Nations Security Council has appealed to both sides to resolve all issues amicably through diplomatic channels. Why is Russia so obsessed with Ukraine? Russia and Ukraine were members of the erstwhile USSR the United Soviet Social Republic of Russia before its disintegration in 1991 after which Ukraine declared its independence. Since Ukraine occupies a strategic geographical position, sitting at the center of the fight for influence in Europe, Russia wants to prevent Ukraine from turning towards the West. Moscow fears that if Kyiv joins the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), it will lose its influence over the region. Though NATO has not yet opened the door to Ukraine and since the process of joining the allied forces is long and complex, Russia wants to veto Ukraines membership in the alliance. As one of the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Russia argues Ukraine joining NATO would be a big threat to Moscow. It all began when pro-Europe protests against the alleged misrule of Ukraines pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych were violently suppressed forcing him to flee the country in 2014. Taking advantage of the 2014 conflict, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered the Russian forces to invade part of the Crimean Peninsula in the south of Ukraine, and organized a referendum to annex the area. However, the Russia-monitored referendum was declared illegal by the international community. Moscow was even accused of sending shipments of Russian weapons to the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine. The United Nations claimed around 14,000 people have died in the war in the disputed Donbas region. Why does Russia want to annex Crimea? The Crimean Peninsula is a strategic spot as it offers an important entrance to the Black Sea an area Putin wanted to control. The annexation was celebrated at a large-scale event, in which Putin clearly explained the importance of the Crimean Peninsula: Crimean Tatars have returned to their homeland. The invasion of the Crimean Peninsula triggered international protests, economic sanctions against Russia and ongoing calls for the territory to be returned. Putin has said that will never happen. Since 2014, he has been providing political and military support to pro-Russia separatists fighting the Ukrainian army in east Ukraine. Russia has demanded an immediate halt to any NATO drills near Russia's border and complete withdrawal of allied forces from Eastern Europe. In December, Putin said that Russia wants a legal guarantee that there would be no further NATO moves eastward. He also demanded legal guarantee that there would be no deployment of weapons systems in close vicinity to Russian territory. On the other hand, the NATO allies led by the United States have been building pressure on Moscow to withdraw its forces and threatened it with severe sanctions. Can the Russia-Ukraine crisis trigger another Cold War? The Cold War between erstwhile Russia and the US had divided Europe between west and east and much of the world then. It included bloody proxy wars and posed a very serious risk of global thermonuclear war. However, after the disintegration of Russia, the US is much more powerful and influential than Russia today. Importantly, the international community, in one voice, opposes Russia's annexation of Crimea. President Obama had described Russia's actions as the behaviour of a weak country. Since Ukraine is strategically important in its geopolitical competition with the West, the Putin regime has been taking an aggressive stance and asserting its influence over the region. Russia, which mainly supplies gas to Europe, wants to reclaim some of its past glory and thus position itself as a legitimate competitor to the Western world. Still, this competition is limited to former Soviet republics and it is nowhere near the global conflict of the Cold War. Live TV Ontario: A Canadian judge on Friday ordered an end to the four-day-long blockade of a key Canada-U.S. trade corridor by protesters opposing pandemic restrictions, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised President Joe Biden quick action to end a crisis that has disrupted North America`s auto industry. The order could lead to police in Windsor, Ontario, clearing truckers who have crowded dozens of vehicles near the Ambassador Bridge, North America`s busiest land border crossing and a choke point for Detroit`s carmakers. Superior Court Justice Geoffrey Morawetz said his order would come into effect at 7 p.m. Eastern Time (0000 GMT) on Friday to give people some time to clear the area. Trudeau earlier told reporters that no action was off the table. Today, I shared a clear message to those taking part in illegal blockades and occupations: Weve heard you. But there are consequences for breaking the law, and those consequences are becoming increasingly severe. Its time to go home to your communities. pic.twitter.com/o6RyoxD46O Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 12, 2022 An hour after the deadline, about 200 protesters, including children, milled around the entrance to the bridge, waving Canadian flags, while others set off fireworks. Police, who started to gather in a parking lot a few blocks away from the protesters, began handing out pamphlets that outlined penalties under Ontario`s emergency order, which takes effect at midnight. The judge on Friday approved the request by auto industry associations and Windsor city authorities hoping to end the protests. Occupying access roads leading to the bridge on Friday, protesters voiced defiance and there was little sign of them backing down. The "Freedom Convoy" protests, started by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccinate-or-quarantine mandate for cross-border drivers, are also occupying areas outside government buildings in the capital city of Ottawa and have blocked two smaller U.S. crossings. US PRESSURE Adding to earlier calls for action by U.S. officials and business leaders, Biden expressed concerns over auto plant closures and production slowdowns during a phone call with Trudeau, the White House said in a statement. "The two leaders agreed that the actions of the individuals who are obstructing travel and commerce between our two countries are having significant direct impacts on citizens` lives and livelihoods," the statement said. "The Prime Minister promised quick action in enforcing the law, and the President thanked him for the steps he and other Canadian authorities are taking to restore the open passage of bridges to the United States," it added. For a summary of our conversation, click here: https://t.co/bSJCyNGWuc Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 11, 2022 Trudeau told reporters that he agreed with Biden that the blockades cannot continue. "Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end," Trudeau said. Biden`s administration had urged Canada to use federal powers to ease the Ambassador Bridge blockade, a step Trudeau`s government has not taken. Trudeau said on Friday his government was not seriously contemplating calling in the military over the protests. Announcing the penalties as part of emergency measures, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said they were needed to "make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure." Windsor police issued a statement warning of arrests, but it was not clear if or when authorities would begin issuing fines or seeking jail sentences. ECONOMIC LOSSES With car production cuts mounting, Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, said on Friday it had temporarily halted work at its assembly plant in Ohio. General Motors and Toyota also announced new production cuts. The stock of Canadian autoparts maker Magna International fell 6.4% on Friday after it said it had seen an initial hit from the bridge`s closure. Beyond auto sector losses, the three U.S.-Canada crossings obstructed account for 33% of Canada`s trade with the United States, valued at $616 million per day, Export Development Canada said. The bridge`s shutdown could worsen the tight supply of new vehicles in the United States and contribute to the already fast-rising price of new vehicles, IHS Markit said in a Friday report. Even if the blockade ends, a return to normal will take several weeks as shortages cascade through the supply chain, IHS Markit said. Governor Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, home to nearly a fifth of U.S. car production, told CNN: "The Canadian government has to do whatever it takes to safely and swiftly resolve this." By Trend The third expert meeting within the framework of the eighth round of nuclear negotiations for removing sanctions was held at Coburg Hotel in Vienna on Friday, Trend reports citing IRNA. The third expert meeting within the framework of the eighth round of nuclear negotiations for removing sanctions is being held in the Coburg Hotel in Vienna with the presence of experts from Iran and the P4+1 Group. Other meetings of this kind will continue to meet alongside other diplomatic discussions later on. Talks in Vienna, Austria, to revive the 2015 nuclear deal and lift anti-Iran sanctions continued on Thursday when negotiating teams held bilateral and multilateral diplomatic talks to pave the ground for reaching a good agreement; while the West has proposed no practical initiative to speed up the pace of negotiations. Earlier, the eighth round of the Joint Commission meetings of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) carried on with consultations between Irans top nuclear negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani and the European Unions representative in the Vienna talks Enrique Mora at Palais Coburg on Thursday. Bagheri Kani held talks with heads of delegations from three European countries (Britain, France, and Germany). Simultaneously, there were some sessions at the expertise level in Vienna, where experts from Iran, the European Union, and the P4+1 group (Britain, France, Russia, China plus Germany) discussed sanctions and nuclear issues. On Wednesday, negotiating teams kicked off consultations on draft text in the morning, which lasted until 2 a.m. Thursday. The eighth round of the Vienna talks kicked off on December 27, 2021. This round of negotiations is one of the longest phases of the talks and most delegations agreed that the consultations have been moving forward despite some challenges. Hundreds of people demonstrated on Friday in front of the national assembly in Bangui, calling for a constitutional change which critics fear is a push to keep the president of the Central African Republic in power, an AFP correspondent said. Germany's foreign minister said Thursday that nuclear talks with Iran are entering a "final phase'' and that, despite Israeli reservations, a return to a nuclear agreement would make the region safer. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock spoke at a joint press conference in Tel Aviv with her Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, during an official visit to Israel. Her remarks come as negotiations between Iran and world powers reconvened this week in an effort to revive a 2015 nuclear accord that curbed Tehran's nuclear program. That deal crumbled after the Trump administration withdrew from the agreement in 2018. Israel and Iran are archenemies, and Israel has vocally objected to U.S.-led efforts to revive the deal, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action. Its leaders have said it would not be bound by any agreement between world powers and Iran, leaving it room to manoeuvre militarily. Lapid said that he and Baerbock discussed the nuclear talks and presented her with Israel's position "that a nuclear Iran endangers not only Israel but the entire world.'' He said that Iran is "an exporter of terror from Yemen to Buenos Aires'' and that the agreement must take into account its regional aggression. Baerbock said that she was "convinced that a full restoration of the JCPOA would make the region more secure, including Israel, otherwise we would not be having these talks.'' She said the talks with Iran, of which Germany is a party, have reached a "very critical point'' and that it was important for Iran to come back to the table "with a willingness to compromise and without maximum demands.'' "We want to do everything we can to ensure that with this agreement, Israel's security is guaranteed," Baerbock said. Israel was formed in the wake of the Holocaust in 1948 and the two countries only established diplomatic ties in 1965. Over the decades, those ties have warmed and Germany is one of Israel's closest and most important international allies and trade partners. Search Keywords: Short link: Russia could invade Ukraine during the current Beijing Winter Olympics so Americans should leave the Eastern European country immediately, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Friday. Blinken did not detail the reasons behind the State Department's latest security alert that calls on all American citizens to leave Ukraine. "Simply put, we continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border,'' Blinken said in Melbourne, Australia. "We're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time and, to be clear, that includes during the Olympics,'' Blinken added. The Olympic Games are scheduled to end on Feb. 20. Russia has amassed over 100,000 troops near Ukraine. It says it has no plans to invade but wants the West to keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. The threat of war in Ukraine and a strengthened alliance between Russia and China were high on the agenda of a meeting in Canberra on Friday among Blinken and his counterparts from India, Japan and Australia. The four nations form the "Quad,'' a bloc of Indo-Pacific democracies created to counter China's growing regional influence. Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, who chaired the meeting, said the alliance between Moscow and Beijing was "concerning because it doesn't ... represent a global order that squares with ... ambitions for freedom and openness and sovereignty and the protection of territorial integrity.'' Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne On the question of the alliance, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, whose government is one of Russia's biggest customers for military hardware, emphasized that the Quad partnership was about shared ambitions and "not against somebody.'' Asked by a reporter if Russia had behaved appropriately toward Ukraine, Jaishankar replied that the Quad meeting was focused on the Indo-Pacific region, not Europe. Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar Blinken earlier said a conflict with China in the Indo-Pacific was not inevitable. "We share concerns that in recent years China has been acting more aggressively at home and more aggressively in the region and indeed potentially beyond,'' Blinken said. The Quad partners are united by an "affirmative vision for what the future can bring'' and a "commitment to defend the rules-based system that we have spent tremendous time and effort building,'' he added. Blinken's trip is designed to reinforce America's interests in Asia and its intent to push back against increasing Chinese assertiveness in the region. He will also visit Fiji and discuss pressing concerns about North Korea with his Japanese and South Korean counterparts in Hawaii. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian dismissed Quad concerns about Beijing's expanding influence among Pacific island nations. China's support for Pacific island countries is "open, transparent and inclusive, without targeting any third party,'' Zhao said, in an apparent reference to the U.S. and its allies. "We hope all countries will take concrete actions to help Pacific island countries deal with their challenges and do more to contribute to regional peace, stability and development,'' he said at a daily briefing. Australia has suffered trade retaliation in recent years for angering Beijing over actions that include outlawing covert foreign interference in domestic politics, banning Chinese tech giant Huawei from major infrastructure projects and urging an independent investigation into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he felt reassured by the shared commitment against coercion after meetings with Blinken, Jaishankar and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi Earlier Friday, Blinken and Hayashi held a meeting in which they expressed "deep concern'' about Russia's beefing up of its military at the Ukrainian border, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity, citing protocol. The leaders also shared "grave concern'' about North Korea's escalating nuclear and missile development, the official said. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts strong military capabilities have contributed to achieving security and stability in the region and Europe, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry said in a press conference with his German counterpart, Annalena Baerbock, on Saturday. We cooperate on the basis of mutual understanding of the challenges that we face and Egypts recourse to Germany for its arming needs is a means to protect its national security and borders, Shoukry said in response to question about Egypts reaction in case Germany decided to stop exporting weapons to Egypt. German arms sales to Egypt hit record levels in 2021, as Egypt received weapons worth 4.34 billion, mainly air defence systems and maritime equipment, according to figures published by the German Economic Affairs and Climate Action Ministry last month. Shoukry said Egypts achievements regarding security and stability in the region had a direct impact on security and stability in Europe, highlighting the countrys efforts to stop all forms of irregular migration to Europe since September 2016, saying such matters are of concern to our European partners. Thanks to its enhanced military capabilities, Egypt also managed to face terrorist organisations fierce attacks that targeted security and stability, Shoukry said, affirming that army and police forces as well as innocent civilians have paid the cost of such attacks. If there is a desire to reduce Egypts ability to do so, then we will have to find the means that enable us to defend ourselves and continue to play our responsible role in maintaining peace and security in the Middle East, Africa, and the world, Shoukry said. He added that Egypt will find these means through positive partnerships and exchange of interests that are consistent with international laws. Shoukrys remarks came after Baerbock said Germany will follow a severely restrictive policy regarding arms export under a planned legislation. She affirmed that such legislation will impact large importers of German weapons. The German FM said human rights will play a big role in this legislation, adding that human rights include economic and social rights besides political and civil rights. Egypt has reiterated on many occasions that it does not establish international relations on a basis of conditionality, Shoukry said. Instead, Egypts international relations with other countries are based on mutual respect and interests and non-interference in domestic affairs, he added. The Egyptian military doctrine is based on the defence of Egyptian lands and Egypt has not carried out any act of aggression, Shoukry said. He affirmed that Egypt will continue to carry out the role of preventing terrorist attacks from reaching European territories, underscoring the destructive impact of these attacks on the security of European citizens, including Germans. Shoukry received Baerbock on Saturday on her first visit to Egypt within the framework of the bilateral relations gathering the two countries, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Shoukrys bilateral discussions with Baerbock seek to build on the success achieved in various fields of cooperation between Egypt and Germany, the ministry added. Baerbocks two-day visit to Egypt comes as part of her Middle East tour, which included Israel, Palestine, and Jordan, where she discussed the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in light of the crucial role played by Egypt and Jordan in this regard. Egypt and Jordan have been in talks with regional and international sides to revive the long-frozen talks between the Palestinian and Israeli sides in accordance with international resolutions, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the two-state solution, with the aim of establishing an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. In December, Shoukry, Jordans FM Ayman Safadi, and Palestines Minister of Civil Aviation Hussein Al-Sheikh held a meeting in Cairo to discuss proposals to break the current stalemate in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The meeting aimed to coordinate stances and visions on how to follow up on the outcome of the trilateral summit between the leaders of the three countries in Cairo last September. Baerbock, 41, the German FM under German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is the first woman-ever to serve in the post of FM in Germany and also the youngest-ever to hold the post. Scholz, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was sworn in as Germanys chancellor in December. During her visit, Baerbock is set to discuss potential areas of cooperation on the 27th session of the United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP 27), which will take place in Sharm El-Sheikh in November. German Ambassador in Cairo Frank Hartmann voiced pleasure at Baerbocks early visit, noting that it demonstrates Germanys willingness to maintain a high-level dialogue with Egypt on regional and bilateral issues, as well as international cooperation on climate change. Significant cooperative relations Over the past decade, Egypt and Germany have significantly intensified their economic and developmental cooperation, with around 1,180 German companies currently operating in all economic sectors. Areas of cooperation between the two countries have comprised numerous fields, including the water sector, wastewater management, energy, and shipbuilding. Up till March last year, Egypt and Germany shared a trade volume of around $4.12 billion, a statement by the German Federal Foreign Office said in February. Egypt is one of Germanys largest development cooperation partners through intergovernmental agreements with 1.6 billion in loans and subsidies recorded, according to the office. Egypts political, economic, and military significance in the Middle East and North Africa region makes it an important partner for German development cooperation, the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) said. Besides cooperation between Egypt and German on priority sectors, including sustainable economic development and urban development, the BMZ also works on helping Egypt step up its efforts to ensure the participation of civil society organisations and the economic empowerment of women. Concerning tourism, although the number of German tourists dropped in light of the coronavirus pandemic, around 1.8 million German tourists visited Egypt in 2019, making up the largest group of foreign tourists in the country, according to the German Federal Foreign Office. There are also seven German Schools in Egypt, which are attended by around 4000 students, said the office. In August, the Egyptian Ministry of International Cooperation said Germany will allocate soft development funds to the tune of 151.5 million to finance 15 development projects in eight sectors in Egypt. The sectors are technical education, vocational training, innovation in the private sector, migration, labour, administrative reform, urban development, and renewable energy. Earlier last year, Egypts Minister of International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat inked a development financing agreement grant worth 57.7 million with Former German Ambassador in Cairo Cyrill Jean Nunn. The international cooperation ministry said in May that its ongoing cooperation portfolio with Germany amounts to 1.7 billion, which has funded 30 projects, either through loans or technical and financial grants benefiting many sectors. This covers various sectors, including solid waste management, migration, the labour market, private sector support, technical education, vocational training, urban development and administrative reform, development of women and youths, and community development, according to the ministry. Politically, Egypt and Germany have shared similar visions regarding many issues, including Libya, with Egypt participating in the two editions of the Berlin conference, which were held over the past two years to help achieve political stability in the Arab country. Moreover, El-Sisi held several meetings with former German chancellor Angela Merkel throughout his ongoing tenure, the last of which was through a video conferencing call shortly before she left office. They also met during the COP 26that was held in Glasgow, UK, last November. Search Keywords: Short link: Russia's navy on Saturday launched large-scale exercises in the Black Sea even as Moscow dismissed as "hysteria" a US warning that a Russian attack on Ukraine could begin within days. "Over 30 vessels from the Black Sea fleet took to the sea from Sebastopol and Novorossiysk in accordance with the exercise plan," the Russian defence ministry said Saturday morning. "The aim of the exercise is to defend the coast of the Crimea peninsula, the bases of the forces of the Black Sea fleet as well as the country's economic sector, from possible military threats," the ministry added. The move comes after the US on Friday gave its starkest warning yet of a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying that it could take place "any day now." White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters that such an attack would likely begin with air strikes and missile attacks and urged Americans in Ukraine to leave the country "as soon as possible." A number of EU countries have also urged their nationals to leave Ukraine. Moscow poured scorn on the US warnings. "The White House's hysteria is more revealing than ever. The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At all cost. The provocations, disinformation and the threats are their favourite method for resolving their own problems," foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova wrote on Telegram. Russia's ambassador to the US Anatoly Antonov told Newsweek magazine that the US warnings were "alarmist" and repeated that his country was "not going to attack anyone." Russia has massed tens of thousands of troops along Ukraine's borders in recent months, raising fears that it is planning to invade its former Soviet neighbour, eight years after it seized the Crimea peninsula from Ukraine. Russia has denied any such plans while making a series of demands of the West, including a ban on Ukraine joining the Western defence alliance NATO. In the midst of the furore, Russia last month announced a serries of naval exercises in the Atlantic Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea as well as in "waters and seas adjacent to Russian territory." The exercises involve over 140 warships and support vessels, over 60 aircraft, 1,000 pieces of military hardware and over 10,000 troops in total, the defence ministry said Saturday. Tensions have been running high in the Black Sea in recent years, with Moscow accusing Ukraine's pro-Western government and Western powers of threatening its security in waters off Crimea. In June last year, Russian forces fired warning shots at a British destroyer that it accused of entering its waters, claims denied by Britain. As well as the naval exercises, large-scale Russian military drills are underway with the country's authoritarian ally Belarus, which lies just north of Ukraine and which also borders the European Union. Search Keywords: Short link: German Minister of Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock hailed Egypts success to consolidate the values of religious tolerance, freedom of worship, and acceptance of others, saying Egypt has become a role model regionally and internationally in this regard. Baerbock, who is currently paying her first visit to Egypt, made the remarks as she met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo on Saturday. Her visit comes as part of her Middle East tour, which included Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. Baerbock, 41, the German FM under German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, is the first woman ever to serve in the post of foreign minister in Germany and also the youngest to ever hold the post. Scholz, the leader of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), was sworn in as Germanys chancellor in December. El-Sisi asked Baerbock to convey his greetings to Scholz, highlighting the importance Egypt attaches to enhancing cooperation with Germany in different fields, Egyptian Presidential Spokesman Bassam Rady said in a statement. Baerbock hailed Egypt as an axis of stability and balance in the Middle East and Africa, lauding the countrys efforts to counter terrorism, extremist thought, and irregular migration. She also praised Egypts hosting of millions of refugees, integrating them into its society and providing basic rights to them. Enhancing partnership, cooperation The new German government is keen on enhancing relations with Egypt to ensure the success of the ongoing partnership between the two countries, Baerbock said. Egypt considers its relations with Germany as a main axis for Egyptian relations with Europe, El-Sisi said, affirming the great importance Egypt attaches to its firm relations with the German side, the statement said. El-Sisi also highlighted German companies strong and unprecedented engagement in the ambitious development plans that Egypt has implemented over the past years. Furthermore, the president voiced his aspirations to continue the ongoing cooperation with the new German government on the basis of mutual respect and balanced partnership, given each of the two countries pivotal role within their regions. He also said Egypt looks forward to the increase of German companies investments in Egypt, expressing his aspirations to also benefit from German experience and technology in the field of industry localisation in Egypt. Baerbock said Egypts ongoing mega development projects nationwide would contribute to providing promising opportunities for maximising German investments in Egypt, especially in the fields of infrastructure, transportation, renewable energy, electricity, and education. Cooperation on climate, hosting the COP27 Additionally, the German FM praised the significant role played by Egypt in the framework of international and regional efforts to face climate change, expressing her aspiration to enhance cooperation with Egypt in this regard, the statement said. Egypt is scheduled to host the 27th session of the United Nations Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh in November. The country is keen to ensure that the conference yields optimal outcomes and witnessed the largest possible number of participants, including representatives of civil society organisations that operate in the field of the environment, El-Sisi said, vowing to grant them the freedom to express their opinions. Egypt will also seek to build on the international momentum generated by the COP26 in Glasgow and come up with ambitious results and initiatives that contribute to strengthening international climate action at all levels. This especially includes reducing emissions, building the capacity of developing countries to adapt to the negative impacts of climate change, and enhancing developing countries access to climate finance, El-Sisi affirmed. Discussing Libyan, Palestinian issues El-Sisi and Baerbock also discussed developments related to a number of regional issues of mutual concern, the spokesman said, adding that they agreed on continuing coordination on facing ongoing challenges in the region, especially the Palestinian and Libyan issues. The president agreed with Baerbock on the importance of concerted joint efforts between Egypt and Germany to implement the outcomes of the Berlin Conference on Libya. This comes with the aim of settling the situation in the Arab country in a comprehensive way that contributes to eliminating terrorism, protecting the states resources and national institutions, and restoring security and stability in Libya. Egypts Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry and German Ambassador in Cairo Frank Hartmann attended the meeting. Earlier on Saturday, Shoukry and Baerbock held consultations on human rights, the Palestinian cause, the crisis in Ukraine, as well as bilateral relations. In a press conference following his meeting with Baerbock, Shoukry highlighted cooperation with Germany regarding arms export, saying Egypts recourse to Germany for its arming needs is a means to protect its national security and borders. Search Keywords: Short link: By Azernews By Laman Ismayilova Azerbaijani and Turkish cinematographers will produce a film about the Second Karabakh War. In this regard, a press conference was held at the Nizami Cinema Center in Baku, which was attended by members of the film crew - director of the film project Selahattin Sanjakli, actor Ertugrul Shakar, producer Yalchin Choban and head of Eslem Film company Metin Yucelin. Speaking about the project, Selahattin Sanjakli said that itwill be a full-length feature film. "Now we are at the stage of project development - we are holding meetings with the Azerbaijani side, determining the exact locations. The film will be dedicated to the 44-day Patriotic War, the liberation of the city of Shusha from the Armenian occupation. We deeply respect the memory of the martyrs and wish a speedy recovery to the veterans of the 44-day Patriotic War," he said. Sancakli noted that Turkish filmmakers also set the task of expanding cooperation with Azerbaijani colleagues and implementing a number of film projects in the future. Turkish actor Ertugrul Shakar noted that he visited Azerbaijan for the first time and feels at home here. "The project of our film is a story about people who for about 30 years lived in longing for their native lands, about brave, courageous people who liberated their ancestral land from occupation, about patriots who love their homeland boundlessly, about those who inscribed a heroic page in the modern the history of Azerbaijan," the actor said. Producer Yalchin Choban stressed that the upcoming film will be his second film project in Azerbaijan, a film about policemen was shot in the summer. "We have many creative ideas and plans that we want to implement in Azerbaijan. As for the upcoming film, the film crew will consist of representatives of Turkey and Azerbaijan. And this applies not only to the actors, but also to the technical staff of the film. There will be a casting and we we will determine the performers of the main roles," Yalchin Choban said. Eslem Film CEO Metin Yucelin added that a large team will be working on the film. Filming is scheduled to begin in the summer. It should be noted that Selahattin Sanjakli and Ertugrul Shakar are well known to the Azerbaijani audience from the series "Kurtlar Vadisi" (Valley of Wolves). The Senate Egypt's consultative upper house of parliament will reconvene on Sunday and Monday to resume the discussion of the country's new government-drafted labour law. The Senate has so far discussed and approved 245 articles out of a total 267. The discussions over the past month covered major issues such as child labour, women labour, strikes and minimum and maximum wages. The remaining 22 articles are related to work hours and government supervision of labour conditions and whether supervisors should have judicial powers. If passed by senators this week, the draft law will be referred to the House of Representatives for final discussion and to be voted on there. Meanwhile, the Senate's committees will hold meetings on Sunday and Monday to discuss a number of other important issues. The Senate's Foreign, Arab and African Affairs Committee will hold a hearing session on Sunday on the future of Egyptian-Russian relations and how to promote them. The Senate's Financial and Economic Affairs Committee will discuss the new government-drafted Insurance Law. The law aims to draw up new and comprehensive rules for regulating the insurance industry and market in Egypt. The Legislative and Constitutional Affairs Committee will meet Monday to discuss a new law aimed at simplifying procedures of filing lawsuits before courts. Search Keywords: Short link: The speaker of Egypt's House of Representatives Hanafy El-Gebaly and his Bahraini counterpart Fawzia Bint Abdallah met in Manama on Saturday to discuss stepping up political coordination between the two bodies. The two speakers agreed to take the move in the near future to reflect unified positions in international parliamentary circles and regional forums. "This coordination is important to serve the interests of the two countries in the best way," said a statement. Bahraini speaker Fawzia Bint Abdallah said her meeting with El-Gebaly comes at the same time that Egyptian and Bahraini relations are progressing at all fronts. "Our meeting gives a new momentum to these relations and will serve the supreme interests of our two countries," said Abdallah. El-Gebaly also met with Ali Bin Saleh El-Saleh, the speaker of Bahrain's Shura Council the countrys legislative upper house in another bid to push Egyptian-Bahrain relations forward. "We decided to exchange the legislative, political and parliamentary expertise between our two parliaments," said a statement, adding that "the strong relations between our countries also reflect the strong personal relationship between the leaders of our two countries President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and King Hamad Bin Eissa," Search Keywords: Short link: German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has urged German citizens to leave Ukraine unless their presence was strictly required. Baerbock made the announcement during a press conference in Cairo on Saturday following mounting concerns that Russia may invade its neighbouring country. During the joint press conference held with Egypts Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, Baerbock said Germany will keep its embassy in Kiev open, but will reduce the number of its diplomatic staff as well as its staff in German institutions, such as KFW bank and GIZ Germany. The German Foreign Ministry stated on Saturday it will close its consulate in Donetsk, east Ukraine. Baerbock added that Germany is working with its partners to resolve the Ukrainian crisis by diplomatic means. During the press conference following her meeting with Shoukry, Baerbock said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is scheduled to travel to Moscow this week for talks. Shoukry said at the press conference that Egypt is closely monitoring developments in Ukraine, stressing that it is imperative to achieve stability and security in that part of the world. Ukraine and Russia are the leading exporters of wheat to Egypt. In 2020, Egypt topped the list of importers of Ukrainian wheat. An increasing number of countries, prime among which is the US, have been calling upon their nationals to leave Ukraine in the past 24 hours following Washingtons warning on Friday that Russia may launch a serious assault at any moment against Ukraine. Baerbock is currently on her first visit to Cairo after assuming her position as foreign minister. The visit comes as part of her Middle East tour that kicked off on Wednesday and includes Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. On Saturday, Baerbock met with President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and held talks with her Egyptian counterpart Shoukry. Besides the Ukraine developments, the Egyptian and German foreign ministers discussed a range of issues including bilateral ties, military relations, and regional affairs. Regarding the recent developments in Libya, Shoukry reiterated that Egypt believes that there is not a military solution to the crisis in Libya, adding that Egypt fully supports inter-Libyan dialogue. He added that Egypt is maintaining communication with all Libyan parties and powers to hold the elections that meet the aspirations of the Libyan people, to unify Libyas institutions, and to provide security, stability, and protection to Libyan territories. Baerbock said Germany and Egypt are sparing no effort to resolve the Libyan crisis, adding that it is important to support the endeavours of the UN special envoy to Libya. We should not ignore Libya or make its importance reduced due to what is happening in Europe, but instead we must intensify the political dialogues in Egypt, said Baerbock. Shoukry said that the Palestinian cause is a central issue for the Arab world and that Egypt has worked to reach a complete, fair, and comprehensive solution where a Palestinian state can be declared with its capital in East Jerusalem. Baerbock pointed out that Germany appreciates the mediation role Egypt plays. During the press conference, Baerbock said she suggested Egypt chairs the next COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh in November and that it co-chairs with Germany this years edition of the Petersberg Climate Dialogue in Berlin. The two top diplomats discussed the human rights situation, according to Shoukry, with Baerbook saying that her government would issue legislation this year regarding human rights criteria for arms exports. She did not elaborate in the press conference on the criteria, beyond saying that human rights will play a big role in this legislation, adding that human rights include economic and social rights in addition to political and civil rights. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt's Ministry of Health and Population reported on Friday 2,179 new coronavirus infections, bringing the total cases since the outbreak began in February 2020 to 450,676. The ministry also recorded 61 COVID-19 linked fatalities, bringing the total tally of deaths to 23,233. The statement added that the total number of recoveries is 384,158 after 2,121 patients were discharged in the past 24 hours. Khaled Abdel-Ghaffar, the acting health minister, told the weekly cabinet meeting on Thursday that Egypt has so far administered a total of 1.8 million coronavirus vaccine doses to children aged 15-18, and 284,200 to children aged 12-15. Egypt has administered a total of around 38.5 million first vaccine doses and 29 million second doses since the start of the mass vaccination campaign in January of 2021, according to the health ministrys daily statistics. As many as 695,669 booster shots have been administered in recent weeks as well. Search Keywords: Short link: Head of Egypts Coptic Orthodox Church Pope Tawadros II inaugurated on Saturday the Cathedral of Annunciation and the Angel Gabriel in Al-Amal Axis in eastern Alexandria. The pope held prayers at the church, inaugurating its main altar in the name of the Virgin Mary as well as two other alters in the name of Gabriel and Abaskhiron the Soldier. The pope also handed over a souvenir to officials from the Egyptian Armed Forces Engineering Authority, which supervised the cathedrals construction. The authoritys officials as well as its deputy head, Ahmed El-Azzazy, attended the inauguration. Following the inauguration of the church, Pope Tawadros II gave a sermon about mercy, peace, and purity of the heart. The pope also thanked everyone who worked hard to construct the cathedral, especially the engineers and the work team of the armed forces, who supervised its construction. The pope then reiterated his extensive greetings to President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for the development efforts being witnessed nationwide. Search Keywords: Short link: Myanmar's junta on Saturday announced an amnesty for more than 800 prisoners, as it held a parade and show of force in the capital to mark the country's Union Day. The country has been in turmoil since last year's coup, with mass protests and a subsequent military crackdown that has killed more than 1,500 civilians, according to the UN's human rights office. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing issued the "pardon order" -- a regular feature of major holidays in the country -- for 814 prisoners, state media said, marking the 75th Union Day. The annual holiday commemorates an agreement between independence hero Aung San and several ethnic groups to form a Union of Burma independent of British rule. Those given amnesty will be mostly from prisons in commercial hub Yangon, junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun told AFP. He did not say whether Australian academic Sean Turnell -- who has been detained for more than a year -- would be among those released. The economics professor was working as an adviser to civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi when he was arrested last February, days after she was ousted by the military. He has been charged with violating Myanmar's official secrets law and faces a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison if found guilty. About 100 people gathered outside Yangon's Insein prison on Saturday morning hoping to be reunited with loved ones, AFP correspondents said. Four minibuses left the prison around noon local time (0530 GMT) and drove away, with those inside waving as people in the crowd shouted the names of relatives. Thin Thin Aye, 46, waited in the hope her son -- jailed last year for incitement against the military -- would be among those freed. She kept waiting even after the last bus pulled away and prison staff said no other prisoners would be released. "I hope my son will be released as soon as possible and I want him to stay with our family," she told AFP through tears. - 'Where was the union?' - The junta marked Union Day with a show of force in the military-built capital Naypyidaw. Hundreds of troops paraded alongside civil servants waving national flags in unison, and there were choreographed dances. Helicopters carrying the country's yellow, green and red flag flew overhead, followed by jets trailing the same colours in smoke. In a speech to troops, Min Aung Hlaing repeated the military's claim of massive fraud in 2020 elections won by Suu Kyi's party. He also invited the myriad ethnic armed organisations that have been fighting Myanmar's military -- and each other -- for decades to sit for peace talks. The Karen National Union, whose fighters have clashed repeatedly with junta troops in the east, said it would not attend talks. "They say it was union day, but where was the union?" spokesman Padoh Saw Taw Nee told AFP. "They stole power from the civilian government. They are not the official government." "The message for Union Day is at complete odds with the reality that is Myanmar," said independent analyst David Mathieson, adding the junta was not sincere about peace. "It's pretty absurd that on the 75th anniversary of Union Day the country is more divided than at any point in its history." Search Keywords: Short link: Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Joe Biden are to hold a high-stakes telephone call on Saturday as tensions over a possibility imminent invasion of Ukraine escalated sharply and the U.S. announced plans to evacuate its embassy in the Ukrainian capital. Before talking to Biden, Putin is to have a call with French President Emmanuel Macron, who met with him in Moscow earlier in the week to try to resolve the crisis. Russia has massed troops near the Ukraine border and has sent troops to exercises in neighboring Belarus, but insistently denies that it intends to launch an offensive against Ukraine. Adding to the sense of crisis, the Pentagon ordered an additional 3,000 U.S. troops to Poland to reassure allies. Biden has said the U.S. military will not enter a war in Ukraine, but he has promised severe economic sanctions against Moscow, in concert with international allies. The timing of any possible Russian military action remains a key question. The U.S. picked up intelligence that Russia is looking at Wednesday as a target date, according to a U.S. official familiar with the findings. The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly and did so only on condition of anonymity, would not say how definitive the intelligence was, and the White House publicly underscored that the U.S. does not know with certainty whether Putin is committed to invasion. However, U.S. officials said anew that Russia's buildup of offensive air, land and sea firepower near Ukraine has reached the point where it could invade on short notice. U.S. officials told The Associated Press that the State Department plans to announce Saturday that virtually all American staff at the Kyiv embassy will be required to leave. The State Department would not comment. The department had earlier ordered families of U.S. embassy staffers in Kyiv to leave. But it had left it to the discretion of nonessential personnel if they wanted to depart. Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, urged all Americans in Ukraine to leave, emphasizing that they should not expect the U.S. military to rescue them in the event that air and rail transportation is severed after a Russian invasion. Several NATO allies including Britain, Canada, Norway and Denmark also are asking their citizens to leave Ukraine, as is non-NATO ally New Zealand. Sullivan said Russian military action could start with missile and air attacks, followed by a ground offensive. ``Yes, it is an urgent message because we are in an urgent situation,'' he told reporters at the White House. ``Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action,'' Sullivan said, adding, ``Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine.'' He said the scale of such an invasion could range from a limited incursion to a strike on Kyiv, the capital. Russia scoffed at the U.S. talk of urgency. ``The hysteria of the White House is more indicative than ever,'' said Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. ``The Anglo-Saxons need a war. At any cost. Provocations, misinformation and threats are a favorite method of solving their own problems.'' In addition to the more than 100,000 ground troops that U.S. officials say Russia has assembled along Ukraine's eastern and southern borders, the Russians have deployed missile, air, naval and special operations forces, as well as supplies to sustain a war. This week Russia moved six amphibious assault ships into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Sullivan's stark warning accelerated the projected timeframe for a potential invasion, which many analysts had believed was unlikely until after the Winter Olympics in China end on Feb. 20. Sullivan said the combination of a further Russian troop buildup on Ukraine's borders and unspecified intelligence indicators have prompted the administration to warn that war could begin any time. ``We can't pinpoint the day at this point, and we can't pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility,'' Sullivan said. Biden has said U.S. troops will not enter Ukraine to contest any Russian invasion, but he has bolstered the U.S. military presence in Europe as reassurance to allies on NATO's eastern flank. On Friday the Pentagon said Biden ordered a further 3,000 soldiers to Poland, on top of 1,700 who are on their way there. The U.S. Army also is shifting 1,000 soldiers from Germany to Romania, which like Poland shares a border with Ukraine. Biden spoke to a number of European leaders on Friday to underscore the concerns raised by U.S. intelligence about the potential imminence of a Russian invasion. Sullivan said the Western leaders were completely united and would respond harshly to a Russian invasion with devastating economic and trade sanctions. Russia is demanding that the West keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons near its border and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe, demands flatly rejected by the West. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraine's Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing Crimea and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed over 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. Search Keywords: Short link: Japan is considering easing its stringent border controls amid growing criticism that the measures, which have banned most foreign entrants including students and business travelers, are hurting the country's economy and international profile. ``I plan to look into easing the border controls,'' Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters Saturday. Kishida did not provide a timeline or other details and said he will make a decision based on a scientific assessment of the omicron variant, infection levels in and outside Japan and quarantine measures in other countries. Currently, most of Japan is under virus-related restrictions but infections have shown little signs of slowing. Nationwide, Japan reported nearly 100,000 new cases in the latest 24-hour period, including 18,660 in Tokyo. The current border measures are scheduled to remain in place until the end of February. Japan has become one of the world's most difficult countries to enter and critics compare it to the locked country, or ``sakoku,'' policy of xenophobic warlords who ruled Japan in the 17th to 19th centuries. The current border rules allow in only Japanese nationals and permanent foreign residents, and have raised the ire of foreign students and scholars who say the measures are unfair, unscientific and force talented visitors to go to other countries. Hundreds of thousands of them have been affected, and critics say the rules are also hurting Japan's national interest. Frustrated students have started gathering outside Japanese diplomatic compounds around the world to protest. Japanese and foreign business groups have also protested the government, saying the prolonged border closure has affected investment, business deals, product development and deliveries. Experts also say the border policy is further delaying recovery in Japan's pandemic-hit economy. Kishida unveiled his plan to consider easing border controls Saturday after visiting Tokyo's Haneda international airport, where he observed quarantine areas and a worksite vaccination rollout for airline workers. Kishida's government is scrambling to accelerate COVID-19 booster shots, after facing criticisms over a delayed decision to cut intervals between the first two shots and a third to six months from an initially planned eight. Only about 8% of Japan's population have received their third jabs. Kishida has set a target to give 1 million doses a day by the end of February. The government has also faced criticism over its failure to keep omicron out of US military bases, where Japan has no jurisdiction. American troops fly directly into the country without observing Japanese quarantine requirements and they were not tested for weeks, until Tokyo asked them to. Many of the Japanese public, however, are supportive of the tight border controls as they think troubles such as the pandemic come from outside their island nation. Kishida's stringent border controls are widely seen as politically motivated to gain public support for his governing party in the upcoming July parliamentary elections. Kishida has taken a lesson from his predecessor, Yoshihide Suga, who stepped aside after only a year in office partly due to his administration's perceived weak handling of the pandemic. Search Keywords: Short link: By Trend The rules for maintaining the media register are currently being prepared, and are going to be submitted for approval after agreement with the relevant government agencies, Chief Executive Officer at Media Development Agency (MEDIA) Ahmad Ismayilov said at the author's video project Actual with Sahil Karimli developed by Trend News Agency. He noted that the presidential decree of February 8 provides for the establishment of a media register within six months. "After the rules are approved, we will take the necessary measures to regulate the technical conditions and provide IT solutions for the register," Ismayilov said. According to him, both media entities and reporters can be rostered on a voluntary basis. "The registration of journalists is optional, but media entities are generally registered. Both audiovisual media and online-print media workers will be signed up. The media register will also have a separate section for news agencies," the CEO of MEDIA stated. He noted that the purpose of setting up the register is to apply a systematic approach to the media. The formation of it will provide an economic and legal basis for media projects. US President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron prepared to sound out Russia's Vladimir Putin on Saturday and Ukraine urged its citizens not to panic after Washington warned that an all-out invasion could begin "any day". Weeks of tensions that have seen Russia surround its western neighbour with more than 100,000 troops revved up another notch when the Kremlin launched its biggest naval drills in years across the Black Sea. The exercises off the coast of Ukraine's Odessa added urgency to a hastily arranged call Saturday between Biden and Putin aimed at defusing one of the gravest crises in East-West relations since the Cold War. The Russian leader is also due to speak later Saturday with Macron. The talks come after a week of frantic shuttle diplomacy by the French leader and European officials did little to ease fears of war breaking out in eastern Europe. Russia on Saturday added to the ominous tone by pulling some of its diplomatic staff out of Ukraine. The foreign ministry in Moscow said its decision was prompted by fears of "possible provocations from the Kyiv regime". But Washington and a host of European countries cited the growing threat of a Russian invasion as they called on their citizens to leave Ukraine as soon possible. Germany became the latest European country to advise its citizens to leave Ukraine while the US embassy in Kyiv ordered non-emergency staff to leave Ukraine. The prospect of frightened Westerners fleeing their country prompted Ukraine's foreign ministry to issue an appeal to its citizens to keep calm. "At the moment, it is critically important to remain calm, to consolidate inside the country, to avoid destabilising actions and those that sow panic," the ministry said. "Ukrainian diplomats are in constant contact with all its key partners, swiftly receiving the information needed to prepare a well-timed response." 'Any day now' Washington on Friday issued its most dire warning yet that Russia had assembled enough forces to launch a serious assault at any moment. "Our view that military action could occur any day now, and could occur before the end of the Olympics, is only growing in terms of its robustness," US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan warned. US military assessments had earlier said the Kremlin may want to wait for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games to end on February 20 before launching an offensive so as not to offend Russia's ally China. Sullivan stopped short of saying that the United States has concluded that Putin has made the decision to attack. But some US media cited intelligence sources and officials as saying that Washington believes that a war could begin at some point after Putin concludes talks with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Moscow on Tuesday. The German leader is due to travel to Kyiv on Monday and then visit Putin as part of Europe's efforts to keep the lines of communication open with Moscow. Russia is demanding binding security guarantees from the West that includes a pledge to roll NATO forces out of eastern Europe and to never expand into Ukraine. Washington has flatly rejected the demands while offering to discuss a new European disarmament agreement with Moscow. Russia has called the US proposal woefully insufficient. 'Pivotal moment' The diplomatic push will continue on Saturday with talks between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Blinken told a press conference in Fiji that the crisis had entered "a pivotal moment". "If Russia is genuinely interested in resolving this crisis of its own making through diplomacy and dialogue, we're prepared to do that," Blinken said. He added that dialogue would only be possible if accompanied by "de-escalation." "So far, we've only seen escalation from Moscow," he said. Blinken said the United States was also still waiting for a response to "some of the ideas" floated by Washington. Macron's talks with Putin came after a visit to Moscow last Monday during which he said he had secured a pledge "that there will be no degradation nor escalation" from the Kremlin. Western, NATO unity Sullivan repeated warnings that Russia risks severe Western sanctions and said that NATO is now "more cohesive, more purposeful, more dynamic than any time in recent memory." The Pentagon announced it was sending 3,000 more troops to bolster ally Poland. European leaders also resolved to punish Russia with severe economic sanctions if it attacks. "The aim is to prevent a war in Europe," Scholz's spokesman said after a call between US and European leaders. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said the sanctions would target the financial and energy sectors. Sullivan spoke to von der Leyen's chief of staff by video call to coordinate "the details of a potential transatlantic response, including both financial sanctions and export controls," the White House said. Search Keywords: Short link: Turkmenistan will hold snap presidential elections after the country's authoritarian leader announced he is ready to relinquish power to a new generation. President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's statement that the country should be directed by younger people appeared to suggest that his son Serdar would succeed him; the son has risen through a series of increasingly prominent government posts and is now the deputy chairman of the Cabinet. The presidential election is to be held on March 12, the parliament declared on Saturday. No election in post-Soviet Turkmenistan has been considered genuinely competitive. While eight candidates ran against Berdymukhamedov in the last election in 2017, all expressed support for his government and Berdymukhamedov tallied more than 97% of the vote. Berdymukhamedov came to power in 2006 after the death of the eccentric Saparmurat Niyazov and he established a pervasive cult of personality similar to his predecessor's. Under his rule, the country has remained difficult for outsiders to enter and Turkmenistan has not reported any cases of infection in the coronavirus pandemic. It also has struggled to diversify its economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on its vast natural gas reserves. The 64-year-old Berdymukhamedov cultivates an image of robust and aggressive health with media stunts that included his firing a pistol at a man-sized target while riding a bicycle and hoisting a gold weightlifting bar, to the applause of his Cabinet.President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov's statement that the country should be directed by younger people appeared to suggest that his son Serdar would succeed him; the son has risen through a series of increasingly prominent government posts and is now the deputy chairman of the Cabinet. The presidential election is to be held on March 12, the parliament declared on Saturday. No election in post-Soviet Turkmenistan has been considered genuinely competitive. While eight candidates ran against Berdymukhamedov in the last election in 2017, all expressed support for his government and Berdymukhamedov tallied more than 97% of the vote. Berdymukhamedov came to power in 2006 after the death of the eccentric Saparmurat Niyazov and he established a pervasive cult of personality similar to his predecessor's. Under his rule, the country has remained difficult for outsiders to enter and Turkmenistan has not reported any cases of infection in the coronavirus pandemic. It also has struggled to diversify its economy, which is overwhelmingly dependent on its vast natural gas reserves. The 64-year-old Berdymukhamedov cultivates an image of robust and aggressive health with media stunts that included his firing a pistol at a man-sized target while riding a bicycle and hoisting a gold weightlifting bar, to the applause of his Cabinet. Search Keywords: Short link: Russia has finally released Egyptian orange shipments that had been retained in Russian ports reportedly for 10 days due to changes in Russian import standards, about which the Egyptian authorities were not informed. The ban, imposed by Russias Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare (Rospotrebnadzor) on some Egyptian companies exporting citrus products to Russia, was lifted, the Minister of Agriculture El-Sayed El-Quseir said on Friday, a day after he had discussed the issue with Russian Ambassador to Cairo Georgy Borisenko. Related Egypt in talks with Russia for release of impounded orange shipments The shipments had been retained for pesticide detection, Ahmed El-Attar, head of the Central Administration of Plant Quarantine at the agriculture ministry told Masrawy newspaper. The shipment reportedly amounted to tens of thousands of tons. Egypt is the worlds leading orange exporter at an annual volume of about two million tonnes, Minister of Trade and Industry Nevine Gamea said in a meeting with Borisenko last week, affirming that the government is keen that Egyptian exports comply with Russian import standards. Egyptian exports to the Russian market totalled $489 million in 2021, up by 17.5 percent in 2020, making Russia one of Egypts top export markets, Gamea said. In December, Rospotrebnadzor decided to suspend imports of a number of fruits from certain producers in countries including Egypt, Turkey and Iran, over alleged food safety violations. In his meeting with Borisenko on Thursday, El-Quseir stressed that the Egyptian orange shipments were safe and complied with all international technical standards, including those set by Russia, a statement by the ministry said. The minister requested establishing quick communication points and technical committees between the two countries to solve urgent technical problems and prevent their recurrence. He asked the Russian authorities to inform the Egyptian side about new legislation regarding the export of Egyptian crops to Russia. Search Keywords: Short link: A new, decisive round of talks to revive the nuclear deal between Tehran and the West has started this week. Sources close to the current American-Iranian negotiations, attended by China, France, Germany, Russia and the UK, say this is a make-or-break moment. Washington has stated that a deal is possible but that an agreement had to be completed urgently as Tehran advances its capabilities. A deal that addresses all sides core concerns is in sight, but if it is not reached in the coming weeks, Irans ongoing nuclear advances will make it impossible for us to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), a US State Department spokesperson said on Monday, referring to the 2015 framework agreement. Sources close to the talks said negotiators have never been closer to a breakthrough, but neither have they ever been closer to a breakdown, noting that the longer the agreement takes, the lower the chances of success. Experts say the Iranians have diverged so much from the restrictions of the 2015 deal that they are only weeks away from having enough fissile material to make an atomic weapon. Western officials fear that Irans breakout time the time it would need to make a bombs worth of fissile material has shrunk to less than a month, much shorter than the year or more when the JCPOA was in force. (Putting a nuclear warhead on a missile would take perhaps another year or two.) This is the source of the US insistence that the talks are entering an endgame. From the US perspective, unless a deal is concluded soon the consequences of continuing negotiations without tangible results are too dangerous to bear, as the longer the talks drag on, the sooner the restrictions on Irans programme will expire under the JCPOAs sunset clauses. By then a return to the deal would not restore the full years breakout time. But wasting time is not in Irans interest either. The Joe Biden administration could be out of the White House by 2025. And if a Republican president, whether Donald Trump or another Republican candidate, is elected, the nuclear deal is likely to be negatively impacted. All parties thus have an interest in moving forward to reach an agreement before the calculations become more complicated in Tehran and Washington, with hawkish voices on both sides wanting to toughen their positions. Although an agreement is impending, the last few metres are the most difficult. Iranian sources say that the Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, will remain reluctant to agree to a deal until the last moment for fear that Iran will sign a new agreement only for Trump or another Republican president to unilaterally withdraw from it again. A Western diplomat told Al-Ahram Weekly that the chances of success of the negotiations are higher than those of failure, but he added, even if the success of the negotiations is above 70 per cent, the chances of stumbling at the last hurdle still exist. It is a difficult negotiation and neither side will get everything it wants. The concessions that each party must accept will determine the final decision of all parties involved. Meanwhile, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz described this final stage of talks as the decisive moment in an interview with The Washington Post published on Monday, calling on Iran to show flexibility. We gave them a clear message that now this is the time for decisions and progress, and not for prolonging the process. We hope that they will use the chance, he added. We are five minutes away from the finish line, Russian negotiator Mikhail Ulyanov said in an interview with the Russian daily Kommersant. A draft of the final document has been crafted. There are several points there that need more work, but that document is already on the table, he continued. In these final stages of negotiations, it is no longer technical issues that will determine the success or failure of negotiations, but political will. A source close to the team of Iranian negotiators in Vienna said that, unlike Washington, Tehran has made its political decision. The main obstacle is the lack of a political decision by the US. Washington should be worried about the loss of opportunity, the source told the Iranian Tasnim news website on Monday, commenting on the course of the Vienna negotiations about to revive the JCPOA and lift the sanctions on Iran. Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said that the offers that the US brings to Vienna will determine when an agreement can be reached. We have made significant progress in various areas of the Vienna negotiations including on guarantees that Iran seeks that a new US administration would not breach the deal once again, Khatibzadeh told reporters. He also said Iran will by no means compromise its principles on the necessity for the termination of sanctions and for benefitting from the 2015 nuclear deal in the course of the Vienna negotiations. Describing the removal of sanctions and Irans right to enjoy the advantages of the JCPOA as Tehrans red lines, the spokesman said Washington is expected to have made the requisite decisions. On Friday, Washington made its own gesture by announcing it was waiving sanctions on Irans civil nuclear programme, a technical step necessary to return to the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA. The waiver allows other countries and companies to participate in Irans civil nuclear programme without triggering US sanctions on them, in the name of promoting safety and non-proliferation. The move should facilitate technical discussions necessary to support talks on JCPOA return in Vienna, negotiators of Britain, France, and Germany said in a joint statement on Saturday. For Iran, though, this gesture fell short of what is needed. Real, effective, and verifiable economic benefit for Iran is a necessary condition for the formation of an agreement. The show of lifting sanctions is not considered a constructive effort, said Ali Shamkhani, secretary of Irans Supreme National Security Council, in a tweet. He said that Washington and Tehran had so far failed to produce balance in their commitments during the Vienna talks: Despite limited progress in the #ViennaTalks, we are still far from achieving the necessary balance in the commitments of the partiesContinuing maximum pressure against Iran, the current US administration has so far tried to meet the goals that Trump failed to achieve through bullying, by making unsupported promises. With Washingtons illusions, the path to negotiations will not be smooth, he tweeted, commenting on the ongoing Vienna talks. Tehran and the remaining participants in the JCPOA have been holding talks in Vienna since April last year to revive the deal by bringing the US and Iran into full compliance. Former US president Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the pact in 2018 and reimposed tough economic sanctions on Iran, prompting Tehran to begin pulling back from its commitments under the deal and step up its nuclear activities. *A version of this article appears in print in the 10 February, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly. Search Keywords: Short link: While it was unclear to what extent Libyans would demonstrate publicly, the call underlines risks to a fragile stability in oil-rich Libya, still riven by an east-west divide and a haven for foreign and domestic militias. Libya's election commission has proposed Jan. 24 as a new date for the presidential poll, which was originally to be followed by parliamentary elections on Feb. 15. But no dates have been officially set or agreed upon by the country's rival factions. ``Do not be passive. Take to the streets and express your opinion. Force them to respect your will,'' wrote AlSalhen AlNihoom, a parliamentary candidate from the eastern city of Benghazi, on his Facebook page. Many parliamentary hopefuls have circulated a poster calling for rallies on what they dubbed ``Salvation Friday.'' The poster listed the demands of protesters, namely to set Jan. 24 as a final deadline for the poll. Earlier this week, some fifty parliamentary hopefuls denounced the cancellation of the vote, insisting in a joint statement that the commission should fix another final date for holding it. The statement called on Libyans to take to the streets to defend their ``right to a safe, stable and sovereign'' country. For nearly a year, the planned election was the lynchpin of international efforts to bring peace to Libya. But with several well-known figures, including the son of ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, declaring candidacy despite officials bans, the election commission never published a list of accepted candidates. Many observers had warned that either scenario, holding the vote on time or postponing it, would be a destabilizing setback. On Thursday, UN Secretary General Antoni Guterres said that elections should be held ``in the appropriate conditions,'' according to a statement issued by his spokesperson. The UN top diplomat vowed that his organization will continue to support Libyan efforts to overcome challenges and hold both presidential and parliamentary elections as soon as possible. Libya plunged into turmoil after the 2011 uprising that culminated into the overthrow and killing of longtime strongman Gadhafi. Eventually, the country split between rival governments, one in the east, backed by military commander Khalifa Hifter, and another U.N.-supported administration in the capital of Tripoli, in the west. Each side is supported by a variety of militias and foreign powers. In April 2019, Hifter and his forces launched an offensive to try and capture Tripoli. His campaign collapsed after Turkey stepped up its military support of the Tripoli government with hundreds of troops and thousands of Syrian mercenaries. Mediated by the United Nations, an October 2020 cease-fire led to the formation of a transitional government with elections scheduled for Dec. 24. The fate of that government is now unclear; the parliamentary committee said the government's mandate ends on Friday. *This story was edited by Ahram Online. White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan says a Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin "during the Olympics." Sullivan, speaking at a White House briefing Friday said Russia now has enough forces on Ukraine's border to conduct a major military operation. He said any attack could see Russia seizing "significant territory" in Ukraine, including the capital, Kyiv. Sullivan urged Americans in Ukraine to leave in the next 24-48 hours, saying a Russian invasion could begin with an air assault that would make departures difficult. "The risk is high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that prudence demands that it is the time to leave now," Sullivan said. Also Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden took part in a secure video call with world leaders to discuss Ukraine, according to White House officials. The White House said ahead of the call that Biden would be talking to the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Romania, Britain, NATO, the European Union and the European Council to discuss "shared concerns about Russia's continued buildup of military forces around Ukraine and continued coordination on both diplomacy and deterrence." Earlier Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned of a possible Russian attack on Ukraine at "any time" and urged U.S. citizens to leave the eastern European country immediately. Blinken warned of an imminent Russian attack on Ukraine after meeting in Australia with leaders of the so-called Quad countries -- the United States, Australia, Japan and India. Blinken's warning also came one day after Biden urged Americans to leave the country immediately and warned in an interview with NBC News of a potential major conflict with Russia should a clash erupt between U.S. and Russian troops. At a joint news conference in Canberra after meeting with the Quad ministers, Blinken said, "We continue to see very troubling signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border. And as we've said before, we're in a window when an invasion could begin at any time. And to be clear, that includes during the Olympics." "We're continuing to draw down our embassy," Blinken added. "We will continue that process. And we've also been very clear that any American citizens who remain in Ukraine should leave now." Unul dintre aliatii lui Vladimir Putin din UE spune ca rusii sunt nebuni si ca nebunul trebuie izolat World's poor nations lag behind in COVID-19 vaccinations: report Xinhua) 09:43, February 12, 2022 NEW YORK, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- About a year since mostly wealthy nations began rolling out coronavirus vaccines, more than half of the world population has been fully vaccinated, but the global rollout remains uneven, with poor countries reporting much lower vaccination rates than rich countries, reported The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Friday. "Public health experts have been warning that vaccine inequity is helping prolong the pandemic, as the focus of those seeking to speed up global vaccine coverage begins to shift from filling a shortfall of vaccine supply to distributing the doses and persuading people to get them," said the report. Nearly 54 percent of the world population is fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, the newspaper quoted Our World in Data, an information partnership between the University of Oxford and the Global Change Data Lab charity, as saying. Nearly 62 percent have received at least one vaccine dose. Yet, less than 11 percent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose. That number jumps to about 55 percent for lower-middle-income countries and nearly 80 percent for both upper-middle-income and high-income nations, according to Our World in Data. "The United States, countries of the European Union and others were criticized for buying up most of the early global supply of coronavirus vaccines," added the report. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) Looking to cement its position as an industry innovator, Alec, a part of the Investment Corporation of Dubai (ICD), has set out an ambitious strategy to accelerate the ongoing digitisation of its operations. In line with this objective, the company has announced the appointment of Andy Boutle as its head of digital construction. In this newly created role, Boutle will focus on the digitisation of the entire value chain for projects undertaken by Alec, with an emphasis on increasing workflow communication and vertical efficiencies. Analysis by McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) found investing in technology and innovation to be one of the key factors in boosting the construction sectors productivity by up to 60 percent. But while digital technologies - ranging from Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Augmented/Virtual Reality, to robotics, drones, and cloud software - are heralding a new era of possibilities and efficiencies for the global construction sector, there has generally been a lag in adoption of these technologies in the region. "While the pandemic has certainly been a catalyst of transformation, there is still a long road ahead for the digitalisation of the sector. The benefits ranging from improving quality and safety, to reducing costs and project timelines, and increasing profits are abundantly clear," remarked Kez Taylor, the CEO at Alec. "But there remains trepidation in the region largely due to the steep learning curve and challenges around integration between systems, and deciding what investments will yield maximum positive impact," stated Taylor. "As a leader in the sector, Alec has successfully leveraged the latest technologies on several projects and believe it is now time to double down on these digital investments. In doing so, we will inevitability promote technology adoption among our customers and partners, leading to a digital-first mindset across the industry that advances the sector towards greater efficiency, quality, and sustainability," he added. Alec's commitment to innovation is evidenced in the advanced technologies it leverages in its projects such as the One Zaabeel mixed-used luxury development in Dubai. For this iconic undertaking, the company implemented 72 new digital initiatives including the use of 3D printing, AI-based time and attendance recording, robotic drilling, digital material and asset management, and HoloBuilder, a 360-degree imaging software creating a comprehensive photographic database for every area on the project. As it advocates the digitalisation of the UAEs construction sector, Alec is looking to ensure such technologies are utilised on an increasing number of developments. With Boutle onboard, Alec has already initiated the process of achieving the BSI Kitemark ISO 19650 certification for information management using BIM. The company is also currently deploying a new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that will digitalise its processes to enhance business intelligence through analytics and reporting. On the new appointment, Boutle said: "Alecs increasing focus on digital transformation in recent years is making our operations more productive, efficient, sustainable, and accurate, whilst reducing risk and resource wastage. This translates to an improved level of service and quality of product for our customers." "In parallel, our partners are benefiting from the streamlining of collaborative processes made possibly by our expertly integrated systems," stated Boutle. "We also recognise that the challenges faced by the construction sector as a whole - skills and labour shortages, productivity issues, attitudes towards change, outdated procurement models and more - have the potential to be addressed by industry-wide digital transformation. However, they cannot be solved overnight or independently by a single organisation. Alec is therefore committed to collaborating with key industry stakeholders," he added. TOP NEWS Marti, 24 August 2021, 11:52 HotNews.ro Deloitte Romania strengthens its management team by promoting four employees to the position of directors in the risk advisory, tax, financial advisory and audit and assurance practices, following their contribution and commitment to serving clients and to developing their teams. Andrada Tanase has been promoted to Director in the Risk Advisory practice, Monica Tariuc has been named a Global Employer Services Director within the Tax practice, Vlad Balan has been appointed Financial Advisory Director, and Ion Efros, Audit and Assurance Director, effective September 1, 2021. Andrada Tanase, Monica Tariuc, Vlad Balan, Ion Efros Foto: Deloitte Romania I am proud of the colleagues who are joining the leadership of the firm after having contributed distinctively to creating an impact that matters for our clients and our people. Andrada, Monica, Vlad and Ion are all outstanding professionals with a passion for serving clients and developing other talented professionals and I am convinced they will contribute to Deloitte Romania accelerating its growth and further strengthening its reputation and connectivity in the Romanian business community, said Alexandru Reff, Country Managing Partner, Deloitte Romania and Moldova. Andrada Tanase, Risk Advisory Director, joined Deloitte in 2015 and has ten years of extensive experience in Basel III regulations, supervisory practices, risk management and financial reporting in the financial sector. She has coordinated projects on various risk and regulatory topics such as Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP), Internal Liquidity Adequacy Assessment Process (ILAAP), business plan, licensing and authorizations, recovery and resolution. Andrada has also been a trainer for the Romanian and Moldavian Banking Institute and several central banks across Europe. She is also a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accounts (ACCA), the Body of Expert Accountants and Licensed Accountants in Romania (CECCAR) and holds the Financial Risk Manager (FRM) certification granted by Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP). Monica Tariuc, Global Employer Services Director, joined Deloitte in 2008 as an intern and since then has become a seasoned expert in global employer services. She is recognized by clients for her technical knowledge on mobility matters, for her ability to coordinate large global and regional accounts, for her genuine interest for improving daily processes and for her out-of-the-box thinking and innovative solutions. She focuses on raising awareness and assisting companies in rethinking their mobility policies so that the concept of remote working - work from home, workcation, working from everywhere or other - is properly understood and handled by both businesses and individuals. She was also involved in the design and the implementation of Deloitte proprietary technology tools to support tracking and compliance reporting for mobile employees cross-countries. Vlad Balan, Financial Advisory Director, joined Deloitte as an intern in the audit department during his final year of university studies in 2008. Two years later, he transitioned to Financial Advisory and since then has worked on numerous projects, most of them consisting of due diligence and transaction services. The companies he has successfully served over the last 11 years are active in various industries, but he mainly focuses on real estate and energy and resources. Vlad has worked with leading companies in their sectors and in transactions that are considered landmarks for any professional in this field and for the Romanian mergers and acquisitions landscape, such as the sale of Romanian subsidiaries owned by CEZ Group to the Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets. He is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accounts (ACCA) and has graduated from the Faculty of Automatic Control and Computer Science, University Politehnica of Bucharest. With more than 12 years of experience in audit and advisory services, Ion Efros, Audit and Assurance Director, began his career in Deloitte Moldovas practice in 2007, then went on to lead Deloittes office in Timisoara up until 2019. Most of his portfolio is dual reporting, namely Romanian Accounting Standards (RAS) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). He worked with companies from various industries, with an emphasis on consumer business and industrial products. He is a member of the Romanian Chamber of Financial Auditors (CAFR), the Authority for Public Supervision of the Statutory Audit Activity (ASPAAS), the Body of Expert Accountants and Licensed Accountants in Romania (CECCAR) and a fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accounts (ACCA). Ion holds a bachelors degree in accounting and audit, another one in economic law and has a masters degree in business management. Deloitte provides worldwide audit, consulting, legal, financial advisory, risk advisory, tax and related services to public and private clients spanning multiple industries. Deloitte serves four out of five Fortune Global 500 companies through a globally connected network of member firms in more than 150 countries and territories, bringing world-class capabilities, insights, and high-quality service to address clients' most complex business challenges. Deloitte's goal is to make an impact that matters through its more than 330,000 professionals. Deloitte Romania is one of the leading professional services organizations in the country providing, in cooperation with Reff & Associates | Deloitte Legal, services in audit, tax, legal, consulting, financial advisory, risk advisory, business processes as well as technology services and other related services, through 2,000 professionals. Please see www.deloitte.com/ro/about to learn more about the global network of member firms. The Hijab row has hogged national and international limelight. TwoCircles.net lists five things you need to know about the controversy. Kaushik Raj | TwoCircles.net Support TwoCircles KARNATAKA On February 8, a video of a Muslim student in Hijab heckled by Jai Shree Ram-shouting boys wearing saffron scarves in a college in Karnataka went viral on social media. The incident sparked massive outrage across India, with many condemning the heckling. As the Hijab row has hogged national limelight across the country, TwoCircles.net lists five things you need to know about the controversy. What started the Hijab row controversy? The controversy started on December 31, 2021, when six Hijab-wearing female students belonging to the Government PU College for Girls in Udupi, Karnataka were not allowed to attend classes by the college authorities. The issue snowballed into a controversy after Hindu students of the Government First Grade College in Koppa, Chikmagalur, staged a sit-in protest on January 31 sporting saffron scarves against the wearing of hijab by Muslim girl students. On January 6, protests by Hindu students against the wearing of hijab by Muslim girl students were witnessed in other colleges in Karnatakaespecially in communally sensitive Udupi, Mangaluru and Chikmagalur. By now, the controversy had escalated. On January 31, a student of the college in Udupi approached Karnataka High Court seeking directions to her college to permit entry into her classroom while wearing a hijab. The protest against Hijab-wearing women turned violent on February 8 when incidents of stone-pelting and forcefully entering college premises were reported from Shivamogga district and Bagalkot district respectively in Karnataka. Similar incidents of saffron shawl wearing men protesting against Hijab and creating law and order situation were reported from Sindhanur in Raichur district, Government PU College Mannur in Afzalpur taluk of Kalaburagi district, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial PU College in Udupi across Karnataka. Kundapur government college allows girls to sit in separate room, gets criticized On February 7, the Kundapur government college in Karnataka came into heavy criticism for what many people called the policy of apartheid when the college allowed Hijab-wearing students inside premises but made them sit in a separate room. What has the BJP ruled Karnataka government said on the matter? On February 5, the BJP ruled Karnataka government banned the wearing of Hijab, issuing an order banning the wearing of any such clothes that disturb equality, integrity, and public order in schools and colleges. On February 8, the chief minister announced the closure of all high schools and colleges for 3 days amid rising protests. On February 11, the chief minister urged his ministers, party members not to speak on the Hijab row and await court orders on the matter. What have other political parties said about the issue? The ban against Hijab has been criticized by several political parties. On February 5, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted that by prohibiting Hijab-wearing women in colleges We are robbing the future of daughters of India. On February 8, opposition parties staged a walk-out from the Lok Sabha on the Hijab row saying India was a secular country where people are free to practice their religion. The parties that staged a walked out included the Congrees, the DMK, the Indian Union Muslim League, the CPI (M), the CPI, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha. What has the court said? The Karnataka High Court, which is currently hearing the petitions challenging the hijab ban in colleges in the state, on February 10 passed an interim order restraining students to wear religious clothing, regardless of their faith, while the matter is pending at court. The court ordered the state government to reopen colleges at the earliest. The court will hear the matter on Monday, February 14. A girl in Karnataka had moved the Supreme Court against the interim order passed by the high court, demanding its reversal. The Supreme Court today dismissed the plea saying, We will interfere only at an appropriate time. Kaushik Raj is a poet and independent journalist based in Delhi. He tweets at @kaushikrj6 KYODO NEWS - Feb 12, 2022 - 20:59 | All, Japan, Coronavirus Japan is considering easing the entry ban on nonresident foreigners to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus in March, amid growing criticism from academic and business circles, a source familiar with the matter said Saturday. The current border restrictions introduced at the end of November will end on Feb. 28 as scheduled and the government is preparing to announce details of the relaxed steps next week at the earliest, according to the source. A quarantine period of seven days is required after arrival for nonresident entrants allowed in under special conditions at present. But the government is looking at shortening the period to three or five days as long as certificates of a negative COVID-19 test result or a third coronavirus vaccine dose are presented. Some government officials are calling for even terminating the quarantine period. The government is also considering easing the cap on the number of daily new entrants from overseas from the current 3,500, the source said. Until November, up to 5,000 were allowed in each day. "We will take into account accumulated scientific knowledge on the Omicron variant, changes in infection conditions inside and outside Japan, and other countries' border control measures," Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters the same day, as he said the government will consider easing the ban, although he declined to elaborate. Kishida's remarks follow criticism of the entry ban from many academics and business leaders. The measure has prevented international students from entering Japan, prompting some to consider alternatives such as South Korea. Related coverage: FOCUS: COVID-19 entry ban could deter interest in Japan: U.K. scholars FEATURE: Foreign students wait for Japan to lift entry ban, some give up Japan's entry ban hurting foreign students' mental health: survey The business community, which is facing a chronic labor shortage, has asked for the ban to be lifted. Masakazu Tokura, chief of the Japan Business Federation, said last month that the entry ban is a "policy of seclusion" as he questioned the effect now that domestic infections are mostly being caused by the highly transmissible strain. The government also sees the current restrictive measures as no longer necessary given Omicron has already become the dominant strain in Japan. Other countries are relaxing border control measures, viewing them as less effective after the Omicron variant has spread domestically. Britain on Friday removed testing requirements for fully vaccinated travelers, while France on Saturday started allowing the entry of travelers with vaccination certifications that meet European Union rules. The World Health Organization said last month that international traffic bans should be lifted or eased as they have proved ineffective in curbing the spread of the Omicron variant. KYODO NEWS - Feb 13, 2022 - 04:36 | All, World U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin failed to make a breakthrough in their talks on Saturday that took place amid heightened concerns over a possibly imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine, according to a U.S. government official. "There was no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks," the official said following the phone call between the two leaders, referring to the tension over Russia's military buildup on the borders of Ukraine. The call took place after the U.S. national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, warned on Friday that a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine could begin "any day now," including during the Beijing Winter Olympics taking place through Feb. 20. During the one-hour call, Biden made clear to Putin that any aggression will result in "swift and severe costs on Russia," the White House said in press release. Washington is preparing to impose severe economic sanctions in coordination with its allies should Russia goes ahead with military actions. Biden also said a further Russian invasion of Ukraine, which would follow its annexation of Crimea in 2014, would "produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russia's standing," according to the White House. "President Biden was clear with President Putin that while the United States remains prepared to engage in diplomacy, in full coordination with our allies and partners, we are equally prepared for other scenarios," it added. The official who briefed reporters about the call said, "It remains unclear whether Russia is interested in pursuing its goals diplomatically as opposed to through the use of force." As tension ticks up, the State Department said Saturday it has ordered the departure of most of the remaining staff in the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine. It also urged in a travel advisory that American citizens depart "immediately" via commercial or private means. Routine consular services at the embassy in Kiev will be suspended, although emergency services will be provided in Lviv in western Ukraine. A senior State Department official stressed it is "not just time to leave Ukraine, it is past time for private citizens to leave Ukraine." Sullivan said Friday that Russia has "all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action," which could take a variety of forms, including "very real possibilities that it will involve the seizure of a significant amount of territory in Ukraine and the seizure of major cities including the capital city." Related coverage: U.S. warns Russia could launch invasion of Ukraine during Olympics Japan urges nationals to leave Ukraine over crisis U.S. urges Japan to consider sanctions on Russia if Ukraine invaded KYODO NEWS - Feb 12, 2022 - 12:35 | Japan, All Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne agreed Saturday to "work strenuously" toward revising their 2007 joint declaration on security cooperation, the Japanese government said, apparently in the face of China's increasing military presence. The agreement came as they met on the sidelines of the "Quad" meeting also involving the United States and India held in Melbourne where the four countries reaffirmed their commitment to realizing a free and open Indo-Pacific. Related coverage: Quad foreign ministers vow support for sovereignty protection Japan, U.S. share concern over Russia military buildup near Ukraine U.S. unveils Indo-Pacific strategy to bolster security, economy role The 2007 declaration revolved around strengthening the two country's collaboration to deal with North Korea's weapons programs and other regional issues such as terrorism. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Scott Morrison agreed on an early revision of the declaration when they held talks online in early January. Hayashi and Payne affirmed efforts to complete the respective domestic procedures necessary to implement the Reciprocal Access Agreement, signed at the leaders' virtual meeting in January, aimed at facilitating joint exercises and strengthening security cooperation, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. KYODO NEWS - Feb 12, 2022 - 08:30 | All, Japan Japan plans to launch a new survey in fiscal 2023 to collect data on foreign workers, such as their income and types of employment, to better accommodate their needs, according to the labor ministry. The number of foreign workers in Japan rose to a record 1.73 million as of October last year amid a workforce shortage, labor ministry data showed, but the government currently has only basic information on them, such as their residency status, nationality and workplace size, among others. Critics have pointed out that the government has been unable to come up with adequate support measures for foreign workers since it does not know their actual employment conditions. Concrete plans for data collection will be formulated in fiscal 2022 beginning April, before the planned start of the survey in the following year. The data will become comparable to labor statistics of Japanese nationals, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. An interim report on the envisioned survey compiled by an expert panel showed earlier in February that the statistics will initially cover offices that hire foreign workers, including technical interns under a government-sponsored program. Related coverage: Vietnamese trainee in Japan demands apology for 2 years of abuse No. of foreign trainees in Japan falls for 1st time amid pandemic Survey on technical trainees' financial situation in Japan begins The survey will ask employers of foreign workers about their income, types of jobs, and the length of service, among others, in line with questions in the existing government statistics such as those on employment status and trends. The questionnaire also includes questions specific to foreigners, such as their proficiency in Japanese, native language, the duration of stay and amount of remittances, in addition to basic ones such as age and gender. Earlier this year, the ministry and the Immigration Services Agency of Japan began another survey to grasp the financial situations of foreign technical trainees as money problems seem to be the reason many abruptly leave their host firms. Thousands of such trainees leave their designated host companies without notice every year seeking better wages, among other reasons. KYODO NEWS - Feb 12, 2022 - 20:33 | Sports, Olympics, All Japan's Wataru Morishige won speed skating bronze in the Beijing Olympics men's 500 meters on Saturday. Morishige crossed in 34.49 seconds, finishing third behind Chinese gold medalist Gao Tingyu, who skated an Olympic record 34.32. Cha Min Kyu of South Korea took silver to make it an all-Asian podium at the National Speed Skating Oval. "I'm really happy because I was able to demonstrate my power and do what I wanted to do," said Morishige. "While there were three of us (from Japan) who were said to be medal contenders, I was skating with the thought any of us could do it and am relieved to be the one." Tatsuya Shinhama was tipped to challenge for gold, but the Japanese appeared to stumble in the first few strides of the race and was quickly out of the running. He finished 20th in 35.12. "I don't understand why I made that mistake at that moment," said Shinhama. "I want to make corrections and make the best of those failures when I take on the 1,000 on the 18th." Yuma Murakami, Japan's other skater in the race, finished eighth in 34.57. Morishige's medal is the first for Japan in the men's 500 since Keiichiro Nagashima won silver and Joji Kato bronze at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Earlier in the evening, defending gold medalist Japan set an Olympic record time en route to advancing from the quarterfinals in women's team pursuit. The three-woman team of Ayano Sato, Miho Takagi and her older sister Nana Takagi set a blistering 2-minute, 53.61-second time, cutting 0.28 second off the trio's record set at the Pyeongchang Games four years ago. Canada and the Netherlands advanced from their quarterfinals with the second and third fastest times, respectively, and will now face off in the semifinals. The Russian Olympic Committee ranked fourth to set up a final-four showdown with Japan, which is aiming to become the second team to win two straight Olympic gold medals in the event. Miho Takagi is looking to bounce back from Monday's shock defeat to Ireen Wust over 1,500 meters, with the Dutchwoman also racing this event. Related coverage: Olympics: Miho Takagi takes silver as Wust defends 1,500 title Olympics: Takagi 6th as Netherlands' Schouten wins 3,000 Family ties to lift Japan to new heights at Beijing Winter Olympics A doctor shows a box of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine in Varoslod, Hungary, Feb. 24, 2021. Hungary has started to administer China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine on that day. (Tamas Vasvari/MTI via Xinhua) Hungary was the first EU member to recognize and use Chinese vaccines. Hungarian President Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban have both received Chinese jabs. BUDAPEST, Feb. 9 (Xinhua) -- Russian and Chinese vaccines against COVID-19 are effective and safe, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto said on Wednesday. "It is crystal clear that the eastern vaccines used in Hungary are working well, they are safe and effective," Szijjarto said in a video posted on his Facebook page. "Therefore, it is time for international organizations to make a professional and not a political decision on this issue," he said in the video, which was recorded at Budapest airport, before the minister left for Lyon, France. Szijjarto hinted that he was referring to Russia's Sputnik V, and China's Sinopharm vaccines. Both are widely used in Hungary, but still not recognized by many other European Union (EU) member-states. The Hungarian top diplomat was due in Lyon to attend a meeting of EU foreign and health ministers. They were gathering to discuss the global fight against the pandemic, with a special focus on helping developing countries. This photo from Facebook page of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban shows him receiving a dose of China's Sinopharm vaccine against COVID-19 in Budapest, Hungary, on Feb. 28, 2021.(Viktor Orban Facebook via Xinhua) "Now, it is time for the world to finally realize that choosing a vaccine is not a political commitment. When the whole world is trying to get as many vaccines as possible, the approval of a vaccine should not be a political question," Szijjarto added. New variants of coronavirus can only emerge as long as the inoculation rate is low in several countries, the minister said. This echoes the World Health Organization's (WHO) standpoint that vaccine production is only a matter of capacity. The construction of Hungary's National Vaccine Factory is underway, and will enable the country to participate in global vaccine production from the end of this year. Hungary was the first EU member to recognize and use Chinese vaccines. Hungarian President Janos Ader and Prime Minister Viktor Orban have both received Chinese jabs. Szijjarto was also visiting France to inaugurate a Hungarian consulate in Lyon. The city is home to some 20,000 Hungarians. Staff members transfer the first batch of China's Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccine purchased by Hungary at the Liszt Ferenc International Airport in Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 16, 2021. (Photo by Attila Volgyi/Xinhua) Christian Achaleke Leke, Executive Director of Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC), gives a presentation to young participants during the peace building activities in Buea, Cameroon, Jan. 27, 2022.(Xinhua/Kepseu) A former Cameroonian street boy, Christian Achaleke, is fighting against violence among youths through traning and capacity building in communities. by Arison Tamfub YAOUNDE, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Christian Achaleke Leke grew up on the streets, witnessing and living a life of gang violence in Fiango, a notorious violent neighborhood in Kumba, a town in Southwestern Cameroon. In 2007 violence of unusual savagery erupted between two communities sharing a feeling of animosity in Fiango. Leke watched helplessly as the mob beat-up and then burnt alive his companion. "It was very terrible. This could have been me," he said. Photo taken on Feb. 9, 2022 shows Michael Tadjuige standing in front of his sewing workshop in Yaounde, Cameroon.(Xinhua/Kepseu) He had seen and had enough and decided to change the course of his life. He relocated to a nearby town and began pursuing his education. He later joined Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC), a youth-led organization that empowers youths as peace builders. And that marked the beginning of a journey of a young man who will later win several international prestigious awards, be named among 100 most influential young Africans and shape his career to become an international development, peace building and violent extremism expert. The 31-year-old, who is now the Executive Director of LOYOC, the organization he joined as a volunteer told Xinhua his story in Buea, chief town of Cameroon's Southwest region where the non-governmental organization was providing training and capacity building activities to young people. Christian Achaleke Leke, Executive Director of Local Youth Corner Cameroon (LOYOC), gives a presentation to young participants during the peace building activities in Buea, Cameroon, Jan. 27, 2022.(Xinhua/Kepseu) "Usually people think young people are trouble makers but in times of conflict equipping youths with the drivers of response to conflict and injustice, human rights, is very important, so that, they can be able to be champions and ambassadors of peace in their various communities," the civil society activist said. The young participants of the training in Buea were drawn from Cameroon's two English-speaking regions where a separatist armed conflict since 2017 has killed thousands and displaced over a million. In the regions, young people run crucial programs to build peace, but they most often face violence from separatist fighters and government forces who misunderstand their role, said 22-year-old Sandra (named changed for security reasons). Young participants of the peace building activities communicate with each other in Buea, Cameroon, Jan. 27, 2022. (Xinhua/Kepseu) "We are mostly the victims, so involving youth in peace building activities is very important. And (for) us who have also participated here, we can go back to our communities and teach our peers and help them so that we can have a peaceful community," Sandra said. In 2015, LOYOC launched a program that seeks to rehabilitate and reintegrate violent offenders through entrepreneurship and education. The program targeted 5,000 inmates. Through the program, prisoners have been given hope and a new lease of life just like Michael Tadjuige. The 41-year-old gave up on life after he was sentenced for decades in prison. Thirteen years later, Leke and his organization started training prisoners on various fields at the Bamenda Central prison where he was serving his jail term. Tadjuige joined the program and learned hard and quick and was able to sew some of the best traditional dresses, school uniforms and bags in Cameroon. In 2019, the judge released him from prison after admitting his "remarkable reformation". He relocated to the capital, Yaounde where he is now a proud owner of a sewing workshop. "It has changed my life in so many ways because the way I went to prison, is not the way I came out from prison. So what I'm telling young people is that, violence is not the best part of life. It will only end up destroying you and your family," said Tadjuige who has become a veritable beacon of hope for prisoners, travelling frequently to train them and encouraging them to counter violence and extremism. When Xinhua visited his workshop, he was in the company of Leke who constantly visits to encourage and supervise his works. "My vision is that we would have young people who would not turn to violence as a means to resolve their conflict but who can hold the government accountable and who would be able to champion the resolution or solving the problems that make them vulnerable to conflict and violence," said Leke. WELLINGTON, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 454 new community cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, the Ministry of Health said in a statement. Among the 454 new community infections, 294 are in the largest city Auckland, 72 in Waikato, 23 in Bay of Plenty, 13 in the Southern region, 12 in Northland, 12 in Hutt Valley, eight in the Lakes region, seven in Hawke's Bay, five in the MidCentral region, five in the capital city Wellington, two in Wairarapa and one in Taranaki, according to the ministry. In addition, eight new cases of COVID-19 were detected at the New Zealand border, said the ministry. A total of 27 COVID-19 patients are in New Zealand hospitals, but no one is being treated at the intensive care unit (ICU). New Zealand reported 19,400 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. The ministry urged the public to take their booster jab of the COVID-19 vaccine as soon as possible. "A high vaccination rate helped us minimize the most severe effects of Delta. With Omicron spreading around the country, getting vaccinated continues to be our best defense against COVID-19," it said. At least 95 percent of the country's eligible population have been double vaccinated against COVID-19. New Zealand is currently at the highest Red settings under the COVID-19 Protection Framework. At Red settings, face masks become mandatory in many indoor environments and gatherings are limited to 100 people. BEIRUT, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Jamal Abu Awwad, a 70-year-old Lebanese village man, stands at the window of his house watching with great joy the heavy snowfall that covered his entire neighborhood for the third time in less than two weeks. Abu Awwad, who lives in the town of Shebaa, told Xinhua that he no longer fears water scarcity after the abundant rains and heavy snowfall, and he expects farmers to be blessed with a generous agricultural season and good yields to make up for the deteriorating living conditions. This year, snow covered around 70 percent of Lebanon's 10,452 square kilometers area, and its thickness in mountain areas, which locates at 1,500 meters above the sea level, reached three to five meters, according to Lebanon's meteorological service. In this way, it will save additional water for springs and rivers and increase irrigation during summer. Farmer Kamel Hanna told Xinhua that the heavy rain and the melting snow contributed clearly to raising water levels in most of the artificial ponds in southern Lebanon. For his part, Farmer Hassib Abdullah said that 100 ponds in southern Lebanon were filled with water during this winter, which will secure irrigation water at the lowest cost for farmers. "We won't have to use well water pumps, the cost of which is 300,000 Lebanese pounds (LBP) per hour, given the rise of diesel price," he added. The agricultural sector in southern Lebanon suffers from the tremendous increase in the cost of irrigation water amid a halt in water pumps operated by the Ministry of Energy and Water due to their high cost of operation, according to Samer Akl, head of an agricultural cooperative in the south. Akl explained that the high cost of irrigation water forced some farmers to abandon many of their crops, reducing the cultivated areas by approximately 55 percent. But the availability of irrigation water this year, he added, will reduce production costs and encourage farmers to go back to their fields. Adel Abu Faour, vice president of the Cooperative for Rainfed and Seedlings farming in Southern Lebanon, told Xinhua that the intensity of snowfall in areas with low altitudes revived hopes for excellent agricultural production, which will support farmers amid the current economic crisis. He explained that the accumulation of snow on heights means that water storage and the flow of springs will be excellent for planting summer vegetables and orchards of fruit trees, especially apples, cherries and pears. Meanwhile, Agriculture Engineer Fatima Abu Ali confirmed to Xinhua that snow not only benefits crops growth, but also eliminates a large percentage of insects, pests and diseases that can destroy forests, fruit trees and many crops. She noted that snow can enhance pasture productivity and serve livestock breeders. The agricultural sector in Lebanon constitutes around 7 percent of the GDP, and provides income for about 15 percent of the population. 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 Yemeni government soldiers patrol in Harad district of Hajjah province, which is a frontline between the Houthi militia and the internationally-recognized government in northern Yemen, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) HAJJAH, Yemen, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Yemeni Houthis drove the government army out of Harad city in the Yemeni northern province of Hajjah on Saturday, killing more than 60 soldiers and wounding 140 others, an army source said. "The rebels recaptured the al-Mihsam military camp and the range of high mountains from the army during today's battle," the source on the frontline told Xinhua. A Yemeni government soldier patrols in Harad district of Hajjah province, which is a frontline between the Houthi militia and the internationally-recognized government in northern Yemen, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) "The rebel snipers killed more than 60 soldiers who had infiltrated into the southern and western neighborhoods and wounded 140 others," he said. Yemeni government soldiers patrol in Harad district of Hajjah province, which is a frontline between the Houthi militia and the internationally-recognized government in northern Yemen, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) The Saudi-led coalition forces backing the Yemeni government army launched three airstrikes against the Houthi advance, the source said, adding that "the army now is out of this strategic city," which borders Saudi Arabia. The defeat is a major blow to the Yemeni government army which had recaptured most of the city in a fierce battle that began last week. Yemeni government soldiers patrol in Harad district of Hajjah province, which is a frontline between the Houthi militia and the internationally-recognized government in northern Yemen, on Feb. 10, 2022. (Photo by Mohammed Al-Wafi/Xinhua) Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control over northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi to exile. RABAT, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Morocco on Saturday urged its citizens to leave Ukraine amid escalating tensions between Russia and Ukraine. In light of the current situation and for their own safety, Moroccan citizens in Ukraine are asked to leave through the available commercial flights, the Moroccan Foreign Ministry said on its website. Moroccans wishing to head for Ukraine are asked to delay their trip for the moment, it added. PHNOM PENH, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia's garment, footwear and travel goods industry has seen a 15.2 percent rise in exports in 2021, according to a report from the General Department of Customs and Excise on Saturday. The Southeast Asian nation exported the products worth 11.38 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 15.2 percent from 9.88 billion dollars in the year before, the report said. The garment, footwear and travel goods industry is the largest foreign exchange earner for Cambodia. The sector consists of roughly 1,100 factories and branches, employing approximately 750,000 workers, mostly female, according to the Labor Ministry. The sector is one of the four pillars supporting the kingdom's economy. Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth said earlier this week that the success of the national vaccination campaign in controlling the spread of COVID-19 has allowed the country to fully resume its socio-economic activities in all areas. "With the success, Cambodia's economy is projected to grow at a better-than-expected rate of 3 percent in 2021 from a 3.1 percent contraction in 2020, propelled by a swift rebound in garment sector and non-garment sector as well as agriculture," he said. "For 2022, the economy is predicted to grow at a higher rate of around 5.6 percent, buoyed by the expected rise of global demand and foreign investors' confidence," he added. Pornmoniroth said Cambodia is one of a few countries in the region and in the world which have achieved high vaccination rates and induced strong COVID-19 herd immunity. The country has so far administered at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccines to 14.37 million people, or 89.8 percent of its 16 million population, the Health Ministry said on Saturday. Nearly 13.8 million people, or 86.2 percent of the population, have been fully vaccinated with two required shots, and 5.97 million, or 37.3 percent, have taken a third dose or booster shot, said the ministry. Most of the vaccines used in the country's inoculation drive are China's Sinovac and Sinopharm. Khartoum: Sudan banned two newspapers and two television stations on Tuesday, saying they had received funding from the government of former president Omar al-Bashir who was ousted last year following protests. The decision was made by a committee tasked by Sudan's transitional authorities with dismantling institutions linked to Bashir and his defunct National Congress Party. The ban covers the dailies Al-Sudani and Al-Ray Al-Am and satellite channels Ashrooq and Teeba along with their parent companies, according to committee member Taha Othman. "These institutions were funded by the state and we want to return the money to the Sudanese people," said Mohamed al-Fekki, a member of Sudan's transitional ruling council. By Tuesday evening, Ashrooq and Teeba channels stopped broadcasting. Diaa al-Din Belal, Al-Sudani's editor-in-chief, denied receiving funds from Bashir's government. "We operate under a private company and we did not receive any funds from a party or a government authority," he told AFP. Bashir was ousted last April after mass protests against his three-decade rule rocked Sudan for months. Sudan is currently ruled by a civilian-majority body formed after a power-sharing deal signed in August by protest leaders and the generals who ousted Bashir. Also Read: Iran Launches First Attack Against US, 12 Ballistic Missiles Hit Iraqi Airbase Housing Foreign Troops In December, Bashir was sentenced to two years' imprisonment for corruption in the first of several cases against the ousted autocrat. He was charged with illicitly receiving millions of dollars from Saudi Arabia. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Shortly after the missile attacks, Trump tweeted, 'All is well!' (Photo Credit: Twitter) New Delhi : Iran has launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq, the Pentagon said on Tuesday. According to Iranian state TV, the attacks were in revenge for the killing of the commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Qasem Soleimani, in a US drone strike on Friday, which was ordered by President Donald Trump. Shortly after the missile attacks, US President Donald Trump tweeted, "All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning." Catch Live Updates Here: 21:37 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In According to reports, Donald Trump is about to address the public over the Iran crisis. The White House press pool has been called to gather at the door of the Palm Room at the White House. 20:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Due to tension in Middle East, all airlines are directed to reroute flights to ensure complete safety of passengers: DGCA 20:26 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Indian Navy monitoring situation in Gulf region; maintaining presence to ensure security of India's sea borne trade: Navy officials 20:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In US President Donald Trump will address the nation at 11 am ET (9.30 pm in India) today. He is expected to talk about the US-Iran tension including the missile attacks on bases hosting US forces in Iraq. 15:32 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The EU's diplomatic chief on Wednesday condemned Iran's rocket attacks on Iraqi bases housing US troops, urging an end to the "spiral of violence" as Europe tries to defuse the growing crisis. 15:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Air France says suspends flying through Iran and Iraq airspace. 15:16 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Iran crisis sparks fear over Mid East oil supplies. 14:48 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Crashed Ukraine plane had 82 Iranians, 63 Canadians on board, reports AFP quoting a Ukraine minister 14:40 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Iran's defense minister says Tehran used short-range missiles in the attack against US targets in Iraq. Iran's defense minister says Tehran used short-range missiles in the attack against US targets in Iraq, reports news agency Reuters More updates: https://t.co/qCzrAWjwKq pic.twitter.com/CA3aNCqOVx News Nation (@NewsNationTV) January 8, 2020 13:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Iran Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says 'slap in face' delivered to US: AFP news agency 13:38 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In United Kingdom Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab: We condemn this attack on Iraqi military bases hosting Coalition -including British forces.We urge Iran not to repeat these reckless and dangerous attacks, and instead to pursue urgent de-escalation. 12:36 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In We are not for war, looking for peace and prosperity for everybody in this region: Iranian Envoy Ali Chegeni 12:35 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In No Iraqi casualties after 22 missiles strike bases housing US troops: Iraq military. 12:34 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India for de-escalating its tensions with US: Iranian Envoy to India, Ali Chegeni 12:10 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In No Iraqi casualties after 22 missiles strike bases housing US troops: Iraq military. 11:57 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Iraq PM Adel Abdul Mahdi confirms received letter from US on troop pullout before Washington denial 11:56 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In US President Donald Trump says US withdrawal now would be 'worst thing' for Iraq. 11:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In In view of the latest developments in the region, all our flights in and out of Europe will not be flying over the Iranian airspace. We will continue to monitor the situation closely: Singapore Airlines 11:55 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In 80 American Terrorists Killed In Missile Attacks On Military Bases In Iraq, Claims Iran State Media For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. While the JNUSU has demanded his resignation, M Jagadesh Kumar says that the attack was carried out to hamper the educational process in the JNU. (Photo Credit: File Photo) New Delhi: Amid the Left Vs Right debate in the JNU mob attack, new information has emerged that highlights Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumars role on that fateful day. Screen shots of WhatsApp chats that are now part of the probe by Delhi Polices Crime Branch show how Kumar had told the cops to be stationed on the gates while terrified calls were made by students to PCR about rod-wielding masked mob. According to a report by the Indian Express, at 6:24 pm, when the mob attack was at its peak and students were screaming for help at Periyar and Sabarmati hostels, Kumar WhatsApp senior cops saying, Considering the volatile situation in JNU campus, I request you to station police at the gates of JNU campus so that they can quickly reach the trouble spot in the campus if a law and order situation arises. The timing of the WhatsApp chat raises questions as to why did Kumar ask cops to be stationed at the gates instead of asking them to enter the campus and quelling the riots. It's been more than four days and not a single arrest has been made so far in the JNU attack. As many as 11 cases have been filed including an FIR against JNUSU president Aishe Ghosh for damaging the server room inside the campus. The Vice-Chancellor has faced lots of criticism for his conduct and the trust deficit between him and the students. While the JNUSU has demanded his resignation, Kumar says that the attack was carried out to hamper the educational process in the university. However, the Delhi Police PRO has rejected the latest media report on the JNU probe. Several media reports have appeared attributing various findings to fact finding committee It is reiterated that these are INCORRECT (sic), the Delhi Police said in a statement. Meanwhile, the police have collected dump data of mobile phones of people from campus to identify the culprits behind the Sunday's assault on the JNU students, officials said on Wednesday. Police said that several students have come forward to share information regarding the incident on Sunday after police made a public appeal requesting people to share information, footage and video clips relating to the incident. "Many students contacted on the given number and came forward to share details of the attack but when asked if they would be able to identify those involved in the attack, they said they would not be able to identify them," a senior officer said on condition of anonymity. Washington: Aspirin, the commonly prescribed fever medicine, may reduce tumour growth and inhibit the recurrence of bowel cancer, according to a study which may lead to new preventive therapies for the malignant disease. According to the researchers form City of Hope -- a private, not-for-profit clinical research center in the US -- aspirin has the potential to prevent diseases that result from chronic inflammation, such as cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and arthritis. "The reason aspirin isn't currently being used to prevent these diseases is because taking too much of any anti-inflammatory, eats at the stomach's mucus lining, and causes gastrointestinal and other problems," said study co-author Ajay Goel. "We are getting closer to discovering the right amount of daily aspirin needed to treat and prevent colorectal cancer without causing scary side effects," Goel added. As part of the study, the scientists used mouse models and mathematical modeling to parallel the amount of daily aspirin ingested by people in the US and Europe in clinical trials. They found that as the aspirin doses increased, the rate of cell death increased, while the division rates of cells decreased. Based on this, the researchers suggested that tumour cells were more likely to die, and not proliferate, under the effect of aspirin. "We are now working with some of the people conducting those human clinical trials to analyse data and use mathematical modeling. This process adds a layer of confidence to the findings and guides future human trial designs," Goel said. He added that bowel, or colorectal cancer is among the top five cancers diagnosed globally each year. Goel and his team tested three varying daily doses of aspirin in four colorectal cancer cell lines, including tumours with microsatellite instability and mutations in the PIK3CA gene -- associated with increased risk of endometrial, intestinal, and aggressive breast cancers. They divided 432 mice into four groups. One was a control group which did not receive any drugs, another was a group which received low-dose aspirin, one which was given medium-dose aspirin, and mice which were treated with high-dose aspirin. The researchers said these doses were mouse equivalent of 100 milligrammes, 300 milligrammes, and 600 milligrammes of aspirin taken by humans. Following this, the scientists assessed three mice in each treatment group on days three, five, seven, nine, and 11. Also Read: Aspirin May Reduce Harms Of Air Pollution On Lungs, Claims Study On analysing how cells in these mice underwent a natural death process called 'apoptosis', they found that the percentage of cells programmed to die increased in all cell lines. However, exactly how much of these cells died depended on the amount of aspirin consumed, they said, suggesting that the fever drug triggers a domino effect of cell death in all colorectal cell lines. According to the researchers, low-dose aspirin was especially effective in suppressing tumour growth in animal models with more PIK3CA genes. They added that the mutated version of these genes are associated with increased risk of certain cancers, making the finding more significant. New Delhi: Iran launched at least two waves of short-range missile attacks on bases in Iraq hosting US and coalition personnel on Wednesday morning as part of its promised revenge for the death of Qasem Soleimani. While at first glance these attacks seem like a massive escalation in the already tense situation, they may also turn out to be a potential way out of the current US-Iran crisis. While Iranian state television has claimed that 80 "American terrorists" were killed in attacks, the United States' reaction so far seems to indicate lack of any casualties. Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei described the attacks as a "slap in the face" of the United States but did not mention any number. On the other hand, US President Donald Trump tweeted 'All is well'. If Trump's tweet is true in the assessment of the damage done by the Iranian missiles, it means the Iranian strikes were more about symbolism then inflicting any real damage. The attacks took place at 1.30 am- almost the same time when Soleimani was targeted by the US airstrike. It is also no coincidence that Soleimani was being laid to rest in Kerman as the missiles landed on their intended targets. During the attacks, top Iranian advisers tweeted pictures of the countrys flag, a clear response to Donald Trump tweeting the US flag after the killing of Soleimani. The attack was named operation "Martyr Suleimani" and videos of attack were soon released to media outlets. However, despite all the show and bravado, these attacks seemed to have been carried out in a manner to avoid any significant casualties. First, the attacks targetted US and coalition forces' base which were already ready for any such escalation and thus unlikely to receive much damage. Secondly, the message sent out by Iran after the attack was very interesting- it described these attacks as an act of self-defence and asked the US not to retaliate to them. The message seemed to have an implicit meaning - don't attack us now and we may avoid a war. These strikes might be an opportunity for both sides to de-escalate without losing face. With Iran already claiming multiple US casualties, it may be able to tell its citizens that it delivered a 'slap in the face' to 'The Great Satan'. This will ease the pressure on it to stage any more big attacks and return to waging its proxy war against the US and Israel in the region. The United States, on the other hand, will also have a chance to take a step back and avoid any retaliation. As the situation stands, the US may project itself as the winner of the current skirmish having got rid of one of its biggest rivals in the region and avoided an all-out war with a dangerous enemy. Of course, this would not mean an end of tensions or hostilities. Iran is expected to continue to target the US via its numerous proxies in the region, while the US will continue to exert its influence. However, it will be certainly a more favourable outcome than an open war or conflict between the two sides. This will also mean that the coalition forces in Iraq will be able to re-focus on combating the ISIS menace. Overall, it will be better news for the world than what was feared a day or two ago. However, all this depends on two big ifs: the US resisting any urge to escalate the tensions and Iran willing to end its supposed 'revenge' mission for now. Disclaimer: The opinions and facts expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. They do not reflect the views of News Nation. The NNPL does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The woman has been arrested and attempts are on to nab others (Photo Credit: Pixabay) Bareilly: A woman was cut over 100 times by her exorcist sister-in-law and two others in a belief that it will ensure the recovery of her father-in-law. Renu, married to Sanjeev of Ghangaura village in Bhojipura area eight years ago, required 300 stitches for the 101 cuts inflicted on her during treatment at the district hospital in Bareilly, said police. The police said she received two dozen stitches on her face alone for the cuts inflicted by her sister-in-law Moni and her husband, and brother-in-law Mooli. She was admitted to the ICU of the district hospital, where Dr Mukul Agarwal said, "The woman required 300 stitches and had over two dozen cuts on her face alone. She had over 100 cuts on the entire body." Senior Superintendent of Police Shailendra Pandey said Moni has been arrested and attempts are on to nab others. "Moni's father is ill for the past a few months. The accused are involved in exorcism and in the superstition that their act will ensure the recovery of Moni's father, they inflicted cuts on Renu's body," the officer said. While she was being given cuts on Sunday, Renu somehow managed to flee and reached a Bareilly college before falling unconscious. Police admitted her to the district hospital. The accused allegedly tried to sacrifice her and when her husband, mother-in-law and father-in-law tried to stop them, they were locked in a room, police said. An FIR was registered on Tuesday on the complaint of the victim's brother, they said. For all the Latest Crime News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: A video has appeared on social media which claimed to be the first footage of a Ukranian plane that crashed in Iran on Wednesday early morning. It is to be noted that a Boeing 737 airplane belonging to Ukraine International Airlines crashed immediately after take-off from Irans Imam Khomeini airport. A Twitter user Monica shared a video claiming it to be the footage of the Ukranian plane crash in Iran. Take a look: According to Iran's semi-official news agency ISNA, there were 180 passengers and crew on board, and their fate is unknown. 'There isn't any sign of any survivors left after the Ukraine International Flight 752, carrying around 180 people, crashed outside Tehran,' the ISNA said. It further reported that the Ukranian Airlines plane crashed due to technical problems. The airplane is said to be enroute for Kiev from Tehran. Flight radar information shows Ukraine International Airlines flight PS752 abruptly disappearing after takeoff from the Imam Khomeini airport after taking off just after 6 am local time. It is worth mentioning here that Ukrainian International Airlines is the flag carrier of Ukraine and serves almost 90 destinations. It began flying to Tehran in the summer of 2014. The crash comes hours after Iran fired 12 ballistic missiles into an Iraqi airbase in the country's west where the US and coalition forces are based. This was a response to an American drone strike that killed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani and Iraqi top commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in Baghdad last week. Also Read: Ukrainian Airplane Carrying 180 Passengers, Crew Crashes In Iran Taking immediate cognisance of the missiles attack, US aviation authorities closed off the airspace over Iran and the Gulf region to all US carriers. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. 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. New Delhi: TNPSC Combined Civil Services Exam Group I Final Result has been declared. All candidates who appeared for the exam need to visit the official website of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission, i.e. tnpsc.gov.in to check the result. Earlier, the TNPSC 2019 Exam was conducted on July 12, July 13 and July 14, 2019 and the result was declared on December 2019. In addition, the TNPSC Oral Test was conducted from December 23, 2019 to December 31, 2019. The result of the Oral Test was released on December 31, 2019. TNPSC Combined Civil Services Group I Final Result 2019 Now, the TNPSC Combined Civil Services Exam Group I Final Result has been released for the posts of Deputy Collector, Deputy Superidentent of Police, Assistant Commissioner, Deputy Registrar of Co-Operative Societies, District Registrar, Assistant Director of Rural Development, District Employment Officer and District Officer. In order to check the TNPSC Combined Civil Services Exam Group I Final Result, candidates need to follow the below mentioned steps: First, visit the official website of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commision, i.e. tnpsc.gov.in Click on the Latest Result section Then, click on the TNPSC Group 1 Final Result link The TNPSC Combined Civil Services Final Result file open in the PDF format Alternatively, candidates can click on the below mentioned direct link to check and download the TNPSC Combined Civil Services Final result. TNPSC Combined Civil Services Final Result Direct Link It is to note that a total of 139 vacant posts are going to be filled through this recruitment drive. For more details, candidates need to visit the official website of Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. New Delhi: Iranian state television on Wednesday said, 80 "American terrorists" were killed in ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq, adding that none of the missiles were intercepted. Revolutionary Guards sources also said, Iran had 100 other targets in the region in its sights if Washington took any retaliatory measures. On Tuesday, Iran's parliament passed a bill designating all US forces "terrorists" over the killing of a top Iranian military commander in a US strike last week. The state media also claimed US helicopters and military equipment were "severely damaged" in the attack. Earlier, Iran defended the attack saying all the measures were taken in self-defence. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said, Iran took and concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched. The attack on US military bases came after the killing of the commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, General Qasem Soleimani, in a US drone strike, which was ordered by President Donald Trump, on Friday. Qasem Soleimani, the popular head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes. Irans attack came hours after leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened on Tuesday to "set ablaze" places supported by the United States. Hossein Salami made the pledge before a crowd of thousands gathered in a central square in Kerman, the hometown of the slain Gen Qassem Soleimani. Reacting to the attack, US President Donald Trump had tweeted: All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning (sic). Who Was General Qasem Soleimani? Soleimani was one of the most popular figures in Iran and seen as a deadly adversary by America and its allies. General Soleimani, who headed the external operations Quds Force for the Guards, had wielded his regional clout publicly since 2018 when it was revealed that he had direct involvement in top-level talks over the formation of Iraq's government. It was no surprise at the time for a man who has been at the centre of power-broking in the region for two decades. Soleimani has been in and out of Baghdad ever since, most recently last month as parties sought to form a new government. Where once he kept to the shadows, Soleimani has in recent years become an unlikely celebrity in Iran -- replete with a huge following on Instagram. His profile rose suddenly when he was pushed forward as the public face of Iran's intervention in the Syrian conflict from 2013, appearing in battlefield photos, documentaries -- and even being featured in a music video and animated film. In a rare interview aired on Iranian state television in October, he said he was in Lebanon during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war to oversee the conflict. To his fans and enemies alike, Soleimani was the key architect of Iran's regional influence, leading the fight against jihadist forces and extending Iran's diplomatic heft in Iraq, Syria and beyond. "To Middle Eastern Shiites, he is James Bond, Erwin Rommel and Lady Gaga rolled into one," wrote former CIA analyst Kenneth Pollack in a profile for Time's 100 most influential people in 2017. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. London: Kids who grow up in areas with heavy air pollution have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia, according to a study which suggests that particulate matter in air may not only harm physical well-being, but also mental health. The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), assessed genetic data from iPSYCH -- a project to find the basis and treatment of the most common and serious mental illnesses, including autism, bipolar disorder, and depression. The researchers, including those from Aarhus University in Denmark, combined the iPSYCH data with information on air pollution from the country's Department of Environmental Science. According to the study, children who are exposed to a high level of air pollution while growing up, have an increased risk of developing schizophrenia -- a chronic and severe mental disorder which affects how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. For each 10 microgramme per cubic metre (?g/m3) increase in the daily average of air pollution, the risk of schizophrenia increased by a fifth, the researchers reported in the study. "Children who are exposed to an average daily level above 25 ?g/m3 have an approximately 60 per cent greater risk of developing schizophrenia compared to those who are exposed to less than 10 ?g/m3," explained study co-author Henriette Thisted Horsdal from Aarhus University. To put the findings in perspective, the researchers said the lifetime risk of developing schizophrenia is approximately two per cent for people, but for those exposed to the highest level of air pollution, this risk is three per cent. "The risk of developing schizophrenia is also higher if you have a higher genetic liability for the disease. Our data shows that these associations are independent of each other," Horsdal said. "The association between air pollution and schizophrenia cannot be explained by a higher genetic liability in people who grow up in areas with high levels of air pollution," she added. Further studies are needed to identify the cause of this association, the scientists said. Jagadesh Kumar assured that all decisions taken earlier at HRD Ministry about hostel fee will be implemented in totality. (Photo Credit: ANI) New Delhi: Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar has said that regular classes will resume from January 13. He also assured that all decisions taken earlier at HRD Ministry about hostel fee will be implemented in totality. The HRD ministry on Friday met with a five-member team from the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration, including Vice Chancellor Jagadesh Kumar. The emergency meeting has been called to discuss the situation on the campus and resolve the standoff between students and the administration. JNU's registrar and three rectors from the university are also part of the panel. JNU administration has decided to waive off the utility and service charges for the hostel residents for the winter semester. The JNUSU has been demanding the rollback. The JNU circular, a copy of which is with News Nation, says that, "This is for further information of all concerned that Service and Utility charges for the hostel residents are not being charged during the current registration for 2020 Winter Semester." The circular dated January 9 comes after the JNU students and teachers met the officials in HRD ministry to resolve the issue in Delhi on same day. However, the circular has been released on Friday. The circular puts on record that the decision was made after the meeting that was held in December last year. "As per the record of discussion held in MHRD on resolving the JNU issue on 10/11 December 2019, UGC will bear the cost of Service and Utility charges proposed till further orders, the circular said. Meanwhile, three professors of the university approached the Delhi High Court seeking directions to preserve data, CCTV footage and other evidence relating to the January 5 violence at the varsity campus. The petition also sought directions for preservation and retrieval of all material/evidences available with WhatsApp INC, Google INC and Apple INC pertaining to relevant data of WhatsApp groups 'Unity Against Left' and 'Friends of RSS' including messages, pictures, videos and phone numbers of the members, in connection with the violence at JNU. The petition was filed by JNU professors Ameet Parameswaran, Atul Sood and Shukla Vinayak Sawant seeking necessary directions to the Delhi Police Commissioner and Delhi government. The petition, filed through advocates Abhik Chimni, Maanav Kumar and Roshni Naamboodiry, also sought a direction to the Delhi Police to retrieve all CCTV footage of JNU campus. On Sunday, a mob of masked men stormed the campus and targeted students in three hostels, unleashing mayhem with sticks, stones and iron rods by hitting inmates and breaking windows, furniture and personal belongings. Iran has threatened to bomb Israel and Dubai if the United States retaliates for its ballistic missile strike. (Photo Credit: File Photo) New Delhi: Iran has threatened to bomb Israel and Dubai if the United States retaliates for its ballistic missile strike that slammed into an Iraqi airbase where US and coalition forces are based. Iran's Revolutionary Guard in a statement carried by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said, We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted. Guard also threatened to bomb Dubai and Haifa in Israel if US retaliates, Daily Mail reported. The attack on military bases came hours after leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened on Tuesday to "set ablaze" places supported by the United States. Hossein Salami made the pledge before a crowd of thousands gathered in a central square in Kerman, the hometown of the slain Gen Qassem Soleimani. Qasem Soleimani, the popular head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes. Iran while defending the attack said, all the measures were taken in self-defence. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said, Iran took and concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched. Zarif, however, said, We do not seek escalation or war, but will defend ourselves against any aggression. Earlier, US President Donald Trump said, 'all is well' while reacting to Irans ballistic missiles attack. Taking to Twitter hours after the attack, Trump said, All is well! Missiles launched from Iran at two military bases located in Iraq. Assessment of casualties & damages taking place now. So far, so good! We have the most powerful and well equipped military anywhere in the world, by far! I will be making a statement tomorrow morning (sic). For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday said that Tehran has delivered a "slap in the face" of the United States. The statement from Ayatollah Ali Khamenei comes hours after a total of 22 missiles struck two bases housing US troops. "Iran is a peaceful country that does not seek escalation with any other nation. We are prepared to deal with the bullies of the world," Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech broadcast live on state television. "Last night, a slap in the face was delivered," he added. Earlier in the day, the Iraqi military command said, Between 1:45 am and 2:15 am (2245 GMT and 2315 GMT) Iraq was hit by 22 missiles, 17 on the Ain al-Asad airbase and...five on the city of Arbil. It further added that the attack sites are being used by the US-led international coalition. There were no victims among the Iraqi forces, the military said. In the meantime, the Iranian state television said, 80 "American terrorists" were killed in ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq. On Tuesday, Iran's parliament passed a bill designating all US forces "terrorists" over the killing of a top Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani in a US strike last week. Also Read: 80 American Terrorists Killed In Missile Attacks On Military Bases In Iraq, Claims Iran State Media Qasem Soleimani, the popular head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: IBPS SO Main admit card is going to be released soon on the official website, i.e. ibps.in. Candidates who have cleared the IBPS SO Prelims exam need to check the official website on regular basis to download the SO Main admit card once the download link is activated. Apart from this, IBPS is also going to release the IBPS SO Prelims Scorecard soon on the official website of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection. It is to note that the IBPS SO Main exam is going to be conducted on January 25, 2020 at various authorized centers. The SO Main exam will be conducted for filling vacant positions of IT officer, Law Officer, Marketing Officer, HR/Personnel and Agriculture Field Officer. The Main exam will include 60 questions of 60 marks, and the time duration to complete the exam will be 45 minutes. The exam will be conducted in English and Hindi medium. Earlier, the IBPS SO Prelims exam result was declared on January 7, 2020. The SO Prelims result link will remain active on the official website till January 13, 2020. A total of 163 vacant Posts of Specialist Officer are going to be filled through this recruitment drive. For more details, candidates must visit the official website of IBPS. Meanwhile, it is to note that the IBOS SO main Exam for Rajbhasha paper will have two sections in the form of Professional Knowledge Objective Paper and Professional Knowledge Descriptive Paper. Av total of 47 questions will be asked in the exam. New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday took a delegation of JNU teachers and students to meet HRD officials, after they were stopped near Shastri Bhawan during a protest march over the January 5 violence on the university campus. The officer-bearers of JNUSU and JNUTA are expected to discuss the violence that took place in the university on Sunday, the hostel fee hike and removal of the vice-chancellor with the officials of the Human Resources Development Ministry. The police had stopped the march near Central Delhi's Shastri Bhawan. Earlier, JNU Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar said that there had been no deviation from the "formula" arrived at by the HRD Ministry about the fee hike. SDtudents are not being charged any services or utility fees as decided, he said on Thursday. "As far as the fee issue is concerned, there has been no deviation from the formula arrived at the HRD Ministry last month. As decided, students are not being charged any services or utility fees," Kumar said. "We have also written to UGC to release funds for covering the utility and service charges as decided," he added. Amid outrage by students over a proposed fee hike, the HRD Ministry had intervened last month and formed a three-member committee to resolve the stand-off between the university and its administration. As per the formula decided, the utility and service charges were supposed to be borne by UGC and not students, who had to pay only the room rent. However, the students have been demanding a complete rollback of the fee hike. New Delhi: An Iranian military commander has said that missiles fired at bases used by US troops in Iraq were not aimed at inflicting casualties. He also said that Iran launched 13 missiles at bases in Iraq used by US troops early Wednesday "but we were ready to launch hundreds". Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, who leads Irans aerospace program, told state television that Iran also carried out a cyberattack on a US military monitoring service in Iraq while the missile were landing at their intended targets. Ali said that while dozens of US forces were killed and wounded in the attacks Iran was "not after killing anyone in this operation". Ali's statement seems to be another sign that Iran was not intending to escalate hostilities with the United States. The US has said no Americans were killed in the missile strike. Iran and the United States had come close to an open war after US military killed Iran's top commander Major General Qasem Soleimani on the orders of President Donald Trump. Soleimani was the commander of the Revolutionary Guards elite expeditionary Quds Force and Irans most prominent military leader. Iran had launched the missile strikes in retaliation of the killing. The Iranian state television had claimed that "at least 80 terrorist US soldiers" were killed after bases at Ain al-Asad and Arbil in Iraq - which house US and coalition forces - were targeted by more than a dozen ballistic missiles. Iran Standing Down, Says Donald Trump US President Donald Trump, however, said that no Americans were harmed in these attacks. In his first address after the attacks, Trump also said that "Iran appeared to be standing down" after launching the missile attacks. In a direct message to the Iranian leaders and the people, Trump said the United States is "ready to embrace peace with all who seek it". "To the people and leaders of Iran, we want you to have a future and a great future, one that you deserve," Trump said. Tehran had said it had halted its missile strikes, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeting that the country does "not seek escalation or war". For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Jerusalem: Cigarette smoking may not only be harmful to the lungs but also lead to poor mental health, according to a study. The researchers from Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel surveyed more than 2,000 students enrolled at Serbian universities with differing socio-political and economic environments. The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, found that students who smoked had rates of clinical depression that were twice to three times higher than did their non-smoking peers. At the University of Pristina, 14 per cent of smokers suffered from depression as opposed to four per cent of their non-smoking peers, the researchers said. At Belgrade University the numbers were 19 per cent to 11 per cent, respectively, they said. Students who smoked also had higher rates of depressive symptoms, and lower mental health scores such as vitality and social functioning than did non-smoking students, according to the researchers. "Our study adds to the growing body of evidence that smoking and depression are closely linked," said Professor Hagai Levine from Hebrew University of Jerusalem. "While it may be too early to say that smoking causes depression, tobacco does appear to have an adverse effect on our mental health," Levine said in a statement. On January 18, Kazakhstans former president Nursultan Nazarbayev gave a first video-recorded speech to the nation since the deadly unrest that shook the country in early January. In his address, Nazarbayev vehemently denied that there was any struggle for power in Kazakhstans top political echelons and called for supporting incumbent president Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Yet there are many indicators that Nazarbayev, his family members and close associates are currently losing their posts in the state apparatus while president Tokayev concentrates his powers. The fast pace by which Nazarbayevs legacy is dismantled by his successor in the aftermath of the recent deadly turmoil and CSTO intervention suggests that Kazakhstans carefully planned and micromanaged succession of power might have failed. BACKGROUND: At the outset of 2022, an unprecedented wave of protests and state violence shook Kazakhstan, resulting in hundreds of dead and injured, and ending in a military intervention by Russia and a few other Collective Security Treaty Organization member states. Simultaneously, a crisis has unfolded in Kazakhstans upper political echelons, manifested in a purge against former president Nazarbayev, his relatives and close associates. This indicates that the carefully crafted and micromanaged succession of power in 2019 might have ended in failure. Convincing evidence exists that Nazarbayev prepared the transition of power for years in order to avoid destabilization and to retain significant powers while staying immune from prosecution. Still, Nazarbayev and his circle still sought to curtail the incumbent presidents powers in formal and informal ways. Reportedly, Nazarbayevs entourage worried particularly about Tokayevs plans for economic and political reform, which they regarded as infringing on their interests. On several occasions, the incumbent president sought to dismiss Askar Mamin, a close ally of Nazarbayev who was appointed soon before Tokayev assumed the presidency, and was able to do so only on January 5. In 2020, Tokayev removed Dariga Nazarbayeva, the former presidents middle daughter from the Senate Speaker post. This is a constitutionally important position since the Senate Speaker takes over the presidents prerogatives if the latter dies or becomes incapacitated. Tokayev also ordered a corruption probe against top officials, close associates of Nazarbayev, who were involved in constructing a light railway in the countrys capital. Despite the fact that Tokayev himself is or used to be a close ally of the former president, he has motive to disassociate his rule from unpopular parts of Nazarbayevs legacy and marginalize the former president and his circle in a populist gesture to placate the angered society which demanded his departure. During the recent protests, much of the public anger focused on Nazarbayev and his family, who were seen as responsible for building a system of social inequality, kleptocracy and corruption. Demonstrators tore down Nazarbayevs statues and chanted Shal ket (Old man, leave!). Such incidents were previously unseen in Kazakhstan as any criticism of Nazarbayev, who held the honorary title of Elbasy (Leader of the nation), was penalized. Some analysts have suggested that Nazarbayev loyalists especially in Kazakhstans main security force, the National Security Committee (KNB), might have used the unrest to stage a coup against president Tokayev or stayed deliberately passive during the violent protests. This theory was partially substantiated by Tokayev himself as the president ordered a purge in the KNB and publicly criticized the behavior of its officers during the unrest. Moreover, some specialists point out that the worst unrest took place in Almaty, which is controlled by members of Nazarbayevs clan while his nephew Samat Abish served as KNB deputy chief at the time of the protests. The presence of well-armed gangs in the city, which quickly took over important government buildings, and the passivity of the security services are presented as indications that some of Nazarbayevs relatives might have been implicated in the violence in Almaty. IMLICATIONS: On January 5, President Tokayev dismissed Nazarbayev from his lifetime post of chairman of the Security Council, an important body that oversees the security apparatus. In late January, Tokayev took over another position previously occupied by his predecessor and became leader of the ruling Nur-Otan party. On January 19, the parliaments lower chamber, the Mazhilis, officially relieved Nazarbayev of his lifetime positions as a chairman of the Security Council and the Assembly of Kazakhstans People. On February 2, the Mazhilis approved a bill that will strip the former president of his prerogative to coordinate the countrys foreign and internal policies. In official addresses, top officials stopped calling Kazakhstans capital city Nur-Sultan as it was renamed in 2019 to honor Nazarbayev. Sweeping changes also affected members of the former presidents clan. Soon after the protests broke, Tokayev sacked Nazarbayev loyalist and political heavyweight Karim Masimov who had headed the KNB since 2016. Masimov was shortly thereafter arrested on charges of treason. A few days later, Nazarbayevs nephew and KNB deputy chairman Samat Abish was also relieved of his duties. Tokayev promptly replaced Masimov with his entrusted man Yermek Sagimbayev, formerly head of the State Protection Service. Additional relatives of Nazarbayev have subsequently lost their positions. On January 17, Timur Kulibaev, one of Kazakhstans wealthiest men and husband of Nazarbayevs daughter Dinara, stepped down as a chairman of Kazakhstans National Chamber of Entrepreneurs. Nazarbayevs other two sons-in-law, Kairat Sharipbayev and Dimash Dosanov, lost lucrative positions in the state energy companies. On January 25, it was announced that Berik Imashev, father-in-law of Nazarbayevs grandson Nurali Aliyev and chief of the Central Election Commission, was relieved of his duties. Nazarbayevs relatives and close associates were also expelled from the Nur-Otan political council, including Dariga Nazarbayeva, Askar Mamin and Bauyrzhan Baybek, another Nazarbayev ally who was the partys deputy chairman. Relatives and close associates of the former president are not only loosing lucrative positions; their immense wealth and business interests are likely at stake. Tokayev has repeatedly said that the entrenched social inequality in Kazakhstan was to blame for the recent protests. To tackle these problems, the president announced the creation of a special purpose endowment, the People of Kazakhstan Fund, which will finance a vast array of social initiatives such as healthcare, education, welfare, employment and income inequality. The endowment will be overseen by the public and will be funded by major state companies and wealthy businesspersons. This is likely a blow to the financial interests of Nazarbayevs relatives and associates, who constitute the majority of Kazakhstans wealthiest people. Tokayev did not hide the fact that the new project will target the former presidents inner circle; in a public announcement, he said, thanks to the first president, the Elbasy, a group of very profitable companies and a stratum of people rich even by international standards have appeared in the country. The time has come to pay tribute to the people of Kazakhstan and help them on a systematic and regular basis. However, the Nazarbayev familys businesses are already being targeted. On January 11, Tokayev publicly instructed to end cooperation between state institutions and the Operator ROP Company, which is allegedly affiliated with the former presidents daughter Aliya. On January 26, the state anti-corruption body announced that the chairman of the company, Medet Qumarghaliev, as well as Deputy Ecology Minister Akhmetzhan Pirimqulov, had been arrested on corruption charges. CONCLUSIONS: The opacity of Kazakhstans political life makes it difficult to verify most of the circulating theories about the reasons for the anti-Nazarbayev purge, which has swept across Kazakhstans elite in the past few weeks. Assertions that Nazarbayevs relatives were implicated in a coup detat attempt cannot be independently verified, although past tensions between some of them and the incumbent president, as well as the recent purge of the KNB indeed suggest that this may have been the case. Further complicating the picture is that the interests of Nazarbayev and his entourage are diverse. Members of the clan have often acted individually and were embroiled in conflicts with each other over economic assets. Another possible scenario is that the incumbent president moved first to remove Nazarbayev along with his relatives and associates; exploiting the anti-Nazarbayev angle of the recent protests as a pretext. A third possibility that has been suggested is that the former president and members of his clan are quitting their positions to placate the public, while in reality they informally retain their immense wealth and influence; or that they are trading the less relevant posts to protect their more important political and financial interests from the purge. What we do know is that Kazakhstans political elite is undergoing a sweeping change, which will allow president Tokayev to consolidate power and to remove obstacles to the serious economic and political reforms that he has previously announced. AUTHOR'S BIO: Natalia Konarzewska ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) is a graduate of the University of Warsaw and a freelance expert and analyst with a focus on political and economic developments in the post-Soviet space. Ali Chegeni talked to reporters after a condolence meeting for Qasem Soleimani at the Iranian Embassy (Photo Credit: ANI) New Delhi: Iran will welcome any peace initiative by India to de-escalate tensions with the US following the killing of Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, the Iranian envoy said on Wednesday while asserting that his country wants peace not war. Iran's Ambassador to India Ali Chegeni also expressed the hope there would be no further escalation in hostilities between his country and the US. The ambassador's comments came hours after Iran launched over a dozen ballistic missiles targeting at least two bases where US military and coalition forces' are stationed in Iraq. Tehran said it was a "slap in the face" of America. "India usually plays a very good role in (maintaining) peace in the world. India belongs to this region. We welcome all initiatives from all countries, especially India as a good friend for us, to not allow escalation (of tensions)," Chegeni told reporters after a condolence meeting for Soleimani at the Iranian Embassy. "We are not for war, we are looking for peace and prosperity for everybody in this region. We welcome any Indian initiative or any project that can help peace and prosperity in this world," he said. Maj Gen Soleimani, 62, the head of Iran''s elite al-Quds force and architect of its regional security apparatus, was killed when a US drone fired missiles into a convoy that was leaving the Baghdad International Airport early on Friday. The strike also killed the deputy chief of Iraq''s powerful Hashed al-Shaabi paramilitary force. On the Iranian attack on US targets in Iraq, Chegeni said his country retaliated under its right to defend. Amid spiralling US-Iran tensions over the killing of Soleimani, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday had a conversation with his Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, voicing India's concerns over the escalation of tensions. India has reached out to several stakeholders in the region over the security situation prevailing in the Middle East. Jaishankar has also separately spoken with Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf Alawi, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, as well his Jordanian and Qatari counterparts Ayman Safadi and Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani respectively, on the tense situation in the region. Noting that India is a "good friend", Chegeni said, "My minister (Javad Zarif) talked to Dr Jaishankar, they had a very good discussion. Recently we had the joint economic commission in Tehran...We see a very good future for the relationship. We have no problem with India." He said Iran and India can jointly work for peace in the world. Asked if Indian officials have reached out to the Embassy with a condolence message, the Iranian envoy said the embassy had opened a condolence book for two days and he expects Indian officials to come but it is "up to the Indian side". "Usually we have good relations and sympathy between the two countries," he said. The Iran Embassy here has been seeing a steady stream of envoys coming and expressing condolences on the death of Soliemani. Concerns have mounted across the globe over fast-deteriorating diplomatic ties between the US and Iran, and the spiralling tensions in the Gulf after Soleiman was killed. Soleimani's killing was the most dramatic escalation yet in spiralling tensions between Iran and the US. Talking about the US drone strike that killed Soleimani, Chegeni said, "He was in a third country. So this is very important for the world to not allow such an inhuman, illegal act which is against international rights." "He (Soleimani) was the one who removed the threat of ISIS from the world. Why you should kill him. That means you are supporting terrorists. If Gen Soleimani didn't act against ISIS, what would have happened to India, to Europe, and to all of the world because ISIS was really anti-human," he said. The world owes a debt to "anti-terrorist hero" Soleimani, he said. "That is why my country today officially retaliated based on the legitimate rights we have....We are not for war. We are not for escalation, but defending is our right," Chegeni said. "Everyone has the right to defence, even animals and trees...," he asserted. "This is not revenge, this was the right of our people. All the Iranian people asked for retaliation, early morning at the same time our national hero was attacked... we attacked the military bases," he said. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi: Seedless lychees or lichis are no more just a wishful thinking because a farmer in Australia has successfully developed the first of its kind. Tibby Dixon, from Sarina Beach in Far North Queensland, after 19 years of hard work and shelling out US$5,000 on a single fruit tree he bought from China developed the first ever seedless leeches through selective breeding and cross-pollinating flowers over the past few decades. Describing his new lychee type as 'very flavoursome' and a bit like pineapple', Dixon said, "The cultivar [variety] itself is a medium-sized fruit, [with] no seed, [and] very flavoursome. "To me, it actually tastes like it has a bit of pineapple in it that's what my tastebuds tell me. "It's very different to all the other cultivars we have." The lychee farmer of more than 40 years also told ABC that his journey to developing the seedless lychee has been 'a long, hard slog'. He now plans to grow a crop of trees to fruit on Australian farms. 'Within a couple of years we should have enough to sell out in commercial numbers,' he said. 'You have to ensure that the material you're going to sell is highly productive Dixon added. For all the Latest Offbeat News News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. In 2005, Laxmi was disfigured for life when a man called Nadeem Khan and three others allegedly hurled acid at her in Delhi's upscale Khan Market. (Photo Credit: Twitter ) New Delhi: A day after Deepika Padukone visited the JNU campus to express solidarity with students who had been attacked, her film "Chhapaak" made another splash on Wednesday over the name of its antagonist. While Deepika was the focus of many a discussion on social media and beyond for showing up at a public meeting in the university, the film, based on the life of acid attack survivor Laxmi Agarwal, was also making news for quite another reason. In what could well be a storm in a 'Twitter cup', "Nadeem Khan" and "Rajesh" began trending on the microblogging site after a magazine article claimed the name of the antagonist had been changed. By 4 pm, 'Nadeem Khan' clocked close to 60,000 tweets and 'Rajesh' close behind with 50,000. In 2005, Laxmi was disfigured for life when a man called Nadeem Khan and three others allegedly hurled acid at her in Delhi's upscale Khan Market. In the film based on her life, the narrative remains the same but the names have been changed. So, Laxmi is 'Malti' Agarwal and Nadeem becomes 'Babboo' aka 'Bashir Khan'. On Wednesday, Swarajya magazine wrote an article headlined, The Ways Of Bollywood: In Deepika Padukone-Starer Chhapaak, Acid Attacker Naeem Khan Becomes Rajesh'. Read Also | Deepika's 'Chhapaak' Under Fire On Twitter For Allegedly Changing Acid Attacker's Name From 'Nadeem Khan To Rajesh "As part of a backlash against Padukone's JNU 'meet and greet', social media users researched the names of the characters involved in the movie Chhapaak and conspicuously found the name of main perpetrator Naeem Khan absent," the article alleged. But in the Meghna Gulzar directed film, there is no mention of any Nadeem or Naeem Khan. Moreover, Rajesh is the name of Malti's boyfriend. Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Babul Supriyo jumped into the controversy, saying it was another example of "absolute hypocrisy". "...When you say all characters are fictitious and don't have any resemblance with living beings and all of that, this is absolute hypocrisy. When you change the name which also changes the religion, it has been done very deliberately," Supriyo told a TV channel when asked to comment on the controversy. South Delhi BJP MP Ramesh Biduri also called for a boycott of the movie. With Deepika grabbing attention by going to JNU, many appreciated her 'silent solidarity' but others criticised her for "supporting the Leftists" and said it was a promotional stunt ahead of the release. "#Boycott Chhapaak" was trending on Twitter as was "#ISupportDeepika". For all the Latest Fact Check News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. Donald Trump had posted a tweet saying "All is Well!" after Iran's missile attack on US bases (Photo Credit: Twitter @TheWhiteHouse) New Delhi: US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that "Iran appeared to be standing down" after launching missile attacks aimed at the US military in Iraq overnight. In his first address after the attacks, Trump said that no Americans were harmed in these attacks. The Iranian state television had claimed that "at least 80 terrorist US soldiers" were killed after bases at Ain al-Asad and Arbil in Iraq - which house US and coalition forces - were targeted by more than a dozen ballistic missiles. Some 5,000 US soldiers are in Iraq as part of the international coalition against the IS terror group. "We suffered no casualties. All our soldiers are safe, only minimal damages were sustained at our military bases," Trump said. "Iran appears to be standing down, which is a good thing for all parties concerned," he added. The Iranian strike had come in response to last week's killing by the United States of the country's most important general, Qasem Soleimani. Initial assessments had also indicated there were no US casualties in the missile strikes on two bases in Iraq where US troops are based, the Pentagon said. Trump also vowed that he will never allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. "As long as I am President of the United States, Iran will never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon," Trump said. In a direct message to the Iranian leaders and the people, Trump said the United States is "ready to embrace peace with all who seek it". "To the people and leaders of Iran, we want you to have a future and a great future, one that you deserve," Trump said. Tehran had said it had halted its missile strikes, with Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif tweeting that the country does "not seek escalation or war". 22:22 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Donald Trump said US are constructing many hypersonic missiles. The fact that we have this great military and equipment, however, does not mean we have to use it. We do not want to use it, he added. 22:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Trump declared that the US will impose additional economic sanctions on Iran. 22:09 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Iran appears to be standing down which is good, says Donald Trump 22:07 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In Donald Trump says Qasem Soleimani should have been eliminated long ago. By eliminating Soleimani, America has sent a strong message- if you attack American live, you will have to pay for it. 22:05 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In US military eliminated the world's top terrorist Qasem Soleimani at my direction. He was personally responsible for some of the worst atrocities, says Donald Trump 22:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In The great American forces are prepared for anything, says US President Donald Trump 22:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In No Americans were harmed in Iran's missile attacks on US bases in Iraq on Wednesday night, says US President Donald Trump 22:04 (IST) Facebook Twitter Whats app Linked In US President Donald Trump has started his address at The White House over tensions with Iran. For all the Latest World News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. New Delhi : In view of the heightened tension after Iran attacked US military bases in Iraq, Indian on Wednesday issued a travel advisory for its citizens asking them to avoid all non-essential travel to Iraq until further notification. Indian nationals are advised to avoid all non-essential travel to Iraq until further notification. Indian nationals residing in Iraq are advised to be alert and may avoid travel within Iraq. Our Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate in Erbil will continue to function normally to provide all services to Indians residing in Iraq, the advisory reads. "Our Embassy in Baghdad and Consulate in Erbil will continue to function normally to provide all services to Indians residing in Iraq," the advisory reads. According to reports, the government has asked all Indian carriers to avoid the airspace of Iran, Iraq and the Gulf following tension in the region. Meanwhile, Iran has threatened to bomb Israel and Dubai if the United States retaliates for its ballistic missile strike that slammed into an Iraqi airbase where the US and coalition forces are based. Iran's Revolutionary Guard in a statement carried by Iran's state-run IRNA news agency said, We are warning all American allies, who gave their bases to its terrorist army, that any territory that is the starting point of aggressive acts against Iran will be targeted. Guard also threatened to bomb Dubai and Haifa in Israel if US retaliates, Daily Mail reported. The attack on military bases came hours after leader of Iran's Revolutionary Guard threatened on Tuesday to "set ablaze" places supported by the United States. Hossein Salami made the pledge before a crowd of thousands gathered in a central square in Kerman, the hometown of the slain Gen Qassem Soleimani. Qasem Soleimani, the popular head of the Revolutionary Guards' foreign operations arm, was killed in a US drone strike outside Baghdad airport on Friday, ratcheting up tensions between the arch-foes. Iran while defending the attack said, all the measures were taken in self-defence. Foreign Minister Javad Zarif said, Iran took and concluded proportionate measures in self-defence under Article 51 of UN Charter targeting base from which cowardly armed attack against our citizens & senior officials were launched. For all the Latest India News, Download News Nation Android and iOS Mobile Apps. The Uzbekistan Energy Ministry announced on Friday that the country's natural gas production will grow to 56.3 billion cubic metres this year in order to provide a regular supply of oil and gas products. According to well-known media, Uzbekistan, which exports gas to some of its neighbours, including Russia and China, produced 53.8 billion cubic metres of natural gas in 2021. The resource-rich Central Asian country has been working to reform the energy sector in order to foster competition and investment, improve production efficiency, and ensure that gas is delivered to consumers on a regular basis. Uzbekistan's energy strategy calls for the production of 66.1 billion cubic metres of gas per year by 2030, with deep processing of natural gas as a priority for creating value-added goods. As of 2021, Uzbekistan ranks 19th in the world with 65 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proved gas reserves, accounting for nearly 1% of the world's total natural gas reserves of 6,923 Tcf. Uzbekistan has proven reserves of 42.7 times its yearly consumption rate. Total 408.1 Million Covid cases reported since the pandemic begin, fatalities surge past 5.8 million Taliban Delegation in Geneva asks for international talks, Theses issues to be discussed Taliban approves aid plan for Afghanistan war victims Amid the threat of corona infection in the UK, the crisis of Ebola-like Lassa Fever is increasing. The third person to be positive in the UK has lost his life. Britain's health security agency also reported a new death after confirming several of its cases. Three people have tested positive after a family in eastern England returned from a trip to West Africa. A spokesman for the Bedfordshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: "We confirm the tragic death of the patient from our trust who suffered Lassa fever. We offer our condolences to his family in this difficult time." He also said, 'We will continue to support the patient's family and our staff is working closely with colleagues from the UK's Health Security Agency. So that it can be traced better.' UKHSA said that the danger to the general public is still very small. Lassa fever is an acute viral disease that can cause internal bleeding and affect multiple organs. People become positive by coming into contact with objects that have unintentionally come in contact with food or rat urine or faeces. But it can also spread through the urine or sweat of an infected person. The same is the case with the family of this viral Ebola. But it's not that deadly and dangerous. Which (Ebola) was declared endemic in many West African countries. After being positive from Lassa fever, some people recover completely, while some become badly ill. It originated in the city of Lassa in northern Nigeria. Subsequently, fever got the name Lassa in its name. After being positive from the disease, it takes 21 days for the symptoms to appear and it can spread through the fluids coming out of the positive body. Israel govt mulls to evacuates diplomats from Ukraine Germany Chancellor Scholz mulls easing Covid-19 measures Worlds Poor countries lag behind in Covid-19 immunizations: Report According to a spokesman for the UN, hot meals and cash were provided to some families in Madagascar, and aerial evaluations of the cyclone Batsirai damage were conducted. According to Stephane Dujarric, the top spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, the World Food Programme (WFP) provided 10,000 hot meals in cyclone shelters in Manakara to boost the government's response. "In addition, the agency has begun distributing pre-prepared meals to displaced persons," Dujarric said. "They're also delivering food to Mananjary," says the narrator. Cash distributions for nearly 1,400 households are still continuing on elsewhere." He said the WFP provides rapid assessment, which includes an aerial inspection by the UN Humanitarian Air Service, which also flies an air bridge between Antananarivo and the storm-affected districts. According to the spokesman, the organisation offers roads to its partners and has people on the ground to analyse the humanitarian community's information technology needs. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the tropical cyclone last weekend killed at least 92 people and displaced almost 61,500 more people in Madagascar. Putin intends to invade Ukraine on February 16th Iran is commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. The Hungarian govt says no to Extra NATO troops New Delhi: These days, there is a lot of controversy over the hijab across the country. In the meantime, a big revelation has been made about the hijab controversy. According to the report, Pakistani intelligence agency ISI is conspiring to create anarchy through the hijab referendum in India by the Khalistani terror outfit. India's intelligence agency IB has issued an alert on the issue. According to the report, ISI created a website for the hijab referendum in India. Apart from this, the ISI released the video from Gurupantwant Singh Pannu, the chief of The Sikhs for Justice. After the ISI conspiracy, India's intelligence agencies became active. The IB has issued an alert on this. The alert said that The Chief Gurupantwant Singh Pannu of Sikh for Justice has posted a video in which he is trying to spread an agenda like the hijab referendum to break India. Pannu has urged the Indian Muslims to start a hijab referendum and move towards making India Urudistan. The IB reported that attempts could be made to spread the hijab referencing agenda in Muslim-dominated areas like Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. Ib has alerted all the demonstrations. According to the IB alert issued on February 11, in the video, Pannu has tried to provoke Indian Muslims through the hijab referendum in the inflammatory video and said that today the hijab is being banned, tomorrow there will be Azaan and then Quran. So now it's time to protest and make India Urudistan. Pannu said to learn from Pakistan how a separate Muslim country has been created. At the same time, Pannu has said in the video that he will also fund a large amount for the hijab referendum. Therefore, the IB has instructed all local police and agencies to remain on alert. A portal for hijab reference has also been released in which people have been asked to come online and support. Intelligence agencies say that behind all this is the conspiracy of The Pakistani intelligence agency ISI. IPL 2022: Money will rain heavily in mega auction, know the base price of your favorite player Tasneem Mir did wonders in the game, won the women's singles title Covid Updates: India registers 50,407 new cases, 804 deaths Dehradun: Polling is scheduled to be held in Uttarakhand on February 14. So the election campaign is now in the last phase, but in support of their party's candidate, the politicians are wielding a loud arrow. So Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma was addressing a public meeting in support of the BJP candidate in Uttarakhand. But due to this, he made a controversial statement about Congress and Rahul Gandhi. Hemanta said about Rahul Gandhi that 'Have we ever asked for proof whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not'?? However, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala attacked and said that this is proof of 'Hemanta's shallowness and shoddy thinking.' Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma while addressing the public meeting said that 'Rahul Gandhi asked for proof of the surgical strike, look at his thinking, General Vipin Rawat was the pride of our India, under his leadership India did the surgical strike in Pakistan. But Rahul Gandhi says give proof, have we ever asked for proof that you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not.' Hemanta said that what right do you have to ask for proof from the Army? If the Army says that there is a bomb blast in Pakistan, it is boiled. The army said that the surgical strike was carried out than done, the airstrike was done then did. Don't you believe in Bipin Rawat? Due to the same public meeting, Himanta Biswa Sarma targeted Congress, saying that along with the US and Russia, India also made the vaccine. But congressmen ask for proof of making vaccines. But why don't they ask the US for proof of making a vaccine? If India makes something, you need proof, but if Pakistan or China is made, you praise it. CM Hemanta said that recently Rahul Gandhi had said that the Chinese army is moving forward. But why do you preach China? Rahul Gandhi said that India's army is moving forward. Due to this, he alleged that congressmen have won for their families. These people appease. Its a misfortune that Congress always humiliates the country by questioning its achievements.The party insulted son of Uttarakhand&1st ever CDS late Gen Bipin Rawat by questioning Indian Armys surgical strike & the country by questioning efficacy of #MadeInIndia Covid vaccine. pic.twitter.com/mvsTXXydRW Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) February 11, 2022 Meanwhile, Congress has hit back at Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma's statement. Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said that seeing the defeat, the (absconding Congress) CM of Assam lost his mental balance and crossed all limits of political bankruptcy. He also said that in order to get Modi Ji's loyalty, it is necessary to abuse his old party. This is a testimony to Hemanta Sarma's shallowness and poor thinking.' Seeing the defeat, the (Congress fugitive) CM of Assam lost his mental balance and crossed all limits of political bankruptcy. CM Gehlot: Congress lost 2013 assembly elections because of officials Punjab elections: 3 parties changed in 40 days, now MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi joins BJP again Illegal mining case: CM Channi's nephew confesses to his crime, court sends him to 14-day custody Two males of unknown ages were shot dead and another man injured by a gunshot in separate shootings over a 40-minute stretch Baltimore Friday morning, city police said. The homicides occurred within 20 minutes of each other in South and West Baltimore, according to Baltimore police. Only about 3 miles separated the killings. Advertisement Detective Vernon Davis, a police department spokesman, said there are no indications preliminarily that the killings are connected. He could provide few details about the circumstances of the fatal shootings. The detectives are out there currently working on the case, he said. Hopefully theyll be giving us more information later. Advertisement Before the deadly violence around 9:10 a.m. patrol officers with the Eastern District station encountered an injured 46-year-old man in the 1700 block of Latrobe St. Police said the man had been shot in the hand, and that medics took him from the Station North neighborhood to a hospital. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > About 20 minutes later, Southern District police officers got a call about a shooting and went to the 500 block of South Payson St. to investigate. Police said the officers found a male there in the Carrollton Ridge neighborhood; hed been shot multiple times. The gunshot victim was taken to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Center but medical personnel pronounced him dead, according to police. Homicide detectives have initiated an investigation. Around 9:50 a.m., an alert on the citys ShotSpotter gunshot detection system brought officers to the 1800 block of Ashburton St. Police said the Western District officers found an unidentified male whod been shot more than once. He was taken to shock trauma and pronounced dead. Homicide detectives assumed the investigation. Police said anyone with information about the killings can call homicide detectives at 410-396-2100. If someone knows something but wishes to remain anonymous, they can dial 1-866-7LOCKUP to leave a tip with Metro Crime Stoppers, police said. NAIROBI: The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) requested 14.77 billion shillings (almost USD 130 million) on Friday to offer time-critical assistance to highly vulnerable communities in drought-stricken areas of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia. The FAO has warned that a multi-season drought is causing acute food insecurity in the Horn of Africa, with 12 to 14 million people now at risk as crops wilt and animals deteriorate, according to reports. FAO's Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol, Subregional Coordinator for Eastern Africa David Phiri, and Director of Emergencies and Resilience Rein Paulsen just returned from a trip to Kenya to raise awareness about the drought and see FAO's critical response in action, including in the northern counties of Isiolo and Marsabit. Drought cycles are increasing and occurring with increased regularity, according to Bechdol, who believes that immediate humanitarian assistance to farmers and herders is required. "The international community has a limited window to prevent a catastrophic humanitarian catastrophe here," she said after touring Kenyan settlements where goats and cows are dying due to a lack of water and grass. According to a new report released on Thursday by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) for Somalia, the number of people in Somalia who are acutely food insecure is expected to rise from 3.5 million to 4.1 million between January and March if humanitarian aid is not delivered on time. Economists say, Huge investment needed to develop growth in South Africa Lebanese PM unveils master plan for Beirut port reconstruction US dept's dealing of public health emergencies rated as 'high risk' Actress Pooja Hegde loves travelling a lot. The actress has always shared beautiful photos and videos of vacation on her Instagram handle. These days the actress has taken a break from work and gone to maldives with her family. In the photos, you can also see that Pooja has come in full chill mode with her family. She is seen posing with her family near the ship on the seashore. Along with this picture, the actress wrote in the caption - 'Finally! Our first family vacation after 13 years. A long and very urgent #famjam.' Not only this, Pooja Hegde also celebrated her mother's birthday by reaching maldives, whose beautiful photos were shared with the fans. Pooja enjoyed lunch with her mother's birthday family and shared the pictures and wrote- 'The table was set, the lights were beautiful and we celebrated by sitting by the sea. Happy 60th birthday, Mom. I hope your birthday was as special as yours. ' Actually, anyone will say after seeing these photos, this surprise given by the daughter to the mother is going to be very special for them. Fans are liking these photos shared by Pooja Hegde a lot and are also seen looting love by commenting. Rani Chatterjee reduced her weight by working hard, know what is the fitness secret of the actress Kajal was a victim of body shaming, so Samantha supported her in this way By posing on the side, Namrata stole the agreement of the fans. TEHRAN Iranians took to the streets on Friday to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of the Islamic Revolution's victory in 1979.The rally was organised in the style of a drive-in for the second year in a succession due to Covid-19 concerns, with people driving automobiles and riding motorcycles in crowds. Motorists carrying banners praising the creation of the Islamic Republic marched through the streets of Tehran's city to the Azadi (Liberty) Square. Participants in the demonstration in Tehran issued a declaration condemning the West for putting pressure on the country's defence programme. They also lauded the nuclear negotiating team's efforts to uphold the country's interests by adhering to the leadership's directions and parliament's legislation. Other cities' motorists followed the capital's lead in honouring the momentous revolution's victory anniversary. Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution ousted the US-backed Shah dynasty and installed Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as the country's leader. Iran's decision to send team to Vienna shows its willingness to explore diplomatic solution Two Bushehr plant units will soon be connected to the power grid: Iranian official Tasneem Mir did wonders in the game, won the women's singles title TEL AVIV: Due to rising tensions between Russia and Ukraine, Israel has decided to evacuate Israeli ambassadors and embassy employees from Kyiv. According to the reports, Israel's Foreign Ministry has issued a travel warning, and Israeli visitors to Ukraine are encouraged to leave Kiev. Israelis considering travelling to Ukraine should postpone their plans for the time being, according to the Ministry. "In light of the deteriorating situation in Ukraine, Israeli nationals currently in the country are encouraged to reconsider their stay," the statement said, warning Israelis "to avoid visiting hotspot areas in any event." Following the travel warning, the Ministry announced that it had "decided to evacuate the families of Israeli diplomats and embassy personnel." On Friday, US Vice President Joe Biden renewed his appeal for all American people in Ukraine to leave immediately, citing heightened military risks. Germany Chancellor Scholz mulls easing Covid-19 measures Turkish forces kill 29 Kurdish militants in Northern Syria: Defence Ministry Madagascar: Death toll from Cyclone Batsirai has risen to 111 Islamabad: With radicals again attacking minority Hindus in Pakistan, a Hindu temple in Rohri in Sindh province was not only looted but also vandalised by Muslims earlier this month. They also looted cash and gold at the Shiran Wali Mata Hindu temple and destroyed 5 statues of Hindu gods. Started the morning with this horrible news. Another temple in Rohri, #Sindh has been attacked & vandalized by religious extremists, they looted d cash & gold and broke 5 idols of #Hindu deities. This time, it's Shiranwali Mata Mandir.#ProtectMinoritiesReligiousPlaces pic.twitter.com/zdtAcG92DH Voice of Pakistan Minority (@voice_minority) February 5, 2022 Voice of Pakistan Minority, a non-profit organisation committed to protecting the rights of minorities in Pakistan, tweeted about the incident and demanded the protection of religious places of the Hindu community in Pakistan. Meanwhile, CCTV video of the assault and robbery is also going viral on social media. According to media reports, the Sindh Human Rights Commission (SHRC) condemned the attack and demanded the formation of a special committee to act as a vigilance platform and monitor cases of violence against minorities. EXCLUSIVE FOOTAGE: This is @ImranKhanPTI's #Pakistan. Muslim looter caught on camera looting and vandalizing the Shiran Wali Mata Hindu temple in Rohri #Sindh. No coverage in "South Asia" focused global media as they are busy parroting #Taliban agenda of promoting #Hijab in India pic.twitter.com/IpjEKGa0L1 South Asian Minorities Collective (@MinoritiesSouth) February 10, 2022 In Pakistan, many temples of minority Hindus are attacked, looted and vandalised day by day. Earlier on January 27, the under-construction Hinglaj Mata temple in the Tharparkar district of Sindh province was demolished by the Pakistani authorities. At the same time, during Navratri in the year 2020, unidentified miscreants had also damaged the head of the statue of Hinglaj Mata. Brother had physical relations with sister, one night something happened that... Security forces seized 11 Pakistani boats in Gujarat, BSF took action after getting information Villagers thrash a couple who are allegedly in illicit relationship The Hungary govt would not accept more NATO soldiers on its territory as part of operations connected to the Ukraine situation, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade here. The United States has already dispatched troops to Poland and Romania, while Germany has committed reinforcements to Lithuania. NATO forces are already present in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. "No, we have not consented to that (the deployment of more NATO soldiers), and we will not agree since we already have NATO's troops on the soil of the nation, which are the Hungarian army and the Hungarian armed forces," Szijjarto said, according to Euronews. These troops are "in good enough to ensure the country's security." As a result, we do not require more soldiers on Hungary's territory." The US has stated that Russia is considering a "invasion" of Ukraine. Moscow has categorically disputed the claims. Hungary's Ministry of Defense also issued a comment on the issue. "There is no need for NATO soldiers to stay in Hungary , but this does not imply that Hungary will withdraw from the organisation; on the contrary it will have closer ties. New disaster amid Corona! Deaths of people due to 'Lassa Fever,' know its symptoms? Israel govt mulls to evacuates diplomats from Ukraine Germany Chancellor Scholz mulls easing Covid-19 measures The Turkish Defense Ministry said in a statement that Turkish security forces killed 29 members of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) in northern Syria. According to the statement, 28 YPG militants who attempted to attack the Operation Euphrates Shield zone and one fighter who tried to attack the Operation Peace Spring territory were "neutralised." The term "neutralised" is often used by Turkish authorities to describe terrorists who have been killed, injured, or detained during security operations. On the Syrian border, Turkish forces and YPG members regularly exchange fire, but tensions have risen in the region since three Turkish soldiers were killed there in early January. In 2016, the Turkish army launched Operation Euphrates Shield in northern Syria, followed by Operation Olive Branch in 2018, Operation Peace Spring in 2019 and Operation Spring Shield in 2020, in an alleged attempt to eliminate terror threats against Ankara and create a safe zone that would allow Syrian refugees to return to their homes. Let us tell you the relationship between Turkey and Syria both countries have the longest shared border, and the two nations are linked by a variety of geographic and historical connections. The self-annexation of the Hatay Province to Turkey in 1939, water disputes resulting from the Southeastern Anatolia Project, and Syria's support for the Kurdistan Workers' Party (abbreviated as PKK) and the now-dissolved Armenian Secret Army for the Liberation of Armenia (abbreviated as ASALA), which has been designated as a terrorist organisation by NATO, have all contributed to traditionally tense relations between Turkey and Syria. Madagascar: Death toll from Cyclone Batsirai has risen to 111 Covid-19 containment measures relaxed in Kyrgyzstan 57.3 billion cubic metres of gas will be produced by Uzbekistan in 2022 UNITED NATIONS United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has encouraged all Libyan parties to preserve stability. The UN chief urged "all parties to continue to maintain stability in Libya as a major priority," according to a statement released by his office. The senior UN diplomat said he was aware of the country's eastern-based House of Representatives voting on Thursday to name a new prime minister. According to news reports, MPs decided to establish a new interim administration, despite the opposition of internationally recognised Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, who stated that he would not resign and called the action illegitimate. The report adds, two rival administrations are contending for ultimate control, with the UN-backed government and institutions based in Tripoli, and a new parliament-backed authority led by former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha establishing itself in the capital. Following the fall of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, oil-rich Libya fell into brutal conflict between opposing militias. The UN-led and inclusive Libyan Political Dialogue Forum made significant progress toward reconciling the country a year ago through UN-brokered negotiations toward a durable peace and a new democratic constitution. Parliamentarians passed a constitutional amendment, according to Guterres, that lays out a "road map" for modifying the 2017 constitutional draught, on which no agreement has been achieved. Within months, the Australian cruise industry will resume: Reports Putin intends to invade Ukraine on February 16th Israel govt mulls to evacuates diplomats from Ukraine Home Just In Why celebrating February as the Iodine Month is still relevant in Nepal The government of Nepal is observing February as National Iodine Month with an aim of creating awareness among people about the consumption of iodised salt. Iodine is a micronutrient essential for thyroid function, necessary for the normal growth, development and functioning of the brain and body. It also influences a variety of metabolic processes in the body (converting food to energy, regulating growth and fertility, and maintaining body temperature). Iodine deficiency, which leads to a decline in cognitive capacity and brain damage, is most lethal to foetuses and young children. Inadequate consumption of iodine increases the chances of miscarriage and stillbirth. According to UNICEF, 30 per cent of the households in the developing world are not consuming iodised salt and 41 million infants and newborns are at the risk of iodine deficiency. Nepal once had one of the highest prevalences of iodine deficiency disorders in the world. Reports from British visitors to Nepal decades ago noted a high prevalence of goitre and cretinism and attributed the problems to a wide variety of causes by the local population. There were accounts of tens of thousands of cases of goitre treated in Nepals Terai by British medical officers in the ensuing years. Decades passed, but the problem is still plaguing remote parts of the country. Plus, the country needs to adjust the iodine intake standard to reflect several recent developments. Hence, celebrating February as the Iodine Month is still relevant in Nepal. Policies and progress A policy to fortify all edible salt with iodine in Nepal was adopted by the government in 1973 and iodised oil supplementation in target districts had started in 1979. The cost of iodine supplementation was much more expensive than salt iodisation, and the lack of adequate public health infrastructure required for its delivery limited the reach of the intervention. File As the access to iodised salt increased considerably in remote parts of the country, iodine supplementation was phased out in 1998, adopting salt iodisation as the sole strategy to control and eliminate IDD in the country. A social marketing campaign along with the celebration of the month of February as the Iodine Month continues to raise awareness about the government-endorsed twochild logo packaged salt for consumption of adequately iodised salt at the household level. The logo includes a healthy child and was used in the communication campaign. Because there is no salt produced in Nepal, the Universal Salt Iodisation programme leveraged the bilateral trade relationship with the government of India. Thus, by 1999, the national IDD plan recognised salt iodisation as the sole intervention for addressing IDD elimination goals. Current scenario A recent report shows the proportion of households using refined salt was only 10% in 1998 and has increased to 88% in 2016. The percentage of all salt samples with iodine levels more than 15 ppm is 90.7. National survey reports at different times show an increase in the number of households using adequately iodised salt from 55 per cent in 1998 to 95 per cent in 2016. This success is the result of a number of critical factors, including early recognition of the problem, political commitment, establishment of an exclusive agency responsible for the importation and early adoption of legislation that stipulated that all edible salt be iodized, periodic surveys that tracked performance and implementation, and the deployment of targeted communications such as the Iodine Month celebration to encourage consumer demand to shift towards a higher quality product with adequate iodine levels. The World Health Organization recommends that an optimal iodine intake is where a median urinary iodine concentration (MUIC) in school-aged children is in the range of 100299 ug/L and excessive if the MUIC is above 300 ug/L (UNICEF, 2015). As per recent data, the MUIC of children 6-9 years is 314.1 g/L. The median urinary iodine concentration among non-pregnant women 15-49 years is 286.2 g/L. The journey from deficiency to excess has been observed as the proportion of household iodised salt with excessive iodine content (>40 mg/kg) was 67.5% in 2016. With these criteria in mind, the 2016 survey shows that at the national level, school-age children were currently classified in the excessive range, whereas pregnant women and women of childbearing age were classified in adequate and more than adequate ranges respectively. Iodine intake was high in the central and western regions, in the Terai, and among a number of ethnic groups including the poorer Terai Janajatis. What next? In addition, the assessment of iodine content of salt showed that mean iodine content for all salt samples was 44.1 ppm, and that 67.5% were >40 ppmwell above the expected level at the retail (30 ppm) and household (15 ppm) levels. These findings suggest that the current standard, combined with a marked increase in the use of a refined packaged product may require an adjustment of the standard. This should be a major concern while celebrating Iodine Month this year. Although excess iodine exposure generally does not result in any apparent clinical consequences, thyroid dysfunction can occur in vulnerable patients with specific risk factors, including those with pre-existing thyroid disease, the elderly, fetuses and neonates. Now, ahead of Iodine Month and other recent developments, future challenges include managing the iodine content in iodised salt to address excessive iodine in salt, understanding the use of iodised salt in processed foods, and ensuring programme visibility to ensure sustainability. Kathmandu, January 16 Nepal has sent 14 tones of various goods in humanitarian aid to the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan that is living through a humanitarian crisis. A delegation led by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Joint-Secretary Sewa Lamsal left Kathmandu for Kabul on Sunday morning. Foreign Affairs Minister Narayan Khadka saw the team off at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu this morning. The ministry says the aid includes medicines, garments, kitchen utensils and other items as advised by the United Nations. The Nepali delegation will return home tonight itself after handing over the assistance to the UN team in Kabil. This is the first time that Nepal is assisting a foreign country with humanitarian aid via a flight, claims Khadka. We have been receiving support from different countries and agencies during different crises, Khadka says, But, this incident will give a message that Nepal does not hesitate to support other countries also whenever needed. Meanwhile, Khadka has thanked private entrepreneurs and Nepal Oil Corporation for extending their support to the government for this purpose. A former U.S. Naval nuclear engineer accused of trying to sell secrets to a foreign government is due to appear in court Monday for a plea hearing. Jonathan Toebbe of Annapolis and his wife, Dana Toebbe, previously pleaded not guilty to charges of espionage in October. A plea hearing indicates that Jonathan Toebbe will change that plea. Advertisement Toebbe, a 42-year-old who worked on classified nuclear projects for the Navy, and his wife, a former humanities teacher at the Key School in Annapolis, face espionage charges for selling secrets about nuclear submarines to an undisclosed foreign power. They were arrested in October in Jefferson County, West Virginia after selling confidential information concerning the design of nuclear-powered warships over the course of a year to an undercover FBI agent who posed as a representative of a military intelligence agency, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. A West Virginia magistrate judge in a Friday order said that Jonathan Toebbe of Annapolis will enter a plea at 3 p.m. Monday. Advertisement Nicholas Compton, an assistant federal public defender for the Northern District of West Virginia and Toebbes defense attorney, did not respond to a request for comment Saturday. Federal authorities allege that in the spring of 2020, Jonathan Toebbe, 42, began communicating with undercover agents, offering to sell nuclear secrets. Jonathan Toebbe communicated with agents through encrypted channels, received covert signals and left memory cards containing sensitive information hidden in a peanut butter sandwich and a pack of chewing gum during dead-drop exchanges at specified locations in exchange for thousands of dollars in cryptocurrency. His wife was seen assisting with the drops, sometimes apparently acting as a lookout, according to the complaint. A magistrate denied Diana Toebbes request to reconsider her bail denial. Her attorneys have appealed, asking the court to hold a second detention hearing and consider new evidence that Jonathan Toebbe has insisted, while in pretrial detention, that his wife is innocent, and that Diana Toebbes DNA was not found on several crucial items of evidence produced by prosecutors. Home Just In Shreeti Shrestha: Setting an example to promote women in science and technology in Nepal Shreeti Shrestha works as a software engineer at Cotiviti, a multinational healthcare analytics company, for the past three years. However, her life is different from other software engineers. A native of Palpa, Shreeti Shrestha was diagnosed with a rare genetic disease when she was 12. Yet, despite being wheelchair-bound, today, she has made herself an inspiration for many women and youth with a disability to come forward and pursue their careers in the field of technology, which was traditionally considered a masculine field that requires physical strength. Yet, as she recollects her memory, Shrestha remembers the journey so far has been full of struggles and achievements. Problems with possibilities Soon after her birth in 1996, Shreeti Shresthas family shifted to Kathmandu. As per her mother Anita, she crawled very late. We didnt realise that there was some problem as she used to sit in a place and play. We thought that she was a very wise child, the mom shares, But, as she could not walk properly when she was one-year plus, we became worried and began visiting doctors. Shreeti Shresthas father, Kiran, himself was a surgeon, hence the family immediately took the problem into notice. Then, the parents first took her to Patna when she was five. However, the effort turned futile as the doctors there could not diagnose her problem. It was only in 2008 in Bangkok that the doctors recognised she has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). After teaching her basic alphabets at home, her parents searched for a school where there would be very few students so that she could receive enough care and support. And, they found one too. My school, Ikeda based in Ravi Bhawan of Kathmandu, was more like a family than a typical school, Shrestha, an all-class topper at school says, My friends were also very supportive and my teacher encouraged and supported me a lot in my studies. Shreeti Shrestha. Photo: Aryan Dhimal Yet, the infrastructure of the school was not disabled-friendly per-se, says Shreeti Shrestha. Infrastructure-wise, it was like any other common house. Only because everything was on the ground floor for the primary level, thus, she did not face any hurdles. For the secondary level, the school authority shifted the classroom to the ground floor just for her. My school also assigned people to support me in need. So, I didnt have much problem during my school years, she shares, Till grade seven, I was not in a wheelchair, but I did need some kind of support to walk as this disease. You know this problem is age-progressive; the severity goes up as you grow up. There is no cure for this disease yet. There are some treatments that can minimise weaknesses, but they are not available in Nepal. Also, it is very expensive. During 10th grade, Shreeti Shrestha had to undergo spinal surgery. In the next two years, she could not go to school due to the surgerys side effects. Yet, her parents arranged for some teachers to visit her at home. Fascination towards computer Over the years, if anything attracted Shreeti Shrestha, they were computers. I was in grade two when my father bought a computer. I began learning to use computers in the fourth grade, she says, Since then, my interest just grew forever. As the school would teach her how to make PowerPoint presentations, she would practise it at home by assisting her dad. The more I started using computers, the deeper my interest grew. Recognising her interest, her teachers also focused on programming from an early age. They would give her problems so that she could explore more. She also self-studied many things about computers. She chose physics as a major in her final school years as she, by then, was committed to venturing into the IT field. Shreeti Shrestha. Photo: Aryan Dhimal Subsequently, Shreeti Shrestha enrolled at Pulchowk Engineering Campus in 2014 for a BE in computer engineering as the family found there were disabled-friendly infrastructures and she could comfortably study there. A few people tried to treat her like a burden indirectly and discourage her, thinking they had to do an extra arrangement for her. But, there were are many who motivated her in her path, Shresthas mom remembers the campus visit. Shreeti Shrestha also remembers, The dean also motivated me to take the entrance examinations. He assured me of his support in the best possible way. They never discriminated against me intentionally. But, I observed some little things such as women befriending only women and men with men and the stereotypical mindset that women or girls are not good in IT, Shrestha shares about her college experience, Many women underestimate themselves. But, I wanted to break that and I believe I managed to do that somehow. Shrestha is proud that she even became able to do drawings required for her studies although her muscles were weak due to the disease. I didnt know how I would manage all this. But, my worries vanished as my friends helped me. An exciting career path After completing the bachelors degree, Shreeeti Shrestha took a break for six months and started working in February 2019. As there was no provision for work from home then, I had to think a lot before applying for any job, mainly about how accessible or convenient the companys office is to me, she shares, adding she could not join many jobs due to the same problem despite being selected. Then, she got an opportunity to work for Dallo Tech on some projects started by her friends. She is still there as a co-founder. Shreeti Shrestha does not have any accessibility problems as it has a lift. Also, the team supports me as it has made some necessary changes including installing ramps in the canteen. However, for the past two years, the team is working remotely due to the Covid-19 crisis. Before that, her father used to help her commute. It has been the same from school to work. Now, Shreeti Shrestha wants to do a masters to take her career ahead. You should not underestimate yourself; as long as you aim and work hard, you can do it. There is always a way out, she says. Her mother is happy that she has been successful in her career so far. When she was a child, we used to carry her from one floor to another and one place to another. As per her need, we modified our house structures including installing lifts, ramps and all. But now, she has made a career on her own. Isnt it something to be proud of? (Adds Taiwan government comment on WTO case) WASHINGTON, Jan 28 (Reuters) - A senior U.S. official will visit Lithuania next week to discuss enhancing economic cooperation with the small Baltic nation, which has faced pressure from China for boosting ties with Taiwan. Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment Jose Fernandez will be in Vilnius from Sunday to Tuesday, and in Brussels from Wednesday to Friday, where he will also discuss efforts to counter economic "coercion" with EU officials, the State Department said in a statement. In Vilnius, he will discuss bilateral economic cooperation, and U.S. "strong support for Lithuania in the face of political pressure and economic coercion from the Peoples Republic of China," the statement said. Fernandez will be accompanied by U.S. Export-Import Bank officials to discuss implementation of a $600 million memorandum of understanding to expand opportunities for U.S. exporters and Lithuanian buyers in areas such as high-tech manufacturing, business services and renewable energy, according to the statement. In Brussels, Fernandez will discuss transatlantic trade and investment through the U.S.-EU Trade and Technology Council, the statement said. The United States, which is seeking to push back against growing Chinese influence worldwide, has backed Lithuania in its dispute with China over Taiwan, a self-ruled island Beijing claims as its own. China downgraded its diplomatic relationship with Lithuania and pressed multinationals to sever ties with the country after Taiwan opened a representative office in Vilnius last year called the Taiwanese Representative Office in Lithuania, rather than using the word Taipei as is more common. EU authorities launched a challenge at the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Thursday, accusing China of discriminatory trade practices against EU member Lithuania that they say threaten the integrity of the bloc's single market. Story continues Lithuania's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday it hopes its trade dispute with China will be solved with consultations between China and the EU. Commenting on the WTO case, Taiwan's Cabinet's Office of Trade Negotiations said late Friday it "fully supports" the EU and Lithuania and opposes China's "inappropriate economic coercion". "Our country will work with other like-minded partners such as Lithuania and the EU to prevent China from using coercive economic and diplomatic measures, to maintain a rules-based international trading system," it added in a statement. (Reporting by David Brunnstrom and Michael Martina; Additional reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and William Mallard) By Trevor Hunnicutt and Dmitry Antonov WASHINGTON/MOSCOW (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden told Russia's Vladimir Putin on Saturday that the West would respond decisively to any invasion of Ukraine, adding such a step would produce widespread suffering and isolate Moscow. In the latest effort to manage growing hostility, the two men spoke by phone for an hour a day after Washington and its allies warned that the Russian military, which has 100,000 troops massed near Ukraine, could invade at any moment. Moscow has dismissed those warnings as "hysteria." Neither side said there had been any breakthroughs. A senior Biden administration official said the call was professional and substantive, but that there was no fundamental change. The Kremlin said Putin told Biden Washington has failed to take Russia's main concerns into account, and it had received no "substantial answer" on key elements including NATO's expansion and the deployment of offensive forces to Ukraine. The senior Biden administration official said it was unclear whether Putin was committed to diplomacy even as he agreed to stay in touch with Biden. The call took place as Israel, Portugal and Belgium joined the list of countries that have urged their citizens to leave Ukraine immediately. The U.S. State Department ordered most of its embassy staff to leave Ukraine. The Pentagon said it was withdrawing about 150 military trainers. Australia said on Sunday it was evacuating its embassy in Kyiv, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison calling on China to speak up for Ukraine and not remain "chillingly silent" as Russia massed military forces on its border. Morrison's comments to a news conference followed criticism by China of a meeting of the U.S., Australian, Japanese and Indian foreign ministers last week in Melbourne. "The coalition of autocracies that we are seeing, seeking to bully other countries, is not something that Australia ever takes a light position on," Morrison said. Story continues TELEPHONE DIPLOMACY Biden was due to compare notes with French President Emmanuel Macron, who spoke with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Saturday, according to the White House. Biden's top military and diplomatic officials held calls with their Russian counterparts. Putin also spoke with Alexander Lukashenko, leader of Ukraine's northern neighbor Belarus, which is engaged in major joint military drills with Russia. After Macron's call with Putin, a French presidency official said there were no indications from what Putin told Macron that Russia is preparing an offensive against Ukraine. "We are nevertheless extremely vigilant and alert to the Russian (military) posture in order to avoid the worst," the French official said. Russia said on Saturday that it had decided to "optimize" its diplomatic staff numbers in Ukraine, fearing "provocations" by Kyiv or others. It said its embassy and consulates in Ukraine continued to perform their key functions. A U.S. official on Saturday said there was no telling what Putin has decided, but that the steps Russia is taking "in plain sight" make them fear the worst. ZELENSKIY CALLS FOR CALM Biden told Putin during their call that the United States is pushing for diplomacy but ready for "other scenarios," the White House said. In Kyiv, several thousand Ukrainians filed through the center of the city, chanting "Glory to Ukraine" and carrying banners that said "Ukrainians will resist" and "invaders must die." Zelenskiy, who attended police drills in the southern Kherson region, echoed Washington's assessment that a Russian attack could happen at any time, but stressed that it was important for Ukrainians to remain calm. "The best friend of our enemies is panic in our country," he said. Putin, jostling for influence in post-Cold War Europe, is seeking security guarantees from Biden to block Kyiv's entry into NATO and missile deployments near Russia's borders. Washington regards many of the proposals as non-starters but has pushed the Kremlin to discuss them jointly with Washington and its European allies. Moscow has repeatedly disputed Washington's version of events, saying it has massed the troops near the Ukrainian border to maintain its own security against aggression by NATO allies. Also on Saturday, the Russian military said it had used "appropriate means" to make a U.S. submarine depart from Russian waters in the far east after the vessel ignored a Russian order to surface, Interfax news agency reported. The submarine was detected in Russian waters as elements of Russia's Pacific Fleet conducted naval exercises near the Kuril islands, the defence ministry was quoted as saying. In a statement, a U.S. military spokesman denied it had carried out operations in Russian territorial waters. (Reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt, Idrees Ali, Simon Lewis, Vladimir Soldatkin, Pavel Polityuk, Valentyn Ogirenko, Dmitry Antonov, Leigh Thomas, Mike Stone, Makini Brice and Humeyra Pamuk; Writing by Trevor Hunnicutt and Frances Kerry, Editing by Angus MacSwan and Daniel Wallis) Rating Action: Moody's affirms the Aaa ratings of Denmark; maintains stable outlookGlobal Credit Research - 11 Feb 2022Frankfurt am Main, February 11, 2022 -- Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has today affirmed the Government of Denmark's Aaa long-term issuer ratings, Aaa senior unsecured bond ratings and (P)Aaa MTN programme rating. Moody's has also affirmed Denmark's Prime-1 (P-1) short-term Commercial Paper rating. The outlook remains stable.The key drivers for today's rating action are the following:(1) Denmark's very strong fiscal position has been maintained during the pandemic and is in Moody's view sustainable in the long-term;(2) Denmark's economic strength has been resilient to the pandemic shock and is supported by its wealthy and highly competitive economy;(3) Denmark's institutional set-up is in Moody's view one of the strongest globally resulting in forward-looking policies which address the country's long-term challenges.The stable outlook reflects Moody's view that that downside risks to Denmark's very strong credit profile are predominantly external in nature and effectively mitigated by the country's very strong, forward-looking policy effectiveness as well as very high economic and fiscal resilience.Denmark's local and foreign currency country ceilings remain unchanged at Aaa.RATINGS RATIONALERATIONALE FOR THE AFFIRMATION OF THE Aaa RATINGSFIRST DRIVER: DENMARK'S VERY STRONG FISCAL POSITION HAS BEEN MAINTAINED DURING THE PANDEMIC AND IS SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG-TERMDenmark entered the pandemic with very strong fiscal metrics and has maintained its large fiscal buffers. The country had a sizeable fiscal surplus of 4.1% in 2019 and general government debt was with 33.6% of GDP at its lowest level since 2008.[1] The fiscal balance turned into a deficit in 2020 because of the pandemic shock and the pandemic-related support measures. The fiscal deficits registered 0.2% of GDP on average in 2020-21, the smallest level among all advanced economies rated by Moody's. [2] Moody's expects the fiscal deficit to turn into a surplus of 1.2% of GDP in 2022 as pandemic-related support measures phase out and a tightening of traditional fiscal policy measures takes place.Debt-to-GDP increased by 8.5 percentage points to 42.1% of GDP in 2020.[3] Roughly half of the increase was driven by an increase in reserves, on-lending and financing of social housing and Danish debt-to-GDP remained below the median of Aaa-rated sovereigns (45.1% of GDP).[4] Because of the robust economic recovery and the return to fiscal surpluses in 2022, Moody's expects the Danish debt-to-GDP level to decline to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 which positions Denmark favourably among Aaa-rated sovereigns. Apart from Denmark, the debt-to-GDP ratio among Aaa-rated sovereigns only falls to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 for Norway (Aaa stable), Sweden (Aaa stable) and Switzerland (Aaa stable).Denmark's debt affordability metrics also improved despite the pandemic from an already very strong position. The interest payment-to-revenue ratio decreased to 1.0% in 2020 from 1.4% in 2019 and an average of 2.4% over the past decade.[5] This is lower than the Aaa-median (1.3% in 2020) [6]. In January 2022, Denmark issued its first green twin bond under its green bond framework which further diversifies the country's investor base.Over the medium-to-long term, Moody's expects Denmark's prudent fiscal policies and relatively low debt levels to be sustained. Denmark's general government debt ratio has not exceeded the Maastricht criteria of 60% of GDP since 1999, and Denmark shows a high compliance with national and EU fiscal rules as signalled by the compliance score of 84% on the rules of the Stability and Growth Pact over the period from 1998 to 2020; the third highest in the EU only behind Luxembourg (Aaa stable) and Sweden.[7]The long-term fiscal sustainability is supported by the implementation of the pension reform of 2011 that links the retirement age to life expectancy which also supports labor supply and therefore potential growth. According to projections of the European Commission, the total cost of ageing will remain broadly stable and only increase by 1.5 percentage points between 2019 and 2070 to 27% of GDP. Healthcare and long-term care spending levels will rise by around one and three percentage points, respectively, by 2070 as the population ages, whereas public pension spending will fall continuously from its current level of 9.3% of GDP to 7.3% of GDP in 2070.SECOND DRIVER: DENMARK'S ECONOMIC STRENGTH HAS BEEN RESILIENT TO THE PANDEMIC SHOCK AND IS SUPPORTED BY ITS WEALTHY AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE ECONOMYDenmark's economy is highly competitive generating very high wealth levels and trend growth of 2.1% over 2016-25F[8], in line with the Aaa-rated median. Economic strength is supported by the economy's high diversification, high education levels, well-developed physical and digital infrastructure, high technological advancement and a very flexible labor market.Against that backdrop, the economy proved to be resilient to the pandemic shock. This is highlighted by a relatively mild GDP contraction of 2.1% in 2020 compared to the Aaa-median (-2.7%) and a rapid recovery resulting in GDP already surpassing the pre-pandemic level since the second quarter of 2021.[9] The economy's resilience has benefitted from rapid progress on vaccinations rates. As of end of January, 81% of the population was fully vaccinated and 61% had received vaccine booster doses.[10] Strong household income, flexible labor markets and exports consisting of non-cyclical goods such as green tech and pharmaceuticals have also supported Denmark's economic resilience as pandemic related support measures and sizeable automatic stabilizers inherent in the tax and transfer systems kept the supply side of the economy intact.Given the country's large fiscal buffer, Denmark continues to possess the ability to apply sizeable, effective countercyclical fiscal policy if needed in the case of a resurgence of the pandemic shock or other shocks to its economy.Moreover, the pandemic has had no negative impact on Denmark's potential growth amounting to 2.2% in 2021-25 according to Moody's estimate compared to an average 2.0% over 2019-20. Main driver of potential growth is labor productivity, but hours worked will also contribute in light of the further increase of the participation rates of older workers as the pension entry age increases, being linked to life expectancy.Moody's expects the further reduction of greenhouse gas emissions out to 2030 to continue to have only a small negative impact on economic growth. Denmark is a forerunner in climate policy and has cut emissions by 36% between 1990 and 2019 which is roughly half of the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission by 70% in 2030 compared to 1990 levels.[11] Denmark's well designed climate policy governance resulted in a decoupling of greenhouse gas emission from economic growth. While emissions were already reduced significantly between 1990-2019, this was not disrupting economic or employment growth.THIRD DRIVER: DENMARK HAS ONE OF THE STRONGEST INSTITUTIONAL SET-UPS GLOBALLY RESULTING IN FORWARD-LOOKING POLICIESMoody's views Denmark's institutional set-up as one of the strongest among all sovereigns rated by Moody's. The country's institutions are characterized by the high quality of legislative and executive institutions, a strong civil society and high-quality judiciary, as well as strong fiscal, monetary and macroeconomic policy effectiveness. Policy formulation and implementation is predictable and forward-looking which is, for example, reflected in the 10-year policy plans that successive governments have presented over the years.The quality of legislative and executive institutions in Denmark is very high. This is reflected in Denmark being positioned among the strongest countries globally in the Worldwide Governance Indicators for government effectiveness and regulatory quality. Moreover, the actions and well-designed support measures in the context of the pandemic also support Moody's view of quality of Denmark's legislative and executive institutions being very high.Moody's assessment of civil society and the judiciary is also robust as Denmark actively supports civil society engagement with freedom of speech guaranteed by Article 77 of the 1849 constitution and has a robust legal framework that complies with international standards and effective access to justice. Law enforcement in Denmark is highly predictable and consistent. This is shown by Denmark's favorable position in the Worldwide Governance Indicators for rule of law, control of corruption as well as voice and accountability. In addition, Denmark is ranked first among all countries both in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index and the Corruption Perceptions Index of Transparency International.Danish public finances are supported by a sound fiscal framework and a high degree of fiscal policy effectiveness. The sustained commitment and broad consensus to preserve strong public finances results in a track record of maintaining prudent fiscal policies and relatively low debt levels and a high compliance with the various national and European fiscal rules.Denmark's stable and long-standing exchange rate peg since the early 1980, initially against the deutschmark and then against the euro, underlines the very high credibility of monetary policy. The fixed-exchange-rate policy has provided a solid anchor for low and stable inflation expectations. The central bank of Denmark has an agreement with the European Central Bank (ECB) to keep the krone within a 2.25% band around a rate of DKK 746.038 per 100 euro, although in practice it sticks to a much tighter range.[12]RATIONALE FOR STABLE OUTLOOKThe stable outlook reflects Moody's view that downside risks to Denmark's very strong credit profile are predominantly external in nature and effectively mitigated by the country's very strong, forward-looking policy effectiveness as well as very high economic and fiscal resilience.Denmark's proven track record of managing external shocks and proactively addressing long-term challenges, in particular demographic and climate change, underscores its very high resiliency to external shocks. In the recent past, the economic and fiscal resilience as well as very effective policymaking was shown during the pandemic.ENVIRONMENTAL, SOCIAL, GOVERNANCE CONSIDERATIONSDenmark's ESG Credit Impact Score is positive (CIS-1), reflecting low exposure to environmental and social risks, and like many other advanced economies, very strong governance and capacity to respond to shocks.Denmark's exposure to environmental risks is low across all categories. Its overall E issuer profile score is therefore neutral to low (E-2).Denmark has very low or low exposure to most sources of social risks, with widely available and accessible high-quality education, housing, healthcare and basic services. Like many advanced economies, Denmark faces demographic change through an ageing population, but Moody's views the long-term economic and fiscal pressures as comparatively limited, given past labor market and pension reforms. Overall, Moody's assesses Denmark's S issuer profile score as positive (S-1).Denmark's very high institutions and governance strength is reflected in a positive G issuer profile score (G-1). This is underpinned by the government's high credibility, transparency and consensus on key fiscal policy goals and macroeconomic policies. It also reflects the professional and well-staffed public administration and Denmark's very strong scores in global surveys assessing rule of law, voice and accountability, and the control of corruption. Coupled with comparatively strong government financial strength this supports a very high degree of resilience.GDP per capita (PPP basis, US$): 59,136 (2020 Actual) (also known as Per Capita Income)Real GDP growth (% change): -2.1% (2020 Actual) (also known as GDP Growth)Inflation Rate (CPI, % change Dec/Dec): 0.4% (2020 Actual)Gen. Gov. Financial Balance/GDP: -0.2% (2020 Actual) (also known as Fiscal Balance)Current Account Balance/GDP: 8.1% (2020 Actual) (also known as External Balance)External debt/GDP: 151.2% (2020 Actual)Economic resiliency: aa1Default history: No default events (on bonds or loans) have been recorded since 1983.On 08 February 2022, a rating committee was called to discuss the rating of the Denmark, Government of. The main points raised during the discussion were: The issuer's economic fundamentals, including its economic strength, have materially increased. The issuer's institutions and governance strength, have not materially changed. The issuer's fiscal or financial strength, including its debt profile, has not materially changed. The issuer's susceptibility to event risks has not materially changed.FACTORS THAT COULD LEAD TO AN UPGRADE OR DOWNGRADE OF THE RATINGSWHAT COULD CHANGE THE RATINGS DOWNDenmark's Aaa ratings are at the highest level on Moody's rating scale. The Aaa ratings would come under pressure if its strong fiscal metrics were to record a multi-year and material deterioration with no indication of a reversal. In particular, a significant erosion of Denmark's long-term fiscal sustainability caused by taking back reforms would be credit negative. While Moody's views the ratings resilient to an external economic shock, downward pressure would emerge if an external shock would be accompanied by a collapse of house prices and the materialization of significant contingent liabilities from the financial sector on the government's balance sheet.The principal methodology used in these ratings was Sovereign Ratings Methodology published in November 2019 and available at https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1158631. Alternatively, please see the Rating Methodologies page on www.moodys.com for a copy of this methodology.The weighting of all rating factors is described in the methodology used in this credit rating action, if applicable.REGULATORY DISCLOSURESFor further specification of Moody's key rating assumptions and sensitivity analysis, see the sections Methodology Assumptions and Sensitivity to Assumptions in the disclosure form. Moody's Rating Symbols and Definitions can be found at: https://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_79004.For ratings issued on a program, series, category/class of debt or security this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to each rating of a subsequently issued bond or note of the same series, category/class of debt, security or pursuant to a program for which the ratings are derived exclusively from existing ratings in accordance with Moody's rating practices. For ratings issued on a support provider, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the credit rating action on the support provider and in relation to each particular credit rating action for securities that derive their credit ratings from the support provider's credit rating. For provisional ratings, this announcement provides certain regulatory disclosures in relation to the provisional rating assigned, and in relation to a definitive rating that may be assigned subsequent to the final issuance of the debt, in each case where the transaction structure and terms have not changed prior to the assignment of the definitive rating in a manner that would have affected the rating. For further information please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page for the respective issuer on www.moodys.com.For any affected securities or rated entities receiving direct credit support from the primary entity(ies) of this credit rating action, and whose ratings may change as a result of this credit rating action, the associated regulatory disclosures will be those of the guarantor entity. Exceptions to this approach exist for the following disclosures, if applicable to jurisdiction: Ancillary Services, Disclosure to rated entity, Disclosure from rated entity.The ratings have been disclosed to the rated entity or its designated agent(s) and issued with no amendment resulting from that disclosure.These ratings are unsolicited.a.With Rated Entity or Related Third Party Participation: YESb.With Access to Internal Documents: YESc.With Access to Management: YESFor additional information, please refer to Moody's Policy for Designating and Assigning Unsolicited Credit Ratings available on its website www.moodys.com.Regulatory disclosures contained in this press release apply to the credit rating and, if applicable, the related rating outlook or rating review.Moody's general principles for assessing environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in our credit analysis can be found at http://www.moodys.com/researchdocumentcontentpage.aspx?docid=PBC_1288235.The Global Scale Credit Rating on this Credit Rating Announcement was issued by one of Moody's affiliates outside the UK and is endorsed by Moody's Investors Service Limited, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5FA under the law applicable to credit rating agencies in the UK. Further information on the UK endorsement status and on the Moody's office that issued the credit rating is available on www.moodys.com.REFERENCES/CITATIONS[1] Statistics Denmark 05-Feb-2022[2] Statistics Denmark 05-Feb-2022[3] Statistics Denmark 05-Feb-2022[4] National Statistical Offices 05-Feb-2022[5] Statistics Denmark 05-Feb-2022[6] National Statistical Offices 05-Feb-2022[7] EFB Compliance Tracker Dataset 05-Feb-2022[8] National Statistical Offices 05-Feb-2022[9] National Statistical Offices 05-Feb-2022[10] Our World in Data 05-Feb-2022[11] OECD Economic Surveys of Denmark 2021. OECD (2021) 05-Feb-2022[12] Danmarks Nationalbank 05-Feb-2022Please see www.moodys.com for any updates on changes to the lead rating analyst and to the Moody's legal entity that has issued the rating.Please see the ratings tab on the issuer/entity page on www.moodys.com for additional regulatory disclosures for each credit rating. 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(MSFJ) is a wholly-owned credit rating agency subsidiary of MJKK. MSFJ is not a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (NRSRO). Therefore, credit ratings assigned by MSFJ are Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings. Non-NRSRO Credit Ratings are assigned by an entity that is not a NRSRO and, consequently, the rated obligation will not qualify for certain types of treatment under U.S. laws. MJKK and MSFJ are credit rating agencies registered with the Japan Financial Services Agency and their registration numbers are FSA Commissioner (Ratings) No. 2 and 3 respectively.MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) hereby disclose that most issuers of debt securities (including corporate and municipal bonds, debentures, notes and commercial paper) and preferred stock rated by MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) have, prior to assignment of any credit rating, agreed to pay to MJKK or MSFJ (as applicable) for credit ratings opinions and services rendered by it fees ranging from JPY100,000 to approximately JPY550,000,000.MJKK and MSFJ also maintain policies and procedures to address Japanese regulatory requirements. KYIV, Feb 12 (Reuters) - The Ukrainian government urged citizens on Saturday to stay calm and united, saying the armed forces are ready to repel any attack on the country amid concern that Russia may be poised to invade. "It is now critical to remain calm and united within the country, and avoid actions that undermine stability and sow panic," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. "Ukraine's Armed Forces are constantly monitoring developments and are ready to repel any encroachment on the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine," it added. Russia has massed more than 100,000 troops near its border with Ukraine and the United States said on Friday an invasion could come at any time. Washington also urged its citizens in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible, a call echoed by countries including Britain, Japan and Australia. Moscow denies plans to invade, saying it is defending its own security interests against aggression by NATO allies. U.S. President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin were due to speak on Saturday. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said he would talk to Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. (Reporting by Pavel Polityuk Editing by Frances Kerry) VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 10, 2022 /CNW/ - Xebra Brands Ltd. ("Xebra") (CSE: XBRA:) (OTCQB: XBRAF) (FSE: 9YC), a cannabis company, is pleased to announce that in addition to the trademark grants previously reported in Mexico, Xebra has also been granted trademarks for its cannabis infused beverage brands, in the following Latin American countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Jamaica, Peru and Uruguay. Trademarks granted include MADCAP (soft drinks), and the slogan "Crazy Good", HOLAHI (iced teas) and the slogan "It's High Time", HIGHJACK (energy drinks), and the slogan "Enjoy the Trip", VICIOUS CITRUS (lemonades), and the slogan "Lemonade for Renegades", HIGHCASTLE (waters), and the slogan "Drink Like a King", and CONQUER (sports beverage). Xebra Brands Ltd. (CNW Group/Xebra Brands Ltd.) The latest grants further Xebra's objective to obtain trademark protection for its unique brands globally, in countries where cannabis legalization or decriminalization has occurred, or is foreseeable. Additional grants are expected to be announced in the future. ABOUT XEBRA On December 1st, 2021, Xebra was granted a cannabis injunction by the Mexican Supreme Court, which positions it as a first mover in the Mexican CBD and CBG sector. Xebra has also been selected by the Dutch government, out of a competitive pool of applicants, as one of only five companies to compete for two exclusive licenses to cultivate medicinal cannabis (including THC) in the Netherlands, with an initial six-year guaranteed government contract for each successful party estimated at ~CDN$100 million. In Canada, Xebra plans to launch its Vicious Citrous THC Lemonade in the spring of 2022. In Colombia, Xebra is completing agronomical evaluations, to fully register cannabis seed varieties, in anticipation of commercial activities in 2023. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, Rodrigo Gallardo President For more information contact: +1 (604) 418-6560 ir@xebrabrands.com Story continues Certain information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements under applicable securities laws. Any statements that are not statements of historical fact may be deemed to be forward-looking statements, these include, without limitation, statements regarding Xebra Brands Ltd.'s expectations in respect of its ability to successfully execute its business plan or business model; its ability to provide economic, environmental, social, or any benefits of any type, in the communities it operates in or may operate it in the future; its ability to be a first mover in a country, or to obtain or retain government licenses, permits or authorizations in general, or specifically in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to successfully apply for and obtain trademarks and other intellectual property in any jurisdiction; its ability to be cost competitive; its ability to cultivate, grow, or process hemp or cannabis in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere and related plans; financial, operational, or any other term relating to the Company's participation in the Dutch trial medicinal cannabis cultivation; its ability to manufacture cannabis beverages, wellness products, or other products; its ability to commercialize or sell cannabis beverages, wellness products, or other products, in Mexico, Colombia, Canada, the Netherlands, or elsewhere; its ability to commercialize or to sell Vicious Citrus Lemonade in 2022 or at any time, in any jurisdiction; its ability to commercialize or to sell Elements wellness products in any jurisdiction at any time; its ability to create wellness products that have a therapeutic effect or benefit; plans for future growth and the direction of the business; financial projections including expected revenues, gross profits, and EBITDA (which is a non-GAAP financial measure); plans to increase product volumes, the capacity of existing facilities, supplies from third party growers and contractors; expected growth of the cannabis industry generally; management's expectations, beliefs and assumptions; events or developments that XEBRA expects to take place in the future; general economic conditions; and other risk factors described in the prospectus of the Company dated September 30, 2021. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are forward-looking information and statements. The words "aim", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "contemplate", "target", "intends", "continue", "plans", "budget", "estimate", "may", "will", and similar expressions identify forward-looking information and statements. Forward-looking statements are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by XEBRA as of the dates of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. Known and unknown factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include, but are not limited to, the inability of XEBRA to generate sufficient revenues or to raise sufficient funds to carry out its business plan; changes in government legislation, taxation, controls, regulations and political or economic developments in various countries; risks associated with agriculture and cultivation activities generally, including inclement weather, access to supply of seeds, poor crop yields, and spoilage; compliance with import and export laws of various countries; significant fluctuations in cannabis prices and transportation costs; the risk of obtaining necessary licenses and permits; inability to identify, negotiate and complete a potential acquisition for any reason; the ability to retain key employees; dependence on third parties for services and supplies; non-performance by contractual counter-parties; general economic conditions; and the continued growth in global demand for cannabis products and the continued increase in jurisdictions legalizing cannabis; and the timely receipt of regulatory approval for license applications. The foregoing list is not exhaustive and XEBRA undertakes no obligation to update or revise any of the foregoing except as required by law. Many of these uncertainties and contingencies could affect XEBRA's actual performance and cause its actual performance to differ materially from what has been expressed or implied in any forward-looking statements made by, or on behalf of, XEBRA. Readers are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and readers should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those set out in such statements. Cision View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/xebra-granted-trademarks-for-its-cannabis-infused-beverage-brands-in-latin-america-301479422.html SOURCE Xebra Brands Ltd. Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/February2022/10/c4536.html Caroline County supervisors have approved the redistricting plan that will affect five county districts and one voting precinct. The changes required due to 2020 Census results include reducing the size of the Madison District and adding more voters to the Reedy Church and Bowling Green districts. The census count revealed that Carolines population grew by 2,300 between 2010 and 2020, bringing the total number of residents to 30,887. Half of the growth amount has been in the Madison District. To account for the population and demographic shift, localities that elect governing bodies are required by law to redistrict. The county process affects the boundary lines for Board of Supervisors and School Board. Supervisors voted 51 Tuesday to adopt the plan. Mattaponi District Supervisor Floyd Thomas voted against it because a portion of his district near State Route 207 and the Carmel Church corridor will now be moved to the Reedy Church District. Ive got a very good relationship with the Carmel Church Business Center, and I want to continue working with [Economic Development Director] Gary Wilson on development projects Im involved with, he said. I would like to keep that section in my district. Chairman Reggie Underwood suggested that Thomas be allowed to continue working with the projects, even though they would no longer be part of his district. At one point during the boards comments on the redistricting plans, supervisors took a 15-minute break so that Underwood and Thomas could talk. After the break, all of them returned except for Thomas. The board had already moved to vote when he returned to his seat. The Bowling Green (4,729) and Reedy Church (4,757) districts fall below the minimum population totals so lines had to be redrawn to add people to meet redistricting requirements. The Madison District was almost 600 people above the maximum size, but supervisors agreed to move 854 people to other districts to prepare for expected growth in the Madison District over the next decade. The population shift from the Madison District to the Port Royal District requires creating a new polling precinct on Ladysmith Road at Wrights Chapel United Methodist Church. Supervisors have approved the purchase of voting equipment for the new precinct as well as new laptops and software for all precincts. The redistricting map is available at https://arcg.is/1WD1vj. Also at Tuesdays meeting, the board held a public meeting on a special exception permit for two minor solar farm facilities that have been deferred until May 24 to provide time to review state and federal water quality regulations and any General Assembly action on solar farm laws. A total of nine solar farm energy facilities have been proposed in the county. Over its past few meetings, the board has heard presentations on four minor solar energy facilities and one major facility and voted to delay decisions on all until May. At Tuesdays meeting, the board heard comments on requests from Huskie Solar and Shad Solar LLC for permits to operate small facilities on two parcels totaling 136 acres west of Balty Road (State Route 664). The land is zoned rural preservation. Representatives of EDF Renewableswhich is partnering on the projects with Huskie, Shad and Old Dominion Electric Cooperativesaid that each facility will be on approximately 33 acres and will be built on the back side of the property, to be less visible to adjacent property owners. They said the projects, which will produce power for Rappahannock Electric Cooperative, will reduce monthly electric bills for Caroline residents. These two projects are the best of all worlds for Caroline County, said Stephanie Kane, director of government relations for the Old Dominion Electric Cooperative. You get a highly capable solar developer with a deep understanding of regulations and requirements and who also has an inherent relationship with the local cooperative. Robert Upshaw, the son of property owner Dorothy Upshaw, spoke on behalf of his mother, telling the board the two small projects could serve as a model for other companies proposing to build solar farms. This is somewhere to start, he said. If they do a good job, then we decide if we want to move further. He said farming is hard work with a small profit margin and there is no next generation to keep farms running in the future. Now I can have my cake and eat it, too, he said about the benefits of the solar farms. If I had my way, I would have a small solar farm on every farm in Caroline County. A man who fired shots during an eight-hour standoff with members of the Stafford Sheriffs Office in 2018 was ordered Friday to serve 10 years in prison. Judge Victoria Willis sentence was the maximum active time that 39-year-old Brandon John Hunt could have received under the terms of a plea agreement. He was sentenced to a total of 25 years, with all but 10 suspended. Hunt previously entered Alford pleas to attempted malicious wounding of a law enforcement officer and two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer. According to court records, Hunts soon-to-be former wife called 911 the evening of Nov. 30, 2018, after hearing her husband fire a shot inside the home on Empress Alexander Place in the Hartwood area. The woman, their two children and another child were in the house when the woman thought Hunt may have committed suicide. Deputies surrounded the house after getting the woman and the children to safety. Over the next several hours, they repeatedly tried to get Hunt to come out, and he repeatedly refused. Deputies were leery about entering the home out of concern that Hunt, a former law enforcement officer who had served in the military, wanted to commit suicide by cop, court records state. That concern was heightened by text messages Hunt was sending to his wifes phone, which was being monitored by police. The texts included such statements as, Im going to die tonight, but not before I take these disrespectful [expletive] out, and, Let them come in . . . Im going to kill them all. By the time deputies finally entered the house early Dec. 1 using a specially outfitted tractor, Hunt had already fired multiple random shots. He fired two rounds through the closed master bedroom door when deputies began coming in. No one was hurt. Hunt Friday testified that he doesnt remember large chunks of that night, but insisted that he never tried to hurt anyone. He apologized to the Sheriffs Office for his actions and credited its members with resolving the incident without anyone getting hurt. Prosecutors Ed Lustig and Sarah Watkins urged Willis to give Hunt the entire 10 years. They said mitigating factors had already been taken into account when the plea agreement was offered. Lustig scoffed at Hunts claim that he wouldnt have hurt anyone. He was upset about his relationship with his wife and he was dripping with contempt for the Sheriffs Office, Lustig said. Hunts attorney, Casey Stevens, asked Willis for mercy. He said Hunt was clearly suffering from mental health issues and has already lost his wife, children, home and career. There was shooting, but no one was shot, Stevens said. If he intended to shoot law enforcement, he would have done it. Hunt has already served more than three years. 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. Spotsylvania County is sitting pretty, with revenue projections increasing by $17.1 million this year, according to a presentation of the recommended fiscal year 2023 budget last week. That opens the door for supervisors to increase spending without raising real-estate or personal property tax rates in the budget that goes into effect July 1. County Administrator Ed Petrovitch told the Board of Supervisors the countys revenues typically increase about $5 million to $6 million a year. He told the board there are several reasons why the revenue projection is so rosy. Petrovitch reported that real estate revenue underperformed against expectations last year. But personal property, sales and meals taxes immensely outperformed expectations during the pandemic. The boost in revenue from those taxes bumped the projection for the fiscal year beginning July 1 by $5.8 million. An increase in used auto values added another $2.2 million to the personal property tax projection. The countys recently reassessed real estate values are up for the 10th straight year, increasing by $2.6 billion from 2021. That spike increased projected revenue by another $3.8 million, even at an equalized tax rate. The county also was awarded a federal grant to hire 18 new fire and rescue employees, which added $1.3 million in projected fiscal 2023 revenue. The proposed spending plan calls for using county funds to add 13 positionsin the Sheriffs Office and three additional fire and rescue jobs. The recommended budget would keep the personal property tax rate at $6.35 per $100 assessed value. The recommendation would set an equalized real estate tax rate of $73.77 cents per $100 assessed value, down from the current $80.94 rate. The total 2023 recommended proposed operating budget totals $622.3 million, up 15.9 percent from the current fiscal year. Education accounts for 46 percent of the budget. Among the other nine categories, public safety and capital projects also consume a sizeable portion of the remaining funds at 12 percent each. The recommended budget uses $15 million left over from the fiscal 2021 budget for capital projects, eliminating the need to borrow for general projects in FY 2023, according to a budget summary. Under the proposed budget, the county would add 52 positions at a cost of $4,474,409. The recommended budget also includes $26.5 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan. Petrovitch recommended using some of those funds for Sheriffs Office bonuses, which were previously approved, along with bonuses for other county staff, totaling $1.9 million. The remaining $24.1 million would go to broadband expansion ($7.6 million) in the Berkeley and Livingston districts, and the Motts Water Treatment plant expansion and upgrade ($16.5 million). Petrovitch said those moves will allow the county to avoid borrowing money for those projects, saving an estimated $13.5 million. The recommended budget includes increases to water and sewer rates, which were deferred the past two years during the pandemic. Likewise, the recommended budget calls for increases to such things as building and zoning fees, along with charges for inspections, plan reviews and other services. Those fees are four to five years behind actual costs, Petrovitch said. Business tangible property tax rates that were lowered in this years budget remain intact in the recommended budget for next year. Petrovitch said the recommended budget assumes level funding of $132.28 million for education, but noted that the School Board and recently appointed acting superintendent have yet to finalize their budget. He told the board that the school system is slated to get additional federal funding and $27 million in extra state funding, with $8.9 million dedicated for capital projects. Petrovitch cautioned that changes could be made by the new governor and state lawmakers. More meetings, including a public hearing, are scheduled before the board votes on the budget. The public hearing is scheduled to be held March 31. The earliest the board can approve the budget is April 8. Since the supervisors were getting their first look at the budget proposal, there was little discussion. But Supervisor Chris Yakabouski had some questions and comments. He noted that revenue is pouring in and were spending it as fast as it comes in and wondered what role recent year tax increases played in the current situation. He also questioned the countys approach to education spending, saying the county should take the same approach with schools as other portions of the budget. Yakabouski also wondered if county residents will pay more in personal property taxes simply because the used car values have increased. Petrovitch said it isnt clear if thats the case, but staff will try to find an answer. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. The Howard County school board discussed modifications to its public schools mask mandate Thursday amid a decrease in coronavirus cases in schools countywide. Ultimately the board did not vote on making any changes to current mask rules. The board discussed moving forward on the Maryland State Board of Educations off-ramp option three, which allows the superintendent to lift the mask requirement if the county has sustained 14 consecutive days of moderate or low COVID-19 transmission rates as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, according to the school system. Advertisement Thursdays discussion comes after Gov. Larry Hogan called on the state school board to rescind its mandatory mask policy, citing the states dramatically improved health metrics, the widespread availability of vaccines for school-age children and growing consensus among medical professionals, parents and bipartisan state officials, according to a press release. The state Board of Education approved an emergency regulation in December that creates an off ramp to a statewide mask mandate 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. Advertisement Howard County continues to lead the state in vaccination rates with 85.4% of residents who are fully vaccinated, according to the Maryland Department of Health. Of those residents, 87.4% of 12-17 year-olds are fully vaccinated, while 68.5% of 5-11 year-olds have received their first dose. In Howard Countys public schools, as of Feb. 9, the seven-day total of positive COVID-19 cases was 30 among staff and 168 among students, according to the HCPSS COVID-19 dashboard. These numbers have decreased exponentially since the recent omicron surge, when the seven-day total of positive cases reached 108 among staff and 945 among students at its peak. Afternoon Update Weekdays Updating you on the day's biggest news before the evening commute. > The Howard County Education Association, the professional association that represents teachers and most education support professionals in collective bargaining with the school system, conducted a survey of its members and found that despite the decline in cases, many are not in favor of modifications being made to the current mask mandate. The associations survey received 4,100 responses from members, with 45% stating they are in favor of universal indoor masking continuing through the end of the school year, even if transmission rates decline; 29% said masking should be present until the countys positivity rate has fallen below 5% and at least 80% of staff and students at a school facility are fully vaccinated; 22% said indoor masking should be discontinued effective immediately. Saturday HomeStore, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., 701 E. Dodge St., Fremont. The HomeStore sells donated items at discounted prices. Proceeds support the mission of Fremont Area Habitat for Humanity. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont. Alcoholics Anonymous womens heart-to-heart group, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to midnight, 649 N. Main St. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. The kitchen will be open from 5:30-8 p.m. The special menu will include steak or shrimp or chicken, salad, vegetable and a roll. The cost is $15 (including tax). Annual Sportsmens Supper/Fundraiser, 5 p.m., Izaak Walton Fremont Chapter, 2560 W. Military Ave., Fremont. Tickets will be available at the door. There also will be several raffles. Archbishop Bergan Music Department Annual Spaghetti Dinner, 5-6:30 p.m., curbside pickup outside Delaney Hall at St. Patrick Catholic Church, south doors, Fremont. A preorder form can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/berganknights. A meal consists of spaghetti with homemade sauce, breadstick, salad and dessert for $9. Quart jars of sauce also will be available for $18. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Texas Holdem Poker Tournament, 7 p.m., Todds Tavern, 102 W. Main St., Cedar Bluffs. Registration is from 6-6:45 p.m. with the tournament beginning at 7 p.m. A donation of $35 includes a sloppy joe meal and payouts of $300 (first place), $125 (second place) and $75 (third place). Proceeds will benefit the Cedar Bluffs Education Foundation. For more information, contact Travis at 402-719-6811. Rowan & Martins Laugh-In, 7 p.m., Fremont Opera House, 541 N. Broad St., Fremont. The production will feature local talent Doyle Schwaninger and Jim Campbell. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online at www.fremontoperahouse.org, at the Fremont Chamber (128 E. Sixth St.) or at the door. Spiritual 12-Step Recovery Program, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont. Love is Furever benefit, 8-11 p.m., Fremont Eagles Club ballroom. The benefit for Furever Home Inc. will feature music by The Traynr Band. The cover charge is $10 per person. There will be a cash bar available. All ages are welcome. Narcotics Anonymous The Lie is Dead meeting, 8 p.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Sunday Alcoholics Anonymous Happy Sober Sunday Group, 9 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont. Archbishop Bergan Music Department Annual Spaghetti Dinner, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., curbside pickup outside Delaney Hall at St. Patrick Catholic Church, south doors, Fremont. A preorder form can be found at: https://www.facebook.com/berganknights. Dine in will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Delaney Hall. A meal consists of spaghetti with homemade sauce, breadstick, salad and dessert for $9. Quart jars of sauce also will be available for $18. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Narcotics Anonymous Seekers of Serenity meeting, 10:30 a.m., LifeHouse, 723 N. Broad St., Fremont. The hotline number is 402-459-9511. Fremont Eagles Club open, noon to midnight, 649 N. Main St. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a Super Bowl party with drink specials and food and snacks available. Tailgating will start at 4:30 p.m. Rowan & Martins Laugh-In, 2 p.m., Fremont Opera House, 541 N. Broad St., Fremont. The production will feature local talent Doyle Schwaninger and Jim Campbell. Tickets are $20 each and can be purchased online at www.fremontoperahouse.org, at the Fremont Chamber (128 E. Sixth St.) or at the door. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Alcoholics Anonymous Sunday speaker, 7:30 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Monday TOPS Club (Take Off Pounds Sensibly), 9 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 850 N. Broad St., Fremont. Weigh-ins begin at 8 a.m. Visitors (preteens, teens and adults male and female) are welcome. The first meeting is free. For more information, call Janet Bloemker at 402-721-8952. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 10 a.m., Chapter 5 Club, 136 N. Main St., Fremont. Dancing Storytime, 10 a.m., Keene Memorial Library, 1030 N. Broad St., Fremont. The event will feature books, songs, dancing, Valentines stories and handprint crafts. Lightkeepers Womens Group, 10 a.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, noon, Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Fremont Eagles Club open, 3 p.m. to midnight, 649 N. Main St., Fremont. The club may stay open later or close early depending on business. There will be a trustees meeting at 4 p.m. Digital Drop-In, 4-5 p.m., Keene Memorial Library, Fremont. Everyone is invited to an hour of technology instruction. No appointment is necessary. Alcoholics Anonymous meeting, 5:15 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Arlington Music Boosters soup supper, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Arlington Public Schools blue gym. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors 60 and over, and $4 for students age 4 through the sixth grade. The soup supper also will feature the following musical performances: elementary band, 5:45 p.m.; middle school band, 6 p.m.; middle school choir, 6:15 p.m.; high school show choir, 6:35 p.m.; high school band, 6:50 p.m.; high school choir, 7:15 p.m. Celebrate Recovery, 6:30 p.m., Fremont Church of the Nazarene, 960 Johnson Road. Fremont Board of Education meeting, 6:30 p.m., Main Street Education and Administration Building, 130 E. Ninth St., Fremont. The meeting is open to the public. Fresh Hope Mental Health Support Group, 7 p.m., Lighthouse, 84 W. Sixth St., Fremont. Narcotics Anonymous Freedom Works Group, 7 p.m., Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., Fremont. Alcoholics Anonymous 12x12 meeting, 8 p.m., Chapter 5 Club, Fremont. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. In an effort to maximize news resources, Monica Garcia was recently named the regional editor overseeing both the Fremont Tribune and the Columbus Telegram group which includes The Columbus Telegram, the Schuyler Sun and David City Banner-Press. Garcia, who is originally from Colorado, moved to Nebraska in October 2021 to become the managing editor of the Columbus Telegram group. Since this time, she has been focusing on maintaining and strengthening local coverage in Platte, Colfax and Butler counties. Monica has hit the ground running in Columbus, said Shon Barenklau, Lee regional editor for Greater Nebraska. Theres no doubt the Tribunes readers will enjoy what she and the News Team will deliver. After studying journalism at Metropolitan State University of Denver, Garcia graduated and moved to the western side of Colorado. There, she worked as an intern for the Montrose Daily Press, but eventually returned to Denver to be closer to family. Garcia accepted a job as an editorial assistant at The Denver Post, and worked there three years leaving the newspaper as a page designer and editor in the YourHub section. She returned to The Montrose Daily Press as the news editor, and eventually accepted the position of managing editor at the Delta County Independent. As managing editor at the Delta County Independent, Garcia brought new structure and fresh content to the community. In the summer of 2021, Lee Enterprises recruited Garcia to take over the role of managing editor of The Columbus Telegram, the Schuyler Sun and Banner-Press. I am very excited to take on this role in Fremont, Garcia said. I believe this opportunity will benefit each community in a unique way. I look forward to growing an already strong, local paper. Garcia will work between both newspaper operations in an effort to improve news sharing with each group of readers. She will work with the Tribune News Team and the Telegram News Team to develop regional story ideas that will improve audience numbers online and in print. As our community continues to evolve and grow, we are always excited to bring new talent and perspective to our team, said Mike Wood, Lee Enterprises and Amplified Media Services regional president. Monicas background and experience will provide the readers of the Fremont Tribune with great journalism and a great reader experience. Tammy Real-McKeighan will remain the news editor in Fremont and will work closely with Garcia and the Tribune team. To get to know the Fremont and surrounding communities, I would love to meet with our readers and community leaders, Garcia said. I enjoy receiving feedback and encourage everyone to reach out with news tips, questions or concerns. This is the communitys newspaper and I look forward to working in this wonderful community. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. TORONTO (AP) For five days, a blockade of pickups, cars and a handful of commercial trucks has choked off traffic at the Ambassador Bridge, the busiest border crossing between Canada and the United States. There are blockades at two other crossings as well. And for two weeks, downtown streets in Canada's capital have been snarled by a convoy of semis and other vehicles as protesters rail against COVID-19 restrictions and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. That hissing sound heard all over Washington, D.C., recently was the air escaping from the MAGA 2024 balloon after Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell delivered an unmistakable message to his party that its time to separate its future and fortunes from those of ex-president Donald Trump. Describing the Jab. 6, 2021, assault on the Capitol as a violent insurrection by a mob of Trump loyalists determined to overturn the presidential election outcome, McConnell made the clean break from Trump that many in the party hoped for. After enduring and ignoring Trumps coarse and abusive remarks addressed at him for months, McConnell spied his opening when the Republican National Committee ,in an unfathomable act of self-immolation, defended the Jan. 6 rioters as engaging in legitimate political discourse. Recognizing this was his moment, McConnell pounced: We saw it happen. It was a violent insurrection for the purpose of trying to prevent the peaceful transfer of power after a legitimately certified election from one administration to the next. In thirty-two words, McConnell rejected Trumps promise to pardon any rioters should they be convicted and drove a stake through the former presidents evidence-free claims that the election was stolen from him. A cannier politician than Trump could ever aspire to be and who is far superior at reading the room judging the mood of the electorate McConnell understood the peril to Republican candidates in the midterm congressional elections if they stood silently while the ex-president controlled a narrative that was untenable and strategically unsound. The National Committees censure of two House members Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Adam Kinzinger of Illinois for serving on the committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot and also produced backlash from a number of congressional Republicans, who were aghast at its damaging impact. But it was McConnells blunt comments and the implicit warning they conveyed to the party that were far more telling. His public call for putting distance between them and Trump may have been overdue, but it is now on the record running as a member of the cult of Trump foreshadowed disaster and jeopardized regaining control of Congress for the first time since 2014. But it was the three words legitimate political discourse that overshadowed all else, including the censure of two sitting members of the House. Tens of millions of Americans watched transfixed and horrified as a howling mob smashed doors and windows, assaulted and fought with police, broke into offices, stole personal property, and sent members of Congress fleeing to safety. The American people did not see legitimate political discourse. Rather, they saw the unthinkable fellow countrymen descending on the nations symbol of democracy, vandalizing it while demanding a free and fair election be overturned. It was the stuff of dictatorial governments determined to cling to power at any cost. It couldnt happen here. Until it did. Democratic congressional candidates will use the legitimate political discourse language as a blunt instrument to pummel their GOP opponents and demand they either condemn or condone it. For Republicans, it will become a case of when youre explaining, youre losing. McConnell understood all too clearly the danger facing the partys candidates, and set out to inoculate them from it as effectively as possible. And that meant a clean and public break from Trump no more bending the knee in the direction of Mar-A-Lago. To be sure, the ex-president will retain a bloc of party loyalists and continue to issue verbal rockets from his Florida redoubt. Hes raised significant sums of money to spend on himself and favored candidates. He cannot be completely discounted. At stake, though, is the soul of the Republican Party, one that still glimmers despite the assault on it. McConnells rejection of Trumpism is a major step toward that end. Carl Golden is a senior contributing analyst with the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University in New Jersey. You can reach him at cgolden1937@gmail. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. WASHINGTON The Biden administration on Friday escalated its dire warnings about a possible Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying it could take place within days, even as diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis continued. The White House said it still didnt know if Russian President Vladimir Putin had made a decision to invade, but it said Putin has assembled all the elements to do so quickly and told Americans in Ukraine to leave within the next 48 hours. Advertisement The stark warning accelerated the projected timeframe for a potential invasion, which many analysts believed was unlikely to start until after the Winter Olympics in China end on Feb. 20. The heightened U.S. rhetoric followed new intelligence that showed another increase in Russian troops near the Ukrainian border and the start of a major Russian military exercise in neighboring Belarus. We cant pinpoint the day at this point, and we cant pinpoint the hour, but that is a very, very distinct possibility, President Joe Bidens national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. The strong possibility of action, the distinct possibility of action, in a relatively near term time frame ... is backed up by our view of whats happening on the ground. Advertisement White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan gives an update about Ukraine during a press briefing at the White House, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022, in Washington. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) We continue to see signs of Russian escalation, including new forces arriving at the Ukrainian border, he added, ramping up the urgency of earlier U.S. warnings. As weve said before, we are in the window when an invasion could begin at any time should Vladimir Putin decide to order it. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who is currently in Australia, was the first senior U.S. official to say publicly that an invasion could come before the end of the Olympics. Repeating Blinkens earlier caution to U.S. citizens in Ukraine, Sullivan said: The risk is high enough and the threat is now immediate enough that prudence demands that it is the time to leave now. Sullivan would not discuss the details of the intelligence behind the new U.S. assessment and denied a report that American officials believe Putin has made the decision to invade. But he said the situation is increasingly fragile and that the U.S. and its allies must be prepared. We believe he very well may give the final go order, Sullivan said. That is a very distinct possibility. It may well happen soon. Biden spoke to a number of European leaders on Friday to underscore the concerns raised by U.S. intelligence about the potential imminence of a Russian invasion. Sullivan said the Western leaders were completely united and would respond harshly to a Russian invasion with devastating economic and trade sanctions. Britains defense secretary, meanwhile, was visiting Moscow in another effort to ease tensions over a possible invasion. Ben Wallaces trip came a day after British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss held frosty negotiations in Moscow to urge Russia to pull back over 100,000 troops near Ukraine. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov characterized that meeting in blunt and scathing terms, calling it a conversation between deaf and dumb. Advertisement Russia opened massive war games in Belarus on Thursday that are due to run through next weekend but says it has no plans to invade Ukraine. It wants the West to keep Ukraine and other former Soviet countries out of NATO. It also wants NATO to refrain from deploying weapons there and to roll back alliance forces from Eastern Europe demands flatly rejected by the West. Speaking at the start of his talks with Wallace, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu noted that the military-political situation in Europe is growing increasingly tense, and its not our fault. Shoigu noted that shipments of weapons to Ukraine by the U.S., Britain and other allies have contributed to the tensions and pointed to the recent deployment of British soldiers to Ukraine, asking why they were sent and how long they will stay. Speaking to reporters after the talks, Wallace noted that the anti-tank missiles that Britain sent to Ukraine were defensive tactical weapons that do not pose a threat to any neighbor unless it invades. He said British troops deployed to Ukraine to help train its military to use the British weapons and will leave pretty soon after they accomplish that mission. Wallace described the talks as constructive and frank and noted his Russian counterparts assurances that Moscow has no intention to attack Ukraine. But he also emphasized that the concentration of Russian troops near Ukrainian territory is clearly beyond normal exercising, explaining that about half of Russias land forces are concentrated around the border with Ukraine. Advertisement He reaffirmed that a Russian invasion would have tragic consequences and emphasized the need to maintain contacts between military forces to prevent incidents. What is incredibly important, especially at this time with over 100,000 troops at high readiness on the borders of another country, is that we do not get into a position of miscalculation or escalation, Wallace said. He stressed that only through the ability to talk to each other at times of concern can we pave the way for any de-escalation measures. Speaking earlier Friday in Australia, Blinken did not detail the reasons behind the latest State Departments security alert urging all American citizens to leave Ukraine. Were in a window when an invasion could begin at any time and, to be clear, that includes during the Olympics, Blinken added. Yet, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba again played down the U.S. advice to Americans to leave, saying that Washington has made similar calls before. He noted that the situation remains volatile. Continuing its military buildup near Ukraine, Russia has moved six amphibious assault vessels into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast. Advertisement Moscow has announced sweeping drills in the Black and Azov seas in the coming days and closed large areas for commercial shipping, drawing a strong protest from Ukraine on Thursday. Kuleba voiced hope that the West would react to the Russian move, saying that we have engaged our partners to prepare a coordinated response. Ukraines military chief, Valerii Zaluzhnyi, reported to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Friday that the authorities plan to quickly engage 1.5 million to 2 million people in training for the army reserve. Russias troop concentration includes forces deployed on the territory of its ally Belarus for massive joint drills involving firing live ammunition. Those exercises entered a decisive phase Thursday and will run through Feb. 20. The Ukrainian capital is about 75 kilometers (47 miles) south of the Belarus border. NATO has stepped up military deployments to bolster its eastern flank, with the U.S. sending troops to Poland and Romania. Daily Top Stories Daily Get the day's top news, sports, opinion, features and local events. > The U.S. Navy said Thursday that it has deployed four destroyers from the United States to European waters. The Navy did not directly tie this deployment to the Ukraine crisis but said the ships provide additional flexibility to the U.S. Sixth Fleet commander, whose area of responsibility includes the Mediterranean, and will operate in support of NATO allies. Advertisement NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg visited a military base in Romania, hailing the ongoing deployment of 1,000 additional U.S. troops that will nearly double their current number there. This is a powerful demonstration of trans-Atlantic unity, Stoltenberg said. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova responded by noting that NATO keeps building up its presence near Russias borders and exacerbates the situation around Ukraine to create a pretext for that. Russia and Ukraine have been locked in a bitter conflict since 2014, when Ukraines Kremlin-friendly leader was driven from office by a popular uprising. Moscow responded by annexing Crimea and then backing a separatist insurgency in eastern Ukraine, where fighting has killed over 14,000 people. A 2015 peace deal brokered by France and Germany helped halt large-scale battles, but regular skirmishes have continued, and efforts to reach a political settlement have stalled. ___ Isachenkov reported from Moscow. Associated Press writers Geir Moulson in Berlin, Yuras Karmanau in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Rod McGuirk in Canberra, Australia, contributed to this report. David is a Senior Investigative Reporter at The Gazette and has worked in Colorado for more than two decades. His work has been recognized by, among others, Investigative Reporters and Editors, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Scripps Howard Foundation, the Society of Business Editors and Writers, the National Association of Real Estate Editors, at the National Headliner Awards. He has worked at publications in New York City, St. Louis, Detroit and Denver over a journalism career that began in 1982. Senate President Leroy Garcia of Pueblo addresses the Senate in an address on Feb. 16, 2021, on the resumption of legislative business at the Capitol in Denver. Hundreds of people, including teachers, students and parents gather outside the Douglas County School District headquarters in protest of the school board majoritys alleged secret meeting about forcing out superintendent Corey Wise, in Castle Rock, Colo., on Thursday, Feb. 3, 2022. The Collaborative Action" protest was organized by the teachers' union. The Douglas County School District cancelled classes after a large number of teachers submitted absences as part of the protest. (Chancey Bush /The Gazette) Veterans honoring veterans. Thats the goal Chaplain Kenneth Thibodeau has had the past 57-plus years he has been sharing sympathy letters with families of recently deceased veterans throughout the country. But last month he ran into a roadblock with the Pikes Peak National Cemetery, which, The Gazette learned, wont pass along letters to family members during a service. "I cant put it into words the sadness I have over all this," Thibodeau, 75, said last week from his Colorado Springs home. "It is totally inappropriate and wrong." Thibodeau a Vietnam era Air Force veteran and chaplain for American Legion Post 5 in Colorado Springs has sent out countless sympathy letters to military and non-military cemeteries, and hand delivered others to funeral homes wherever he was living at the time. "I cleared the letters with the American Legion and with the VA in Washington D.C. and Ive never had a negative response on any of the letters or cards Ive sent out all these years," Thibodeau said. "Im very articulate about what I write and send. I know it is appropriate and appreciative." There are three different letters Thibodeau sends out: One for Christians, non-Christians and Jewish veterans. The Christian letter starts out saying, "Your loved one has embarked on the ultimate journey, Heaven Bound, to the Savior, Our Most Blessed Lord, Jesus Christ! "We wish to take the opportunity to express our most heartfelt condolences at the passing of your loved one, a friend and veteran, who so PROUDLY SERVED our country when called upon to do so, with HONOR and great distinction." He goes on to talk about eternal life, and that death is not a tragedy but a transformation. "Ive never had an issue with a cemetery until now," Thibodeau said. "Ive only gotten tons of complements from the military and the families. A lot of people even call me up and say thank you for writing." The Gazette spoke with Skyler Holmes, director of the Pikes Peak National Cemetery, who chose not to comment, instead saying via text, "I believe you have received an official response from the National Cemetery Administration and I cant comment outside of that response." Les' A. Melnyk, chief of public affairs and outreach for VAs National Cemetery Administration, responded via email. "Dr. Thibodeau (or anyone from his or another support group) was told he can deliver a letter of condolence to family members during the service at the cemetery," Melnyk wrote. "However, we cannot allow a cemetery employee to deliver letters or other items on their behalf." Thibodeau said this is new information and appears to be a shift in policy. "I called more than a dozen VA cemeteries at random not a one had heard anything about this," Thibodeau said. Two other topics were mentioned in Melnyks email. He said that to protect privacy, his organization doesnt provide mailing address, which is something Thibodeau confirmed he had asked for. Melnyk also said Holmes was correct when he told Thibodeau the cemetery cant forward mail because it "is an unauthorized use of government funds." When asked if cemeteries have forwarded letters in the past, Thibodeau answered this way: "I dont know if they have an issue or not. But if the letter arrives late, I believe they have been forwarded if they have a forwarding address." Tribodeau said he reached out to multiple people in Washington D.C., including the secretary of Veteran Affairs, for clarification and a way forward. He hasnt heard back in more than three weeks. "It is not right to bar us from getting these letters and messages to the families," he said. Letecia Stauch, accused of murdering her stepson Gannon Stauch over two years ago, changed her plea to not guilty by reason of insanity during a Friday afternoon status hearing, and said through her attorneys she's considering waiving her jury trial over concerns she won't be able to get a fair panel. After pleading not guilty last November to killing 11-year-old Gannon Stauch in 2020, Letecia Stauch was granted her request to change that plea to not guilty by reason of insanity by Fourth Judicial District Judge Gregory Werner during a Friday afternoon status hearing. I'm at the hearing for #LeticiaStauch. Judge Gregory Werner just called the case. esteban candelaria (@ubercandelaria) February 11, 2022 That request, defense attorney Josh Tolini said, was made because an expert who had reviewed some of the evidence in Stauch's case indicated a "high likelihood of psychosis" which may qualify as an insanity defense. He noted the change in plea may restart the cases speedy trial clock. He added the request wasn't being made to delay the trial, but because it was the best possible defense for Stauch. Fourth Judicial District Attorney Michael Allen said the People didn't object to good cause being found for the change in plea. Per Colorado law for insanity pleas, he ordered Stauch to undergo a sanity evaluation at the Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo, where she'll be held until that evaluation is completed. He agreed with Tolinis assessment about the speedy trial clock resetting, but said that may not occur until the evaluation is in. Defense attorneys also filed a Feb. 4 motion to dismiss the jury trial in the case, a decision Stauch alone can make under Colorado law. Tolini said Stauch was considering waiving the jury trial over concerns that due to her case's "massive amount of pre-trial publicity, she will not be able to find a fair jury pool." Stauchs trial, previously estimated to last around six weeks, is currently set to start March 28. Allen said the People didn't consent to a waiver of a jury trial because they didn't know what the sanity evaluation would say, adding they may change their minds based on the report and that decision should be addressed later. Werner, speaking to Stauch directly, said that in his experience, jurors are conscientious and that generally, "by the time we get through selection [...] they come in with a pretty open mind about what should be done." The alternative to a jury trial, a court trial in which Werner alone would judge the facts of the case and deliver a verdict, "would just be my viewpoint and my viewpoint only," he told Stauch. Werner left that ruling to a later date, with prosecutors and defense attorneys agreeing they could make a better determination as they received further information on Stauch's mental evaluation. Tolini added he would continue to speak with Stauch on whether to waive the jury trial. All sides indicated the trial date currently set for March 28 would be difficult to keep given the pending mental evaluation, but Werner kept the date in place with the plan of reconvening on the issue at a review hearing set for March 17. Prosecutors in September presented evidence linking Stauch to the murder, including blood linked to Gannon that was found on Stauch's shoe, tracking data showing she had traveled to an area near where Gannon's body was found, and her DNA, which was found on a gun tied to the killing. Defense attorneys sought to create doubt that Stauch committed the murder by suggesting that someone else could have entered the home around the time Gannon died, and sought to tie home security data with the unknown DNA on the gun investigators found. But FBI agent Andrew Cohen testified in September that Stauch was the only person investigators believe could have committed the murder. "I haven't seen any evidence of anyone else coming into the house," Cohen said. Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct the year of which Stauch is accused of killing her stepson Gannon Stauch. Maryland politicians and political hopefuls will have one more month to decide whether to run for office in 2022, the states top judge has ordered. The new deadline is March 22 for anyone who wants to run in any of the many positions up for election this year, from local county councils to governor. Advertisement The order Friday from Maryland Court of Appeals Chief Judge Joseph M. Getty comes as the court will consider four challenges to a new map of Maryland General Assembly districts. The lawsuits argue that the districts have been illegally gerrymandered and violate the states constitution, which requires that districts be compact and respect natural and political boundaries. Separately, two lawsuits are pending in Anne Arundel County Circuit Court challenging a new map of congressional districts that had been approved in December. Advertisement Both the congressional map and the state legislative map were approved by the Democratic-majority General Assembly over the objections of Republicans. Republicans had favored maps drawn up by a commission appointed by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan. Gettys brief order gave no reasoning behind the deadline shift. But the deadline for filing candidacy paperwork with the Maryland State Board of Elections had been set as Feb. 22, and the redistricting lawsuits are unlikely to be resolved by then. Getty consolidated the four challenges pending before the Maryland Court of Appeals, and the next step is for state Attorney General Brian Frosh to respond to the challenges by Tuesday. As attorney general, Frosh is tasked with defending the districts and how they were drawn. Current politicians and challengers have been watching closely to see what happens with the maps and learn which district they fall into. While members of Congress are not required to live in the district they seek to represent, candidates for the General Assembly and other political offices must adhere to residency requirements. This can no longer happen in Fort Collins, where all above-ground power lines have been buried since 2006. A December 2021 windstorm hit Colorado Springs and blew these two large evergreen trees over onto power lines in the Old North End. There was a three-day power outage while the trees were being removed and the power lines reinstalled. Boulder County Commissioners on Tuesday are expected to receive a recommendation from a team of experts on which disaster cleanup company should get a coveted debris removal contract. The bid is worth tens of millions of taxpayer dollars and once the removal stage is complete, residents who lost their homes in the Marshall fire can start to rebuild. Eleven national disaster recovery outfits are in a heated competition for the contract. The county will pick one of them to haul off the remains of at least 1,084 residential properties and seven businesses from Colorados most destructive wildfire. The company chosen for the debris removal will also be responsible for hiring asbestos crews; procuring arborists to assess the health of trees that survived the fire; monitoring air, traffic, dust and spill control; doing independent property assessments; and capping utilities, according to Boulder Countys Marshall Fire Debris Removal Program website. An observer from another state impacted by massive wildfires had two pieces of advice as the contract deadline for disaster cleanup looms: Dont go cheap and do your homework. We ended up swimming with sharks, former state Rep. Betsy Johnson told The Denver Gazette from her home in Oregon, where she is launching a run for governor. Johnson wishes she would have known how intense the race for Oregons $622 million in recovery aid was in the aftermath of its 2020 wildfires, which killed at least nine people, wiped out entire towns and burned a million acres. We were unaware of how competitive, litigious and sophisticated these debris cleanup companies were, she said. As co-chair of the Joint Ways and Means Committee in Oregon, Johnson appropriated much of the money for property debris cleanup. My urgent (advice) to Boulder County Commissioners prior to signing any contracts is do your due diligence with officials in Northern California and Oregon to get a full picture of what it means to deal with these national disaster recovery companies. Check their performance records, references and change orders, she said. Boulder County spokesman Andrew Barth said officials are aware of the intense competition for Marshall fire cleanup dollars. Normally, we would go with the lowest bid, but this is disaster recovery, Barth said. Its going to take a skilled and dedicated company to finish this project and we have good eyes on it to make sure we get the right people for the job. Barth is not new to disaster relief. Almost a decade after Boulder Countys 2013 floods, he is just now finishing up management of the $120 million road and bridge cleanup. Some of the companies that entered bids for the Marshall fire cleanup are a whos who in disaster recovery debris removal. Ceres Environmental was a prime contractor in Californias Paradise fires. ECC cleared out trees and did debris cleanup after Northern Californias 2017 wildfires and also worked on Oregons fire-devastated counties in 2020. AshBritt removed wildfire-damaged homes in Northern California in 2017 and did damage cleanup after hurricanes Katrina, Harvey and Ike. It also erected shelters and removed debris after the 2010 Haiti earthquake. Also on the list are several local companies, Barth said, as well as DRC Emergency Services, which holds the on-call contract with the county to remove various type of debris from rights of way. Already, DRC crews have begun curbside collection in what county officials call phase 2B. Phase 3 is property debris and phase 4 is rebuilding. Observers suspect Boulder County is leaning toward giving DRC the debris removal contract since it already has trucks doing right of way cleanup. It is a highly, highly competitive business because of the amount of money thats involved and spent in a very short period of time, Michael Brown, former director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told The Denver Gazette. Brown, now a conservative morning radio talk show host, said he does not have ties to any of the companies bidding for the job. He estimated the project could cost taxpayers as much as $100 million. On Saturday, Brown, sent a cautionary letter to the Boulder County Commissioners warning them not to cut costs by choosing the lowest bid because, as he told The Denver Gazette, "You get what you pay for." Brown said he has seen his share of fraud with national disaster relief companies, some of which find ways to bid low and then add change orders later that amount to millions of extra dollars. If the bids are based on the weight of debris being removed, companies have been known to scrape extra feet of good dirt into a load to make it heavier. And if the bids are based on price per property, there are cases of crews doing a quick job without monitoring soil and air for toxins. FEMA has the right to recoup money it has allocated to local governments should the company hauling off things like leftover ash and concrete fail to comply with the federal governments strict requirements. In every substantial bidding process, there are certain bidders that lack meaningful qualifications, skill, sophistication and/or size to conduct the needed work, Brown wrote in his letter to county officials. For the sake of the taxpayers of Colorado do not be 'penny wise and dollar foolish' to the grave detriment of the victims, the citizens of Boulder County. FEMA is funding 75% of the Marshall fire debris removal. The remaining 25% of cleanup funds will come from state and local governments. Last week, U.S. Sens. John Hickenlooper and Michael Bennet wrote to FEMA and President Joe Biden asking the agency to provide 100% of the funding because of the staggering scale of destruction. In a Jan. 20 online community meeting, Darla Arians, who manages Boulder County's Resource Conservation Division, told residents that phase 3 is expected to start in mid-February once county commissioners award the multimillion dollar debris removal contract. Well be ready boots-on-the-ground within the time that contract is executed, said Arians, who added that she is leading the charge for debris removal. The community had myriad concerns during the online meeting, including soil contamination, coverage of federal and state debris cleanup money and worries over insurance liability once crews start working. The most pressing questions appeared to center on the timeline for rebuilding. Thats the million dollar question, said Arians. Each property takes 3-4 days to clean up. We plan to work with more than one contractor in order to expedite it as quickly as possible. Brown predicted the principal contractor will hire subcontractors to deal with environmental or foundation stability issues. They will get into some of the residences and find out basements arent salvageable. It will be a huge contract and Im absolutely certain that as they get into the work, they will have to expand the contract even further, Brown said. Brown, who led FEMA during Hurricane Katrina, used to live in Boulder County. I want to make sure that who they hire is not going to cause problems down the road, he said. That would mean that the citizens who are already victimized are victimized again. The entire state of Colorado would be on the hook for the money. Iran "never pins hopes" on Vienna nuke talks: president Xinhua) 09:47, February 12, 2022 TEHRAN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday that Iran never pins its hopes on the Vienna talks aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, noting its reliance on its people and domestic potentials. "Counting on foreigners to do something for us has caused problems. With the efforts of our people and the service of government, great steps will be taken toward economic independence," Raisi said in a televised speech commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in the capital Tehran. "Looking to the West has made the country unbalanced," he said, adding his administration is seeking a "balanced" policy in its foreign relations and "must pay attention to all countries, especially our neighbors." 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 Washington from the deal unilaterally in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran, which retaliated by dropping some of its commitments. Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in Austria's capital Vienna between Iran and remaining parties to the deal, with the United States indirectly involved, in a bid to restore the landmark nuclear deal. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) []:H-3.7 20220211 23:55:57 : : :H-3.7 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited take no responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy or completeness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or in reliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement. This announcement appears for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to acquire, purchase or subscribe for securities of the Company. Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd.* (A joint stock limited liability company incorporated in the Peoples Republic of China) (Stock code: 1533) MONTHLY UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TO RULE 3.7 OF THE TAKEOVERS CODE This announcement is made by Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd.* (the Company) pursuant to Rule 3.7 of The Code on Takeovers and Mergers issued by the Securities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong. Reference is made to (i) the announcement of the Company dated 17 December 2021 (the Announcement) in relation to, among other things, the preliminary proposal of a possible repurchase of all the issued H shares in the share capital of the Company (the H Shares) by way of a voluntary cash offer (the Possible Share Buy-back) and if the Possible Share Buy-back becomes unconditional, the voluntary application for the withdrawal of listing of the H Shares from The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and (ii) the monthly update announcement of the Company dated 13 January 2022. Unless otherwise specified herein, capitalised terms used herein shall have the same meaning as those used in the Announcement. PROGRESS OF THE POSSIBLE SHARE BUY-BACK As disclosed in the Announcement, in order for the Company to transfer its funds for, amongst others, financing the Possible Share Buy-back and the payment of professional fees and other expenses to its account(s) in Hong Kong, the Company will apply for the required registration with the relevant PRC regulatory authority and provide certain required information of the Possible Share Buy-back to such authority (the Fund Transfer Registration). 1 The Board wishes to update the Shareholders and potential investors that a Board meeting was held on 11 February 2022 whereby the Board has resolved, among other matters, to apply to the relevant PRC regulatory authority for the transfer of approximately HK$390.00 million, which includes an indicative total consideration for the Possible Share Buy-back of approximately HK$382.57 million, representing a minimum offer price of HK$10.89 per H Share. This does not imply that the offer price will be increased beyond the amount mentioned above in the event that the Company decides to proceed with the Possible Share Buy-back. For the avoidance of doubt, the indicative amounts refer to the amounts to be applied by the Company for the purpose of the Fund Transfer Registration only. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has not determined the terms of the Possible Share Buy-back. However, if the Possible Share Buy-back is made, the offer price will not be less than HK$10.89 per H Share. MONTHLY UPDATES In compliance with Rule 3.7 of the Takeovers Code, monthly announcement(s) (including this announcement) setting out the progress of the Possible Share Buy-back will be made by the Company until an announcement of a firm intention to make an offer under Rule 3.5 of the Takeovers Code, or of a decision not to proceed with an offer, is made. Further announcement(s) will be made by the Company as and when appropriate or required in accordance with the Listing Rules and/or the Takeovers Code (as the case may be). There is no assurance that the Possible Share Buy-back mentioned in this announcement will materialise or eventually be consummated and that the terms of the Possible Share Buy-back are subject to further consideration by the Company and discussion with its financial advisor. Shareholders and public investors are urged to exercise extreme caution when dealing in the securities of the Company. By order of the Board Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd. Yao Gexian Chairman of the Board Lanzhou, the PRC, 11 February 2022 As at the date of this announcement, the non-independent directors of the Company are Mr. Yao Gexian, Mr. Lian Enzhong, Mr. Zhang Yu, Mr. Yang Yi, Mr. Ma Hongfu and Ms. Zhang Qianyu; and the independent directors of the Company are Mr. Wang Haipeng, Mr. Zhang Yubao and Mr. Sun Jian. All the directors of the Company jointly and severally accept full responsibility for the accuracy of information contained in this announcement and confirm, having made all reasonable inquiries, that to the best of their knowledge, opinions expressed in this announcement have been arrived at after due and careful consideration and there are no other facts not contained in this announcement, the omission of which would make any statement in this announcement misleading. 2 Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited and The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited takeno responsibility for the contents of this announcement, make no representation as to its accuracy orcompleteness and expressly disclaim any liability whatsoever for any loss howsoever arising from or inreliance upon the whole or any part of the contents of this announcement.This announcement appears for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer toacquire, purchase or subscribe for securities of the Company.Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd.*(A joint stock limited liability company incorporated in the Peoples Republic of China)(Stock code: 1533)MONTHLY UPDATE ANNOUNCEMENT PURSUANT TORULE 3.7 OF THE TAKEOVERS CODEThis announcement is made by Lanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd.*(the Company) pursuant to Rule 3.7 of The Code on Takeovers and Mergers issued by theSecurities and Futures Commission of Hong Kong.Reference is made to (i) the announcement of the Company dated 17 December 2021 (theAnnouncement) in relation to, among other things, the preliminary proposal of a possiblerepurchase of all the issued H shares in the share capital of the Company (the H Shares) by wayof a voluntary cash offer (the Possible Share Buy-back) and if the Possible Share Buy-backbecomes unconditional, the voluntary application for the withdrawal of listing of the H Shares fromThe Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited, and (ii) the monthly update announcement of theCompany dated 13 January 2022. Unless otherwise specified herein, capitalised terms used hereinshall have the same meaning as those used in the Announcement.PROGRESS OF THE POSSIBLE SHARE BUY-BACKAs disclosed in the Announcement, in order for the Company to transfer its funds for, amongstothers, financing the Possible Share Buy-back and the payment of professional fees and otherexpenses to its account(s) in Hong Kong, the Company will apply for the required registration withthe relevant PRC regulatory authority and provide certain required information of the Possible ShareBuy-back to such authority (the Fund Transfer Registration). 1 The Board wishes to update the Shareholders and potential investors that a Board meeting was heldon 11 February 2022 whereby the Board has resolved, among other matters, to apply to the relevantPRC regulatory authority for the transfer of approximately HK$390.00 million, which includes anindicative total consideration for the Possible Share Buy-back of approximately HK$382.57 million,representing a minimum offer price of HK$10.89 per H Share. This does not imply that the offerprice will be increased beyond the amount mentioned above in the event that the Company decidesto proceed with the Possible Share Buy-back. For the avoidance of doubt, the indicative amountsrefer to the amounts to be applied by the Company for the purpose of the Fund Transfer Registrationonly. As at the date of this announcement, the Company has not determined the terms of the PossibleShare Buy-back. However, if the Possible Share Buy-back is made, the offer price will not be lessthan HK$10.89 per H Share.MONTHLY UPDATESIn compliance with Rule 3.7 of the Takeovers Code, monthly announcement(s) (including thisannouncement) setting out the progress of the Possible Share Buy-back will be made by theCompany until an announcement of a firm intention to make an offer under Rule 3.5 of theTakeovers Code, or of a decision not to proceed with an offer, is made. Further announcement(s)will be made by the Company as and when appropriate or required in accordance with the ListingRules and/or the Takeovers Code (as the case may be).There is no assurance that the Possible Share Buy-back mentioned in this announcement willmaterialise or eventually be consummated and that the terms of the Possible Share Buy-backare subject to further consideration by the Company and discussion with its financial advisor.Shareholders and public investors are urged to exercise extreme caution when dealing in thesecurities of the Company.By order of the BoardLanzhou Zhuangyuan Pasture Co., Ltd.Yao GexianChairman of the BoardLanzhou, the PRC, 11 February 2022As at the date of this announcement, the non-independent directors of the Company are Mr. Yao Gexian, Mr.Lian Enzhong, Mr. Zhang Yu, Mr. Yang Yi, Mr. Ma Hongfu and Ms. Zhang Qianyu; and the independentdirectors of the Company are Mr. Wang Haipeng, Mr. Zhang Yubao and Mr. Sun Jian.All the directors of the Company jointly and severally accept full responsibility for the accuracy ofinformation contained in this announcement and confirm, having made all reasonable inquiries, that to thebest of their knowledge, opinions expressed in this announcement have been arrived at after due and carefulconsideration and there are no other facts not contained in this announcement, the omission of which wouldmake any statement in this announcement misleading. 2 A pair of federal judges summarily dismissed a woman's racial discrimination lawsuit based on inadequate reasoning and a key factual mistake, the appeals court based in Denver decided on Thursday. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit found U.S. District Court Senior Judge Lewis T. Babcock and U.S. Magistrate Judge Gordon P. Gallagher appeared to misunderstand the civil rights allegations before them. The judges dismissed the lawsuit so early in the proceedings the defendants had not even filed a response to the allegations. Calling the treatment "problematic," the 10th Circuit ordered further review of Ashlee Handy's lawsuit against her former employer under Section 1981, a provision of federal law that protects against intentional racial discrimination. Handy, who is white, alleged her coworkers of color were allowed to take time off for their personal domestic violence and abuse issues. In contrast, under similar circumstances she lost her job. Handy first filed her lawsuit in October 2020, nearly two years after she was terminated from her temporary job staffing a call center for Maximus Inc. According to her lawsuit, Handy's assignment was to last from Nov. 1 through Dec. 15, 2018, after which she understood she would become a permanent employee. On Dec. 5, Handy told her office manager she was experiencing problems at home that might cause her to take time off work. Handy reportedly knew "several minority women at the company were having similar issues, and were being accommodated." The following day, Handy's office manager claimed Handy's abuser had come to the worksite with a gun, looking for Handy. On Dec. 10, the office manager informed her she was being terminated. A letter Handy subsequently received from the company reportedly cited the end of the "contract period" as the reason for her dismissal. Handy accused Maximus and its management of firing her because she was "a victim of domestic violence, which makes her a member of a protected class." Colorado Politics typically does not identify victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, but Handy agreed to be named when reached on Thursday. Soon after filing her complaint, Gallagher ordered Handy to submit an amended version that complied with federal rules. He also called attention to Handy's characterization of herself as a "white woman victimized by domestic violence." Domestic violence victims as a group, Gallagher said, had no apparent protections. Handy followed Gallagher's instructions and submitted an amended complaint. Notably, she refocused her lawsuit on her status as a white woman, rather than a domestic violence victim. "Several Black and Mexican women that worked for Maximus, when Mrs. Handy worked there, constantly dealt with domestic violence issues at home, and we're (sic) domestic violence victims," wrote Handy, who represented herself in the case. The women of color reportedly were not terminated, meaning Maximus "treated Mrs. Handy differently than the above mentioned minority women because she's white." In March 2021, Gallagher issued a recommendation to toss Handy's lawsuit. He quoted his previous directive and found Handy had reiterated "the same facts" from her original complaint. "Plaintiff fails to set forth that a 'White' person who is a victim of domestic violence is a member of a protected class. Plaintiff, therefore, has failed to comply with the Dec. 2, 2020, Order to Amend," he wrote. Babcock adopted the recommendation without elaboration. Handy requested Babcock reconsider, noting her allegations pointed to race-based termination because similarly-situated workers of color were treated more favorably. She also claimed Maximus had attempted to conceal the real reason for her firing. Babcock stood by the dismissal, writing briefly: "Plaintiff does not demonstrate that the Court has misapprehended the facts, her position, or the controlling law." On appeal to the 10th Circuit, Handy argued she had plausibly alleged a racial discrimination claim. A three-judge panel for the appeals court agreed. "The magistrate judge provided essentially no reasoning to support its conclusion that Ms. Handy failed to comply with the Order to Amend, and the district court adopted this recommendation with no additional explanation," Judge Veronica S. Rossman wrote on Feb. 10. "Equally problematic, the very limited reasoning the magistrate judge did provide is based on a clearly erroneous factual finding," she continued. "The magistrate judge misstated Ms. Handys claim and failed to account for the significant change she made to her allegations of membership in a protected class." Jesse K. Fishman, a lawyer with HKM Employment Attorneys, said white people can put forward claims under Section 1981 similarly to people of color for intentional racial discrimination. "However, in reverse discrimination cases (i.e. where the plaintiff is of the majority), plaintiffs do not necessarily have the same presumption of discrimination as plaintiffs from a minority do," she said. Employees must show that their race was a causal factor in their termination. The panel returned Handy's case to the district court for review. New houses under construction in the Willow Bend subdivision in Thornton, Colo. The Willow Bend Metropolitan District board controls homeowners property tax assessments to pay off subdivision debt. Employees of the homebuilder, the Lennar Corporation, occupy the majority of the seats on the board. The board composition has made circumstances difficult for the only homeowner on the board, Dwayne Bergeron. Photo by Liam Adams Kate Margrave, a band and orchestra teacher at Pine Creek High School in northeast Colorado Springs, is fascinated with the physical act of making music. I love the idea of creating something new every day through music, she said. Taking a piece of paper that has lines and little black dots and making something beautiful from it I think theres something incredibly special about that. Even in this age of technology, the physical act of making music cannot be taken away. Margrave has maintained a passion for music instruction throughout her nearly 18 years of teaching, and her devotion to her craft has not gone without notice. The National Society of High School Scholars, a national academic honor society, recently named her its 2021 Educator of the Year. I am absolutely honored and humbled, Margrave said of the award. I feel incredibly lucky to be recognized for doing what I love to do. Margrave, who is in her 14th year at Pine Creek, maintains a busy schedule, with nearly all of it revolving around music. She teaches ensemble and string orchestra in addition to leading the schools marching, concert and symphonic bands. She presents clinics on conducting and literature and serves as second vice president of the Colorado Bandmasters Association. The greatest thing about music, Margrave says, is its inclusive nature. Music is different for everybody, she said. It creates a space where everyone is accepted and everyone is supported. Everyone can make music. A couple of years ago, Margrave noticed several significant support needs students would attend her band and orchestra classes and simply observe without participating. Many of these students have cognitive and movement challenges, and some are nonverbal. For a while, they were coming into my classes and observing, she said. I liked that, because I think its important to learn how to be a good audience member, but I knew they could do more, and I wanted to give them that opportunity. Convinced these students could make and enjoy music with the right approach, Margrave began holding what she calls music appreciation and exploration classes. During these sessions, she teaches music vocabulary, allows students to get to know the various instruments, and helps them learn to make music. We do a lot of percussion work keeping a steady beat, she said. (The students) can compose their own rhythms. They are all involved in playing, and listening, and learning all different aspects of music. Margraves innovation inspired a student to nominate her as an Educator of Distinction, which led, indirectly, to her being honored as the top teacher of 2021. Im so lucky, said Margrave, whose husband, Brian, is a teacher in Cheyenne Mountain School District. Im proud to represent Pine Creek in such a way, and to represent music education as a whole. EDEN Rockingham County Sheriffs deputies found a Mayodan woman shot to death in Reidsville early Wednesday morning after authorities received a lead from another man who had also been shot. Rivien S. Daniels, 29, of 706 Ayersville Road in Mayodan was found dead at the home of Quantez Donte Moore, 30, at 1960 Moir Mill Road in Reidsville shortly after 3:30 a.m., officials said in a news release. Moore, who suffered gunshot wounds, had sought treatment at UNC Rockingham Health Care in Eden at around that time and the hospitals staff alerted authorities to his injuries. After speaking with Moore, deputies believed he had been shot at his home and traveled to Moir Mill Road to investigate. When they arrived, they found Daniels body inside the house, the release said. Moore was ultimately airlifted to a Triad-area hospital for additional treatment Wednesday, the release said. We are still early on in this investigation, said Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page. My investigative team is working the case now, and it is our goal to bring the person or persons responsible for this homicide and felonious shooting to justice as quickly as possible, Page said. ... I realize that when a horrendous act like this occurs, its not just the victims and their families and friends that are affected, its the whole community, Page said. Page asked that anyone with information about the crimes call the Rockingham County Sheriffs Office at 336-634-3232 or Rockingham County Crime Stoppers at 336-349-9683. WASHINGTON Heres a look at how area members of Congress voted recently. Along with this week's roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, which had passed the House in a roll call vote earlier in the week. U.S. House Sexual harassment arbitration: The House has passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act, to bar arbitration agreements that prevent a party to the agreement from filing a sexual assault or sexual harassment lawsuit against another party to the agreement. The vote on Monday, Feb. 7, was 335-97. Yeas: U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, D-Greensboro, 6th District Homeland Security purchasing practices: The House has passed the Promoting Rigorous and Innovative Cost Efficiencies for Federal Procurement and Acquisitions Act. The bill would require the Homeland Security Department to annually publish online a report on agency measures to improve its procurement systems. The vote on Monday, Feb. 7, was 426-5. Yeas: Manning Postal Service changes: The House has passed the Postal Service Reform Act. The bill would establish a health benefits program for Postal Service workers and retirees while ending a requirement that retirement health benefits be prepaid, and establish new budget and service reporting requirements for the Postal Service. The vote on Tuesday, Feb. 8, was 342-92. Yeas: Manning Continuing appropriations: The House has passed the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act to extend funding for the federal government though March 11. The vote on Tuesday, Feb. 8, was 272-162. Yeas: Manning Gender and visas: The House has passed the Global Respect Act to have the State Department enact visa-blocking sanctions against foreigners accused of sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity discrimination. The vote on Wednesday, Feb. 9, was 227-206. Yeas: Manning U.S. Senate D.C. Superior Court: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Donald Tunnage to serve as a judge on the Washington, D.C., Superior Court for a 15-year term. Tunnage has been a civil rights trial attorney at the Justice Department since 2009. The vote on Monday, Feb. 7, was 54-39. Nays: U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C. Yeas: U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C. D.C. appeals court: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Loren AliKhan to serve as a judge on the Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals for a 15-year term. AliKhan has been the District's solicitor general since 2018, was previously its deputy solicitor general, and before that was a Justice Department lawyer. The vote on Tuesday, Feb. 8, was 55-41. Nays: Burr Yeas: Tillis Ambassador to Germany: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Amy Gutmann to serve as U.S. ambassador to Germany. Gutmann had been president of the University of Pennsylvania since 2004. The vote on Tuesday, Feb. 8, was 54-42. Nays: Burr, Tillis Asia financing: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Chantale Yokmin Wong to serve as the U.S. director on the Asian Development Bank. Wong was a senior official at the Millennium Challenge Corp. during the Obama administration, and was on the board of the Asian Development Bank during the Clinton administration. The vote on Tuesday, Feb. 8, was 66-31. Yeas: Burr, Tillis International development: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Scott Nathan to be chief executive officer of the U.S. International Development Finance Corp. Nathan, a longtime executive at the Baupost Group investment firm, was an official in multiple roles during the Obama administration. The vote on Wednesday, Feb. 9, was 72-24. Yeas: Burr, Tillis Export-Import Bank: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Reta Jo Lewis to serve as president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Lewis, currently a senior official at the German Marshall Fund, was a State Department diplomat during the Obama administration, and before that a Chamber of Commerce executive and private practice lawyer. The vote on Wednesday, Feb. 9, was 56-40. Nays: Burr, Tillis Federal appeals judge: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Leonard Stark to serve as a judge on the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Stark, a U.S. District Court judge in Delaware since 2010, was previously an assistant U.S attorney and private practice lawyer in the state. The vote on Wednesday, Feb. 9, was 61-35. Yeas: Burr, Tillis Treasury lawyer: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Neil MacBride to be the Treasury Department's general counsel. MacBride was a Justice Department lawyer and U.S. attorney in Virginia during the Obama administration, and earlier was chief counsel to Sen. Biden on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The vote on Wednesday, Feb. 9, was 61-33. Yeas: Burr, Tillis Maritime commissioner: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Max Vekich to serve on the Federal Maritime Commission for a term ending in mid-2026. Vekich, a former Washington state legislator, has since 2004 been an official at Puget Sound port groups. The vote on Thursday, Feb. 10, was 51-43. Not voting: Burr Nays: Tillis Targeted News Service Targeted News Service Mecklenburg Countys only death penalty case is no more due to COVID-19. On Thursday, the District Attorneys Office dropped its capital murder charge against Curtis Atkinson Jr., who is accused of the grisly 2017 shooting and stabbing deaths of his parents, Ruby and Curtis Sr. By the time the Atkinsons were found in their east Charlotte home, they had been dead for days. Atkinson Jr., a 41-year-old Charlotte man, will now be tried in May on a first-degree murder charge. If convicted, he faces a mandatory life sentence, not death row. The change in murder charges, which comes almost five years after the killings, has nothing to do with the details of the case or the discovery of new evidence that might mitigate the shocking nature of the crimes. Instead, Assistant District Attorney Jodi Anderson blamed the pandemic. She told Superior Court Judge Lou Trosch that because death-penalty trials routinely run on for months, theres an increasing likelihood of delays related to COVID-19. Any outbreaks of the disease during the trial could indefinitely delay a verdict for Atkinson. Anderson says the surviving family and friends of Atkinsons victims have waited long enough. As the Omicron wave wanes, we once again find ourselves at the precipice of hope that courts may soon resume normal operations. But if the last two years have taught us anything, it is that hope is often just that, Anderson said in a statement to the judge. The victims family and this community deserve more than just hope. They deserve justice. And the state believes our decision to proceed non-capitally is the best way to timely deliver justice to this family and this community. As such, we will not be seeking the death penalty in this case. COVID-19 has disrupted courts around the country. It shut down the North Carolina system for much of 2020. Because of pandemic-driven staff shortages and health safety protocols, the Mecklenburg courthouse continues to operate at a lower gear, leading to long backlogs of homicides and other crimes awaiting trials. The pandemic has also caused chaos in capital-murder cases nationwide disrupting trials, delaying executions, even blocking the release of an exonerated Pennsylvania death row inmate who was kept in custody after he showed symptoms of COVID-19, the Marshall Project reported in 2020. In the Atkinson case, a capital-murder trial, which can take weeks simply to pick a jury, would place undue strain on a courthouse still trying to get back on its feet, Anderson said. A capital case is a significant undertaking, taking months instead of days or weeks to complete; requiring significantly more witnesses, more experts, an additional phase, and hundreds of potential jurors, she said. The likelihood of pandemic-related delays, interruptions, and uncertainty exponentially increases. Atkinsons attorneys, Terry Sherrill and Johneric Emehel, left the courtroom by a side door and could not be reached for comment. Inmates on death row County prosecutors traditionally have reserved capital murder charges for crimes that shock the conscience of the community. That said, death penalty trials in Mecklenburg County have become increasingly rare. Atkinsons was the last one on the current trial docket. Mecklenburg, home to the states largest local criminal justice system, has four inmates on death row. The most recent went there in 1998. North Carolina last put someone to death in August 2006. The last Mecklenburg County inmate executed, Elias Syriani of Charlotte, died by lethal injection in 2005. He was accused of stabbing his wife with a screwdriver almost 30 times while the couples 10-year-old son watched. Nationwide manhunt The allegations against Atkinson are hauntingly similar to those against Syriani. Atkinson is accused of stabbing his father 69 times in April 2017 while forcing his 11-year-old niece to watch. Prosecutors say Atkinson and his girlfriend, Nikkia Cooper, now 30, fatally stabbed and shot the parents after an argument. Ruby and Curtis Sr. had welcomed the younger couple into their home after they were evicted, Anderson said. After killing them, according to the prosecutor, Atkinson and Cooper covered the bodies with blankets and old rugs and stepped around them for days. When Cooper triggered a fire alarm inside the home, the couple fled with the niece, setting off a nationwide manhunt. The child was found in Washington, after Atkinson crashed his car later that day near the Washington Monument after a police chase. Cooper also was in the vehicle and is believed to have called 911 as part of a plan to use the niece to barter food and gasoline. In a deal with prosecutors, Cooper pleaded guilty in 2019 to two counts of second-degree murder and is serving a 56-year sentence in Anson Correctional Institution. Atkinson also was expected to plead guilty to first-degree murder to avoid a possible death penalty. He changed his mind on the day of his 2020 hearing and pleaded not guilty, leaving the capital murder charge in place until now. Help. Virginia Durhams voice was hardly recognizable to her son-in-law, Troy Hall, when she called in a state of panic from her familys home in Boone, North Carolina, on a snowy night in 1972, according to newspaper reports. Twenty minutes later, Hall was on the phone with the sheriffs office to report a killing three of them. The mysterious slayings of Virginia Durham, 44, her husband, Bryce Durham, 51, and their 18-year-old son, Bobby Durham, on Feb. 3, 1972, went unsolved for decades. A lack of evidence led to bizarre theories as to who the culprits might be from ringleaders of a car dealership scam in a neighboring county to Green Berets in town for a ski demonstration, The Watauga Democrat previously reported. Now Watauga County investigators say they have solved the 50-year-old cold case thanks to a tip from a sheriffs department 200 miles away in Georgia. Four men from the Georgia-based Dixie Mafia were responsible for the Durham family slayings, the Watauga County Sheriffs Office said in a Feb. 8 news release. Their deaths were reportedly a hired hit, but law enforcement officials dont know who ordered it. Only one of the four suspects is still alive 81-year-old Billy Wayne Davis, who is serving a life sentence for murder at the Augusta State Medical Prison in Georgia. Corrections department records show Davis has been incarcerated since 1986. The Watauga County Sheriffs Office identified Billy Sunday Birt, Bobby Gene Gaddis and Charles David Reed as the remaining suspects. All were members of the Dixie Mafia, which the FBI described as a loose confederation of thugs and crooks who conducted their criminal activity in the Southeastern United States. The group had significant ties to Biloxi, Mississippi, known for its long tolerance (of) wide open, illegal gambling and seedy striptease clubs, the Biloxi Sun Herald previously reported. Killed in a snowstorm Weather conditions in Boone were treacherous on Feb. 3, 1972. There was 4 inches of snow on the ground and wind was whipping at 40 mph, The Charlotte Observer reported in 1989. The Durham family lived on Clyde Townsend Road a steep dead-end road off N.C. 105 Bypass on the west side of Boone, according to a news report from the Winston-Salem Journal on the 40-year anniversary of the killings. They had moved to the mountain town from Mount Airy in 1971, the Observer reported. Bryce Durham owned a Buick dealership, where Virginia Durham kept the books. Bobby Durham was in his first year of school at Appalachian State University. The family was by all accounts hard-working, quiet and largely kept to themselves. According to The Observers retelling in 1989, the Durhams also had a 19-year-old daughter Ginny Sue Hall who lived 4 miles away with her husband, Troy Hall. Both were home at 10:30 on the night of the snowstorm when the phone suddenly rang. Virginia Hall was on the other end of the line. She told them some men had Bobby and Bryce before the line went dead, The Observer reported. I didnt really recognize her voice, Troy Hall told The Observer. I thought it was a practical joke. But Ginny Sue Hall was worried. The couple decided to go check on her family, but their car wouldnt start. A neighbor, private detective Cecil Small, agreed to drive them, The Observer reported. The road up to the Durhams home was too treacherous to traverse by car, so Travis Hall and Cecil Small went alone while Ginny Sue Hall waited in the car. The house had been ransacked, The Observer reported. The telephone cord was ripped from the wall. Blood spattered the den. The television was on. But its sound was muffled by the steady swoosh of running water. The two men followed the noise to a bathroom where they found three bodies, their heads dangling in an overflowing bathtub. An autopsy report later revealed Virginia Durham died by strangulation, while Bryce and Bobby Durham had been drowned. All three reportedly had rope burns on their necks. Troy Hall called the sheriffs office from a neighbors apartment at 10:50 p.m., according to The Observer. A slew of officers converged on the house, The Watauga Democrat reported. They found a baked chicken on the kitchen table, half-eaten. A money bag stuffed with hundreds of dollars remained untouched, according to The Observer, and nothing appeared to have been taken. Investigators were told a green and white SUV was seen leaving the Durhams house just after 10:30 p.m., The Watauga Democrat reported. The Highway Patrol found it several hours later on the side of the road a few miles away with its lights on, windshield wipers slapping, doors closed, motor still running, according to the Winston-Salem Journal. Bryce Durham had taken the car from his dealership to get home in the snowstorm, investigators said, and the killers used it as their getaway vehicle. A bag of silver was found inside. A break in the case The first major breakthrough on the Durham killings came in 2019, when Birts son, Shane Birt, came to the White County Sheriffs Office in Georgia to help with some research for a book about crimes in Georgia. White County is about 90 miles northeast of Atlanta and about a dozen miles south of the North Carolina border. Shane Birt had been close with his father and often visited him in prison, the Watauga County Sheriffs Office said. It was during one of those visits that Birt reportedly told his son about killing three people in the North Carolina mountains during a heavy snowstorm, remembering that they almost got caught, the sheriffs office said. The White County Sheriffs Office immediately contacted authorities in Watauga County after Shane Birt relayed the story. Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman said his office realized the tip could be very important to the Durham case. We immediately began to investigate the new leads, and conducted in-person interviews with Billy Wayne Davis in September 2019, October 2020, and August 2021, Hagaman said. It was these interviews that ultimately helped us determine who was responsible through the corroboration of evidence. We are confident that we now know who committed these crimes. According to the sheriffs office, Davis said he and three other men were hired for a hit in the North Carolina mountains. Just as Birt had said, Davis told investigators a bad snowstorm hit the night of the killings and they were almost caught. He said he acted as the getaway driver while Birt, Gaddis and Reed killed the Durham family. Mystery solved Surviving family members spent decades yearning for answers. At 89 years old, solving the murder was all Bryce Durhams mother, Collie Durham, could talk about, her daughter Gayle Mauldin told The Charlotte Observer in a 1989 interview. She just wants to see it solved, Mauldin said. While Collie Durham died long before law enforcement cracked the case, the Watauga County Sheriffs Office met with the remaining members of the Durham family in November to break the news. Ginny Sue Hall, who now goes by Ginny Durham, was among them. I would like to thank all of the people who worked for decades on my familys case, she said in the news release. I know that they sacrificed many days and weekends in order to work on solving this case since 1972. Submit an Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. Obituaries submitted by family members are also accepted pending proper verification of the death. Submit an Obituary Lifebridge Health Northwest Hospital in Randallstown, starting on February 17: Open Wednesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. MedStar St. Marys Hospital in Leonardtown, starting on February 17: Open Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. UM Shore Medical Center at Easton, starting on February 18: Open Thursdays and Fridays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. UM Upper Chesapeake Hospital in Bel Air, starting on February 19: Open Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. UM Baltimore Washington Medical Center (BWMC) in Glen Burnie, starting on February 20: Open Sundays and Mondays, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Ascension Saint Agnes Hospital (located at Babe Ruth Field, Gibbons Commons) in Baltimore City, starting on February 20: Open Saturdays and Tuesdays, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC)/Main Campus in Baltimore City, starting on February 22: Open Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. State Center Vaccination and Testing Site in Baltimore City: Vaccines available Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, 8 a.m. - 12 noon UM Capital Region Medical Center (located at City of Praise Family Ministries in Landover): Vaccines available Monday - Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Lakeforest Mall in Gaithersburg: Vaccines available Mondays - Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. and Sundays, 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. There are currently 539 pharmacies and clinics in total across the state that offer COVID-19 primary and booster shots. To find a vaccination location near you, visit There are currently 539 pharmacies and clinics in total across the state that offer COVID-19 primary and booster shots. To find a vaccination location near you, visit covidVAX.maryland.gov . Vaccination clinic days and hours of operation are subject to change. For more information about COVID-19 in Maryland visit ### The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement. Follow us on The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement.Follow us on Twitter @MDHealthDept and at Facebook.com/MDHealthDept For more information about COVID-19 in Maryland visit covidLINK.maryland.gov . For the most recent Maryland COVID-19 data, visit coronavirus.maryland.gov Beginning next week, seven of the states existing COVID-19 sites will offer booster shots:In addition, three state-supported sites already offer booster shots:Maryland residents 18 and older who have received their primary COVID-19 vaccinations and their booster shot in Maryland at any time are eligible for the $2 million VaxCash 2.0 Promotion. No registration or entry is required. The initial VaxCash 2.0 Promotion drawing on Tuesday, February 15 will award an eligible Marylander $500,000. Prizes of $50,000 will be awarded each week for the following ten weeks. On Tuesday, May 3, one Marylander will be awarded a grand prize of $1 million. After more than 15 years as a city employee, Helena City Attorney Thomas Jodoin is stepping down to become deputy director of the Montana League of Cities and Towns. As reluctant as we all are to say goodbye to Thomas, we are all also very excited for his next chapter Helena City Manager Rachel Harlow-Schalk said in an email to city officials Friday. Not only will we continue to have access to his expertise, so will the entire state of Montanas cities and towns, she continued. Jodoin's last day with the city will be Feb. 25. Deputy City Attorney Erik Coate has agreed to serve as interim city attorney as the city recruits for the position, Harlow-Schalk said. Jodoin started his career with the city as deputy city attorney in November 2006 and was named city attorney in September 2014. He also served as interim city attorney in 2009 and 2012. He was raised in San Diego and graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in environmental studies from United States International University in San Diego. He then went on to graduate from the University of Montana School of Law in 2006. Jodoin's staff said he was on vacation Friday, and he could not be reached for comment. The Montana League of Cities and Towns, according to its website, is a nonpartisan, nonprofit association of all 127 incorporated cities and towns of Montana. It has provided technical support, research, and advocacy at the state and federal levels since 1931. Love 4 Funny 3 Wow 1 Sad 3 Angry 0 Face masks will no longer be required in Helena Public Schools buildings beginning Monday, Superintendent Rex Weltz said in an announcement late Friday afternoon. The school district is still recommending mask use in school buildings. Friday's announcement came one week after Weltz said he expected to lift the mandate if COVID-19 conditions improved. "All indicators suggest that we have seen the peak of this latest surge, which appears to be moving out as quickly as it swept in," Weltz said in a letter to parents. According to Weltz, two factors triggered the district's temporary return to mask-required status in January. Those factors were keeping hospitalizations rates down to preserve access to health care, and the Lewis and Clark County case numbers. Weltz said the situation has improved significantly in both areas, including an overall decline in viral activity. "As before we will continue to respect family choice around masking. High-quality masks will continue to be provided free-of-charge, and school nurses are available to perform correct mask fittings for students and staff," Weltz's letter continued. "We will continue to report district case numbers as well as absentee rates on the district website, so parents can stay apprised of health conditions." Helena Public Schools has about half the number of new COVID-19 cases as it did when the mask mandate was reinstated in January. In the past 14 days, the district reported 223 new COVID-19 cases. This is down from 432 cases reported on Jan. 21. In the past week, the district reported only 29 new cases. Love 8 Funny 0 Wow 1 Sad 2 Angry 2 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. DECATUR The firm hired to assist the Decatur school board with its search for a new superintendent has waived the final payment for its services. "(The search firm) waived the (last) 25 percent because they made some mistakes," board President Dan Oakes said Friday. The board, in June, approved a contract with Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to lead the search for Paul Fregeaus replacement. That contract, which totaled $24,950, called for 50% being paid upon execution of the agreement, 25% paid upon the presentation of a slate of candidates and 25% upon the appointment of the a superintendent. Information about the final payment came in response to questions about a timeline of the search process released by the board at 4:21 p.m. Friday. Decatur school board releases superintendent timeline The Decatur school board has released a timeline of the process that led to the hiring of new Superintendent Rochelle Clark. "What we're ready to do is move forward and do the business of the district," Oakes said on Friday after the timeline was released. "I think we've offered all the explanation to anybody that's needed. She'll be an excellent superintendent and we're ready to move on and do what needs to be done for the district." The Herald & Review has a pending Freedom of Information Act request with the district seeking emails and other correspondence related to the search. The information comes as community members have expressed concern about the hiring process, which ended Tuesday with the hiring of Rochelle Clark. Clark was an internal candidate who expressed an interest in the position after it was clear the board could not move forward with the two finalists, the timeline states. The finalists were Michael Gaal and Mikayla Savoy-Brooks. After both candidates appeared in online forums Jan. 5, the search firm told the school board that Gaal could not obtain certification in Illinois. As a result of the irregularities in the Superintendent search and the inconclusive outcome of the public forum, the majority of the Board did not feel they could move forward with Dr. Savoy-Brooks as a clear choice from either the Board or the community. Shortly after these findings, follow up phone calls were made to the top two candidates, the timeline stated. Oakes said Tuesday that Savoy-Brooks was removed from contention after she indicated she who would not take the position unless she could be assured a unanimous vote from the board. The timeline states the board had reached a consensus to reach out to the Illinois Association of School Boards to assist with the renewed search, but didnt pursue that option because another internal candidate expressed interest in the case. Board members had a discussion in a closed session meeting regarding the internal candidate; however, no formal job posting was made. The consensus from the Board was to proceed with an interview of the internal candidate, the timeline states. The board interviews Clark on Jan. 31 and approved hiring by a vote of 6-1 on Feb. 8. Valerie Wells contributed to this report Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 This story will be updated. In an apparent response to criticism about the process by which it selected a new superintendent, the Decatur Board of Education on Friday released a timeline of the search process. The school board voted 6-1 on Tuesday to hire Rochelle Clark, who had been assistant superintendent of support services. Some public comments at the meeting criticized the hiring process, and board member Kevin Collins-Brown had sought to table the vote until his reservations were addressed. Clark was not one of the two finalists brought forward by Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates, the firm hired last year to conduct the search to replace former Superintendent Paul Fregeau. The candidates had appeared in online forums on Jan. 5. One of those candidates, Michael Gaal, later dropped out of contention after he discovered he could not obtain a superintendent's certificate in Illlinois. Board President Dan Oakes said the other candidate, Malika Savoy-Brooks, had indicated she wanted the board's unanimous support, which she was "not in a position to get." Clark was interviewed for the superintendent's position by the board in a closed session on Jan. 31. The timeline distributed by the school district appears verbatim below. June 8, 2021 Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates (HYA) presented to the Board, outlining its Superintendent search process. June 22, 2021 Board approved contract for Superintendent Search Firm and Letter of Agreement between HYA and DPS in the amount of $24,950. The consulting fee was payable in three installments: 50% invoiced upon execution of the agreement 25% invoiced upon presentation of the candidate slate 25% upon appointment of a Superintendent August 2, 2021 Board received an introduction letter from HYA discussing the groups to be interviewed to create the Superintendent Leadership Profile. These groups would be interviewed by HYA staff, and included one-on-one meetings with Board members and District leadership, as well as meetings with focus groups, union leadership, and selected community leaders. August-September 2021 HYA conducted focus group interviews and meetings to develop the Superintendent Leadership Profile, gathering 1,089 responses in total from the following stakeholder groups: 318 parents 264 teachers and certificated staff members 120 support staff members 40 administrators 179 students 168 taxpayers without children currently in school 873 individual written comments September 14, 2021 HYA presented the Superintendent Leadership Profile to the Board, used to determine the desired professional and personal characteristics, skills, and relevant experience desired in the next Superintendent. This profile is based on the community and staff feedback received during focus group interviews and surveys. September-October 2021 HYA posted the open Superintendent position nationally and solicited resumes until October 24, 2021, at which time HYA closed its application period. The District did not have an established closing date for applications for the Superintendent position until a final candidate was selected. November-December 2021 HYA reviewed and screened all submitted applications candidates were selected and sent to the Board for discussion with HYA. Interviews were scheduled with finalists, resulting in the Board selecting its top two candidates. January 5, 2022 HYA hosted a virtual community forum for the top two candidates. January 2022 Following the virtual forum, HYA advised the Board that candidate Michael Gaal could not obtain certification in the State of Illinois. As a result of the irregularities in the Superintendent search and the inconclusive outcome of the public forum, the majority of the Board did not feel they could move forward with Dr. Savoy-Brooks as a clear choice from either the Board or the community. Shortly after these findings, follow up phone calls were made to the top two candidates. The final 25% installment was not paid to HYA. The Board had a consensus to reach out to and engage the Illinois Association of School Boards to assist with the Superintendent search, but ultimately did not need to do that because another internal candidate expressed interest in the position. Board members had a discussion in a closed session meeting regarding the internal candidate; however, no formal job posting was made. The consensus from the Board was to proceed with an interview of the internal candidate. The resume of the internal candidate was shared with Board members. January 31, 2022 Board interviewed Dr. Rochelle Clark during a Special Board of Education closed session meeting. February 8, 2022 Board voted in an open session meeting to appoint Dr. Rochelle Clark as the new Superintendent of Decatur Public Schools. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 It is a hallmark of an advanced society that we rarely speak ill of the deceased. Major public figures can be an exception and all of our lives eventually recede into the historical record where more frank evaluations can and should occur. But in the immediate aftermath of a loss, we rightly pay deference to the feelings of a bereaved family and friends. We dont dwell on the mistakes we all make in life but instead concentrate on the good. This is especially true when someone dies young and in very distressing circumstances. Those conditions would apply to the Chicago police Officer Ella French, who was fatally shot in the line of duty in August when a man she and her partner had pulled over in West Englewood opened fire. All decent Chicagoans mourned her loss. Many months before that horrendous incident, French had been involved in the botched 2019 Police Department raid on the apartment of Anjanette Young, an incident that resulted in the city paying Young a settlement of $2.9 million last December. The month before, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) had issued a report on the raid. Among its recommendations was a three-day suspension for French. Her mistake? Failing to wear a body camera during the raid. Frenchs family and fellow officers were understandably outraged by the report. Even Young, who said she was treated with extraordinary harshness by the officers rampaging through her apartment, said that French had been the one police officer that night to show her the dignity all citizens deserve. At the time, Mayor Lori Lightfoot called the report tone deaf, and she was of course right. Yet more to the point was the reality that any such suspension was, in fact, moot, given that Officer French had been killed months before its release. In its defense at the time, COPA said that, while they regretted any pain caused, they had no legal authority to make redactions from a report completed before French was killed. And some observers argued that the report was the report: Transparency and accountability in police operations required a full and fair appraisal of what went on that night. The moment public officials feel empowered to go into completed reports and remove names and incidents, this thinking went, those very things inherently are compromised. In this particular case, the reason for the omission or redaction might be unimpeachable, but precedent still would be set for a situation where the moral authority was, at minimum, much less clear. And thats incontrovertibly true. This is a painful matter and reasonable people can agree that the family and the law enforcement community in general should have been prepared better for the contents of the report. For this, she has apologized and that apology should be accepted. But another way to look at this is that French stood for Chicago policing at its best. Anyone who takes the trouble to educate themselves on what happened in Youngs apartment can quickly see that she was one of the good cops that night, notwithstanding the mistake with the body camera. Chicagoans can weigh all these facts, regret the loss of French in a separate incident, feel deeply for her family and friends, appreciate all she did for the city and still see the benefits of not messing after the fact with finished public reports about policing errors. Given the crucial context, her presence in that report should not be seen as a blight on Frenchs memory. We should all still be able to appreciate what she did for the city and the price she paid. Its also worth adding that had that error not happened, none of this debate over Frenchs memory would be taking place. But the clock cannot be turned back. This report is not a reason to prevent the confirmation of Kersten, who surely has learned a helpful lesson in how much published findings can impact families and loved ones, no matter what their role in an incident. And we hope she now knows it is better to get ahead of these issues and put them in context in advance. Chicagoans should understand anew that policing is not just a fraught business but often a matter of life and death for the officers doing their sworn duty, as it can be for citizens who rely on the police for their protection. The memory of Officer French demands no less. Chicago Tribune Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 New Braunfels, TX (78130) Today Cloudy skies early, then partly cloudy in the afternoon. High near 90F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low 72F. Winds SE at 10 to 15 mph. In the beginning, there was an obscene chant during a live broadcast at the Talladega Superspeedway that NBC producers urgently needed to ignore. Interviewing winner Brandon Brown, reporter Kelli Stavast pretended the NASCAR crowd was chanting Lets go, Brandon! not cursing President Joe Biden. The rest is history, as the wink-wink slogan soaked into political jargon and mass media. What shocked the Rev. Seth Carter, who leads the First Baptist Church of Paintsville, Kentucky, was when church people began baptizing Lets go Brandon! into common speech. To be clear, I am no supporter of our presidents actions or policies. In no way do I feel support for him welling up inside of me, he wrote in a Baptist Press commentary. However, I recognize that my feelings can never be the proper guide of the attitude I am to have toward him. As a Christian and a believer in the inspired, inerrant and infallible Word of God contained in the Bible, the truth of Gods Word is what ought to guide my attitude toward President Biden (or any other leader, for that matter). Christians could try chanting Pray for Biden, he said. They need to see Biden the way the apostles Peter and Paul viewed the evil emperor of their day, Nero. Carter noted this passage from 1 Peter: Submit yourselves for the Lords sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. Writing to the Colossians, Paul said: Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt. In response, the conservative Capstone Report website published an editorial claiming that the Baptist Pravda, err, Press had demanded submission to (a) regimes lies. Yes, the original chant of F--- Joe Biden was profane. The Christian should avoid it, acknowledged the editorial, posted without a specific byline. However, when the NBC reporter lied about the chant ... the purpose and meaning of it changed, too. This is undeniable. To say Lets go, Brandon is not to say anything other than The mainstream press are propaganda agents of the Joe Biden regime. In fact, claiming otherwise is bearing false witness against the people using the chant. The editorial claims that Bidens unconstitutional mandates and attacks on Christian liberty mean that he meets any definition of tyrant, and that the goal of Leftist Big Evangelical leaders is to turn Christians into compliant slaves. Carter said he knows many conservatives have been shaken by years of attacks on their beliefs by politicians, commentators and Hollywood. Many embraced the brash style of President Donald Trump because they thought turnabout is fair play, and they wanted a blunt strongman on their side. Its understandable that many consider elite newsrooms part of the biblical principalities and powers that oppose traditional believers today. People are saying, Why isnt it fair to attack Biden the way people attacked Trump? said Carter. Yes, it was clear as day that the (NBC) reporter was trying to cover up what was being said, to protect Biden, and I understand that lots of things this president is doing make people mad. I feel the same way. ... Im just trying to get my own people to go back to scripture and take it seriously. Whether its Biden or Trump, that doesnt change how we relate to scripture, he said. When Americans left and right start cursing each other, it becomes harder to communicate about divisions and disturbing trends plaguing national life, he said. Coating arguments in acid doesnt encourage understanding or tolerance. Im not saying Christians need to be silent instead of taking stands for what we believe is right, said Carter in an interview. If anything, it seems like many church people have been assuming that were called to be doormats and should assume things can never change. Are we supposed to stand up to lies? Of course. We have every right and responsibility to expose lies for what they are. ... The question is, What are we going to say and how we going to say it? It doesnt help our cause when people see Christians acting like the people that were trying to oppose. Terry Mattingly leads GetReligion.org and lives in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He is a senior fellow at the Overby Center at the University of Mississippi. A Sullivan County jail inmate, who escaped last week, remains in North Carolina pending extradition, authorities said Friday. Johnny Shane Brown, 50, of Rogersville, Tennessee, was captured Thursday night in the Wilmington, North Carolina, area. He was one of three inmates to escape through the ventilation system at the jail last Friday, the Sullivan County Sheriffs Office said. The U.S. Marshals Service said they received information regarding Browns location. Upon checking the location on S. 16th Street in Wilmington, authorities located the white Chevrolet Silverado sought in the escape. The Tennessee license plate had been replaced with a West Virginia plate. The U.S. Marshals Carolinas Regional Fugitive Task Force and the Wilmington Police Department Task Force set a perimeter at the address. Contact was made with the occupants in the apartment, and Brown was taken into custody. Wilmington police said Brown was arrested about 9 p.m. Thursday at an apartment near S. 16th Street and Dock Street. Hes now being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center pending extradition. SCSO Capt. Andy Seabolt said Friday it was unknown whether an extradition hearing is necessary to return Brown to Tennessee. Wilmington Police declined to release additional information about Browns capture, noting that it is an ongoing investigation. Marshals had been looking for Brown since Feb. 4 when he and Tobias Wayne Carr, 38, of Kingsport, Tennessee, and Timothy Allen Sarver, 45, of Pulaski, Virginia, escaped from the Sullivan County jail. The Marshals and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation were offering a monetary reward for information leading to their capture. Its unknown if authorities received information from the public that led to Browns arrest. Carr and Sarver died Saturday, Feb. 5, following a robbery and pursuit in eastern North Carolina. The two men went into an Onslow County convenience store and robbed the clerk at gunpoint, authorities said. The two men tied the clerk up and left after stealing money from the register and safe, an Onslow County Sheriffs Office news release states. The two men then fled in the clerks car. North Topsail Beach Police Department officers responded as well to assist and upon their arrival spoke to the clerk. While speaking with the clerk, the clerk saw his vehicle drive by with the two men inside. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, but the two escapees refused to stop, and a high-speed pursuit began, the release states. Multiple agencies assisted as the chase sped through Onslow, Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick counties. The pursuit ended when the vehicle crashed in Brunswick County. Both men died, but authorities have not said how their deaths occurred. A North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation spokesperson said the office is awaiting results from the medical examiners office. It is not known whether Brown was present at the robbery, but only two people were caught on the stores cameras, according to a photo released from Onslow County. Upon returning to Sullivan County, Brown will face a charge of felony escape. Seabolt said investigators will have to speak with the Sullivan County District Attorney Generals Office at the conclusion of their investigation to determine whether additional charges will be filed. 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. Just over 130 Ballad Health System employees remained in jeopardy of losing their jobs Friday due to a federal vaccination deadline, a significantly smaller number than a few days ago. The deadline for Ballad workers to comply with the vaccine mandate was Friday. That number was closer to 1,000 on Jan. 31 when system officials met with Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin in Abingdon to discuss the gravity of an understaffed rural health system overrun with COVID-19 patients while at the precipice of having to fire large numbers of workers due to the mandate imposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. As of this morning, we had 133 people who had either not provided documentation of getting a [COVID-19] vaccine outside of our system or have not gotten a vaccine yet, or not provided an exemption from the vaccine. Were down considerably from just a few days ago, Ballad Chief Operating Officer Eric Deaton said Friday afternoon. We have our vaccine clinic open in the Johnson City Mall until 6 p.m. today, so we are encouraging those few people that are left to get the vaccine today, and we continue to be hopeful well be close to getting everyone vaccinated or providing the exemption, Deaton said. Almost 95% of Ballads 12,500 employees are now accounted for, with more than 10,000 now fully vaccinated and just over 1,500 approved for an exemption for either medical or religious reasons. Others are partially vaccinated, Deaton said. The 133-employee figure represents about 1% of the systems workforce. Some workers have resigned due to the mandate, but it isnt a large number, Deaton said. Ballads rate of vaccination is considerably higher than this region, where less than half of all residents are fully vaccinated against COVID-19, according to the Tennessee and Virginia Departments of Health. Ballad had preferred allowing workers to choose whether to be vaccinated or not, but the November mandate issued by CMS requires that all U.S. hospitals receiving funds from either federal insurance program must have its employees and associated personnel vaccinated against COVID-19. About 80% of Ballads insurance revenue comes from the two federal programs. Considerable effort has gone into working with employees, he said. Weve worked hard. Weve met with people. Weve tried to explain the importance of it. I think with the lawsuits that have been out there, there has been some confusion. The Supreme Court stepped in. I think it was confusing whether the mandate would stay intact or not. I think people decided to go ahead and get it done, Deaton said. System leaders will review the remainder of workers Monday. Well take the weekend, for those few that are left. Well make sure we havent missed any documentation for them and then determine what the number is, Deaton said. As a leadership team, well meet together to decide the next step. We have not decided how that process is going to work yet. We wanted to see where we landed before making the final decision on the process. Weve taken our time to do this the right way, talk to people and educate them. I think its paid off for us to do that, Deaton said. The original federal deadline was Jan. 4, but the issue was challenged in two federal courts before the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the mandate to stand while the cases continued. However, other federal vaccination mandates were halted. Last Friday an amended complaint was filed in the courts by 16 states including Virginia and Tennessee again challenging the CMS mandate. The lawsuit notes that the delta variant which was part of the original federal justification has now subsided and replaced by the less deadly omicron variant. It also points out that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the chief medical advisor to the president of the United States, had warned people whove received the vaccine and booster are likely to still get infected by the omicron variant. The complaint also argues understaffed hospitals are being forced to recall asymptomatic COVID-positive employees to help care for patients while prohibiting unvaccinated employees from working with those same patients something Ballad is still doing. Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares addressed the disproportionate impact on rural areas in announcing his offices decision to join the litigation. Health care workers and staff, who have bravely served on the front lines of the pandemic, should not have to choose between losing their jobs and getting the vaccine, Miyares said in the statement. Our hospital systems are desperate for nurses and other health care workers we should not punish those willing to serve and take other common-sense precautions, like regular testing. This mandate would disproportionately affect our rural communities and hospitals, which are already overworked and understaffed. Deaton said there is little time for that action to impact the current situation. There is a narrow window because the second shot deadline is March 11. Its a pretty short time frame, Deaton said. On Friday Ballad had 398 COVID-positive inpatients down from a single-day record 454 earlier this week. The health systems crisis staffing protocols remained in place with 356 team members at home due to being COVID-positive or awaiting test results. 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. WISE, Va.--A Southwest Virginia prisoner will serve 20 more years behind bars after being found guilty of murder and strangulation in the death of a cellmate. William A. Saunders, 52, who is currently incarcerated at Red Onion State Prison, was sentenced Friday in Wise County Circuit Court. Back in December, a jury found Saunders guilty of second-degree murder and strangulation. On Friday, the court imposed a 20-year sentence for murder and five years for strangulation. The sentences will run concurrently. He's already serving a life sentence for prior convictions, including murder. Saunders attacked his cellmate, Donald Wayne Gary, in 2018, the Wise County Commonwealth's Attorney said in a news release Friday. During the investigation by the Special Investigations Unit of the Virginia Department of Corrections, Saunders admitted to weaponizing a pair of pants and using them to violently strangle the victim, the release states. A pair of burgundy pants was found tightly wrapped around Gary's neck. The medical examiner confirmed Gary died from asphyxia due to strangulation and that the internal injuries suffered by Gary were severe, the release said. The Virginia State Police Bureau of Criminal Investigation is investigating a Wise County fire that apparently resulted in the death of a 65-year-old man. According to a press release from the Virginia State Police, the fire in the 3900 block of McReynolds Road occurred Tuesday, Feb. 8, at a residence in the 3900 block of McReynolds Road. Firefighters discovered the body of 65-year-old Bruce E. Maines, Jr., inside the residence after the fire was extinguished. Maines remains were transported to the Office of the Medical Examiner in Roanoke for examination and autopsy. The release said investigators do not believe foul play was involved at this point and the fire does not appear to be suspicious in nature. The cause and origin of the fire remains under investigation. John Hunt was 19 when he lost one of his legs to a booby trap. Hunt was a U.S. Marine serving in Vietnam at the time. He would go on to spend nearly a year at a naval hospital in Philadelphia before his discharge. Its been rough, Hunt, 72, said of his years dealing with the injuries. He added: I just thank God. Im glad to be here. Hunt was one of several veterans to attend the Black Veterans History and Appreciation event held Saturday at Morning Star First Baptist Church and sponsored by the Foothills Veterans Helping Veterans organization. Lenoir resident David Steven Davenport, 71, was another. Davenport was in Vietnam for a little more than a year serving as an artillery gunner in the U.S. Army. He said his scariest experience in the war came in October 1970 when enemy forces almost overran his temporary base. After that, he estimated the base was taking on some type of fire at least monthly, whether it was from mortars, rockets or snipers. Reflecting on how soldiers handled combat situations, Davenport said: Training helps, but you rely a lot on the guys thats been over there for a while and your senior non-commissioned officers to help you get through those moments. Tony Moss, 65, of Hickory, is also an Army veteran. A recruiter came by his house when Moss was a young man and asked him if he wanted a job that would provide three meals a day, shelter and the potential for a lifetime of benefits. That sounded like a good deal to Moss and he took them up on it. He would go on to spend 20 years in the U.S. Army. Moss said 20 years went by fast. It seemed, he said, like he went in on a Friday and came out on Monday. Moss emphasized the opportunities the Army gave for education and growth. Moss also said there were instances of discrimination in the service, but he viewed those as another challenge to surmount. I experienced discrimination from everybody, but most of all discrimination basically from like, Caucasians, because they dont want you to go higher than what they are in there, but youve got to learn how to do that, Moss said. Theres ways around everything, and youve got to find out that way. Dont stagnate yourself and say, Well, this is it. This is the way life is. Its not. Even with the difficulties, Moss said being in the military helped him in life. Im glad I went because I learned a lot, Moss said. They always say the military makes a man out of you. I always tell them, I was a man when I went in, but they challenged me and I accepted their challenges, and then I overcome their challenge. Hunt also noted some obstacles for Black service members but said the group-oriented nature of the military and the stresses of combat had a way of cutting away at prejudice. It was hard for us to make rank back then in the war zone, but I really enjoyed my job, said Hunt. Most guys I served with, they was up to date. He added: Marine Corps didnt have no color. Everything was Marine Corps green, and that was one of the things I liked about the Marines. Kevin Griffin is the City of Hickory reporter at the Hickory Daily Record. 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. HICKORY Although 2021 presented many challenges, Greater Hickory Cooperative Christian Ministry (GHCCM) secured funding to begin the Behavioral Health and Wellness Initiative. Founded in 1969, GHCCM assists about 2,000 people each month from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances. These individuals and families from local and surrounding areas fall within the 200% of the poverty level guidelines as set by the federal government. Many face difficult life issues, such as drug dependency, emotional and mental challenges, abuse, homelessness, unemployment, disabilities and lack of financial resources for day-to-day living. As explained by Molly Sain, GHCCM Medical Clinic practice administrator, The GHCCM Medical Clinic has identified through a questionnaire, Social Determinants of Health, that a large number of our patients have underlying mental and substance abuse issues that hinder their ability to move forward with finding a pathway out of poverty and creating a more stable life. By identifying these issues that hold people back transportation, housing, living conditions, alcohol and substance abuse, plus the mental issues it became apparent for GHCCM to offer a location on-site for the ministry staff to journey with the neighbors as to what determines the best next steps for healing and transformation. In addition, community collaboration with other agencies in the area is very important. The GHCCM staff of certified and trained Peer Support Specialists are in place to offer the immediate help to those neighbors who are facing a crisis either emotionally or mentally. These conditions such as depression, bi-polar disorder, or schizophrenia are debilitating, Sain explains. We believe that you cant fully take care of someone medically until you address their mental health and/or substance abuse issues. As a nonprofit ministry, GHCCM depends on funding to begin and sustain new endeavors. The ministry reached out to area foundations and individuals to request their support of the project. GHCCM proposed the new program, Behavioral Health and Wellness Initiative, and requested funding to make the new program a reality. We are grateful to these foundations and individuals AlexLee Inc., Beaver Family Foundation, Corning Inc. Foundation, The Kulynych Family Foundation, TSH Charitable Foundation and Mrs. Carol de Perczel who enabled GHCCM to exceed our goal to begin this new ministry offering that will impact many lives, said Linda Wade, director of development. The ministry hired two certified peer support specialists, Jane Duralia, RN, and Twanna Bowens, PSS, who will work in the clinic and the Whole Life Center. The peer support specialists, whose life experiences has prepared them to provide the necessary skills for screening and outreach of the ministrys neighbors. We see their work as walking with the patient, providing one-on-one peer support and building healthy relationships, Sain said. Personal guidance is frequently whats missing. Sain helps define and measure outcomes to ensure these services are making a difference. Support groups and classes for anger management, building self-esteem, and other personal and social issues will be offered. The goals and objectives for the Behavioral Health and Wellness Initiative are on its way to offering a positive impact for its neighbors. The community support is critical for GHCCM to continue to expand and grow. COVID has changed many peoples life circumstances, both financially and health-wise that we werent expecting, Sain said. Neighbors are dealing with mental health issues, job and financial issues and safety concerns theyve never had before. GHCCM is here to help. We invite our neighbors to visit us. GHCCM is dependent on grants and financial contributions to continue offering the wide range of support to its most vulnerable neighbors. It is the goal of GHCCM to work together to offer stability to those in crisis. Once the crisis is stabilized, the GHCCM staff is committed to journey with its neighbors to determine an attainable pathway out of poverty. For hours of operation, ministry offerings or to donate, visit GHCCMs website at www.ccmhickory.org. For additional information, email info@ccmhickory.org. To volunteer, send your request to outreach@ccmhickory.org. A roundup of some of the most popular but completely untrue stories and visuals of the week. None of these are legit, even though they were shared widely on social media. The Associated Press checked them out. Here are the facts: Posts falsely claim 50% of Ottawa police quit over protests CLAIM: Half of the police officers in Canada's capital city resigned on Monday in support of protests against vaccine requirements. THE FACTS: On the contrary, no Ottawa police officers have resigned in support of a convoy of truckers against vaccine mandates in the city, both the Ottawa Police Service and a union representing its members told The Associated Press. A protest advocate named Patrick King made the false claim in a livestreamed Facebook video Sunday night. Social media users seized on the clip, sharing it across Twitter, TikTok and other platforms with captions declaring it meant that Ottawa truckers were "WINNING" and that police were "siding with the protesters." But this is "in no way accurate," according to Matt Skof, president of the Ottawa Police Association, who said his organization represents all of the Ottawa Police Service with the exception of about 50 senior officers and four police executives. Constable Amy Gagnon, a spokeswoman for the Ottawa Police Service, also confirmed the claims were false, saying all available Ottawa police officers were working and there had been "no resignations due to the demonstration." The rumor "is simply not factual," said Patrick Champagne, press secretary to Ottawa's mayor, Jim Watson, adding that no resignations had been reported to the mayor's office. King did not respond to an emailed request for comment. Associated Press writer Ali Swenson in New York contributed this report. Despite Biden's claim, gun makers can indeed be sued CLAIM: Gun manufacturers are "the only industry in America that is exempted from being sued by the public. The only one." THE FACTS: While gun manufacturers have legal protections that shield them from most lawsuits, this does not mean they are exempt from being sued, nor are they the only industry with such protections, according to legal experts. On Thursday, Feb. 3, President Joe Biden discussed his commitment to fighting gun violence during a Gun Violence Prevention Task Force meeting in New York City. In the following days, people on social media widely shared a tweet from Townhall.com, a conservative news website, that contained a clip in which Biden spoke about the firearms industry and said: "Imagine had we had a liability they're the only industry in America that is exempted from being able to be sued by the public. The only one." Experts told the AP that taking legal action against firearms makers and sellers is possible but it's very difficult for the cases to reach court. The 2005 Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, or PLCAA, gives immunity to gun makers so they can't be held liable for injuries caused by criminal misuse of their weapons, Adam Winkler, a law professor at UCLA School of Law, told the AP in an email. He said Congress feared liability could put firearm sellers and manufacturers out of business. Another purpose of the law was to protect a citizen's access to buy and use of firearms for legal purposes, explained Jacob Charles, executive director of the Duke Center for Firearms Law. The law includes six exceptions where firearms manufacturers or dealers can be held liable for damages their weapons cause, Charles said, which means it does not provide "absolute immunity." These exceptions include defects or damages in the design of the gun, negligence, or breach of contract or warranty regarding the purchase of a gun. Another exception is when the manufacturer or seller knowingly violated a state or federal law related to the sale or marketing of a firearm, Charles said. In the case of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, families of victims of the shooting are suing the gun maker, Remington, and alleging " wrongful marketing " of firearms, according to previous AP reporting. This case is still developing. But even with PLCAA's exceptions, it's still very difficult to sue gun manufacturers. Judges have dismissed many cases against gun makers. That's because PLCAA provides immunity in most scenarios where a person would try to sue, Winkler said. "The cases, like Newtown, that have survived tend to be innovative suits that test the boundaries of the law," said Winkler. Despite Biden's claim, the firearms industry is not the only industry that has special exemptions in the United States. As the video of Biden's remarks spread online, many tweets suggested the COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have legal immunity. Vaccine manufacturers do have special immunity from liability under different programs, including the 2005 Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act. And individuals or organizations involved in the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of medical countermeasures can't be sued if a person had an adverse reaction to or is injured by a vaccine, said Brian Dean Abramson, an adjunct professor of vaccine law at the Florida International University College of Law. It is possible to sue a vaccine maker if they demonstrate willful misconduct but it's very difficult to prove, he added. The White House did not respond to the AP's requests for comment. Associated Press writer Karena Phan in New York contributed this report. Cancer rate not up 20 times from COVID-19 vaccines CLAIM: There is a "massive spike" in cancer rates, with certain types of cancers up 20 times the normal rate since the "Operation Warp Speed injections were first introduced." THE FACTS: U.S. medical professionals who study cancer rates say they have not seen a spike in cancer rates since the COVID-19 vaccines began, and clinical trials and data haven't shown vaccinated individuals are more susceptible to developing cancer. Following news last week of President Joe Biden's initiative to cut the cancer death rate in half within 25 years, false claims began circulating on social media, attempting to link the COVID-19 vaccine to cancer rates. One Twitter post says "there is now 20 times the normal average of certain types of cancers" since the COVID-19 vaccination program began. Health professionals who directly work with cancer patients say the claim is baseless. States have surveillance systems to spot increases in cancer rates and cancer hot spots, and public health agencies are required to report cancer cases, Dr. Arif Kamal, first chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society, told The Associated Press. Kamal noted that state health departments who closely track cancer rates would have sounded the alarm if any upticks were noted. "There is actually almost real-time monitoring at the state level and if anywhere there was an uptick like that it would be remarkable news," Kamal said. The American Cancer Society has estimated that there will be 1.9 million new cancer cases in 2022, with 609,360 deaths. In 2021, the society had also estimated new cases at 1.9 million, and deaths at 608,570. The organization released its 2022 report on cancer figures in January, where it reported that the cancer death rate for men and women fell 32% from its peak in 1991 to 2019. Cancer research experts say that cancer has been declining over the years due in part to early diagnosis and screening. The death rate for cancer is currently at 146 per 100,000 people, which is down from 200 in 2000. "Cancer rates are similar to what they traditionally have been," said Clive Svendsen, executive director of the Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Even more so, cancer research experts say COVID-19 vaccines do not cause cancer. The AP has previously debunked this claim, with experts saying there is no evidence linking the shots to the disease. In fact, the vaccines are recommended for cancer patients, who are considered high risk for complications from COVID-19. Associated Press writer Beatrice Dupuy in New York contributed this report. Virulent HIV variant is decades old, has no link to COVID vaccine CLAIM: The HIV variant recently found in the Netherlands is linked to the COVID-19 vaccines. THE FACTS: The previously unrecognized HIV variant had been circulating in the Netherlands for decades. Experts say there's no connection between the vaccines and the variant, and vaccine trials have not shown that recipients are more susceptible to contracting HIV in general. After news broke last week that the more virulent variant of HIV has been documented in the Netherlands, social media users began spreading false claims attempting to link the variant to the COVID-19 vaccines. The Associated Press has previously debunked similar claims trying to link the vaccines to HIV or AIDS, the most severe phase of HIV infection. Experts said the COVID-19 vaccines do not contain HIV, and clinical trials and data from the administration of shots around the world have not shown that it makes the body more vulnerable to contracting the virus. Experts also confirm the vaccines have no connection to the newly identified HIV variant, which actually dates back to the 1990s. The University of Oxford published a study last week saying that scientists had found 17 cases of the "VB variant" or virulent subtype B, which caused more immune damage and was more infectious than subtype B. Since most of the cases were from the Netherlands, researchers delved into Dutch records and found a cluster of 109 people infected with the VB variant. But the variant has been around for years and has been virulent the entire time, according to Joel Wertheim, associate professor in the department of medicine at the University of California, San Diego. "Sometime in the '90s, a more virulent variant of HIV seems to have evolved and spread, he told the AP. "The only thing that connects this cluster to the COVID-19 pandemic is that the researchers published it during the pandemic, yet all of this happened, decades ago," Wertheim said. There's no connection." Wertheim said claims that COVID-19 vaccines cause HIV are "completely bogus and ridiculous." He added that there have been fewer cases of HIV in the population reported throughout the pandemic. Associated Press writer Arijeta Lajka contributed this report. Nurse peddles baseless claim that COVID treatment remdesivir is lethal CLAIM: Remdesivir is "continuing to kill patients in the United States" and recipients have "a less than 25% chance of survival if they get more than two doses." THE FACTS: Experts say claims that remdesivir, an antiviral medicine approved as a COVID-19 treatment, is killing patients are baseless. Clinical trials did not find that the drug increases deaths among recipients. Still, a video viewed millions of times on social media is spreading the baseless claim. "They rolled out remdesivir under a substantial number of patients for which we all saw, it was killing the patients," Nicole Sirotek, a nurse licensed in Nevada, claims in the video posted on YouTube and shared on various social media platforms. Sirotek was speaking during an event hosted by Republican Sen. Ron Johnson in late January that was rife with falsehoods that then spread online. Sirotek went on to claim that "qualitative data with a humanistic phenomenological approach" that was collected by nurses show remdesivir recipients "have a less than 25% chance of survival if they get more than two doses." But experts say that there is no support for those claims, and that the data-gathering process she described is not a rigorous method for assessing the safety or efficacy of a drug. Sirotek and her group, American Frontline Nurses, did not return multiple requests by the AP for supporting data. Dr. Cameron Wolfe, a Duke University associate professor of medicine who specializes in infectious diseases, said in an email that remdesivir was not shown to increase deaths in recipients in any of the clinical trials that have been conducted. "In fact, they usually did better, especially if the drug was given early in the illness," he said. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration fully approved remdesivir administered through an IV and distributed as Veklury by Gilead Sciences Inc. to treat COVID-19 patients in October 2020, based on findings that it reduced patients' recovery times. The FDA expanded remdesivir's use in January to include adults and children with early COVID-19 who face a high risk of ending up in the hospital. Remdesivir previously had been limited to hospitalized patients. Studies have provided mixed results in terms of how beneficial remedesivir is, said Emily Heil, an associate professor of infectious diseases at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. A recent randomized controlled trial sponsored by Gilead that assessed the use of the drug in unvaccinated outpatients who had at least one risk factor found that recipients were significantly less likely to be hospitalized. While the drug may not be effective for all COVID-19 patients, such as those later in the disease progression and severely ill, Heil said, there is no evidence for the allegation that it is killing patients. "Through all of these studies, there were zero signals that remdesivir made anything worse," Heil said. She added that "there is really no plausible mechanistic way through which remdesivir could increase your risk of death." A retrospective study led by Johns Hopkins University researchers found that hospitalized COVID-19 patients who were on low-flow oxygen and administered remdesivir were less likely to die when compared with a control group. Associated Press writer Angelo Fichera in Philadelphia contributed this report. *** " " Abraham Lincoln is known for many accomplishments, including ending the Civil War and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation, which declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free." Library of Congress/HowStuffWorks The most well-researched, intimately studied and widely written-about president in America's history is, without a doubt, Abraham Lincoln. He's probably the most well-known person in America's history. Everybody knows Honest Abe. The Great Emancipator freed the slaves and guided the country through a devastating Civil War. The ol' rail-splitter gave a famous speech ("Four score and seven years ago") at Gettysburg. He wore a stovepipe hat. He had a beard. And then there was that tragic ending at Ford's Theatre. Among historians and political scientists, No. 16 (Lincoln, as most everyone knows, was the 16th U.S. president) is consistently No. 1. "The Civil War is such a powerful turning point in our history; it's really, in a sense, the second founding of the country. His successful leadership in that enterprise ... entitles him to a lot of respect," says Michael Burlingame, the Chancellor Naomi B. Lynn Distinguished Chair in Lincoln Studies at the University of Illinois Springfield and the author of several books on Lincoln. "But more than that, it's his character. People admire him not just for what he achieved, which was monumental literally and figuratively in this case but for who he was, and how he conducted himself, and what he stood for and how he articulated the ideals of the country." As well-worn as the subject of Lincoln is, though, much still eludes us about this complicated, tortured man. Here are nine lesser-known nuggets about America's most-beloved president. Advertisement 1. His Marriage Was Rocky Lincoln's wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, was an abuser. It's hard to imagine that the 6-foot-4 Lincoln, a fine wrestler in his day, could be knocked around by his 5-foot-2 wife (though she was, evidently, much surlier). But before the couple made it to the White House, things often got nasty. "She would hit him in the face and draw blood, chase him out of the house with a knife," says Burlingame, the author of "The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln" and "Abraham Lincoln: A Life," a two-volume biography published in 2008. "And yet he submitted to her abuse patiently. He was known in Springfield as hen-pecked and woman-whipped." The abuse didn't end once the Lincolns got to Washington, Burlingame says. "She would regularly we have testimony from more than one source she would insult him. She would berate him in front of other people, and say, 'That's the worst speech I've ever heard anybody give. I don't see how a man could get up in front of the public and speak such venal things," says Burlingame, who's readying a monograph on the Lincoln marriage. "And if she does that in front of other people, what does she do in the privacy of her own home? Or in this case, the White House?" Advertisement 2. So Was the Relationship With His Father Lincoln and his father never got along. His father snatched books away from his eager-to-learn son and pulled the youngster out of school with regularity. As a child, Lincoln's father forced his son to work in the fields for neighbors, and took all the money young Abraham earned for himself. "One of the origins of Lincoln's hatred of slavery is the way his father treated him," Burlingame says, "which was like a slave." Advertisement 3. He Was a Civil Rights Martyr Some point to Lincoln's one-time public support for colonization, and his early lack of support for social and political equality between blacks and whites (in a debate with Stephen Douglas in 1858) as examples that he was a racist. "What some people fail to understand is that Lincoln was really the first martyr for black civil rights, as much as Martin Luther King or Medgar Evers or any of those people back in the 1960s who were murdered as they championed the civil rights revolution of that time period," Burlingame says. "Lincoln was murdered not because he issued the Emancipation Proclamation. He wasn't murdered because he supported the 13th Amendment. He was murdered because on April 11, 1865, two days after Robert E. Lee's surrender, Lincoln gave a public speech in which he called publicly, openly, for black voting rights." In the crowd for the speech that night on the north side of the White House: an actor named John Wilkes Booth, who would assassinate Lincoln three days later at Ford's Theatre. Advertisement 4. Lincoln's Son Was Almost Killed, Too Sometime in the early 1860s, Lincoln's adult son, Robert Todd Lincoln, was leaning against a train car on a platform in Jersey City, New Jersey. When the train moved, his foot slipped between the car and the platform. He was quickly grabbed by the collar and pulled to safety, as he recounted in a letter years later. His hero was instantly recognizable: the famous Shakespearian actor Edwin Booth, the older brother of the presidential assassin. The elder Booth considered by some the greatest American actor of the 19th century didn't know immediately the identity of the man he saved but he, unlike his younger brother, was a Unionist who voted for Lincoln. Advertisement 5. Honest Abe Had a Temper As Burlingame wrote in "The Inner World of Abraham Lincoln," the view that Lincoln was subdued and filled with an "infinite forbearance" is not entirely accurate. As a youngster, Lincoln had an "ugly tendency to belittle and wound others." Running for office in Illinois in 1840, he mimicked an opponent so mercilessly that he drove the poor man from the stage in tears. Lincoln checked his go-for-the-throat impulses later in life, but never completely controlled his capacity for anger. "What is most impressive about the mature Lincoln is not how often he expressed his anger," Burlingame wrote, "but how seldom he did so, considering the provocations he endured." " " Abraham Lincoln proved to be a complex man. He struggled through a difficult marriage, lifelong depression and at holding his temper. Library of Congress/HowStuffWorks Advertisement 6. He Struggled With Depression "On two occasions, he was so depressed that his friends feared that he would commit suicide; one episode in his late 20s, and one episode in his early 30s," Burlingame says. Lincoln was just 9 when his mother died, and by the time he was 18, both his siblings and his grandparents had passed on. That depression carried into the White House. "... When the Union Army would suffer reverses ... ," Burlingame says, "he would be passed into the deepest gloom. He would talk about how he felt as though he were suicidal." Advertisement 7. Lincoln Championed Women's Rights "He was very uneasy around women. He was chivalrous, and certainly polite, but he never felt comfortable around women. He seemed to have learned and this is a guess from the early death of his mother that, 'women are untrustworthy and they will abandon you,'" says Burlingame, who describes his early work on Lincoln as "psychobiography." Though Lincoln was uncomfortable with women, he supported women's suffrage as far back as 1836 (the 19th Amendment wasn't passed until 1919). As a young man in Illinois, Burlingame says, Lincoln led a pack of vigilantes against abusive men, urging one woman to use a belt against her husband. Advertisement 8. The Gettysburg Address Wasn't the Day's Main Attraction Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address was second in line that day to the orator Edward Everett, who spent two by-all-accounts spellbinding hours relating the battle to the crowd, finishing with this line: "Wheresoever throughout the civilized world the accounts of this great warfare are read, and down to the latest period of recorded time, in the glorious annals of our common country there will be no brighter page than that which relates the Battles of Gettysburg." Lincoln followed with his two-minute, three-paragraph gem. The two statesmen exchanged congratulations later. Lincoln wrote to Everett, "In our respective parts yesterday, you could not have been excused to make a short address, nor I a long one. I am pleased to know that, in your judgment, the little I did say was not entirely a failure." Advertisement 9. Lincoln Liked to Tell Dirty Jokes Lincoln's detractors often pointed to his homespun humor as decidedly un-presidential. "One of the striking things was how often he was criticized for telling off-color stories. And it's true, Lincoln loved to tell dirty jokes," Burlingame says. These critics, too, would knock him for other behavior that they deemed unworthy of his office; putting his feet on the desk, for example, or loosening his tie. None of the criticism landed particularly hard on Lincoln, who first won the White House in 1860 and was re-elected in a virtual landslide in 1864. He continued to tell his dirty jokes. "They were really bad, some of them," Burlingame says. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Mary Todd Lincoln had her bouts with depression, too, and suffered a nervous breakdown after the death of her son, Willie. But her eccentricities (she turned to mediums to try to contact her dead son) and outright corruption she tried to take the salary of a dismissed White House employee, and padded expense reports to fund a $27,000 personal debt often put her at odds with the public and her husband. She is considered by some, according to the University of Virginia's Miller Center, the worst First Lady in American history. Advertisement Originally Published: Jan 8, 2020 This is Peter Hitchenss Mail on Sunday column Last Tuesday the British Army halted 'all non-essential and non-operational activity' for the six hours between 10am and 4pm. This was 'to consider and reflect on the British Army's current culture and approach to inclusion and to set out how it will seek to improve both'. Thinking this might be a spoof, I checked with the Defence Ministry who readily confirmed it. I have not yet been able to get much information on how this went, though I am told that a fair few serving solders of the more old-fashioned type were more than a little embarrassed. Likewise, you may have thought of Nato, as I once did, as a stern conservative military alliance, guarding the world against armed Communism. So it was, and I recall very well the bleak barracks and bases on the German plain which kept us safe from the USSR. But did you know that Nato now has an 'Office of the Gender Advisor', just as MI6 flies the Rainbow Flag of the LGBTQ movement? Current efforts to get us all to like Ukraine (in reality a fiercely nationalist country with a macho culture not unlike Russia's) involve staged pictures of female soldiers in snowy trenches. Nato is, in fact, the army of the sexual revolution, as it showed in its failed mission in Afghanistan. Ever since the Blair creature ushered a fake crowd into Downing Street in 1997, Labour activists waving Union Jacks they despised, people have been manipulating genuine patriots into accepting or even supporting changes they would once have loathed. The amazing thing is that it has worked. Almost nothing is now what you think it is, or what it used to be. The school to which you happily send your children is in many cases a propaganda college, in which they are taught the new creed of equality and diversity. Sometimes it goes further. I wonder just how exceptional Welbeck Primary School in Nottinghamshire actually is. There, teachers have been accused of pushing anti-Tory propaganda down the throats of ten-year-olds. The police enforce the desires of feminism and political correctness, responding ineffectively to crime and disorder only when they absolutely have to. The most senior officer in the country, the wildly woke Commissioner Cressida Dick, has finally gone after a long catalogue of failure and worse. But she has gone not because she was useless, but because she was not woke enough. In the prisons, the law is openly broken and punishment is dealt out by the inmates to each other. The Labour Party is the party of the radical middle class. So is the Tory Party. So are the Liberal Democrats. And the BBC is rapidly becoming a form of thought police (though, for the moment, it seems to have suspended its investigation of me). Yet all these things continue to look much as they did. Union Jacks are displayed, the Crown of St Edward, symbol of Royal authority, appears on cap badges and coats of arms. The uniforms and the buildings look roughly the same. But what goes on inside and behind them is utterly different. ********************************************************************************************************* A furry hat in the middle of a thaw? How little Truss grasps about Russia When Foreign Secretary Liz Truss stepped out in Red Square in a furry hat and coat, left, her clothes summed up just how little she grasps about modern realities in Russia. She must have been sweltering. Local media mocked her for being wildly overdressed in the middle of a thaw. Though one theory says that Ms Truss will wear almost anything to get herself photographed in a Thatcherish pose, and of course the Iron Lady famously wore a fur hat when she went to Moscow. The weather is just one of many things which have changed since then. When I lived there in the early 1990s, winters were ferociously cold. The river froze hard enough to walk on. You had to use vodka to de-ice your windscreen. Climate change has made it much warmer. Likewise, modern Russia is a medium-sized oil power, not a global giant, and it is absolutely not Communist. Whether President Putin is clinically insane enough to invade Ukraine we shall shortly learn. But I doubt that Ms Truss's brief visit to the Russian capital will have made much difference. For in an incident which British media have been coy about reporting, she showed a terrible ignorance of Russia. Ms Truss was holding forth fiercely to the grumpy, sweary old crocodile Sergei Lavrov, the Kremlin's veteran foreign minister. According to one of the better Moscow newspapers, Kommersant, Ms Truss told Lavrov that Russia should pull back its troops from the Ukraine border. Lavrov said the troops had a perfect right to be there, then (perhaps sarcastically) asked: 'Do you recognise the sovereignty of Russia over the Rostov and Voronezh regions?' Both areas are firmly inside Russia. But Ms Truss retorted: 'Great Britain will never recognise Russian sovereignty over these regions.' British Ambassador Deborah Bronnert then had to 'tactfully explain' to Ms Truss that they were Russian territory. I put this account to Whitehall sources and they responded with a 'non-denial denial' in which nobody would actually say Ms Truss had not uttered the words attributed to her. Such is the force and mind of British diplomacy in these times. I have long pointed out that it has been a positive disadvantage, in any British debate on Russia, to know anything about the subject. Similarly, knowledge of Iraq was a handicap in influencing the debate on invading that country in 2003. But if the heir of Lord Palmerston does not even know where Russia ends and where Ukraine begins, would she (and we) not be wiser to keep out of any quarrels on the subject? ********************************************************************************************************* First, the Islington people started calling Peking 'Beijing'. Then Bombay was changed to 'Mumbai'. Now Kiev is called 'Kyiv' by all the media who, new to that region, think that Ukrainian nationalism is woke. Let them look up its unlovable hero, Stepan Bandera. Likewise let them look up the nasty Bal Thackeray, the man behind the change to Mumbai. I can understand Left-wing people wanting to kowtow to the Chinese Communists, but why do they do so to Right-wing nationalists? ********************************************************************************************************* A lot of piffle has been written about the mobbing of Sir Keir Starmer the other day. As someone who has been slightly mobbed by Leftist fanatics (who are far from clean in this matter), I thought Sir Keir behaved extremely well as he was insulted and heckled by some pretty disagreeable people. The Labour leader was calm and unprovoked. It was the police who made it into an incident by bundling him into a car and then brawling needlessly with some members of the mini-mob. Three Huskers posted all-time finishes at the Tyson Invitational on Friday night in Fayetteville, Ark.continued his stellar run in the 60m hurdles this season, placing third with a time of 6.67. Luff's time moved him into a tie for third all-time in program history after sitting in fourth with a previous time of 7.70.andleaped into the top-10 in school history in the long jump. Assani finished fifth in the long jump invite with a mark of 21-1 1/4 (6.43m), while Thomas won the open long jump with a distance of 20-9 (6.32m). Assani climbed to No. 3 in program history, first in the Big Ten and ninth nationally this season. Thomas jumped to second in the Big Ten and cracked the Top 10 with the tenth-farthest jump in program history.had a distance of 20-7 3/4 (6.29m) to place fourth in the open long jump, followed byin eighth (19-10 3/4, 6.06m). In the men's long jump,had a seventh-place leap of 24-9 3/4 (7.56m).finished second in the weight throw with a toss of 63-7 (19.38m) andplaced third with a throw of 62-2 1/2 (18.96m). On the men's side of the weight throw,had a runner-up finish of 70-2 1/2 (21.40m).recorded a fourth-place finish of 68-7 (20.90m), whilehad a throw of 65-7 3/4 (20.01m) to place seventh.At the Gorilla Classic in Pittsburg, Kan.,had a mark of 24-4 3/4 (7.43m) to win the long jump.cleared 16-1 3/4 (4.92m) to finish second in the pole vault. With a height of 6-5 1/2 (1.97m),placed third in the open high jump.Ieve Turke collected a second-place finish with a leap of 19-8 1/4 (6.00m) in the long jump.had a jump of 19-6 3/4 (5.96m) to place third, followed byin fourth with a mark of 19-6 (5.94m).led the Big Red at the Iowa State Classic with the 12th-fastest time in school history on any size of track with a time of 8:14.01 in the 3,000m.The Huskers continue action at the Tyson Invitational and Gorilla Classic tomorrow. Day two begins at 11 a.m. at the Gorilla Classic and 11:30 a.m. at the Tyson Invitational. The Nebraska women's gymnastics team claimed one event title and notched multiple career-highs in a close loss to Maryland. The Huskers ultimately fell to the Terrapins 195.625-196.125. Emma Spence and sophomore Kinsey Davis each earned a 9.925 on the balance beam to earn a share of the event title. Spence also competed in the all-around, earning a career-high 39.375, to finish second. Freshmanand sophomoreeach earned a 9.925 on the balance beam to earn a share of the event title. Spence also competed in the all-around, earning a career-high 39.375, to finish second. Rotation One Kathryn Thaler started the meet off with a 9775. Genesis Gibson followed with a 9.800. Clara Colombo matched her career-high score with a 9.875. The Huskers started on uneven bars and posted a team score of 49.000.started the meet off with a 9775.followed with a 9.800.matched her career-high score with a 9.875. The Terrapins started on vault and earned a team score of 49.300. Josephine Kogler and Alexis Rubio shared the event title, both earning a 9.900. Rotation Two Kaitlyn Higgins started off with a 9.725. Spence followed with a career-high 9.875. Kylie Piringer notched a 9.775 while Ayzhia Hall earned a career-high score of 9.850. Davis tallied a 9.850. Makayla Curtis matched her season-high with a 9.825. Nebraska had a strong second rotation, posting a season-best team score of 49.175.started off with a 9.725. Spence followed with a career-high 9.875.notched a 9.775 whileearned a career-high score of 9.850. Davis tallied a 9.850.matched her season-high with a 9.825. Maryland competed on uneven bars earning a 49.125. Audrey Barber claimed the uneven bars title with a 9.900. Rotation Three Emma Spence started NU off with a 9.725. Ayzhia Hall followed with a 9.775. On floor, the Huskers earned a team score of 48.850.started NU off with a 9.725.followed with a 9.775. On beam, the Terrapins earned a team score of 48.775. Rotation Four Nebraska finished on floor with a team score of 48.600. Spence started the Huskers off with a career-high 9.925. Hall earns a 9.200. Colombo followed with a 9.700 while Higgins earned a 9.000. Davis earned a new career-high score with a 9.925. Thaler finished the night with a 9.850. Maryland finished the night on floor, earning a team score of 48.925. Barber took the floor title with a 9.900. All-Around Competition Emma Spence earned a career-high score, 39.375, to finish in second. Audrey Barber earned the all-around title with a 39.575.earned a career-high score, 39.375, to finish in second. Up Next Nebraska returns to competition at the Big Five tournament Saturday, Feb. 19, against Minnesota, Rutgers, Michigan State and Penn State at 6 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio. also matched her career-high with a 9.850.earned a 9.400 whilerounded out the rotation with a 9.700.Curtis notched a season-best 9.875. Higgins earned a 9.625. Kuenemann finishes the rotation with a 9.000.Barber led Maryland with a 9.925 on the event and shared the title with Spence and Davis. The Concord Police Department welcomes 10 new police officers: Sam Wimbrow, Christian Fulton, Juan Giraldo, Jesse Beal, Fred Peace, KaLee Sherman, Eric Martinez, Delonta Veeney, Jazmine Missouri and Ryan Jollie. Eight of the officers completed their Basic Law Enforcement Training in December and two are joining Concord PD with prior law enforcement experience. The officers will now begin their field training. Concords newest police officers took their oath of office during a badge pinning ceremony at City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 10. The officers were joined by members of their family, Concord Police Chief Gary Gacek, Mayor Bill Dusch, Council Member Jennifer P. Hubbard, City Manager Lloyd Payne, Concord Police Foundation Board Chairman Steve Steinbacher and Board Member Greg Walter. The Concord Police Department currently has 205 sworn officers, and unlike many police departments in the state and across the nation, recruitment has not been a challenge. In fact, during his opening remarks at the ceremony, Chief Gacek said the department has needed to turn away candidates. We are adding new men and women to a very noble profession under difficult times across the country, said Gacek. Its great to have no shortage of people who are interested in joining the Concord Police Department; its a competitive process and each and every one of these new officers should be very proud of their accomplishment. At the ceremony, each new officer was given a copy of the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement by Kevin M. Gilmartin, Ph.D. Chief Gacek gives this book to each officer because, he said, Its important for them to know about the highs and lows that come with being a police officer in modern society, and he encouraged family members to read it as well. The Concord Police Department is committed to providing all officers with the best possible training, equipment and working conditions so they can excel, grow and develop in their careers. City leaders said they are privileged to welcome 10 new officers and support them as they begin their careers in law enforcement and serve and protect the community. SALISBURY Robin Olshenske, store manager of the Food Lion at 1430 South Kings Highway, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, was named Food Lions 2021 Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager of the Year. Olshenske was selected from a group of more than 1,100 store managers serving their neighbors across Food Lions 10-state operating area. Named after one of Food Lions founders, the Ralph W. Ketner Store Manager Excellence Awards recognize and honor exceptional store managers who enrich the lives of Food Lion's customers, associates and the communities they serve. Honorees are also celebrated for successfully leading the business, supporting their teams and inspiring others. In recognition of Olshenske receiving this honor, Food Lion will donate 20,000 meals in her name to both Tabernacle of Meetings and The Fathers House, two feeding agencies in Myrtle Beach, through the retailers hunger relief initiative, Food Lion Feeds. I am honored to represent more than 1,100 store managers who bring our brand, strategy and culture to life, said Olshenske. We want our customers to know they can count on Food Lion every day. Along my 10-year journey with Food Lion, Ive been blessed to have worked with many amazing people. I appreciate everyone who has supported me and made me the leader I am today. "Our store managers are passionate about caring for their neighbors and setting them up for success in life, said Meg Ham, president, Food Lion. Each of these leaders is committed to the customers they serve, the associates they lead and the communities they support. I couldnt be more proud to recognize this exceptional group of individuals and to thank them for everything they do. They are excellent representatives of our organization, our values and our commitment to nourishing the towns and cities we serve. Olshenske celebrated her 10-year anniversary at Food Lion in January 2022. She began her career with Food Lion in 2012 as the assistant store manager of the Food Lion in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. She was then promoted to store manager at the Food Lion in Georgetown, South Carolina, before transitioning to her current location, which she has led for the last four years. Her store excels at implementing business initiatives and she has developed strong partnerships with local schools, veterans organizations and other community partners. In addition to Olshenske being selected as Food Lions Store Manager of the Year, four other store managers were recognized for exceptional leadership and honored as a 2021 Divisional Store Manager Excellence Award recipient. They included: Central Division: April Ledford, previously the store manager of the Food Lion at 742 W. Highway 27, Lincolnton. Mid-Atlantic Division: Connie Dixon-Williams, store manager of the Food Lion at 3434 Cooperative Way, Farmville. Northern Division: Kelvin Grant, store manager of the Food Lion at 3200 Old Washington Road, Waldorf, Maryland. Richmond/Norfolk Division: Danny Williams, store manager of the Food Lion at 805 Ocean Trail, Corolla, North Carolina. About Food Lion Food Lion, based in Salisbury since 1957, has more than 1,100 stores in 10 Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and employs more than 82,000 associates. BILLINGS (AP) A woman made a call from a Billings motel room sometime in 2016. She called her family, telling them that over the past several days a man had forced her to be raped for money by other men in Billings, Missoula and Salt Lake City. The man controlling her was Terrance Tyrell Edwards. In 2018, he was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Billings to 30 years in prison. The women and girls snared in Edwards sex trafficking scheme were from Montana, Washington and North Dakota. In bringing them to buyers across Montana, they passed through parking lots, hotels and other businesses. If anyone caught the signs that they were being trafficked and sold, nobody reported them. In the years since Edwards conviction, the state Division of Criminal Investigation has assigned two full-time agents to a statewide human trafficking task force. Data from DCI showed that the Montana Department of Justice investigated only seven reports of human trafficking in 2015. Through 2021, DOJ tracked 68 , The Billings Gazette reported. Their data makes it appear as though the crime has increased, but I would argue that is not the case at all. Its always been here. Whats increased is that we have more resources to investigate it, said Penny Ronning, co-founder of the Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force and former city council member. The United States Department of State estimates that as many as 24.5 million people worldwide are the victims of trafficking at any time. Although the victims circumstance can vary from girls and woman forced to perform sex acts in Montana to children exploited as domestic servants in Peru, the dynamic remains the same: someone is coerced by violence, threats or lies into doing something against their will. Between December 2007 and December 2020, the National Human Trafficking Hotline tracked nearly 74,000 trafficking reports. Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announces Justice Department strategy to combat human trafficking Rooted in the foundational pillars and priorities of the interagency National Action Plan to Combat Human Trafficking, which President Biden released on Dec. 3, 2021, the Justice Departments National Strategy is expansive in scope. While the Department of State reports that forced laborers make up roughly two thirds of all human trafficking victims, any data collected on human trafficking will be skewed. The quality of that data is hampered by gaps in information on victims, buyers and traffickers, leaving experts with a consistently incomplete picture. In the past several decades, strides have been made at the federal and local level to make that picture a little clearer. The U.S. Congress passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000, a boon to the legal infrastructure to prosecute sex trafficking. As a volunteer, I would say that Ive been invested in fighting trafficking my whole life, but we didnt have any legal language about human trafficking until about 20 years ago, said Ronning, who in 2014 started volunteering as a childrens court advocate in Yellowstone County. During her time as an advocate, she saw evidence of several disturbing episodes in the lives of some children she represented. They were trafficked for sex work while they were within the states foster care system. She sought help from both the Billings Police Department and Child and Family Services, both of which she said lacked the training and resources at the time to respond to a report of sex trafficking. I struggled to find law enforcement or agencies that were meant to protect children to properly respond. It wasnt that they didnt want to, they just didnt have any training for it ... What these kids were experiencing was so different from what I experienced growing up here, she said, adding it was eye opening for her to learn there were two sides to Billings. Ronning said she was eventually put in touch with the FBI, and the information she gathered taught her that sex trafficking was a community problem that neither Billings nor any city could arrest its way out of. Unlike a robbery where a clear victim and perpetrator can be established through an investigation, she said, the crime of human trafficking has several layers involving the trafficker, the buyer and the victim. Trafficking reports rising The data published by DCI shows a stark increase in reports of human trafficking, but Ronning said the crime has always been present in Billings and Yellowstone County. She also believes that the latest figures are only a fraction of the real number of victims. The only time in recent history that cases of human trafficking have risen in the region, she said, was during the boom of the Bakken oil fields in 2008. The energy boom brought thousands of men to western North Dakota, and their salaries fueled a rising demand in the human trafficking market in the surrounding region. In 2014 alone, according to a series by Forum News Service on the exploitation of women and girls in the towns outside of the oil fields, more than a dozen men in North Dakota were convicted for trying to buy sex with underage girls. The oil fields and money that flowed out of them created a massive customer base for traffickers, FBI Special Agent Brandon Walter told the Gazette, and it also built a circuit for them to impose on those who they coerced. Walter, who has spent seven of his nearly 15 years with the bureau investigating human trafficking in Montana, echoed Ronning saying human trafficking, particularly those sold for sex, is not a crime on the rise, but an endemic crisis in the area. Before, when I grew up in Billings and I was in high school and through grade school, I can remember human trafficking victims, but we called them prostitutes at that point, standing on Montana Avenue, he said. Around the year 2014, Walter said, federal and state authorities began to target human trafficking in Montana. Not long after, they realized that they had a major problem on their hands. Many had experience in prosecuting illicit massage parlors in Billings, which has since led to local legislation curtailing businesses that offer sex acts under the guise of cheap massages available 24 hours a day. However, investigators found a separate criminal industry targeting vulnerable young women and girls, who in the digital age have vanished from Montana Avenue and reappeared on ads posted to websites offering escort services. In contrast to the popular depiction of human trafficking in which a woman is physically kidnapped and sold into sexual slavery, Walter said the cases that hes investigated involve a psychological kidnapping. Traffickers wade through social media and dating websites like Tinder in search of those who can be coerced. Theyll look for signs of prior abuse, issues with addiction or a woman whos raising a child alone and use that as leverage against them after presenting themselves as a potential partner. Was she in a domestic violence relationship? Is she a single mother? Does she have an addiction I can feed? The pimp assesses those vulnerabilities on the first date...Then, and often times its on short notice, he says `Were going to go to this motel. Theyre giving them five minutes, no time to really think about it... Now, he converts to maybe taking over her social media account and says, `Now Ive got all of your friends on Facebook. I can let them know what you did. Now youve got to keep working for me, he said. Cases hard to build Louis Gregory Venning pleaded guilty in November 2021 to coercing at least 15 women and girls into prostitution. All of the survivors were from Billings, and he trafficked them across the state and country over a period of eight years, according to documents filed in federal court. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life in prison. His sentencing is slated for March 2022. Walter said theres no doubt in his mind that at any given time in Billings commercial sex can be bought from a human trafficking victim. The investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases is labor-intensive and can span years. Along with testimony from victims, prosecutors need to gather phone and financial records, ads posted online and metadata to trace a potential circuit. In one recent case, which was spearheaded by DCI, a man living in New Mexico coerced a woman and a 17-year-old girl into prostitution in New Mexico, Texas, North Dakota and Montana. Lavondrick Terelle Hogues is awaiting sentencing for aggravated promotion of prostitution in Yellowstone County District Court. The investigation into Hogues through his conviction in June 2021 spanned about five years. In 2016, Ronning partnered with local attorney Stephanie Baucus to found the Yellowstone County Area Human Trafficking Task Force, a non-profit that combines data collection with advocacy to help prosecute human traffickers and assist their victims. During the course of the non-profits foundation, Ronning said she called roughly 100 different agencies to see if they would get involved. She also received input from numerous health care providers who said they had treated possible trafficking survivors, but did not have any information to confirm it. Many didnt know how to identify or report it...So we had all of these people, especially teachers and medical professionals who either didnt know how to look for the signs of trafficking, didnt know what to do with that information or both, Ronning said. Ronning estimates that shes hosted some 300 training sessions since the non-profit launched, and hundreds of organizations and agencies have partnered with the task force. The task force has also distributed between 50,000 and 60,000 cards detailing the signs of human trafficking and local tip lines. The signs include a younger woman with an older man claiming to be a relative, a woman or girl who seems physically abused, avoids eye contact or waits for permission to speak. Targeting the buyers With Gov. Greg Gianforte and state Attorney General Austin Knudsen announcing January in Montana to be recognized as Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, both Ronning and Walter welcome more resources for law enforcement and victim services. However, key information is missing from DCI reports and indictments. The buyers, those fueling the human trafficking enterprise, are infrequently counted or named. Lets start putting a spotlight on those who are paying to rape someone in an illicit massage business or parking lot or hotel room, because the crime is the same. Its still a rape. Theres no consent on the part of the victim, ever, Ronning said. No consistent profile exists among the buyers that hes encountered, Walter said. Theyve included men still living in their parents basement paying with five and 10 dollar bills, line cooks at national food chains and businessmen driving $85,000 SUVs. All of them assumed that the woman who they paid for sex wanted to be there. In reality, shes got a human trafficker watching her every move threatening her, saying hes going to kill her and her family...You are engaged in raping someone, whether it be a child or adult when you are paying for commercial sex in Billings, said Walter. If you suspect human trafficking, call 911 in an emergency. In non-emergency situations call 1-833-406-STOP (1-833-406-7867) or reach an advocate via 406stop.com. If you see suspected traffickers, do not intervene, and remain at a safe distance. Take pictures of the trafficker, victim, and vehicle license plate if possible. Palmetto Infusion opened its first ambulatory infusion clinic in Concord on Thursday afternoon. The clinic is off Poplar Tent Road and is the second Palmetto Infusion location in the greater-Charlotte area. It is also the eighth location for the company in the state. In total, there are 15 seats in the open area of the clinic and three private rooms available for accessible care, said representatives with the company. The clinic measures 3,797 square feet. The clinic also offers blankets, complimentary Wi-Fi, snacks and TV for patients during their treatments. Patient services include patient care, emotional counseling with Palmetto Infusions Patient Advocate, insurance coordination, financial assistance programs, treatment education and 24/7 clinical support. Palmetto Infusion held an open house before its ribbon-cutting ceremony as members of the community welcomed the business. Cabarrus County Chamber Executive Director Barbi Jones said that with all the growth on this side of the city, health services were bound to move in. This area is our fastest growing part of Concord, Jones said. It is further removed from our traditional hospital setting, so our medical providers have looked at ways to do outreach in this community on this side of town. And this is one more way of doing that. This isnt the only health care setting in that area. Novant Health Primary Care is right across from the new location. One of our big attracting factors for Cabarrus County is our quality of life around health care, and we see this as an extension of that, she said. Jeremy Bunch, chief of sales and marketing with Palmetto Infusion, said when the company was looking for another location, it noticed a pattern of people around Cabarrus County traveling longer distances to Uptown Charlotte for their therapy. We try to find where the need is great, Bunch said. Being here in Concord keeps us here between I-77 and I-85. We are outside the loop. It is the perfect situation for people to go in. The population is also growing out this way. It just made sense to be in this part of the Charlotte area. The new Palmetto Infusion clinic is at 9975 Poplar Tent Road, Suite 200. Thanks for visiting ! The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy. We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here. Thank you for your support! CHICAGO - Against a pewter morning sky, a private plane glided over Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire Friday morning, pulling a sign proclaiming D96, D103 & D125 UNMASK OUR KIDS!!! as dozens of parents below rocked out to Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It. By late morning, a crew of masked teenagers aboard a yellow school bus pulling out of the parking lot at Glenbrook North High School saw the dozens of parent protesters holding signs declaring Mask Optional Court Ruled! and proceeded to flip off the grown-ups in unison. Just 30 miles and a world away, at Chicago City Hall, Rousemary Vega, 41, a mother of five, was among the dozens of worried parents who delivered a letter to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, pleading for more COVID-19 mitigation protections at the citys schools and a return to longer quarantines for unvaccinated students. My children come home from school, and they start by washing their hands and changing their clothes, but they still cant hold their baby sister, said Vega, whose multigenerational household includes her 5-month-old daughter, Jesslyn, who is too young for the vaccine, and Vegas mother, 61, who has diabetes and is in poor health. If were going to beat this pandemic, we need to move together as a state, and as a people, said Vega, who was at City Hall as a parent organizer with Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education. Just days after Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the states mask mandate will be lifted Feb. 28 for most of the general public, but not schools, and following an Illinois judges ruling that the states masking requirements for students was authorized illegally, Illinois schools have been thrust into chaos and uncertainty. While Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischows temporary lifting of the mask mandate at Illinois schools technically applies only to the students whose parents are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, in the past two weeks many school districts statewide have shifted to mask-optional policies. Others, including Glenview School District 34, have opted to stay the course a decision that has proved frustrating to parents like Daniel Tomicevic, a father of three whose 12-year-old daughter, Anastasija, had to spend the day in a former boys locker room at Springman Middle School after she declined to wear a mask in the classroom earlier this week. I understand the rules have to be followed, but these are children, and at least the district can try their best to accommodate them so theyre not traumatized, Tomicevic said. A District 34 spokeswoman said that with the middle school under construction, there were limited options that met the need and requirements for the designated space chosen for the infirmary, adding that the space has not been used as a locker room since the start of the pandemic. Maintaining masking at this time not only provides consistency as the appeals process plays out, it also allows us to use shortened quarantine periods and make use of test-to-stay protocols which, in turn, allow us to keep students in school, in person, as much as possible, the District 34 spokeswoman, Cathy Kedjidjian, said. Al Llorens, vice president of the Illinois Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the turmoil facing school districts in recent weeks has found educators who are afraid because theyre getting threatening emails, little kids are crying and high school kids are walking out. I have teachers telling me theyve just had the worst week in their careers, and are dealing with warlike conditions, said Llorens. I dont know what the answer is. Its playing out in the courts and is the decision of the health department and the governor. But the students need to be our North Star. In a Friday message to parents titled, This Mornings Events at Stevenson High School, officials said about 40 parents and 50 students were protesting on campus when educators began receiving multiple reports from students who were afraid and felt unsafe. Some students were verbally assaulted by parent and student protesters while entering and exiting the building during a morning passing period. Additionally, we witnessed parents and students banging on windows by the Point entrance, officials said. The high school worked closely in partnership with the Lincolnshire Police Department to monitor the protesters and ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff, officials said. We understand that these events may cause feelings of anxiety or confusion among some students, or they may just want to speak with a trusted adult about what happened. As always, members of our Student Services Division are available for students who would like to discuss todays events, officials said. Parent Jen Patel, a Glenview resident and one of three plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed against District 34, said the district was very good, and very supportive of her 8-year-old daughter, who was allowed to attend classes without a mask. While Patel said she supports her fellow parents who wish for their children to continue wearing masks, she believes parents should have a choice. The unions are driving this, and it should land square on their shoulders, Patel said. My daughter cant breath with the mask on, shes losing her social emotional connections with her friends, and she cant even see her teachers face. Vega, the mother from Humboldt Park, said the pandemic has wrought the greatest challenges for low-income and working-class families. There has been a domino effect in Black and brown communities, which have been hit hardest, Vega said. If my child comes home COVID positive, and I have to take two or three weeks off work, I can lose my job and end up on the street. Eighth grader Roman Rozenbaum, 14, the lone student among the group of parent protesters in Glenview, said he is looking forward to the day when masks are optional at Illinois schools. Its hard to breathe, and its really difficult when you cant see faces, Rozenbaum said. The whole COVID experience has been really weird, and it just doesnt feel normal. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO - A judge Friday ordered a 19-year-old man held without bond after he allegedly gunned down his 16-year-old neighbor in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side. Mario Ford was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Uriel Rodger-Knox, which happened Tuesday in the 6200 block of South Greenwood Avenue, police said. Ford and Rodger-Knox lived across the street from each other with family members, Assistant States Attorney Andrea Williams said at the bond hearing, overseen by Judge Mary Marubio. Williams, who did not discuss a possible motive in the killing, said it unfolded shortly after 4 p.m. as Rodger-Knox and three witnesses approached Fords home without weapons, following an earlier argument between Fords mother and one of the witnesses, who was also the mother of Fords child. Rodger-Knox lived with the three witnesses, at least two of whom were sisters, according to the prosecutor. At some point earlier, the households also had another argument, during which Fords sister sprayed mace toward Rodger-Knox and the witnesses, Williams said. Ford then allegedly exited the apartment building and shot at Rodger-Knox twice with a revolver, striking him once in the head. He also pointed the gun at one of the witnesses, who had bent down to help the 16-year-old after he fell to the ground, Williams said. The witness who prosecutors said had a child with Ford was watching nearby, holding the child, Williams said. The 1-year-old is Fords only child, his attorney said at the hearing. Rodger-Knox was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center at 5:55 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office. The three initial witnesses spoke to police at the scene and identified Ford as the shooter, but a fourth witness did not identify him. Police recovered a black puffer jacket inside Fords home, that witnesses said Ford wore during the shooting. Additionally, surveillance video shows a person who appeared to be Ford, wearing the same jacket behind the same apartment building at the time of the shooting, according to Williams. Police didnt recover any weapons at the scene and found Ford tested positive for gunshot residue on his hands, Williams said. Ford, who is unemployed, has never been arrested, according to his attorney, who said he attended Perspectives High School in Chicago. The attack happened an hour after an apparently unrelated fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Bronzeville boy in the 3500 block of South Prairie Avenue. Ford is due back in court Feb. 18. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 SPRINGFIELD Driven by the tragic death of Illinois State University graduate student Jelani Day, a state lawmaker has proposed legislation he says will streamline the investigative process in missing person cases. Senate Bill 3932, sponsored by state Sen. Elgie Sims, D-Chicago, would amend the Missing Person Identification Act by requiring a coroner or medical examiner with custody of human remains that are not identified within 72 hours of discovery to notify the FBI for assistance. The goal is to address underreported and unsolved missing persons cases, especially those involving people of color. "Most know that the first 72 hours in a missing persons investigation are the most critical, Sims said. Should the identification process go beyond that, families should feel confident in knowing our law enforcement professionals are doing all they can to bring missing loved ones home safely. The proposal comes nearly six months after Day, a 25-year-old Danville native and ISU student, was reported missing in late August. His body was discovered a week-and-a-half later near the south bank of the Illinois River, east of the Illinois Route 251 bridge in Peru. But it wasn't identified by the LaSalle County coroner for nearly three weeks. The cause of death was later determined to be drowning with the coroner finding no evidence of trauma, though Day's family continues to insist that he was murdered and did not go into the river by choice. It felt like from the time the student was reported missing, there was no drive to find or identify his remains, said Sims. I stand with families in frustration, and especially families of color, who have struggled to get fair attention on their cases." Day's family met with police officials in Bloomington on Thursday, according to the "Justice for Jelani Day" Facebook page, where friends and family have been posting updates. "This meeting took months to make happen, but were here today, ready to fight harder for Jelani!" the post said. The FBI is offering up to $10,000 for information in connection to the case. The legislation passed out of the Senate Local Government Committee on a 5-3 roll, with all Democrats in support and Republicans in opposition. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 CHICAGO A group of leaders in Chicago is urging people to support the city's Black house museums during Black History Month. The A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum, the Elijah Muhammad House, the Emmett and Mamie Till-Mobley House Museum, and the Muddy Waters Original Jam Out Museum are among the city's venues where African American history and stories are preserved, members of the Coalition of Black House Museums said Thursday. A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum founder Lyn Hughes said African American culture "is the glue that has held the Black community together for hundreds of years" and that "the authentic interpretation of our culture is critical." House museums often are in private homes or buildings and contain historical, art and similar collections. The Pullman Porter museum is named after Asa Philip Randolph and Pullman Porters, the men who made up the membership of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters union. The Muddy Waters Original Jam Out Museum once belonged to the blues music legend. The Coalition of Black House Museums was formed in March 2021. Black History Month is recognized in February. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Coming days will be packed with action, gatherings, and with a little luck, love. Valentines Day is Monday, Feb. 14. Youre short on time to prepare some kind of surprise for your sweetheart. Because you wont want to be trying to take care of those things on Sunday, Feb. 13. Youll probably be preparing to attend of host a Super Bowl-watching party. We hope youve already taken care of your wings request. So it is easy to let Abraham Lincolns birthday slip away without notice. We dont even mark his birthday this year until Feb. 21, which is the latest possible day to mark Presidents Day. That federal holiday is the third Monday in February. Central Illinois relationship with Abraham Lincoln is long and complex. We have a tendency to take our 16th president for granted. Youre never more than a brief drive from something Lincoln-related, and his specter hangs over the area. The presence of the icon overwhelms the man and his actions. Weve been drilled with the basics for a lifetime. Born in 1809, he made every effort to better himself and his education. Compassion and fairness were sacrosanct. He rose to prominence nationally. His election came in an America even more divided than today. In a four-way race in 1860, Lincoln was elected president with just shy of 40% of the vote. He won 18 of 33 states. Lincoln's name was not on the ballot in 10 Southern states. The election set the stage for the Civil War, and his managing of same was critical in both keeping the states united and cementing his reputation as one of the finest presidents in the countrys history. As much as the Civil War invariably held his attention throughout his presidency, Lincoln oversaw additional changes and innovations. The Land-Grant College Act of 1862 (the Morrill Act) provided grants of land to states to finance the establishment of colleges specializing in agriculture and the mechanic arts. The University of Illinois was one of 69 land-grant schools founded as a result of the act. Lincoln also established the United States Department of Agriculture, which still remains responsible for developing and executing federal government policy on farming, forestry and food. Lincolns second inaugural address, more than a century and a half later, still frames the idea of an ideal America: With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nations wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and of his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations. Striving toward that goal continues to be an important tribute to the man as well as the icon. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Q: I have been getting calls several times a day from Medicare asking me questions about me and my Medicare. Is this a scam? Someone told me it is. P.N. Answer: Its either a scam to get personal information or a marketing call about signing-up for Medicare supplement plans. Medicare will not cold call you about your Medicare coverage. They will send you a letter. According to the Medicare 2022 handbook, Medicare doesnt sell or share personal information for marketing purposes. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has these tips to prevent fraud: * Never give out your Medicare or Social Security Number to anyone except those you know should have it. * Report any suspicious activities like being asked over the phone for your Medicare/Social Security number or banking information. Medicare will never call you uninvited for this information. * Check billing statements and report suspicious charges. Use a calendar to track doctors appointments and services. It helps quickly spot possible fraud and billing mistakes. Check claims early by logging into mymedicare.gov. Report suspicious activities by calling 800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227). For residents of North Carolina who have questions about Medicare, call the Seniors Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) at 855-408-1212. Heres some additional Medicare information from AARP.org: If youre on Medicare, be aware: You will not be receiving a new chip card to replace your paper ID card. If somebody tells you that, theyre lying. Its the latest Medicare scam. Here are suggestions from Medicare.gov about keeping your Medicare information safe and what to do if you get a call from someone claiming to be from Medicare. There is also information about when or if Medicare will call you. To help protect against identity theft, Medicare has mailed new Medicare cards to people with Medicare. Your new card has a new Medicare Number thats unique to you, instead of your Social Security Number. Dont share your Medicare Number or other personal information with anyone who contacts you by phone, email, or by approaching you in person, unless youve given them permission in advance. Medicare, or someone representing Medicare, will only call and ask for personal information in these situations: * A Medicare health or drug plan can call you if youre already a member of the plan. The agent who helped you join can also call you. * A customer service representative from 1-800-MEDICARE can call you if youve called and left a message or a representative said that someone would call you back. * Be familiar with how Medicare uses your personal information. If you join a Medicare plan, the plan will let you know how it will use your personal information. If someone calls you and asks for your Medicare Number or other personal information, hang up and call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Only give personal information like your Medicare Number to doctors, insurers acting on your behalf, or trusted people in the community who work with Medicare like your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP). Be familiar with how Medicare uses your personal information. If you join a Medicare plan, the plan will let you know how it will use your personal information. If someone calls you and asks for your Medicare Number or other personal information, hang up and call us at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227). Email: AskSAM@wsjournal.com Write: Ask SAM, 418 N. Marshall St., Winston-Salem, NC 27101 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A Stokes County woman used drugs and partied all night in a Winston-Salem motel in April 2020 while her 13-month-old son somehow ingested a fatal dose of fentanyl, a Forsyth County prosecutor said Friday. Amber Dawn Martin, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of involuntary manslaughter on Friday in Forsyth Superior Court, Assistant District Attorney Elisabeth Dresel said. The charge was in connection to the death of her son, True Reign Lash, on April 30, 2020. Judge David Hall of Forsyth Superior Court sentenced Martin to a minimum of 1 year, 5 months and a maximum of 2 years, 5 months in prison. Martin and the boys father, Eric Donnell Lash, who was 47 at the time, were renting a room at the Ramada Inn at 531 Akron Drive in Winston-Salem. Dresel said the couple had been staying at the motel for several days before True Lashs death. True Lash and his brother, who was 5 at the time, were also staying in the motel room. On the night of April 29, 2020, Martin and Eric Lash were listening to music and dancing for several hours. Amber Mabe told Winston-Salem police that she and her boyfriend went to the motel room that night and saw food, drinks and drugs, including lines of heroin that she saw Martin and Lash snort. Her boyfriend, at one point, went into the bathroom and used heroin, and Eric Lash had used cocaine and marijuana. Mabe said she and her boyfriend stayed at the motel room for just a few hours before leaving. At 9 a.m. on April 30, 2020, Amber Martin gave True Lash a sippy cup full of milk and a biscuit. The child had fallen asleep on the floor of the motel room overnight. Eric Lash placed True Lash and his older brother on the bed, Dresel said. Then Amber Martin and Eric Lash continued listening to music and dancing for several more hours, Dresel said. Around 2 p.m. on April 30, 2020, Martin and Eric Lash noticed that True Lash was unresponsive and that his feet appeared blue. Winston-Salem police received a 911 call around 2:30 p.m. and went to the motel room. Martin and Eric Lash were doing CPR on their son until police and paramedics arrived. True Lash was pronounced dead at the scene, Dresel said. Dresel said both Martin and Eric Lash told police that there was no way that their children had any access to drugs. True Lashs brother showed no signs that he had ingested any drugs. Amber Mabe, however, told police that she had seen True Lash going around different parts of the motel room. Police seized several used and new syringes as well as other drug paraphernalia from the room. Residue on the syringes and the drug paraphernalia tested positive for fentanyl. Investigations learned on March 3, 2021 from the N.C. Medical Examiners Office that True died from fentanyl toxicity. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid used to treat severe pain. The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control say the drug is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine. Dresel said Martin has been previously convicted four times of misdemeanor child abuse and that at the time of the April 2020 incident, she no longer had custody of her other children. She has since given up her parental rights for Trues older brother, Dresel said. Eric Lash died of a drug overdose on Feb. 3, 2021. As a result of his death, prosecutors did not pursue criminal charges against him. Dresel said that Martin read a letter in court Friday, taking responsibility for her actions. She said in the letter that she had struggled with drug addiction but had relapsed two months before True died. Martin told the court that she had tried to be a good mother. Dan Wanderman, her attorney, could not be reached for comment Friday. 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. Against a pewter morning sky, a private plane glided over Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire Friday morning, pulling a sign proclaiming D96, D103 & D125 UNMASK OUR KIDS!!! as dozens of parents below rocked out to Twisted Sisters Were Not Gonna Take It. By late morning, a crew of masked teenagers aboard a yellow school bus pulling out of the parking lot at Glenbrook North High School saw the parent protesters holding signs declaring Mask Optional Court Ruled! and proceeded to flip off the grown-ups in unison. Advertisement Just 30 miles and a world away, at Chicago City Hall, Rousemary Vega, 41, a mother of five, was among the dozens of worried parents who delivered a letter to Mayor Lori Lightfoot, pleading for more COVID-19 mitigation protections at the citys schools and a return to longer quarantines for unvaccinated students. Parents in favor of mask-optional schools head to a protest outside Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire on Feb. 11, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) My children come home from school, and they start by washing their hands and changing their clothes, but they still cant hold their baby sister, said Vega, whose multigenerational household includes her 5-month-old daughter, Jesslyn, who is too young for the vaccine, and Vegas mother, 61, who has diabetes and is in poor health. Advertisement If were going to beat this pandemic, we need to move together as a state, and as a people, said Vega, who was at City Hall as a parent organizer with Raise Your Hand for Illinois Public Education. Just days after Gov. J.B. Pritzker said the states mask mandate will be lifted Feb. 28 for most of the general public, but not for schools, and following an Illinois judges ruling that the states masking requirements for students was authorized illegally, Illinois schools have been thrust into chaos and uncertainty. While Sangamon County Circuit Judge Raylene Grischows temporary lifting of the mask mandate at Illinois schools technically applies only to the students whose parents are plaintiffs in the lawsuit, in the past two weeks many school districts across the state have shifted to mask-optional policies. Others, including Glenview School District 34, have opted to stay the course a decision that has proved frustrating to parents like Daniel Tomicevic, a father of three whose 12-year-old daughter, Anastasija, had to spend the day in a former boys locker room at Springman Middle School after she declined to wear a mask in the classroom earlier this week. I understand the rules have to be followed, but these are children, and at least the district can try their best to accommodate them so theyre not traumatized, Tomicevic said. A District 34 spokeswoman said that with the middle school under construction, there were limited options that met the need and requirements for the designated space chosen for the infirmary, adding that the space has not been used as a locker room since the start of the pandemic. As students cross the street to go to school, dozens of protesters, including Maria Bickers, rally for mask-optional schools outside Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire on Feb. 11, 2022. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) Maintaining masking at this time not only provides consistency as the appeals process plays out, it also allows us to use shortened quarantine periods and make use of test-to-stay protocols which, in turn, allow us to keep students in school, in person, as much as possible, the District 34 spokeswoman, Cathy Kedjidjian, said. Al Llorens, vice president of the Illinois Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said the turmoil facing school districts in recent weeks has found educators who are afraid because theyre getting threatening emails, little kids are crying and high school kids are walking out. Advertisement I have teachers telling me theyve just had the worst week in their careers, and are dealing with warlike conditions, said Llorens. I dont know what the answer is. Its playing out in the courts and is the decision of the health department and the governor. But the students need to be our North Star. In a Friday message to parents titled, This Mornings Events at Stevenson High School, officials said about 40 parents and 50 students were protesting on campus when educators began receiving multiple reports from students who were afraid and felt unsafe. Some students were verbally assaulted by parent and student protesters while entering and exiting the building during a morning passing period. Additionally, we witnessed parents and students banging on windows by the Point entrance, officials said. The high school worked closely in partnership with the Lincolnshire Police Department to monitor the protesters and ensure the safety of our students, faculty and staff, officials said. We understand that these events may cause feelings of anxiety or confusion among some students, or they may just want to speak with a trusted adult about what happened. As always, members of our Student Services Division are available for students who would like to discuss todays events, officials said. Parent Jen Patel, a Glenview resident and one of three plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed against District 34, said the district was very good, and very supportive of her 8-year-old daughter, who was allowed to attend classes without a mask. Advertisement Jen Patel, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed against District 34, rallies for mask-optional schools outside Glenbrook North High School on Feb. 11, 2022, in Northbrook. (Stacey Wescott / Chicago Tribune) While Patel said she supports her fellow parents who wish for their children to continue wearing masks, she believes parents should have a choice. The unions are driving this, and it should land square on their shoulders, Patel said. My daughter cant breath with the mask on, shes losing her social emotional connections with her friends, and she cant even see her teachers face. Vega, the mother from Humboldt Park, said the pandemic has wrought the greatest challenges for low-income and working-class families. There has been a domino effect in Black and brown communities, which have been hit hardest, Vega said. If my child comes home COVID positive, and I have to take two or three weeks off work, I can lose my job and end up on the street. Eighth grader Roman Rozenbaum, 14, the lone student among the group of parent protesters in Northbrook, said he is looking forward to the day when masks are optional at his middle school in Glenview. Its hard to breathe, and its really difficult when you cant see faces, Rozenbaum said. The whole COVID experience has been really weird, and it just doesnt feel normal. Advertisement kcullotta@chicagotribune.com Twitter @kcullotta The states House speaker pledged Friday to introduce legislation that would give parents the option to opt out of K-12 indoor mask mandate requirements for their children. Rep. Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said his proposed bill is in response to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services announcing Thursday plans to end contact tracing for K-12 public-school students on Feb. 21. DHHS also updated its StrongSchools Toolkit sets guidelines to no longer require students and staff to stay at home after a COVID-19 exposure unless they have symptoms or test positive for the virus. The guidelines have been updated periodically over the last 18 months, with the toolkit continuing to recommend masking, vaccines, boosters and testing. Moore said the StrongSchools Toolkit update didnt go far enough for him. Moore said Thursday he sent a letter to Gov. Roy Cooper that urged him to repeal his mask-wearing guidelines for K-12 schools. This failure by Gov. Cooper and DHHS to roll back obsolete mask mandates will mean that many schools will leave those mandates in place, Moore said in his statement Friday. We must do more to protect our children from further learning setbacks and the other consequences of keeping these mandates in place. Moore acknowledged the legislatures focus is on another round of redistricting maps scheduled for next week. As soon as redistricting is completed, we will be advancing legislation in the House, Moore said. It is parents, not politicians, who should decide whether or not to mask their children. The science does not support these onerous restrictions that continue to harm our children. DHHS said in a statement in response to Moore that currently, the best tools we have to respond to the pandemic are vaccines and boosters, masking during times of widespread viral transmission, and testing. Masks reduce the spread of COVID-19 and help keep students and teachers in the classroom when transmission rates are high as they are now. DHHS guidance outlines that schools consider voluntary masking when transmission rates are lower. As it has throughout the pandemic, DHHS guidance will continue to evolve based on emerging science and to focus on the most effective tools for where we are in the pandemic. Responses N.C. Rep. Jon Hardister, R-Guilford, and House majority whip, supports Moores masking bill proposal. It is time to repeal mask mandates and allow parents and students to make their own decisions regarding personal health, Hardister said. I hope we have bipartisan support for this measure because it should not be political. This is about doing what is in the best interest of students and their ability to learn without being distracted by perpetual mask mandates, Hardister said. Mary Scott Winstead, deputy communications director for Cooper, said in a statement that there is no statewide mask mandate in North Carolina schools, and Tim Moore knows that. Decisions about masks are left to local school districts under a bill he (Moore) passed. That state law requires local school boards to vote on masking in schools each month. Public health officials will continue to evaluate guidance as the pandemic evolves, Winstead said. Less theatrics from legislative leaders, and more support for public schools, would be helpful. Virginia legislation Moore cited a bipartisan bill just like this being considered in the Virginia legislature. The Richmond Times-Dispatch reported Wednesday that a bill is advancing that would block local school boards from requiring students to wear masks over their parents objections. There are three Senate Democrats in support of the bill. The newspaper reported the legislation is poised to become a major victory for Republicans, including Gov. Glenn Youngkin who made parental power a hallmark of his campaign. Democrats in the Senate and the House of Delegates overwhelmingly opposed the legislation, arguing that masks still provide a layer of safety for students and school staff, and that local school boards should make decisions for their localities. The Virginia legislation is the closest to an analogous case for this proposed North Carolina legislation, said John Dinan, a Wake Forest political science professor who is a national expert on state legislatures. The question is whether this proposed North Carolina legislation would attract similar support from Democratic legislators, and to an extent that it would lead the governor to allow the measure to take effect. Dinan said the trend is pointing in the direction of lifting state school mask mandates in both Democratic and Republican states. The main question now being the timing of such a move, Dinan said. Mitch Kokai, senior policy analyst for Libertarian think tank John Locke Foundation, said he is not surprised by Moores bill proposal. If this legislation hits the House and Senate floor, it will be interesting to see how many Democrats are willing to go along with Republican bill sponsors to support the idea, Kokai said. If GOP legislative leaders are able to pick up a substantial number of Democratic yes votes, Cooper will face tough decisions. Will he go on record against parents wishes? Will he strong-arm his legislative allies to support him in an election year? Kokai asked. Local masking status On Tuesday, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board of Education voted to approve extending its mask mandate into March. The mandate has been in place since the start of the school year. Superintendent Tricia McManus said that in many cases those school districts that lifted their mandates had the support of their health department. WS/FCS has six contact tracers, according to Brent Campbell, a school district spokesman. The number of missed days because a student or staff member was deemed a close contact was not immediately available. Our team is going to begin the review (Friday) as the changes dont go into effect until Feb. 21, and there will be some decisions we need consultation with the health department on, he said. K-12 vaccinations The mask mandate debate comes as there has been limited adoption of parents getting their 5- to 17-year-old children vaccinated. At least 9,204 children ages 5 to 11 in Forsyth have received one dose of the kids version of the Pfizer vaccine as of Tuesday. That represents about 26% of the 35,400 children in that age range in the county. Forsyth health director Joshua Swift said that about 7,434 Forsyth children in that age range, or 21%, are fully vaccinated. Among ages 12 to 17 in Forsyth, the fully vaccinated rate is at 47%, which mirrors the statewide rate. Were in a much different place than a year ago, with our vaccination rates and just in society, we want to get past this whether its in school, workplace or church, Swift said. I think we just have to do it methodically, and theres no switch were going to switch and COVID is going to go away. I just want to make sure we do it the right way and protect not only our students, but people around the students, the faculty, staff and their families, Swift said. Journal reporter Lisa ODonnell contributed to this article. 336-727-7376 @rcraverWSJ 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. The town of Boone is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year. It has a story to tell. That community existed for a time as Councills Store before getting a new name in 1849 and then incorporating in 1872. Winston-Salem enjoys some kinship with that High Country community through the historical figure for whom it was named: Daniel Boone. The town boasts a beautiful 23-year-old statue of Americas pioneer hero; Winston-Salem presents a 95-year-old Boone monument. Boone is the county seat of Watauga County, formed by the N.C. General Assembly in 1849, the same year it formed Forsyth County. From the remote environs of Raleigh, the powers that be knew two area names to consider as candidate names for the county seat Benjamin Howard and Daniel Boone. With little more consideration than I hear tell Daniel Boone used a cabin up there sometimes, they settled on naming it in his honor. Thus, the home to Appalachian State University might just as easily be the town of Howard, and we would be perplexed that anyone would consider naming a town Boone. We get used to what we get used to. In the fall of 1760, Daniel Boone and his hunting companion Nathaniel Gist were scouting along the upper Yadkin River when they happened upon a herd of cattle owned by Benjamin Howard. The herder, Burrell, was a Black man enslaved by Howard. Burrell told the intrepid hunters about a buffalo trace that led up the mountain to the plateau where he tended the herd in summer. They would find a cabin and exceptional hunting there, he said. The pair took Burrells advice and enjoyed the hunting. From the Blue Ridge plateau, Boone and Gist explored an old Indian trail to the crest of Whitetop Mountain. From there on Dec. 2, 1760, Daniel Boone first saw to the west the vast primeval forests stretching out before him, the lands he had yet to hunt new horizons to explore, new opportunities to seize. An enslaved man, an African American, had shown Boone the way, had opened those possibilities. That fact is only surprising if you did not know the story, and now you do. It was just people helping people. Burrell is the only name we have for this worker on the frontier. But this enslaved Black man was not the only one like him with a notable legacy in Boone. Today, an entire neighborhood beneath the crest of Howards Knob is home to descendants of both enslaved people and free Blacks reaching well back into the mid-to-late 1800s. Its called Junaluska. About 25 years ago, Kentucky writer Frank X Walker suggested the name Affrilachians for people such as they. Perhaps it applies nicely. We are all just people hanging out and hanging on, finding ourselves in one place or another and trying to make it feel like home, like we belong there and have a right to be there, because we do. Ten years ago, the Junaluska Heritage Association was telling its story. Today, that effort seems to have disappeared. The loss of anyones story is a loss for all of us. It takes all of us talking and listening if we are going to understand our stories yours, mine, others. The stories we love to tell are the ones we come to believe. The more we tell them the truer they seem to us, the more we rely on them for guidance. That tendency of human nature is both a curse and a blessing. It can keep our worlds small and insulated or open us to new horizons we have yet to explore, like those Daniel Boone saw from Whitetop Mountain. Everybody has a story to tell. The more we listen to others the more we learn about the communities we are all trying to live in peaceably. Creating our history is above all about listening listening long and listening well to others stories, and then telling your own story not by shouting it to drown out others, but by holding it out for others to find, to hear, to embrace in light of, as part of, all the other stories. We can spark this listening in Winston-Salem and Forsyth County by putting our stories yours, mine, others into the hands, hearts and minds of our children. Purchase a book for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Jump at the Sun book drive through Bookmarks (www.BookmarksNC.org/wishlist/351). Forsyth County is people helping people. And we all have a story to tell. Randell Jones is an award-winning history writer and speaker and publisher of the Personal Story Publishing Project and 6-minute Stories podcast. He lives in Winston-Salem. Last week, the North Carolina Supreme Court struck down as unconstitutional the most recent batch of egregiously gerrymandered legislative and congressional maps fashioned by Republican majorities at the General Assembly. It should not have been necessary. Thirteen years ago this month, Republican senators introduced a bill that would have easily prevented the necessity of such a controversial ruling. Filed on Feb. 2, 2009, by a group that included current Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, Senate Bill 25 would have asked North Carolina voters to approve the establishment of an independent redistricting commission. It seems all but certain that voters would have said yes had the measure made it to the ballot. Unfortunately, Democrats who then ran both houses of the General Assembly could not get their act together to take up the legislation and they have been regretting that decision ever since. After the GOP swept to power in the 2010 wave election, it seized control of the map-drawing process and has clung tenaciously and hypocritically to it ever since. Of course, 2009 wasnt the last chance to derail partisan gerrymandering in North Carolina. Not only have several bills similar to the 2009 commission proposal been introduced on Jones Street in the years since, but in 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court had the chance to strike down partisan gerrymandering as unconstitutional in Rucho v. Common Cause a case challenging another set of gerrymandered maps in our state. Unfortunately, the Courts five Republican justices declined to do so. As Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the majority, extreme partisan gerrymandering is incompatible with democratic principles, but that does not mean that the solution lies with the federal judiciary. Essentially, Roberts argued, regulating the redistricting process is just too complex and difficult for the federal courts (this, despite the fact that many had already done so with great aplomb) and so it must be left to the individual states and the systems each has put in place. In some states especially those whose constitutions were silent on such matters, and that lack the possibility of citizen-sponsored ballot initiatives critics of gerrymandering were left with few options after the Rucho ruling. If they couldnt convince legislators to voluntarily give up their power, they were basically out of luck. Fortunately, some states suffering under gerrymandered maps retained options. In Michigan, citizens were able to place an amendment on the statewide ballot to create an independent commission. It passed by an overwhelming majority. Similarly and thankfully, in North Carolina the state constitution includes clauses on free elections, equal protection, free speech and freedom of assembly that provided gerrymandering opponents with grounds to pursue state court litigation. And thats how we got to the place we are today. Using those provisions as the basis of their ruling, a four-person majority of the state Supreme Court ruled that when it comes to gerrymandering, there simply must be a limit to how far map drawers can go. As the majority put it with simple and eminent logic, the extreme gerrymanders designed by GOP lawmakers unconstitutionally infringe on the fundamental right to vote by systematically making it harder for one group of voters to elect a governing majority than another group of voters of equal size. Sadly, if not surprisingly, the three Republican justices on the court dissented. Led by Chief Justice Paul Newby, the trio argued that the state constitution delegates the matter of redistricting to the legislature and that, therefore, their colleagues were exceeding the courts authority by striking down the maps. But, of course, the constitution delegates a host of issues to the legislature tax policy, public education, criminal law over which it has long been established that the courts must have the final say when it comes to conflicts with core constitutional rights. More to the point, if one follows the dissents argument to its remarkably illogical conclusion, there is presumably no map the legislature could draw that would run afoul of the constitution. Modern digital technology is an amazing thing. What if lawmakers could somehow concoct maps that guaranteed Republicans 12 out of 14 U.S. House seats, or 150 out of 170 General Assembly seats? Would that be beyond the courts purview to assess? To argue, as Newby did, that the solution for disenfranchised voters is simply to vote the gerrymandering rascals out of office is a Catch-22 notion as preposterous and disturbing as the Republican maps themselves. The bottom line: The gerrymandering wars are far from over. As veteran redistricting chronicler David Daley has observed, Republicans are playing a long and ruthless game here. But for now in North Carolina, at least, the constitution and common sense have prevailed. Rob Schofield is the director of NC Policy Watch. "Our Stories Carried Us Here," edited by Julie Vang, Tea Rozman and Tom Kaczynski, Green Card Voices, 201 pages, $24.99. The American dream is alive, with a twist, in "Our Stories Carried Us Here," which offers 10 stories of young people who cross cultural barriers to make a new life in the Midwest. The anthology includes a range of stories narrators come from familiar immigration points such as Mexico, Liberia, Guatemala and Vietnam, and less familiar destinations including Chad, Kazakhstan and Pakistan and an unexpected range of immigrant experiences. We're introduced to Craig Moodie, a gifted student who emigrates from Jamaica to study at Macalester, the University of Minnesota, and later launch a career in neurogenetics, despite microaggressions along the way. And Ruth Mekoulom, whose parents left Chad and Cameroon for North Dakota, to give her more educational opportunities as a deaf student. Teenager Alex Tsipenyuk leaves Kazakhstan when his parents win the green card lottery, and Amara Solomon Kamara follows his heart to Minneapolis after meeting an American in Guinea. The experience of two Dreamers, Sergio Cenoch from Mexico and Mary Anne Quiroz from the Philippines, encapsulates the anthology's layered approach to immigrant stories. Brought to the U.S. by single mothers at a young age, they met at a St. Paul school in seventh grade and began organizing dance and cultural activities in response to bullying by white students. Their work evolved into the Mexican dance and drum group Kalpulli Yaocenoxtli. The pair, who later married, helped launch the Indigenous Roots cultural space in the Dayton's Bluff neighborhood after fighting for funding and pushing back against a big developer. Colombian-born artist Camilo Aguirre, now based in Minneapolis, illustrates their story in fluid ink drawings with a color palette of blue for Mary Anne and orangish-brown for Sergio. The colors merge into shades of brown and purple as their stories come together. Each of the narrators in the anthology is paired with an artist or artists from a similar cultural background, adding a documentary and emotional dimension to the stories. Minneapolis artist Sunshine Gao evokes a dreamy sense of memory with her watercolor illustrations of Aziz Kamal's childhood in a Rohingya Muslim community in Myanmar; the wall of black, red and orange when Buddhists attack and burn his village lands as a stunning act of violence. Polish-born illustrator Tom Kaczynski, who teaches at MCAD, captures the Soviet-era landscape of Kazakhstan in stripped-down line drawings on an orange on tan background that evoke the muted color palette of Guy Delisle's "Pyongyang." And the Cameroonian-American artist collective HOP captures the bustle of the market in N'Djamena, Chad, and the playfulness of Ruth and her friends gathering flowers in the woods, before her family begins their journey to a new country. The narrators and illustrators of "Our Stories Carried Us Here" take the reader on journeys, across cultures and into a Midwestern experience that is often overlooked. They also showcase the depth of storytelling talent in the region, thanks to those who have chosen to make it their home. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 During the fourth Lincoln Littles Giving Day on Wednesday, the Lincoln community donated $670,123 for the early childhood education organization, according to a Lincoln Community Foundation news release. The initiative was started as way to aid with tuition cost for lower-income families wanting to use the child care services Lincoln Littles offers. The city of Lincoln contributed $100,000 of Community Development Block Grant funds, and Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird issued a challenge asking the community to match the city's grant. Lincoln Community Foundation President Alec Gorynski thanked residents for their generosity. Year after year, Lincoln Littles Giving Day harnesses the awesome power of philanthropy," Gorynski said. "This community sees the critical need for all children in Lincoln to receive the quality early childhood education and care that they deserve." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. PACIFIC JUNCTION, Iowa Census data shows that in the three years since devastating 2019 floods submerged Pacific Junction in southwest Iowa, the towns population has shrunk from 475 to less than 100. Now the question is whether it will remain a town. Pacific Junction Mayor Andy Young recently said he's hopeful the town will see families coming back. I hope to see that we thrive and move on," he said. I dont think well ever be as big as what we were before. But even if we get, you know, over half of where we were, thats a pretty good accomplishment. Dozens of empty lots around town are the result of federal buyouts, which stipulate a new home cannot be built on the property once the old one comes down. Heavy rains and snowmelt in March 2019 saw 200 miles of levees either breached or overtopped in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas and saw hundreds of homes and businesses flooded. Pacific Junction, located just east of Interstate 29 and a few miles east of the river, was among the communities hardest hit and had to be evacuated. The town is working with the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency, which serves four counties in Nebraska and Pottawattamie and Mills counties in Iowa, on the buyout program. Young said he hopes the buyout phase will be completed by this spring. Ninety-two Pacific Junction homes will likely come down as part of federal buyouts, according to the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency. The agency said there are still about 34 homes that have yet to be acquired. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two Lincoln students are among 24 young writers from across Nebraska who will be recognized with Scholastic Art and Writing Awards during a virtual ceremony streamed from Hastings College Wednesday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. Lincoln winners are Tristan McGill, who will receive a Gold Key award in Poetry, and Clarissa Tan, who will receive Gold Key awards in both the Personal Essay and Memoir categories. The Scholastic Writing Awards program is one of the countrys longest-running and most prestigious scholarship and recognition programs for creative students in grades 7-12. During the virtual awards ceremony, Dr. Jonas Prida, Hastings College vice president for academic and student affairs, will emcee, and Marshall Highet will be the keynote speaker. Highet is a writer and adjunct in the Hastings College Department of Languages and Literatures. She published Spare Parts, a young adult sci-fi novel; Hold Fast, written with Bird Jones, a swashbuckling adventure based on historical facts; and her latest publication, Blue-Eyed Slave, also co-authored with Bird Jones. This was a very competitive year for the writing awards. We had more entries than in previous years, and the works were very good. There are many talented young writers in Nebraska, said Dr. Patricia Oman, associate professor of English, director of the Hastings College Press and chair of the Department of Languages and Literatures. The quality of work also shows in the awards, as we had more award recipients this year, and more Gold Key works as well. Were looking forward to recognizing the award recipients. To celebrate their work, Gold Key, Silver Key and Honorable Mention works will be available in a publication from Hastings College Press. The book, Best Nebraska Teen Writing 2022, plus certificates and other elements will be sent to all award recipients. Additional copies of the book are available for purchase. For the nine students who received Gold Key awards, and in some cases multiple Gold Key awards, the opportunity for further recognition continues as their pieces will be sent to the national competition, where they will be judged by a panel of leading creative professionals. Students from all 93 counties of Nebraska and age 13 and above are invited to submit original work in any of the Awards writing categories, such as flash fiction and poetry. Works are then judged by a panel of Hastings College faculty, staff and students. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program was established in 1923 and has supported the creative talent of millions of students, including distinguished alumni Tschabalala Self, Stephen King, Kay WalkingStick, Charles White, Joyce Carol Oates and Andy Warhol, all of whom received recognition in the Awards when they were teens. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 RACINE An inmate at the Racine County Jail allegedly threw a microwave at someone and damaged a TV. Louis Edward Johnson Jr., 25, of the 4600 block of Pierce Boulevard, was charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. According to a criminal complaint: On Wednesday, a deputy was working at the Racine County Jail, 717 Wisconsin Ave., and recorded video of an encounter between Johnson and another inmate. An unnamed inmate had approached Johnson and the two exchanged words before the inmate took a towel off Johnsons head. Johnson then grabbed a broom and proceeded toward the inmate before being stopped by other inmates. He then grabbed a microwave and threw it at the inmate. After that was thrown, he went to the TV and hit it, causing the picture to go dark and become distorted. He grabbed a garbage can and proceeded towards the inmate before dropping it and going back to his cell. Johnson has an adjourned initial appearance set for Feb. 14 at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center, 717 Wisconsin Ave., online court records show. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Actor Anthony Hopkins is shown in the role of Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the 1991 release of "Silence of the Lambs." (MGM/Associated Press) Our Flick of the Week is the highly touted horror film "The Silence of the Lambs," which has been billed as one of the most frightening, depraved films ever made. Would that it were so. Instead, this is a case of much ado about nothing. Jonathan Demme, one of our most inventive directors, has made a grab for the money in filming this story of the attempt by an FBI trainee (Jodie Foster) to catch a serial killer by subscribing to the theory that it takes one to know one. Advertisement Foster, smartly following her victim role in "The Accused" with a heroic role here, interviews the terrible killer Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) in an effort to catch a freak nicknamed "Buffalo Bill" who likes to skin women. Dr. Lecter is no Boy Scout by comparison; he likes to eat the body parts of his victims. And right now you are probably thinking, "Maybe I'll go see 'Home Alone' again." Smart move. Advertisement Or you could take a chance and screen on home video "Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer," which was a fascinating, illuminating, deadpan portrait of the same lethal subject. Instead, director Demme superheats "The Silence of the Lambs" to the point of silliness, in terms of both gross behavior and a pulsating soundtrack. The conclusion of the film is nothing more than a grisly version of every mad-slasher picture you've ever missed. Jodie's in trouble. Shoot, Jodie, shoot. Fans of this film have weighed in with the comment that it illuminates the dark side of man. Not for me. "The Silence of the Lambs" romanticizes the dark side. Serial killers are hardly glamorous psychiatrists like Dr. Lecter, who is to be feared, Foster is told by her boss, because he can devour your mind just by talking to you. Any 10-second video image of Charles Manson is more frightening than what goes on here, as Lecter is interviewed behind a specially built glass prison wall-specially built for a movie, that is. Foster's character, who is appealing, is dwarfed by the monsters she is after. I'd rather see her work on another case. Rated R. 2 stars RELATED STORIES: Jonathan Demme, Oscar-winning director of 'Silence of the Lambs,' dies at 73 Auteur Jonathan Demme remembered as 'one of the real good guys' and 'wonderful soulful man' by his peers Advertisement Archive: Jonathan Demme on making 'Married to the Mob' and why he's attracted to movies about independent women RACINE You dont always need snow to make a snowman. Not if youre Mike Koester. Walking into Your CBD Store, 4900 Spring St., this month, you might find Koester stacking up packages of toilet paper. He is hosting a toilet paper fundraiser for his churchs FaithWorks Food Pantry. Julie, co-manager of the food pantry inside Living Faith Lutheran Church, 2915 Wright Ave., described seeing the inaugural snowman Koester had built last February: It was 6 feet tall. Koester, a member of Living Faith church for 35 years, got the idea to create a snowman toilet paper fundraiser in 2020 after making a regular drop-off to the food pantry. He tossed in an extra package of toilet paper after deciding someone else may need it. He was surprised to discover that toilet paper was crucial to the pantry, along with other personal care items. Mike, that is one of our biggest needs, the volunteer staff at the pantry told him. So, Koester started the fundraiser, offering a free gift or a discount from his business with every toilet paper package that was dropped off to the store. In February 2021, the inaugural year of the fundraiser, Koester accumulated 500 individual rolls of toilet paper to give away to the food pantry. This year? Id like to do 1,000, he said. June said the snowman came as a surprise to her last year when she and her co-manager, Margaret, picked it up from the store. It was greatly appreciated. Their suppliers typically dont donate personal care items, June said, and that became less likely when COVID-19 hit. Per their suppliers guidelines, June and Margaret requested their surnames not be published. In the six years that FaithWorks has been in operation, its patrons may ask for these items once in a while, but theyre overall grateful for what we can give them. She added that Koester had the idea to do the fundraiser all himself. He wanted to raise awareness that while donating food is important, there are everyday necessities that people struggle to get as well. I want people to know that there are little things that people need daily, Koester said. This year, what theyll need are the little things. To donate, visit Your CBD Store during store hours Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed Sundays with a pack of toilet paper. Koester is hosting the fundraiser at the Racine location until Feb. 28. For more information, call 262-456-6751. FaithWorks Food Pantry is open Tuesdays from 1-3 p.m. and Thursdays from 5-7 p.m. For more information, visit livingfaithracine.org/faithworks-food-pantry. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Thoughts for Food, the annual benefit for the Racine County Food Bank, will be virtual again this year. In its 30th year, the planning committee reported that it was forced to look at either canceling the event or getting creative due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. To avoid the potential for a super-spreader event and still raise money for the Food Bank, an alternative was settled on, said a release from the organization. The event, which is scheduled for Saturday, March 5, will be broadcast on YouTube. Seven bands are to perform during the benefit. To view the event, visit bit.ly/3gDRhRJ. To make donations to the RCFB, visit facebook.com/thoughtsforfood or thoughtsforfood.org. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 After previously ruling that absentee ballot drop boxes can be used in Tuesdays spring primary, the state Supreme Court ruled in a split decision Friday that those same boxes will not be allowed in the April general election. In a 4-3 decision, the court denied a request from the Wisconsin Elections Commission and various groups seeking to extend a previous stay that allows the use of drop boxes in the Feb. 15 primary through to the April 5 spring election. The states high court is expected to make a final ruling on the legality of the boxes in the coming weeks. The Commission and intervenors have not demonstrated that irreparable injury or substantial harm to interested parties or the public interest will result if a stay is not extended through the April 2022 election and beyond, conservative Justices Brian Hagedorn, Rebecca Bradley, Patience Roggensack and Annette Ziegler wrote in court filings. Hagedorn has sided with liberal justices in the past. The case stems from a lawsuit brought by the conservative Wisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty challenging that nothing in state law permits the state Elections Commission to issue guidance to clerks allowing them to set up absentee ballot drop boxes. At the same time, state law also doesnt forbid drop boxes and proponents of their use say the boxes provide a safe, secure and accessible alternative to mailing in a ballot or voting in person during a pandemic. The ongoing battle over the use of the free-standing, mailbox-like drop boxes has persisted since the 2020 election, due in part to baseless claims of election fraud by former President Donald Trump, who lost Wisconsin to President Joe Biden by about 21,000 votes. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren ruled that the boxes were not allowed under state law, a ruling that was later temporarily stayed by the District 4 Court of Appeals. The court of appeals ruled to allow drop boxes through the Feb. 15 primary to avoid confusion among voters who had already requested ballots. The Wisconsin Supreme Court unanimously agreed to take up the case last month, while also issuing a 4-3 ruling to uphold the court of appeals stay of Borhens decision until after the upcoming primary, with the majority citing similar concerns over voter confusion. Hagedorn joined the courts three liberal justices in the ruling. Once again, a majority of this court makes it more difficult to vote, liberal Justice Ann Bradley wrote in dissent. With apparent disregard for the confusion it is causing, the majority provides next to no notice to municipal clerks, changing procedures at the eleventh hour and applying different procedures from those that applied to the primary in the very same election cycle. Municipal clerks will likely feel a sense of whiplash, Bradley added. Justices Rebecca Dallet and Jill Karofsky joined Bradley in dissenting. However, the majority wrote that the elections commission can comply with the circuit courts order so as to ameliorate concerns about voter confusion and election administration before the April 5 vote. Elections commission spokesman Riley Vetterkind said the agency plans to meet next Wednesday to discuss implementation of the circuit courts original order on drop boxes. A focal point of the case stems in part from guidance issued by the commission in early 2020 to allow election clerks to use their discretion when determining whether to make use of drop boxes. Hundreds of municipal clerks made use of the boxes that year when there still wasnt a vaccine for COVID-19 and public health officials were warning against large gatherings, like at polling places. At the same time, the large number of absentee ballots requested that year, combined with cutbacks at the U.S. Postal Service, led many to worry their ballots wouldnt make it back in time if they were mailed. The Supreme Court earlier this month issued a 4-3 decision, with Hagedorn again the deciding vote, to reject former Lt. Gov. and Republican gubernatorial candidate Rebecca Kleefischs request to take up a similar lawsuit challenging the use of drop boxes in the state. The Wisconsin Elections Commission voted in early December to begin the lengthy administrative rule-making process for drop boxes. Once submitted as rules, the Legislatures rules committee can vote to eliminate the policies. In addition, the commission last month failed to reach a consensus on Republicans demand for emergency rules on ballot drop boxes due in part to the pending case. Love 2 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Killeen, TX (76540) Today Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. High near 85F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy skies in the evening, then becoming cloudy overnight. Low around 70F. Winds ESE at 5 to 10 mph. 1. Yes. Raising the bar for future developments will boost the citys housing market. 2. Yes. It will help in newer areas, but more needs to be done to change Killeens image. 3. No. The new standards will just slow down homebuilding and drive away developers. 4.No. The ordinance will do little more than drive up the price of new homes in the city. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the effect will be until they have been in place for a while. Vote View Results "The Art of the Brick" exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry includes a nod to Michelle Obama with a true-to-size re-creation of Amy Sheralds portrait of the former first lady. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Now open at the Museum of Science and Industry, The Art of the Brick is a visual playground for the young and young at heart, built brick by brick by lawyer-turned-artist Nathan Sawaya. The exhibition, constructed entirely from Lego bricks, was launched in 2007 and, through Sept. 5, has finally found a home in Chicago. MSI and The Art of the Brick are quite possibly perfect partners. After all, what engineer did not build their first bridge out of Legos? But Sawaya is no engineer, instead leveraging these colored rectangular blocks to create whimsical, gravity-defying art pieces. The former New York corporate attorney found himself tinkering with the toys as an after-work stress reliever. He gave up law in 2004 to become a full-time Lego artist. Since then, hes created hundreds of pieces with millions of bricks more than 100 of which are on display now at MSI. (Sawaya has been endorsed by Lego but does not work for the company.) Advertisement American Gothic by Grant Wood in the "The Art of the Brick," the world's largest Lego exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago on Feb. 10, 2022. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Artist Nathan Sawaya in the "The Art of the Brick" at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Among the galleries in The Art of the Brick is a collection of reconstructed famous artworks, with Lego reprints by Hokusai, Cezanne, Munch, Klimt and Rembrandt, to name a few. Sawaya takes a variety of approaches here, addressing the challenges of his medium namely, their angularity and immutable color pallet by popping several works from their canvases using the plastic version of relief technique. Others, like Sawayas two-dimensional recreation of the Mona Lisa, are accomplished through near pointillism with tiny, layered bricks. Still more pieces are built in three dimensions, such as Lego editions of Grant Woods American Gothic and James McNeill Whistlers Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1, after the oil on canvas of a recognizably austere seated woman in a black dress and bonnet, better known as Whistlers Mother. The exhibit then transitions to original pieces. Equally captivating, these also give better insight into Sawayas zeitgeist. He admittedly loves to create human figures, which he does prolifically and often in monochromatic tones. At the entrance to the second of two rooms housing the exhibition is Yellow, lauded as one of Sawayas most famous works and with good reason. The sculpture depicts a man cracking his chest open as Lego bricks tumble onto the pedestal the bust stands upon. Somehow, Sawaya manages to create curvilinear lines and motion from what should be a restrictive medium. Advertisement "Yellow" part of the "The Art of the Brick" exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) Yellow is at the entry to a series of surrealistic figures, each conveying a different psychological state. It can get dark if you want it to, but each placard describing the works reminds us why Sawaya got into Legos in the first place. Ever feel sad? Me too. Im paraphrasing. Despite the meticulous near-madness that goes into creating each and every piece, some of which contain tens of thousands of tiny pieces, Sawaya reminds us that hes human and, at the end of the day, its about having fun. Key additions include two Chicago-centric pieces, both replicas. Flyboy is a strict representation of Chicago native Hebru Brantleys pop art superhero based on the Tuskegee Airmen. And there is a nod to Michelle Obama whose childhood home is just two miles from the museum with a true-to-size recreation of Amy Sheralds portrait of the former first lady for the National Portrait Gallery. But what really makes The Art of the Brick a must see is Sawayas collaboration with Australian photographer Dean West. In 2012, the two artists teamed together for In Pieces, with Wests photographs channeling vintage Americana postcards. Sawaya then swapped items from the photograph an umbrella, a cloud, a bucket, a dress for Lego, with both those artifacts and large prints of the photographs shown together. The pairs latest endeavor, Perniciem, uses a similar technique placing Lego versions of endangered species in their natural environments. Polar Bear and Cub in the "Perniciem" space at the "The Art of the Brick" exhibition. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune) The two Lego polar bears from Perniciem alone are worth the cost of admission, but for those who get a hankering to build something of their own after scanning The Art of the Brick, the One Brick Studio has you covered. The museum will even display your original creations for others to admire. The Art of the Brick runs through Sept. 5 at the Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. DuSable Lake Shore Drive. Guests aged must show proof of vaccination and masks are required. Exhibition tickets are $7-$14, purchased separately from museum entry ($13-$22), at www.msichicago.org Most freezers in America are stocked with a frozen pizza. According to Statista, domestic sales of frozen pizzas are projected to reach $6.06 billion, up from $5.47 billion in frozen pizza sales in 2020. Not all pre-packaged pies need come from a global brand conglomerate: small independent (and much beloved) pizzerias across the country have found ways to flash-freeze their pies and quickly ship them to your door. With this sort of access to the wide variety of pizza in America, any night can be pizza night at home. (Chicago, IL) Since 1971, Lou Malnatis has been serving up the perfect example of Chicago deep dish pizza. Get your knife and fork ready for this to show up at your door. (New Haven, CT) With a history that dates back to the 1930s, Zuppardis Apizza is proof that New York City is not necessarily the pizza capital of the northeast and they make a strong case for Connecticut. The Neapolitan-style, thin and chewy crust has earned Zuppardis fans around the globe. (Brooklyn, NY) Robertas reputation as being a hipster paradise is quickly forgotten with one bite of their pizza. Pools of white, molten mozzarella and blistered wood fire pockmarks are cornerstones of Robertas pizza, and their pies are easy to warm up in a home oven. (St. Louis, MO) Imos has grown from a two-person operation to 100 stores across the Midwest. With a thin, crispy crust and a cheese blend of Swiss, Provolone and Cheddar, this pizza has a taste and appearance like no other. When people think of St. Louis-style pizza, they usually think of Imos. (Detroit, MI) Detroit is a city of innovation and the industrious nature of the Motor City has translated to pizza-making with pies that can now be shipped around the world. Somewhat similar to Chicagos deep-dish style, the recognizable rectangle shape and thick, dark pan-baked crust makes it uniquely Detroit-style pizza. (Old Forge, PA) Old Forge has deemed itself the pizza capital of the world with iconic local pizzeria, Arcaro and Genell. The shop has been making pies since 1962, are routinely ranked a top pizzeria in the country and ship their pies wherever it is demanded. (Philadelphia, PA) Some might say tomato pie is more focaccia than pizza, but for the Sicilian-Americans that made tomato pie famous throughout New York and eastern Pennsylvania, it is the quintessential pizza pie. Corropolese Bakery in Philadelphia is a pilgrimage stop for tomato pie lovers and ships their frozen pies around the country. (Brockton, MA) The New England seaboard is peppered with Greek, Italian and Portuguese communities that put their own spin on pizza and Cape Cod Cafe now with four locations throughout the greater Boston area incorporates a little bit of each into its wafer-thin pizza pies that they call bar style. (Buffalo, NY) Referred to lovingly as cup and char pizza by Buffalo natives, Picassos makes pizza with plenty of sweet sauce and lots of pepperoni, which turns upward and contains its own fat once it is baked. HOLDREGE The much anticipated Plum Creek display at the Nebraska Prairie Museum has just received its final details. For the last several years, the museum has promoted the Plum Creek area located in the extreme northwest corner of Phelps County. Its just a quiet little historic cemetery now, but between 1860-70 it was a busy transportation route that suffered the attack that started the Indian War of 1864. Later, it also was home to several military personnel, a few farmsteads and traders that protected and supplied the endless stream of travelers with necessary food, equipment and repairs. This new museum display features many of the buildings and events that occurred during this period, including: Post Plum Creek; the Pony Express Station; the Overland Plum Creek Stage Station; the Plum Creek Post Office; and the Freeman Ranch, to name just a few. Volunteer Fred Diedrichson has been the person behind all the details in the display. Visitors have enjoyed watching each new piece appear, including buildings, wagons, military soldiers, prairie grass, cattle and of course buffalo. Diedrichson has even put deer and bushes along the Platte River. Another volunteer, Dave Black, made the unique Plum Creek sign out of an old wood gate. Below it hangs a large copy of an 1860s survey map that shows the distance between Plum Creek and Fort Kearny. Additional information sheets surround the edge of the display telling the history of all the different pieces on this historic and most interesting corner of Phelps County. History enthusiasts are invited to stop by the museum for a look at the new and freshly updated exhibits with more than 65,000 square feet of historic artifacts. The museums winter hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1-4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Admission is by free-will donation. The Nebraska Prairie Museum is one half mile north of Holdrege on Nebraska Highway 183. Burn bans, scattered brush fires and a record to near-record lack of snow have been the markers of this winters unusually dry but also windy weather. The dry conditions have firefighters concerned about what could happen next month, when peak fire season occurs. As a sign of how dry it has been, a routine effort on Thursday to thaw the ground for a burial at a cemetery near 60th and Center Streets led to a grass fire and a call for help from firefighters. The fire was quickly extinguished, according to the Omaha Fire Department, and while some artificial flowers burned, no gravestones were damaged, a representative of Westlawn-Hillcrest Memorial Park said. A few hours later, Omaha firefighters were called to another grass fire, this one near an apartment building in midtown. Winds on Thursday gusted to almost 30 mph. Omaha has had only three days this winter with at least an inch of snow, and all three were in the first two weeks of January, according to the National Weather Service. Those three days generated 7 inches of snow, accounting for all but 0.8 of an inch of snow the city has received this winter. Taylor Nicolaisen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said Norfolk and Lincoln have accumulated their least amount of snow on record, 3.7 inches each. Through Thursday, snowfall in Omaha has ranked 15th least on record. Ninety percent of Omaha winters have produced more snow than this year, Nicolaisen said. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 97% of Nebraska is in drought or near drought. The portion of the state officially covered by drought doubled over the last week to about 75%, according to the Drought Monitor. Areas not in drought include north-central Nebraska and portions of east-southeast Nebraska, including the Omaha metro area. But the metro area is considered to be abnormally dry. The dry conditions have kept firefighters on their toes. Red flag warnings, signaling extreme fire danger, have been issued at least once a month for four months in a row, Nicolaisen said, which is unusual for this time of year. And because of unseasonably warm and windy weather, burn bans are again in effect this week in Douglas County. Peak fire season typically occurs in March, before vegetation begins to turn green. Im a little worried because its happening earlier than normal, and theres no relief in sight, Nicolaisen said. This could be a particularly bad fire season. Omaha Fire Battalion Chief Scott Fitzpatrick said the department urges people to take care. It has been drier this year than last, and we just encourage everyone to be vigilant of this and practice good fire safety, he said. Hopefully we get some rain or snow soon to help out with the high fire danger. An 81-year-old Lincoln man accused of first-degree murder for shooting his wife who was suffering from advanced Alzheimer's died Thursday in a Lincoln hospital. John Kotopka had pleaded not guilty and was at the Lancaster County Department of Corrections awaiting trial. "While the cause of death has yet to be determined, Mr. Kotopka was being treated for a chronic medical condition," according to a press release from the jail. As is the case whenever an inmate dies in custody, a grand jury will conduct an investigation. In court records, police said Kotopka shot his wife, 78-year-old Janet Kotopka, at about 6:30 a.m. June 20 at their home at 1808 Dakota St. A single shot woke the couple's son, who called 911. Rescue workers took Janet Kotopka to an area hospital where she later died, and police arrested her husband, after he allegedly told investigators he was "exhausted and couldn't take care of her any longer" and was concerned about the financial burden if she were to go to a health care facility. Janet Kotopka had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's about two years ago, and her health had deteriorated to a point that she had to be monitored constantly. Reach the writer at 402-473-7237 or lpilger@journalstar.com. On Twitter @LJSpilger A 39-year-old La Crosse man has pleaded guilty in La Crosse County Circuit Court to sexually assaulting and impregnating a 13-year-old girl in 2019. Bruce L. Nelson faces up to 65 years in prison for felony charges of repeated sexual assault of a child and child enticement and misdemeanor charges of contributing to truancy and resisting an officer. According to the criminal complaint filed in August 2019, Nelson made contact with the girl through social media when she was in sixth or seventh grade and began dating her sometime after that. Police sought Nelson, then an Onalaska resident, after a school resource officer in La Crosse learned of the girls pregnancy. The girl reportedly told police she believed Nelson was a 19-year-old named Tone McPherson who produces and sells music videos. The complaint says Nelson abruptly moved to Chicago after the girl told him she had spoken with police. He was later arrested in Onalaska. Nelsons sentencing hearing is set for May 9 before Judge Elliott Levine. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. An East Donegal Township husband and wife have been charged with a mans death after giving him toxic drugs and then leaving him barely conscious inside a Marietta parking lot where he was later found dead, according to Susquehanna Regional police. Fred William Poston, 37, and Monica Anita Poston, 26, left the man alone in a car around 9 p.m. on Nov. 21 after they were unable to rouse him from his semi-unconscious state, according to an affidavit of probable cause. The man, whose name was not stated in the affidavit, was found dead in the front passenger seat of the car just after 2 p.m. the following day, police said. The Postons were each charged Feb. 8 with drug delivery resulting in death, conspiracy to commit a drug delivery resulting in death and recklessly endangering another person. The man had given the Postons a ride to Philadelphia earlier in the day in exchange for drugs, they told police. The three went to Needle Park, where they purchased a bundle of drugs they all used before returning home. A search of the vehicle, which was registered to the mans wife, later uncovered a bag police believe was used to carry narcotics. The man began driving poorly while returning to Lancaster County and was almost completely unconscious, according to the affidavit. The Postons unsuccessfully tried to revive the man by encouraging him to eat, drink and smoke a cigarette. At least one eyewitness saw the man nodding out while standing in line at a gas station around noon, police said. The Postons then left the man in the rear parking lot of an apartment building, with Monica Poston later telling police she assumed he would be OK since they had seen him in a similar state before. At least one person had been searching for the man after he had failed to return home the following day, finding him dead in the car. An autopsy later determined the man died of acute fentanyl toxicity. His death was ruled accidental. Police began investigating the Postons after receiving a tip from a family friend that they may have been involved in the mans death. The Postons were arraigned by Judge Scott Albert on Feb. 8 and each released on bail set at $100,000 unsecured, court records show. Attempts to reach Phillip Aaron Michael, a public defender representing Monica Poston, were not immediately successful. An attorney was not listed for Fred Poston in court documents. The Postons will face a preliminary hearing before Judge Albert on March 11. Like plenty of 15-year-olds, Philip Glass liked to play hooky on Fridays. Unlike most 15-year-olds, hed skip class to head to student matinees at the Chicago Symphony, where hed marvel at then-music director Fritz Reiners interpretations of 20th century modernists like Bartok and Kodaly. Advertisement Glass only lived in Chicago for four years, moving here in 1952 as a baby-faced early entrant at the University of Chicago. But those four years, avuncularly recounted in his 2015 memoir Words Without Music, made an outsized impact on his musical thinking. The musical experiences he sought out in Chicago would eventually lead him to the oft-emulated and oft-maligned minimalist aesthetic that has become synonymous with his name, though Glass himself rejects the term about as often as its applied to his music. But for Glasss superlative stature among living composers and his formative experiences at Orchestra Hall, the CSO has presented his music only twice: his Facades in 1999, conducted by composer John Adams, and a suite from the Oscar-nominated score to The Hours in the 2007-08 season. Advertisement When CSO music director Riccardo Muti leads Glasss Symphony No. 11 from Feb. 17-19, it will be the first time one of Glasss symphonies has been performed by the orchestra. (Hes written 14 and was too busy wrapping up a 15th, a Kennedy Center commission, to be interviewed for this article.) The concerts will be in conjunction with Scored by Glass, a monthlong film score retrospective at the Gene Siskel Film Center including Koyaanisqatsi Feb. 19. One could arguably draw a straight line from Glasss student years in Chicago where large-scale symphonies by Bruckner and Mahler lodged in (his) psyche during group listening sessions in his dormitory and his tilt towards symphonic writing decades later. We spent hours and hours together listening to recordings of Bruckner and Mahler symphonies, comparing recordings often difficult to obtain even in Chicago by Bruno Walter, Jascha Horenstein, and Wilhelm Furtwangler, Glass writes in Words Without Music. Composer Philip Glass at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago on May 17, 2002. The opera "Galileo Galilei," with music by Philip Glass, directed by Mary Zimmerman, had its world premiere in the Goodman's Albert Theater. (JAMES F. QUINN / CHICAGO TRIBUNE) We included Gerald Temaner, who would introduce Glass to his first wife, JoAnne Akalaitis (also a student at the University of Chicago), and go on to cofound Kartemquin Films with Gordon Quinn and Stan Karter. Glass wrote two of his earliest film scores for Kartemquin: Inquiring Nuns (1968), screened Feb. 16 as part of Siskels series, and Marco (1970) Temaners last film for Kartemquin. Like Glass, Temaner was a high-school-aged college student and the son of a record store owner: His father ran Little Als, formerly at Kedzie and Lawrence. Temaner moved into the dorms with a prodigious LP collection catnip to the young Glass, who lived down the hall. Wed turn off the lights and listen, says Temaner, now 85 and calling from a high-rise retirement complex in Gold Coast. After a pause, as though closing his eyes, he hums the theme from the Landler movement of Mahlers Symphony No. 1. I think music is what drew us to one another. He was a quiet person, actually he wasnt pushy or anything. Hes still that way. The University of Chicago student ID for Philip Glass when the composer was a student, dated 1956. Temaner largely echoes Glasss account of the comprehensive musical education he absorbed in Chicago. He was the one to introduce Glass to jazz (I would play Charlie Parker and Lee Konitz), taking him to long-gone clubs like the Blue Note at Clark and Madison (back when you could park downtown) and the Beehive at 55th and Harper (I saw Dizzy Gillespie there once, with his cheeks blown out). Sometimes future astronomer Carl Sagan, who also lived in the dorm, would attend their late-night listening sessions though, as Temaner recalls in a grumbling aside, Nobody liked Carl. Big smarty pants. Advertisement Also on Glasss floor was Marcus Raskin, the influential co-founder of the Institute for Policy Studies, a progressive think tank in Washington, D.C. He had abandoned his piano studies at Juilliard to transfer to the University of Chicago, where he fell in with a group of friends that included Compass Players members Mike Nichols and Elaine May, as well as Glass. He also became fast friends with Glass, who sought him out as a piano teacher because of his affinity for composers of the Second Viennese School: Schoenberg, Berg, and Webern. I guess (Glass) didnt really mesh with whoever the formal piano teacher was at the school, remembers U.S. House Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), Raskins son. So, some of the kids in the dorm hallway said to him, You got to talk to this kid, Marcus Raskin. Hes a piano prodigy. Jerry Temaner (far left) with parents Dora and Al Temaner at Little Al's, circa 1950, posing with tenor Richard Tucker. (Provided by Noah Temaner Jenkins.) (Marshall Marker Photography) Talk, they did. The elder Raskin promptly prescribed a heavy dose of Bach to Glass, helping the budding pianist build up his technique. (That would have been in character for Marcus: Rep. Raskin says that his father, for his wide repertoire, frequently returned to Bachs Goldberg Variations while practicing at home.) Those lessons, too, seem to have taken deep root: When Glass returned to the University of Chicago in 2016, commemorating his 80th, he shared the billing with four other pianists in performances of his complete piano etudes, Bachian in their clarity, technical sturdiness, and emotional breadth. Raskin isnt sure if his father was part of the listening crew that would gather in Temaners room, nearly 70 years ago. But he said the two men remained close until his fathers death in 2017 so close that, when Raskin first ran for his congressional seat, Glass performed at a 2016 campaign event. Before he began, he said, Im very nervous, because I havent played for my teacher in more than 60 years, Raskin recalls with a laugh. It was a rare streak of self-consciousness from a composer who, in his own words, was born with the I dont care what you think gene. That fearlessness was certainly shared by his friends at the University of Chicago. Temaners work at Kartemquin was distinguished by a dedication to social causes then and now punishable by law: He filmed Bernie Sanders getting arrested at a protest against racial segregation in Chicago Public Schools, and he and his work appears in The Janes, a new documentary about an underground abortion network founded in Hyde Park. Marcus Raskin a member of the Boston Five, who were indicted in 1968 for assisting young men to avoid the Vietnam War draft similarly dedicated his career to deeply held values, regardless of the danger to himself. Advertisement Sometimes people will say to me that they heard my dad taught Philip Glass how to play piano, and that explains everything, Rep. Raskin says. My dad was a great philosopher and kind of a wild, boundary-breaking thinker, and Glass is quite the iconoclast and autodidact. Hes very much an American original. And a Chicago original, too. Hannah Edgar is a freelance writer. The Rubin Institute for Music Criticism helps fund our classical music coverage. The Chicago Tribune maintains complete editorial control over assignments and content. Elizabethtown College is on track for its largest first-year class in more than five years. As of Friday, the private college has received over 500 more applications for the 2022-23 academic year (2,765) than it did last year at the same time (2,217). Thats a 25% increase. And that puts the college on pace to have its largest incoming class since 2017s grouping of 442 transfers, freshmen and international students. Applications are up in each of the colleges six undergraduate schools. Elizabethtown continues to accept applicants through May 1. By the end of the colleges application period last year, 2,891 students applied. With the application pool at 2,765 in February, the colleges Vice President for Enrollment Management, John F. Champoli, said the college will likely receive over 3,000 applications this year. So far this year, Elizabethtown has accepted 2,031 of its 2,765 applicants which is an increase from its admittance rate last year when the college accepted 1,869 of its 2,217 applications. By the end of the application period last year, the college accepted 1,995 out of 2,891 applicants. Just over 2,000 students, including graduate students, make up the college student body. Champoli said the college accepts so many students because only a quarter of them will enroll. He projects that the 2022-23 incoming class will be around 510 students. Though the college is accepting more students, the students remain academically competitive. The average grade point average of applicants is 3.74, up from 3.51 two years ago. We are building a strong academically-qualified applicant pool this year, college Assistant Vice President for Enrollment Management Adam Smith said in a news release. An Etown education is appealing for so many students because we offer highly desirable majors with a vibrant and supportive student life that turns into a connective and lifelong alumni network. The college will be hosting three in-person accepted student day events today, March 12 and April 2. A winter weather advisory has been issued in parts of southeastern Pennsylvania, including Lancaster County, in anticipation of several inches of snow tonight and tomorrow morning, according to the National Weather Service in State College. As many as 1 to 3 inches of snow is expected to begin falling around 11 p.m. tonight, continuing through about 11 a.m. tomorrow, NWS said in a winter weather advisory issued in Lancaster, Adams and York counties. The snow is expected to be heaviest along and southeast of routes 30 and 222. Heaviest snow accumulations will be on non-paved surfaces, but roads are expected to become slippery. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission are urging motorists to adjust speeds based on driving conditions. Lancaster County Democratic and Republican party leaders met Saturday to consider which, if any, candidates they would back in the upcoming primaries for local and statewide elections later this year. Results were mixed. Democrats The Lancaster County Democratic Committee did not endorse any candidate in the U.S. Senate primary, one of the most-watched Senate races in the country. After three votes by the 160-plus Democratic committee members, no candidate got the supermajority of votes needed to capture the countys endorsement. The Lancaster Democrats met virtually Saturday for the first part of its endorsement convention, considering only the Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate and which of their members would will represent them on the state Democratic partys committee. Western Pennsylvania U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb received the most votes of any candidate, getting 81 votes by the final vote. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman received the second most, 58 votes on the final ballot. The four Democratic Senate candidates who received nominations from committeemembers Lamb, Fetterman, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Kevin Baumlin spoke to the committee prior to the vote. Each of the candidates is hoping to replace Sen. Pat Toomey, a Republican and Pennsylvanias junior senator since 2011. Toomey is not running for re-election, and Democrats hope to use the opportunity to increase their control over the Senate. The candidates tried to differentiate themselves from the others. Lamb boasted his success at winning Republican congressional districts as a Democrat and his moderate voting record in the House of Representatives. Fetterman mentioned that he grew up in York County to highlight his understanding of the needs of south-central Pennsylvanians, as well as his work to support 2018 congressional candidate Jess King. Baumlin, a medical doctor and former chair of emergency medicine at University of Pennsylvania Hospital, pitched himself to county Democrats as an underdog candidate, describing himself as "the guy who really cares. Kenyatta, a Democrat representing North Philadelphia, noted his union endorsements from the SEIU and local AFSCME chapters, as well as the socioeconomic challenges his family faced while he was growing up. Baumlin received only three votes in the first ballot, so he was removed from further consideration. Kenyatta got 14 votes on the second ballot before being removed. On the final ballot, 13 Lancaster committeemembers chose not to endorse any candidate. The state Democrats also failed to endorse a Senate candidate at its convention last month, passing the decision onto county Democratic committees to decide whether theyll support a specific candidate. The county Democrats will consider who they will endorse for U.S. House and several key state House races at a second endorsement convention. That event wont be scheduled until the states district maps are finalized by the courts. Republicans The Republican Committee of Lancaster County held its area committee straw polls Saturday to consider four key House races and determine which candidates are most popular before heading into its endorsement convention. Following the result of Saturdays straw poll, held at Centerville Middle School in East Hempfield Township, its possible the Lancaster GOP may choose not to endorse for a spot representing the Elizabethtown and Donegal areas, as long-time Rep. Dave Hickernell prepares to retire at the end of 2022. Tom Jones, the Donegal area party chair and former township supervisor, led the straw poll in the closed-door meetings, scoring 17 votes across two area committees. He was followed closely by Lu Ann Fahndrich, a Donegal committeewoman and long-time House staffer, who received 14 votes. Logan Hoover, a local college student, received three votes, while two other candidates who asked for the endorsement got zero votes. The results between Fahndrich and Jones show there is no obvious favorite candidate in this race, meaning its possible the party will allow an open primary race to decide who will run for Hickernells seat hoping to become the new 98th House District representative. There were, however, a few clear front-runners in other House districts. 37th House District In the 37th House District, Rep. Mindy Fee, R-Manheim, will maintain the Lancaster GOPs endorsement over her primary challenger, Rebecca Glass. I am humbled and pleased with the results of the straw poll, and Im grateful for the thoughtful consideration of the committee, Fee said in a statement. I look forward to earning their endorsement and working to support our entire Republican team in (2022). Glass, however, could repeat what shes done in the past and run as an unendorsed candidate. The former Manheim Central school board member was part of a grassroots effort to elect unendorsed Republican candidates in 2021 to the local school board. 96th House District April Weaver, a candidate looking to run in the new 96th House District, carried 28 votes across three area committees. Mikie Patterson, a local DJ and emcee, received six votes from the Manheim Township committee, but zero from other two committees. This moves Weaver, a therapist for adolescents, ahead as the favorite to run in the new district that will cover the northern half of Lancaster city and stretch north into Manheim Township and East Petersburg. Longtime Democratic Rep. Mike Sturla, whose district currently includes Lancaster city, is seeking reelection in the new 96th. He is facing a primary challenge from Manheim Township resident Dana Hamp Gulick, who ran two unsuccessful campaigns to unseat Rep. Steve Mentzer, R-Lititz. Neither party has a majority of voters in the district, though it leans Democratic. Weaver declined to comment when reached by phone Saturday. 41st House District Rep. Brett Miller, R-East Hempfield, received all 37 votes in Saturdays straw poll, bucking yet another primary challenge by Landisville truck driver Brad Witmer. Witmer has unsuccessfully challenged Miller in the past, and received only 15% of the vote in 2020. Straw poll winners traditionally get the official endorsement, and those decisions carry significant weight, as the party-endorsed candidate usually goes on to win the primary election and, in most of the county outside Lancaster city, is elected in November. The county GOP endorsement convention will be scheduled once the courts finalize the legislative districts. When: Ephrata Area school board meeting, Feb. 7, streamed via Zoom. What happened: The school board discussed the administrations proposal to spend the second and third rounds of American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds. Why its important: The rescue funds are meant to support the long-term work of education recovery caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Key numbers: The districts total allocation amount for the second round of ESSER is $2.5 million, which must be used by Sept. 30, 2023. The district is eligible for $5.06 million in the third round of ESSER, and 20% of the amount has to go toward learning loss. This grant must be used by Sept. 30, 2024. Quotable: This is intended to be used for students who have more needs after the pandemic, district Business Manager Kristee Reichard said. Learning loss: To make up for the loss of learning caused by the pandemic, the district plans to use the majority of this amount, $775,037 on salaries. This includes the recent increase in substitute teacher rates. It also includes salaries related to their summer program, engagement facilitator, speech therapist and professional development. Undesignated funds: Of the undesignated funds, the district wants to use $1.73 million on technology including laptops, iPads and upgrades to the high school TV studio. Also, $1.45 million is planned for HVAC facility upgrades at Clay Elementary School to improve the air quality at the school. Whats next: Ephrata Area school board will meet again Feb. 28 at the middle school. te Organizations Applaud Legislation to Support Children Impacted by COVID-19 GRACE/End Child Poverty in California (ECPCA), and Liberation in a Generation two anti-poverty organizations working in California praise the introduction of the Hope, Opportunity, Perseverance, and Empowerment (HOPE) forChildren Act of 2022 (or SB 854) by Senator Nancy Skinner in the California State Senate. If passed, the Hope Accounts will offer up to $4,000 to children under age 10 and $8,000 for children 10- 18 in state-issuedtrust funds to low- income children who have lost a parent or guardian to COVID-19 and eligible foster youth. ADVERTISEMENT The bill would also lay crucial groundwork for the potential expansion of baby bonds in the future to support greatereconomic opportunity for children impacted by poverty. Baby bonds aim to close the racial wealth gap and break cycles of intergenerational poverty by ensuring everyone hasaccess to capital they can use to establish long-term financial stability. Nearly 2 million children in California were living in poverty in 2019 the highest child poverty rate in the country and a reminder of the states stark economic disparities across racial lines. Those disparities were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic as low-income families (and especially families of color) grappled with soaring housing and food costs, lack of adequate support for transitions to remote work and schoolenvironments, and greater risk of exposure to and severity of the virus itself. However, the expansion of government social safety net programs in response to the pandemic proved successful in helpingto alleviate poverty slashing the child poverty rate by a third in 2020. The past two years have demonstrated the effectiveness of bold government action in reducing poverty in California,said Shimica Gaskins, President & CEO of GRACE and End Child Poverty California. ADVERTISEMENT Intergenerational poverty and the loss of a parent or guardian can have significant impacts on a childs development, wellbeing, and outcomes over the short- and long-term. We must close the racial wealth gap that disproportionally prevents Black and Brown children from the opportunity to thrive. The Hope Accounts proposed are necessary to level the playing field for Californias children. The Hope Act would be an important step towards the goal of ensuring every Californian has the access and support they need to build a healthy, wealthy, and safe future, said Michael Tubbs, former mayor of Stockton, CA and founder of EndPoverty in California. But we cant stop there. We should be working towards a future where kids dont have to lose a parent in order to qualify for money that will give them access to the same range of choices that kids from wealthy families take for granted. Every child deserves a chance to pursue higher education, entrepreneurship, homeownership, and other asset-buildingopportunities when they grow up, and thats what baby bond programs like this can ensure. Government-issued bond programs arent a new concept. Social Security has been helping to provide Americans with economic security in their retirement years for decades. Similarly, baby bonds would ensure that every child has access toa seed fund of capital they can use to invest in their future. Early studies show the promise of this type of directintervention for dramatically reducing the racial wealth gap and helping families break out of generational cycles ofpoverty. Intergenerational poverty in America is rooted in racist, classist and exclusionary policy choices that have created vast economic inequality and a racial wealth gap. Baby bonds are one of the best policy tools at our disposal to combat theenduring effects of that history and chart a better path forward. In 2021, the state of Connecticut, New York City, and Washington, D.C. each enacted similar programs. We urge state lawmakers to use this bill as an opportunity to pilot a longer-term plan to address the pervasive wealth inequalities that perpetuate economic oppression, said Solana Rice, co- founder and co-executive director of Liberation in a Generation. Baby bonds are a dignity- centered way to ensure that poverty is not passed down to the next generation of Californians. Saturday, February 12, 2022 Previously, I announced that my paper, Capital Discrimination, would be forthcoming in the Houston Law Review, and had just been posted publicly to SSRN. As I explained in that post, the paper explores the problem of gender discrimination against women as business owners and capital providers, and proposes changes to both statutory law and common law fiduciary duties in order to address gender-based oppression in business. The paper itself describes several business law cases from different jurisdictions, including Shawe v. Elting, a matter very familiar to business lawyers, and which involved an acrimonious dispute in the Delaware courts. Just before Christmas, an attorney representing Philip Shawe sent this cease and desist letter to SSRN, demanding that the paper be removed from that site as defamatory. On New Years Day, SSRN removed the paper in response to Shawes letter. After that, Houston Law Review could no longer assure me that the article would run in its journal, and stated that they would not preclude me from submitting the paper for publication elsewhere. Tulanes counsel has sent a response letter to SSRN in hopes of having the paper restored but for now, to ensure that the paper is not kept out of sight indefinitely, I have made a copy available at this link. This draft of the paper includes a reference to Mr. Shawes defamation claims. An update to the update: As of the morning of February 14, SSRN has restored the paper, and it is available at the original link, here. SSRN put out a twitter comment on the situation here. An update to the update to the update: I am pleased to report that the Houston Law Review informed me yesterday (February 18) that, with the consent of its Board of Directors, the Review has committed to publishing Capital Discrimination. I particularly want to thank the student editors for their persistence and support. A new version of the draft has been uploaded. With any luck, this saga is now complete and I look forward to publication in the April-ish/May-ish. https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/business_law/2022/02/an-update-on-capital-discrimination.html Saturday, February 12, 2022 The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has imposed a two-year reciprocal suspension of an attorney based on sanctions imposed by the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee. The findings of misconduct involve accusations against a judge and failure to abide by an Agreed Order as found by a report and recommendation (R&R). From the district court opinion rejecting the attorney's due process and other claims concerning the fairness of the proceedings concerning claims made against a bankruptcy court judge Here, Schuchardt doubles-down (or more accurately, quintuples-down) on his accusations against Judge Bauknight. He has now asserted that Judge Bauknight engaged in improper ex parte communications: (1) in oral statements before the bankruptcy court; (2) in an affidavit sworn under penalty of perjury; (3) in bankruptcy court filings; (4) in his response to the complaint; and (5) here in his objections to the R&R. The "direct evidence" that Schuchardt points to is his own testimony that he exchanged various emails and phone calls with various fellow law partners, clients, and a U.S. Marshal in order to corroborate his theory that Judge Bauknight conspired against him. However, these emails and call logs only show that Schuchardt was earnest is his vain quest to vindicate his accusations against Judge Bauknight. As to notice of charges In sum, despite Schuchardt's assertions to the contrary, he was made well aware of the specific instances of misconduct of which he was accused. Rather than meet each accusation, Schuchardt merely attempted to make global denials and broad claims that he has been denied due process. The Court finds Schuchardt's second objection to be meritless. As to the alleged violation of an Agreed Order In addition to his failure to abide the directive to refer the aforementioned clients to other attorneys, he also undertook to represent them. Schuchardt objects on the grounds that his "legal advice" was not "representation." Alternatively, he argues that the term "represent" is impermissibly vague, rendering this portion of the Agreed Order void. ...The R&R clearly identifies Schuchardt's violation of the Agreed Order and the terms of the Agreed Order are not vague. The Court finds Schuchardt's sixth objection to be meritless. Compelled apology The R&R does not recommend "ordering" Schuchardt to apologize as a sanction for his misconduct. It merely recommends that an apology be included in any application for early reinstatement during the term of Schuchardt's suspension. Such a requirement for an early reinstatement application aids the Court in discerning whether Schuchardt is contrite over his misconduct and improper accusations against Judge Bauknight. Schuchardt is not being compelled to apologize in any way and is free to serve his suspension without apology. The Court finds Schuchardt's seventh objection to be meritless. Sanction Schuchardt appears to have practiced law for twenty-eight years without client complaints or investigation by any Board of Professional Responsibility, apart from these circumstances. This is certainly a mitigating factor. However, Schuchardt's "substantial experience in the practice of law is an aggravating factor because it indicates he should be well aware of applicable expectations and standards." In re Cowan, 620 F. Supp. 2d at 872. Prior to the process, Judge Bauknight patiently provided progressive discipline for Schuchardt's infractions, but Schuchardt continued in his misconduct undeterred. "It is rare for a judge to issue such a reprimand to a lawyer and for an attorney to receive one. Most attorneys would have made sure they rectified the deficiencies that concerned the judge." In re Moncier, 550 F. Supp. 2d at 808. However, Schuchardt did not heed these warnings, which is an aggravating factor. Throughout this process, Schuchardt has persisted in his self-justification, demonstrated no contrition, and recklessly repeated his accusations against Judge Bauknight. Schuchardt's "lack of remorse weighs heavily against him in this proceeding." In re Cowan, 620 F. Supp. 2d at 872. "This compels the Court to conclude Respondent will repeat the offensive behavior before judges of this court in the future." In re Moncier, 550 F. Supp. 2d at 809. This is an aggravating factor. Conclusion The Court finds that Schuchardt has engaged in unprofessional and unethical conduct and violated the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct. For his in-court accusations against Judge Bauknight with reckless disregard as to the truth or falsity of the accusation, the Court deems it in the public interest to publicly reprimand Schuchardt. His conduct has fallen below that required of members of the bar of the Eastern District of Tennessee. Therefore, the Court REPRIMANDS Schuchardt. For his reckless accusations against Judge Bauknight, his violation of the Agreed Order dated February 9, 2018, and his pattern of incompetence below the expectations of the Tennessee Rules of Professional Conduct and this Court, the Court ORDERS that Elliott J. Schuchardt be SUSPENDED from the bar of the Eastern District of Tennessee for a period of two years commencing on December 10, 2019. (Mike Frisch) https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/legal_profession/2022/02/the-pennsylvania-supreme-court-has-imposed-a-two-year-reciprocal-suspension-of-an-attorney-based-on-sanctions-imposed-by-the.html Another Valentines Day --- pandemic style --- is almost here. Some people will be heading to restaurants on February 14 for romantic, but socially distanced celebrations. However, many of us will stay at home, celebrating our loving partnerships as best we can. One way to make the day feel special is to think about your favorite foods and then add something unusual. Spend more than normal for a better cut of meat, rare spice or sweet treat. If a high-end steak dinner is your dream Valentines Day meal, you can bring it home. Porter Road Meats in Nashville, Tennessee, for example, offers dry aged and hand-cut meats. The companys creators are committed to using only humanely-sourced animal products. But maybe you favor seafood, like lobster! McLoons Lobster Shack in Maine has a Valentines Day deal for two. The restaurant will provide you with clam chowder, lobster rolls and a heart-shaped blueberry bread pudding. The whole meal will take about ten minutes to put together at home. You might want the meal-making to be part of the celebration however. Blue Ribbon Sushi, based in New York City, will ship you a do-it-yourself meal kit with fresh fish, expertly prepared sushi rice, seaweed and a bamboo bat for rolling. You can add other foods to this Japanese meal, like caviar, lobster, crispy rice cakes and more. For morning people, maybe a fancy Valentines Day breakfast is best. You can improve your eggs with a few pieces of crispy, costly meat, like that from Peter Lugers Steakhouse in Brooklyn. Or check out Bill-Es Bacon from Fairhope, Alabama. It makes thick-cut pieces. Other high quality cooking ingredients might include special olive oil or balsamic vinegar. Valentines Day can also be very simple but still special. Snuggle up and watch a rom-com with your love. Make some popcorn. Makers Stone Hollow Popcorn sell it by the jar or in gift boxes. You can choose from several kinds of corn, including Red, Blue and Lady Finger. And we cannot discuss Valentines Day without talking about chocolate. There are several ways to go: You might treat your special people to some fancy chocolates like the imaginative, handmade mice with toasted almond ears from L.A. Burdick company. Or, consider the Colorful Love box from andSons chocolatiers. The treats are almost too pretty to eat. Midunu Chocolates are made in Ghana, and the sweets are designed to honor African chocolate-making traditions. Try their chocolate tasting kit for four with a flavor wheel, tasting mats and more. Staying home for Valentines Day sounds better and better! Let us know if you are planning anything special for this February 14. Im Caty Weaver. The Associated Press reported on this story. Caty Weaver adapted it for VOA Learning English. Susan Shand was the editor. _____________________________________________________________ Words in This Story romantic - adj. of, relating to, or involving love between two people kit - n. a set of parts that are put together to make something fancy - adj. of the highest grade or quality crispy - adj. pleasantly thin, dry, and easily broken ingredient - n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc. snuggle up - phrasal v. to lie or sit close together in a comfortable position rom-com - n. a movie centered on a funny, love story In pics: "unmanned farm" in China's Anhui Xinhua) 10:07, February 12, 2022 A worker adds herbicide into drones at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) Aerial photo taken on Feb. 11, 2022 shows drones spraying herbicide at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Photo by Liu Qinli/Xinhua) Aerial photo taken on Feb. 11, 2022 shows the automatic irrigation and fertilization system operating at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Photo by Liu Qinli/Xinhua) Drones are used to spray herbicide at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) Drones are used to spray herbicide at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) The automatic irrigation and fertilization system is seen operating in the fields at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) A worker monitors the condition of the fields with intelligent systems at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) A worker uses a mobile phone to check the condition of water and fertilizer in the fields at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) A worker starts the automatic irrigation and fertilization system at an "unmanned farm" in Zhaoqiao Town of Bozhou City, east China's Anhui Province, Feb. 11, 2022. Recently, a newly-built "unmanned farm" in Bozhou ushered in its first spring farming production season. The farm is equipped with more than 20 plant protection drones, one unmanned harvester, and one unmanned seeder, as well as intelligent systems for irrigation, fertilization, and pest control. (Xinhua/Liu Junxi) (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) Playmaker Laboratory, the longtime youth-oriented theater company, isnt sunk yet. The company, known for its long-running production Thats Weird, Grandma that used professional actors and crew to celebrate the creative writing of students in Chicago Public Schools on stage, told the Tribune in January it was shutting down. Since then, the theater has opened a GoFundMe with the hopes of saving the company. According to a statement earlier this week, the nonprofit theater hopes to raise $60,000 to stay afloat. As of Friday afternoon, it had raised north of $26,000. Advertisement For 25 years, Playmakers Lab (formerly known as Barrel of Monkeys), has been bringing creative writing residencies and performances to 3rd-6th graders in underfunded Chicago Public Schools, the GoFundMe reads. But two weeks ago, we got some bad news. After two years of a pandemic, after shut down performances and remote schools, after pivoting on top of our pivots, our former board hit a wall. You get it. The pandemic hasnt gone light on any of us. But its been especially hard on the students we serve. We had a full spring of residencies and shows planned, and suddenly that was gone. And it was really difficult for current and former company members to give up on providing our programming to those students. To view the GoFundMe, go to www.gofundme.com. Advertisement dgeorge@chicagotribune.com Around the world, the coronavirus pandemic has made it difficult for companies to produce and for people to buy goods. As a result, the price of things like meat, cars and fuel has risen. Something else is set to get more costly, too: American colleges and universities. In all parts of American life, people are paying more for workers, food and energy. As a result, colleges will also charge students more in the 2022-2023 school year. Jim Hundrieser is vice president at the National Association of College and University Business Officers. He said that, for several years, college costs have increased somewhat slowly. But now, he said, theres absolutely going to be an increase in tuition and fees. The University of Virginia has already said it will raise its price for the next school year by almost 5 percent. Another school in Virginia, Virginia Tech, already raised prices for meals by 9 percent to help pay the people who work at campus eating places. Along with the Virginia schools, colleges including Loyola of Chicago, Texas Christian University and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington all said prices will go up next year. The price increases are a change compared to the last two years. The College Board reports that costs have not risen very much during the pandemic. But in the 10 years before that, college prices spiked, or rose sharply. During that time, the cost to attend public colleges rose 28 percent. The cost for private colleges went up 19 percent. The coming rise in prices is more noticeable because many universities felt pressure to keep prices down during and just before the pandemic. Those who run schools are worried that students who are in the middle of their studies may be surprised by higher costs. David Jewell is senior vice president for business affairs at Cleveland State University in the Midwestern U.S. state of Ohio. The yearly cost to attend Cleveland State is about $27,000. The price includes tuition as well as estimated living costs. That is a lot of money, but it is less money than the cost of hundreds of other American colleges. Jewell told The Hechinger Report that students who attend Cleveland State are often the first in their families to go to college. Many already have trouble paying for higher education. Even a small price increase for the next school year might prevent some students from attending. Robert Kelchen studies education policy and leadership at the University of Tennessee. He said universities might need to delay repairing school buildings, reduce some services and increase class sizes to deal with their own rising expenses. Increasing tuition prices will not be enough. They have to look at other ways to cut costs, he said. Cutting services will be difficult, another researcher said, because current students need more than before from their universities. Some students, for example, want mental health services. One study by the University of California Berkeley and the University of Minnesota found that two times as many students are depressed compared to the number before the pandemic started. About 1.5 times more students are dealing with anxiety compared to before the pandemic. And it is not just students who want more. Professors want to be paid better. So do graduate students who teach part-time. Some universities stopped putting money into workers retirement accounts at the start of the pandemic. But they have started to do so again. Richard Garrett is a researcher at Encoura, a higher education advising business. He said universities and colleges are being pushed to spend more, just when they dont have any more to spend. Some of the costs will be covered by states that are spending more on education. For example, leaders in Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri and New York want to add money to the states higher education budget. In California, Governor Gavin Newsom said he would add more money to the states education budget as long as the cost of attending college goes down. California State University has already said it will not raise tuition costs at its 23 campuses next year. Jewell, of Cleveland State, said universities can get creative when trying to save money. They can do things like offer less costly foods at campus eating places. With all the cost cutting, there is one bit of good news. Universities may finally change the way they spend money. Large state universities that have several campuses may decide to buy items like computers and computer supplies through a central office. By making a large purchase instead of several smaller purchases, the universities can save money. The University of Massachusetts, which has five campuses, made this change in 2020. It already has saved $34 million. Some schools may feel pressure to change the kinds of classes they offer. Some will cut classes that do not have enough students. Others will use technology to do more teaching by computer and video, which is less costly than gathering students in person. Some schools may start new programs for high-demand subjects. Garrett, the researcher from Encoura, said people have been slow to recognize a cost and productivity problem at universities over the last 30 to 40 years. Maybe whats happening now, he said, will make a difference. Im Jill Robbins. And Im Dan Friedell. Dan Friedell adapted this report for Learning English based on a story by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Do you think you will have trouble paying for college if prices keep going up? Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. How well do you understand the story? Quiz - In a Time of Rising Prices, College Is Next Start the Quiz to find out Start Quiz Words in This Story tuition n. money that is paid to a school for the right to study there expense n. the amount of money that is needed to pay for something campus n. the buildings that make up a school or university fee n. an amount of money that must be paid anxiety n. fear or concern about what might happen graduate - adj. relating to a course of study that comes after a bachelors degree or a first degree In a classroom in rural Kenya's Rift Valley, a student takes notes alongside her fellow classmates. She wears the same school uniform a grey skirt and a green sweater. However, there is one difference. Priscilla Sitienei is more than 80 years older than them. Sitienei turned 99-years-old on February 11. She said she went back to class to set a good example for her great grandchildren. She also wants a new career. "I would like to become a doctor because I used to be a midwife," she told Reuters. She added that her children were supportive of her decision. Back in 2003, the government of the East African country began helping to pay for the cost of primary schooling. This has allowed some older members of society, who had missed out on education in their younger days, to go back to school. This has given Sitienei more than an education. She has also become a film star. Sitienei travelled to Paris last year for the launch of a film about her journey. It is titled Gogo, which means grandmother in her native Kalenjin language. She will also be heading to New York City soon for a showing of the film there. Sitienei is in her sixth year of primary school. She says her aims were far more practical than becoming a movie star. She said she had the idea when her great granddaughter dropped out of school after getting pregnant. Sitienei said she jokingly asked her great granddaughter if she had money remaining on her school fee, and she said yes. So, Sitienei told her that she would use it to attend school. She said she had hoped that her great granddaughter would continue with her studies. But when she refused, Sitienei decided to go to school herself. She said she also enjoys other school activities, including physical education classes. "It keeps me fit, she said. I get to jump around, even though not as much as they ... do, but I at least move my body. That is my joy." Sitienei shares her wide experience and knowledge with the children. Her teachers also use her experience to keep the peace during lessons. Her class teacher, Leonida Talaam, said she uses Sitienei to help control the class. And it works! When I go outside, the teacher said, the class remains silent. Im Anna Matteo. Monicah Njeri wrote this story for the Associated Press. Anna Matteo adapted it for VOA Learning English. ________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story uniform n. a special kind of clothing that is worn by all the members of a group or organization (such as an army or team) primary adj. first in time or development native adj. belonging to a particular place by birth practical adj. relating to what is real rather than to what is possible or imagined fee n. a fixed charge fit adj. physically healthy joy n. a feeling of great happiness American researchers say they tested a group of deer in New York City and found that some of them were infected with the Omicron version of COVID-19. The highly infectious version, or variant, was identified in the white-tailed deer population on the citys Staten Island. The Omicron variant was found in seven of the 68 deer tested between December 13 and January 31. The results are reported in a study carried out by researchers at Penn State University in Pennsylvania. The study was financed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). Earlier COVID-19 variants were also found in white-tailed deer in New York and several other U.S. states. But the Staten Island study is the first to find evidence of the Omicron variant in deer or any other animal population, said Suresh Kuchipudi. He is a professor of virology at Penn State who led the research team. Kuchipudi told The Associated Press the finding opened up the possibility that, like the previous variants, Omicron can and has spilled over into animals. He added that for this reason, the presence of COVID-19 in animal populations needs to be closely watched. Kuchipudi added that the spillover of Omicron from humans to deer suggests the possibly that vaccine-resistant versions of the virus could mutate and spread in non-humans. "When the virus completely mutates, then it can escape the protection of the current vaccine, Kuchipudi said. So, we'd have to change the vaccine again." The researchers also reported that nearly 15 percent of the 131 deer captured on Staten Island had COVID-19 antibodies. This finding suggests that the animals had past coronavirus infections, and they were reinfected with new variants. In August, the USDA said it found the world's first cases of COVID-19 in wild deer in Ohio. This expanded the list of animals known to have been infected with the sickness. The information was based on findings collected months before Omicron became the most dominant variant found in human populations around the world. So far, the USDA has reported COVID-19 in animals including dogs, cats, tigers, lions, snow leopards, otters, gorillas and minks. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press and Reuters reported on this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the reports for VOA Learning English. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments section, and visit our Facebook page. ____________________________________________________ Words in This Story virology n. a part of science that deals with viruses and viral diseases mutate v. to cause (a gene) to change and create an unusual characteristic in a plant or animal : to cause mutation in (a gene) dominant adj. the main or most important part of something Technology companies are raising hundreds of millions of dollars to develop farm products that use microbes and seaweed to grow crops. The move comes at a time when fertilizer prices are very high and increased attention is being paid to how food is produced around the world. Biostimulants Microbes, including fungi and viruses, have been available for years as treatments to protect plants from insects and disease, with mixed results. But developers are increasingly using them as natural ways to support crops while keeping up crop production levels. The new microbial fertilizers are sometimes called biostimulants. Such products could help farmers use less nitrogen a fertilizer that can pollute waterways and create nitrous oxide, a gas that has environmental effects. Canada wants to cut fertilizer emissions by 2030, while the European Union aims to reduce fertilizer usage. Denmark-based Novozymes is one of the biggest sellers of biological agriculture products. One product contains a fungus that grows alongside plant roots and releases phosphate, a crop nutrient, from the soil. Yara International of Norway says its biostimulants are based on seaweed and other substances. Another product from the startup Pivot Bio has microbes that take in sugar from the roots of corn, wheat, or sorghum plant, producing an enzyme that changes nitrogen to ammonia, a crop nutrient. The California-based company says farmers use it on more than 400,000 hectares. It has also raised $430 million last year from investors. AgFunder said investments in biostimulant and crop control products have more than doubled in 2021 from the previous year, to $777 million. And Rabobank expects the $3 billion biostimulants industry to grow by 12 to 15 percent each year over the next five years. Unregulated industry Microbial fertilizers are largely unregulated, with few studies on how effective they are at developing crops. And not everyone is convinced biostimulants work. University of Minnesota soil scientist Daniel Kaiser tested Pivot's Proven product over the past two seasons. He used them on six areas with reduced nitrogen fertilizer treatments. But only one area showed an improved yield. "With a lot of these (biostimulant products) the scientific principles are sound. But taking them from a concept to something that will work in the field, that's where they tend to fall apart," he said. Currently, only a small number of American states require companies to supply data on the effectiveness of microbial fertilizers. And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has only issued draft guidance for public review. In Europe, the European Union will require data on biostimulants starting in July 2022. Im John Russell. Rod Nickel and Karl Plume reported on this story for Reuters. John Russell adapted it for Learning English. _________________________________________________________ Words in This Story fertilizer n. a substance (such as manure or a special chemical) that is added to soil to help the growth of plants enzyme n. a chemical substance in animals and plants that helps to cause natural processes (such as digestion) unregulated -- adj. not subject to laws passed by the government about how something is done, made, processed, sold, etc. yield n. the amount of something that is produced by a plant, farm, etc. principle n. a basic truth or theory : an idea that forms the basis of something concept n. : an idea of what something is or how it works The Alsea School District, which had declared earlier this month it would eschew state mask mandates, will remain closed until Jan. 31 due to Jessica Gelt If its entertaining, Jessica Gelt has likely covered it. Since joining the Los Angeles Times in 2003, she has written about television, music, movies, books, art, fashion, food, cocktails and more. She once played bass in a band with an inexplicably large following in Spain, and still gets stopped by fans (OK, maybe a fan) on the streets of Barcelona. She loves dive bars and very dry martinis with olives, though never simultaneously. Kris Hohag, a citizen of the Bishop Paiute Tribe, is a senior organizing representative at the Sierra Club, an educator and activist for land conservation in the region. A man died early Saturday when he crashed the car he was driving on the citys Far South Side, according to Chicago police. He was behind the wheel of a 2013 Chevrolet Impala heading south in the 12200 block of Avenue O when he plowed into a median, causing the car to burst into flames, police said. Advertisement The driver, whose identity was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened at 2:20 a.m. The Major Accidents Unit was investigating. RACINE, Wis. A Lego-loving couple from Racine has opened a "brick"-and-mortar store, selling what they're passionate about. Daniel DeBaets and Joyce Hyatt are the owners of Wiscobricks, a new addition to the Midwest Market @ 2210 inside the farmer's market at 2210 Rapids Drive. The store held its grand opening last weekend. The couple is excited to open their doors, but they may be just slightly more excited to have extra space in their house, where their collection and inventory of Lego products and toys were held. "All this was taking up our basement," DeBaets said, laughing. Now, the pair can share and sell their collection to other enthusiasts. Building up Like most Lego fans his age, DeBaets fell in love with the toy brand when he was younger. It fizzled out as he grew older, until his brother reintroduced him to collecting it in 2020. DeBaets, who is an electrician by trade, was out on a gig when he was talking Lego with a client who had a ginormous repository of loose bricks. "They gave me probably two car loads full of Lego," he said. "I brought it home and we started sorting it. We're still sorting it." From there, DeBaets and Hyatt opened a BrickLink store called Wiscobricks. BrickLink (bricklink.com) is a website authorized by the Lego company where users can buy and sell individual bricks, whole sets and other specialty Lego that are new, used or retired. They started attending toy shows and, from that growing popularity, began incorporating other toys besides Lego to appeal to a bigger audience. Having accumulated lots of inventory, the couple set out to open Wiscobricks' retail store at the end of December and started constructing their space early January. "This is a store for everybody. It's going to be for the collectors who are like me, it's going to be for the kids who just want to come in and and possibly find a set they've been looking for," DeBaets said. Brick boom According to reporting from CNBC, Lego's consumer sales jumped 21% in 2020 as a result of a broader product range, e-commerce investments paying off and a surge of popularity and growth in China. That year, Lego opened 134 retail locations, 91 of which were in China. In March of 2021, the company had 678 stores globally and planned to add 120 more. But its popularity had the adverse effect of attracting scalpers who would purchase popular sets for the sole purpose of reselling them at a hiked up price. In November, the Lego Titanic set which retailed at $629 was seen on eBay selling for over $1,000 shortly after its release. It's the same thing that happened, and is still happening, to Pokemon trading cards, as Twin Dragon Games owners Dan and Christine Padilla shared last summer. In love with Lego As parents themselves, DeBaets and Hyatt want to ensure their Lego sets are priced near retail or as fair as they can be for what they're valued at so kids can have access to, and enjoy, Lego. "I'm not trying to make a million dollars," DeBaets said. "It's more about the smile on the kid's face." Hyatt became a fan of Lego more recently when her husband rediscovered the hobby. Their house's living room is fit with parts of her own Lego city, comprised of different sets she has built and displayed throughout the years. Over the holidays, she built a Christmas village. "I think it's more of the accomplishment of actually being able to finish something. And it's calming," Hyatt said. "It's a way to relax." For the record, DeBaets and Hyatt are out-of-box, make-and-display collectors of the sets, as opposed to being in-box, mint-condition collectors. For more information Visit Facebook.com/Wiscobricks. The store is open during regular Farmers Market @ 2210 hours, Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Empowered owners In addition to making room in their house and wanting to open a new business, the couple are glad to have a way to make money that allow them more time with their kids. DeBaets and Hyatt have three daughters, one of whom is on the autism spectrum and also has avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, which causes significant weight loss and other symptoms due to loss of appetite and interest or pickiness with food. Prioritizing their daughter's needs with doctors appointments, DeBaets and Hyatt aren't able to have traditional 9-5 jobs. Working for themselves means they can put their kids first. With their BrickLink store on top of their brick-and-mortar space, "we can basically do this anywhere," DeBaets said. Madison biomedical giant Exact Sciences is expanding its Wisconsin presence by investing $350 million in its local campus, thereby creating 1,300 new jobs, the company said Thursday. Exact Sciences is adding a 266,000-square-foot research and development facility to its campus, as well as expanding existing lab and warehouse spaces, to accommodate its rapid growth mainly spurred by high demand for the Cologuard test, which allows patients to screen themselves for colon cancer at home, as well as general clinical testing efforts, CEO Kevin Conroy said. Construction crews will erect the research facility next to Exacts corporate headquarters on 5505 Endeavor Lane inside University Research Park on the West Side. The lab and warehouse are additions to Exacts Discovery Campus on 1 Exact Lane, which is located between Schroeder Road and the Beltline on the Southwest Side. Work is underway on the lab and warehouse, and on track to be finished by the end of the year, said Scott Larrivee, associate director of corporate affairs. The company expects to break ground on its research and development building in the second quarter of 2022, with construction to wrap up in 2024, he said. The research facility is meant to provide more space for Exact scientists not only to study how Cologuard can be improved, but also to develop products that detect several types of cancer early. An example of that is Exact Sciences blood-based cancer screening, which is currently undergoing clinical trials. In September 2020, preliminary data demonstrated that the test, also known as a liquid biopsy, could identify between 83% and 87% of liver, lung, ovarian, pancreatic or stomach cancer cases, with a false positive rate of 5%. The lab will feature new technology and automation to further support Cologuard product development. The warehouse would allow for storage at controlled temperatures, as well as for storing hazardous materials. The additions will allow Exact to hire more scientists, engineers, software development staff, clinical laboratory workers, business analysts and customer support employees, Conroy said, adding the company is bursting at the seams. The company currently has more than 6,500 employees. About 3,500 of those staff members are based in the Dane County area, Larrivee said. The exteriors of the new and expanded buildings include aesthetic elements similar to existing Exact structures, according to design renderings that show a gray color scheme, large windows and glass facades. To help the construction effort along, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. recently authorized increasing the companys Enterprise Zone tax credits from $9 million to $27.5 million if Exact Sciences meets its job creation and investment goals in capital expenditures by 2025. Enterprise zone tax credits are incentives for businesses to expand, rehabilitate or improve buildings within designated areas. Exact Sciences is an example of a company with deep Wisconsin roots that, with this investment, is committing to its future in our state, WEDC Secretary Missy Hughes said in a statement Thursday. As the company has grown to add operations around the world, Exact Sciences could have chosen to expand in other states but chose Wisconsin because of our outstanding, well-educated workers, excellent community infrastructure and support for its research and health care missions. Earlier this week, Exact Sciences also announced its acquisition of Marshfield-based genetics lab PreventionGenetics for $190 million. The move represented Exacts entry into the hereditary cancer research market. The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Its been a month since Madison police said officers shot and wounded a man believed to be a suspect in two recent armed robberies, launching a state Division of Criminal Investigation probe into the shooting. A state Department of Justice spokesperson said Friday that the DCI investigation is still ongoing and declined to release any new information about the daytime shooting, which happened around 12:25 p.m. on Jan. 11 at an apartment building near Northport and Dryden drives on Madisons North Side. DOJ, which investigates most officer-involved shootings in Wisconsin, has not revealed the names of the officers involved, the name and condition of the man who was shot or any other basic information about the matter. Madison Police Chief Shon Barnes said on the afternoon of the shooting that as officers approached the apartment building, a man opened a second-story sliding glass door and jumped off a balcony. When police began to chase the man, Barnes said, he turned and fired shots at the officers. Officers returned fire. A criminal complaint filed Friday identified the man who jumped from the balcony as Syngleton J. Smith-Harston, 23, of Madison, who, in addition to armed robbery, was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon, identity theft and six counts of felony bail jumping. He appeared in court Friday, his head wrapped in a bandage. State Department of Corrections records indicate Smith-Harston had absconded from DOC supervision, and court records show he had active bench warrants for failing to appear in court for six earlier felony and misdemeanor cases. Dane County Jail records show he was booked into jail on Jan. 14. He appeared in court on Jan. 27 on the six earlier cases. Deputy District Attorney William Brown said in court Friday that Smith-Harston will likely face more charges once the DCI investigation into the shooting involving Madison police is finished. Hes now being charged in these robberies, Brown told Court Commissioner Brian Asmus. And the subsequent actions, which arent being charged today, of jumping off this balcony and taking shots at police officers, firing a gun in the direction of police officers, he almost certainly is going to be charged in those actions. During his bail argument for Smith-Hairstons co-defendant, Cameron X. Smith, 23, of Madison, Brown also said the robbery case rests in part on the two men being seen returning to the apartment building where the other events occurred. Obviously, there was a massive issue with the police that involved gunfire, Brown said. Its not clear whether this defendant fired shots. At this point its not suspected. Theres a concurrent DCI investigation thats going on, so its obviously going to take some time to complete the file. But in my view, the evidence in this case is extraordinarily strong. The complaint states Smith was arrested at the apartment building that day, and jail records show that he was booked into jail that afternoon. The complaint alleges that Smith and Smith-Harston robbed a cab driver on Jan. 9 after the driver had picked them up on Wayridge Drive and took them to 1810 Northport Drive, the apartment building where the police shooting would occur two days later. They are also charged with robbing a Mobil gas station at 3101 N. Sherman Ave. on Jan. 10. The complaint alleges Smith-Harston used a credit card stolen from the cab driver to make a purchase at the Mobil station about 12 hours before its alleged he took part in a robbery there. The criminal complaint was initially filed on Tuesday, but Asmus dismissed it for failing to show how Smith and Smith-Harston were identified as the alleged robbers. An amended complaint was filed Friday, which Asmus said addressed most of his concerns. Asmus set bail for Smith at $35,000 and for Smith-Harston at $60,000, though he noted that since both are on DOC supervision that is likely to be revoked, bail is essentially meaningless. 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. As utilities and private developers scramble to replace coal-fired power plants with wind and solar farms, a new tool could help avoid conflicts with wildlife. By analyzing wildlife habitat and land use data, scientists at The Nature Conservancy found there is enough land in the central United States including some 1.8 million acres in Wisconsin to support nearly 10 times the nations current wind energy capacity with minimal impact to sensitive habitats. Nicholas Miller, Wisconsin director of science and strategy for The Nature Conservancy, said the Site Renewables Right tool provides a way for developers and communities to advance the clean energy transition while minimizing harm to habitats and species being threatened by climate change. To tackle climate change, we need to transition to renewable energy, and fast, Miller said. Like any type of development, solar and wind facilities can harm wildlife and habitat if not sited properly. The analysis looked at a 19-state region stretching from Ohio to Montana and as far south as Texas, a windswept area expected to host about three quarters of all new renewable energy resources, according to a 2019 Princeton University study. But The Nature Conservancy says that area is also home to North Americas largest intact temperate grassland, a vital but largely unprotected habitat for iconic species including bison, eagles, deer and prairie chickens. Within that area, the tool identifies at least 120,000 square miles an area larger than Arizona where renewable energy could be located with minimal impact on wildlife. Within Wisconsin, the tool identified more than 2,840 square miles where renewable energy resources could be sited to avoid conflicts with wildlife. That could support 30 times the states current wind capacity. The map is primarily focused on wind rather than solar energy, the primary focus of renewable energy development in Wisconsin, which has lower wind speeds and more geographical constraints than neighboring states. Consumer group asks utility regulators to halt 'bridge to nowhere' Continued construction of the power line in the face of the challenges amounts to little more than an orchestrated train wreck," a federal judge said. Rather than identifying good areas for solar development the map highlights biologically sensitive areas to avoid. While solar farm proposals have sparked heated debates in communities across the state, Miller said solar siting tends to be more site-specific than wind. Its really hard to anticipate where solar will go at a landscape scale, he said. 'More than we bargained for': Solar farm proposal roils Cambridge community The 10th such solar project considered by Wisconsin regulators, the project highlights the tensions brewing as Wisconsin utilities seek to replace coal-fired power with clean energy. Sarah Mills, a University of Michigan researcher who studies the impact of renewable energy development on rural communities, notes the tool does not map the elements that often drive renewable energy siting: access to the transmission network, land availability, zoning and public acceptance. But Mills said it will be a useful science-based tool for when questions about wildlife come up, even if those questions have more to do with public acceptance than deep-seated concern for wildlife. Miller said The Nature Conservancy is working to share the map with wind and solar developers, utilities and corporations seeking to build renewable energy projects. But he stresses the tool is only meant to streamline the process and avoid potential conflicts. Its a starting point for a conversation on where and how siting should occur, Miller said. It is not a decision making tool; it is a decision support tool. 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. Take a stroll around Downtown and hear a slight buzzing in the distance? Sam Li could be at work. For the past several years, the Madison videographer has been using drones to capture video and photos of the UW-Madison campus, the Isthmus and state Capitol from aerial heights, picking up a large local social media following along the way. And Lis work has taken the 25-year-old outside Madison, capturing drone-shot images of Milwaukees skyline and parts of Minnesota, including the creation of two popular celebration videos last year of Madison and Minneapolis. Hes also gone up in airplanes to shoot images of Wisconsin state parks. The inspiration: To capture places Li feels are underappreciated. I think thats everyones joy is being able to see recognizable places, Li said. Thats a big reason why I wanted to make those videos. People in the Midwest, I feel, rarely get that chance. Last year, Li collaborated with Ian Tunney on a two-minute video promoting Madison, which features sweeping drone shots of wakeboarders, bicyclists and the Capitol that showcase different personalities in the city. The duo joined up with a Minnesota filmmaker for a second celebration video of Minneapolis, which has more than 240,000 views in a version Li posted to Twitter. The Appleton native moved to Madison in 2014 to attend UW-Madison. It was an intro to film class sophomore year that sparked Lis interest in cinematography. He bought a Canon Rebel T5i camera after the class and a drone not long after that the first in a series of drones Li has owned from either wanting to get an upgraded version or needing a replacement after crashes. After graduating with majors in strategic communications and communication arts in 2018, Li worked at Epic Systems Corp. while shooting photos and video on the side. By the following winter, though, Li said his work started to get noticed, making him think he could turn the freelance endeavor into a full-time job. He now runs his own video production company, primarily picking up commercial and corporate jobs in Madison and Milwaukee. Li, who enjoys snowboarding and climbing in his free time, has more projects in the works, including a celebration video of Milwaukee he began filming last year and a Wisconsin in Winter project. Li recently created an account on Patreon a platform for artist and creators to get paid through monthly memberships to help subsidize the costs of the personal projects. Ive been really fortunate to explore these different pockets of Wisconsin and kind of bring them to life, Li said. I think the goal is to do more of that in 2022 and explore more areas. Theres still a ton I havent seen. And then expanding outside of Wisconsin. What got you into flying drones? I bought a drone in 2015 shortly after I bought a regular camera. I think my fascination with drones is probably fueled through social media, seeing people fly their drones in other big cities. I was really intrigued by how they captured these towering cityscapes of whatever. It may be New York, Chicago, San Francisco, LA, and thought, Hey, I could do the same thing in Madison. Thats kind of what got my interest in droning. Was there a learning curve you needed to get over when you first started flying? Nowadays, drones are pretty foolproof to get up in the air and have hoovering. I think a lot of the learning curve comes from learning cinematic movement, how to make your drone content look different from the crowd. Thats really the hard part to learn, its not necessarily flying the drone. What is your favorite subject to shoot? I really like capturing cities, like the personality of a city. I think thats why Ive latched onto making videos of communities and the people in them ... looking into the nooks and crannies of locations and figuring out whats cool about them. I think every place has a unique aspect to them to photograph and video. You just need to go find it. Is there any least favorite subject to shoot? Probably weddings. For every photographer, I feel, the easiest way to make money right away is weddings because thats the one big moment every regular person wants photo or video taken of. I took a ton of them when I started out. I would shoot maybe 10, 20 weddings a year when I was starting out. I quickly realized they just werent for me. A lot of people make them their full-time job because they love the idea of making that special day come to life. I just hated the monotony of watching the same day play out over multiple couples. For these celebration videos, were they financed by anyone? Those two videos are made completely out of pocket. There are no businesses, organizations telling us what to do, helping us whatsoever. We made them because we wanted to. Most of the gear we used was my gear, so were using honestly tens of thousands of dollars of our own gear to film these videos with the expectation of getting nothing in return except making people proud of their homes. Editor's note: This story has been updated to reflect a correction. While much of Li's aerial photography is done with a drone, the aerial images he's made of Wisconsin state parks have been shot from a manned aircraft. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. With return-to-office plans getting pushed back repeatedly, its likely that remote work will be common, if not ubiquitous, for the foreseeable future. This has created an unexpected migration which portends looming tax headaches for people who dont plan out a strategy in advance. While the snowbird lifestyle has typically been thought of as the purview of older adults, the shift to working from home for many knowledge workers means that they can live in whatever place or places they choose. Real estate agents report an increasing number of young professionals flocking to onetime retiree havens like Florida to escape Northern winters. Pre-retirees can also benefit from this trend, if the new flexibility allows them to test out possible retirement destinations ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, some people are taking the digital nomad approach and eschewing a home base altogether. For people who are still in the workforce while residing in two (or more) states, there are some important tax implications. Accountants and tax pros say that careful planning can help mitigate unexpected state income tax obligations. Heres what you need to know. Have you started filing your 2021 Taxes? Select your state to begin the process of filing your taxes with TurboTax. How we got here (spoiler: online shopping) The tug-of-war states are waging for your tax dollars was exacerbated by the pandemic, but the foundation was laid in 2018 with a pivotal Supreme Court ruling CPAs refer to as the Wayfair ruling. That decision said states can require ecommerce businesses that sell goods to residents to collect sales tax on those purchases even if the business doesnt have a brick-and-mortar location in the state. Suddenly your physical nexus was as important as your economic nexus, says Robert Conzo, CEO at investment advisory firm The Wealth Alliance. From a sales tax perspective, it became a very big ruling, [and] states jumped on the bandwagon and said, from an income tax perspective, we should look into this. Enter COVID-19. Tax revenues initially plunged, prompting states to get more aggressive about claiming income tax. Budgetary constraints added much more scrutiny on nonresidents or people who claim to be nonresidents. High income tax states like California and New York make it very, very difficult to escape a tax bill, Conzo cautions. Establish a primary residence for income tax purposes People might be turning into social media stars thanks to photogenic feeds that depict an itinerant lifestyle, but tax collectors have no use for Not All Who Wander Are Lost bumper stickers. In other words, you have to pick a specific state to establish statutory residence, regardless of how many different states you stay in over the course of the year. Its a massively complex issue. It was hard enough to deal with a change in residency when people were retiring, says Joe Roberts, CPA and head of wealth advisory services at Rockefeller Capital Management. Typically, the 183-day rule is the starting point for determining where a person toggling between homes in different states should pay state income taxes. If you spent more than half the year in a state, the reasoning went, that was the state where you should claim residence and to which you should pay taxes. Keep an eye on your calendar: Roberts says he sometimes has to alert clients to keep track of how many days in a year they live in a particular state. You can become a statutory resident of a state if youre there for more than six months, he says even if you dont intend to. (Millennials: This is why your grandparents spent six-months and a day in income-tax-free Florida.) In recent years, state tax departments have taken aim at loopholes people use to claim residency in a lower-tax state improperly, honing the criteria of what it means to be a resident beyond that time-spent threshold. These alternate measures are especially pertinent now that there are an increasing number of young professionals jettisoning the idea of, Home, Sweet Home entirely, renting Airbnbs for a few months at a clip and never hitting the 183-day tipping point in any one state. There is no definitive yardstick for determining residency in these cases, so auditors look at a handful of factors, such as where people register their vehicles, bank, vote, go to school and worship. Someone with a studio apartment in Florida and a 3,000-square-foot house in New York would have difficulty claiming Florida as their real home. Tim Steffen, director of tax planning for Baird, calls it the teddy bear test: Generally speaking, auditors will say the state where you keep your prized possessions is your state of residence. For example, Steffen says, Where are your family photos, or art? Or your pets? Improve your potential refund amount - Prepare and file your federal income tax return using tax preparation software Tax preparation software companies like TurboTax will help improve your earning potential. Dont forget other states where you earned income Regardless of residency, youll owe taxes in any state where you do work. Pro athletes, for instance, owe taxes to states where games are played even if they go from plane to bus to stadium and back again. More relatable, most people who commute across state lines have always had to file state tax returns both in the state where they live and in the state where they work one resident return and one nonresident return. Some states have reciprocal agreements with neighboring states so employees can avoid some hassle. TaxSlayer has a list of states with reciprocal agreements, as well as links to the forms you need. Its worth noting that these agreements have historically been between neighboring states so if youre one of the many people who now split your time between states that are a considerable distance away, you can expect to have to file both resident and nonresident state returns. In addition, not every state extends reciprocity to neighboring states. For example, many workers commute over state lines to jobs in Massachusetts or New York, but these states have no reciprocal agreements with other states. People are required to file two separate state tax returns if, for instance, they live in New Jersey and work in Manhattan. However, that does not mean residents are paying double taxes. If you have to file in two (or more) states, you can claim a credit against the taxes you paid to the state or states where you work but do not live on the return for the state in which you have residency. For instance, if you live in New Jersey but work for an employer in New York and pay, say, $500 in state tax to New York, youll be able to enter that $500 as a credit against the tax you owe New Jersey. What if you live and work in one state, but your employer is based in another? Work from home is where things can get really tricky, and where COVID-19 added an additional layer of complication not to mention legal challenges. The general rule is income is taxable in the state where you perform the services, Steffen says. If youre working from home, youre going to be taxed in your home state unless the state where you used to work wants to get aggressive with you. One especially high-profile fight took place between Massachusetts and New Hampshire. (New Hampshire is one of the nine states that charges no state income tax.) Shortly after the pandemic triggered an abrupt transition to remote work, Massachusetts passed an emergency order declaring that it could collect tax on income earned by New Hampshire residents between March 2020 and June 2021 if they previously commuted to Massachusetts. In its argument, Massachusetts referenced the Wayfair example to bolster its claim. New Hampshire declared the order unconstitutional and sued, only to be shot down by the Supreme Court in June 2021, which declined to hear the case. The upshot: New Hampshire residents who used to work in Massachusetts had to pay that states 5% income tax, even if they had been working from home during the pandemic. As the economy eases back towards something that resembles normalcy, remote workers will want to keep new developments on their radar. Unfortunately for people with more than one home base, some of the interstate skirmishes on this issue are still being fought in court. Were living in a world where theres a little less guidance than we probably hoped for, Roberts says. A lot of tax prep software can handle multiple returns, but if your situation is especially tricky consider hiring a professional. Familiarizing yourself with the specifics laid out by your respective states departments of taxation. Some states are known for being quite aggressive when they conduct an audit, going so far as to demand cell phone records so they can see where the towers connecting a persons calls on a regular basis are located. This stuff is incredibly state-specific, Conzo says. You need a tax pro that knows the various states. Daily Money Every day we publish the latest news, stories, and content on the financial topics that matter. This is your daily guide to all things personal finance. More from Money: Copyright 2021 Ad Practitioners, LLC. All Rights Reserved. This article originally appeared on Money.com and may contain affiliate links for which Money receives compensation. Opinions expressed in this article are the author's alone, not those of a third-party entity, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For more information, read Moneys full disclaimer. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Students and parents of Volta Elementary marched after school Friday asking for peace, safety and investment into their schools playground in the wake of a shooting next to the school on the citys Northwest Side. About 100 parents and children gathered outside the school, 4950 N. Avers Ave., about 3:15 p.m. and held signs asking for a safer school and an improved park and play area for the children. Advertisement The event, named the March for Peace, Love and Play, took place just down the street from a Feb. 1 shooting that left a 16-year-old girl injured. First grader Simon Palacio, 6, marches with other Volta Elementary School students and parents during a peace march around their school in Albany Park on Feb. 11, 2022. The march was organized in response to the Feb. 1 shooting of a 16-year-old girl across the street from Volta that resulted in a school lockdown. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Their march around school grounds was meant to bring the community together to acknowledge the trauma they experienced after the girl was shot, said co-organizer Kiersten Solis, who is a parent of two Volta students and a school council member. Advertisement The school went on lockdown just before 10 a.m. when two assailants confronted the girl and a teen boy and opened fire before running away, Chicago police said. The boy, also 16, was not hurt but the girl was shot in the shoulder and taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. Solis said she and other parents were talking about how traumatized they felt after learning about the shooting and they thought the children were probably also traumatized. Elizabeth Salinas held a sign that said in Spanish, We want a secure school for our children. She has three kids at Volta an 11-year-old, a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old and has become more involved with school activities recently, she said. Volta Elementary School students and parents hold a peace march around their school in Albany Park on Feb. 11, 2022. The march was organized in response to the Feb. 1 shooting of a 16-year-old girl across the street from Volta that resulted in a school lockdown. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Salinas was in the school volunteering with children when the school went on lockdown, she said. She said she wasnt sure whether something had actually happened or whether they were practicing a safety drill. She later found out someone had been shot. Im really worried that Albany Park is starting to get more violent, Salinas said in Spanish. Students were inside because it was winter but Salinas wondered what could have happened to a child if theyd been out for recess. Advertisement Solis said the event was also held to bring attention to a hazardous playground area at the school, which led Volta parents to ask Chicago Public Schools to allocate more than $1 million to replace it. The ground has broken asphalt and other issues that are dangerous for children, according to Solis, who added that activating and beautifying spaces like the playground can prevent violence and lead to a safer community. We wanted to be able to give back to them and do something for them that would help heal the trauma that they were experiencing and listen to them and give them an example of community and love, Solis said. Jessica Coronas 5-year-old son, Santiago Vega, had to get stitches next to his eye in November after he tripped in a hole in the pavement and fell, Corona said, holding up close-up photos of her sons injury. Corona said she hopes the school can get funding to fix the playground before another child is hurt. Volta Elementary School is seen in the background as a student jumps on a snowy playground following a peace march around their school in Albany Park on Feb. 11, 2022. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Juan Palacios and his wife, Carol Palacios, marched with their two children, Luciana, 9, and Liam, 6, and a nephew, Simon Palacio, 6. Juan Palacio said he hopes Fridays march will bring help bring additional security and support from police. He also hopes it moves neighbors to stay vigilant and speak up in order to keep the community safe. Advertisement We always say, I want to live somewhere safe especially because of my kids, but we know in any area this can happen, Palacio said in Spanish. No one is exempt from living in an area where a tragedy can happen. But we know if we raise our hand and raise our voice so that the community is aware and contributes in some way to prevention, thats what were looking for here. No one is in custody for the shooting and police continue to investigate, Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago police spokesperson, said Friday evening. scasanova@chicagotribune.com The Magic Valley is Idahos most demographically diverse region. Research has shown that diversity, largely the result of immigration of foreign-born workers, has benefited the region and its economy. For example, highly skilled refugees in Idaho have an estimated economic impact of $1.8 million annually. In 2019, 93 Idaho businesses hired a total of almost 300 refugees. In the coming year, we have the opportunity to welcome about 250 immigrants to the Magic Valley through refugee and humanitarian programs. They will come from Afghanistan and other war-torn nations. Many will arrive because they provided vital support to the U.S. military and would have risked their lives if they had stayed in their home countries. Idaho has resettled about 12,500 refugees since 2000. Refugees are a subset of all immigrants. A legal refugee is someone who has fled their country because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reasons or race, religion, nationality, social group, or political opinion. Based on the regions history of resettling immigrants over the past 40 years, we know these newcomers contribute greatly to our economy, way of life, and values. Currently, our unemployment rate is lower than in the state as a whole. Employers need the energy and talent that immigrants bring, especially now as our economy grows and there is a desperate shortage of people to fill vacancies in a range of industries across our region. Many residents have already welcomed refugees who are resettling in the Magic Valley. Community members are donating time to mentor their new neighbors and supplies to help with resettlement. Businesses are providing jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, service, and other industries. And landlords are stepping up to make rental housing available. The Unity Alliance of Southern Idaho (UASI) is a broad-based group of Magic Valley leaders from law enforcement, business, faith, education, and other interests. We initially came together in 2016 to overcome divisions related to immigration and to emphasize the importance of all immigrants to our economy in Southern Idaho. Today, UASI provides educational programs to help long-time residents and immigrants understand and work with each other. We also share information, promote dialog, and work in ways that bring people together. We know that some long-time residents are concerned about the arrival of refugees. For example, some people fear the newcomers will cost local taxpayers more than they contribute to the economy. However, refugee programs and services are federal. Idaho does not appropriate general fund dollars specifically to support refugees. Another concern for some people is that refugees may pose security risks. However, by the time they arrive at the Twin Falls airport, all refugees will have been subject to rigorous, lengthy security checks and screening. In addition, the Idaho State Police will work with local refugee coordinators to develop additional state vetting measures. As UASIs board of directors, we welcome the current phase of refugee resettlement. We are satisfied they have been subject to a comprehensive vetting process prior to arrival. The Magic Valley is a thriving region filled with kind and compassionate families. We ask you to join us in welcoming our new neighbors and working closely with them as they come to understand and embrace our culture and lifestyle. If you have questions or concerns, please dont hesitate to reach out to us. The Board and Advisory Committee of the Unity Alliance of Southern Idaho Justin Vipperman, Board President Bob Naerebout, Idaho Dairymens Association Daragh Maccabee, Idaho Milk Products Ray Parrish, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Chief Craig Kingsbury, Twin Falls Police Department Mark Broadhurst, Chobani Clark Kaufmann, District 25 Idaho House of Representatives Zeze Rwasama, Twin Falls Refugee Programs Sally Toone, District 26, Idaho House of Representatives Steve England, Chief of Police, Hailey Con Paulos, Con Paulos Chevrolet Steve DiLucca, Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise Alex Castaneda, South Central Idaho Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Roy Villasenor, Community Council of Idaho Asmaa Albukaie, Economic Opportunity Samra Culum Cesar Perez Susie Rios Priscilla Salant Love 5 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 A bomb threat Thursday morning at Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School was found not credible and after an investigation by the Henry County Sheriffs Office, normal operations resumed. At approximately 9:51 a.m. deputies were notified that a student at the school received a text of the threat made against the school, a release stated. The facility was placed on partial lockdown, and explosive detection K-9s from the Henry County Sheriffs Office and the Virginia State Police checked the school property and found it to be safe, the release said. Thursday evening Communications Director Monica Hatchett said a student showed the text to school officials, and while the claim was investigated by school administrators and sheriffs deputies classes proceeded as usual, but other doors remained locked and there was limited movement within the building. The threat was determined not credible, but a K-9 unit did survey unoccupied areas of the building in an abundance of caution, Hatchett said by email. School Principal Franketta Tatum sent a letter out to families around mid-day on Thursday calling the bomb threat a potential security concern and that the school staff worked together to ensure the safety of students and staff as they went about the business of learning. Both Tatum and the Henry County Sheriffs Office encouraged all parents and guardians to talk with their children about the seriousness of threats and the importance of reporting suspicious activities or threats of disturbing information to a trusted adult. Please remind them that if they become aware of a concern, their first response should not be to spread rumors, but rather to alert school administration or the school resource officer so that it can be dealt with quickly, wrote Tatum. The sheriffs office release noted that acts such as these can have serious legal repercussions, but did not make clear if any charges would be filed in the case. Bill Wyatt is a reporter for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at 276-638-8801, Ext. 2360. Follow him @billdwyatt. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A former Marion woman was found not guilty on 22 charges of sexual assault against her son during a jury trial in McDowell County Superior Court on Wednesday. Three days before that verdict, her son, who testified earlier in the trial, died of what authorities say was an accidental overdose. On the same day of the verdict, a man charged with murder for supplying the drugs to the overdose victim, was found dead in the McDowell County Detention Center. Amanda Elaine Collins, 49, of Florida, was found not guilty by a jury on four counts of statutory rape, two counts of a statutory sex offense, four counts of incest, five counts of felony child abuse by sexual act and seven counts of indecent liberties with a child. One count of indecent liberties was dismissed at the close of states evidence, according to Collins attorney, Krinn Evans. After nine days of testimony, the jury returned a not guilty verdict on all counts after an hour and a half of deliberation. The McDowell News reached out to Collins through text and she sent this statement: This has been a very long and difficult journey. Mr. Evans, his wife Tami, and Lucy and Jordan have all supported me and my family with concern and detail to the entire case. The closing argument that took two hours came from Mr. Evans heart. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the 14 jurors (2 alternates) for their attentiveness and interest in the outcome of the lengthy trial. Each day I wrote a verse in the Bible on my pad of paper, so when things got difficult I could draw strength on the Lord. Thursday morning Mr. Evans asked what notes I had. He read my verse and said to me, I hope I can be the Lords instrument for you today. During this trial, I was informed that my oldest son Kaleb had went to be with the Lord. This now had truly become the worst week of my life. The judge graciously gave me a day to grieve as the trial had to move on. My family and friends sat in a room off of the courtroom reading and praying while deliberations took place and by the end of the day God had the Victory, I owe it all to Him. Now is a time for all parties to heal. We will continue to pray for all parties involved as we have all these 6 years. I would like to thank the Sheriffs department for taking good care of me while I was in isolation for 14 days..." The states witness in the case, Amandas son, Kaleb Collins, 23, of Marion, testified against his mother during the trial after coming forward with the allegations in 2015, resulting in her arrest and an almost half-a-million-dollar bond. He claimed the incidents occurred between Dec. 1, 2011 and Jan. 31, 2012 when he was 12 years old. He didnt report the crimes until he was 17 years old, and on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2020 after attending the trial most of the week, he was found dead at his fathers house. We fought for Kaleb because we believed in him, and the evidence corroborated his allegations, said District Attorney Ted Bell. In early 2016 Kaleb was diagnosed with PTSD and other psychological issues stemming from these events. He suffered setbacks that prevented the case from being able to go to trial in the time following. It took Kaleb many years to become strong enough to testify against his mother. This was a very emotional and traumatic case for Kaleb and his family, and our deepest sympathies are with his family. Kalebs father and stepmother, Karl and Katie Collins, told The McDowell News they his story was true. One fact all parties involved can agree on is that too much time had passed for this trial to go to court. We stand by Kaleb 100 percent no matter what the jury thought. We loved and supported our son and continue to know his story was true. We are thankful he had the opportunity to share what he went through on the stands. He was terrified but was so proud of himself after he spoke, said Katie. These assaults happened years ago, when he was a child, not the 23 year old that was there (on the stand). I do believe the jury got it wrong. I dont blame them, Im not angry, it is what it is, and now we are just taking the time to mourn our son and thanking God that he wasnt there to witness the disappointment and to feel that no one believed him. That would have devastated him. We are just so thankful he no longer has to worry about it. It took a long time for him to tell us what happened to him, and that is common in sexual assault victims. A lot of the details I learned in the trial, because he did not want to tell us, but his story never changed. Kaleb was found in his dads pool house unresponsive on Sunday, dying from what appears to be an accidental drug overdose. She said detectives told her that Kaleb went out to buy marijuana, but came home with what he thought to be Xanax pills. A full toxicology and autopsy report is underway. Katie describes the last week they spent with Kaleb, most of which was sitting through the trial. He testified on Monday, he attended the trial for a little while throughout the week, but it was hard for him to sit through it. He seemed like he was OK. Saturday we went out to lunch, all of us together, and he was joking and laughing. He didnt talk about the trial a lot, Katie said. (We were told) at midnight, he left our home and met up with a friend to buy some marijuana, and they rode around for about 30 minutes. He came back home, and he purchased, from what I have been told, two tablets stamped to look like Xanax. We can only assume that whatever was in it had fentanyl. His friend who sold him the drugs texted Kaleb an hour later and said he should only take a half, and Kaleb said he had taken a whole one. About 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 7, Katies other son went out to the pool house to see if his brother was awake. She said he came into the house and said Mom, I think Kaleb is dead. I didnt know what to think and I took off running and Kalebs friend was performing CPR, but I knew it was too late, Katie said. It was just like he was asleep and stopped breathing. As soon as the first responders got there, he told Kalebs friend to stop because he was gone. Karl was in church and I just kept calling him and I was hysterical. It was just horrible. As a result of Kalebs death, Jose Jovanny Camarena, 26, of Nebo, was charged with second-degree murder on Monday, according to a warrant filed at the McDowell County Courthouse. On Wednesday, Camarena was found dead in his cell. In a press release from the McDowell County Sheriffs Office Thursday, detention staff found Camarena unresponsive in his cell Wednesday morning and immediately began administering life saving measures and called EMS. Camarena was transported to Mission Hospital McDowell where he was declared deceased, the release states. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was called to investigate Camarenas death and the investigation is ongoing. The McDowell News also attempted to contact Camarenas family but was unsuccessful. I dont think we know how to feel about this, but I do feel terrible for his (Camarena) family. There is no one in our family that would have wanted another family to bury their young son this week, said Katie. We really just miss Kaleb and want to mourn him and figure out what to do next. I do feel he (Camarena) is responsible because he didnt sell Kaleb what he thought he had. Katie said now they are focusing on mourning Kaleb and becoming closer as a family with their four children. A civil suit against Amanda Collins has been filed by Katie and Karl Collins for her to relinquish her parental rights for her 14 year old daughter. That case is still pending. Amanda and Karl have another son who is 20 years old. Kaleb is still with us in every way possible and we will not stop talking about him or act like he didnt exist, Katie said. She said the family would like to start a non-profit group in Kalebs name to promote healing in others. The family will receive friends Saturday, Feb. 12, from 1 to 3 p.m., at Westmoreland Funeral Home & Crematory in Marion. A celebration of life will be held following the visitation at 3 p.m. in the chapel of Westmoreland Funeral Home. Interment will be in the Collins Family Cemetery. The Collins family invites anyone to join the receiving friends who can share a memory of Kaleb. To read the full obituary, visit https://www.westmorelandfuneralhome.com/. Both the McDowell County Board of Commissioners and the Marion City Council will hold regular meetings this week. On Monday, the McDowell County Commissioners will hold their last meeting in the boardroom of the County Administration Building, 60 E. Court St. in Marion. The commissioners will meet at 5 p.m. Monday at the Administration Building, which was completed in 1976 and has been the home for county government since then. But with the COVID-19 pandemic, the commissioners have held their meetings at other locations, primarily at the Universal Advanced Manufacturing Center. The larger and more spacious boardroom at Universal offers greater room for social distancing. The county purchased the former funeral home building on North Main Street in Marion for use as the new administrative offices and the commissioners will hold their regular March meeting there. As a way to say farewell to the boardroom at the County Administration Building, county officials decided to hold the February regular meeting back at the smaller and more familiar location. The commissioners will hear the COVID-19 update from Emergency Services Director William Kehler. They will consider the advertisement of the tax liens. Recreation Director Chad Marsh will talk about the operations at the new shooting range. County officials will listen to the fiscal year 2021 audit presentation. Chuck Abernathy, director of the McDowell Economic Development Association, will talk about an economic project for McDowell. Abernathy, who is a former county manager, will talk about the history of the 46-year-old commissioners boardroom. Under old business, the board will hear updates about the American Rescue Plan funding and building projects. Under new business, the board will consider administrative items and tax matters. The public comment period will follow. This is the time when the public can speak to the board about any issue or item not on the agenda. County Manager Ashley Wooten will give his report to the commissioners. On Tuesday, the Marion City Council will hold its second regular meeting for February. The City Council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall. First, the council members will consider the consent agenda. This consists of routine and non-controversial items that can be adopted with one motion of council. The consent agenda consists of: approval of the Jan. 25 City Council planning session minutes and the Feb. 1 regular City Council meeting minutes, approval of budget ordinance amendments, adoption of traffic schedule ordinance amendments, adoption of Joseph McDowell Historical Catawba Greenway bank stabilization project, adoption of Blue Ridge/Carson streets repair project. During the regular agenda, city of Marion officials will recognize the New Years Eve celebration major sponsors/contributors. Council members will hear a presentation about the McDowell tourism master plan. The Marion Business Association and the McDowell Chamber of Commerce will speak to council. The public comment period will follow. This is the time when the public can speak to council about any issue or item not on the agenda. City Manager Bob Boyette will give his report to council. One local government body that will not meet in February is the Old Fort Board of Aldermen. Finance Officer/Town Clerk Renee Taylor said to the McDowell News the aldermen were supposed to have their regular meeting on Monday, Feb. 7 but it was canceled because there are board members who have COVID-19. One alderman was quarantined and another one tested during the night of the scheduled board meeting. One of the members is still testing positive, she said on Friday. Taylor added she is not sure if the February meeting will be rescheduled. The next scheduled one is Monday, March 7. At least six people were killed and 13 injured in a suicide bombing Thursday in Mogadishu, according to security officials and the citys ambulance service. The suicide bomber targeted a minibus filled with delegates participating in the parliamentary elections, according to Somali authorities. He detonated his explosive vest near a checkpoint leading to the presidential palace. My team transported six dead bodies and 13 wounded to hospitals, said Abdikadir Abdirahman Adem, director of the Aamin ambulance service in Mogadishu. It was not immediately clear whether delegates were among the victims. Somali police spokesman Colonel Abdifatah Aden Hassan said the injured were all civilians and that a full report on the casualties would be released later. The suicide bomber ran after the car, trying to grab the back door, as police yelled stop! at gunpoint. He immediately blew himself up, witnesses said. The militant al-Shabab group immediately claimed responsibility for Thursdays attack. The president of the opposition African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC) rejects the presence of a force of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) without the approval of Guinea Bissaus National Assembly. At a press conference Wednesday, the leader of the former liberation party, Domingos Simoes Pereira, spoke of many doubts about the facts surrounding the February 1 coup attempt. We have to tell ECOWAS, very clearly, that we have a Constitution that indicates that it is the National Assembly that is the only entity competent, in the name of the Guinean people, to ask for the possible support of a foreign force, Simoes Pereira said. He also challenged other formations to do the same. For the opposition leader, a foreign force is only necessary when something happens in your country and you recognize that your armed force does not have the capacity to control it. Regarding the incidents of February 1, Domingos Simoes Pereira considered that something is not very clear. As a reminder, on February 1, President Umaro Sissoco Embalo and members of the government were surprised by heavy gunfire at the palace while a council of ministers was to be held. The assault, according to the presidency, lasted several hours and left many dead. The ECOWAS countries subsequently decided to send a stabilization force to the country. Editor's note: This year's Lantern Festival falls on Feb. 15, marking the end of Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. In China, Lantern Festival is an important family day, but unlike Spring Festival when people stay home and enjoy family dinners, it is traditionally a day for going out and about. Feb. 15, 2022 (Lantern Festival Day 15 of the first lunar month): People eat Yuanxiao, or rice dumplings, on this day to celebrate the first full moon after the Chinese New Year. >> More about the traditional culture: The Lantern Festival is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, usually in February or March in the Gregorian calendar. Since as early as the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 25), it had become a festival with great significance. >> Festive events: Cultural events of the week: Famous Peking Opera performances to celebrate Lantern Festival, romantic melodies for Valentine's Day as well as an official play for Beijing 2022 here are three events you won't want to miss this week. >> Lanterns lit up to celebrate Lantern Festival in Xi'an: Various types of lanterns are seen at the Tang Paradise in Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province ahead of the Lantern Festival. >> Ice lantern festival kicks off in Yanqing: The 2022 Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Festival kicked off at the Longqing Gorge scenic spot, northwestern Beijing's Yanqing district, on Jan. 15, and will run until the end of February. >> The Prime minister Fathi Bashagha appointed Wednesday as Libyans Prime Minister by the parliament, based in the east of the country, flew to Tripoli Thursday with some MPs as he prepared to try to form a new government that could win the support of the majority of parliament. In a brief speech upon his arrival in Tripoli, Bashagha, former Interior Minister, thanked incumbent Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah for his work and said democracy guarantees a peaceful transfer of power. However, the UN-recognized Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah rejected the parliaments move, saying he would only cede power after national elections. On Friday, he told Libya Al Ahrar TV that he was considering a roadmap to get the country out of the political crisis that has rocked it. He said he was ready to withdraw from the presidential race in order to bring his initiative to fruition, the details of which should be revealed in the coming days. The standoff threatens to plunge Libya back into a split between two warring parallel administrations that ruled from 2014 until a unity government was installed last year under a UN-backed peace plan. From the parliamentary perspective, Dbeibahs interim government is considered no longer legitimate since the postponement of elections scheduled last December. The Libyan National Army of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, which led a 14-month offensive against the Tripoli government in which Mr. Bashagha was interior minister, said it welcomed his appointment. According to press reports, there are no immediate signs of confrontation in the capital, between supporters of the rival camps, although the day before Mr. Dbeibah escaped an assassination attempt the day before. Angola which had launched 715 prosecutions for corruption, fraud, embezzlement and other financial crimes has recovered assets worth more than $11 billion that were looted from state coffers and hidden abroad, Justice Minister Francisco Queiroz said Thursday. The authorities have launched 715 criminal proceedings for corruption, fraud, embezzlement and other financial crimes, Queiroz said, as reported by the government daily Jornal de Angola. In the past three years, the government has recovered nearly $11.5 billion (10.06 billion) in cash and property in Angola and around the world, the Justice Minister said. Assets have been recovered in Britain, Switzerland, Singapore and Bermuda, among others, he said. The total amount seized and recovered, in the country and abroad, is $11,486,042,997.22, he said. After taking office in 2017, President Joao Lourenco launched an anti-corruption campaign to recover assets he suspects were misappropriated under his predecessor, Jose Eduardo dos Santos. Dos Santos, 79, was accused of appointing relatives and friends to top positions during his 38 years in office. His daughter Isabel dos Santos is under investigation for alleged embezzlement. She maintains her innocence and denies the charges against her. New research helps patients with lower body paralysis walk again thanks to a spinal cord implant that stimulates muscles. In 2017, Michel Roccati was in a motorbike accident that left his lower body completely paralysed. In 2020, he walked again, thanks to a breakthrough new spinal cord implant. The implant sends electrical pulses to his muscles, mimicking the action of the brain, and could one day help people with severe spinal injuries stand, walk and exercise. It builds on long-running research using electrical pulses to improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries, including a 2018 study by the same team that helped people with partial lower-body paralysis walk again. "It was a very emotional experience," Roccati told journalists of the first time the electrical pulses were activated and he took a step. He was one of three patients involved in the study, published Monday in the journal Nature Medicine, all of them unable to move their lower bodies after accidents. The three were able to take steps shortly after the six-centimetre implant was inserted and its pulses were fine-tuned. "These electrodes were longer and larger than the ones we had previously implanted, and we could access more muscles thanks to this new technology," said Jocelyne Bloch, a neurosurgeon at the Lausanne University Hospital who helped lead the trial. Those initial steps, while breathtaking for the researchers and their patients, were difficult and required support bars and significant upper body strength. But the patients could start rehabilitation immediately, and within four months Roccati could walk with only a frame for balance. "It's not that it's a miracle right away, not by far," cautioned Gregoire Courtine, a neuroscientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology who led the research with Bloch. But with practice, Roccati can now stand for several hours and walk nearly a kilometre. The Italian described being able to look clients in the eye, have a drink at a standing table and take a shower standing up thanks to the implant. He and others in the trial were also able to climb stairs, swim and canoe. 'I see the improvement' The improvements depend on the electrical stimulation, which is triggered via a computer carried by the patient that activates a pattern of pulses. The same research team in 2018 helped patients like David Mzee walk after partial lower body paralysis. Two of the patients can now activate their muscles slightly without electrical pulses, but only minimally. By comparison, some patients with partial lower body paralysis treated in an earlier study are able to move their previously immobile legs and stand without stimulation. The three men in the new trial were all injured at least a year before the implant and Bloch hopes to trial the technology sooner after an accident. "What we all think is that if you try earlier it will have more effect," she said. There are challenges: in early recovery, a patient's capacity is still in flux, making it hard to set a baseline from which to measure progress, and ongoing medical treatment and pain could hamper rehabilitation. So far, the implants are also only suitable for those with an injury above the lower thoracic spinal cord, the section running from the base of the neck to the abdomen, because six centimetres of healthy spinal cord is needed. The idea of using electrical pulses to address paralysis stemmed from technology used to regulate pain, and the researchers said they see scope for further applications. They have also shown it can regulate low blood pressure in spinal cord injury patients and plan to soon release a study on its use for severe Parkinson's disease. The team cautioned that significant work remains before the implant is available for treatment outside clinical studies, but said they receive around five messages a day from patients seeking help. They next plan to miniaturise the computer controlling the pulses so it can be implanted in patients and controlled with a smartphone. They expect this to be possible this year, and have plans for large-scale trials involving 50-100 patients in the United States and then Europe. Roccati said he activates the implant daily at home and continues to get stronger. "I see the improvement every day," he said. "I feel better when I use it." Explore further New technology restores movement after spinal cord paralysis More information: Andreas Rowald et al, Activity-dependent spinal cord neuromodulation rapidly restores trunk and leg motor functions after complete paralysis, Nature Medicine (2022). Journal information: Nature Medicine Andreas Rowald et al, Activity-dependent spinal cord neuromodulation rapidly restores trunk and leg motor functions after complete paralysis,(2022). DOI: 10.1038/s41591-021-01663-5 2022 AFP The state's first court case to obtain compensation for a wrongfully convicted man is moving forward in Missoula County District Court. Cody Marble filed his claim for compensation under House Bill 92 in September. The measure provides $60,000 per year spent in prison and $25,000 for each year spent under state supervision after their release. The Montana Department of Corrections, meanwhile, has met its obligations in HB 92, and issued Marble two separate payments for housing and transitional assistance. Marbles story started back in 2002, when he was accused of raping a 13-year-old boy at the Missoula County Juvenile Detention Center Marble was 17 at the time. He was convicted of a felony sexual assault charge and sentenced to a 20-year term with 15 of those years suspended. He was incarcerated in total for about 14 years, bouncing among facilities across the state. In 2017, Missoula County Judge Edward McLean granted a motion to dismiss the case Marble has maintained his innocence throughout the process. Attorneys for the state and for Marble, 37, met for a conference Thursday afternoon in Missoula County District Court. Attorneys for both Marble and the state requested several months for discovery before trial. Judge Shane Vannatta noted the complicated nature of the case. The case poses an interesting situation and the law is an interesting law, so we will work through it together, Judge Vannatta said. A final pre-trial order date was set for June in 2023, with a trial to follow after that. House Bill 92 was passed during the 2021 legislative session and allows wrongfully convicted individuals to receive compensation. Last month, the Montana Department of Corrections provided Marble with a $5,000 transition assistance grant, a required part of the bill. Additionally, the DOC gave Marble a three-month rental voucher for $1,200 on Wednesday, a statement from DOC Communications Director Carolynn Bright said. Marble currently lives in Conrad. The bill also required Marble to drop a federal lawsuit he had against Missoula County over the conviction. The compensation package was the product of two years of bipartisan engineering between legislative sessions with input from exonerees like Marble. Despite the bill sailing through legislative committees, Gov. Greg Gianforte returned it to lawmakers with conditional approval: The county where the person was wrongfully convicted would have to put up 75% of the payment, and to be eligible for compensation, that person cannot sue the state for any additional damages through civil proceedings in federal court. Lawmakers approved the changes; had they rejected them, Gianforte would have vetoed the bill. Reform advocates bashed the changes, saying they eliminated the opportunity for proponents like Marble to pursue civil action against bad actors among police or prosecutors who withheld evidence. The compensation measure sunsets in 2023, meaning lawmakers will have to reapprove the program in the next legislative session. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 2 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. Zoe Buchli Criminal Justice reporter Follow Zoe Buchli 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 New laws might be on the way in Missoula to regulate energy consumption by cannabis companies. On Wednesday, the Missoula City Council's Land Use and Planning Committee met to hear a report from the city's planning office, which had been asked to investigate energy consumption by the cannabis industry and provide that information to council. "We were able to land on as part of our research that cannabis cultivation is a highly energy-intensive use compared to other uses," Madson Matthias, an assistant planner, told the committee. "Other jurisdictions that have legalized cannabis cultivation within their communities have seen an overall increase in energy demand," he added. City staff presented a "white paper" or fact-finding report to council. Late last year, council voted to direct staff to "address and mitigate the impacts of high energy consumption at cultivation operations." Staff recommended several paths forward for council, while also asking for additional guidance on other topics. The general recommendation is that businesses would have three options to mesh with with city's climate goals. The first involves meeting a minimum standard for energy efficiency of lighting used for indoor grow operations. The second would require businesses to source lights from a Horticultural Lighting Qualified Product List created by DesignLights Consortium, a nonprofit with high-efficiency lighting goals. A third option would require producing renewable energy onsite. City staff asked for guidance on what level of regulation should be implemented on operation size, as well as energy efficiency thresholds. "Small, local operations may have less upfront capital to meet the regulations, potentially putting some businesses at risk," the city document reads. "However, in order to stay competitive in the long term, reducing lighting costs through use of LEDs is recommended. Staff would like City Council to weigh the importance of industry equity and climate action when deciding if small operations should be exempt." Council discussed how to define small businesses and whether or not established companies should have to comply with new regulations, should they be implemented. "My thoughts on this, from a business point of view, is it cost efficient to have lower energy usage," councilor Sandra Vasecka said. "I don't think that the government should put limitations on that or regulations on it." Councilor Mirtha Becerra brought up a separate, though related, concern only nine of the 50 businesses the city staff reached out to for feedback on the proposed regulations responded. Staff did say they had been sending out email blasts and had hosted stakeholder meetings, though those meetings were not well-attended. "(I'm) just wondering what else you think could be done to ensure that as you move forward with this work that later you're not hearing from all those who haven't participated early on in the process and ensuring that we are being as inclusive as possible of that perspective," Becerra said. JJ Thomas, a local cannabis business owner, said he had heard about a few meetings, but had not seen a draft of the energy proposal or had any idea of what it included until contacted on Friday by the Missoulian. The city report does note some feedback by businesses, including financial pressure of being forced to switch to more energy-efficient equipment and the hope for some sort of flexibility. The sense among owners is that they are already too busy with changes to their business due to recreational legalization to really get involved in the process, Thomas said, adding they will just accept what they have to do. It remains to be seen whether the city's desire to pursue its energy consumption goals violates state law. There could be legal hurdles to any new ordinance or cannabis regulations, which would come through a Title 5 Business Licenses and Regulations code change. Staff were notified by the city's building department that changes to the code could conflict with state law. Montana Code Annotated states, "A building code enforcement program may, as part of its building code or by town ordinance or resolution, adopt voluntary energy conservation standards for new construction for the purpose of providing incentives to encourage voluntary energy conservation." The important word to note there is voluntary state law does not explicitly allow for energy regulations to be required. It's unclear if the city would be able to do much more than use the ordinance as an incentive-based program. In Montana, the state owns the building code. This means any changes to that code would have to be approved by the state. And unless Missoula was granted a special exception in this case, those changes would apply to the entire state. Any change to MCA, which is state law, has to come through the Legislature. Once a specific policy is drafted, it can be sent to the state for review. "We are waiting until the draft ordinance portion of the process because specific language results in more specific review and feedback," Cassie Tripard, a land use supervisor with the city, wrote the Missoulian in an email. "In the next couple weeks staff will meet with members of the state to determine if our ordinance will be in compliance with state law." However, local governments have taken a hard stance on climate action in Missoula. The city and county have a joint agreement to source 100% renewable energy for the urban Missoula area by 2030. Additionally, Missoula County has strict environmental requirements regarding cryptocurrency likely the first such laws in the country and seem poised to take similar action on cannabis regulations. Both emerging industries use tremendous amounts of electricity. Nationally, 80% of cannabis is cultivated indoors. Montana does not allow outdoor cannabis grows which can consume up to 2,000 watts of electricity per square meter, according to a 2012 study published in Energy Policy. Approximately 1% of the entire United States energy consumption is used by the cannabis industry. Some states, such as Illinois, have strict cannabis energy policies aimed at reducing consumption in the industry. The Illinois regulations, along with some municipalities in Colorado as well as statewide laws in Vermont and Massachusetts, were noted by city planning staff in their support. Draft county cannabis zoning regulations are very similar to what the city is planning. Facilities would need to meet one of three conditions lighting power density would not be allowed to exceed 36 watts per square foot, all lighting equipment appears on the DesignLights list, or 100% of the energy used has to be sourced from renewable energy. Local government officials have repeatedly spoke about clean energy goals, including at the unveiling of Montana's largest rooftop solar array at the Missoula County Detention Facility. Missoula also recently elected climate activist Daniel Carlino to city council. Fellow first-term councilor Mike Nugent also pushed for strong regulations, with the idea they can be adjusted if needed. "If we are too strong on energy efficiency and we have to correct that a little bit, I think that's a better correction than the other way around," Nugent said. "I would lean towards, if we're going to do it, let's do what we think is right and if we have to correct, we can do so." Jordan Hansen covers news and local government for the Missoulian. Shout at him on Twitter @jordyhansen or send him an email at Jordan.Hansen@Missoulian.com You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 3 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 3 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Anyone interested in the quality of their nearby fresh water can become part of Montanas new network of citizen scientist monitors. The Monitoring Montanas Waters program through the University of Montanas Flathead Lake Biological Station seeks participants from throughout the state. Theyll get training on how to take samples, do some local tests, and gather baseline data that can help the Montana Department of Environmental Quality track water issues. We have a lot of water in Montana and theres always limited agency resources, said biological station research professor Rachel Malison. So we rely on citizen-collected data to find out problems we dont know about. We dont know if theres a problem unless we have some data. Problems range from leaking septic systems and toxic mine waste to unseasonable temperatures and nutrient changes. Many citizen groups form to track drinking water quality supplies, while others might be more concerned about fish habitat or industrial impacts. Sampling can occur once or twice a year in some areas to two or more times a month. Some groups may take a couple days to collect samples from 11 sites, while another might cover five sites in an afternoon, Malison said. In addition to providing training on how to get a clinically useful water sample, the new program has a budget to pay for lab analysis of those samples. Malison said that funding question has often held back local organization involvement, as testing can be expensive. Seven new groups set up in 2021 have already provided more than 1,000 water samples from streams, rivers and lakes in western Montana. The states Montana Watershed Coordinating Council includes about 60 groups, but needs more participation from the eastern quarter of Montana. Applications for the program are due by March 1. Groups receive up to $6,000 per year for laboratory analysis. Funding comes through PlusFish Philanthropy, a U.S.-based private organization dedicated to protecting aquatic ecosystems. To learn more about citizen water-quality monitor groups, go to bit.ly/montana-waters or send questions to mmw@flbx.umt.edu. You must be logged in to react. Click any reaction to login. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Community members near and far are coming together to support the family of an 8-year-old boy who was killed in a crash at his school bus stop Thursday morning. Matthew Contreras died at a Charlotte-area hospital hours after he darted out into traffic and was hit by a vehicle cresting a hill early Thursday morning, according to information provided by state troopers Thursday. The tragedy has rocked the school system and county, with hundreds of people offering their condolences to Contreras family on social media posts by Burke County Public Schools, The News Herald and other media outlets. Its left many looking for ways to help the family. Contreras school Drexel Elementary School is collecting memorial donations in Contreras honor, according to information from Contreras obituary. Cheryl Shuffler, public information officer for Burke County Public Schools, said Drexel Principal Jessie Gravel told her money can be brought to the schools front office. Theres no deadline for donations, but Gravel planned to take the first round of them to the family Friday. Bucks Pizza Ashley McGee, owner of Bucks Pizza in downtown Morganton, is a Drexel native. When she heard what happened, she knew she had to help. It was the perfect opportunity for me to put a jar out and see what I could do to help, McGee said. I feel like I need to do something because I cant imagine. My kids are right around that age. Ive got a [6-year-old] and a [9-year-old] and I cant image what this is doing to that poor family. McGee said shes expecting this weekend to be a busy one as far as foot traffic goes at the restaurant. She said she might not know the family, but she knew she wanted to help. Theyre strangers, but were community strong, McGee said. Theyre definitely in my thoughts and prayers. Zaxbys Zaxbys of Morganton has organized a fundraiser for Thursday. The restaurant said in a post on Facebook that a portion of its sales Thursday will go to the Contreras family. The restaurant will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Contreras family will receive friends in the chapel at Heritage Funeral Home from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Monday, with the funeral to start at 4:30 p.m. Interment will follow at Hillcrest Cemetery in Valdese, according to the obituary. The family gave appreciation in the obituary to Sara LeCroy, director of student services for BCPS; Ginger Stinson, principal of Heritage Middle School; Stacy Lucky, teacher at Drexel Elementary; and Gravel. Chrissy Murphy is a staff writer and can be reached at cmurphy@morganton.com or at 828-432-8941. Follow @cmurphyMNH on Twitter. 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. There are many dogs and cats are available for adoption at Burke County Animal Services. Trinity Johnson, shelter technician at BCAS, wants all of the animals in the shelter to find a loving fur-ever home. These are the animals she chose to spotlight this week. This weeks Dog of the Week is Sunshine. Sunshine is a beautiful 2-year-old pit mix female, Johnson said. She is very energetic and loves to play. She enjoys the company of other dogs and even gets along great with kids. Sunshine has been in the shelter for 35 very long days and is on the search for a loving furever family to take her home. She would do best in a house where she can play as much as she wants with a big yard to play in. All animals brought to animal services come from different backgrounds and are in different physical condition. The agencys staff works to ensure all animals are taken care of while theyre in the shelter and in preparation to be adopted into their forever homes. This weeks Cat of the Week is Pearl. Pearl is an 8-year-old short-haired black cat, Johnson said. She gets along great with other cats but would most likely prefer them to be older or more laid back like herself. Pearl has been with BCAS for 213 days and would absolutely love to find a furever home. Her foster says, Pearl is a sweet older cat that would like a calm home. She is very shy. She prefers her own room or space and will need time before she is comfortable enough to venture out. She does seek affection and enjoys being petted but gets scared when picked up. She will sit on your lap if cuddled in a blanket. She absolutely loves playing with all kinds of toys. She has a good appetite and uses the litter box well. She prefers being in a cave-type bed and has not wanted to be up on perches. If interested in meeting Pearl, please call to schedule a meet and greet. In addition to this weeks pets of the week, there are many dogs and cats are available for adoption at Burke County Animal Services. Animal services tries to take in as many animals as it can, and with the help of foster home volunteers it is able to care for more animals. There are different fees for those interested in adopting a dog or a cat from animal services. The adoption fee for any adult dog or puppy is $125. The adoption fee for any adult cat or kitten is $90. All animals come up-to-date on vaccines, flea control, and deworming, as well as being spayed and neutered. The shelter also offers foster programs for members of the community to help the animals of the shelter without having to make a lifelong commitment. Fosters are only required to give a copy of a valid ID with address and phone number and to sign their foster agreement. Fostering is free, and animal services provides all needed supplies, including litter boxes, litter and food and the same for dogs, the agencys policy says. Crates are provided, if available. Foster parents are just asked to transport the animal either to vet appointments or back to the shelter for updated vaccines and deworming. For more information on Sunshine, Pearl or any other adoption or foster-related questions, call animal services at 828-764-9588 or visit its website at burkenc.org/animalservices. Visit its Facebook page at Burke County Animal Services for information on adoptable animals or upcoming adoption events. German car maker BMW "strengthens partnership in China" as the extension of the agreement of the joint venture BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. (BBA) until 2040 took effect on Friday. With the issuance of a new "business licence," the BMW Group's share in the joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Ltd. (CBA) was increased from 50 percent to 75 percent, the company said. "Today marks an important step, as we continue to expand our long and successful commitment to China," said Oliver Zipse, chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. "Our continued success in the world's largest automotive market can only go hand in hand with the growth and further development of our BBA joint venture." The joint venture was established in 2003 and the agreement on the contract extension was signed in late 2018. BBA produces BMW vehicles with internal combustion engines and electric drives mainly for the Chinese market at two factories in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province. In 2021, a total of 846,237 BMW vehicles were sold to customers in China, an increase of 8.9 percent year-on-year. In the same period, more than 700,000 cars were produced by the BBA joint venture. In response to strong demand, BBA is increasing its production capacity in Shenyang. A plant in the Dadong District is currently being expanded, and a completely new plant is being built in the Tiexi District, according to the company. "BBA has significantly contributed to position the BMW brand as a leading premium brand in China," said Nicolas Peter, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG responsible for finance. In the past decade, BBA had invested more than ten billion euros (11.4 billion U.S. dollars) in China. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services issued revised guidance for schools navigating the COVID-19 pandemic on Thursday, reversing course on what has been one of its key measures to contain the spread of the virus. According to a press release from NCDHHS, schools in North Carolina will no longer be required to exclude students or staff from school because of a close contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19. Contact tracing has been an important tool in slowing the spread of COVID-19 ... however, several factors at this stage of the pandemic have lessened the overall effectiveness of contact tracing in K-12 schools, the release said. Among the factors cited by NCDHHS were: The emergence of variants with shorter incubation periods and rapid transmission. The increased number of asymptomatic and less severe cases Widespread virus and low rates of case and contact identification Increased use of at-home over-the-counter" tests Limited effectiveness of contact tracing since COVID-19 is most infectious prior to symptom onset and during the first few days of illness. The Strong Schools NC Toolkit, which provides guidance to schools navigating the pandemic, now recommends moving away from contact tracing. Instead, schools should focus on strategies such as masking, vaccination, boosters and testing which have been demonstrated to be more effective in reducing transmission of the virus, the release said. Chae Moore, health education specialist for the Burke County Health Department said the department has been consistent with its messaging to BCPS on this issue. The priorities should be mandating masks in schools and encouraging vaccines and boosters for eligible students, faculty and staff, Moore said. These have been the best tools for fighting this pandemic." Moore said that while she is concerned Burke Countys low vaccine rate could lead to more hospitalizations and deaths, the high volume of cases during the omicron surge strained school nurses' ability to keep up with contact tracing. The limited time school nurses have in a day could be spent on tasks that are better known to have success against COVID-19, such as the importance of masks and education of the efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccines, Moore said. According to Cheryl Shuffler, public information Officer for Burke County Public Schools, the state has given schools systems until Feb. 21 to implement the new guidance. Shuffler said that BCPS Superintendent Dr. Mike Swan and Director of Nursing Miranda Michaels will be meeting with the Burke County Health Director Danny Scalise on Monday to develop a new plan. Shuffler said Scalise will have to approve the plans made by administration officials to adapt to the new guidance. However, she doesnt expect them to have to get approval from the Burke County Public Schools Board of Education. Board Chair Wendi Craven said the board currently does not have any plans to meet in response to the new guidance but is waiting to see what comes out of Mondays meeting between the administration and Scalise. The meeting with Mr. Scalise will be of the utmost importance in deciding whether or not we will need to reconvene regarding our recent decision to stay mask optional, Craven said. Shuffler said that regardless of what comes out of Mondays meeting, school officials have a week to implement changes. This means the new guidance will not impact those who are currently being excluded from school due to possible exposure. Although NCDHHS will no longer require exclusion from school due to possible exposure, notification of potential exposure is still be recommended. Shuffler said details on how to continue to track and notify BCPS staff, students and families of potential exposures will be ironed out in Monday's meeting. It currently is unclear how far this new guidance will go toward relieving BCPSs overburdened school nurses, Shuffler said. Jason Koon is a staff writer and can be reached at jkoon@morganton.com President Cyril Ramaphosa did not mention any nuclear, coal, or powership-based gas generation during his state of the nation address on Thursday, energy expert Chris Yelland pointed out. This is despite the president listing 15,400MW of private electricity generation projects that would come online over the next few years to help fix South Africas electricity crisis. Ramaphosas list included work-in-progress and planned renewable projects, as well as envisioned proposals to be published for new gas generation and battery storage. However, the following contentious projects previously punted by the government were left out: 1,200MW of gas power from Karpowership as part of the emergency generation procurement programme of gas power from Karpowership as part of the emergency generation procurement programme 1,500MW of new coal power builds from the Integrated Resource Plan 2020 (IRP 2020) of new coal power builds from the Integrated Resource Plan 2020 (IRP 2020) 2,500MW of new nuclear power builds from the IRP 2020 The absence of at least two of these projects would suggest a growing rift between President Ramaphosa and energy minister Gwede Mantashe. Mantashe has repeatedly reiterated support for the procurement of about 1,200MW of emergency generating capacity from Karpowership. The procurement has been mired in controversy, with allegations from Karpowerships competition that the contract reeked of corrupt dealings with the government. While the court recently ruled in favour of Karpowership in a case brought by DNG Energy, the Green Scorpions, the enforcement unit of the Department of Forestries, Fisheries, and Environmental Affairs, has also called for an investigation into the deal. That came after the company was stripped of its environmental licence that it had irregularly acquired. Eskom has also refused to sign off on the agreement to procure electricity from Karpowership until the National Energy Regulator of South Africa provided clarity on the costs of the gas they would use. Despite fierce resistance from environmental activists and those concerned about taxation on South African exports because of foreign carbon emission policies, minister Mantashe has also remained adamant that South Africa needs more coal power. As recently as 1 February 2022, the minister has come out in defence of this stance, based on these points: South Africa is highly endowed with coal. South Africa is highly dependent on coal for its baseload and energy security. Coal mining and energy generation industries do not only bring massive revenue but also employ thousands. Coal is the second most important energy source in the world after oil. It is also one of the cheapest and abundant energy carriers, the minister stated. Coal power continues to play an important role in improving the welfare of communities across the globe, having lifted hundreds of millions of people out of energy poverty and spurred industrial development in many nations. But the ministers statements seem blissfully ignorant of the increasingly expensive carbon taxes his own government is slapping on Eskom for emissions from its ageing and deficient coal plants. The South African government has also signalled its commitment to combating climate change by reducing emissions in ratifying the Paris Agreement. Eskom itself and public enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan have further stressed the need to shift away from coal, particularly with funding for renewable projects of $ billion from the US and western nations hanging in the balance. On top of this, analyses of coal generation costs show it will become increasingly expensive, despite South Africas copious reserves. On average, solar energy is already cheaper per kWh to produce. The nuclear problem The possible inclusion of additional nuclear power in the countrys energy mix has also been a contentious issue. Aside from worries over the potential environmental impacts at one of the sites under consideration for a new nuclear station, these builds are very expensive. This has raised fears of a repeat in the costly build programmes of Medupi and Kusile, which were riddled with corruption and delays. It seems the time of reckoning for the massive corruption that has hobbled South Africas economy is nigh. Two parts of the three-part report by the judicial commission investigating allegations of state capture under former President Jacob Zuma have now been published. The third is due at the end of February. State capture has become the South African term for what is elsewhere called kleptocracy. Here I reflect on Part 2 of the report. Ideally, a review of the complex Zondo Commission Report Part 2 requires a team of three co-authors: a chartered accountant, a political scientist, and a jurist specialising in company law. This review cannot do justice to a summary of a report when part 2 alone exceeds 640 pages. Instead, I will focus on some thoughts and analysis. These opening observations are drawn from my knowledge of politics, informed by whats in the report. Firstly, the Gupta family friends of former President Jacob Zumas who, the commission says, orchestrated massive corruption and the capture of the South African state with Zumas help were rumbled by events that caught them off-guard. They had not, for example, anticipated that their actions in South Africa would result in a media uproar and political backlash. The medias role in the ultimate demise is recognised in this latest report. The commission praises Shadow World Investigation (Zondo,pp.19, 229); AmaBhungane (Zondo, p.260); Mail and Guardian ; and Open Secrets, (Zondo,p.261); for investigative exposes of state capture. These exposes eventually saw the Guptas fleeing to the United Arab Emirates in 2016. They also never anticipated that South African banks would close down all their corporate and personal accounts. This ultimately pressured the South African branch of Indias Bank of Baroda their original home base to reluctantly follow suit. These developments indicate that South Africas institutional safeguards, civil society NGOs, and democratic culture are more robust than those of some other countries. The Guptas were also rumbled because they failed to take note of the fact that the most successful parasites never harm their hosts. Thats so they enjoy a lifelong nurturing host environment. The scale of their rapaciousness meant that, within just a few years, the institutions they leeched were in a state of collapse. These included Transnet, the transport parastatal, South African Airways, the national carrier, Eskom, the power utility, Denel, the state defence, security and related technology company. Aspects of the report show how this happened. Zondo Commission report part 2 The specifics of this part of the Zondo report are that procurement and related crimes cost Transnet, R41 billion (equivalent to US$2,7 billion), which amounts to 72% of all contracts tainted by corruption (p.19). These losses mounted following successive decisions that were driven by avarice and corruption. One example was the decision over a new chief executive for Transnet. When Barbara Hogan, then a cabinet minister in charge of the state transport company, resisted Zumas demands on who to appoint as chief executives, he fired her from the cabinet, and sought to redeploy her as ambassador to Finland. The commission found that the man Zuma preferred, Siyabonga Gama, should be prosecuted for transactions involving the Guptas, amounting to billions. There were other attempts at resistance too. Take the actions of Denel CEO Riaz Saloojee. He refused to take bribes. But his efforts came to nought. The Guptas, through Zumas new appointment Lynn Brown to the portfolio of running state enterprises, simply suspended him and appointed a new board of directors that was more pliable to the Guptas. Beyond detailing how appointments were made, the report focuses a great deal of analysis about highly technical banking techniques and financial transactions. These show how in every case the lowest bid tender, or the most cost-effective solution, was rejected, so as to provide openings for middlemen, Gupta-controlled companies, to profit. The fight back In the immortal words of one of Nigerias heroes against corruption, its former finance minister and current World Trade Organisation president, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala: Corruption is indeed fighting back. As a result, it has become one major dimension of the factionalism now wracking the ruling African National Congress (ANC). It is evidenced by pseudo-populist attacks on white monopoly capital, the Stellenbosch mafia, and on President Cyril Ramaphosa. In US slang, this is not grassroots rhetoric, but an Astroturf campaign, referring to a campaign pretending to be populist, but actually waged by a business clique of tenderers and their political clients. They richly deserve the South African Communist Party witticism denouncing tenderpreneurs businesspeople who enrich themselves through government tenders, often dubiously. Recommendations The Zondo Commission makes useful recommendations. One is that in future, Cabinet ministers should not have unlimited power to appoint their cronies as chairs or board members to parastatals. Instead, all candidates for board members of state-owned enterprises should be subject to the background checks and procedures akin to those of the Judicial Service Commission, which advises the government on any matters relating to the judiciary or administration of justice and adjudicates complaints brought against judges. In turn the board members, not the minister, should elect their chairs and CEOs. Zondo also points out that it is not yet a crime in itself to abuse public power for a politicians private interest. This should be criminalised across the board, from the President down to the lowest official. Finally, the success or failure of the Zondo Commission Report will be what consequences will result from it for the criminals and corrupt, such as prosecutions, and reclaiming illegal and illicit profits from tenderers. South Africa has witnessed a decade of unimplemented recommendations of commission reports, from the Khayelitsha Commission, appointed in December 2012 to investigate police inefficiency, to the Farlam Commission into the 2012 Marikana massacre. Its not known if the Zondo Commission reports will fare any better. Whats clear, however, is that the number of successful prosecutions, and the amount of plundered funds retrieved, will be a key deterrence to future instances of corruption. Crucial here will be to what extent Treasury will increase the budget allotted to the National Prosecution Authority, the Special Investigative Unit, and the Assets Forfeiture Unit. The country now awaits the third part of the Zondo Commission report, due at the end of February. Keith Gottschalk, Political Scientist, University of the Western Cape This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Home affairs minister, Aaron Motsoaledi, has released the 2022 Critical Skills List that shows which skills are in high demand in South Africa. The list is an essential resource for South African businesses, as it provides them with guidance on which foreigners qualify for critical skills work visas. Such visas will only be issued to an individual possessing skills or qualifications that have been determined to be critical for South Africa. President Cyril Ramaphosa alluded to the most needed skills in South Africa during his 2022 State of the Nation address on Thursday, 10 February. The revised Critical Skills List has been published for the first time since 2014, following detailed technical work and extensive consultations with business and labour, he said. The updated list reflects the skills that are in shortage today, to ensure that our immigration policy matches the demands of our economy. Ramaphosa also provided an update on South Africas work visa system. A comprehensive review of the work visa system is currently underway, led by a former Director-General of Home Affairs, Mr Mavuso Msimang, he said. This review is exploring the possibility of new visa categories that could enable economic growth, such as a start-up visa and a remote working visa. South Africa is losing substantial amounts of skilled professionals to emigration, and it is becoming increasingly important to attract talent to the country. Critical technology skills All of the critical tech skills in the published list require a bachelors degree or advanced diploma as a minimum requirement. A summary of the critical tech skills list is provided in the table below. A reported vehicle burglary in Yountville Thursday transitioned into an American Canyon Police Department vehicle chase and then an on-foot search, eventually ending with the arrest of two men on suspicion of grand theft and evading law enforcement, according to the department. At about 4:15 p.m. on Thursday, the Napa County Sheriffs Office received a report that jewelry and a Glock handgun were stolen out of a guests vehicle at the North Block Hotel in Yountville, with a reported value of over $10,000. Witnesses described the vehicle the suspects drove away with as a grey Mitsubishi SUV, according to police. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. In response to the reported theft, American Canyon Police established surveillance on Highway 29. An American Canyon officer spotted the vehicle driving southbound on Highway 29 at about 4:50 p.m. and attempted to stop the SUV, according to a police press release. The driver didnt yield, police say, and American Canyon officers pursued the vehicle through the northwest side of the city. The vehicle eventually crashed into a parked car on Donaldson Way, near West Carolyn Drive. Two passengers fled the vehicle and began jumping fences through backyards in the neighborhood, while Lamar Crawford, 24, of Walnut Creek was taken into custody. California Highway Patrol Air Ops, Napa Sheriff and ACPD K-9 units, along with Napa Police officers, joined the search. After roughly an hour, San Francisco resident Jamari Robinson, 25, was found hiding in the backyard of a residence in the 100 block of West Carolyn Drive, according to police. The third suspect wasnt located, and police eventually stopped the search. All stolen items were located in the SUV, the press release says. Crawford and Robinson were booked into Napa County jail on suspicion of grand theft and evading law enforcement. Crawford was previously arrested in 2018 for a robbery of the American Canyon T-Mobile store, which also resulted in a vehicle pursuit. He was sentenced to state prison as a result, according to the press release. The Napa Police Department is investigating an armed robbery of a womans purse Friday at the Black Bear Diner parking lot in the city of Napa. At 11:58 a.m. a woman was heading toward the Black Bear Diner restaurant, located at 303 Soscol Ave., when a bright blue sedan pulled up, police said. The driver of the sedan, identified by police as an adult black male, pulled out a handgun and took the womans purse, which contained her phone and other items, according to police. Then, the driver sped off toward Gasser Drive. Smiling, standing close and appearing at ease, the men in the 1940s black and white photo look like a typical work crew taking a break from harvesting pears in Napas Carneros region. Yet these laborers were far from the usual. In fact, at the time, many considered them the enemy. They were German prisoners of war. And they had been put to work on Napa Valley ranches when many local men were serving in the military or at wartime jobs. Yes, they were "prisoners" but some made ties that would last beyond the war. Lorraine Markt Yates, now 89, recalled when the prisoners (POWs) arrived at her fathers pear and apple orchards on Los Carneros Avenue. She was around 12 to 14 years old at the time. Along with her two sisters, We were told, you dont go anywhere near, where the POWs were working, she said. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. In addition to her father, Henry Markt, My mom was the only one allowed in the shed to make sure they were doing what they were supposed. Nobody else was allowed to go in there. According to Lost Napa Valley by Lauren Coodley, and the Napa County Historical Society, an estimated 250 German POWs worked at Napa orchards and farms at the end of World War II and immediately after. The men were based out of Camp Beale in Marysville but stationed at different satellite camps including in Windsor and Yountville. Ranchers and farmers all throughout California were in dire need of workers, explained Yates. They needed help, with the harvest, said Yates. Due to the war, There werent people around to do this. She thinks there were maybe 10 to 20 different German POWs that worked on the Markt ranches during pear harvest season. Prisoners wore work clothing with a large P and W painted on their clothing. A single guard accompanied the prisoners, holding a gun without anything in it. How did she know there werent any bullets? Because the guard told me, she said with a laugh. Besides, there wasnt much incentive to try and escape, said Yates. They were not in the mood to leave; they were getting food, they were safe, and away from fighting and the war, she said. My dad would tell them, you can have (as many pears) as you want but dont eat too many because it will give you diarrhea. After the work day ended, the POWs would return to the camp in Yountville each night. That camp opened in 1945 and was located at 7292 Silverado Trail. Lorraine said she didnt think her father paid the POWs, but according to Lost Napa Valley, they reportedly earned 80 cents per day. Stephen Lehmann is the president of the Windsor Museum & Historical Society. Hes researched the Northern California POW camps. According to the historian, locals were quite accepting of German POWs working in the area. There are almost no stories of fear or ill will towards any of the prisoners, wrote Lehmann. The policy was to segregate "troublemakers" from the general population of prisoners and that "seemed to work very well at Camp Windsor, and the Yountville satellite camp. According to Lehmann, the few photographs hes seen of the POWs show what appear to be very happy prisoners with one photo showing a rousing sing along with prisoner in costumes, musical instruments and drinking what appears to be beer. There was at least one escape, but the prisoners were quickly re-captured. The local newspaper described the attempt as only a wish to see the Pacific Ocean. Preserving history: 'Clampers' memorialize Napa POW camp Six men in red T-shirts were digging holes on the side of the highway in order to erect a plaque commemorating a German prisoner of war Camp i When the war ended, the POWs were sent back to Europe where they worked an additional two years in England or France helping to rebuild those countries, wrote Lehmann. They were not able to return to their homes until 1947 to 1948. Working in the California orchards was a memorable experience for many of the prisoners. Some even wrote to their former captors after the war. In 1948, Yate's father, Henry, received a letter from a former POW named Herbert Felsch of Bochum, Germany. During his captivity, Felsch had worked at the Markt orchards. "When I reflect on the days we worked for you, it was a period of pleasant captivity, the former POW wrote in with an ink pen on brown paper. Besides being fed and treated well, the fruit was an additional pleasant supplementary. Felsch said that he knew once he returned to Germany that fruit would be scarce. And he was right. Fruit here (in Germany) is virtually impossible to obtain, he wrote in that 1948 letter. In fact, all food in Germany was hard to come by, Felsch wrote. Nutrition issues are continuing to be a concern for us all. According to reports from the time, hunger was rampant in parts of Germany. Felsch goes on to explain that once he left the Yountville camp, he was sent to a work camp in Fresno and then England. Eventually he made his way back to Germany. Back home, everything was strangely different, he wrote, referring to the physical destruction from the war and other after effects. Allied bombing destroyed 83% of the built up area of Bochum during World War II. Of Bochum's more than 90,000 homes, only 25,000 remained. Felsch wrote that besides food, he was desperate for basic items like an oven, pots, pans, sheets and blankets. As far as clothing, what hasnt been ruined by the effects of war has been worn to rags. It is a sad and difficult life, he wrote. He asked Markt if he could send clothing, shoes, food, coffee, powdered milk, dried fruit, soap and yarn for mending. Any help would be gratefully accepted from the bottom of my heart. Lehmann said hes heard of many such letters from the returned POWs, essentially begging for help. Life in Germany after the war was a struggle, he said. It was all brutal. Lorraine has kept the letter from Felsch, which had to be translated from German, all these years. Shes not sure if her father sent Felsch any packages or if the two ever communicated again. Her father passed away in 1966. Yates said she was curious about what happened to Felsch in the years after the war. If she could talk to him now, shed ask him what it was like during his time at the familys ranch. Did he have a happy life in later years in Germany? What happened to Herbert Felsch? With the help of Facebook friends and volunteer translators, a Register reporter tried to find what became of Herbert Felsch, the German POW who worked at a Napa orchard during World War II. Public records for Felschs birth or death dates could not be immediately found. German phone books list him as living (along with his father Hugo) in an area called Bochum, both before and after the war. He said he was married but his wifes name is not listed in the directories. Felschs former home, on Kalwes (Road) in Bochum, appears to be gone, replaced by a university built in the 1960s. In 1965, he likely lived in a nearby city called Volmarstein, working as an inspector, but then the trail goes cold. Did they ever come back? to the U.S. or California, she wondered. If he had, Los Carneros Avenue has greatly changed. Her familys orchards have since been replaced by vineyards. She lives in a home in Browns Valley. It really is an amazing story, said Lehmann, of the German POWs. And the fact that weve got it in our backyard is almost unbelievable. You can reach reporter Jennifer Huffman at 256-2218 or jhuffman@napanews.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Napa County is ready to dive deep into a long-haul effort to keep groundwater beneath the Napa Valley floor from ever being sucked dry and into the question of who should pay for it. The recently completed, state-mandated, 5,000-page Napa Valley Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan was just a start. Now the county proposes to put the plan into action with more meetings, more reports and more well monitoring. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help. Subscribe today! Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Napa Valley Register. Special offer: Subscribe for $5.99 per mo All of this could cost $1.3 million to $2.4 million annually. Grants likely won't pay the full amount, county officials said. County supervisors discussed the issue Tuesday, Feb. 8 when they met as the Groundwater Sustainability Agency. Options mentioned to cover the cost are the county general fund, a special tax or special assessment approved by voters or a fee on Napa Valley floor groundwater extraction. Supervisors favored exploring a fee. Fees imposed can include fixed fees or fees based on volumes of groundwater used or other factors. Fees cannot exceed the amount required to provide groundwater-related services or the proportional cost of the services attributable to a parcel. Under Proposition 2018, imposing a fee would require demonstrating the link between the spending and the parcels, holding a public hearing and allowing a protest vote of affected property owners. Its a bit of a campaign to do it right, but I think thats the way to go," Supervisor Ryan Gregory said. Here's an example of the Proposition 2018 process Napa Sanitation District in 2021 proposed raising sewer rates on residents and businesses. It detailed how increases would cover only services received by customers. If a majority of property owners had submitted protest votes, the increases would have been stopped. Beyond possible fees, the county is proposing a number of actions to put its Groundwater Sustainability Plan into action: Form a technical advisory group. Members would have scientific expertise in such areas as hydrology, fisheries biology, geomorphology, ecohydrology, aquatic ecology, viticulture and climatology. Develop a work plan to fill in data gaps on the relationship between groundwater and streams and the Napa River. Develop an agriculture water conservation plan emphasizing but not limited to vineyards and wineries. Develop a groundwater pumping reduction plan. Develop a stormwater plan that looks at diverting high flows in streams during wet years to fields to recharge groundwater. Drill four new monitoring wells and work with well owners to collect more data. This is a big workload, and these plans, I think, are completely necessary," Supervisor Alfredo Pedroza said. Supervisors embraced the idea of being advised by a technical group with scientific expertise. But they turned down a staff idea to have a second "stakeholders" group as well, one with representatives from the wine industry, cities, environment, well owners, disadvantaged communities, and the public at large. I strongly agree with a science-based group, not a political group," Supervisor Brad Wagenknecht said. Planning, Building, and Environmental Services Director David Morrison said staff proposed the stakeholders group because the state Department of Water Resources expects ongoing public outreach. The county must show it is engaging the community, not merely regulating the community. Supervisors had other ideas for public outreach. Supervisor Belia Ramos suggested holding quarterly community meetings. Supervisor Diane Dillon suggested using the existing Watershed Information and Conservation Council as a vehicle. "This is something that is incredibly important to everyone, especially those living out in the unincorporated area," Ramos said. "I just do not believe having another committee is the right move." All of this looks to be a sustained effort. A county report said implementing the Groundwater Sustainability Plan could go on for at least 50 years. You can reach Barry Eberling at 256-2253 or beberling@napanews.com. Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A man in the US State of Oregon took his own life after accidentally shooting his brother while loading a gun to fire at a bear on their property, police have said, BBC News reported. The man called 911 to report the tragedy, but turned the gun on himself before police arrived. The incident took place on Tuesday morning in the community of Sunny Valley in rural Josephine County, just north of the border with California. Neither of the men involved has been identified. Some 25,000 black bears live in Oregon and homeowners are typically urged to avoid confrontations with them. According to the Josephine County Sheriff's Office, the 911 caller said he had been loading his weapon with the intent of shooting at the bear. When police got to the home, they found both men dead, each with a single gunshot wound. The case is currently under investigation by the sheriff's office and Oregon state police. Rising gun ownership in the US has been accompanied by higher rates of death and injury caused by unintended discharge. Nearly 500 people die every year in unintentional shootings, data from the Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence shows. China is speeding up efforts to develop advanced manufacturing this year in a move to gain a key competitive edge in the global market and inject new impetus into the economy, experts said on Friday. Their comments came as various regions across the nation recently announced key projects, mainly related to advanced manufacturing and strategic emerging industries. Guangzhou Development District in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, launched 48 key projects on Tuesday. Thirty-nine are advanced manufacturing projects involving a total investment of around 38 billion yuan ($6 billion), mainly in fields such as next-generation information technologies, biomedicine, new energy and new materials. Experts said the accelerated push to develop advanced manufacturing is in line with the requirements of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), which pledged to boost industrial upgrading and foster high-quality manufacturing. They said China has the capabilities to meet the targets, as it has a complete industrial system, a large number of skilled workers, developed infrastructure and an ultra-large domestic market. During the next few years, the construction and development of advanced manufacturing clusters will be accelerated in an all-around way, they added. Zhou Maohua, an analyst at China Everbright Bank, said the development of advanced manufacturing plays a key role in enhancing the core competitiveness of regional industries, promoting the transformation and upgrading of regional manufacturing and fostering high-quality development. Song Jia, director of the innovation center at the Research Institute of Machinery Industry Economic & Management, said developing advanced manufacturing will help China move up to the middle and high end of the global value chain. Song said local governments need to have a better understanding of local conditions and set reasonable development goals, with a key focus on promoting industrial restructuring by building leading industrial clusters. More efforts should also be made to support the development of key sectors and enterprises, develop strategic emerging industries, attract more talent and create a better environment, Song added. "Generally, advanced manufacturing consists of two parts. One is traditional manufacturing that integrates advanced manufacturing technology and other high-tech such as information and digital technology. The other is new sectors resulting from the industrialization of emerging technologies, such as bio-manufacturing and micro and nano manufacturing," said Dong Xiaoyu, a researcher at the Capital Institute of Science and Technology Development Strategy. Facing a new round of technological and industrial revolution, Dong said manufacturing will play an increasingly important role in boosting the comprehensive competitiveness of countries. He said the accelerated push to develop advanced manufacturing is conducive to boosting innovation-driven development and building a modern industrial system, which will help to enhance the core competitiveness of regions. Looking at the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Dong said the construction and development of advanced manufacturing clusters will be significantly accelerated, as both eastern coastal provinces and inland regions are accelerating the manufacturing transformation. He also warned of challenges ahead, saying that more efforts should be made to boost innovation. "China still lags behind developed countries in terms of core technologies and fundamental disciplines supporting the development of manufacturing. We need to further boost the development of industrial digitalization and digital industrialization to boost innovation in manufacturing." Compared with China's advanced manufacturing counterparts, the country's manufacturing technologies and products are still at the middle to the low end in global markets, said Zheng Lei, chief economist at Glory Sun Financial Group. Bai Ming, deputy director of international market research at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, highlighted an acceleration in the movement of some manufacturing plants from China to overseas because of rising costs, saying that the nation needs to further boost the development of advanced manufacturing to improve its competitiveness in the global market. He said China should give full play to its advantages in complete industrial chains, and more efforts should be made to support the development of some key industrial parks and create a business-friendly environment. YEREVAN. Past daily of Armenia writes: The day before yesterday, the authorities set up a [parliamentary] committee of inquiry into the 44-day [Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh)] war [in the fall of 2020]. It became known yesterday that the [parliamentary] opposition "Armenia" and "With Honor" factions refuse to participate in the work of that committee. The opposition particularly noted that "the committee of inquiry will be engaged in staging the 'innocence' of the authorities." () And what do independent analysts think? In a conversation with Past newspaper, military analyst Davit Jamalyan noted that the objective of setting up such a committee by the authorities is one. "The setting up of this committee has the objective of removing the blame [for the defeat in the aforesaid war] from them [i.e., the incumbent Armenian authorities] and putting the blame on someone else. That is, they will attempt to appoint culpritsin the person of the army, in the person of the Artsakh leadership, as well as state-centered forces, the previous authorities, and Russia. The objective of setting up that committee will be just to justify [PM] Nikol Pashinyan, as well as very large doses of some falsifications, manipulations will be thrown into the public arena. We did everything [to win the war], but could not; the reason is that' And the list of culprits will go starting from this very passage. That committee, by and large, is being set up to clean up their own image," Jamalyan said. State Department: Deepening US-Armenia cooperation in nuclear energy will strengthen bilateral relations Peaceful disobedience actions resume in Yerevan early morning Mirzoyan: Armenia appreciates US support for developing energy sector Blinken underscores US commitment to help Armenia, Azerbaijan find sustainable peace, prosperity Eurozone economic sentiment falls much more than expected in April Apple faces big fine Armenia ex-president joins discussion in France Square Poland wants the EU to set a clear date for stopping Russian oil imports Armenia FM meets with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Armenia FM meets with Director of USAID Samantha Power Ann Linde says Finland will almost certainly apply for NATO membership European Commission may relieve Hungary, Slovakia of embargo on Russian oil purchase Resistance Movement to continue large-scale civil disobedience actions on 3 May in Yerevan and regions EU countries to continue to pay in euros or dollars for Russian gas Resistance Movement participants return to France Square Russian and Turkish defense ministers discuss current situation in Ukraine Ukrainian intelligence accuses Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan of helping Russia evade Western sanctions NEWS.am digest: Turkey says they have agreements with Armenia on border clarification Toivo Klaar informs about meeting of Armen Grigoryan and Hikmet Hajiyev in Brussels PACE initiates resolution on threats to journalists and human rights defenders in Azerbaijan Diplomat kidnapped in Haiti Hungarian president asks Orban to form new government Georgia PM hands over first part of questionnaire answers for accession to EU Resistance Movement participants march in central Yerevan Half of Japanese oppose change of peaceful constitution Resistance movement rally on France Square in Yerevan Blinken and Armenia FM sign memorandum on strategic cooperation in nuclear energy Another earthquake registered on Armenian-Georgian border FLYONE ARMENIA launches regular direct flights between Yerevan and Tbilisi Georgia abolishes requirement to wear masks in closed spaces One dollar drops below AMD 450, euro also falls in Armenia Georgia PM receives Justice Minister of Armenia Armenia MFA says there is no discussion, agreement on re-demarcating border with Turkey Cavusoglu claims there is agreement to clarify Armenia-Turkey border Azerbaijan president receives Brice Roquefeuil Armenia ex-defense minister: These authorities are able to use force inside the country Police: 244 people apprehended in Yerevan as of 2pm Incident involving disobedience march participants occurs at Armenian State Pedagogical University Yerevan Police apprehend opposition MP Police: 199 people apprehended in Yerevan as of noon Armenia defense ministry refutes Azerbaijan MOD statement Resistance Movement coordinator says they will assemble at France Square in downtown Yerevan at 6pm Armenia parliament opposition faction leader: More than 200 people apprehended The Azeri Times: Azerbaijan closes airspace for Russia military aircraft to disrupt transportation to Armenia Bill Gates warns of more fertile' COVID-19 variant Police: 3 dozen intersections in Yerevan were closed off by citizens since morning Armenia PM congratulates several Arab countries leaders on Islamic holiday of Eid al-Fitr 3 new cases of COVID-19 confirmed in Armenia Journalist falls ill during scuffle at civil disobedience action in Yerevan Armenia ex-ruling party official: I assess these actions of disobedience very positively Armenia FM to head for US, will meet with Blinken Armenia Police: 189 people apprehended so far in Yerevan UN announces blocking of millions of tons of grain in Ukraine ports Small plane crashes in Canada, 4 dead 125 people taken to Yerevan police stations Erdogan says will hold talks with Putin this week Quake hits Armenia-Georgia border zone One person falls ill during oppositions peaceful disobedience action in downtown Yerevan Resistance Movement coordinator says 14 streets currently blocked by citizens in Yerevan Peaceful civil disobedience actions kick off in Yerevan early morning Hungary says 10 European countries opened bank accounts in Russia to pay for natural gas in rubles Finland to build fences along Russia border Armenia ex-President Serzh Sargsyan: For 10 years international community said Artsakh should self-determine Putin signs decree on measures to ensure Russia information security 3rd President Serzh Sargsyan is at Yerevans France Square Opposition continues to keep France Square in downtown Yerevan closed Europe asks Russia natural gas giant to increase supplies Clashes break out between police and anarchists in Paris The Jerusalem Post: Time for Israel to not fear Turkey and to recognize Armenian Genocide Armenia opposition lawmaker: People are constantly approaching ex-president Kocharyan (VIDEO) Putin bans foreign investors from organizing regular transfers on public-private, city-private partnership basis Ex-defense minister: Prior to 44-day war it was possible to negotiate in such way that Armenia will not be at war Police dispatching additional forces to Yerevans France Square Opposition to set up tents at France Square in downtown Yerevan (PHOTOS) Armenia opposition MP: How did US, France, Russia talk about Karabakh status after war? Resistance Movement coordinator: Armenian people told whole world that they are masters of their destiny, future Huge opposition rally kicks off in downtown Yerevan Armenia former ruling party official says ex-President Serzh Sargsyan will attend today's opposition rally Russia to impose $101M fine on Google Resistance Movement marches reach French Square in Yerevan You are here: China Staff members prepare medical materials for nucleic acid tests at a COVID-19 testing site in a residential community of Nankai District in north China's Tianjin, Jan. 20, 2022. [Photo/Xinhua] The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 40 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Saturday. Of the new local infections, 30 were reported in Guangxi and the rest reported in Liaoning, the commission said in its daily report. Friday also saw nine provincial-level regions reporting 59 imported COVID-19 cases, said the commission. One suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai. No deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. A total of 41 asymptomatic cases arriving from outside the mainland were newly reported Friday, according to the commission. As of Friday, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on the Chinese mainland, both local and imported, had reached 106,863. There were 1,436 patients still under treatment on Friday, of whom six were in severe condition. A total of 4,636 patients had died of the virus on the mainland since the outbreak of the pandemic. On the initiative of the American side, a telephonic conversation took place Saturday between Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the press service of the Russian Foreign Ministry reported. The Russian FM stressed that the propaganda campaign launched by the United States and its allies on a "Russian aggression" against Ukraine pursues provocative goals, encouraging the Ukrainian authorities to sabotage the Minsk agreements and resort to destructive attempts to resolve the "Donbas issue" by force. Lavrov noted that the response of Washington and Brussels to the drafts of the Russian-American agreement on security guarantees with NATO and their draft agreement ignores the key provisions for Russia, first of all, not to expand NATO and not to deploy strike weapons systems near the Russian border. It was emphasized that these issues will be in the center of Russia's assessment of the documents received from the US and NATOand which will be passed to the partners. Lavrov reminded of the inadmissibility of actions violating the commitments made at the highest level with respect to security in the Euro-Atlantic area. The Russian and American FMs discussed also some urgent matters of bilateral relations. You are here: World Flash Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that if the West fails to resolve Moscow's fundamental security concerns, it will be impossible to reduce tensions and build Europe's security architecture. "The military-political situation in Europe is becoming more and more tense. It is not our fault," Shoigu told visiting British Secretary of Defense Ben Wallace in Moscow. Shoigu noted that Friday's meeting marked the first in recent years between Russian and British defense chiefs, but "unfortunately, the level of our cooperation is close to zero and is about to go negative." He urged Western countries to help reduce tensions in Europe and stop supplying weapons to Ukraine. At a press conference following the talks, Wallace called the negotiations with his Russian counterpart "frank" and "constructive." "Each state has an equal right to security. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization intends to comply with all signed agreements, including with the Russian government," he said. Shoigu voiced readiness to consider proposals aimed at restoring military cooperation with Britain. Both sides agreed on the importance of staying in contact to reduce the risk of unintentional conflicts during military activities. New Delhi [India], February 12 (ANI/NewsVoir): Shark Tank is the new craze of Indian reality TV for all the right reasons. Talented individuals and multiple start-up brands brought exciting concepts here. One of those is Devnagri, India's very own language translation engine. On Shark Tank India, Devnagri presented their Machine translation engine that translates instantly with 85% + contextual results. Devnagri also introduced Pratibimb, India's 1st image to language app. They even invited Peyush Bansal, one of the sharks and Co-founder, CEO, Lenskart, to use the app and see the content in the language of his choice. The sharks complimented their vision of making content accessible to all, and they even got the funding. Devnagri, through AI-powered human intelligence, translates up to 1 million words a day. A brainchild of Nakul Kundra and Himanshu Sharma, Devnagri was founded with a vision to make the content accessible to all and overcome the linguistic barriers by creating stronger connections with the one billion-plus Indians by conversing with them in their language. 98% of Indian internet users use the internet in an Indian language, either exclusively or with English, says a recent Google study. 45% of local language users prefer accessing content only in regional languages. 63% of local language users would like to read exclusively in regional languages. This indicates the prospects and potential of vernacular content in the Indian context. Devnagri's platform combines AI and human-powered translation with Machine Learning. They are powered by Kutumbh, a community of 5000 + native language speakers and translators that enable 5x faster, cost-effective, and more accurate translations. The company envisions placing Indian languages on a pedestal. Speaking on the need for a seamless translation service, Himanshu Sharma, Co-founder, Devnagri, says, "With more than 1200 dialects and 22 regional languages, India has a vast language translation market. With Devnagri, we want to help brands and individuals reach a wider audience." They have already helped some well-known e-Commerce, BFSI, and ed-tech companies to communicate with their audiences in regional languages. Devnagri also raised $600,000 from Venture Catalyst, Inflection Point Ventures, and other co-investors. Nakul Kundra, Co-founder, Devnagri, stated, "There is a strong need for content in Indian languages to be available over the internet so that people across geographies can be reached and spoken to. We intend to scale our operations to tap B2B customers and enable them to create more local content to reach end-users from Tier II and Tier III cities." Today when India is moving towards localization, Devnagri, undoubtedly has a vast scope to expand into the BFSI, Ed-Tech, OTT, e-Commerce, and many more industries and help them reach their target audiences. More importantly, they can help the people of India to be more connected, making India truly, Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat Link. Devnagri uses machine translation technology with AI and human intelligence to help brands and individuals translate content into various Indian languages and build deeper connections with their audiences. Their mission is to make content and information accessible to Indian citizens from different parts of the country. To know more about Devnagri, please visit: devnagri.com. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Dubai [UAE], February 12 (ANI/NewsVoir): The state of Andhra Pradesh is ready to showcase its development and immense business opportunities to global investors while participating in the India Pavilion in EXPO2020 Dubai. The state's floor at the India pavilion was inaugurated yesterday by Mekapati Goutham Reddy, Minister of Commerce and Information Technology, Government of Andhra Pradesh along with H.E. Dr Thani Bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, H.E. Dr Ahmed Albanna, UAE Ambassador to India and Sunjay Sudhir, India Ambassador to the UAE. Zulfi Ravdjee, Advisor to Government of Andhra Pradesh & Special Representative to Government for Middle East & Far East Countries and JVN Subramanyam, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) & CEO Andhra Pradesh Economic Development Board (APEDB) along with other senior government officials from the state were also present at the inaugural ceremony. Inaugurating the Andhra Pradesh floor, Mekapati Goutham Reddy said, "Under the able leadership of our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, India has achieved remarkable progress across economic and social development metrics and continues to develop as a powerhouse in the world economy. The state of Andhra Pradesh has strong governance, strategic locational advantages, robust infrastructure, thriving industrial & business ecosystem, skilled manpower and immense potential for growth across key sectors. I am confident that the state floor at India Pavilion will project Andhra Pradesh in a new perspective, open new opportunities for business and establish new relationships with industry & governments." "Andhra Pradesh is blessed with abundant natural resources, mineral wealth, and presents a low-risk and easy environment for businesses to grow. We are poised to exchange strengths and are looking forward to long term business relationships with global investors," he added. JVN Subramanyam, said, "It is a great privilege for Andhra Pradesh to participate in EXPO2020 Dubai. Andhra Pradesh is one of the nine industrialized states in India, which is also helping the country to realize its $5 trillion economy mission. The state's floor at India Pavilion depicts our key pillars of governance and development in the state, which will support us to partner with global investors." The state will be making a strong pitch to the global investors during the week by showcasing its business capabilities along with its tradition and culture through a series of events exhibiting opportunities across key focus sectors including Automobile, Food Processing, Textiles, Healthcare, Information Technology and Capital Goods among other to forge new partnerships. Along with showcasing the business attractiveness, the state will also exhibit its rich cultural heritage to the global audience through India Pavilion. The Andhra Pradesh week will conclude on February 17, 2022. To know more about India Pavilion at EXPO 2020 Dubai, please visit Website - www.indiaexpo2020.com Facebook - www.facebook.com/indiaatexpo2020 Instagram - www.instagram.com/indiaatexpo2020 Twitter - twitter.com/IndiaExpo2020?s=09 LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com/company/india-expo-2020/?viewAsMember=true YouTube - www.youtube.com/channel/UC6uOcYsc4g_JWMfS_Dz4Fhg/featured Koo - www.kooapp.com/profile/IndiaExpo2020 To know more about EXPO 2020 Dubai, please visit - www.expo2020dubai.com/en. This story is provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of this article. (ANI/NewsVoir) Rahul Bajaj, the man who made brand Bajaj a household name through scooter models like Chetak and Priya and the ubiquitous Bajaj three-wheeler auto, passed away at 83 on Saturday, nearly a year after stepping down as the non-executive chairman of Bajaj Auto. A Padma Bhushan-awardee Rahul Bajaj was one of the longest-serving chairmen in corporate India. He breathed his last at Ruby Hall Hospital in Pune. "Rahul Bajaj died today at 2.30 pm. He died due to heart and lungs problems. He was admitted for past one month in Ruby hall hospital in Pune," Dr Parvej Grant, chairman of Ruby Hall hospital told ANI. "It is with deep sorrow that I inform you about the passing away of Shri Rahul Bajaj, husband of the late Rupa Bajaj and father of Rajiv/Deepa, Sanjiv/Shefali and Sunaina/Manish. He passed away on the afternoon of 12th February, 2022 in the presence of his closest family members," Bajaj Group said in a statement. Rahul Bajaj stepped down as non-executive chairman of Bajaj Auto in April 2021, ceding the position to his cousin Niraj Bajaj. He had stepped down from the executive role of Bajaj Group companies before his election to the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of parliament, 2006. He served as a member of Rajya Sabha from 2006 to 2010. Rahul Bajaj's younger son Sanjiv Bajaj has taken over as chairman of both the group's finance companies - Bajaj Finance and Bajaj Finserv. His elder son Rajiv Bajaj is Managing Director of Bajaj Auto. Born on June 10, 1938, Rahul Bajaj took over as Chief Executive Officer of Bajaj Auto in 1968 and was appointed as Managing Director of the company in 1972. He stepped down from that position in 2005. Bajaj also served as president or chairman of several industry bodies. He served as president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) twice - from 1979 to 1980 and again from 1999 to 2000. He served as Chairman of the erstwhile Indian Airlines from 1986 to 1989. He also served as president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). "Rahul Bajaj strode across the Indian industrial landscape like a colossus. He was among the few stars who created the Indian automotive industry. He was a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology," said Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor. Rahul Bajaj held a Bachelors degree in economics, a law degree from Mumbai University and an MBA from Harvard. Expressing his condolences Former Finance Minister P Chidambaram said, "Rahul Bajaj was the one who put average Indians on two motorised wheels. In his passing away, we have lost a far-sighted and outspoken business leader. My sincere condolences to his family and numerous members of the Bajaj family and Bajaj group of business." "Rahul Bajaj was the captain and voice of Indian Industry. He was the doyen of manufacturing and truly the pillar of the auto industry. As Secretary, DIPP interacted with him on several occasions. Admired him for being always frank and fearless. India has lost a Gr8 nation builder," Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant said in a tweet. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari also paid his tributes. "My heartfelt tributes to Rahul Bajajji, a successful entrepreneur, philanthropist and former chairman of Bajaj. I had a personal relationship with Padma Bhushan awardee Rahulji for many years. Rahul ji, who has led the Bajaj Group for the last five decades, has been instrumental in the industry. May God rest the departed soul and give strength to the family members. Om Shanti," he said in a tweet. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also condoled the demise of Bajaj. "The demise of Rahul Bajaj the Chairman emeritus of the Bajaj Group is a loss to India's business community. My condolences to the bereaved family and the group," Chouhan said in a tweet. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Sharad Pawar also expressed his condolences over Rahul Bajaj's death. "I am deeply shocked to learn about the sad demise of Padma Bhushan Shri Rahul Bajaj! The grandson of eminent freedom fighter Jamnalal Bajaj brought transformation in society especially in poor and middle-class people with his two-wheel technology - a Bajaj Bike!" Pawar tweeted. "The affordable vehicle increased mobility, eased struggle for getting means of livelihood and became the tool of socio-economic change! We Indians are deeply indebted for his immense contribution to the industry," he said in another tweet. "I am grieved with a passing away of my very close friend. India has lost an industrialist, a philanthropist and a lighthouse for young entrepreneurs! Hamara Bajaj," he said. Former union minister Praful Patel said that Rahul Bajaj is credited with making the brand Bajaj a household name. "Saddened by the passing away of renowned industrialist and one of the longest-serving chairman in corporate India, Padma Bhushan Rahul Bajajji. He is credited with making the brand Bajaj a household name. My heartfelt condolences to his family members," Patel tweeted. "Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Padma Bhushan Rahul Bajaj. He was among the foremost Business Leaders our nation has seen, and an inspiration to all. We will miss him dearly and his wise counsel," tweeted Nationalist Congress Party MP Supriya Sule. (ANI) Condoling the death of veteran industrialist and Bajaj Group patriarch Rahul Bajaj, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) said the Indian industry has lost one of the tallest visionary leaders and his demise leaves a huge void in India Inc. "Rahul Bajaj was a towering leader for Indian industry and his sad demise leaves a huge void in our business ecosystem and India has lost one of its tallest leaders in industry. His ideas and philosophies shaped the contours of Indian businesses especially for the past four decades," said CII President T V Narendran. A Padma Bhushan-awardee Rahul Bajaj passed away at a hospital in Pune on Saturday. He was one of the longest-serving chairmen in corporate India. He served as president of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) twice. Bajaj served as president of CII from 1979 to 1980 and again from 1999 to 2000. "Always an indomitable leader, he remained a steadfast mentor for the industry through the time of profound changes in the global and Indian economy, speaking for the highest standards of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility. Under his stewardship, the first codification of corporate governance norms in the country happened way back in 1998, well before any regulation or law came into being in this important space," Narendran said in a statement. Remembering the contribution of Rahul Bajaj, CII President said, "he spoke for globalisation and was a strong and influential proponent for connecting Indian businesses globally. The initiatives he took to take his company global were an inspiration for all entrepreneurs and he built the India brand in his own way." "His demise is a deep loss to Indian industry as he was our mentor, guide and lodestone in doing business. I am sure that the ideas that he propounded for good corporate citizenship will stand as a role model and paradigm for the industry to continue to follow in his steps," Narendran said. (ANI) As superstar Shah Rukh Khan has remained low-key for some time now, his kids Aryan Khan and Suhana Khan have stepped in for him to take charge of the Indian Premier League (IPL) mega auction for the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). The pictures of SRK's kids Aryan and Suhana have gone viral on the internet where they can be seen attending the IPL 2022 mega auction in Bengaluru. The official account of KKR has also shared a glimpse of the two preparing for the IPL Auction strategies with Venky Mysore, the CEO of the purple jersey IPL team that is co-owned by SRK's close friend Juhi Chawla. While Aryan had taken up the auction responsibility last year as well along with Juhi's daughter Jhanvi Mehta, this will be a debut for Suhana at the mega auction event. For the unversed, this is the first time Aryan and Suhana have been spotted together publically since the former's arrest in a drugs-on-cruise case last year. Aryan was arrested on October 2 last year following the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) raids in Mumbai. He was granted bail 25 days after his arrest by the Bombay High Court. On the other hand, Suhana recently moved back to Mumbai after pursuing her studies in New York. (ANI) Hollywood actor Channing Tatum has an actor in mind that he thinks would make a great addition to the 'Jump Street' movie cast if they ever decided to do a third one. According to People magazine, recently while talking to a magazine for its latest issue, Tatum told Jonah Hill that Bradd Pitt, one of his costars in 'The Lost City', should be considered for a third 'Jump Street' film. "Brad [Pitt] in this movie is hilarious. If we ever do 'Jump Street 3', we have to, I'm telling you, he's comic gold if you put him with the right character," said Tatum. A guest-starring spot on the original '21 Jump Street' TV series was one of the first roles for Pitt, who will make a cameo in Tatum and Sandra Bullock's upcoming adventure comedy 'The Lost City'. In a newly released pre-Super Bowl TV spot, Pitt's character shows up at the very end in an attempt to save Bullock's character, Loretta. When she asks him why he's so handsome, he says, "My dad was a weatherman." Tatum told Hill that he "was having complete nostalgic FOMO of us on Jump Street" while filming 'The Lost City', which sees Loretta and Tatum's character Alan relying on each other for survival while searching for riches in the wilderness. "I would say the f-----g tone of this movie is so crazy. I am so bonkers. I might be crazier in this movie than I actually am in Jump Street, which is really hard to do," he said. The actor called 'The Lost City' "such a feel-good movie," giving major praise to Bullock, "I don't care if it was the phone book with Sandra Bullock, I'm doing it just because she's the G of Gs." Another actor he admires greatly who stars in the film is Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the villain. "I'll tell you who's probably my favourite actor now ... Daniel Radcliffe," Tatum said. "He's awesome," Hill agreed. "God, I think I always get put under the spell of a British person talking. He is so much fun as this crazy, odd villain, and you kind of fall in love with him a little bit," Tatum added, as per People magazine. (ANI) Kanye West and Julia Fox may be having trouble keeping their long-distance relationship alive. A source told People Magazine that the pair's relationship, which began after they met in Miami on New Year's Eve, has been difficult to maintain cross-country. "Kanye and Julia both have separate busy lives. Julia lives in New York City and Kanye has been in Los Angeles. The distance makes it hard," the insider said. "They are still in touch and will see each other when they can. Kanye really likes her. It's fair to say that they have cooled off a bit, though." Things between the rapper, 44, and the 'Uncut Gems' actor, 32, moved quickly after they first met, and by January 6, they'd confirmed their budding romance with PDA-heavy photos. West and Fox made their red carpet debut as a couple on January 23 at Paris Men's Fashion Week, and he later helped the actor celebrate her 32nd birthday on February 2, arranging for an "extravagant" celebration at Lucien in New York City. Though West was recently photographed having dinner with model Chaney Jones in Malibu, Fox had praised their relationship as recently as Wednesday, when she said they'd been having "a lot" of "'us' and 'we' conversations." "He wants me to be the best version of myself. That is always the conversation. Always," she said on the 'Call Her Dadd' podcast. "Like how am I gonna live up to my full potential, which I think is amazing." Fox, who shares 1-year-old son Valentino with ex-husband Peter Artemiev, also appeared to shut down rumours that she and West were on the rocks after Instagram users noticed she'd unfollowed Kardashian fan accounts and deleted photos of herself with the rapper from her page. "Guys, relax," she said in a video on her Instagram Story on Sunday. "I unfollowed the fan accounts because I was tired of seeing myself, okay? Suddenly Instagram was not a fun place anymore. And I took the f--ing photos down because I read the comments and everyone was like, 'Oh my God, you clearly only posted photos where you looked good in...." West split from wife Kim Kardashian in February 2021 after nearly seven years of marriage, and though she's been dating comedian Pete Davidson since October, a source previously told People Magazine that West is still hoping to win her back, despite his relationship with Fox. "He's still telling people that he wants to have Kim Kardashian, who filed for divorce last year, back and he is willing to make appropriate changes to do so," the insider said. (ANI) Hollywood star Jennifer Aniston has never been one to shy away from discussing her true feelings about her iconic 'The Rachel' haircut from 'Friends'. According to People magazine, during the most recent episode of 'Pop Cultured', the hairstyle that Aniston wore on the beloved television comedy series was delved at in great detail, featuring quotes from Aniston over the years highlighting her true feelings about the look. After going through the history of 'The Rachel', and how it was a pop culture phenomenon that was loved by women across the globe in the 1990s, host Janine Rubenstein pointed out that Aniston has said on numerous occasions that she hated the hair her 'Friends' character Rachel Green is known for. Back in 2011, Aniston said in an interview that despite her love and longstanding relationship with her hairstylist Chris McMillan, he was "the bane of my existence because he started that damn Rachel, which was not my best look." At the time, Aniston added, "'How do I say this? I think it was the ugliest haircut I've ever seen.'" Hall also singled out a speech Aniston gave in 2018 when McMillan won InStyle's Hairstylist of the Year award. There, the actor reflected on the hairstyle and how difficult it was to maintain. Aniston expressed similar sentiments when speaking with a magazine in 2013, telling the outlet then that "'The Rachel' was ... horrible and ... high maintenance." She further explained the look "took three brushes" and was "like doing surgery," adding, "I'd curse Chris every time I had to blow-dry." Aniston starred as Rachel Green on 'Friends' for 10 seasons, which aired on NBC between 1994 and 2004. For her efforts on the sitcom, she earned an Emmy Award in 2002 for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series and a Golden Globe in 2003 for best television actress in a musical/comedy series, as per People magazine. (ANI) Research led by University of Arizona has found a brain region and neural circuitry that mediate satiation, which could help researchers better target drugs to treat eating disorders or weight management. The study was published in the journal Molecular Metabolism. There are currently six Food and Drug Administration-approved medications for weight management, but they often come with side effects. "When we can more precisely target the part of the brain responsible for feelings of satiation, then we can create treatments with fewer side effects," said lead study author Haijiang Cai, an associate professor in the Department of Neuroscience. Previous research has mapped the circuits for satiation to the brain's central amygdala, which also controls fear, pain and other strong emotions. But the complexity of the neurons in this part of the brain has made it difficult for scientists to map where the signal goes next. Cai and his team found that after the amygdala, the signal heads to neurons located in a brain region called the parasubthalamic nucleus, or PSTh, responsible for the feeling of satiation. Here's how they did it: First, they knew that the hormone cholecystokinin, or CCK, is secreted by the gut to tell the brain "I'm full" after a meal. They also knew that specific neurons in the amygdala, called PKC-delta neurons, mediate the satiation effect of CCK by turning off other central amygdala inhibitory neurons. The researchers reasoned that the neurons downstream of the central amygdala should be turned on by PCK-delta neurons while also being turned on by CCK, Cai said. In mouse models, the researchers determined that the neurons activated by CCK and PKC-delta neurons were located in the parasubthalamic nucleus. The PSTh region of the brain was first discovered by Chinese scientists in the 1990s and was introduced in English-language scientific literature in 2004, but its function was unknown. "We found the neurons in this region are required for the CCK satiation to suppress feeding," Cai said. "We know this because if we silence these neurons and the subject keeps eating, then CCK does not have any effect. But if we also directly activated these neurons and the subject stops eating, then it suggests these neurons play a very important role in regulated satiation." Feeling satiated is so important that Cai doubts it is mediated by a single brain region; it is more likely multiple brain regions working together. He stressed that the PSTh is likely just one piece in a larger puzzle that controls the feeling of satiation. Cai began studying the neurocircuitry of eating because he was interested in the role emotions play in our eating habits. "We know that eating and emotions are different behaviours, but they interact closely with each other," he said. "Some people eat when stressed, while others eat less. Some people with an eating disorder or obesity have abnormal eating behaviour, but they also have emotional problems. So, we hope to identify the neural mechanisms that control eating and control emotion and how they interact with each other. This knowledge can help us develop more specific treatments." (ANI) Flash Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Friday that Iran never pins its hopes on the Vienna talks aimed at reviving the 2015 nuclear agreement, noting its reliance on its people and domestic potentials. "Counting on foreigners to do something for us has caused problems. With the efforts of our people and the service of government, great steps will be taken toward economic independence," Raisi said in a televised speech commemorating the 43rd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in the capital Tehran. "Looking to the West has made the country unbalanced," he said, adding his administration is seeking a "balanced" policy in its foreign relations and "must pay attention to all countries, especially our neighbors." 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 Washington from the deal unilaterally in 2018 and reinstated sanctions against Iran, which retaliated by dropping some of its commitments. Since April 2021, several rounds of talks have been held in Austria's capital Vienna between Iran and remaining parties to the deal, with the United States indirectly involved, in a bid to restore the landmark nuclear deal. A pick-up vehicle with 20 passengers on board overturned near Bharanda BSF camp in Narayanpur injuring 18 people, of which four are in critical condition. The accident took place on Friday night. Bharanda BSF11 battalion personnel rushed the injured people to the district hospital. Narayanpur Collector Rituraj Raghuvanshi visited the injured at the hospital. (ANI) Karnataka's Higher Education Minister Dr CN Ashwatha Narayana on Friday said that it would not be possible to ban the usage of mobile phones in colleges as digital learning has become part and parcel of the study process. Replying to a query by reporters about rumours that usage of mobiles will be banned in schools and colleges, he said, "Nowadays modern gadgets such as mobile, computer, laptop, tab, etc have become an integral part of the teaching-learning process." "When such is the situation, how usage of mobile can be banned?" he asked. "Either students or parents should believe such rumours. The government's aim is to provide quality education to students at all levels using modern gadgets. Accordingly, usage of mobiles in institutions will be continued", Narayana emphasized. (ANI) The State government also allowed gyms, swimming pools, restaurants, offices to function as earlier keeping in place all the COVID-19 guidelines, as per an official order. "Schools will reopen for classes Nursery to 8 from February 14 with the strict following of COVID protocols till further orders. Gyms, swimming pools, restaurants, hotels, and cinema halls will operate as earlier while water parks will remain shut," the order read. According to the Uttar Pradesh government order, a COVID-19 help desk will be placed at all the places to ensure the wearing of masks, social distancing, sanitisation, and other protocols need to be followed. Meanwhile, schools for classes 9 to 12 and all degree colleges had already been resumed from February 7 in the state. Uttar Pradesh has reported a total of 18,016 COVID-19 active cases at present, as per Union Health Ministry data. (ANI) The police also seized about 410 quintals of PDS rice worth about 10 lakh along with six vehicles. Acting on a tip-off, the sleuths of Commissioner's Task Force (North Zone) team along with Tukaramgate police and Civil Supplies Department officials conducted simultaneous raids at three places which are Rio Point Hotel, a godown at Pashamailaram, BDL Bhanoor in Sangareddy and Mahalaxmi rice mill, Ramaram, Raipole in Siddipet Commissionerate, and apprehended them and seized about PDS rice. "The accused are illegally purchasing PDS rice from beneficiaries in Tukaramgate area and other areas in the city at a low price and transporting it to Gujarat to make a quick buck," Venkateshwarlu said. (ANI) "Double engine government provided free ration, vaccines to people. Our government launched several other schemes for people of different sectors and gave direct benefits to people," he said during a poll campaign in Bazpur, Udhampur Singh Nagar. "People have made their mind to make Bharatiya Janata Party win with full majority. Under our manifesto, we have promised to give 50,000 government jobs to the youth, three LPG cylinders to the poor every year in BJP is voted to power in the hill state," he added. "BJP's manifesto also promises that pregnant women living in hilly areas who can't work and earn their livelihood will be given Rs 40,000 and senior citizens' pensions will be increased to Rs 3,600," he stated. "We have decided that both Centre and state will provide Rs 6,000 each towards Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme that will extend a benefit of Rs 12,000 fund transfer to every farmer's bank account," he further stated. Dhami will contest the upcoming assembly elections from Khatima. Uttarakhand will vote on February 14 for the 70-member assembly, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party currently has 57 MLAs at present. (ANI) "With the administration of more than 46.82 lakh (46,82,662) vaccine doses in the last 24 hours, India's COVID-19 vaccination coverage has exceeded 172.29 Cr (1,72,29,47,688) as per provisional reports till 7 am today," the ministry said in a press release. Of these, a total of 1,03,99,129 first doses of COVID vaccine have been administered to healthcare workers, 99,25,930 second doses and 38,43,355 precaution doses, the ministry said. "As many as 5,16,76,693 first doses and 1,34,05,389 second doses of COVID vaccine have been administered to children between 15 - 18 years of age group," it added. According to the release, this has been achieved through 1,92,76,398 sessions. Meanwhile, India logged 50,407 fresh COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the active caseload to 6,10,443 in the country. The daily positivity rate in India has been recorded at 3.48 per cent and the weekly positivity rate at 5.07 per cent. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 97.37 per cent while the case fatality rate was recorded at 1.19 per cent. (ANI) The Supreme Court has asked the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw the recovery notices issued to the alleged anti-CAA protesters in December 2019 while observing that the proceedings were contrary to the law laid down by it. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant gave the final opportunity to the State to withdraw the recovery notices saying otherwise it will quash the proceedings for being in violation of the law. "Withdraw the proceedings or we will quash it for being in violation of the law laid down by this court," the bench told the counsel appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government. During the hearing, the bench observed that the Uttar Pradesh government has acted like a "complainant, adjudicator and prosecutor" by itself in conducting the proceedings to attach the properties of the accused. The apex court was hearing a plea seeking quashing of the recovery notices issued by the Uttar Pradesh administration to recover the damage caused to public properties in connection with protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the state. The petition was filed by advocate Parvez Arif Titu who sought direction for setting up an independent judicial enquiry to probe into the incidents that occurred during the protests against the CAA-NRC in Uttar Pradesh. Appearing for Uttar Pradesh, Additional Advocate General Garima Prashad apprised the top court that 106 FIRs were registered against 833 rioters in the State and 274 recovery notices were issued against them. She added that out of the 274 notices, recovery orders were passed in 236 while 38 cases were closed. Prashad had also revealed that these orders were passed by Additional District Magistrates. She also said that under the new law notified in 2020, claim tribunals have been constituted which is being headed by retired district judges, and earlier it was headed by Additional District Magistrates (ADMs). To this, the bench said that the Supreme Court has passed two judgements in 2009 and 2018, which said that judicial officers should be appointed in claim tribunals but instead State appointed ADMs. Earlier, the Uttar Pradesh government had told the apex court that property damage claims tribunals have been set up to adjudicate the claims of private individuals and government authorities for compensation for the destruction of property during anti-CAA protests and riots in the state. The tribunals were constituted under the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damage to Public and Private Property Law, 2020. Last year, the apex court had asked the State government not to take action on earlier notices sent to the alleged protestors by the district administration for recovering losses caused by damage to public property during the anti-CAA agitations in the state. The plea stated that the Uttar Pradesh government has appointed an additional district magistrate to deal with the process of notices for recovering damages for loss of public property during protests against the CAA whereas the guidelines laid down by the top court stipulated that retired judges should deal with the matter. The petition further submitted that notices have been sent in Uttar Pradesh in an "arbitrary manner" against a person, who had died six years ago at the age of 94. The notices were issued to two others who are aged above 90, the plea claimed. Seeking a stay on notices, the petition stated that notices have been sent to persons who have not been booked under any penal provisions and no details of FIR or any criminal offences have been made out against them. It was contended that recovery notices were based on an Allahabad High Court judgement passed in 2010 which is in "violation of the guidelines" passed by the Supreme Court in a 2009 judgment which was later re-affirmed in a 2018 verdict. The plea, filed through advocate Nilofar Khan, stated, "The contradiction is that while the Supreme Court in 2009 put the onus of assessment of damages and recovery from the accused on High Courts of every state, whereas the Allahabad High Court had issued guidelines in 2010 judgement that let the state government to undertake these processes to recover damages, which has serious implications". The petition also sought direction from the Uttar Pradesh government to follow the procedure as per the 2009 and 2018 guidelines of the top court while claiming damages to recover the losses caused to public property during such protests. 925 persons, who have been arrested so far in connection with the violent protests, may not get bail easily in Uttar Pradesh till they pay up for the losses as they have to be given conditional bail only after they deposit the amount, the petitioner had added. (ANI) "There was no required change in the FIR after 24 hours, so an inspector in charge was suspended by SP. Another accused, Suraj, has been arrested. Post Mortem report is yet to be received and investigation is still underway," Singh said. A probe was initiated to look into allegations of negligence by police personnel after the body of a girl from Unnao, who was missing for over two months, was found in a septic tank at a vacant plot here owned by a late former minister's son Rajol Singh on Thursday, the District Magistrate informed. Last month, the deceased girl's mother Rita Devi alleged that Rajol Singh, (son of late ex-minister Fateh Bahadur Singh) forcefully took her daughter. Late former minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Fateh Bahadur Singh's son Rajol Singh has been accused of murdering and kidnapping the 22-year-old girl by the family of the victim. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded answers from police for allegedly delaying the investigation in the case. "The person whom they are saying belongs to SP has died 4 years ago. Police should answer why they took so many days to act on the matter. We are with the victim's family and their demands should be fulfilled," Akhilesh Yadav said. (ANI) The musical play on the life of Dr. BR Ambedkar will now be held from February 25 to March 12, 2022, at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi, informed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday. The Chief Minister announced that the tickets for the general public will be free. There will be two shows per day. i.e. at 4 pm and 7 pm, he added. "The musical play on the life of BR Ambedkar will now be held from February 25 to March 12 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, two shows per day at 4 pm and 7 pm," Kejriwal said while addressing a press conference. "Tickets for the show will be free. As we have limited seats, advance bookings will have to be done," he added. Earlier on December 26, the Delhi government has postponed the event on the life of Dr. BR Ambedkar scheduled on January 5 till an undefined date, in wake of the COVID-19 crisis. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on December 23 announced that the Delhi government is organizing a musical play on the life of BR Ambedkar on the occasion of Mahaparinirvan Diwas. It will be held from January 5. "The Delhi government is organizing a musical play on the life of BR Ambedkar. It will be held from January 5, two shows per day at 5 PM and 8 PM, a total of 50 shows. Tickets for the show will be free. As we have limited seats, bookings will have to be done online," Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister had said on December 23. (ANI) The President's Fleet review will witness the participation of more than 60 ships, submarines and more than 50 aircraft. As part of this ceremonial event, all participating units including Indian Naval warships, submarines, auxiliary vessels as also assets of other maritime organisations such as Coast Guard, Shipping Corporation of India, and National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), will be anchored in a formation of four precise columns. Following this, each ship would render a salute to the Supreme Commander as the Yacht sails past and Indian Naval aircraft would simultaneously fly overhead the formation rendering their salute. The year 2022 is the 75th year of Independence, invites have been extended to resident Defence Attaches of all Friendly Foreign Countries for PFR 22, the Indian Navy said. A Fleet Review is usually conducted once during the tenure of the President. Post-Independence to date, a total of 11 Presidential Fleet Reviews (PFRs) have been conducted by the Indian Navy, of which two have been International Fleet Reviews (IFRs; 2001 and 2016). Historically, a Fleet Review is an assembly of ships at a pre-designated place for the purpose of displaying loyalty and allegiance to the Sovereign and the State. (ANI) Chinese mainland reports 40 new local COVID-19 cases Xinhua) 10:14, February 12, 2022 BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese mainland on Friday reported 40 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases, the National Health Commission said on Saturday. Of the new local infections, 30 were reported in Guangxi and the rest reported in Liaoning, the commission said in its daily report. Friday also saw nine provincial-level regions reporting 59 imported COVID-19 cases, said the commission. One suspected case arriving from outside the mainland was reported in Shanghai. No deaths from COVID-19 were reported on the day, it added. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) Flash The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) supports the China-proposed Global Development Initiative (GDI) and is willing to deepen cooperation with China on the initiative, UNIDO director-general Gerd Muller has said. Muller made the remarks when meeting with Wang Qun, the Chinese envoy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, on Wednesday. The GDI, proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, is an initiative to support the development of developing countries, promote global economic recovery in the post-pandemic era and strengthen international development cooperation. Muller said the GDI is in line with UNIDO's mission to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development for its members. Citing China's tremendous changes over the past 40 years as well as the country's achievement in poverty alleviation and job creation, Muller said UNIDO members, especially developing countries, can learn from China's development experience. Wang said at the meeting that China, as the largest contributor to UNIDO, has maintained sound cooperation with the organization over the years and is willing to conduct all-around cooperation with the organization on advancing and delivering on the GDI. "Chinar warriors along with Civil Helicopter Services and Block Medical Office, Dawar, evacuated Fazali Begum, from Baraub and carried her on stretcher for 1.5 km in snow till helipad. She was further shifted to Bandipora District Hospital," tweeted Chinar Corps. Meanwhile, Srinagar reported minus 3-degree Celsius minimum temperature on Saturday while Pahalgam reported as low as minus 8.1-degree Celsius minimum temperature, as per the India Meteorological Department. (ANI) The Chakma Development Foundation of India (CDFI) has filed a complaint seeking the intervention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) allegedly against false prosecution of the Chakma human rights defenders/community rights. According to the complainant, several Chakma defenders namely Kantimoni Chakma, Shanti Mohan Chakma, Sukra Chakma, Sunil Chakma, Sumar Jeevan Chakma, and Himanta Chakma of Dharmapur Village under Miao Circle, Changlang district, Arunachal Pradesh have been booked by the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) order dated 10th February 2022 under Section 188 CrPC with respect to alleged violation of Section 144 CrPC. On February 10, 2022, a complaint was filed by villagers of Neotan against the alleged removal of boundary pillars purportedly by these Chakma community rights activists. In its complaint to the NHRC, the CDFI stated, on February 8, 2022, an Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) told a media house that he had admittedly not gone to erect the pillars. If the pillars were not erected, the question of removal does not arise. According to the petition, the complaint was filed against one "Sri Shantimoi Chakma, Headman, Dharmapur II" by some people from nearby Neotan village but there is no person by the name "Sri Shantimoi Chakma" as Headman of Dharmapur II. Instead of identifying the real accused, the ADC initiated proceedings against a new person i.e. "Shri Shanti Moni Chakma, Headman, Dharmapur-II village" and started acting as the complaint, judge, and jury. The plea also stated that there is also no specific averment in the complaint dated February 10, 2022, that the alleged pillars were purportedly removed after the imposition of the Section 144 CrPC on February 9, 2022. Without conducting any inquiry as to whether the alleged offense was committed after the imposition of Section 144 CrPC, the ADC issued the proceedings under Section 188 CrPC which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and prohibited under law. "The Chakmas and neighboring communities have been living peacefully for the last five decades peacefully and the Buri Dihing River was the recognized natural boundary between Dharmapur in the North and neighbouring Neoton village in the South," stated Suhas Chakma, founder of the CDFI "However, a problem started in November 2021 when the Chakma villagers of Dharmapur allegedly stopped one of the leaders of Neoton village, from illegally quarrying of boulders/stones from the new canal situated inside Dharmapur village for commercial supply to an illegal stone boulder/crusher nearby. The ADC instead of inquiring into the illegal quarrying sought to draw illegal and arbitrary boundary pillars between the two villages." - he added. "The CDFI requested the NHRC to direct the State Government of Arunachal Pradesh and the Additional Deputy Commissioner, Miao to stop harassment of the Chakma community human rights defenders, ensure respect for the Supreme Court judgment National Human Rights Commission Vs State of Arunachal Pradesh and Anr of 9 January 1996 in letter and spirit, initiate the Contempt of Court proceedings against ADC for indirectly violating and scandalizing the Supreme Court judgment in National Human Rights Commission Vs State of Arunachal Pradesh and Anr of 9 January 1996; and direct the Director-General of Investigation of the NHRC to conduct an inquiry into illegal commercial quarrying from Buri Dihing river under Miao circle, Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh," stated Chakma. (ANI) Defence Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajnath Singh on Saturday said India has been standing tall before the world ever since the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government came to power at the Centre. While addressing a public rally in Kapkot, the union minister said, "Ever since the BJP government came to power, under Prime Minister's leadership, India has been standing tall before the world. Earlier, when India spoke on global platforms, the world did not listen carefully. Today, when India speaks on global platforms, the whole world pays attention." He also hit out at the Congress for scrapping the special status accorded to Uttarakhand by later prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Singh said, "Atal Bihari Vajpayee accorded special status to Uttarakhand. But when Congress came to power in state and Centre, it stripped the state of the special status. When Prime Minister Modi came to power, he reinstated the status." "Congress should be questioned why did they scrap the special status accorded to Uttarakhand by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. What was its crime? Still, people of the state showed large-heartedness and formed Congress government in the state from time to time," he further said. The Uttarakhand Assembly elections will be held in a single phase on February 14. The votes will be counted on March 10. (ANI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday alleged that Congress has always opposed the construction of the Ram Mandir and said that there is a competition within the Congress to insult "Hindu". "There's a competition in Congress to insult 'Hindu'. People who don't know if they are Hindu or not are now defining the meaning of it. Swami Vivekanand said, feel proud to call yourself Hindu. 'Hindu' isn't a communal word, it's our cultural identity, Adityanath said while addressing a rally in Uttarakhand. He further alleged that Congress could have done the construction of the Ram Mandir in 1947 but this was never on their agenda. While addressing the rally at Tehri, Uttarakhand conducted for upcoming assembly elections, he said, "Congress could have done the construction of the Ram Mandir in 1947 but this was never on their agenda. Congress party is a living example of insult of faith in India. They have always done the work of opposing the construction of the Ram Mandir." Talking about the safety and security situation in Uttar Pradesh, he said that Uttar Pradesh is the safest state in the country today and he wants to make Uttarkhand as safe as Uttar Pradesh. "I fear, the criminals and goons will enter Uttarakhand. We have to make Uttarakhand as safe as UP. BJP does not compromise when it comes to the safety and security of the country," he added. Furthering his attack on Congress, he said, " I have seen the manifesto of Congress, they want to make a Muslim University in the state." Talking about Uttarkhand he said, "Uttarakhand government has always worked for the tourism and I believe there is huge employment due to the rich culture and heritage of this state." The polling for Uttarakhand Assembly Election will take place in a single phase on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) "Kartarpur corridor was possible because of our PM. He spent Rs 120 cr on its construction to make sure that the devotes can visit the gurdwara to offer prayer," said Nadda in a public meeting in Punjab's Balachaur. He further claimed that no one has worked for the development of Sikhs and farmers as much as PM Modi did. "Previous government taxed 'langar' in gurudwara. PM Modi did the work of making 'langar' tax-free in India," he added. The Kartarpur Corridor, which links Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan, the final resting place of Sikhism founder Guru Nanak Dev, to Dera Baba Nanak shrine in Gurdaspur district, reopened on Wednesday. It was closed in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The visa-free 4.7-kilometre long corridor joins the Indian border to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan. It became operational in 2019. (ANI) Hours after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday promised to introduce Uniform Civil Code in the state if BJP comes to power again, opposition parties slammed his statement. All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), Congress, and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) slammed the chief minister over the announcement of implementing UCC stating the decision is being taken ahead of Uttarakhand Assembly elections while Bharatiya Janata Party and BJP Yuva Morcha lauded Dhami for this initiative. Speaking to ANI, Asaduddin Owaisi, AIMIM chief said, "CM should understand the fact the uniform does not mean common dress. Babasaheb ji also used to say that it should be voluntary, not mandatory. We believe in Unity in diversity." Owaisi also clarified that there is 'One Nation' but there are 'many cultures' and people have the right to preserve their culture according to article 29. "Dhami has taken the decision because he knows BJP will lose the assembly polls in Uttarakhand this time. I would like to ask him what he has done for the development of state," the AIMIM chief added. RJD leader Manoj Jha also launched a scathing attack at Dhami over his announcement on UCC and said that this idea has come to him just ahead of elections in Uttarakhand. "This idea is coming to him at the time of the election. But he never talks about job opportunities and other issues of the state. BJP find it difficult to speak about these issues," RJD leader said. Congress leader Jaiveer Singh Gill took a jibe at Uttarakhand CM and called his promise to introduce UCC another "political jumla" ahead of state assembly polls. "Uttarakhand CM Dhami is launching one political jumla after another. He should be worried about how will he pass the time after the BJP will lose the polls and Congress will come to power in Uttarakhand. They take decisions on their own, common people do not trust them," Gill told ANI. Meanwhile, BJP and BJP Yuva Morcha appreciated the Uttarakhand Chief Minister for ensuring implementation of UCC in the state if the party retains power in assembly polls. "Uttarakhand has a unique culture and it possesses a civilisation history, so introducing Uniform Civil Code will help in strengthening the culture of the state. It is even our constitutional duty," said Tejasvi Surya, BJP Yuva Morcha National President. Lauding Dhami on the decision, BJP leader Prem Shukla also affirmed that implementing UCC was one of the promises the party had made earlier. "BJP had made many promises including building Ram Mandir, abolishing article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and introducing UCC was amongst the one. So we are just fulfilling our promise," Shukla added. Earlier today, Dhami said in a press conference in Khatima, where he was campaigning, that soon after the swearing-in ceremony, the BJP government will form a panel that will prepare a draft of the Uniform Civil Code for the state. "Implementing Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand at the earliest will boost equal rights for everyone in the state. It will enhance social harmony, boost gender justice, strengthen women empowerment and help protect the extraordinary cultural-spiritual identity and environment of the state," the chief minister said. (ANI) In a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said the identity of the Wayanad MP is 'doubtful' as "his great-grandfather used to call himself an accidental Hindu". Addressing an election rally in Kotdwar, Chief Minister Yogi said, "The person whose identity is doubtful now giving a definition of Hinduism. I was surprised that Rahul Gandhi gave the definition of Hinduism. He should be told that his great-grandfather called himself an 'accidental Hindu'. It does not suit someone, whose ancestors were not proud of being Hindus, to tell us its definition. Do not allow them to create the identity crisis of Uttarakhand that they had created for themselves." "Hindu is not a communal word. 'Hindu' is our cultural identity. If someone does not know the definition of 'Hindu' in Devbhoomi, then that party should not have the right to come to power," he said. Hurling personal attacks on the Gandhi family, Yogi Adityanath said the Congress party is finished and whatever remains are there would be ruined by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. "Uttar Pradesh sent four members of the (Gandhi) family to the parliament. But when the siblings go to Kerala, they criticize Uttar Pradesh and look down on the people of the state. When they go abroad, they raise their fingers at India. They do not believe in the people of India," said Chief Minister Yogi. He further added, "The Congress is completely submerged, wherever there is little existence, both 'brother and sister' are enough to push it down. So it should be left to its fate." Earlier on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid his visit to Siddhpeeth Shri Siddhbali Dham in Kotdwar. The polling for Uttarakhand Assembly Election will take place in a single phase on February 14. The counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) Hitting out at the previous Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh under Digvijaya Singh, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said that the Congress destroyed the state and never thought about the farmers. Announcing that over Rs 10,000 cr will be given to the farmers by BJP, Chouhan said that the party will change the fate of the state's farmers. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday hit out at the former Chief Minister and Congress leader Digvijaya Singh saying that the Congress and Singh destroyed the state and never thought about the farmers. Addressing a public meeting here today, Chouhan said, "Congress party and former CM Digvijaya Singh have done the work of destroying Madhya Pradesh. Over Rs 10,000 cr will be given to the farmers by BJP. I ask them (Sonia and Rahul Gandhi), why they never thought about farmers." According to CM Chouhan BJP would change the fate of farmers in Madhya Pradesh. "Before making promises to people during elections, the Congress party should think about the work they are doing in their states like Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. BJP will change the fate of farmers in Madhya Pradesh, "Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan distributed crop damage claim amount to the farmers of the state under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana at Madhya Pradesh's Betul on Saturday. The CM said that a total of Rs 7618 crores was disbursed among 49 lakh state farmers who claimed the crop damage amount in 2020 and 2021. He transferred the crop damage amount to the account of the farmers with a single click. Speaking on CM Rise School in the state, the Madhya Pradesh CM said, "Children, my government is committed to working for your bright future. The CM Rise Schools are being opened on the lines of private schools for the children who belong to poor families of the state." (ANI) The Delhi High Court has refused to pass an order against a retired cop in his 80s over a property dispute. His son had challenged an eviction order passed by the District Magistrate in favour of the cop. Even the appellate authority had also upheld the order. Justice V Kameswar Rao in a recent order observed, ''Given the purpose of the enactment, under which the authorities have exercised their jurisdiction and the fact that the respondent is 80 years of age with no place to live, I do not see that the orders fall for consideration, calls for any interference. The writ petition is dismissed." The bench also observed, "Though a submission has been made that the property being in the name of the petitioner, the respondent has no right on the property. I say nothing on that, as the issue is pending before the Civil Court." The petitioner Suresh Malik has challenged two orders, first being the eviction order dated November 30, 2018, passed by the District Magistrate under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizen Act, 2007. Secondly, the order directing the SHO to take necessary action with regard to the unauthorised use of weapons being in the possession of the petitioner. The Counsel for the petitioner submitted that the petitioner was not served with a notice in respect of the proceedings initiated by the District Magistrate and decided the case against the petitioner without hearing him. The High Court in a recent order said that it is clear from the finding of the District Magistrate that the notice was issued to the petitioner. Despite service, he was absent in the proceedings. The Court said that the facts, as noted from the record are, the father of the petitioner, the respondent, is a Senior Citizen of 80 years having retired from Delhi Police. He was a member of the Delhi Police Officers Housing Society and a flat at Vijeta Vihar, Rohini, Delhi was allotted. The said flat was purchased by the respondent from his own money. A conveyance deed was executed in favour of the respondent on September 12, 2006. It was alleged by the respondent Ram Kishan Malik that his son fraudulently got executed from him a sale deed of the aforesaid flat on November 21, 2009. He had not sold the said property to his son, though his son allegedly showed a sale transaction of Rs 11,07,400 through a cheque. It was also alleged that his son was harassing and misbehaving with him. He also mentioned that a revolver was given to the respondent by the Ministry of Home Affairs as a reward. He said that he had given the said weapon for renewal, but after the renewal, his son refused to return it to his father. (ANI) During the month of Magh, lakhs of people visit Prayagraj to take at the Sangam- the sacred confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. This is also th time that thousands of Siberian birds flocked to the area. "We are feeding these birds while taking a boat ride and watching them fly past us. It is a wonderful experience especially in the evening before the sunsets", a tourist told ANI. "The number of birds is increasing every year, as the food is abundant here", said a priest. Watching Siberian birds while taking the holy dip is pleasing for the people and hence more and more people are visiting the pilgrimage place. These birds migrate from Siberia to the wetlands in India during the winter season every year as temperatures fall up north in Siberia. After spending the winter months in India the birds later flock back to their home grounds. (ANI) Flash Ontario Premier Doug Ford declared a state of emergency in the largest province of Canada on Friday to end what he called truckers' "illegal occupation" of Ottawa -- an Ontario city and the Canadian capital -- and their blockade of the Canada-U.S. border. Ford said that he would "urgently enact orders that will make crystal clear it is illegal and punishable to block and impede the movement of goods, people and services along critical infrastructure," including international border crossings, major highways, airports, ports, bridges and railways. Thousands of Canadian truckers and their supporters descended on Ottawa in late January to oppose the Canadian government's vaccine requirement for truckers crossing the border into the United States, which has the same policy. Hundreds of protesters have remained in the capital, and have no intention to leave until the vaccine mandate and other pandemic-related health restrictions are rescinded. The Canadian government does not intend to comply with such a request from the protesters, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference in Ottawa on Friday, noting the protesters need to understand "it's time to go home." He told reporters that police at the federal, provincial and municipal levels will enforce the law. "Everything is on the table because this unlawful activity has to end and it will end," said the prime minister. "Of course, I can't say too much more now as to exactly when or how this ends because unfortunately, we are concerned about violence. So we're taking every precaution to keep people safe." Trudeau was asked whether he would call in the army to assist the Ottawa Police Service, which has yet to receive all of the 1,800 additional officers requested from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Ontario Provincial Police. "Using military forces against civilian populations in Canada or in any other democracy is something to avoid having to do at all costs," the prime minister said. On Friday, Trudeau spoke to U.S. President Joe Biden about the truck blockades at three border crossings, including the one at Windsor-Detroit, which the prime minister said has resulted in six automobile-manufacturing plants having to shut down for several days because car parts could not get through the Ambassador Bridge from Detroit to Windsor. On late Friday, an Ontario judge granted an injunction sought by three vehicle manufacturers associations authorizing police to remove any vehicles that block access to the bridge, and arrest anyone who fails to comply with the court order that lasts for 10 days. Taking a jibe at the Samajwadi Party over the perfume trader corruption case in Kannauj, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that unlike the opposition parties, the BJP government in the state is making efforts to take perfumes made in Kannauj to a global platform. Speaking in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh today, the Prime Minister said, "There is also a perfume industry in Kannauj that has become a victim to politics of extreme 'parivaarwaad'. They (Samajwadi Party) have defamed the perfume business here with their corruption, by their exploits. They linked perfume with corruption." "We are working to make this perfume a global brand. We are working to take Kannauj's perfume to the world," the Prime Minister said. Notably, the premises of several perfume traders, including Samajwadi Party MLA Pushpraj Jain in Kannauj, were raided by officers of the Income Tax department in December 2021. The Prime Minister today highlighted that the Government is of the people, by the people, for the people and slammed the Opposition parties for hampering the spirit of democracy. "Government of the people, by the people, for-the-people. The very family-oriented parties of our country have changed this spirit of democracy," said PM Modi today at a gathering in Kannauj. Kannauj is an assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh that will go to polls in phase 3. In 2017, this constituency was won by the Samajwadi Party. The Prime Minister also highlighted that the Bharatiya Janata Party is a party that works for the welfare of the poor. "We were concerned about those who either don't have land, or have a negligible plots of land. We were concerned about those sisters for whom animal husbandry is a means of self-reliance, self-respect. Uttar Pradesh has topped the states in providing houses to the poor, because there is a double engine government here. Poor sisters should get free gas connections because there is double engine government here. Lakhs of farmer families got the benefit of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi because there is double engine government here." "A huge chunk of society is involved in animal husbandry activities. We were concerned about their prosperity, their dignity," he added. Polling was conducted in Uttar Pradesh on February 10 for the first phase of the assembly elections. The next phase polling will take place on February 14, followed by February 20, 23, 27, March 3 and 7, for the other five phases. (ANI) The former chairman of Bajaj group passed away at the age of 83 on Saturday. Taking to Twitter, Rashtrapati Bhavan said, "Saddened to learn of Shri Rahul Bajaj's demise. A doyen of Indian industry, he was passionate about its priorities. His career reflected the rise and innate strength of the nation's corporate sector. His death leaves a void in the world of industry. My condolences to his family." Bajaj breathed his last at Ruby Hall Hospital in Pune. "Industrialist Rahul Bajaj passed away at Ruby Hall Clinic, Pune at 2:30 pm today. He was under treatment for cardiac and lung-related problems for the last one month. His funeral will be held tomorrow," Dr. Parvez Grant, Chairman, Ruby Hall Clinic told ANI. Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that Rahul Bajaj's funeral will be held on Sunday with full state honours. (ANI) Andhra Pradesh police on Saturday said that it has destroyed more than two lakh kilograms of cannabis worth Rs 850 crore at the Koduru village near Anakapalli in the Visakhapatnam district under Operation Parivartana. DGP Goutham Sawang said, "More than 2 lakh kgs of ganja were seized by the police and ACB in the last one and a half years in Andhra Pradesh. There has been a crackdown on ganja trade, network and smuggling in the state which is going on in the state for several decades." Operation Parivartana, launched on October 31 last year, is aimed at curbing the supply side of the ganja menace in the state, said the DGP. This operation was led by the Andhra Pradesh Police, in collaboration with the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) to tackle the AOB (Andhra-Odisha Border) Agency region in Visakhapatnam. "There is a network of drug mafias operating in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh Telangana, and Odisha. The ganja is transported across the country from there", said Sawang. "From November 2021 to February 2022, the Andhra Pradesh Police have deforested cannabis plants spread across 7,552 acres", stated the Andhra Pradesh police. Around 2 lakh kilograms of processed cannabis was seized while it was being shipped out, post-harvest. These 2 lakh kilograms of cannabis were set on fire in Visakhapatnam, on Saturday", stated the Police. "As ganja cultivation has been happening in ten areas for decades, police also involved revenue, tribal welfare, agricultural, and Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) personnel to rehabilitate persons involved in the trade by giving them alternative livelihood opportunities", said the DGP. The police carried out numerous raids in the areas in and around the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border in Visakhapatnam district, which is infamous for ganja cultivation. Speaking at the press conference during the event, The DGP said, "Today we are witnessing a clandestine event, 2 lakh kgs of seized cannabis is being destroyed. Our government has given a mandate to the SEB to curb cannabis, Operation Parivartana has two parts one is through technology and the other is intensive vigilance, previously 3000 acres were destroyed in 2016-17, now through the use of technology and innovations,7,552 acres were destroyed." The Andhra Pradesh police devised the operation, with a two-pronged strategy. While the primary goal was to find and destroy Marijuana crops, the operation also aimed to educate indigenous communities participating in the production. The operation, which included revenue, tribal welfare, agricultural, and ITDA personnel, aimed to rehabilitate persons involved in the cannabis trade by giving alternative livelihood opportunities. The DGP added "In the last year we have seized more than 3 lakh kilograms of Cannabis. Most of this Cannabis cultivation takes place in the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border, in which most of the cultivation takes place in 29 districts of Orissa and 2 districts of Andhra Pradesh, being 11 Mandals. By Geo-mapping the exit routes of the terrain, we have found out that most of the exit routes are in Andhra Pradesh." The DGP informed that the Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border is a vast area, densely influenced by Naxals and Maoists, who encourage the ganja trade mainly for their revenue. "The Andhra Pradesh-Odisha border is a very vast area, densely influenced by Naxals and Maoists. Due to this, the Andhra Pradesh police and government couldn't access the area. But, since the last year, there has been a focused drive by the Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) and the Police department resulting in today's fruits of labour. Due to the vigilance and monitoring of the exit routes, we have also learned the Cannabis smugglers", said DGP Goutham Sawang. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party National President Jagat Prakash Nadda on Saturday said that the no other party or leader had done the kind of work that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done for the Sikhs. Addressing a gathering in Ropar in the poll-bound state of Punjab, Nadda said, "It is a privilege in itself to come to the brave land of Punjab. My salute to such a land. No one has done the work that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done for Sikhs and for the unity of Sikhs." "Even during the tenure Congress governments, PM Modi has done away with the tax on the langar of Gurudwaras and the Government of India pays Rs 350 crore of GST, IGST annually here. Under the supervision of Centre, the 350th Prakash Parv of Guru Gobind ji was celebrated with great pomp. It did not bother us whose government was formed in Punjab. BJP continued to work for the people here," the BJP chief said. The BJP chief spoke sharply against Congress and blamed them for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. "There were riots in Delhi. The Congress leaders of that time had justified the move. Late Rajiv Gandhi had justified the 1984 riots at that time. For 30 years, the victims of the 1984 riots did not get justice. When you all made PM Modi ji sit in Delhi in 2014, he formed an SIT, and now after 30 years, the culprits of the riots have been punished," Nadda said. Punjab will go to the Assembly polls on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) Following the rising demand for a CBI enquiry into the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) exam paper leak case, former Union minister and BJP leader Rajyavardhan Rathore on Saturday took to a "Gandhian method of protest" and sent a postcard to the Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot demanded a CBI probe into the case. The former minister also appealed to the students and teachers to adhere to the same manner of protest demanding the CBI enquiry. Speaking to ANI, Rathore said, "I want to give this message to Gehlot that you have not done justice. The lakhs of REET aspirants have been deceived not only in this exam but in many exams in the past. Justice is incomplete. The students are demanding a CBI enquiry into the REET case. You call yourself a Gandhian, so I have sent you the postcard in a Gandhian manner and appeal to you to set up an enquiry into the REET matter. This is our way of protesting which adheres to Gandhian manner." "I want to appeal to the students and teachers to register their protest in this manner. We will complement the government for the good work but will protest against wrongdoings. This is my way, I appeal to all of you to write a line in a postcard saying, "Please conduct a CBI enquiry," he added. Raising questions over not handing over the case to the CBI, the former union minister said that it has proved the Chief Minister guilty in the "people's court". "I wonder why does the state government not hand over the matter for investigation to the third party? What is the government trying to hide? Chief Minister, you have been proven guilty in the people's court for what you are trying to hide, so it is better if you order a CBI enquiry immediately," he said. In the backdrop of the Rajasthan Eligibility Examination for Teachers (REET) exam paper leak case, the state government on Monday said that the level 2 of the 2021 exam will be cancelled and will be re-conducted. The paper of the REET exam which was held on September 26, 2021, was leaked two days before the examination. In September 2021, a gang of five people, including a woman, was arrested and a cheating racket was busted by Rajasthan Police who acted after sensing foul play by a candidate who appeared at an Ajmer centre of the REET on September 26 last year. The incident came to light when aspirant, Ganesh Ram Dhaka (28), who had arrived at the Acharya Shri Dharam Sagar Digambar Jain Secondary Medium School Centre in Ajmer was found wearing a Bluetooth-equipped chappal. Rajasthan government had suspended government officers, teachers, education department employees and police personnel suspecting their involvement in cheating in REET 2021. Several people have been arrested by the police so far for their involvement in cheating in the REET exam. (ANI) Bajrang Dal members staged a protest at food joints of KFC, Dominos, Pizza Hut and showrooms of Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Motors in Ahmedabad on Saturday against their alleged social media post supporting 'Kashmir Solidarity Day'. "They should issue an apology saying that Kashmir is an integral part of India, only then we will forgive them," Jvalit Mehta, North Gujarat convener of Bajrang Dal told ANI. Earlier, a Delhi based lawyer filed a complaint against Hyundai India, KIA India, KFC India and Pizza Hut India and request to Minister of Corporate Affairs (MCA) and Delhi Police to de-register these companies and lodge an FIR against the said companies for the alleged offence of challenging the sovereignty of our country. Complainant Lawyer Vineet Jindal states that the said companies have recently posted on their social media account offensive statements and posts challenging the sovereignty of our country. Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor expressed deep regrets over the offence caused to Indians due to an "unauthorized" tweet on Kashmir from the official account of the Pakistan Hyundai. "As a business policy, Hyundai Motor Company does not comment on political or religious issues in any specific region. Therefore, it is clearly against Hyundai Motor's policy that the independently-owned distributor in Pakistan made unauthorized Kashmir-related social media posts from their own accounts," read the statement issued by South Korea's company on February 8. The company further said that "once the situation was brought to our attention, we made the distributor acutely aware of the inappropriateness of the action. We have since taken measures to ensure the distributor, which misused the Hyundai brand identity, has removed the social media posts and we have put in place processes to prevent a future recurrence." Notably. Pakistan has designated February 5 as a national holiday in order to "express solidarity" with the Kashmir separatist movement. Since its launch in 1990, anti-India groups and individuals have used Kashmir Day to convince the people in the union territory and incite violence. (ANI) Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda to sack Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his comments on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning his parentage. Addressing a public event today, Rao said, "PM Modi ji, is this the 'sanskaar' (etiquettes) or our Hindu ritual to question an MP about the identity of his father. This was done by your BJP Chief Minister. My head hangs in shame and my eyes are in tears after I heard this. This is not a good thing for the country." "How can the Chief Minister of Assam talk like this? There is a limit to holding on to patience," he added. Rao's remarks came after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for demanding proof of India's surgical strike in Pakistan in 2016 and airstrike in 2019, and asked whether the BJP had ever demanded proof of him being the "son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi" and added that the Wayanad MP had no right to demand proof from the Army. Addressing a public meeting, Sarma said, "Look at the mentality of these people. General Bipin Rawat was the pride of the country. India conducted the surgical strike in Pakistan under his leadership. Rahul Gandhi demanded proof of the strike. Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?" Hitting out further, the Assam Chief Minister said that once the Army said that the strike was conducted then there is no dispute on its legitimacy. "If our Army said that they conducted the strike in Pakistan, that means they have done it. Where is the dispute in this? Do you not trust General Bipin Rawat? If he said that the Army conducted the strike, that means it's done. Why do you want proof of it? Do not disrespect the soldiers. People die for the country. People do not live for others but for the country," Sarma said while addressing a public meeting in the poll-bound state of Uttarakhand. Notably, the Indian Army had conducted a Surgical strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in September 2016 after 19 of the Indian Army soldiers were killed in the base camp in Uri. The Indian Airforce had carried out an Airstrike in February 2019 following a suicide bomber attack on the convoy of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on February 14. This comment by Telangana Chief Minister holds importance as Telangana is scheduled to go for assembly polls in 2023. (ANI) The stage is set for Assembly elections in Goa and Uttarakhand as campaigning in both the states came to an end on Saturday. Both the states will go to Assembly polls in a single phase on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. Both the states witnessed heated political turbulence as leaders from various political parties pitched in favour of their respective parties to the voters. In Goa which has 40 Assembly seats, the state's election observer and senior Congress leader P Chidambaram addressed a press conference along with AICC Incharge Dinesh Gundu Rao. He highlighted the works carried out by the Congress party for the people of the state and slammed the Opposition parties for hampering the welfare of the people in the state. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar also posted a video message for voters in Goa and lauded the Congress party for their works. Similarly, a press conference was addressed by BJP National General Secretary and Goa Desk Incharge CT Ravi. Several candidates of BJP, Congress and Trinamool Congress along with other political parties posted a video message and highlighted the developmental works carried out by them in the constituencies. Similarly, campaigning came to an end today for the 70 Assembly seats of Uttarakhand going to polls on February 14 with a host of star campaigners, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, holding a series of rallies in support of their party candidates. Electioneering, which drew to a close at 6 pm in accordance with the Election Commission of India's (EC) guidelines, was affected for the most part by COVID-19 restrictions, including a ban on physical rallies, forcing the political parties to resort to virtual rallies and scaled-down door-to-door campaigns. In Uttarakhand, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath's who hails from Uttarakhand addressed a gathering in Tehri Vidhan Sabha. PM Modi also addressed a huge public meeting in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand today. Union Minister Amit Shah addressed in Raipur Vidhan Sabha as well. Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday alleged that the policies are being made just for two industrialists who are friends of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Addressing the 'Uttarakhandi Swabhiman' rally in Khatima, the Congress leader slammed the Central government for making the budget that offers nothing for the poor, farmers, middle class, small and medium businessmen. (ANI) Stepping up his attack on Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said the language of Congress leader is "similar to that of Jinnah before 1947" and he is, "in a way, modern-day Jinnah". Sarma's fresh salvo at Gandhi came a day after he attacked Gandhi at an election rally in Uttarakhand. Sarma had also attacked Gandhi on Thursday over his tweet in which the Congress leader had described India as "union of states" while attacking the BJP government. "It seems for him (Rahul Gandhi), India (is) only from Gujarat to West Bengal. I've been observing what he has been saying in the last 10 days. Once he said India is a union of states. Another time he says India means from Gujarat to Bengal," Biswa told reporters here. "...So, I am saying the ghost of Jinnah has entered into Rahul Gandhi, I said this in Uttrakhand, Rahul Gandhi's language is similar to that of Jinnah before 1947. In a way, Rahul Gandhi is modern-day Jinnah," he added. At an election rally in Uttarakhand on Friday, the BJP leader had alleged that Rahul Gandhi had demanded proof of surgical strikes carried out by the Indian Army against terror launch pads across Line of Control in 2016. "Look at the mentality of these people. General Bipin Rawat was the pride of the country. India conducted the Surgical Strike in Pakistan under his leadership. Rahul Gandhi demanded proof of the strike. Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?" Sarma had said. "If our Army said that they conducted the strike in Pakistan, that means they have done it. Where is the dispute in this? Do you not trust General Bipin Rawat? If he said that the Army conducted the strike, that means it's done. Why do you want proof of it? Do not disrespect the soldiers. People die for the country. People do not live for others but for the country," he added. On Thursday hours after Rahul Gandhi emphasised on India being a "union" of cultures and states, Sarma hit out at him saying "India is far beyond just a union" and asked what was Congress leader's problem with "nation, nationality and nationalism". He accused the Congress leader of having "tukde-tuke" philosophy and said "Bharat cannot be held hostage to it". The BJP leader also took a dig at Gandhi not mentioning the northeast in his tweet and talking of India stretching from Gujarat to West Bengal. "India is far beyond just a union. We are a proud Nation. Bharat cannot be held hostage to your tukde tukde philosophy. What is your problem with Nation, Nationality and Nationalism.? And hello- beyond Bengal, we North east exist," Biswa said in a tweet. In his tweet, Gandhi accused the BJP-led government of "insulting the spirit of India". "There is strength in our Union. Our Union of Cultures. Our Union of Diversity. Our Union of Languages. Our Union of People. Our Union of States. From Kashmir to Kerala. From Gujarat to West Bengal. India is beautiful in all its colours. Don't insult the spirit of India," Gandhi said. (ANI) Hitting back at K Chandrashekar Rao for demanding his resignation over remark against Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the Telangana Chief Minister got agitated by his statement but not by the Wayanad MP's comment on the Army. Sarma said that the mindset of 'Gandhi parivaar is above all' should go away or else it will hamper the spirit of democracy. "I believe that questioning the Army whether they have carried out the surgical strike or not, it the biggest crime. He (Telangana CM KCR) got agitated by my comment on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi but not by Rahul Gandhi's comment on our Army," Sarma said. "The mindset that 'Gandhi parivaar is above all' should leave. Otherwise, it will hamper the spirit of democracy," he added. Earlier, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Saturday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP chief Jagat Prakash Nadda to sack Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for his comments on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi questioning his parentage. Addressing a public event today, Rao said, "PM Modi ji, is this the 'sanskaar' (etiquettes) or our Hindu ritual to question an MP about the identity of his father. This was done by your BJP Chief Minister. My head hangs in shame and my eyes are in tears after I heard this. This is not a good thing for the country." "How can the Chief Minister of Assam talk like this? There is a limit to holding on to patience," he added. Rao's remarks came after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for demanding proof of India's surgical strike in Pakistan in 2016 and airstrike in 2019, and asked whether the BJP had ever demanded proof of him being the "son of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi" and added that the Wayanad MP had no right to demand proof from the Army. Addressing a public meeting, Sarma said, "Look at the mentality of these people. General Bipin Rawat was the pride of the country. India conducted the surgical strike in Pakistan under his leadership. Rahul Gandhi demanded proof of the strike. Did we ever ask you for proof of whether you are Rajiv Gandhi's son or not? What right do you have to demand proof from my Army?" Hitting out further, the Assam Chief Minister said that once the Army said that the strike was conducted then there is no dispute on its legitimacy. "If our Army said that they conducted the strike in Pakistan, that means they have done it. Where is the dispute in this? Do you not trust General Bipin Rawat? If he said that the Army conducted the strike, that means it's done. Why do you want proof of it? Do not disrespect the soldiers. People die for the country. People do not live for others but for the country," Sarma said while addressing a public meeting in the poll-bound state of Uttarakhand. Notably, the Indian Army had conducted a Surgical strike in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in September 2016 after 19 of the Indian Army soldiers were killed in the base camp in Uri. The Indian Air Force had carried out an Airstrike in February 2019 following a suicide bomber attack on the convoy of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on February 14. (ANI) As one of the architects of a modern and global Indian automotive industry and creator of 'Hamara Bajaj' passes into history, rich tributes are flowing in for Rahul Bajaj, Chairman Emeritus at Bajaj Auto who passed away on Saturday in Pune. "Rahul Bajaj was a great industrialist who built an empire on sound principles and left a legacy that makes India proud with presence in several countries," said Kenichi Ayukawa, President of SIAM who is also the MD and CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, while offering condolences on behalf of the entire automobile industry. "As SIAM President, I can recall that during 1976-77, he made an invaluable contribution to the automobile industry. The greatness of his personality lay in his simplicity, accessibility, frank and honest communication just like his visionary entrepreneurship," recalled Ayukawa. Venu Srinivasan, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, described Bajaj as a pioneer who established a culture of quality and technology bringing a combination of high integrity in business and principled stand. "Rahul played a key role in industry bodies around the world like World Economic Forum and CII and was very well respected. He will be sorely missed," said Srinivasan. Aditya Shah, CIO, JST Investments remembered Bajaj as an iconic leader who gave India its own scooter. "He fought through many problems to create a legendary group that is into many businesses. Very few leaders have the capability to do what Rahul Bajaj has done," said Shah. He represents, according to Shah, "what the Bajaj advertisement truly says -- buland bharat ki buland tasveer....hamara bajaj." Shah pointed out that the Bajaj group today is a true sign of the vibrant economy India really is. For industry body, CII, Rahul Bajaj has been like a 'father figure', in the words of Chandrajit Banerjee, Director General, guiding the organization, offering his leadership on all matters and advise on all critical ones as well as helping in taking the most important decisions at the institution. "For him it was always the country first - a principle we applied to all our policy advocacy," said Banerjee, recalling that Bajaj was the only person to be CII's President for two terms in 1979/80 and in 1999/2000. For Sanjiv Mehta, President, FICCI, Rahul Bajaj was the 'outspoken voice for the industry who always spoke fearlessly'. "FICCI is deeply saddened by the passing away of Rahul Bajaj," said Mehta hailing the late businessman's contribution in taking the Indian industry brand to newer heights. "He was also instrumental in projecting the contributions of Indian industry in the multi-lateral forums overseas and duly recognizing his contributions, the Government conferred upon him the Padma Bhushan award," said Mehta. Suhas Rajkumar, CEO of Simple Energy, an electric scooter company agrees that Rahul Bajaj's contribution to the Indian automobile industry cannot be overstated. "He changed the two-wheeler space forever," said Rajkumar. "Rahul Bajaj was a towering leader for Indian industry and his sad demise leaves a huge void in our business ecosystem," commented TV Narendran, President, CII and Managing Director of Tata Steel. Looking back at Bajaj's ideas and philosophies which shaped the contours of Indian businesses especially for the past four decades and his steadfast mentorship through profound changes in the global and Indian economy, Narendran also credited Bajaj with the first codification of corporate governance norms in the country way back in 1998, well before any regulation or law came into being in this important space. "He was a strong and influential proponent for connecting Indian businesses globally and the initiatives he took to make his company global were an inspiration for all entrepreneurs," said the CII president. Pawan Goenka, Past President of SIAM told ANI that with Rahul Bajaj passing away, India has lost a stalwart, an icon, a fearless leader. "His contribution to Indian auto industry in its formative years was immeasurable. I was fortunate to always have his blessings since the time I returned to India," said Goenka. Expressing grief at the demise of Rahul Bajaj, President of the Federation of Automotive Dealers' Association Vinkesh Gulati said the demise of the former Chairman of Bajaj Auto was an irreparable loss for the automobile Industry and the nation. "When India started opening up its economy, Rahul ji made Bajaj a shining star in India's growth story. Bajaj was felicitated by FADA with the 'Life Time Achievement Award' in the year 2012 as a truly 'buland bharat ke buland tasveer'," said Gulati. (ANI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday criticised the Congress party and said the party could not gather the courage to declare its chief ministerial candidate for Uttarakhand. "Congress party could not gather the courage to declare its chief ministerial candidate for Uttarakhand. They are fighting this election keeping the people of Uttarakhand in the dark, which no political party should do," BJP leader Singh said today. Singh said that BJP governments at the Centre and the state have taken the state to new heights of development in the last five years. "The BJP governments at the Centre and the state together have taken the state to new heights of development in the last five years. To create a new Uttarakhand, the people of the state have made up their minds to elect the BJP again," the Union Minister said. Mentioning the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for according special status to Uttarakhand, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh earlier in Kapkot today slammed Congress for stripping off this status and lauded the Centre for reinstating it. "Atal Bihari Vajpayee accorded special status to Uttarakhand. But when Congress came to power in the state and Centre, it stripped the state of the special status. When PM Modi came to power, he reinstated the status," Defence Minister and BJP leader Rajnath Singh said. He added, "Congress should be questioned why they scrapped the special status accorded to Uttarakhand by Atal Bihari Vajpayee. What was its crime? Still, people of the state showed large-heartedness and formed Congress government in the state from time to time." The stage is set for Assembly elections in Uttarakhand as campaigning in the state came to an end on Saturday. The states will go to Assembly polls in a single phase on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) Commenting on the ongoing Hijab controversy, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said that it is a very sensitive matter and should be resolved with discussion. He stated that one cannot approach the court for everything and make a political issue out of it. Speaking to reporters at the airport before leaving for poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Baghel said, "The people who started this, don't know its outcome. This has become a national issue. Issues like this should be discussed with representatives of both religions." He further said, "It is very sad that Hijab protests are happening in that India where persecuted people from all over the world found refuge. This is how we are treating our people now. Bigotry, no matter from whose side it is, will surely affect the society." "This is a very sensitive matter and it should be resolved with discussion. You cannot go to court for everything and make a political issue out of it. Where is our country going, into which direction?" questioned Baghel. According to the CM, the leaders have the responsibility to resolve the Hijab issue instead of provoking it. Terming the Bijapur incident 'unfortunate', the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel that the CRPF jawan's "martyrdom" will not go in vain. Bhupesh Baghel said, "Our jawan's martyrdom will not go in vain. Our jawans have been entering the den of Naxals and battling against them, trying to push back the Naxalites. A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer was killed during an exchange of fire with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday. Speaking on BJP's allegation, Bahjel said, "While Dr Raman Singh was the Chief Minister for 15 years, Naxalites increased from three blocks to 14 districts. In the last three years, there has been a reduction in Naxals." During our rule, big Naxal leaders are surrendering with weapons, added the CM. "Our government is working as per policy and is able to build confidence in the Chhattisgarh public. This is why now when the Naxalites write letters, they say that they are facing difficulties in recruiting people," said Baghel. On the question raised by MP Ramvichar Netam in Rajya Sabha, Baghel said, "As far as Chhattisgarh is concerned, it is leading in all parameters." Taking a jibe at the BJP, the CM said, "Not a single airport was inaugurated during his tenure. During our tenure, Jagdalpur, Bilaspur airport started operating. The Ambikapur airport is also being developed. Union Minister Scindia has lied when he came to Raipur. We had already met the Union Minister and put forward our demands." According to him, Scindia came to Raipur to see what can be further sold. Speaking on the liquor ban, Baghel said, "Mohan Markam didn't say anything wrong, BJP does not read its manifesto, has just mugged up our (Congress) manifesto. (ANI) As Deoband is set to vote on February 14 in the second phase of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, locals in the constituency seek communal harmony and better job opportunities for youth. Speaking about issues concerning Deoband, a local Maulana Ata ur Rehman said, "Most important issue is that of communal peace in the area and we don't want any riots and just want peace in the city." Rehman believes that the performance of the Yogi government is good and he did not face any issue regarding administration. Similarly, Mohd Ehasaan who resides near Darul Uloom said whosoever forms the government should ensure no discrimination is done against people while giving jobs. "Whoever comes should not discriminate. Hindu-Muslim differences destroyed job opportunities and developed hatred. We want peace and brotherhood. Whosoever comes whether Akhilesh, Yogi or Mayawati should never discriminate and promote brotherhood," Ehsaan said. Mohd Haroon, a native of Deoband mentioned that employment for the youth is important and should be focussed upon. "Employment is important for the public and during COVID, the government helped us by providing services like ration at the doorstep and provided Ayushman Card," he added. On the other hand, many felt that post-2017, not much work was done in Deoband and pointed out that government scheme benefits never reached the poor. "We like Akhilesh, he made roads in the city, as earlier we used to face difficulty while travelling and he is a young leader. There is nothing from the incumbent government on the grassroots level. Although the government launched schemes but poor face problems due to officers on the ground. During the tenure, Lockdown was there and jobs are also not available but Akhilesh gave us a lot in the past," local resident Mohd Shabid said. Another local Mohammed Javed said that the most important issue is progress adding that from 2012 to 2017 maximum development took place during this time since independence. According to Faisal Hasan Azmi, a Bookseller based in Deoband for the past 25 years, that vote depends on the work done by the legislator. "Vote is given based on work done. No work has been done in the area. When others asked our MLA about work he has done then MLA had no answers. ATS commando centre is inaugurated by Yogi Ji but our MLA did nothing. Don't know when it will be completed," Azmi remarked. He also requested the next government to look into the employment issue stating that many graduates are without any jobs. "Our Hindu brothers are disturbed as they are not able to find jobs. Whosoever comes to power whether Mayawati, Akhilesh, Yogi should think about our Hindu brothers and provide jobs," added Azmi. Deoband is one of the 403 constituencies of Uttar Pradesh which comes under the Saharanpur district. In 2017, Brijesh Singh Rawat of BJP had won this seat by defeating Majid Ali from Bahujan Samaj Party with a margin of 29400 votes. Deoband Assembly constituency is scheduled to go to the polls in the second phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections on February 14. The counting of votes will be held on March 10. (ANI) Soon after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced that he would introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state if the BJP wins the state Assembly polls, Vishva Hindu Parishad Joint General Secretary Surendra Jain extending his support said that it is an important step forward towards fulfilling the poll promise the BJP had made ahead of the 2014 general elections. In a self-made video, Jain said, "We welcome this announcement by the Chief Minister. The BJP had included this in their manifesto in 2014. Dhami's announcement is an important step forward towards fulfilling that promise." The VHP leader said that the founding fathers of the Constitution had clarified in Article 44 that it would be the duty of every state to introduce UCC "Our founding fathers of the Constitution had clarified in Article 44 that it would be the duty of every state to introduce UCC. The Courts of this country have said this time and again. The Central government has also emphasised on the need for the formation of UCC," he said. Jain said that some "hardliners" would protest against the UCC if it is introduced. "Some hardliners would protest against it. Does Goa not have Common Civil Code? Do people not accept the same laws for everyone?" he said. Earlier today, Dhami said in a press conference in Khatima, where he was campaigning, that soon after the swearing-in ceremony, the BJP government will form a panel that will prepare a draft of the Uniform Civil Code for the state. "Soon after its swearing-in, new BJP govt will form a committee including stakeholders, jurists, social workers, knowledgeable persons who will prepare a draft of Uniform Civil Code in the state," Dhami had said. BJP national secretary Sunil Deodhar also extended support to Dhami and said that it is the right time to bring in the Uniform Civil Code in the country. Speaking to ANI on the matter, Deodhar said, "It is the right time to bring in the Uniform Civil Code, it is already getting too late. When it comes to society, people of all religions and castes practise different religious beliefs. When we come together as a society, there should be one law for everyone. It is the right time, especially when such a big controversy is on in the country on the issue of hijab." (ANI) Stepping up his attacks against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Mukul Roy, party state general secretary Kunal Ghosh on Saturday said the former union minister has no identity other than being a BJP MLA. The TMC spokesperson also reiterated his demand for Mukul Roy's arrest in Saradha and Narada cases. "Mukul Roy is still a BJP MLA and this is confirmed by the Assembly Speaker confirmed on Friday. There is no question of any other identities of him. I strongly demand his arrest. CBI and ED must arrest him in Saradha and Narada cases," Kunal Ghosh told ANI. In a big political development in West Bengal, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh on Friday demanded the arrest of party colleague Mukul Roy in the Saradha and Narada case while calling him a "BJP leader". Taking to Twitter, the TMC spokesperson said, "CBI and ED should arrest BJP leader Mukul Roy in Saradha and Narada case. I have already sent them a letter praying for joint interrogation with him. He is an influential conspirator. He has used different parties only for his personal protection. Mukul Roy should not be spared." A fresh row has sparked in TMC over Mukul Roy, who left the BJP and joined the party in June last year following TMC's landslide victory in West Bengal Assembly polls. West Bengal Legislative Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Friday made it clear that Mukul Roy who joined TMC in June last year is still a BJP MLA in official records. Following this, TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh demanded Roy's arrest, calling him a BJP leader. Mukul Roy is an MLA from the Krishnanagar North and had contested the polls on a BJP ticket. After he joined TMC, BJP demanded the cancellation of Roy's membership from the Assembly. BJP also moved to court. The case is pending in the Supreme Court. On Friday, Speaker Biman Banerjee said that the application of the dismissal of Mukul Roy's MLA post under the anti-defection law was rejected due to a lack of enough evidence. So technically, Mukul Roy is currently in the BJP as his legislature is not being dismissed. (ANI) Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Saturday spoke with the mother of the 22-year-old missing woman whose body was recently recovered from a plot owned by a late former minister's son Rajol Singh, in Unnao, and said that she would fight for her. The body of the 22-year-old woman, who had gone missing two months ago on December 8 last year, was recovered on February 10 near an ashram owned by Rajol Singh. The decomposed body was found wrapped in a blanket and dumped in a septic tank. Priyanka spoke to the mother of the deceased and said that Congress stands with her and she would meet the mother soon. The Congress leader said that she will meet her soon and fight for her. The party's election campaign committee in charge PL Punia visited the family and said, "Police is involved in the case. The case was not registered on time." A probe has been initiated to look into allegations of negligence by police personnel after the body of a 22-year-old girl from Unnao, was found in a septic tank on Thursday, the District Magistrate informed. District Magistrate Ravindra Kumar said that an application for the hearing of the case in a fast track court, as demanded by the family, will be submitted. "We have talked to the victim's brother and mother and informed them that action will be taken against more officials if their involvement is found. The family has also demanded a hearing of the case in a fast track court and an application for that will be submitted," Kumar told reporters here. "An FIR was registered on December 8 and the accused was later arrested. Following the investigation, the dead body was recovered. The post mortem will be done," Assistant Superintendent of Police Shashi Shekhar Singh had said. Last month, the deceased girl's mother Rita Devi alleged that Rajol Singh, (son of late ex-minister Fateh Bahadur Singh) forcefully took her daughter. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav demanded answers from police for allegedly delaying the investigation in the case. Union Minister Anurag Thakur assured that the accused will not be spared. "It is a sad and unfortunate incident. The involvement of the SP leader in the incident shows the real face of the Samajwadi Party. No one will be spared. It is BJP government that does justice," he said. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday said that strict laws on matters of love jihad will be brought if voted to power to the state in the upcoming Uttarakhand elections. The Chief Minister mentioned that the accused will be sentenced to 10 years of jail if found guilty under the law. Addressing a public event today, Dhami said, "We will provide three free LPG cylinders to the poor in a year. Pregnant women will be given Rs 40,000. Senior citizens' pensions will be increased to Rs 3,600. There will be strict laws in love jihad, the accused will be sentenced to 10 years of jail." The Chief Minister lauded the role of the Centre during the COVID-19 pandemic and hoped for winning another term in the state. "The government has provided free vaccines to people in India during the COVID-19 crisis. BJP is doing the work of development whereas the Congress party wants to construct a Muslim University here. We need to oppose this move. We have to bloom lotus in Uttarakhand," Dhami in Rudrapur said today. The stage is set for Assembly elections in Uttarakhand as campaigning in the state came to an end on Saturday. The states will go to Assembly polls in a single phase on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) According to The Verge, one is a sequel to 2019's 'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare', and the other is a "new Warzone experience," both of which will be "designed together from the ground-up," as per a blog post. It's unclear if the new 'Warzone' experience is a full-on sequel or a major update in the vein of Fortnite's massive chapter changes. However, Activision is promising some big things. You can expect "a massive evolution of battle royale with all-new playspace and a new sandbox mode ," the blog says, and a new engine that powers "both the new Call of Duty game release and Warzone." Development of the new 'Call of Duty' game and this new 'Warzone' experience will be led by Infinity Ward, the studio that made 'Modern Warfare', 'Infinite Warfare', 'Ghosts', and other 'Call of Duty' 'titles, including the original. Activision also announced changes on how it will improve the current 'Warzone' experience, which has been heavily criticized in recent weeks due to bugs, exploits, and the prevalence of cheaters. As per The Verge, in January, Microsoft had announced its intent to buy Activision Blizzard for USD 68.7 billion. While 'Call of Duty' would certainly be a valuable Xbox-exclusive property, statements from Microsoft since the acquisition news suggest the company plans to keep 'Call of Duty' and other Activision Blizzard games on multiple platforms. (ANI) Ahead of Assembly elections in Punjab, Union Minister and State BJP Incharge Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Saturday said that the Election Commission of India (ECI) should ensure free and fair elections and election campaigning in the poll-bound state. He was reacting to reports of farmers planning to boycott Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming rallies ahead of assembly polls in the state. "Election Commission should ensure free and fair elections and election campaigns in Punjab. I believe that EC will definitely take action on this. If PM Modi's security is not ensured then how will people get the confidence to invest here?," said Shekhawat while talking to the media. With a little more than a week to go for the upcoming Assembly polls in Punjab scheduled on February 20, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold public meetings on February 14, 16 and 17 covering all the three regions of Malwa, Doaba and Majha. State BJP General Secretary Subash Sharma said that the Prime Minister will address the first rally in Jalandhar on February 14. He will address the second rally in Pathankot on February 16 and the third rally in Abohar on February 17. Punjab will go to the polls on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI) The Army personnel was cremated with full state honours at his native village Lakhanpur in Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir. Thousands of people participated in the ceremony to pay homage to the Army personnel. The coffin in which his mortal remains were placed was wrapped in tricolour. The Army marched along carrying the coffin. Speaking to media persons, the MoS said, "Kathua has lost its son Arun Kattal." He further said that the Union Government is committed to supporting the family of the Rifleman in this hour of grief. "Paid my last respects to Riflemen Arun Katal, 18JAKRIF, son of the soil from district Kathua who got martyred in an unfortunate avalanche in Arunachal Pradesh. Eternally indebted and humbled by his supreme sacrifice!" the Minister had tweeted. Seven Army personnel had died after they were hit by an avalanche in a high-altitude area of the Kameng sector in Arunachal Pradesh. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at Tezpur Air Force Station in Assam on Saturday to pay homage to the supreme sacrifice made by the seven Army personnel. (ANI) Can biological changes during puberty affect learning and memory? New research from the University of California, Irvine has revealed that sex differences in learning and memory mechanisms are triggered by biological events occurring during puberty. The study, titled "Prepubescent female rodents have enhanced hippocampal LTP and learning relative to males, reversing in adulthood as inhibition increases" was published in 'Nature Neuroscience'. Findings showed prepubescent female rodents had much better hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and spatial learning than same-age males, but puberty has opposite consequences for synaptic plasticity in the two sexes. Since the late 19th century, the general consensus in the scientific community has been that men outperform women on spatial tasks, while women excel in learning tasks involving verbal material, while the general debate has been about why there is a difference. "The surprising conclusion from our results is that the polarization of sex differences in hippocampal synapses and related learning reverses in females and males from before to after puberty," said Christine Gall, PhD, co-corresponding author, and distinguished professor and chair of anatomy and neurobiology at the UCI School of Medicine. "This occurs because of distinct developmental changes. Thresholds for plasticity and encoding spatial information increase in females and decease in males." Puberty is a critical landmark in brain maturation and results in a wide variety of sex differences in behavior, but little is known about how it affects the substrates for memory encoding. Researchers identified a female-specific mechanism that increases the LTP threshold and decreases spatial memory from before to after puberty. Sex differences were demonstrated for hippocampus-dependent processes and driven by different underlying mechanisms. In females only, inhibitory synapses in the CA1 field of the hippocampus exhibit an increase in levels of GABAA receptors containing the ?5 subunit; this increase is associated with greater inhibition of synaptic activity critical for synaptic plasticity and memory. The ?5 receptors have been linked to anxiety which also undergoes changes at the onset of the estrous cycle. Researchers found that pharmacological suppression of ?5-GABAA receptors restored LTP and memory encoding in females to levels observed before puberty. "Our team proposes that the emergent female pattern may favour learning in complex circumstances while the emergent male pattern favours rapid acquisition of simpler material. This idea suggests that optimal teaching strategies need to reflect previously unsuspected brain differences between the sexes and how these are dramatically adjusted during puberty," Gall said. "The vast majority of studies have begun with analyses of young adult male rodents. Females use somewhat different memory mechanisms than do males and therefore may respond differently to drugs and gene mutations. This new research demonstrates the need for new sexually differentiated approaches for the development of therapeutic treatments and their applications at different life stages." Further research will be conducted to determine if the sex-specific LTP threshold changes identified in hippocampus during the transition to post-pubertal life are evident in other brain areas and influence the encoding of different types of memories. (ANI) During a White House briefing earlier in the day, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan claimed that Russia might attack Ukraine "at any time," including during the Olympics, and would likely begin with an air assault. Moscow has repeatedly denied having any intention of attacking Ukraine. "At the direction of the President, Secretary Austin today ordered to Poland the remaining 3,000 soldiers of the 82nd Airborne Infantry Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Bragg, NC," a spokesperson said in a statement e-mailed to Sputnik on Friday. The troops will depart Fort Bragg over the next couple days, and are expected to be in place by early next week. "This second tranche of Airborne soldiers will join in Poland the first tranche of 1,700 soldiers and key enablers that Secretary Austin ordered there on February 2nd. Nearly two-thirds of this first tranche has already arrived," the official said. The deployment is temporary in nature, according to the statement. The 300 members of the 18th Airborne Corps headquarters element that Austin ordered to Germany have also arrived in-country, it added. By deploying these 5,000 additional highly mobile and flexible personnel, the Pentagon reassures NATO allies in its commitment to deter potential aggression against the alliance's eastern flank, the statement added. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova, commenting on US decision on Friday, said that the White House hysteria is more indicative than ever. (ANI/Sputnik) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed diplomatic efforts in response to Russian aggression, challenges in Afghanistan, placing Burma back on the path to democracy, and efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through Quad, spokesperson Ned Price said on Friday (local time). Blinken met with Jaishankar in Melbourne and reviewed the progress made over the past year in broadening and deepening the US-India Strategic Partnership, which is critical to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. "Secretary of State Antony J Blinken met today with Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in Melbourne. Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Jaishankar reviewed the progress made over the past year in broadening and deepening the US-India Strategic Partnership, which is critical to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond," Ned Price said in a statement. "Secretary Blinken and Minister Jaishankar discussed efforts to strengthen Indo-Pacific cooperation through the Quad and expand cooperation on common priorities, including reinforcing the rules-based international order. Secretary Blinken and Minister Jaishankar also discussed cooperation on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, diplomatic efforts in response to Russian aggression, the challenges we face in Afghanistan, placing Burma back on the path to democracy, and other issues of mutual concern," he added. Both leaders complemented each other for a "grateful partnership" between the US and India during the COVID-19 pandemic and said that Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is an "opportunity and the excuse to be able to compare notes directly on the many challenges both countries are dealing together." The US State Secretary further said that the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Melbourne is an "opportunity for us to see each other and looking forward to getting together with our colleagues as well in a couple of hours." Responding to the comments, Jaishankar laid stress on the strong bilateral relationships between the two countries. "Good to see you, and good to see you all. I agree with you. I think the Quad has been .... and much of that is due to the fact that we all devoted a lot of time, energy, attention to that. We have made it into concrete actionable propositions. At the same time, a big part of that is because we have such strong bilateral relationships. And certainly for us in this century, the changing India-US relationship has been very defining," said Jaishankar. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is a partnership of four nations (Australia, India, Japan and the US) each of whom share a commitment to openness, transparency and challenges coming out of the current global order. This is the first time Quad Foreign Ministers are meeting since the two Quad Summits last year. (ANI) Russian President Vladimir Putin and US President Joe Biden plan to have a phone conversation on Saturday, local media reported quoting Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. "Indeed, the US side has asked for a conversation with President Putin, and tomorrow evening, Moscow time, the two presidents are scheduled to have a conversation," the Kremlin spokesman said, Sputnik News Agency reported. Peskov stressed that "the request was preceded by a written appeal from the US side." The White House announced earlier in the day that Biden would hold a telephone call with a number of allies, including with the leaders of Germany and France as well as with the NATO and EU chiefs, to discuss the situation in Ukraine and tensions with Russia. Meanwhile, the US is calling on all Americans in Ukraine to leave in the next 24 to 48 hours, National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan said. "We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said, according to CNN. He said that if Americans stay they "are assuming risk with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and no prospect of a US Military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion." The National Security Adviser was speaking during a White House press briefing amid the ongoing situation in Ukraine. He also said that there is a credible prospect that Russian Military action in Ukraine would take place even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. (ANI) Taking to Twitter Dr S Jaishankar said: "Visited the Shrine of Remembrance, one of Australia's largest war memorials. A solemn moment to honour the memory of the fallen soldiers." Notably, Australia hosted India, Japan and the United States for the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Melbourne on Friday and the top diplomats bolstered cooperation in areas including economy, security, coronavirus pandemic and free and open Indo-Pacific. The Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is a partnership of Australia, India, Japan and the US, each of whom shares a commitment to openness and transparency and challenges posed by China and the situation in Ukraine. This is the first time Quad Foreign Ministers are meeting since the two Quad Summits last year. They will be discussing ongoing Quad cooperation in their bilateral phone calls and meetings. Addressing a press conference at the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting, Jaishankar said that the interactions among Quad partners (Australia, India, Japan and the US) made it evident that robust bilateral relations between the respective countries, strategic convergences, and shared democratic values have all combined to make the group a vibrant and substantial framework. "We are building an agenda which seeks to further our shared vision of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific. We are keen to work together to further peace and stability and economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific through collective efforts which address contemporary issues," said Jaishankar. He also gave an insight into the works done by the Quad and discussed strategies for shared democratic values that have all combined to make the partnership a vibrant and substantial framework. (ANI) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Saturday welcomed the reopening of the Australian border which will help stranded Indian students and visa holders to return to Australia. Australia will open its border for fully vaccinated tourists and all visa holders, almost two years after borders were first closed due to COVID-19. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday had announced the country would open to all fully vaccinated visa holders, including tourists, on February 21. Addressing a joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne, Jaishankar said that the two ministers held productive, useful, and wide-ranging discussions. "And a lot of our discussion reflects the real and profound transformation in our ties which is happened in this very difficult period of the COVID-19." "I welcome the opening of the border by the government of Australia, which will help those who have been in India waiting to come back, especially students, temporary visa holders, and separated families and this is something which is greatly appreciated," he added. Jaishankar informed both countries have concluded 12 Foreign Minster's Framework Dialogue and the first Cyber Framework Dialogue. "The Cyber Framework Dialogue is a direct outcome of the virtual summit which was held in June when we elevated our ties to comprehensive strategic partners." He said his discussion today with Payne was 'very comprehensive and very fruitful. "We looked at a very wide range of topics concerning the bilateral, regional and global partnership." "We shared our experiences to responding to the COVID challenges as well. Also assisting other friendly countries in particular with the vaccine. And we have committed ourselves to building more trusted and resilient supply chains and ensuring broad and inclusive growth in the Indo-Pacific," Jaishankar added. This bilateral meeting comes a day after the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting on Friday. Jaishankar also held bilateral with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. (ANI) Giving a fitting response to China's criticism of Quad, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the group's record and stance on its positive agenda is fairly clear, and criticizing it repeatedly doesn't make it less credible. China on Friday had said it believes that the Quad group "cobbled together" by the US, Japan, India and Australia is a "tool for containing and besieging China". "It aims to stoke confrontation and undermine international solidarity and cooperation," said Zhao Lijian, Chinese Foreign Minister spokesperson. Responding to China's comment, Jaishankar said the Quad Foreign Ministers on Friday made a point that they want to do positive things to contribute to peace, prosperity, stability of the region. "Our record, actions and stance are fairly clear. Criticizing it repeatedly doesn't make us less credible," he said during the joint press conference with his Australian counterpart Marise Payne. On the India-China bilateral issues, the minister said, "Yes, we (Quad) discussed India-China relations because it was part of how we briefed each other about what was happening in our neighbourhood. It's an issue in which a lot of countries legitimately take an interest, particularly if they are from the Indo-Pacific region." Jaishankar explained how the situation at the border has arisen due to the disregard by China of written agreements with India not to mass forces at the border. "So, when a large country disregards written commitments, I think it's an issue of a legitimate concern for the entire international community," he added. Addressing the presser alongside Payne, Jaishankar said the two sides discussed briefly the progress in defence and security cooperation which reflects growing strategic convergence. The inaugural cyber framework dialogue was useful in reviewing joint activities under a framework agreement, he said. The minister also announced that both countries shared concerns about terrorism and extremism. "We have serious concerns about continuing cross border terrorism and it is our shared endeavor to deepen counter-terrorism cooperation including in the multilateral fora." He further said Australia and India will continue to work towards rule-based international order, freedom of navigation in international waters, promoting connectivity, growth, and security for all while respecting the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states. This bilateral meeting comes a day after the 4th Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting on Friday. (ANI) Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne on Saturday said that Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) is not against anything. She said it is about building resilience and about promoting a region without the threat of coercion or intimidation. Addressing a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar, Payne said that she hasn't seen China's comment on the Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting, and added that the group has a "very positive agenda". "I haven't seen those particular comments from China myself. But, what I can say is that we have absolutely reinforced, in the day of our discussion yesterday and all of the work that is being done by multiple working groups and agencies and officials in relation to the very positive agenda, that the Quad has, we are not against anything," Payne said. Payne continued saying that Quad is about building - about building confidence, resilience and "about promoting a region in which all countries are able to be and feel sovereign and secure without the threat of coercion or intimidation. "We have a really practical agenda, which is evidenced by our support of access to vaccines, over 500 million vaccines delivered under the Quad leaders commitments on vaccination," said the Australian Foreign Minister. On Friday, Australia hosted India, Japan and the United States for the fourth Quad Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Melbourne and the top diplomats bolstered cooperation in areas including economy, security, coronavirus pandemic and free and open Indo-Pacific. Highlighting the Quad meeting talks, Payne said India and Australia talked about the bilateral work on infrastructure development and cyber security. "We've talked at great length about the work that we are able to do together on infrastructure development, cybersecurity, maritime security, which again we reinforced today in our bilateral meeting on countering malicious and enter dangerous disinformation." Talking about what Quad means to Australia, Payne said "for Australia, the quad is a very complementary part of the network of relationships that we have both regionally and internationally. And it is all about helping to positively shape our region as indeed it develops and grows and Australia has welcomed the development and growth of China over the years. But we have always said that we will also act in the protection of our national interests as any sovereign nation would." Reacting to the Quad meeting, China on Friday stated that the group consisting of Australia, the US, India and Japan, is a tool for containing and besieging Beijing to maintain US hegemony. "It aims to stoke confrontation and undermine international solidarity and cooperation. (ANI) The United States is set to evacuate its embassy in Kyiv after National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan warned of imminent fear of Russian invasion in Ukraine, local media reported on Friday (local time). This development comes after US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered an additional 3,000 US troops to be sent to Poland as fears over a potential Russian invasion of Ukraine rise. The extra forces, sent at the direction of US President Joe Biden, increase the number of U.S. forces deployed to and repositioned to Eastern Europe to 6,000, The Hill reported. That announcement came shortly after National Security Adviser (NSA) Jake Sullivan issued a warning for all American citizens in Ukraine to leave the country as soon as possible. "We want to be crystal clear on this point. Any American in Ukraine should leave as soon as possible and in any event, in the next 24 to 48 hours," Sullivan said, according to CNN. He said that if Americans stay they "are assuming risk with no guarantee that there will be any other opportunity to leave and no prospect of a US Military evacuation in the event of a Russian invasion." He also said that there is a credible prospect that Russian Military action in Ukraine would take place even before the end of the Beijing Winter Olympics. Earlier, the US embassy in Ukraine issued a travel advisory urging Americans in Ukraine to leave the country at the earliest possibility, strengthening earlier warnings that urged its citizens to "consider" such action. The statement stated that do not travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19; those in Ukraine should depart now via commercial or private means. According to The Hill, Russia has placed well over 100,000 Kremlin troops at its border with Ukraine and in Belarus, with Western nations concerned that a full-scale invasion could come in a matter of weeks. (ANI) The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) made these remarks on Saturday in response to media queries on India's reaction to comments by some countries on the dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka. "A matter regarding dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka is under judicial examination by Karnataka High Court...Motivated comments on our internal issues aren't welcome," said MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on comments on dress code in some educational institutions in Karnataka. Notably, Pakistan had summoned India's Charge d'Affaires in Islamabad over an ongoing hijab row in Karnataka. The Pakistan Foreign Office on Wednesday had said that the Indian Charge d'Affaires was summoned over the hijab row in Karnataka. The Hijab protests began on February 4 at the Government Girls PU college in Udupi district in Karnataka when some students alleged that they had been barred from attending classes wearing hijab (a headscarf worn by Muslim women). The Supreme Court on Friday refused to hear urgent pleas relating to the hijab row in Karnataka and said it is "watching" what's happening in the state and in hearing before the High Court. (ANI) "Stealing the blocked funds of Afghan nation by the United States and its seizure is indicative of the lowest level of human and moral decay of a country and a nation," Mohammad Naeem, spokesman of the Taliban political office in Qatar, tweeted on Friday. This comes after US President Biden on Friday signed an executive order to free 7 billion US dollars out of more than 9 billion frozen Afghan assets, splitting the money between humanitarian aid for Afghanistan and a fund for 9/11 victims. In a statement, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the people of Afghanistan face "enormous challenges: an economic crisis born of decades of dependence on international aid, severe drought, COVID-19, and endemic corruption." He said the US also recognize victims of terrorism, including the September 11 terrorist attacks. The Afghan economy after the Taliban's takeover in August last year has suffered after the US freezing of assets belonging to the Afghan central bank, as well as a halt in funds by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. (ANI) Myanmar's State Administration Council also closed the cases against 46 members and others concerned of the Arakan Army who are still being prosecuted in various courts in the country, Xinhua news agency reported. The amnesty is to mark Diamond Jubilee Union Day and create humanitarian ground as well as in view of relations between the respective countries and Myanmar, the council said. According to a separate pardon order, the sentences for Nang Khin Htwe Myint, former Kayin State chief minister who was imprisoned, were reduced by half. The state of emergency was extended for six more months on January 31 after its first declaration in February 2021 and capture of power to Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing. Since the military coup, more than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar security forces with thousands of others arrested. (ANI) Pakistani students studying in Chinese universities, who got stranded due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by Beijing, fear if they would be able to return to pursue their qualifications. In its report, Islam Khabar reported that China is the most noteworthy investor in Pakistan. Feared with his plummeting popularity and the next general elections scheduled in mid-2023, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan sought to secure Chinese financial assistance. However, assurance and assistance were also needed by Pakistani students enrolled in China and stranded in Pakistan, to go back to China and complete their studies. Pakistani students studying in Chinese universities increased significantly after the launching of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the ambitious flagship project of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Pakistan. The number of Pakistani students in China in 2013 stood at 9,630. In 2019, 28,023 Pakistani students were enrolled in various Chinese educational institutions in various disciplines, Islam Khabar reported citing the official data published by China's Ministry of Education. The official data further added that off these, 7,034 were studying in state-sponsored scholarshipprogrammes. Pakistan stands at third in the number of international students enrolled inChinese universities, with South Korea and Thailand taking up the first and second positionsrespectively. China had deferred the entry of foreign nationals in March 2020 to stop the spread ofCOVID-19. As part of its policy to not issue visas to international students to control thespread of the coronavirus pandemic in its country, many international students enrolled inChinese educational institutions were left in a lurch, said the report. The report said that it has been close to two years now, and the Pakistani students stranded at home fear that if they are unable to join back and complete their courses they would lose out on their qualifications. The Pakistan Medical Commission does not allow medical students who had to opt foronline classes to apply for medical practice licenses in Pakistan. Since their degrees will not berecognized, they have nowhere else to go but complete their unfinished courses from Chinato enable them to apply for their medical license for practising in Pakistan. The same has been the case for many PhD students who are required to complete their practical lab work as part of the requirement to complete their PhD in China and have been unable to complete this owing to travel restrictions, the report said. The Pakistani students enrolled in Chinese educational institutions have been appealing the Pakistan PM to represent the voice of the students to the Chinese government heads for their return and resume their courses. Although the Pakistani government has repeatedly said that it is in touch with the Chinese government regarding the return of Pakistani students to their enrolled Chinese universities, not much progress has been made in this regard, Islam Khabar reported. (ANI) "Responding to the appeal of the Government of Kiribati seeking offers of support to assist in its national efforts to manage the first Covid-19 outbreak in the Pacific Island country, the Government of India sent a consignment of medical supplies containing PPEs and medications to Kiribati," MEA said in a statement. The relief material sent by India includes Pulse Oximeters, Swabs with VTM, Specimen bags for swabs, PPE kits (Surgical masks, Gloves, N95 masks, Shoe covers, Hair caps) and emergency Covid-19 medication supplies, MEA said. It further said that despite the logistical challenges in reaching the isolated Pacific Island country, the medical supplies from India were put together and despatched in a short span of time. The MEA said that consignment reached Kiribati on February 12 onboard a flight coordinated by the Australian Government. The consignment of medical supplies to Kiribati affirms India's commitment to provide Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) support as an early responder in the Pacific region, MEA said. India remains committed to extending full support to Kiribati's national efforts in mitigating the challenges arising from the pandemic, MEA added. (ANI) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar and his Australian counterpart Marise Payne on Saturday welcomed the elevation of the bilateral cyber cooperation through the Australia-India Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, agreed in June 2020. The Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue was held today, along with the inaugural India-Australia Foreign Ministers' Cyber Framework Dialogue. In a joint statement, both ministers appreciated the progress made with the Fourth Australia-India Bilateral Cyber Policy Dialogue, held in July 2021, and the inaugural Joint Working Group on Cyber Security Cooperation, held in June 2021, as well as exchange of views between Secretaries responsible for telecommunications from both countries. They welcomed the scheduling of the inaugural Joint Working Group on Information Communication Technologies in March 2022. The Ministers recognised cooperation in the areas of cyber governance, cyber security, capacity building, innovation, digital economy, and cyber and critical technologies as an essential pillar of the India-Australia relationship. In this respect, the Centre of Excellence for Critical and Emerging Technology Policy, to be located in Bengaluru India, demonstrates both countries' long-term commitment to bilateral cooperation in cyber and critical technologies. Minister Jaishankar welcomed the Australian Government's intention to open a Consulate-General in Bengaluru. The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to an open, secure, free, accessible, stable, peaceful, and interoperable cyberspace and technologies that adhere to international law. The Ministers emphasised the way in which technology is designed, developed, governed and used should be informed by our shared democratic values and respect for human rights. "They condemned attempts to use cyberspace and cyber-enabled technologies to undermine international peace and stability and committed to working cooperatively to strengthen mutual cooperation in various multilateral fora, including the United Nations, in developing international standards, norms and frameworks for cyberspace and critical and emerging technologies, including through the International Telecommunications Union; the Ad Hoc Committee to Elaborate a Comprehensive International Convention on Countering the Use of Information and Communications Technologies for Criminal Purposes; and consistent with the UN Group of Governmental Experts on Advancing responsible State behaviour in cyberspace in the context of international security; and the UN Open-Ended Working Group on developments in the field of Information Telecommunications in the context of international security. Both Ministers reiterated the importance of diversity, gender equality and women's empowerment in the design, development and use of cyberspace and technologies," the MEA said in a statement. The Ministers reiterated their commitment to secure, resilient and trusted technology and agreed to work together to address the significant threat of malicious cyber activity by state and non-state actors. They acknowledged the importance of the security and resilience of telecommunications networks and the need to work closely with each other to protect next-generation telecommunications networks, including 5G and 6G. The Ministers emphasised the integral role of cyber and cyber-enabled critical technologies in fostering sustainable development and inclusive economic growth. They recognised the importance of diverse and trusted technology supply chains including trusted sources and products. Recognising the importance of working collaboratively with international partners, the Ministers agreed to undertake joint engagement with Indo-Pacific partners to collaboratively improve the region's cyber capabilities to promote a resilient and trusted cyberspace and effective incident response. Both Ministers looked forward to holding the next India-Australia Foreign Ministers' Cyber Framework Dialogue in 2023. (ANI) The escalating conflict between Pakistan and the Taliban could pose serious challenges to regional peace, said Amsterdam-based think tank in its commentary on Friday. Pointing out the "sardonic twist of fate," the think tank stated that Pakistan this week became the first country to formally accuse the Taliban regime. Islamabad had painstakingly nurtured and harboured anti-Pakistan terrorist groups and allowed them the freedom to launch cross-border attacks against Pakistani forces and interests from within Afghan territory, the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) said. Despite ample support, a rift has emerged between the two over the growing terror activity of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Recently, in the attack by the TTP since the Taliban grabbed power, at least five Pakistani soldiers were killed at a border post by firing from neighbouring Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Taliban, on its part, denied that the firing had come from within Afghan territory, EFSAS reported. It further reported that the TTP has stepped up attacks since it unilaterally walked out of a month-long ceasefire agreement brokered by the Taliban in early December after accusing Islamabad of not fulfilling its promises. Pakistani officials are convinced that the Taliban has turned a blind eye to TTP activities since returning to power. Islamabad, after trying to downplay security threats and other challenges from Afghan soil for some time now, seems to be at a juncture where it is running out of patience with the Taliban, EFSAS reported. Highlighting another attack from Afghanistan soil, the think tank said, attacks by Baloch groups based in Afghanistan against Pakistani and Chinese interests in Balochistan have also become more frequent, more sophisticated, and more lethal. The TTP attack last weekend came just a day after the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which seeks self-determination for the Baloch people and separation of Balochistan province from Pakistan, claimed to have killed over 100 Pakistani soldiers in two separate attacks on Frontier Corps bases in Balochistan's Panjgur and Noshki districts, EFSAS reported. Although the Pakistan Army only acknowledged a much smaller number of casualties in the BLA attacks, the figure of 9 soldiers was nonetheless substantial, the think tank said. According to the think tank, a BLA statement of February 5 claimed that the BLA's Majeed Brigade had held control of the army's Panjgur camp for 60 hours, and had repelled an attempt by the Pakistan military's Special Services Group when it tried to retake the camp. The BLA is strongly opposed to Chinese investment in Balochistan, including at the port of Gwadar. It believes that the Pakistan army, hand in glove with China, is colonizing and exploiting the region's rich mineral and energy resources, EFSAS reported. EFSAS further reported that it is not just the Baloch groups that have been targeting Chinese interests in Pakistan. In 2021, as the Taliban advanced in Afghanistan, TTP members intensified their assaults in Pakistan and undertook at least two attacks targeting Chinese workers and the Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan. The Taliban and the TTP share strong historical, ideological, cultural, ethnic and linguistic linkages, which make it very difficult for Kabul to act against the TTP. (ANI) Tibetans in Dragyab County and Chamdo with contacts in exile have reportedly been ordered to install spyware on their cellphone in order to keep them on close watch. This is a new surveillance tactic used by the Chinese authorities. According to the Dharamshala-based research group, Tibet Watch local sources in Tibet have confirmed the use of cell phone spyware that actively monitors Tibetans with contacts in exile, reported Phayul. A researcher Pema Gyal from Tibet Watch told Phayul, "China has aggressively enforced the use of software in the phones of concerned individuals. The local source in Tibet has told us how the authorities keep an eye on everything they do on their phones. The situation in these regions has become highly sensitive. From 2017 to 2021, what has now transpired is that even families are finding it difficult to contact their loved ones. Now the government suspects anybody who has any contact outside," She shared, "There have been instances in one of the monasteries where Chinese officials arrived to warn the monks that if they are in possession of information that could put them in jeopardy. This is just one example. The extent of surveillance has reached every part of Tibet. This is not something out of my own imagination, this is real.", reported Phayul. The researcher also highlighted the fear Tibetans are compelled to face under such a regime. The report reveals, "Anyone found with photos and videos deemed "politically sensitive" by police authorities and contacting Tibetans living outside Tibet were arbitrarily detained for two to three months. They have also been kept under surveillance upon release and subjected to restrictions on movement," the report further revealed. According to the report, in another incident, three more Tibetans were detained in Drago County in January for having photos and videos on their phones of the recent demolitions of Buddha statues at Drago monastery. Two men, Asang and Dota, and a woman named Nortso were arrested after their phones were searched upon their return from pilgrimage, reported Phayul. (ANI) "According to Ukrainian citizens, Russian diplomats and consular officials in Ukraine began to leave for Russia. This, in particular, is proved by difficulties arising when making an appointment at the consulates and the embassy," the source said. The source added that Moscow might have decided to follow the example of some Western countries which announced evacuation from Ukraine. "By the way, [Russian Foreign Minister] Sergey Lavrov hinted at the possibility of this scenario during a press conference following negotiations with UK Foreign Minister Elizabeth Truss," the source said. In late January, Lavrov said that Russia was going to consider taking precautions regarding Russian diplomats in Ukraine. The United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia announced their plans to partly evacuate their diplomatic staff from Ukraine over Russia's escalation which Moscow denies. (ANI/Sputnik) Experts in Taiwan have warned that the Chinese-made drones used by the country's private companies and individuals could possibly be transferring information back to Beijing, reported local media. Many countries prohibit the public sector from using Chinese information and communication-related products. Therefore, Taipei should consider cooperating with NGOs to regularly test Chinese products and share the results with the public, Taiwan News quoted Su Tzu-yun, director of the Institute for National Defence and Security Research, as saying. In the past, Xiaomi, Huawei, and ZTE mobile phones as well as DJI drones have all been found to have data transmission software settings in their firmware, said Su. Therefore, the US' 2020 National Defence Authorization Act restricted the federal government from procuring Chinese drones, according to Taiwan News. Chinese citizens and enterprises have the obligation to support, assist, and cooperate in national intelligence operations in accordance with Article 14 of China's National Intelligence Law, said Taiwan's National Communications Commission. With regard to the rule, whenever Beijing asks Chinese manufacturers to provide relevant information, they cannot refuse. When private businesses or individuals use Chinese drones, relevant images and other important data may be sent back to Chinese manufacturers, which may then be forwarded to Chinese government authorities, according to Taiwan News. "Theoretically, Chinese-made drones should be completely banned," said Li Chung-hsien, a professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering at National Cheng Kung University. But Li said that Taiwan does not have a "scorched earth" approach with regard to this issue. However, he maintained that it is necessary for relevant authorities to check the functions of Chinese drones and make comprehensive regulations, unlike the current ones that only regulate flight safety. (ANI) Many Balochistan civilians including students and social activists are becoming targets of enforced abduction by Pakistani security forces, reported Human Rights Council of Balochistan, Hakkpaan, a non-profit and non-partisan human rights group based in Balochistan. In the first 10 days of February, at least 34 civilians were abducted by Pakistani security forces. One was killed and the whereabouts and fates of 30 civilians remain unknown. The only concern for the group is not the abduction but they also said that many incidents went unreported due to the media blackout. In other cases, the group said, relatives of the forcefully disappeared have been told to keep silent or their loved ones will suffer the repercussions in the security forces' prisons. This report by Balochistan's Human Rights Council comes at a time when last week an attack on security forces by the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF) guerrillas in Kech killed at least 10 Pakistan soldiers. Ten persons were disappeared from district Panjgur, nine from Kech, five from Noshki and three each from Quetta and Sibi whereas one each from Harnai, Khuzdar, Dera Murad Jamali, and Dera Bugti, reported the non-profit human rights group. Hakkpann reported that 31 persons were abducted by the Frontier Corps, Pakistan's paramilitary forces, and one each by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Rangers and personnel of intelligence agencies in plain clothes. Earlier, a Baloch political activist, Munir Mengal, said that military and terror groups are suppressing locals in Balochistan. "There is a military rule and the other rule is the rule of terrorist organizations, who are the assets of the Pakistani state. Pakistan state is using those terrorist organizations to eliminate the Baloch nationalists with an aim to deeply penetrate Balochistan. No organization - be it the judiciary or police - are irrelevant with respect to the abuse of rights inside Balochistan," said Munir. (ANI) Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Chief Minister, termed the passage of the bill historic and said that the revival of students' unions would pave the way for a healthy and conducive environment and create a positive atmosphere in educational institutions, according to Dawn. Standing committee's chairman Pir Mujeeb-ul-Haq had tabled the bill and it was swiftly passed as all parties supported it. After the enactment of the law, Sindh will be the first province to revive the students' union. Students' unions were banned in 1984 during the regime of military dictator Gen Ziaul Haq. But during the Benazir Bhutto-led Pakistan Peoples Party's first government in 1989, the ban was lifted. However, again in 1993 the Supreme Court put a blanket ban on political activities by students on campuses. According to Dawn, all opposition parties in the house -- Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Grand Democratic Alliance, Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan, Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal and Tehreek Labaik Pakistan -- supported the government bill, which was earlier scrutinised by the Standing Committee on Law, Parliamentary Affairs and Human Rights after deliberation of three years as it was initially introduced in 2019. (ANI) Kyiv [Ukraine], February 12 (ANI/Sputnik): UK Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said on Saturday that she continues running the embassy in Kyiv together with the core personnel despite growing tensions and the departure of families of diplomats. On Monday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia informed it about their intention to evacuate families of diplomats. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that member countries of the bloc are not going to evacuate their diplomatic staff from Ukraine. "I am staying in Kyiv and continue to work there with a core team. The embassy remains operational," Simmons wrote on Twitter. Ukraine and several Western countries have been accusing Russia of military build-up along the Ukrainian border in an alleged preparation of invasion. Russia has rejected these accusations. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia was not threatening anyone but was being threatened. Moreover, Russia warned Western counterparts supplying lethal weaponry to Ukraine that the latter could use it against the breakaway parts of the Donbas region. (ANI/Sputnik) Moscow [Russia], February 12 (ANI/Sputnik): The US State Department has told non-emergency personnel at its embassy in Ukraine to leave due to reports of Russian troop build-up near the border with Ukraine and "potential for significant military action," the US embassy in Kiev said Saturday. "Today, the @StateDept ordered non-emergency US employees at the Embassy to depart due to continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, indicating potential for significant military action," the embassy tweeted. The core team of US diplomats will stay in Ukraine, however, the embassy said. "Despite the reduction in diplomatic staff, the core embassy team, our dedicated Ukrainian colleagues, and @StateDept and US personnel around the world will continue relentless diplomatic and assistance efforts in support of Ukraine's security, democracy, and prosperity," a tweet read. On Friday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said that Washington was "continuing to reduce Kiev Embassy footprint." On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow might too temporarily pull out its non-essential diplomatic personnel from Ukraine as it was troubled by the evacuations of US and UK diplomatic staff which he said looked as if they were preparing "for something." Earlier on Saturday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia decided to "optimize" the diplomatic staff in Kiev out of precaution in case of possible provocations by Ukraine or third countries, but the core personnel will stay and continue their work. The US and several NATO countries have been pumping Kiev with weapons in recent weeks, alleging that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine, which Moscow denied. (ANI) The international wing of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a Pakistan based anti-Pakistan government movement will demonstrate against Pakistan in different European cities on February 13. The protests will be staged to condemn the assassination attempt on PTM leader Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen. Fazal ur Rehman, a member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement said, "PTM Europe has announced a series of protests all over Europe including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Denmark to express anger and condemn the failed assassination attempt on PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen." "And I think it's a redline crossed by Pakistan because Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen has already been put on exit control list by Pakistani authorities but even in Pakistan, there is a ban on his movement in different provinces. So, it's really a violation of international law United Nations universal declaration and the relevant UN conventions because Pakistan wants to stifle his freedom of movement and freedom of expression," Rehman added. Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen's was attacked on February 2 in Pakistan's restive province Balochistan. The PTM accuses the Pakistan military of conducting the attack. PTM accuses Islamabad of employing brute high handedness to stifle their voice for rights. They even accused authorities of arbitrarily arresting PTM activists and leaders They will hold separate protests to demand the release of those leaders. Rehman said, "PTM is organising a sit in front of the provincial assembly in Sindh for the release of PTM leader Ali Wazir, Hanif Pashteen and Owais Abdal. Because they have been arbitrarily arrested by the Pakistani authorities and even United Nations Human Rights Council under special procedures, seven rapporteurs have sent a letter to the government of Pakistan regarding Ali Wazir and even the inter-parliamentary union has also expressed its concern on the arrest of MNA Ali Wazir." "But Pakistani authorities are still applying the delaying tactics in the court to prolong the detention of these activists arbitrarily arrested by the Pakistani authorities. So, it's really a matter of concern. We will organise a protest all over the world to condemn these fascist acts of the state of Pakistan," added Rehman. Pashtuns, an ethnic minority blames Pakistan for marginalising them for years. They say they have not been accorded their rights. And their demand for the same has been brutally suppressed. (ANI) A South Korean car manufacturer may not feel offended when it was recently asked to respect the Indian sentiment regarding its objectionable Twitter message as India remains an attractive market to foreign investors, according to a media report. Regardless of the condition of the Indian economy, the country remains an attractive market to foreign investors. The companies may not feel offended if they are asked to respect Indian sentiments and resist jumping into anything that smacks of maligning India, reported The Singapore Post. For instance, India's 'huge' market is said to be one of the important factors that helped India to have its way while on multi-billion arms deals with Russia in recent months, said the publication. Size matters, more so the Plus size. The business being business, the market size has a bearing on diplomacy and bilateral relations in today's globalised market. It is back to basics in Hyundai Mantra, according to The Singapore Post. New Delhi would not like to force any company out of the country on account of its tangled relations with a neighbour and the Asian nation needs foreign investments and it particularly welcomes the foreign companies that promise to bring high-tech manufacturing to India. But even without going to the extremes, it should be possible for India to ensure that manufacturers and other companies that come to India give the undertaking to stay out of political or other conflicts with another country, said The Singapore Post. It came after South Korean Foreign Minster Chung Eui-yong on Tuesday conveyed regret to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar over the offence caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post on Kashmir. "Foreign Minister of Republic of Korea Chung Eui-Yong called External Affairs Minister this morning. While they discussed several issues, the RoK Foreign Minister also conveyed that they regretted the offence caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post," said External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi earlier. India had summoned the South Korean envoy over Hyundai Pakistan's social media post on Kashmir. In a media response, Bagchi had informed that India expressed its strong displeasure of the government on what is described as an "unacceptable social media post" by Hyundai Pakistan. "Immediately after this social media post on Sunday, 6th February 2022, our Ambassador in Seoul contacted the Hyundai Headquarters and sought an explanation. The offending post had been removed subsequently. The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs on 7th February 2022," the MEA spokesperson said. (ANI) Agitated prisoners were demanding to allow Mohammad Ali Khokhar, one of the 13 "dangerous" inmates, back into the prison. Notably, the jail officials had shifted Khokhar to Shikarpur jail following which the agitation started, reported Dawn. The demand was met when Khokhar was moved from Shikarpur jail and was returned to the Larkana Central Prison, which had been the site of recurrent demonstrations and riots for about seven months. Negotiations between the agitating inmates and the jail officials were continuing, but the latter had refused to give in to the pressure, even when a big group of convicts went to the roof and set fire to bedsheets in one of the events. Pakistan's opposition party, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), leader joined the talks and got the matter settled. The inmates released five policemen -- Imran Zuhrani, Murtaza Junejo, Tariq Rajpar, Shahnawaz Korkani and Daman Jagirani -- on his assurance that Khokhar would be taken back. The remaining two policemen -- Abdul Rasheed Golo and Abdul Waheed Golo -- were set free when Khokhar returned to the jail on the order of the DIG Sukkur jail, sources said, reported the newspaper. (ANI) The list of Pakistan's top ten performing ministries announced on Thursday has created bitterness within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) ranks after many frontline ministries, including the Foreign Ministry led by Shah Mehmood Qureshi, were dropped from the list, reported local media. A day after Prime Minister Imran Khan rewarded the top 10 ministries on the basis of their performance, some federal cabinet members expressed reservations at being overlooked, reported Dawn. Some of the ministries that could not find their place among the list were foreign affairs, finance, information technology, housing, information and environment, said the Pakistani publication. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also expressed disappointment and wrote a letter to Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Establishment Arbab Shahzad, expressing serious reservations over placing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the 11th spot. Shahzad had prepared the report on the top 10 ministries to the Prime Minister on the basis of certain criteria. According to Dawn, Qureshi expressed reservations over both the performance of ministers and the distribution of certificates among them. He wrote that in the first quarter set in the nine-month performance agreement, the Foreign Ministry achieved 22 out of the 26 targets assigned. In the remaining four, one of the targets was completed 99 per cent, and the reasons for delaying the remaining three projects were mentioned in a letter written on October 27, 2021, he stated in the document that is also being widely shared on social media, reported Dawn. (ANI) Uyghur diaspora held protests in Istanbul, against Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for his remarks on China just prior to departing to attend the inaugural ceremony of Beijing Olympics 2022. Uyghur Muslim protesters gathered in front of the Pakistan consulate in Istanbul on February 11 and raised slogans against Imran Khan's statement in which he gave a clean chit to China with respect to its suppressions on Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang, according to reports. Uyghurs stated that the main reason for the protest was "the lies of Imran Khan and the deportation of Uyghur Muslims from Pakistan." Buses carrying 130 protestors reached the location close to Pakistan Consulate in Istanbul. However, only 10 protestors were allowed to stand in front of the Pakistan consulate main gate at a time. A memorandum was submitted to security officials who refused to receive it. The envelope containing the memorandum was pasted on the main gate of the consulate. Senior officers of the Pakistan embassy came out to reason with the protesters. Interestingly they tried to convince the protesters to go and protest in front of the Chinese embassy. After much argument, only 25 protesters were allowed at the site with the assurance they would not disrupt the traffic. However, starting with 25, the number of protesters increased to 70. After half an hour the Turkish police forcibly boarded the protesters and sent them back. During the protest clash between the security officials and protestors occurred many times. A minor skirmish occurred when the consulate senior officer stopped a few Uyghurs from raising anti-Imran Khan slogans. Imran Khan, who has long projected himself as a champion of Islamic causes, continues to support China on its policy regarding Xinjiang, despite the global bid to hold Beijing accountable for suppressing Uyghur Muslims in the region. Italian political advisor and geopolitical expert Sergio Restelli said the growing dependence on China for economic aid and diplomatic support is the major reason that Pakistani leadership is left with no option but to publicly commit to China's policies even though they are responsible for the genocide of Uyghur Muslims. (ANI) The youth was identified as Gumano and is the resident of Tharparkar district in Pakistan's Sindh province. According to the press release by Gujarat Frontier, Border Security Force, the youth had a quarrel with his family and left his home. He is epileptic and belongs to a poor family and has 10 siblings. He inadvertently crossed International Border on the intervening night of February 9/10, 2022 and reached Kuda-Chapariya link Road where he was apprehended by troops of 56 Battalion of the BSF. He was in a dehydrated state when BSF troops provided him food and water. On humanitarian grounds and as a goodwill gesture Pak youth was handed over by BSF to Pak Rangers after a series of flag meetings. Earlier also, BSF had handed over a Pak national on January 5 2022, as a goodwill gesture. (ANI) About 40 activists of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a Pakistan based anti-Pakistan government movement, demonstrated in front of the Pakistani Consulate in Frankfurt on February 11 where they condemned Pakistan for its activities against Pashtuns. The protest was carried out under the leadership of Aqeel Ahmad. Mohd Zareef and Sultani were other prominent leaders who were present in the demonstration and addressed the gathering. Demonstrators were carrying banners and placards. They were shouting slogans against Pakistan-- Pakistan: Stop killing Pashtuns, Pakistan is killing, The world is watching, Pakistan: A terrorist state, Pakistan: stop Pashtun genocide, Pakistan: stop terrorist attacks on Pashtuns. The international wing of the PTM, a Pakistan based anti-Pakistan government movement will further demonstrate against Pakistan in different European cities on February 13. The protests will be staged to condemn the assassination attempt on PTM leader Manzoor Ahmed Pashteen. Fazal ur Rehman, a member of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement said, "PTM Europe has announced a series of protests all over Europe including France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and Denmark to express anger and condemn the failed assassination attempt on PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen." "And I think it's a redline crossed by Pakistan because Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen has already been put on exit control list by Pakistani authorities but even in Pakistan, there is a ban on his movement in different provinces. So, it's really a violation of international law United Nations universal declaration and the relevant UN conventions because Pakistan wants to stifle his freedom of movement and freedom of expression," Rehman added. PTM leader Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen's was attacked on February 2 in Pakistan's restive province Balochistan. The PTM accuses the Pakistan military of conducting the attack. PTM accuses Islamabad of employing brute high handedness to stifle their voice for rights. They even accused authorities of arbitrarily arresting PTM activists and leaders. They will hold separate protests to demand the release of those leaders. Rehman said, "PTM is organising a sit in front of the provincial assembly in Sindh for the release of PTM leader Ali Wazir, Hanif Pashteen and Owais Abdal because they have been arbitrarily arrested by the Pakistani authorities and even United Nations Human Rights Council under special procedures, seven rapporteurs have sent a letter to the government of Pakistan regarding Ali Wazir and even the inter-parliamentary union has also expressed its concern on the arrest of MNA Ali Wazir." "But Pakistani authorities are still applying the delaying tactics in the court to prolong the detention of these activists arbitrarily arrested by the Pakistani authorities. So, it's really a matter of concern. We will organise a protest all over the world to condemn these fascist acts of the state of Pakistan," added Rehman. Pashtuns, an ethnic minority blames Pakistan for marginalising them for years. They say they have not been accorded their rights. And their demand for the same has been brutally suppressed. (ANI) Kirby reiterated US' commitment to the Ukrainian armed forces amid the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine. Taking to Twitter, he said, "@SecDef has ordered the temporary repositioning of @FLGuard troops out of Ukraine. Abundance of caution, safety and security of our personnel his paramount concern. We remain committed to our relationship with the Ukrainian armed forces." Earlier in the day, the US State Department has told non-emergency personnel at its embassy in Ukraine to leave due to reports of Russian troop build-up near the border with Ukraine and "potential for significant military action," the US embassy in Kyiv said Saturday. "Today, the @StateDept ordered non-emergency US employees at the Embassy to depart due to continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, indicating the potential for significant military action," the embassy tweeted. The core team of US diplomats will stay in Ukraine, however, the embassy said. The US and several NATO countries have been pumping Kyiv with weapons in recent weeks, alleging that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine, which Moscow denied. (ANI) According to an MEA statement, last year in the joint fight against the COVID pandemic, India had supplied humanitarian assistance to Iran consisting of one million doses of COVAXIN vaccine. Furthermore, to ensure food security, India also supplied 40,000 litres of Malathion pesticide to Iran under the Government-to-Government initiative for Locust Control Programme. (ANI) "The presidents discussed ways to move forward implementation of Minsk agreements and continued discussions of the conditions for security and stability in Europe. They expressed a desire to continue dialogue on these two issues," the French presidential office said in a statement. Macron relayed the concerns of other European leaders to Putin and remarked that "a sincere dialogue is incompatible with escalation," according to the statement. (ANI/Sputnik) Students in Pakistan continued their sit-in at Charing Cross on Saturday to protest against the ban on student unions imposed by former president General Ziaul Haq. Notably, the demonstrations started on Wednesday to mark the 38th anniversary of the ban on student unions. The Progressive Student Collective activists continued their protest as it entered its third day. The protesters asked all political parties to unanimously pass legislation in parliament to decriminalise student politics. Pakistan Bar Council member Abid Saqi said that Ziaul era banned the student unions to close the door of politics on students. A number of students have established a camp which has been visited by social and political workers, lawyers, members of the Punjab Assembly, journalists and students from different colleges and universities, reported Dawn. Further reiterating his concern on the situation Saqi said that the ban had helped the state produce slaves and compliant minds in educational institutions. "This compliant mind could not raise voice against any injustice and it was the reason to ban student unions in the country and the state had achieved their target during the last 30 years," he said. He condemned the right-wing parties and said that these parties thrived in universities. He further criticized them for not providing a conducive atmosphere to students with liberal, secular, and free minds since unions were prohibited, reported the newspaper. Moreover, he said these students were demanding their constitutional rights and were being labelled as traitors. "We are not afraid of these people who label them with different names and will continue their struggle," he said. (ANI) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed the tensions around Ukraine with UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss after her visit to Russia earlier in the week, the US State Department said Saturday. "Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke today with UK Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss on shared priorities, including strong, united response to further Russian aggression against Ukraine. The Secretary and Foreign Secretary Truss agreed on the importance of reinforcing coordinated support amongst Allies and partners to impose consequences and costs for further Russian aggression towards Ukraine," said State Department Spokesperson Ned Price in a statement. Blinken, in his tweet, further stressed the importance of the US working together with NATO allies and European partners to impose "swift, severe costs" on Russia in response to "any further military aggression by Russia against Ukraine,". Taking to Twitter, Blinken said, "Spoke with @TrussLiz today and appreciate her strong coordination with the U.S., Allies, and partners to deter Russia's escalation against Ukraine. The U.S. and UK are in lock-step to ensure Russia will face severe costs if it further invades Ukraine."(ANI) Days after their quiet detention, the Taliban freed two western citizens and their two Afghan colleagues on Friday who had been working for the UN after the world body had announced that they had been held by the Taliban for several days in Afghanistan, reported New York Times. The team members were on an assignment with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and were detained in Kabul in recent days. The United Nations in its initial statement said, "We are doing our utmost to resolve the situation." Hours later, the Taliban's spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid said that foreigners were released. However, he did not mention the two Afghans. Mujahid said that the foreigners were arrested due to correct identification and permit issues. "Those foreigners who were said to be related to an international entity were arrested because they did not have the correct identification and permits. They are in good health, and after their identities were verified, they were released," The New York Times quoted Mujahid as saying. In the late evening on Friday, the UN Human Rights Commissioner's office in Geneva confirmed the release of both Westerners and their Afghan colleagues. The issue of detentions and disappearances has put a new spotlight on the Taliban's promises to improve their human rights record under the weight of international sanctions, according to The New York Times. (ANI) The call between US President Joe Biden and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin has begun amid mounting tensions between Kyiv and Moscow over massive Russian military build-up along the Ukraine border, prompting speculation of a possible invasion by Moscow, according to a media report. President Joe Biden's call with Russian President Vladimir Putin began at 11:04 am ET, reported CNN citing the White House pool. The call between the two leaders comes following a week of diplomatic efforts to avoid conflict in Ukraine as Russia continues its buildup of troops near the Ukrainian border. Washington has moved some US forces out of Ukraine and ordered the evacuation of most of its embassy staff on Saturday as fears mount that a Russian invasion of the country could potentially take place in the next few days. Russian diplomats and employees of the Russian consulates also started leaving Ukraine, which made it more difficult to make an appointment at the diplomatic agencies, an informed source told Sputnik on Saturday. "According to Ukrainian citizens, Russian diplomats and consular officials in Ukraine began to leave for Russia. This, in particular, is proved by difficulties arising when making an appointment at the consulates and the embassy," the source said. The US and several NATO countries have been pumping Kyiv with weapons in recent weeks, alleging that Russia is planning to invade Ukraine, which Moscow denied. (ANI) A delegation of Tibetan parliament-in-exile has met Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Amarendra Dhari Singh who raised the Tibetians issue in Parliament, and discussed the worsening human rights situation in the country by China. "Chinese have really crackdown not just on the Tibetians also on Uyghurs, Hongkongers and not just that but beyond its borders. It has gone to bullying kind of tactics with India and many other countries," Youdon Aukatsang, a fourth-time term elected member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile (TPIE) told ANI. Earlier in February, Rajya Sabha MP Amarendra Dhari Singh had raised the issue in Parliament and said that Tibetans have never accepted the sovereignty and suzerainty of the Chinese. Speaking further, Aukatsang said that the human rights situation in Tibet has never been worst before. "Tibet has always been under crisis, not only us (Tibetians) but even human rights watch is demanding an immediate release of the political prisoners but the Chinese are not taking to it. At the beginning of the year, we had two political prisoners who died in prison," she added. She also said that people in Tibet are not allowed to carry a picture of the Dalai Lama. "We are not allowed to talk about anything against the Chinese, there is no freedom of speech and expression. There are CCTV cameras everywhere". Highlighting how China has postured itself in front of the world, a fourth-time term elected member of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile said, "They brought Tibetians, Ughurs to showcase to the world that everything is a hunky-dory in China but it's not. Tibetians are being put through indoctrination to China, they are trying to totally assimilate us to their culture. We are being wiped out. We are becoming a minority in our own country." The delegation also thanked MP for raising the Tibet issue in the Parliament. "Tibet is really under tortures by the Chinese government, if you see ethnically, culturally, socially, there is nothing common between the Tibetian and the Chinese," Amarendra Dhari Singh said, adding that "I raised this issue on Parliament because I found that we are staying in a very unfriendly neighbourhood." Tibet was a sovereign state before China's invasion in 1950 when the People's Liberation Army (PLA) entered northern Tibet. (ANI) Three escaped inmates from Tennessee were found in the Wilmington area. Three inmates who escaped from a Tennessee jail last week, including one accused of stabbing his wife to death, turned up in the Wilmington area. Two of the inmates, Tobias Carr, 38, and Timothy Sarver, 45, were found dead in a wrecked vehicle Feb. 5 after an armed robbery at a Sneads Ferry convenience store led to a police chase. Carr had been facing a second-degree murder charge in the November 2019 slaying of his wife in Kingsport, Tennessee. The third escapee, 50-year-old Johnny Shane Brown, was captured Thursday night at a Wilmington apartment. Here's what we know about these men. SBI awaiting autopsy results for two inmates Carr and Sarver were involved in a robbery at a Speedway Convenience Store in Sneads Ferry around 4:30 a.m. Feb. 5, law enforcement said. According to a news release from the Onslow County Sheriff's Office, the men tied a clerk up at gunpoint and stole money from the register and safe before fleeing in the clerk's car. The clerk was not injured. When lawmen were on the scene of the robbery, the stolen car was spotted passing the convenience store and a chase ensued. More: After Sneads Ferry armed robbery, 2 escaped inmates dead when highway pursuit ends in Brunswick County The pursuit traveled through Onslow, Pender, New Hanover and Brunswick counties, officials said. According to Navassa Police Chief Darryll DeCotis, the chase ended about 6 a.m. in a wreck in Navassa. Carr and Sarver were found dead inside. Authorities are awaiting autopsy results to determine the exact causes of death. The State Bureau of Investigation is investigating the pursuit. Third inmate arrested in Wilmington With assistance from the Wilmington Police Department, U.S. Marshals arrested Brown at an apartment near South 16th and Dock streets around 9 p.m. Thursday. More: Escaped Tennessee inmate captured in Wilmington, police say According to an update on the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, Brown is being held at the New Hanover County Detention Center awaiting extradition to Tennessee. New Hanover County jail records do not list Brown in custody there. Story continues The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office did not respond to an inquiry Friday regarding the suspects' connection to the Wilmington area. Three men escape Tennessee jail through air vent According to a news release from the Sullivan County Sheriff's Office in Tennessee, the trio escaped from the county jail there early Feb. 4 through an air vent in the ceiling of their cell that led to the roof of the building. At the time, Carr was being held on charges of second-degree murder, vandalism and tampering with evidence and Sarver was being held on several charges including identity theft and auto theft. Brown was facing several charges, including harassment, aggravated stalking and domestic violence. According to a statement from Sullivan County Sheriff Jeff Cassidy, the jail conducted an internal review of the incident "in hopes of preventing this from happening again." Cassidy said all vents at the jail had been inspected and measures to further secure them had been taken. "While we cannot release specifics about our operational patterns for the safety of our staff, we can say that a combination of facility failure and human error resulted in the inmates being able to escape in the manner that they did," he said. "I want the public to know that we do not take this incident lightly." On Sunday, the sheriff's office said an investigation indicated the three inmates may have been in Pulaski, Virginia, which is more than 300 miles north of Wilmington. This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: What we know about escaped Tennessee inmates found in Wilmington area KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's central bank on Saturday criticised Washington's plan to use half the bank's $7 billion in frozen assets on U.S. soil for humanitarian aid and set aside the rest to possibly satisfy lawsuits over the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. U.S. administration officials said on Friday they would work to ensure access to $3.5 billion of the assets would benefit the Afghan people, amid calls for the money to be used to address a deepening economic crisis since the Taliban seized power last year. The other half of the funds would remain in the United States, subject to ongoing litigation targeting the Taliban, including by relatives of those who died in the Sept. 11 attacks, the officials said. Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB) criticised the decision, saying its assets had been invested in the United States in line with international practices, and belonged to the people of Afghanistan. "DAB considers the latest decision of USA on blocking FX (foreign exchange) reserves and allocating them to irrelevant purposes, injustice to the people of Afghanistan," the central bank said in a statement. "(DAB) will never accept if the FX reserves of Afghanistan is paid under the name of compensation or humanitarian assistance to others and wants the reversal of the decision and release of all FX reserves of Afghanistan," it added. The central bank funds have been frozen since the Taliban took over the country as foreign forces withdrew in August. The frozen funding combined with sanctions and a drop off in development funding have sent the country's economy into freefall, unleashing a humanitarian crisis. (Writing by Charlotte Greenfield; Editing by Helen Popper) KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) Demonstrators in Afghanistans capital on Saturday condemned President Joe Bidens order freeing up $3.5 billion in Afghan assets held in the U.S. for families of Americas 9/11 victims saying the money belongs to Afghans. Protesters who gathered outside Kabul's grand Eid Gah mosque asked America for financial compensation for the tens of thousands of Afghans killed during the last 20 years of war in Afghanistan. Biden's order, signed Friday, allocates another $3.5 billion in Afghan assets for humanitarian aid to a trust fund to be managed by the U.N. to provide aid to Afghans. The country's economy is teetering on the brink of collapse after international money stopped coming into Afghanistan with the arrival in mid-August of the Taliban. Afghanistan's Central Bank called on Biden to reverse his order and release the funds to it, saying in a statement Saturday that they belonged to the people of Afghanistan and not a government, party or group. Torek Farhadi, a financial adviser to Afghanistan's former U.S.-backed government, questioned the U.N. managing Afghan Central Bank reserves. He said those funds are not meant for humanitarian aid but to back up the country's currency, help in monetary policy and manage the country's balance of payment." He also questioned the legality of Biden's order. These reserves belong to the people of Afghanistan, not the Taliban ... Bidens decision is one-sided and does not match with international law, said Farhadi. No other country on Earth makes such confiscation decisions about another countrys reserves. White House officials said there is no simple way to make all the frozen assets available quickly to the Afghan people. Sept. 11 victims and their families have legal claims against the Taliban and the $7 billion in the U.S. banking system. Courts would have to sign off before the release of humanitarian assistance money and decide whether to tap the frozen funds for paying out those claims. Story continues In all, Afghanistan has about $9 billion in assets overseas, including the $7 billion in the United States. The rest is mostly in Germany, the United Arab Emirates and Switzerland. What about our Afghan people who gave many sacrifices and thousands of losses of lives? asked the demonstration's organizer, Abdul Rahman, a civil society activist. Rahman said he planned to organize more demonstrations across the capital to protest Biden's order. "This money belongs to the people of Afghanistan, not to the United States. This is the right of Afghans, he said. Misspelled placards in English accused the United States of being cruel and of stealing the money of Afghans. Taliban political spokesman Mohammad Naeem accused the Biden administration in a tweet late Friday of showing the lowest level of humanity ... of a country and a nation. Biden's Friday order generated a social media storm with Twitter saying #USA_stole_money_from_afghan was trending among Afghans. Tweets repeatedly pointed out that the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals, not Afghans. Obaidullah Baheer, a lecturer at the American University in Afghanistan and a social activist, tweeted: Lets remind the world that #AfghansDidntCommit911 and that #BidenStealingAfgMoney! Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was brought to Afghanistan by Afghan warlords after being expelled from Sudan in 1996. Those same warlords would later ally with the U.S.-led coalition to oust the Taliban in 2001. However, it was Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar who refused to hand over bin Laden to the U.S. after the devastating 9/11 attacks that killed thousands. Still, some analysts took to Twitter to question Biden's order. Michael Kugelman, deputy director of the Asia Program at the U.S.-based Wilson Center, called Biden's order to divert $3.5 billion away from Afghanistan heartless." Its great that $3.5B in new humanitarian aid for Afghanistan has been freed up. But to take another $3.5B that belongs to the Afghan people, and divert it elsewhere--that is misguided and quite frankly heartless, he tweeted. Kugelman also said the opposition to Biden's order crossed Afghanistan's wide political divide. I cant remember the last time so many people of such vastly different worldviews were so united over a US policy decision on Afghanistan, he tweeted. Feb. 11GRAND FORKS Thief River Falls' longtime activities director may be headed west to Grand Forks. Grand Forks Public Schools board members are scheduled on Monday, Feb. 14, to consider appointing Mike Biermaier the districtwide activities director. If board members OK it, Biermaier would start on July 1 and be paid $132,000 annually. Biermaier, who has been the activities director at Thief River Falls Public Schools since 2007, was one of six people, including existing Athletics Director Mark Rerick, interviewed by a team of district staff. That team includes Superintendent Terry Brenner and the principals from Red River High School, Central High School and Valley Middle School. Brenner recommended school board members here hire Biermaier after those interviews. "He comes to the district with systems thinking and a framework for, and experience in, establishing a balanced culture between extra- and co-curricular activities," Brenner wrote to board members. "He has a proven track record of bringing athletic coaches and academic advisors together with a shared understanding that all activities are important for all participants." The other interviewees were: * Gabe Dahl, an associate principal at Grand Forks Central High School * Kevin Forde, who confirmed he was an interviewee but declined to say his current job * Tony Bina, an associate principal at Red River High School * Mark Rerick, Grand Forks Public Schools' athletics director * Scott Koberinski, the activities director at East Grand Forks Public Schools Citing the blizzard that prompted school closures on Friday, district spokesperson Tracy Jentz said that next week is the earliest she could provide the resumes of those interviewees. The job opened up after district leaders reorganized their activities and athletics departments , a move that finance staff there estimated would cost $21,000 more each year. The move, in essence, replaces a districtwide athletics director with a districtwide activities one, and replaces two high school-level activities directors with two high school-level athletics directors. Story continues The reorg also pushed out of his job Rerick, who said in October that his job was being "dissolved." District leaders originally considered a reorganization in which Rerick's job would be eliminated and his responsibilities spread to other administrators. Rerick could not be immediately reached for comment. Assuming the school board approves Biermaier's hire, one of the first items on his agenda will be to work with the principal at each high school to hire an athletics director there. Joe Biden (L), Vladimir Putin (R). Alex Brandon/AP Photo (L), Sergei Karpukhin\TASS via Getty Images (R) Joe Biden will speak to Vladimir Putin by phone on Saturday. The phone call will be the first time the two leaders have directly spoken this year. Biden reportedly told allied leaders that Putin has decided to move forward with an invasion. President Joe Biden is due to speak to his Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday, as US officials warn Russia could invade Ukraine within days. Biden will speak to Putin by phone on Saturday morning, a White House official told Reuters, the first time the leaders have spoken directly since December 30. Putin had requested the call with Biden take place on Monday, but the US president wanted to conduct it sooner amid fears that an invasion is imminent, The Guardian reported. National security advisor Jake Sullivan said on Friday that there's a "credible prospect" Russia could invade Ukraine before the end of the Winter Olympics on February 20. Biden reportedly told NATO and EU leaders in a private call on Friday that Vladimir Putin has decided to move forward with an invasion, The Guardian reported, citing diplomatic sources. However, Sullivan said US intelligence does not know if Putin has decided about invading. "I will say that the way that he has built up his forces and put them in place, along with the other indicators that we have collected through intelligence, makes it clear to us that there is a very distinct possibility that Russia will choose to act militarily, and there is reason to believe that that could happen on a reasonably swift timeframe," Sullivan said. The Biden administration has told Americans in Ukraine to leave as soon as possible, and other countries, including Britain, Australia, and Japan, have urged their citizens to do the same. On Saturday, the US State Department also ordered most of its American staff at its embassy in Kyiv to leave "due to the continued threat of Russian military action." The State Department had already ordered family members of embassy staff to leave. Story continues Sullivan warned that a Russian invasion would likely begin with aerial bombing and missile attacks that could kill civilians of all nationalities. The Kremlin has claimed that it does not plan to invade, despite its aggressive posturing towards Ukraine. For weeks, Russia has been amassing troops around Ukraine's border, with the number now reaching roughly 130,000. The increasing tensions come around eight years after Russia invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea. Since then, Russia has supported rebels in a war against Ukrainian forces in the eastern Donbas region. The Kremlin has said it wants to enforce "red lines" to make sure that Ukraine does not join NATO. Read the original article on Business Insider Bob Saget, shown at the People's Choice Awards in Los Angeles in 2017, died of a head injury in Florida on Jan. 9. He was 65. (Jordan Strauss / Invision / Associated Press) The death of popular comedian Bob Saget while on tour in Florida last month was surprising and tragic, but the injury that claimed his life is more common than you might think. According to the medical examiner in Florida who performed the autopsy, Saget most likely fell and struck the back of his head, causing bleeding on his brain. Saget's family said he probably thought nothing of the injury and went to sleep. A hotel employee found him dead in bed the next afternoon. On a typical day, brain injuries like Saget's claim the lives of more than 160 people in the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. About 61,000 people died from a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, in the U.S. in 2019 alone. Granted, the most common cause of death from TBI is a gun-related suicide. Car crashes and assaults are other common sources of these injuries. But almost half the hospitalizations from TBI come from the simple act of falling down, the CDC says. Saget was 65, putting him in an age group that's particularly susceptible to damaging falls. A 2006 study published by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that "in persons aged 65 and older, TBI is responsible for more than 80,000 emergency department visits each year; three-quarters of these visits result in hospitalization as a result of the injury." More than half of those injuries resulted from falls. According to the CDC, "data suggest that some groups are at greater risk of dying from a TBI or experiencing long-term health problems after the injury." Those groups include racial and ethnic minorities, members and veterans of the armed services, homeless people, and residents of rural areas. Everyone hits their head on something at some point in their lives. So how do you tell when there's cause for alarm? Here's some advice from three experts on brain injuries: Dr. Christopher C. Giza, director of the UCLA Steve Tisch BrainSport Program; Dr. May Kim-Tenser, a neurologist with Keck Medicine of USC; and Dr. Joshua Marcus, a neurosurgeon at Nuvance Health in Connecticut. Story continues What causes a traumatic brain injury? Thousands of Americans suffer traumatic brain injuries every year, but incidents like the ones that claimed Saget's life are rare. And although head traumas are "super common," Marcus said, "the overwhelming minority result in anything serious." Bumping the headboard as you're getting into bed shouldn't send you to the hospital. "It has to be a pretty traumatic fall," Kim-Tenser said. "It really has to be a pretty hard hit to the head," involving a hard impact on a hard surface. Giza agreed. "Hitting your head on the headboard is not going to create a lot of force," he said. By contrast, he said, "slipping in the bathroom and hitting your head on the side of the bathtub is going to have considerable force." The brain can also be injured in a less direct way, when a forceful event a car wreck, for example shoves it against the skull. A shearing injury is when "the brain is going one way, the force is going the other way," Marcus said. Then there are contracoup injuries, when a force on one side of the head sends the brain into the skull on the other side. The damage is caused when a blood vessel inside the skull ruptures, causing blood to pool between the brain and its surroundings. "The skull is a closed box, largely," Giza said, "so if you start filling up part of that space with bleeding, the rest of the stuff gets squished." Once you start squeezing the brain, it doesn't work very well. People can go into a coma or become paralyzed. And if the pressure is applied to the brain stem (the part near the spinal cord), it can interfere with a person's breathing and heartbeat, Giza said. Beyond that, he said, the pooled blood irritates the surface of the brain, potentially triggering seizures. Giza and Marcus said that some parts of the head are worse than others when it comes to brain injuries. Because the compartment around the brain stem is relatively small, Giza said, it takes less blood to cause problems there. And fracturing the temporal bone above the ear could sever an artery, causing blood to flow rapidly into the brain, Marcus said. Red-flag symptoms Experts say the telltale signs of a serious brain injury tend to be changes in behavior and mental functions. A seizure, paralysis, substantial confusion, a loss of coordination and vomiting are red flags that should send you straight to the emergency room, Giza said. Kim-Tenser also pointed to feeling disoriented and drifting in and out of lucidity as indications of a real problem. Marcus added numbness and tingling to the list, as well as feeling lethargic or sleepy. "Being tired after a head injury is a bad sign," Marcus said. That's not necessarily a reason to keep a person who's suffered a blow to the head awake all night, Giza said. But monitoring that person is extremely important, he said, because it's a sign of a serious problem if neurological or behavioral symptoms get worse over time. For example, mild headaches are common after head injuries, so they're not red flags on their own. But if they get worse instead of fading after a few days, that's a reason to see your doctor. Marcus noted that sometimes injuries cause delayed bleeding, so crucial symptoms may take a few days to emerge. That's especially true with older patients, he said. "It isnt very common for somebody to hit their head and then to have a serious brain bleed and not have it detected," Giza said. "But another risk that can amplify things is if somebody is completely alone. Being completely alone is extremely problematic if your symptoms start to get worse." If you start to get confused or have memory problems and youre by yourself, he said, you may not recognize the situation you're in. As with so many things in medicine, personal factors can play an important role in determining whether a head trauma results in serious injury. According to the Cleveland Clinic, you're more susceptible to brain bleeding if you're older, because the blood vessels around your brain are more susceptible to tearing; if you're a hemophiliac or taking blood thinners; if you play contact sports; if you abuse alcohol, because "damaged livers can't produce enough of the proteins that help the blood to clot;" or if you're a baby, because your weak neck muscles leave you more prone to head injury. Other things to watch for Even if there are no red-flag symptoms, a head injury may still be serious enough to warrant calling your doctor and being monitored for a few days. Being sensitive to light or noise, feeling nauseous and having blurred or double vision are all signs that warrant further attention, Giza said. If you lost consciousness when the injury happened, Marcus said, "thats a concerning symptom related to the fall itself." A lump on the head may look really bad, Giza said, but it doesn't necessarily mean theres an underlying brain injury. The swelling may be confined to the outside of the skull. The more swelling there is, however, the harder it will be for a doctor to feel for a skull fracture, he said. Nor is a lot of bleeding necessarily a sign of a brain injury. "A cut to the scalp can bleed quite impressively," Giza said, noting that almost 20% of the heart's output gets pumped to the head (mainly for the brain). This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. TOMS RIVER - A Brick man was sentenced Friday to three years in state prison for phoning in two bomb threats over as many days that prompted the evacuation of the Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk last June, announced Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Nkosi Jones, 20, had previously pleaded guilty to the charge of making terroristic threats before state Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan. The incidents occurred on June 3 and June 4. About 1:15 p.m. on June 3, a bomb threat was called into the main office of Jenkinsons Pavilion Boardwalk Amusements. The caller said he would be planting a bomb on the boardwalk. The call was reported to the Point Pleasant Beach Police Department and its officers evacuated the boardwalk. After no bomb was found, the boardwalk reopened about three hours later, according to the Prosecutors Office. How we got here: Brick man, 19, accused of bomb threats that cleared Point Pleasant Beach boardwalk The next day, another bomb threat was called into the office at Jenkinsons. Again, the boardwalk was evacuated. After a search resulted in no bomb being found, the boardwalk was reopened after several hours, the Prosecutors Office said. A drone view looking north of Jenkinson's boardwalk area and beach in Point Pleasant Beach shown on May 2, 2019. The High Tech Crime Unit of the Prosecutors Office determined that Jones who was an employee of Jenkinsons Pavilion at the time had placed both of the threatening calls through the phone app TextNow. On June 17, Jones was arrested as he reported to work at Jenkinsons, all according to the Prosecutors Office . Erik Larsen: 732-682-9359 or elarsen@gannettnj.com This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Jenkinson's employee made Point Pleasant Beach bomb threats, says OCPO DARIEN, CT A grand opening celebration for The Cafe at Darien Library, a new coffee and food stand that will provide employment opportunities for adults with disabilities, was held Wednesday morning at the library. The new cafe, which will employ up to 15 workers, is the result of a partnership between the library and Abilis, a non-profit organization that provides services and supports for individuals with special needs and their families. First Selectman Monica McNally, who was on hand for the grand opening event, noted Abilis will manage and staff the cafe, which will feature grab-and-go breakfast and lunch sandwiches provided by local eateries and other delicious menu items. "Having a cafeteria back in the library, I think, is a terrific thing," McNally said. "A library is really a community location. A lot of people come here, a lot of people come when schools are closed, a lot of people come from out of town, so it really draws a great audience and this really a terrific addition to it." Library Marketer Kristen Hinz agreed with McNally's sentiments and noted having a cafe means more members of the community can come into the library, take their time and enjoy a cup of coffee or a snack while they work. "I think it just helps our community come together and use the library a little bit more, which is awesome for us," Hinz said to Patch. "On a bigger scale, having a cafe with Abilis here, having their staff and their clients come and be more visible and work with people, it was really meaningful to us and helps us get in touch with that community a little bit more, which is awesome." According to an accompanying news release, the cafe is staffed by Abilis program participants with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have gone through the organization's competitive employment job training program. Heather Brown, a professional food service manager with more than 30 years of experience working in restaurant and catering businesses, will oversee the cafe for Abilis. Story continues This new venture dovetails with the organization's expansion in Darien with several other Abilis programs, including housing and community integration. Abilis CEO Amy Montimurro said the organization's mission has been, and continues to be, to ensure equity, opportunities and a meaningful life for community members. "The expansion of our business has provided training and jobs for people of all abilities," Montimurro said, "promoting their skills and helping each person to develop confidence and self-worth." She thanked also Kiera Parrott, director of the Darien Library, and her team for their support and for "embracing Abilis as part of the library community." She also thanked The Darien Foundation, a local nonprofit that awards grants for technology and capital initiatives that promote and strengthen the Darien community. The foundation provided Abilis with a $65,838 grant, a large portion of which was used to fund the equipment, accessible appliances and point-of-sale technology that will facilitate operations for the Abilis staff working at the cafe, according to a news release. "It truly takes a village to achieve our goals," Montimurro said. "We are so happy to be in Darien. The community has been so welcoming to all of our initiatives." Ward Glassmeyer, chairman of the foundation's board of directors, and Sarah Woodberry, the foundation's executive director, both expressed gratitude toward the library and Abilis teams, with Woodberry noting the cafe will be a wonderful community spot for residents to engage with each other after being kept inside for so long due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis. "We're just thrilled," Woodberry said, "to have been a part and played a role in bringing Abilis services to Darien...not only providing opportunity for these wonderful people who will be working at the cafe, but also an opportunity for them to engage in the community." McNally noted all of the programs Abilis runs in town offer valuable opportunities for the people the organization supports. "They provide the opportunities to acquire life skills, to gain work skills," McNally said, "the opportunity to improve self-esteem, but most importantly the opportunity to lead a productive and independent life in our community, and I can't be more sincere when I say I am so thrilled that all of these have come together." Hinz said it was nice to see so many people come out and support the opening of the cafe, especially in light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis. "Seeing people get excited for something at the library is really meaningful to us," Hinz said. "The library is a place where you can be comfortable and relax. We have a lot of spaces for people to work and even greater people who are here to help you with finding a new book or finding a new working space or something like that." The Cafe at Darien Library is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., for grab-and-go food and drink items, online ordering through the cafe website or in-person ordering and dining. Coffee and food items are supplied by local purveyors, including Shearwater Organic Coffee Roasters, Michael Joseph's Fine Foods, Palmer's Market and Upper Crust Bagel & Cafe. This article originally appeared on the Darien Patch The New York Times Oleg Y. Tinkov was worth more than $9 billion in November, renowned as one of Russias few self-made business tycoons after building his fortune outside the energy and minerals industries that were the playgrounds of Russian kleptocracy. Then, last month, Tinkov, the founder of one of Russias biggest banks, criticized the war in Ukraine in a post on Instagram. The next day, he said, President Vladimir Putins administration contacted his executives and threatened to nationalize his bank if it d In this article: Bill Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Hillary Clinton on October 23, 1999. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Over the years, celebrities have visited the White House and interacted with US presidents. Some stars like Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Elvis wore glamorous styles for such occasions. Others like Lenny Kravitz and Sarah Jessica Parker chose more casual outfits. Elvis looked dapper for a 1970 meeting with Richard Nixon. He wore a velvet jacket, layered shirts, an oversized belt buckle, and aviator shades. Elvis Presley meets with Richard Nixon at the White House on December 21, 1970. National Archives/Handout/Getty Images Eight years later, Eartha Kitt wore a suit-style dress and red headscarf to meet Jimmy Carter. She accessorized with layered necklaces, bold blush, and standout eye makeup. Eartha Kitt greets Jimmy Carter on January 1, 1978. Diana Walker/Getty Images During his early days in office, Ronald Reagan met Elizabeth Taylor. She wore a baby-blue dress with a semi-sheer top and high neckline that day. Ronald Reagan, Elizabeth Taylor, and Nancy Reagan on March 1, 1981. Wally McNamee/Getty Images He then posed with models in 1983. Christie Brinkley wore a silver crop top with matching pants, Cheryl Tiegs donned a scoop-neck dress, and Brooke Shields chose a white sleeveless gown. Christie Brinkley, Cheryl Tiegs, the Reagan's, and Brooke Shields on May 20, 1983. Ronald Reagan Library/Stringer/Getty Images Michael Jackson stole the show when accepting an award from the 40th US president in 1984. He wore a jacket covered with blue sparkles, gold epaulets, and a matching sash. Ronald Reagan, Michael Jackson, and Nancy Reagan on May 14, 1984. Bettmann/Getty Images He looked stylish again for a meeting with George Bush in 1990. Jackson wore a black pantsuit with red detailing, matching sunglasses, and metallic shoes. George Bush and Michael Jackson at the White House on April 5, 1990. Diana Walker/Getty Images Whitney Houston looked stunning in a white dress, sparkling tights, and gold heels when she sat down with Bush one month later. Whitney Houston and George Bush at the White House on May 2, 1990. Jerome Delay/Getty Images Celebrities wore their best for Bill Clinton's inauguration week in 1993. Diana Ross, in particular, sported a puffy red coat, a matching top, skinny pants, and red-leather gloves. Celebrities stand with Bill Clinton during his inauguration week on January 1, 1993. Cynthia Johnson/Getty Images In 1994, Aretha Franklin visited the 42nd president in a wedding-style gown. Her white garment had see-through sleeves, a tall collar, and lace from top to bottom. Aretha Franklin receives an award from the Clintons on December 4, 1994. Mark Reinstein/Getty Images Sarah Jessica Parker went with a more casual look to meet the Clintons in 1999. She donned a pink-and-orange tie-dye dress, multiple bangles, and a statement blue necklace. Bill Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Hillary Clinton on October 23, 1999. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Lenny Kravitz also went casual that day. He wore a shiny blue shirt with jeans that were ripped and studded to meet the then-president. Story continues Lenny Kravitz and Bill Clinton pose together on October 23, 1999. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Mandy Moore looked elegant when she met George W. Bush and Laura Bush in 2001. She wore a sleeveless red gown with a high-low skirt and a V neckline. Laura Bush, George H.W. Bush, and Mandy Moore on December 9, 2001. Kevin Kane/Getty Images In 2005, Carrie Underwood wore a strapless white gown covered in gold sparkles for an event hosted by the 43rd president. Carrie Underwood and her mother meet the Bush family on December 11, 2005. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images Hilary Duff sported early-aughts fashion for a concert attended by the Bush family in 2005. Her outfit included a black poncho, rolled-up jeans, Converse sneakers, and pink hair extensions. George Bush, Laura Bush, and Hilary Duff on January 18, 2005. Mark Wilson/Getty Images Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony wore evening wear while posing with the Obamas in 2009. Lopez wore a single-strap dress with gold details, and Anthony stuck with a classic suit. The Obamas with Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony on January 20, 2009. David Hume Kennerly/Getty Images Beyonce wore a black, form-fitting dress with sheer lace sleeves for Obama's second inauguration in 2013. She also added emerald earrings to her look. Beyonce performs at Barack Obama's inauguration on January 21, 2013. Alex Wong/Getty Images The following year, Meryl Streep wore a red dress with frog and bird-shaped brooches to accept the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Obama. Barack Obama and Meryl Streep at the White House on November 24, 2014. Alex Wong/Getty Images In 2019, Kim Kardashian donned a deep-green suit, matching heels, and a lob haircut to speak with Donald Trump. Jared Kushner, Kim Kardashian, and Ivanka Trump on June 13, 2019. Saul Loeb/Getty Images Most recently, Lady Gaga wore a bullet-proof dress for Joe Biden's inauguration in 2021. The Schiaparelli design had a black long-sleeved top, a full red skirt, and a gold bird pin. Lady Gaga with Joe and Jill Biden on January 20, 2021. Pool/Getty Images Read the original article on Insider BEIJING (Reuters) -China's medical products regulator said on Saturday it has given conditional approval for Pfizer's COVID-19 drug Paxlovid, making it the first oral pill specifically developed to treat the disease cleared in the country. The National Medical Products Administration said Paxlovid is approved to treat adults who have mild to moderate COVID-19 and high risk of progressing to a severe condition. Further study on the drug needed to be conducted and submitted to the authority, it said. It is not immediately clear if China is already in talks with Pfizer to procure the pill. "This is an important milestone in our fight against COVID-19," a Pfizer representative said in a statement, without providing information about procurement. The approval is a boost to Pfizer which expects $22 billion in 2022 sales of the treatment. Pfizer executives have said the company is in active discussions with over 100 countries about Paxlovid, and has the capacity to provide 120 million courses if needed. While a number of vaccines are available worldwide to help prevent infection and serious illness, including one made by Pfizer, there are limited treatment options for people infected with COVID-19. Pfizer in December said final trial results showed its treatment reduced the chance of hospitalisation or death by 89% in COVID-19 patients at risk of severe illness given the treatment within three days of the onset of symptoms, and by 88% when given within five days of onset. The United States is paying around $530 for each course of Paxlovid and $700 for each course of rival COVID-19 pill molnupiravir developed by Merck & Co. China has kept daily number of new COVID-19 patients with confirmed symptoms to below 250, and sometimes fewer than 10, in the past year. The number is small for its 1.4 billion population and by global standards, thanks to China's approach of quickly containing any local flare-ups as soon as possible and its weeks-long quarantine requirement for most travellers arriving from abroad. China has yet to approve any COVID-19 vaccines developed by foreign drugmakers but has vaccinated 87.1% of its entire population by Feb. 7 using several domestically developed shots. (Reporting by Roxanne Liu and John Horwitz; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Lincoln Feast.) Students, teachers and parents demonstrate outside of Oakland Unified School District offices after they walked out of Westlake Middle School to protest its consideration for closure by the district on Feb. 1. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez / San Francisco Chronicle) In the birthplace of the Black Panthers, it's best not to mess with Black and brown kids. So when an Oakland Unified School Board of Education member leaked a list of proposed campus closures to the community in January a list that included a beloved elementary campus that is the oldest school in Oakland and an anchor of the Black community things went haywire fast. While every school on the list had its supporters, the inclusion of Prescott Elementary, established in 1869, felt like a body blow to many. Just three years ago, the district celebrated the school's sesquicentennial anniversary, honoring its location in a neighborhood with the second-largest Black population in the state, and one that had long been a destination for immigrants from China, Mexico and other countries. Dr. Ida Louise Jackson, the daughter of a formerly enslaved man and one of the first certified Black teachers in the country, began teaching there in 1925. In 1933, it opened a "mixed" nursery, welcoming children of all races. Its principal, Enomiwoyi Booker, said in media coverage that the school was a "secret gem." The school board said Prescott needed to close, given the district's declining enrollment and financial troubles. Protests, student walkouts and a hunger strike by two district employees at another targeted campus failed to sway enough board members to even slow the process for deciding which schools, if any, should be shuttered. On Wednesday, after eight hours of angry public testimony, the board voted to remove Prescott from the list of schools being closed but move ahead with shuttering seven campuses and merging four others. It was too little, too late. Oaklanders feel betrayed by their school district, regardless of Prescott's reprieve. School board member Mike Hutchinson told his colleagues, right before the Zoom feed cut off, "You can take those Black Lives Matter signs off your lawn and shred them. ... You all just declared war on us." Story continues California is running low on kids, laying the groundwork for more emotional clashes like the one in Oakland. Schools get paid when kids show up. Fewer kids means less cash. Of course, that is an overly simplified shorthand for the local control funding formula the nuanced, complicated, thoughtful and obscenely boring brainchild of former Gov. Jerry Brown. It was meant to give districts greater control over how they spend state money while also making public education more equitable by significantly padding the payments for low-income students, English-language learners and foster youth. But what happened in Oakland should be a warning that, nearly a decade into the funding formula's creation, it's time for state leaders to tweak it and help avoid more last-minute, Oakland-like situations. Our public education system can't be stagnant, but needs to continually adapt to what's coming, not just what's happening now. Demographic changes and falling birth rates have led to a years-long tumble in the number of children in public schools, long before COVID-19. But the pandemic triggered a "precipitous drop" in attendance for 60% of California campuses, as Jonathan Kaplan, an education analyst with the California Budget & Policy Center, describes it. It was like we were running downhill, then ran off a cliff. In the 2018-19 year leading up to the pandemic, California's school enrollment declined by about 23,000 students, according to news outlet CalMatters. But between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years, enrollment plummeted by more than 160,000 students. L.A. Unified lost about 61,000 K-12 students since the 2018-19 school year, according to data obtained by my colleague Howard Blume. Oakland has lost 15,000 students over the last decade, including more than 3,000 in the last three years though its financial problems also stem from mismanagement and two state bailout loans that totaled $100 million and are still being repaid. A sign is shown inside of the closed Lakeview Elementary School in Oakland in 2012. Enrollment has been dropping in the district for more than a decade. (Paul Sakuma / Associated Press) State Sen. Ben Allen, who was previously a member of the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District board, said he's hearing from school administrators statewide who are worried about how volatile enrollment is going to hit their bottom line. Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, who represents South Bay cities, said those fears have even spread to districts usually immune to budget crunches places like Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach and Palos Verdes have all seen drops of about 10% since the pandemic began. But dealing with that reality can't involve the same-old, same-old of expecting poor communities of color to bear the brunt of shrinkage, just because years of neglect have left those schools struggling to survive already. School closures don't just shuffle kids around they disrupt lives and communities, often vulnerable ones where a nudge in the wrong direction can have lasting consequence. For a parent working three jobs or a family struggling to find food, transporting a child to an unfamiliar school often farther away can be one problem too many. California leaders need to be thinking about how to protect places like Prescott Elementary now, before they wind up on the chopping block. This would be the year to do it, because California is flush with extra state budget cash and Gov. Gavin Newsom has already suggested giving more than $1 billion toward education a figure that includes a historic bump in per-pupil spending and a commitment to universal prekindergarten. But that means it's also the year that we will likely lock in a policy path that will affect the next generation of students. Much of the policy debate hinges on whether we should fund schools based on their enrollment (how many kids sign up to attend) or continue with the system of funding based on attendance the average number of kids who show up. Most states use enrollment numbers, which generally provide schools with more money. California uses average daily attendance, in part to encourage schools to invest in getting kids into classrooms. Kids in low-income areas are especially vulnerable to chronic absenteeism for a variety of reasons from lack of access to healthcare to family situations. The debate now is whether average daily attendance funding helps those kids by making sure schools are invested in their attendance, or whether schools would do the right thing and pursue attendance even if we moved to enrollment funding. That's the bigger issue Newsom and other elected leaders must be watching, to make sure solutions aren't confined inside the vacuum of educational policy. How we fund schools should be part of a much larger debate about making it easy for families to get their kids to school every day, and providing the right supports to make that happen. Schools can't be responsible for everything that happens in a student's life, but they are one critical touchpoint for families. That is especially true as we move from pandemic to endemic, letting our attention stray from the mental and physical health problems our children have weathered and will continue to cope with for many years. Those are realities only families and communities can speak to, not policymakers, and what school board conversations should be focused on now instead of masks and mandates. Often with education funding, the debates look like a weedy swamp, and as a parent, I know it can feel daunting to wade in. But as Oakland shows, the alternative to being in the weeds is storming the streets, when the worst has already happened. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Mary Grace Mack, 93, with friend and Barstow Community Hospital spokesman John Rader. Mack will be remembered during a service at 1 p.m. on March 2 at First Baptist Church in Barstow. This story has been updated to reflect the new memorial service time for Mary Grace Mack. Friends and loved ones are mourning the death of longtime community leader Mary Grace Mack, who was once crowned Hospital Hero and Barstows Woman of the Decade. Barstow lost another one of its pillars, said Barstow Community Hospital spokesman John Rader, about Mack, who died on Tuesday at 93 years young. Among her many accomplishments, Mary Mack began volunteering at BCH in 1964, and she remained an active status Auxiliary member for the past 58 years, Rader said. Rader asked that loved ones keep Macks daughters, Kathy and Judy, in their thoughts and prayers. Mary Grace Mack Mary Macks daughters shared a bit of their mothers life with the Daily Press, including her birth on July 2, 1928, to Jack and Grace Kastner of Tucson, Arizona. Mary was the youngest of six children and later attended and graduated from Tucson High School. At the age of 11, Mary met Kenneth Kenny Mack, the love of her life, and would eventually marry him in 1947. In 1957, Kenny and Mary Mack moved from Ajo, Arizona where he taught music to Barstow, where he taught music at Barstow High School. He later worked at Barstow Community Colleges Music Department. During that time, Mary was a homemaker and wife and was an active helper in the many activities of the BHS Riffian Band. Kenny and Mary Mack were married for 58 years before his death in 2005. He was 83-years-old when he died in Escondido. His ashes were committed at South Lawn Memorial Park in Tucson. BHS band directors and Mary organized a college scholarship fund in Kenneths name for music students during that time. Mary Mack was preceded in death by her husband. Also, grandson Kyle and brother Roy; sisters Barbra, Betty, and Nancy. She is survived by her daughters, Judy and Kathy; adopted sons, Doug Kruse and John Rader. Also, nephews, Richard, Jesse, and Randy; nieces, Lynda, Sharon, and Jan, and many great-nephews and nieces. Story continues Mary Mack truly believed that everyone in the community ought to volunteer somewhere to make that community better, Macks daughters told the Daily Press. Mary Grace Mack, 93, will be remembered during a service at 1 p.m. on Feb. 19 at First Baptist Church in Barstow. 'Hospital Hero' and 'Woman of the Decade' More than 40 years ago, as part of her BCH Auxiliary commitment, Mack took on the responsibility of chairing the Barstow area blood drives for the Blood Bank of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, renamed LifeStream in 2008, Rader said. During her tenure, the blood bank collected more than 41,500 units of blood enough to benefit more than 125,000 patients, Rader said. Humbly, Mary would say that the credit for the blood banks massive success should go to the many Barstow residents who have donated blood over the years. Mary was honored by the Barstow Area Chamber of Commerce as Barstows Woman of the Decade in 1994 and Woman of the Year in 2005. In 2012, Mary Mack was named a Hospital Hero by the California Hospital Association, representing more than 400 hospitals throughout California. Rader said Marys life is a shining example of the impact one person can have on a community, and she embodied the concept of service above self. She was a very close friend to me since I arrived in Barstow nearly 25 years ago, Rader said. I will surely miss her presence at the hospital and in the community and most importantly, her friendship. Condolences Judy Mack said longtime Barstow resident Mary Benson and her mother were partners in crime doing good works since the 1980s. Mary was always there if somebody needed something, Benson said. She was the one who talked me into becoming an auxiliary member so many years ago. She was a wonderful lady who will be greatly missed. Barstow resident Elaine Carpenter recalled 1964, back when Macks husband, Kenneth, was her high school band instructor, Mary made all of the girls in the band handmade earrings, Carpenter said. I still have mine. Truly sweet lady. Kris Okamuro, a Barstow Unified School District Board Trustee and owner-operator at Fitness MD said Mack's passing is another huge loss for our community. What an example she was, and boy did she set the bar high for those left behind, Okamuro said. Much love and prayers to family and friends. Services for Mary Mack will be held at 1 p.m. on March 2 at First Baptist Church, 1320 Barstow Road in Barstow. The Highlands Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Memories and remembrances can be posted online at www.HighlandsBarstow.com. Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at 760-951-6227 or RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Instagram @RenegadeReporter and Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Barstow Community mourns passing of 'Woman of the Decade' Mary Mack Death on the Nile will not be released in two Middle-Eastern countries due to Gal Gadots connection to the Israel Defence Forces. The Israeli actor stars in Kenneth Branaghs much-delayed Agatha Christie adaptation alongside Armie Hammer and Russell Brand. Death on the Nile was released globally on Friday (11 January). However, the film will not be released in Lebanon and Kuwait as a protest against Gadots past support of the IDF, Deadline has confirmed. It was released elsewhere in the Middle East over the weekend. The Independent has contacted Gadots representatives for comment. According to The Daily Mail, Death on the Nile was banned in Kuwait following protests on social media over Gadots role. The actor served two years in the Israeli army and famously expressed support for Israeli forces as the country led a military offensive against Gaza in 2014. Last year, she disabled comments on a tweet calling for unity amid a period of intense conflict between Israel and Palestine, which many followers had interpreted as pro-Israel propaganda. In 2017, Gadots Wonder Woman was officially banned in Lebanon and Qatar due to her involvement with the IDF. Lebanon also blocked the release of its sequel Wonder Woman 1984. Detroit lawmakers and others from metro Detroit are asking the Michigan Supreme Court to reconsider its recent decision to dismiss their lawsuit against the state's redistricting commission, which argued the political maps created by the group disenfranchise Black voters. The legislators, representatives from neighboring cities and advocates filed the request for reconsideration Friday. The court typically does not reconsider its own rulings. The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission meets to vote on new congressional and legislative districts for the next decade in Lansing on Dec. 28, 2021. More: Mich. Supreme Court upholds redistricting commission maps in face of voting rights lawsuit More: Lawsuit filed against Michigan redistricting commission alleges maps unfair to Black voters In a 4-3 decision last week, the court determined there was not enough evidence to show that the commission was required to create the same number of districts as years past in which racial minorities constituted a majority. The commission's new boundaries for congressional and state Senate and House seats either eliminated or reduced the number of districts that were previously comprised primarily of Black residents. The lawmakers argued the maps violated the federal Voting Rights Act, but the commission said it had no obligation to maintain majority-minority districts and its maps were fair. "This order was a terrible mistake that will greatly diminish the size and influence of the Black Caucus in the Michigan Legislature," lawmakers wrote in the request for reconsideration. "This Courts hasty dismissal denied Michigan Black voters their right under the Voting Rights Act to have a meaningful voice in the political process. The court has been misled into believing that plaintiffs are unable to substantiate their well-pled claims. Correction of that error will not only ensure a different disposition due process it is very likely to result in a different outcome: a judgment for Plaintiffs on the merits of their Voting Rights Act claim." Edward Woods III, a spokesman for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, said the commission respects the court's original decision. Story continues The lawmakers cite from the court's dissenting justices, noting they thought the dismissal was hasty and did not offer enough time for those who filed the lawsuit to argue their case. More: Michigan redistricting commission defends maps, denies they're unfair to Black voters More: Lawsuit against redistricting commission alleges state House map unfair to Democrats The request for reconsideration also outlines the arguments lawmakers and their lawyers would have made to show why they think the maps violate federal law. The court does not need to rule on any specific timeline, but has previously acted with haste in the case given the April deadline for political candidates to file paperwork with the Secretary of State. This is one of several lawsuits challenging maps crafted by the commission. Some argue the new districts are unfair for Republicans, others that they are unfair for Democrats. Contact Dave Boucher: dboucher@freepress.com or 313-938-4591. Follow him on Twitter @Dave_Boucher1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit lawmakers want Supreme Court to reconsider tossing lawsuit A former Air Force sergeant and a member of the extremist Boogaloo movement has pleaded guilty to killing a federal security officer in California amid protests triggered by the officer-involved death of George Floyd. Steven Carrillo initially pleaded not guilty in the death of David Patrick Underwood, who was guarding the federal courthouse in Oakland on May 29, 2020, just days after 46-year-old Floyds death caused by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin. Video of the incident shows the ex-cop kneeling down on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes, sparking outrage nationwide. Carrillo during an appearance in San Francisco federal court on Friday changed his plea to guilty and admitted his actions directly caused Underwoods death. In exchange, prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty. Instead, they offered a plea agreement that would see the 33-year old sentenced to 41 years in prison and a lifetime term of supervised release, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers still has to decide whether to accept the plea agreement. Carrillo allegedly connected with his accomplice, Robert Alvin Justus Jr., through a Facebook group centered for Boogaloo Bois, or members of the far-right anti-government extremist movement. He wrote of his plans to use the protests triggered by Floyds death as cover to carry out violence. Prosecutors said the men traveled to Oakland in a white ford van, from which Carrillo opened fire as they approached the courthouse. Justus is also facing charges in connection with Underwoods death, including aiding and abetting for allegedly driving the vehicle, and attempted murder. He is slated to be sentenced June 3. RICHMOND, Va. (AP) The Richmond Fire Investigations Unit are working to determine the cause and origin of a fire that engulfed William Fox Elementary School in Richmond. The Richmond Fire Department said in a post on Twitter that crews responded to a report of a building fire Friday at about 10:35 p.m. Officers arrived and encountered heavy smoke coming from the top floor of the school above the main entrance. No injuries have been reported. The fire was under control Saturday at 2:44 a.m., authorities said. Im heartbroken to share that Fox ES is on fire. Im on site with Principal Jacobs. RFD is doing their very best to contain it. Ill share more information once I have it. Please keep the Fox community in your prayers tonight, Richmond Public Schools Superintendent Jason Kamras said on Twitter. The school was built in 1911 and has about 350 students, according to its website. It is in the Fan District in Richmond. The first Black federal judge in Alabama spoke out against one of President Biden's potential Supreme Court picks in a letter addressed to the commander in chief that was obtained by NBC News. U.W. Clemon, a former chief judge of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, urged the president not to consider Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson for the vacancy. The retired judge said that there are "several exceptionally well-qualified black female aspirants for the Supreme Court" but that he "strongly" believes Jackson should not be considered. Clemon referenced the case Ross v. Lockhead as reasoning for his opposition to Jackson, a class-action suit she presided over on behalf of 5,500 Black Lockheed Martin employees. Clemon wrote that Jackson refused to approve the settlement that was reached, which would have provided $22 million to the workers. "She refused to approve the settlement because in her view there were no common factual questions," Clemon wrote. Clemon is named as a counsel at the firm that argued the losing side of the Ross v. Lockheed case. Jackson, who has a background as a public defender, has earned praise from progressives for her previous rulings on labor matters. The White House defended Jackson following Clemon's letter in a statement to NBC News. "It's because of Judge Jackson's experience in roles at all levels of the justice system, her character, and her legal brilliance that President Biden nominated her to the D.C. Circuit Court, after which she earned her third Senate confirmation, and he's very proud of that decision," deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in the statement. Biden said last week that he has narrowed down his search to four nominees to replace the retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, adding he plans to announce his pick by the end of February. When Biden campaigned for the presidency in 2020, he vowed to nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court should there be an opening. Senate Democrats are anxious for Biden to make his pick so that they can begin the confirmation process and avoid any potential moves by the GOP to slow it down. Updated 1:55 p.m. MOGADISHU, Somalia (AP) Sitting under the hot sun, hungry women and children await food aid in a camp on the outskirts of Somalia's capital, Mogadishu. They have walked for days, fleeing the drought now ravaging a large part of rural Somalia. Their growing ranks are expected to swell further in the coming months as the Horn of Africa region faces its worst drought conditions in a decade. This week the United Nations World Food Program warned that 13 million people in the region, including parts of Ethiopia and Kenya, face severe hunger in the first quarter of 2022. Immediate assistance is needed to avoid a major humanitarian crisis, the agency warned. The Horn of Africa has long been vulnerable to drought and hunger conditions often exacerbated by armed violence. Somalias government in November declared a state of humanitarian emergency due to the drought, with the worst affected parts including the south-central areas of Lower Jubba, Geddo and Lower Shabelle regions. The impact on families is being felt more severely this season due to the result of multiple, prolonged droughts in quick succession, a worsening security situation, desert locust infestations, soaring food prices, reduced remittances and less money committed by donors, the aid group Save the Children said earlier this week of the drought in Somalia. A survey in November covering 15 of Somalias 18 regions found the majority of families were now going without meals on a regular basis," it said in a statement. In Somalia, 250,000 people died from hunger in 2011, when the U.N. declared a famine in some parts of the country. Half of them were children. WFP has said it needs $327 million to look after the immediate needs of 4.5 million people over the next six months, including in Somalia. Somali leaders also have been trying to mobilize local support, and many have responded. A task force set up earlier this month by Prime Minister Mohamed Roble collects and distributes donations from the business community as well as Somalis in the diaspora. Some of what they give feeds hundreds of families residing in camps such as Ontorley, home to about 700 families. Story continues There are not (many) humanitarian agencies operating on the ground and these people urgently need support and assistance such as shelter, food, water and good sanitation," said Abdullahi Osman, head of the charitable Salaam Foundation and a member of the prime minister's drought task force. He more assistance is needed for the thousands of families living in camps for displaced people. About five to 10 desperate families arrive at Ontorley camp each day, according to camp leader Nadiifa Hussein. Faduma Ali said she hiked more than 500 kilometers (310 miles) from her home in Saakow, a town in Middle Jubba province, to Mogadishu. The problems I face are all due to the drought," she told The Associated Press. We had no water and our livestock had perished and when I lost everything, I walked the road for seven days." Amina Osman, a visibly emaciated woman also from Saakow, said two women with them on their journey to Mogadishu died from hunger along the way. We came across many hardships, including lack of water and food," said the mother of four. We trekked all the way from our village to this settlement. We spent eight days on the road. More patients with acute malnutrition are arriving at Mogadishu's Martino Hospital, and some have died, said director Dr. Abdirizaq Yusuf. Malnutrition patients are treated free of charge, he said. Due to the increased cases of acute malnutrition, the hospital now employs specialist doctors and nutritionists who help those most affected," he said. A large number are from remote regions of Somalia and now live in (displaced people's) camps. Authorities said no one was hurt as a result of the driver's actions. Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images A Florida school-bus driver has been accused of driving 40 students while intoxicated. Authorities said in a statement that the driver was four times over the legal limit upon his arrest. "This drunk thought it was OK to endanger 40 children," Sheriff Rick Staly said. A Florida school-bus driver was arrested Wednesday following accusations that he was drunk on the job, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. The sheriff's office posted a statement on Facebook saying that tests performed at a jail indicated that Mark McNeil, 60, was four times over the legal blood-alcohol-content limit. The sheriff's office said McNeil showed up to work for his afternoon shift when a colleague reported to their supervisors that he smelled of alcohol. The statement said McNeil took the wrong bus to pick up 40 middle-school students and began to drop them off at their designated bus stops. The statement accused him of initially ignoring attempts by school transport officials to contact him by radio before then using the radio to contact district officials and tell them he was having a "medical emergency." The statement said that upon being found by his supervisor, McNeil "fell to the ground complaining he couldn't breathe" and then attempted to flee from deputies who had arrived on the scene. He was subsequently arrested. "This drunk thought it was OK to endanger 40 children and other drivers by driving a loaded school bus significantly impaired," Sheriff Rick Staly said. Staly added that "thankfully no one was hurt." McNeil was arrested on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol with passengers under the age of 18, resisting an officer without violence, and child neglect. The US has faced a shortage of school-bus drivers in recent months. In January, an Iowa school district canceled classes because it couldn't find enough bus drivers. The shortage would have meant delays in pickups and students waiting outside "in extreme cold weather" for buses. Read the original article on Business Insider Kadimisetty worked at Amazon as a seller support employee until 2015, according to reports. Craig Ruttle/AP Photo A 28-year-old former Amazon employee was sentenced to 10 months in prison, per the DOJ. Rohit Kadimisetty was involved in a bribery scheme targeting Amazon's Marketplace. The scheme paid Amazon employees in India to leak confidential information on third-party sellers. A former Amazon employee was sentenced Friday to 10 months in prison for taking part in an international bribery scheme, according to the US Department of Justice. Rohit Kadimisetty from Northridge, California, is one of six individuals indicted for a fraud and bribery scheme intended to manipulate the Amazon Marketplace. According to CNBC, Kadimisetty worked at Amazon as a seller support employee until 2015. He was based in Hyderabad, India. After relocating to the US, Kadimisetty "used his inside knowledge" to hire employees in India "to misuse their employee privileges and access to internal information, systems, and tools," per the DOJ. The DOJ added that the bribery scheme was run from late 2017 to 2020. The scheme was designed to benefit certain third-party sellers on Amazon's Marketplace across the US. Kadimisetty and the other defendants served as "consultants" and a "middleman of sorts" to these sellers. The services they provided included: "Stealing confidential business information about Amazon algorithms," as well as "facilitating attacks on competing sellers and product listings," according to the DOJ. In a statement to Insider, an Amazon spokesperson said: "We work hard to create a trustworthy shopping experience by protecting customers, selling partners, and Amazon from fraud and abuse, and we have systems in place to detect suspicious behavior." They added: "There is no place for fraud at Amazon and we will continue to pursue all measures to protect our store and hold bad actors accountable." Kadimisetty and the other individuals involved allegedly paid $100,000 worth of bribes to the employees, the DOJ said. Story continues Kadimisetty left the enterprise in late 2018 and pleaded guilty to his involvement in the bribery scheme. In addition to his prison sentence, Kadimisetty was also fined $50,000 and ordered to take three years of supervised release, according to CNBC. Four of the other defendants will face trial in October 2022. Last month, another former Amazon employee hit headlines for illicit activity. Douglas Wright faced up to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to stealing $273,000 worth of computer parts and selling them to a wholesaler in California. Read the original article on Business Insider NOBLESVILLE, Ind. A former Richmond Police officer who had been charged with murder has died about two months before his scheduled trial. Terry Wayne Hopkins, 66, died Feb. 3, according to court records. He was charged with murder, conspiracy to commit murder and failure to report human remains. Hopkins' trial was scheduled to begin April 18 in Hamilton County Superior Court 3. After Hopkins' death, the case was formally dismissed. Katrina Fouts, 56, also is charged with the same three crimes, plus false informing, related to the April 2020 death of her husband, David Michael Fouts. Katrina Fouts was a lifelong friend of Hopkins. STAY INFORMED AND SUPPORT LOCAL JOURNALISM: Subscribe today using the link at the top of this page. Her trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 28. David Fouts' body was found April 24, 2020, in a rural Noblesville ditch. He apparently died from ingesting poisonous mushrooms, according to charging documents. Investigators found clues incriminating Katrina Fouts and Hopkins on cell phones and in suspicious purchases before Katrina Fouts admitted the crime. Hopkins was jailed Sept. 18, 2020, and held without bond until his death. A Wayne County native, Hopkins served 33 years with Richmond Police Department before retiring. This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Former Indiana police officer charged with murder dies prior to trial Feb. 11Update: 5:50 p.m. The two Frederick Police Department officers who were shot Friday have been identified as Bryan Snyder, 43, and Kristen Kowalsky, 32. Snyder is in his second year with the department, while Kowalsky is in her ninth. Both officers' injuries were described as non-life threatening. The suspect was identified as 25-year-old Dominique Lamarr Lewis. Speaking at a news conference in Baltimore shortly after 5 p.m., Chief of Police Jason Lando said the Maryland attorney general's office and the Maryland State Police are investigating the incident. He therefore declined to give many specifics about the situation. Chief Lando commended the shock trauma staff. "They took exceptional care of our officers," he said. "It's a tough time right now to be a police officer." Lando said he knows his officers will want to be right back to work when they recover. Lando and fire Chief Tom Coe were in training when they learned of the shooting, Lando said. "Our hearts just dropped," the police chief said. -Mary Grace Keller ______________ Original readout: Frederick Police Chief Jason Lando has confirmed two officers, one male and one female, were shot and had been transported to R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore via helicopters from the Maryland State Police. The suspect, who has not been identified, was also shot and has been flown to Baltimore. There is no ongoing threat to the community, Lando said. According to the chief, officers first responded to the scene after a call at 12:43 p.m. reported a "suspicious male" with a firearm. Lando reported the officers were shot shortly after arriving on scene. The families of the officers had been contacted, Lando said at a 2:15 p.m. press conference, and were en route to the hospital. Authorities will give another update during a 5 p.m. press conference at the shock trauma center in Baltimore. Multiple law enforcement agencies were around the area of Boscov's at 1301 W. Patrick St. in Frederick early afternoon, part of the city known as the Golden Mile. Story continues Lockouts at schools within Frederick High School feeder pattern were lifted around 2:15 p.m. At about 3:30 p.m., Frederick County Public Schools said police activity in the area of Key Parkway and Waverley Drive meant "it may be difficult for buses to transport students home in that area." The district said it would bring students back to their school if bus drivers weren't able to complete their routes. Check back to FrederickNewsPost.com for more information as it becomes available. U.S. State Department urges Americans to depart Ukraine "now" Xinhua) 10:35, February 12, 2022 WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Thursday urged Americans currently in Ukraine to leave the country "now," citing what it said was "increased threats of Russian military action" against Ukraine. "Do not travel to Ukraine due to the increased threats of Russian military action and COVID-19; those in Ukraine should depart now via commercial or private means," read an updated advisory posted on the website of the U.S. State Department. The United States has been releasing intelligence which it claims is proof that Russia is prepared to mount a military aggression against Ukraine any time now, but Moscow has accused Washington of "hysteria" over tensions near Ukraine. Direct engagements between the United States and Russia have yielded little substantial progress, with the Kremlin saying the White House failed to address its key security concerns. Multiple media outlets reported that U.S. President Joe Biden will talk to Russian President Vladimir Putin over telephone on Saturday, moving up a Kremlin-proposed schedule from Monday. (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) KABUL, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Abdul Salam Rahimi, state minister for peace of the former government, has returned to Afghanistan, the Afghan caretaker government said on Saturday. Acting Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi along with several other senior officials welcomed Rahimi in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here on Saturday, the government said in a statement. Many Afghan security forces and civil servants left Afghanistan following the takeover by the Taliban. Efforts were underway to ensure that all Afghans who left the country return to the country, according to the statement. Ghislaine Maxwells motion for a new trial makes no mention of the juror her lawyers have loudly accused of bias, court documents show. Lawyers for Maxwell, who was convicted of five sex-trafficking charges in December, had previously argued that a juror known as Scotty David, who says he was sexually abused as a child, corrupted the jury selection process and tainted the trial. In a letter to Judge Alison Nathan, the defence implied that this was the basis of their request for a retrial. Juror 50s responses to the jury questionnaire and questions posed to him during in-person voir dire [jury selection] corrupted the voir dire process and violated Ms Maxwells right to a fair trial, attorney Christian Everdell wrote. As set forth in the Motion, the defence believes that the existing record is clear and more than sufficient for the Court to grant Ms Maxwell a new trial without the need for further factual development. In the same letter, Mr Everdell asked the judge to keep the motion for retrial sealed, along with all other documents related to it. Judge Nathan refused, and both the motion and the defences memorandum supporting it were unsealed on Saturday. Whats inside, oddly, is completely unrelated to the juror. The memo sets forth a number of arguments that Maxwells trial was unfair, including that the charges were brought too late, many of the alleged sex acts took place outside of New York, and the conspiracy charges overlapped, and therefore should not count as separate crimes. The proof at trial established, at most, a single conspiracy, Maxwells lawyers wrote. But no mention is made of Scotty David, nor does the memo even address the questions of whether a sexually abused person should have been able to serve on the jury, or whether that juror answered the pre-trial questionnaire honestly. (Scotty Davids answers to those questions are sealed.) The memos silence on those issues was startling, considering how aggressively Maxwells lawyers had pursued them before. Story continues It seems safe to assume that he never misled anybody and did nothing wrong. But the defence team got everybody to attack him and blame him anyway. Lucia Osborne-Crowley (@LuciaOC_) February 12, 2022 Ms Maxwell vigorously asserts that she did not receive a fair trial because of Juror 50s presence on the jury (and potentially the presence of other jurors who were the victims of sexual abuse), Mr Everdell had written in his letter to Judge Nathan. The Independent has reached out to Maxwells lawyers for comment. COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Republican state lawmakers across the U.S. are trying to require schools to post all course materials online so parents can review them, part of a broader national push by the GOP for a sweeping parents bill of rights ahead of the midterm congressional elections. At least one proposal would give parents with no expertise power over curriculum choices. Parents also could file complaints about certain lessons and in some cases sue school districts. Teachers say parents already have easy access to what their children learn. They worry that the mandates would create an unnecessary burden and potentially threaten their professional independence all while dragging them into a culture war. The bill insinuates theres some hiding happening, said Katie Peters, a high school English teacher in Toledo. It makes me a little defensive, because Im like no, wait a minute, were not hiding anything. The transparency is always there, and the parents who have cared to look have always had access. Related video: Parents, teachers push back on 'Maus' removal The bills arose from last year's debate over the teaching of race, diversity and sexuality. The GOP insists the changes are needed to give parents a measure of control over what their children see and hear in class. I dont think anybody disagrees that more information is better for parents, said Brett Hillyer, a Republican state representative in Ohio who is co-sponsoring such a bill. He said the proposal could quell disagreements between parents, teachers and school boards before they get too far. Educators don't take issue with keeping parents informed, but they see a risk that the so-called curriculum-transparency requirements will invite censorship, professional burnout and resignations. Other state considering some version of the idea include Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina and West Virginia. The Ohio bill would affect public, private and charter schools, as well as colleges and universities that participate in the states dual-enrollment program for seventh through 12th graders. Story continues A panel of three Ohio teachers recently sat down with The Associated Press to discuss the proposal. They said they already post syllabuses, textbook information, course materials and sometimes notes for parents and students at least at the middle- and high-school levels. None of them could recall ever denying a parent's request for additional information. Juliet Tissot, a mother of two from the Cincinnati suburb of Madeira, said elementary classrooms are a different story. The nonprofit worker and volunteer said schools stopped sending home textbooks years ago and often fail to provide curriculum details when asked. That leaves parents groping for information when helping kids with homework. Children are with their parents a lot more than theyre with their teachers, and it's bad that parents don't know what's going on and they don't anymore, she said. I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner, but it seems like it's finally coming to a head. Tissot also supports policing teachers' behavior more closely, including requiring them to wear body cameras. The Ohio teachers said parents of older children occasionally pull a student from class say, when evolution or the Big Bang is being taught in science or request an alternate assignment when offended by a selected reading, and those interactions generally go smoothly. That's the thing that this law misses. It's painted as broad-swath, as if there are these improprieties going on," said Dan Greenberg, who teaches high school English in the Toledo suburb of Sylvania. You're talking to people who are right there in the trenches, and we always have a really good partnership with parents. The GOP acted after conservatives complained about public schools responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and the racial reckoning that followed the death of George Floyd, the Black man killed by a white Minneapolis police officer in 2020. Some states and local school boards have banned books about race relations, slavery and gender. The Ohio teachers say the Republican efforts could ultimately erode their ability to make professional judgments and stifle the spontaneity that brings their classrooms to life, while adding to workloads that have already taken a serious toll on school staffing. Im worried its sort of a Trojan horse to get into the classroom to pick through what they see and point us in different directions or stop us from doing things, said Robert Estice, a middle school science and critical thinking teacher in the Columbus suburb of Worthington. Emerson Sykes, a staff attorney at the ACLU Speech, Privacy and Technology Project, called the bills "thinly veiled attempts at chilling teachers and students from learning and talking about race and gender in schools. Hillyer said he does not intend for parents to be able to censor school materials. The proposed parents bill of rights calls for access to classroom materials and academic, medical and safety records, as well as certain entry privileges to school buildings and more. An effort last year to politicize normally sleepy school board races was considered by some as a dress rehearsal to drive 2022 turnout among Republicans. Chris Rufo, a senior fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute who is pushing curriculum transparency, said in a Twitter message last month that the proposals will bait the Left into appearing to oppose transparency. He said that will raise the question of what Democrats have to hide which will help Republican candidates. The strategy here is to use a non-threatening, liberal value transparency to force ideological actors to undergo public scrutiny, Rufo tweeted, explaining that the GOP proposals will give parents a powerful check on bureaucratic power. Democratic governors in Pennsylvania and Wisconsin have vetoed curriculum-transparency bills. A Utah lawmaker pulled a bill last month after it faced a fierce backlash from teachers. In places where the bills are moving forward, some sponsors of the legislation have had to backtrack following criticism. During debate on a Republican-backed package of education reforms in Indiana, Republican state Sen. Scott Baldwin said maintaining neutrality on contentious issues required teachers to be impartial when discussing Nazism and other political ideologies. After widespread criticism, Baldwin walked back the comments, saying in a statement that he unequivocally condemns Nazism, fascism and Marxism and agrees that teachers should do the same. Indiana conservatives regrouped and added provisions ensuring that educators can still discuss social injustices and teach that Nazism is bad. But the legislation gives local parent committees with no expertise power over which curriculum teachers use, and parents could file complaints and lawsuits if they believe teachers have violated a ban on certain divisive concepts. Teachers describe the Indiana legislation as so cumbersome that it would probably force some to leave the profession. Im struggling to see how Im going to put some of the language that is currently in these bills into my classroom and still be able to teach kids to be critical thinkers, said Suzanne Holcomb, who teaches fifth grade in Elkhart. Lawmakers should understand "just how much this is asking of a lot of people who are already on the verge of walking out and being done. Scott DiMauro, president of Ohio's largest teachers union, is concerned that such bills will add to the spike in resignations and retirements triggered by the stress of teaching in the COVID-19 era. Teachers, he said, have felt caught up in a culture war that they didnt create. ___ Smith reported from Indianapolis. Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin; Mike Melia in Hartford, Connecticut; and Gary Robertson in Raleigh, North Carolina, contributed to this report. Thomas Barnes (pictured above as a young man), is a youth mentor in the Detroit area. He was unable to work in schools or access good housing for years until he was able to clear a low-level drug charge from his record. (Courtesy of Thomas Barnes) When Thomas Barnes was 23, he was convicted on low-level drug charges . He never went to prison, but for years he was serving a life sentence anyway one that affected nearly every aspect of his experience because he had a felony on his record. In 2003, police broke into the house where he was staying in the Detroit area. There, they discovered small quantities of marijuana. The drugs werent his, but he wouldnt offer up those close to him to the police. I was unwilling to testify against friends and family, he said. He was offered a plea deal that would keep him out of prison in favour of probation, but leave a felony on his record. I was grateful that I wasnt in prison, but still confused as to the ramifications of what this felony charge meant. I had no idea, Mr Barnes, now 42, told The Independent. I was still a kid. I was still living at home with my parents. I didnt know what this meant. After successfully completing his sentence, Mr Barnes went on to work in youth mentoring in the city of Mt Clemens, Michigan, helping kids avoid getting into the trouble he found himself in, but his record remained a barrier. Even though he worked with kids every day, he often was barred from working inside schools or even going on field trips because of his convictions. As Im trying to go on field trips for my kids school, you have to fill out a background check. You have to check the box if youve been convicted of a felony or not, he said. We cant get an apartment because were being discriminated against because of my felony charge. The obvious one is, I work with some kids in some dangerous neighbourhoods. Everyone has a gun and is carrying a gun except for me, the felon. If I carry a gun its another felony. All of these things are happening. Its like man, I wish I could get this expunged. Nearly two decades after his conviction, and after years of trying to better himself and the community around him, he would get his chance for legal redemption. Story continues In 2020, Michigan became the third state in the country to adopt a so-called clean slate law , which uses technology to automatically expunge criminal records after a certain period for a wide-range of non-violent crimes. It was the first state to include felonies on that list, and to keep the process open for those with unpaid legal debts. I said, heres my opportunity. Heres my open door to have these felonies expunged off of my record, said Mr Barnes, who had his convictions expunged in 2020 through an expanded court process under the law. (Full automatic expungements begin in 2023.) Its been pretty amazing. Some 78 million people, or roughly a third of the working-age US population , have some kind of criminal record, with disproportionate numbers in communities of colour . Even in states that allow people to clear their records after a certain period of time, the process is often slow, confusing, and expensive, resulting in far fewer expungements than convictions each year. However, a growing movement of justice advocates, businesses, and bipartisan allies are pushing to make clean slate policies the norm. There are millions of Americans who have finished doing their time and are ready to start over, they argue. But a confusing, and often punitive world, of policies, assumptions, and barriers stand in the way of them doing that. A massive corrective, they suggest, is needed to put things back into balance. It hits everybody. Its very close to home, said Sheena Meade, executive director of the Clean Slate Initiative, a national advocacy group. Its not just a criminal justice issue. Its definitely a workforce issue. Its an American issue where we can bring people together and say people should have an opportunity to move forward, have a second chance, and live a decent life, and have access to stable housing, employment. It would be difficult to overstate just how many things having a criminal record makes extremely difficult, Ms Meade says, regardless of the often nuanced circumstances of any given crime. Nine in 10 employers , four in five landlords, and three in five colleges use criminal background checks to screen applicants. By some estimates, there are nearly 5,000 laws on the books which bar people with past convictions from most of the necessities of life: housing, work, access to government services. Thomas Barnes, a youth mentor in the Detroit area, wasnt able to regularly work in schools until he was able to wipe a decades-old drug conviction from his record. (Courtesy of Thomas Barnes) Mr Barnes, the youth mentor, brought up the example of a man he was recently talking with, who had his record expunged in early February. The individual had been charged with a marijuana offense 17 years ago. Since the mans conviction, Michigan has subsequently legalised recreational cannabis, turning it into a multi-million dollar legitimate business. Still, until clean slate came along, the conviction kept the man from living in public housing, as well as in a home his parents bought for him in a private development, where the homeowners association barred drug convictions. He was effectively homeless because of a marijuana charge from 17 years ago, Mr Barnes said. This mans life was still in shambles until this morning because of these unfair, unjust laws. The stigma around past convictions can also have intense emotional and economic consequences for people who were formerly incarcerated. In 2017, Candace Perkins job at the Michigan Secretary of States office was thrown into jeopardy when her decades-old convictions for petty retail crimes were discovered. She wasnt fired, but was told she would have to move away from her family and mother in hospice in Grand Rapids to the city of Lansing to take a different, lower-paying position. It made my life a little, whoo, I saw a therapist because of this. I just couldnt believe after all these years, I couldnt work there, Ms Perkins, 53, said. The embarrassment of the management, Im their friend. It was just a bad time when that happened for me. Its a burden off me, she said. I got a fresh start. Even though Im a little older, if I want to relocate and do something, I can just start fresh. I wont be worried. Many states without clean slate do offer processes for people to expunge their records after a certain period of time, but numerous factors keep those programmes from making any kind of massive impact. Fees, such as Louisianas $550 filing cost, keep those already struggling to find work from clearing their record. In Ms Perkinss case, before clean slate in Michigan, she was ineligible for expungement because she had more than one felony. In many cases, convictions are so old courts cant even locate the records in question, so they cant clear them. In Utah, prior to the state unanimously passing a clean slate law in 2019 , the expungement process often required hiring a lawyer and could cost up to $3,000, money that people shut out of large parts of the economy just dont have. It makes it really easy to give up, said Noella Sudbury, director of Clean Slate Utah, a group which helped spearhead the campaign for the clean slate bill. She remembers putting on an expungement clinic in 2017. Individuals from around the state drove for hours to attend, and there was a line around the block. I began thinking, Well, this isnt feasible. We will never be able to put on enough clinics. It literally wasnt possible. In Michigan, prior to clean slate, courts were convicting about a quarter million people a year, but only expunging the records of about 3,000 people in that same time period. And as with much else, the pandemic made things even worse, slowing or entirely shutting down courts, and delaying clean slate laws and other expungement processes all the same. Despite these challenges, in the five states with full clean slate policies , there have been massive impacts. In Pennsylvania, the first state in the nation to pass automated record clearing, in 2018, more than 1 million citizens had their records sealed during the programmes first year in operation. The success of the policies in these states has inspired others to take up clean slate for consideration, with states like North Carolina, Louisiana, Colorado, and Missouri currently examining the policy. Last April, a bipartisan group of legislators introduced the Clean Slate Act in Congress , which would automatically clear the records of those convicted of certain non-violent, low-level drug offences. Beyond just criminal justice advocates, the policies have attracted support from many businesses, including companies like JP Morgan, as well as faith communities. The Chamber of Commerce and the employers in Utah were a huge support to our campaign. They said, We need these people in the workforce, she said, adding, In Utah, we have a really strong faith community, having the headquarters of the [Mormon] church here. There is this idea that people can change, they can repent, they can be forgiven, and that second chances is something that we as a state support. Research shows that those who obtain expungement are extremely unlikely to commit a crime again , and, relatedly, within the first year afterwards, see a 23 per cent increase in income and 11 per cent increase in employment. Its a population in dire need of work, at a time when the so-called Great Resignation is taxing employers looking for eager candidates. With that evidence in hand, we were able to go both businesses and it lawmakers and say, Look, this is a win-win. Its going to expand the talent pool to businesses, expand the tax base, improve incomes, said John Cooper, executive director of the advocacy group Safe and Just Michigan, which advocated for clean slate in the state. Safe communities are good for business. That narrative largely prevailed within the legislature and within the business community. We havent really gotten significant on pushback from the laws thus far. Justice advocates say theyre hearted to see states like New York and Delaware seriously consider clean slate, but that more is needed to truly reform the system, from strengthening clean slate bills to include more categories of offensives and automatic notification requirements to deeper structural changes to the economy and criminal justice system. The criminal justice system preys on poor people. Poor people are put in bad situations and have to make bad decisions, said Mr Barnes, the youth mentor. In America, theres a lot more that needs to be done, especially for kids coming out of Covid, who lost everything, and werent given anything in return. For the millions of Americans who had already lost most of their lives to that prison system, clean slate could offer them a way back. Sheena Meade of the Clean Slate Initiative will speak at the upcoming American Workforce and Justice Summit 2022 , a two-day gathering of more than 150 business leaders, policy experts and campaign organizations focused on how corporations can meaningfully engage in justice issues and create change in the workplace and beyond. AWJ 2022, a project of the Responsible Business Initiative for Justice, will take place in Atlanta, Georgia, on 4 and 5 May. The Independent will be reporting from AWJ 2022 as media partner. HINGHAM The Hingham Historical Society will host the 45th Lincoln Day on Saturday, Feb. 19, In honor of Hingham historical figures, President Abraham Lincoln and Revolutionary War Major Gen. Benjamin Lincoln. The free public event is scheduled to start at 10:15 a.m. at the Memorial Bell Tower, where the Hingham Militia Company will assemble. A salute to Benjamin Lincoln and John Andrew, the governor of Massachusetts during the Civil War, will follow at Hingham Cemetery. As part of a Lincoln Day ceremony, the Hingham Militia and 22nd Massachusetts Regiment march to Benjamin Lincolns grave in Hingham Cemetery, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2018. The Military Order of the Loyal Legion, the 22nd Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Company and the Massachusetts 54th Regiment Company will participate in a program by the Rev. Kenneth Read-Brown at 11 a.m., when the winner of the Hingham Public Schools eighth grade Lincoln Day essay contest will be recognized. Michael Burlingame, author of "The Black Mans President: Abraham Lincoln, African Americans, and the Pursuit of Racial Equality," will be the guest speaker. More: Get your green on: St. Patrick's Day Parade returns in Abington More: Hingham's Alice Merryweather comes to grips with Olympic dream being put on hold The celebration will conclude with visits to the Abraham Lincoln statue in Fountain Square and the New North Church. Food will be available at Hingham Heritage Museum at 34 Main St. The Hingham Historical Society maintains the Hingham Heritage Museum and Visitor Center, the 1686 Old Ordinary house museum and the soon-to-be Benjamin Lincoln House Museum. For more information on the Hingham Historical Society, visit hinghamhistorical.org. Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Patriot Ledger subscription. Here is our latest offer. Reach Alyssa Fell at afell@patriotledger.com. This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Hingham's 45th Lincoln Day will take place on Feb. 19 By Twinnie Siu and Marius Zaharia HONG KONG (Reuters) -China will help Hong Kong to cope with an expanding COVID-19 outbreak by providing testing, treatment and quarantine capacity, Chief Secretary John Lee said on Saturday, adding that there were no plans for a mainland-style lockdown for now. Hong Kong and mainland China are among few places in the world still aiming to suppress every COVID-19 outbreak, but the Omicron variant has proven tough to keep under control. Lee, Health Secretary Sophia Chan and Security Chief Chris Tang were part of a delegation who visited neighbouring Shenzhen on Friday and Saturday to discuss support measures with mainland Chinese officials. The measures will give Hong Kong a breathing space as medical capacity becomes stretched https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kongs-zero-covid-quest-pushes-medical-facilities-brink-2022-02-11on all fronts, although there were no specific details of the plans and it was not clear how quickly they could be implemented. "At the meeting we were all on the same wavelength," Lee told reporters on his return from Shenzhen. "All support will be provided. Rapid tests and help building isolation facilities are things we agreed on." "There are no plans for a lockdown at this stage." Lab personnel, hospital beds, protective equipment were included in the support potentially on offer, Lee said. Chinese officials have also promised to ensure supplies of vegetables and fresh produce to Hong Kong, after the city faced a shortage https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-leader-says-city-stick-with-dynamic-zero-covid-strategy-now-2022-02-08 of such items earlier this week when truck drivers who tested positive for COVID-19 were unable to bring them in. Hong Kong reported a record 1,514 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, up from Friday's 1,325 despite the most stringent social restrictions yet. Another 1,500 or so came out positive in preliminary tests which may be added to the count in the near future. Three more people died in the past 24 hours. Story continues "This is the toughest battle against the virus of the past two years," Edwin Tsui, controller of the Centre for Health Protection, told reporters. "Please stay at home. We need your cooperation." Hospital beds for COVID-19 patients are already at around 90% occupancy, while isolation facilities were also nearing their maximum, authorities said. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to test every day, including the elderly and children, queuing for hours in tightly packed lines outside overwhelmed testing centres. University of Hong Kong epidemiologists say the number of infections could reach tens of thousands a day in a matter of weeks, posing a major risk for the city's elderly, many of whom are not vaccinated https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/hong-kong-vaccine-rates-spike-outbreak-shatters-covid-free-dreams-2022-02-10 after the city's success at keeping the virus at bay for much of the pandemic led to a sense of complacency. Infections were recorded in some 42 elder care homes, Tsui said. Some epidemiologists say only a full mainland-style lockdown for around two months could bring the infection count back to zero, but warn this would not be a definitive fix as Omicron could find its way back into the city again soon after. In a pre-recorded interview with local broadcaster Now TV published late on Friday, Health Secretary Chan said she did not want to impose a lockdown and that it was preferable that residents "do it themselves" by staying at home. Hong Kong has recorded more than 20,000 infections and just over 200 deaths since the start of the pandemic, far fewer than in most other places, but at significant economic and psychological cost. Hong Kong is one of the world's most isolated large cities, with flights 90% down, and hardly any allowed to transit. (Additional reporting by Jessie Pang and Anne Marie Roantree; writing by Marius Zaharia; Editing by Edwina Gibbs, Lincoln Feast and Jane Merriman) A detention officer walks through the hallway at the Grayson County Jail. A 29-year-old Denison man was found unresponsive in his cell at the Grayson County Jail Wednesday. A news release from the Grayson County Sheriff's Office said both jail staff and paramedics tried to revive Daniel Monroy but were unable to do so. "Mr. Monroy passed away on 2/10/2022 due to injuries that were sustained prior to the officers locating him in his cell," the release said of the Thursday death. Monroy had been in the jail since November of 2021, and the release said he was observed by officers just minutes before he was found unresponsive. The release said he did not have the injuries that seemed to lead to his death when officers saw him before finding him unconscious. His death is being investigated by the Texas Rangers which is the standard procedure for deaths that occur at the jail. In a phone call, Jail Captain Sarah Bigham said Monroy had been in a separation cell by himself since he was booked into the jail due to a medical condition. She was not able to provide additional details about his medical condition. The last two charges that show up on Monroy's records with the Grayson County Criminal Justice System are a charge of theft of property and one of evading arrest. He was indicted on both of those charges on Dec.15. Indictments are formal charges and not an indication of guilt. He was represented in those cases by local attorney Lacinda Brese-LeBron. She could not be immediately reached for comment Friday afternoon. This article originally appeared on Herald Democrat: Inmate found unresponsive in GC Jail cell, dies at area hospital Police in Irving are asking for the publics help in finding the person or people they said shot and murdered a 19-year-old man on Thursday morning. Police said the victim was in a car stopped at a red light when another vehicle, possibly a 2018 Toyota Corolla with a slate metallic color and dark tinted windows, pulled up next to him. The front seat passenger of the Corolla leaned his arm out the window and shot the 19-year-old multiple times, according to a news release from Irving police. The 19-year-old was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital where he died. His name has not yet been released because next of kin have not been notified. Police are asking for the publics help in identifying the vehicle, which they said had its license plates covered at the time of the shooting. JERSEY CITY A fire that spread through five buildings and left 15 people displaced on Friday could have been deadly without the efforts of one city police officer. As the first one on the scene, the officer ran into the building where the fire started and rescued one man, who suffered third-degree burns and was taken to a local hospital, according to Kimberly Wallace-Scalcione, a city spokesperson. The Jersey City Fire Department responded to the blaze at 163 Van Horne Street shortly after 4 p.m. Friday. They found a working fire that may have started in the top floor to the rear of the building, Wallace-Scalcione said. The fire had spread through the cockloft and damaged the upper floors in five of the attached buildings before being declared under control, said Wallace-Scalcione. Aerial view of a fire on Van Horne Street in Jersey City on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. Im proud of our first responders as we have the best fire department in the state. This was the type of fire that spread fast and devastated five homes but could have been much worse, said Mayor Steven Fulop. Now that we did the job on the fire front our priority now is working with the Red Cross to find housing for the 15 residents that were displaced. Nearby: Kamala Harris points to Newark as model for lead replacement during NJ visit The Red Cross confirmed on social media that there were helping 14 people from nine families with temporary lodging, food and clothing needs. Nicholas Katzban contributed to this story. Katie Sobko is a reporter in the New Jersey Statehouse. For unlimited access to her work covering New Jerseys governor and political power structure, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Email: sobko@northjersey.com Twitter: @katesobko This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Jersey City NJ police officer rescues man from fire TAIPEI, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The exports of the Taiwan region of China to the Chinese mainland and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) rose to 15.7 billion U.S. dollars in January, up 5.7 percent year on year, according to data released by the island's finance authorities on Friday. The mainland and HKSAR remained Taiwan's biggest export destination, accounting for 39.3 percent of the island's total exports in January, and Taiwan's trade surplus to the mainland was 7.63 billion U.S. dollars in the month. The island's finance authorities said that the global economic growth would continue to underpin Taiwan's exports in the first quarter this year, despite uncertainties from the spread of the COVID-19 variants and the supply chain bottlenecks. Missouri's soon-to-be senior senator has weighed in on the race to fill the state's open seat this year U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler. U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley on Saturday endorsed Hartzler in her campaign to succeed U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, making the announcement at the Missouri Republican Party's annual Lincoln Days event in St. Charles. "For almost a year I've been asked who I intend to vote for in a (Missouri Senate) primary this August," Hawley wrote on Twitter. "Well, I've made up my mind. I'll be supporting Vicky Hartzler. Vicky has the integrity, the heart and the toughness to represent MO. I can't wait to work with her." For almost a year Ive been asked who I intend to vote for in #MOSEN primary this August. Well, Ive made up my mind. Ill be supporting @VickyHartzlerMO. Vicky has the integrity, the heart, and the toughness to represent MO. I cant wait to work with her pic.twitter.com/yIk4h2baxw Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) February 12, 2022 Hartzler, who currently represents parts of western and mid-Missouri in the House, wins Hawley's endorsement in a crowded Republican primary field. More: Democrat Kunce leads fundraising in Missouri Senate race as Long takes loan, pays for the 'Billy Bus' Her competitors include former Gov. Eric Greitens, Attorney General Eric Schmitt, U.S. Rep. Billy Long, Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz and Mark McCloskey. In a recent opinion column for the News-Leader, Hawley and Hartzler called for a ban on stock trading in Congress as Capitol Hill continues negotiations on legislation dealing with the issue. More: YouTube removes Billy Long's campaign ad promoting election misinformation Story continues Hartzler's campaign entered 2022 with the most money on hand of any in the election, carrying $1.78 million after raising just over $425,000 last quarter. Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier. This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Hawley endorses Vicky Hartzler in Missouri U.S. Senate race A high school principal in Kansas was forced to apologize for showing a video about white privilege to school employees during a meeting in January. Tim Hamblin, a principal at Derby High School, showed his staff a clip from Cracking the Codes: The System of Racial Inequity, a 2014 film that examines possible causes and consequences of systemic inequity in the United States. The video had been recently shown to the schools girls basketball team in response to racially charged comments directed at some team members, which were shared on social media late last year. According to the NPR station in Wichita, Kan., KMUW, one teacher who watched the video was offended by it. After that teacher told a Derby school board member that the video created a hostile work environment, the board member ordered Hamblin to apologize. The point was nothing more than to share what some of our kids were dealing with and one thing that they would see to try and help them get through it, Hamblin said in the apology email, according to the radio station. I apologize to anyone that felt the video or its content which reference white privilege made them feel uncomfortable, awkward, harassed, or that it created a hostile work environment, he added. A spokesperson for the district told KMUW that Superintendent Heather Bohaty is aware of Hamblins email, but she had no comments. The Board as a whole had made no directive regarding specific videos or teaching materials of this type, the spokesperson, Katie Carlson, added. The school district in Derby, a suburb of Wichita, Kan., oversees nine elementary schools, two middle schools and one high school. Its mission is to create a tomorrow that is better than today by ensuring all students continually grow and learn. The 117th United States Congress (2021-2023) is the most racially diverse in American history. According to analysis by the Pew Research Center, 124 voting members of the 117th Congress identify as non-white. Thirteen percent of House members identify as Black, matching the percentage of Black Americans in the general population. This is the sixth consecutive Congress to break the record for non-white lawmakers set by the preceding Congress. Similarly, a century and a half ago, the 44th United States Congress (1875-1877) was the most racially diverse in American history. It was the third consecutive Congress to expand the number of non-white members. Among its 76 senators was U.S. Senator Blanche Bruce (R-Mississippi), the second Black man to serve in the United States Senate and first to be elected. Among its 293 representatives were 7 Black men: U.S. Reps Jeremiah Haralson (R Alabama), John Adams Hyman (R North Carolina), John Roy Lynch (R Mississippi), Charles Edmund Nash (R Louisiana), Joseph Rainey (R South Carolina), Robert Smalls (R South Carolina), and Josiah Walls (R - Florida). But the racial diversity set by the 44th Congress was a high water mark not to be reached again for nearly a century. By the 46th Congress (1879-1881) only Senator Bruce remained in Congress. No Black members served in the 50th Congress (1887-1889). From 1891 to 1901, only three Black members served in Congress, but never more than one at a time. This reversal was no accident. In response to the electoral success of Black politicians across the South, white Southerners reacted swiftly and violently. Black politicians and white Republican supporters were attacked and killed. Mobs threatened violence on election days and suppressed voter turnout. When white Democrats regained control of Southern legislatures they systematically enacted laws restricting voting access. Registrars were given discretion on whether or not to add voters. White Primaries were created in which only whites could vote, which in Southern Democratically controlled states ensured that the primary winner would be elected in the general election. Story continues U.S. Rep George White (R North Carolina) was the final Black Congressman elected in the 19th Century, and the only Black member of Congress from 1897-1901. He decided against running for a third term after the North Carolina Legislature adopted voter restriction laws already adopted in other Southern states. Rep. Whites popularity had already plummeted after he introduced legislation making lynching a federal crime and capital offense equivalent to treason. For this he was criticized for introducing a color line in his district. His anti-lynching legislation died in Committee without a vote while Black people continued dying in lynchings without Federal protection. In a farewell address to Congress Rep. White lamented, This is perhaps the Negroes temporary farewell to the American Congress. The temporary farewell lasted 28 years. Not a single Black American served in 14 consecutive Congresses between 1901 and 1929 It wasnt until 1929 and the election of U.S. Representative Oscar De Priest (R-Illinois), the first northern Black to serve, that Congress welcomed back another Black voice, though the welcome was strained. When the Congressmans wife was invited along with the other Congressmens wives for Tea at the White House there was an immediate uproar among Southern Congressman and politicians. The Mississippi Legislature called upon Mrs. Hoover to rescind the invitation and give careful and thoughtful consideration to the necessity of preservation of the racial integrity of the white race. Under pressure, Mrs. Hoover divided attendees into four groups and assigned Mrs. De Priest to the smallest group. It wasnt until after passage of the Voting Rights Acts of 1965 that the 91st Congress (1969-1971) finally surpassed the 44th Congress in the total number of Black lawmakers. While the 91st Congress had only twelve Black lawmakers out of 535 members, it included U.S. Rep. Shirley Chisholm (D New York), the first Black woman elected to Congress, and U.S. Senator Edward William Brooke III (R Massachusetts), only the second Black man elected to the Senate and first since Senator Bruce. Unfortunately, it appears that history is repeating itself. After the swearing-in of the most racially diverse Congress in history, and the first non-white person and first woman as Vice President, 19 states enacted 33 laws making it harder to vote. In a recent 5-4 decision the United States Supreme Court allowed Alabama to ignore the 1965 Voting Rights Act in order to redraw its Congressional districts in a way certain to eliminate one of its minority majority districts and one Black member of Congress. Candidates doubting the legitimacy of the 2020 election are currently running for Secretary of State and County Election Commissioners across the country, many against incumbents of their own party, in order to seize control of the electoral process. The John Lewis Voting Rights Act, which would require states to seek approval from the Department of Justice before changing voting laws, is currently stalled in the United States Senate. As history has taught us, racial progress is not inevitable, it must be fought for and defended. For me, as a Christian pastor, this is not just a matter of history or politics, this is a spiritual issue. If we believe that God loves all people equally, then we must put that belief into practice by working towards equality and justice in all matters of our public life, including who we elect to represent us and who gets to vote. If we are apathetic or indifferent and allow sinister forces to roll back progress and restrict voter rights, then we are witnessing to a contrasting belief that God favors some people over others. As people of faith, we either actively bear witness to a loving God by putting our faith into action expanding access for all peoples, or we shrink back from our Christian duty, and from God, by allowing forces of evil to wipe away vital progress that has been achieved. Pastor Nathan Pipho serves as the pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, Worcester, and on the Board of Worcester Interfaith. Sermons and other writings can be read on his blog at nathanpipho.com This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Keep the Faith: Voting equality is a moral issue Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com Click here and subscribe today. Five Brevard leaders were honored Friday night at the Hilton Melbourne, with four receiving the 2022 Lead Brevard Leadership 4 Under 40 Award and one receiving the Rodney S. Ketcham Leadership Icon Award. The ceremony was held at the Hilton Melbourne, with dinner at 6 p.m. and the ceremony beginning at 6:45 p.m. Friday night. Awards were presented by LEAD Brevard, a local not-for-profit, which works to strengthen the community by inspiring people to lead. Each year, the 4 Under 40 Award goes to four people under the age of 40 in Brevard who make a significant positive impact in the county with their commitment to the community through their personal and professional leadership. Drew Breznitsky was honored with the 4 Under 40 Award Friday night. Drew D. Breznitsky, Shalarie Highsmith, Christine Noll-Rhan and Chelsea Partridge each received the 4 Under 40 Award. The Rodney S. Ketcham Leadership Icon Award went to Kendall T. Moore, Esq. Breznitsky, chief executive officer of Beachside Recovery Interventions + Consulting and a therapist, said he works to take on the challenges of the community and its families. He works to "disrupt the social stigma" surrounding mental health, substance use and interaction with the legal system. "I am here to walk by our families side to help them appropriately navigate a broken system through my own personal and professional experience," Breznitsky said. Shalarie Highsmith was honored with the 4 Under 40 Award Friday night. As deputy and chief of education and training at Patrick Space Force Base, Highsmith said she has used her passion to help promote important issues in the community. "I believe as we empower our community to be great, we empower them to 'live' great," she said. "Our communitys success will depend on the tools we provide to them." Noll-Rhan, a partner with Carr, Riggs & Ingram CPAs and Advisors, said her perfect vision of Brevard surrounds the safety of children. Story continues "In my perfect vision of the community, every child can buy the supplies they need for school, attend every field trip and not worry about where they are going to sleep at night," Noll-Rhan said. "I am passionate about helping improve a childs educational opportunities to stop the cycle of poverty." Chelsea Partridge was honored with the 4 Under 40 Award Friday night. For Partridge, an Orion production process verification lead at Lockheed Martin, her goals in both public service and in her professional life are to inspire and motivate people. "Whether it is reaching out to our growers and landowners to implement conservation practices on their land, educating people on how they can help the Indian River Lagoon or inspiring a student to work in the aerospace industry, it all comes down to recognizing that people want to do the right thing, but might need a little nudge, or more information, to get them there," Partridge said. Florida Tech honors leaders: Florida Tech to honor community leaders during MLK event on campus Feb. 17 Brevard judge honored: Brevard judge who immigrated from Guyana receives Community Leader of the Year award The 2022 Rodney S. Ketcham Leadership Icon Award went to Moore of the Moore Law Group, PLLC. Kendall T. Moore, Esquire was honored with the 2022 Rodney S. Ketcham Leadership Icon Award Friday night. This award is given to a person who shows a "history of vision, service and leadership for the betterment of Brevard," with a legacy of helping build up other leaders throughout their life. Additionally, the recipient should have an established reputation that others aim to emulate. Moore, the managing partner of the Moore Law Group, PLLC and former city councilman of Rockledge, said he was "humbled and honored" to be recognized with the award. "I further consider it a privilege to be placed in such distinguished ranks as those of the past recipients of this award," he said. "Their collective legacies represent a substantial body of positive work helping to make this great community a better place. I look forward to many more years of working together for the betterment of Brevard County." Moore currently serves in leadership roles for multiple local nonprofits and education institutes, including My Community Cares, Inc.; The Children's Hunger Project; Florida Institute of Technology and the United Way of Brevard. In the past, he was the 2019 Chairman of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida, a member and chairman of the LEAD Brevard board of directors and a former recipient of the 4 Under 40 award. During Friday night's ceremony, $14,000 was raised to support LEAD Brevard's equity scholarships Finch Walker is a Breaking News Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Walker at 321-290-4744 or fwalker@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @_finchwalker Support local journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Leaders recognized with 4 Under 40, other awards Friday night Interior and exterior shot of the decommissioned Atlas-F missile silo complex in Abilene, Kansas. Hirsch Real Estate A 1961 decommissioned Atlas-F intercontinental ballistic missile silo complex is for sale. The unique Cold War-era relic is part of an 11-acre Kansas lot on the market for $380,000. The real estate agent told Insider that the 170-foot-deep structure could be converted into a home or an Airbnb. A property with a decommissioned missile silo, designed to store and launch Atlas-F intercontinental ballistic missiles during the Cold War, is on the market for $380,000. It's part of a 6,900-square-foot underground complex in rural Abilene, Kansas, that once housed a missile, a launch center, and living quarters for the crew. The complex, constructed in 1961, has its own water, electricity, and sewage system, per the listing. And, the listing notes, it's designed to withstand a nuclear attack. While it might seem like the perfect hiding hole for a Doomsday prepper, the real estate agent told Insider that there are "all kinds of things" you could do with the eerie property. An illustration of the Atlas-F missile silo complex when it was in commission. Hirsch Real Estate "A person could use it for a home, a bed and breakfast, or an Airbnb," said John Dautel of Hirsch Real Estate. "I had a call from someone on the West Coast who wants to put computer components there." A potential buyer might also choose to use the expanse of grassy Kansas plains that come with the unique Cold War relic. "A person is thinking he might use it for renewable energy, put solar panels across the 11 acres," Dautel said. The property comes with 11 acres of land. Hirsch Real Estate The missile silo was built just a year before the Cuban Missile Crisis when the Cold War came dangerously close to escalating into a full-scale nuclear war. It was decommissioned in 1965 and fell into disuse and disrepair, Dautel said. Metal from the missile silo was "scavenged," the real estate agent continued, including the crib that held the missile upright. A section of the Atlas-F missile silo complex. Hirsch Real Estate What remains is a 170-foot-deep, missile-shaped concrete structure. Also situated on 11 acres of land in the Great Plains is a 4,000-square-foot Quonset building with water, sewer, and electricity. Story continues A Quonset in Abilene, Kansas. Hirsch Real Estate There's a one-room building that could be used as an office or for storage, according to the listing. There are also the remnants of a motorcycle repair shop. A former motorcycle repair shop in Abilene, Kansas. Hirsch Real Estate "It's zoned right now for residential use but, in the past, it's had some business on it so I don't think getting it zoned for industrial or commercial would be any issue." The property was listed on December 27, 2021. "If you want something offering security and uniqueness, then this property is for you," the listing said. Read the original article on Business Insider Hey, neighbors, and happy National Plum Pudding Day! It's me again, Sylvia, your host of the Huntington Beach Daily. There are some businesses closing in HB, and rumor has it that the rent is to blame. Also, City Hall is opening again next week. Finally, SB953 would ban offshore drilling in state waters. First, today's weather: Sunny and very warm. High: 86 Low: 54. Here are the top five stories in Huntington Beach today: Luccis at 8911 Adams Avenue is closing. Scuttlebutt on Thursday was that employees were told the last day would be February 26. Apparently, the building was sold and the new owner is tripling rent. (Reddit) Another store thats closing is the Vons on Beach and Edinger. After paying $90,000 a month in rent, the company finally decided to pull the plug. The estimated closing date is Thursday. (HB 33 TV) HB City Hall will reopen for in-person services this Wednesday. This ends the temporary shutdown that began January 4. Face masks are required within City facilities for individuals who are not fully vaccinated and in youth settings. (Surf City Break) On Wednesday, Senator Dave Min introduced SB953. It seeks to decommission and ban offshore drilling in state waters once and for all. He reasoned that where there is drilling, there is going to be spilling. (@SenDaveMin) The HB City Council is supporting the American Red Cross by scheduling a blood drive. This one will take place at City Hall on Mach 5. We are asking for the communitys support in combating the national blood crisis. Please make an appointment to donate blood at the event. Due to COVID-19 protocols, an appointment to donate is required, walk-ups cannot be accommodated. (Surf City Break) Today in Huntington Beach: AARP Foundation Tax-Aide at the Surf City Methodist Church (by appointment, 2) Surfrider Foundation Beach Cleanup at Bolsa Chica State Beach Jetty (8 AM) The Revolution With Dead Man's Waistcoat at Huntington Beach Central Park (10 AM to Feb 13, 4 PM) Chili at the Beach in Downtown HB (11 AM to 4 PM) Wicked Paradise presents Evas Playhouse at The Circle OC (9 PM) Story continues From my notebook: MeoowzResQ is hosting an adoption event at Pet Supply at 21425 Brookhurst St. on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A next door neighbor in Westmont is looking for someone to do some stucco work on 2 houses in HB. (Nextdoor) Our Glen Mar neighbor is wondering if anyone has a full set of blueprints for a 5 bed, 2 bath Glen Mar home with the deck over the garage? They would like to buy a copy of your blueprints if possible. (Nextdoor) A Huntington Village Meadow View neighbor is asking for someone to recommend a good printing company for 3x4 and 6x8 for wheat pasting? They've tried a few places nearby, but the quality was crap. (Nextdoor) Our Regency Palms neighbor lost their black zip up sweatshirt that says Central Orange County Emergency Animal Hospital. Please contact them; its part of their work uniform. (Nextdoor) Loving the Huntington Beach Daily? Here are all the ways you can get more involved: Send a friend or neighbor this link, so they can subscribe Get your local business listed in front of readers Send me a news tip or suggestion at huntingtonbeach-ca@patch.com Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be in your inbox tomorrow with a new update. Sylvia Cochran About me: Sylvia Cochran works out of sunny Southern California and has been freelance writing full-time since 2005. She loves dogs, cats, books, plays Best Fiends (don't judge), embraces social justice, and tries to live out Micah 6:8. This article originally appeared on the Huntington Beach Patch A 60-year-old man was arrested last week after sheriff's deputies said he defied a court order by refusing to hand over more than two dozen firearms that were in his possession. William Paul Fote reportedly told deputies he did not take the court order, called a Risk Protection Order (RPO), seriously, and he was frustrated, according to the man's arrest report. The case began on Feb. 6, when deputies were called to the 21100 block of Northwest 106th Court Road in Micanopy about shots fired in the community. Court decisions: Prison in federal weapons case and probation for state explosives case Lawsuit: Ocala student shot and injured at Forest H.S. in 2018 sues Marion County school district Neighborhoods on edge: Three people injured between 9 and 10 p.m. in NW Ocala shootings Fote provided unsubstantiated information to deputies When deputies arrived, they spoke with Fote. According to an arrest report, he told them a child was under his shed. He also said juveniles sometimes sneak onto his property and steal from him. Fote showed deputies pictures of what he believed to be minors in his attic. He alleged the children put markings in his trees. He said he had called the sheriff's office multiple times to report the incidents, but nothing had been done. According to the report, deputies said they did not see any children in the pictures. Also, their records reflected no calls for service at Fote's location. And they did not see where a child could fit under his shed. Deputies interviewed three neighbors. One said Fote has been firing shots outside for roughly six months. The neighbor said Fote has shown him pictures he claimed showed children on the property, but the neighbor said he didn't see any children in the pictures. The other neighbors said Fote regularly fires shots into his own yard and they fear he may shoot someone. One neighbor said Fote pointed a rifle at another neighbor's home, thinking he saw a stranger in the trees, according to the report. Story continues Judge's ruling: Weapons must be surrendered Fote was taken into custody pursuant to the state's Baker Act, which allows short-term holding of a person who is a threat to himself or others. Deputies also sought an RPO, which Circuit Judge R. Gregg Jerald issued. According to Florida statute 794.01, such orders are allowed when a person "poses a significant danger of causing personal injury to himself or herself or others by having a firearm or any ammunition in his or her custody or control or by purchasing, possessing, or receiving a firearm or any ammunition." With the order in hand, a deputy went to Fote's home to seize any guns he might have. But Fote said he did not have any weapons, according to the arrest report. The sheriff's office obtained a search warrant on Thursday, returned to Fote's residence, and found 25 firearms and multiple rounds of ammunition throughout the home. Most of the guns were handguns, deputies said. Fote's refusal to comply with the RPO constituted a third-degree felony offense, according to the statute: "A person who has in his or her custody or control a firearm or any ammunition or who purchases, possesses, or receives a firearm or any ammunition (withknowledge that he or she is prohibited from doing so by an order issued under this section commits a felony of the third degree." Fote was arrested and charged with 25 counts of violating the law and transported to the Marion County Jail for booking. Bail was set at $25,000. Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb. This article originally appeared on Ocala Star-Banner: Guns seized, troubled man arrested in Marion County, Florida Helen Wilson was grateful when Kansas City police officers showed up to her home hours before dawn Monday morning to take her son away. She thought he would soon get the help he desperately needed. She described a calm and polite conversation with officers that she had invited into her home, during which she informed them of his mental illness, before Shawn Wilson, 36, was escorted out the front door. As he was on the front porch, she said, Helen Wilson heard the gunshots. Five or six of them. She could see from the living room through the metal-screened door that her son was on the ground, several officers on top of him. And then, she said, officers came inside the home again this time with guns drawn. We were terrified, Helen Wilson said. I really believed that they was gonna help him. I really, truly believed. She offered her account of what happened that morning from the front porch of her home in the 5100 block of Olive Street in Kansas Citys Blue Hills neighborhood, steps away from where he was fatally shot. She believes her son who she says suffered from bipolar depression and anxiety did not pose a threat to the police officers. Police, however, have said Shawn Wilson was armed with a knife. Officers were summoned there shortly before 2:30 a.m. on Feb. 7 after a report was made of a domestic disturbance involving a child, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is leading the shooting investigation. According to police, Shawn Wilson refused commands to drop the weapon and was advancing toward officers when they opened fire. He was taken by ambulance to an area hospital where he was pronounced dead. Helen Wilson, and her other son, Michael, say they never saw a knife in his hand. They believe he may have had an apple peeler or paring knife, which started the struggle with police. Regardless, the family questioned why officers did not restrain him some other way such as with a taser, pepper spray or a rubber bullet. Story continues Ron Hunt, an area community activist who is assisting the Wilsons, said Shawn Wilson could have been saved. Hunt said he and the family are pressing for the footage from police-worn body cameras and other surveillance to be released. Were going to get justice for this family, Hunt said. That man did not have to die. Hoping and praying Helen Wilson said her son has long suffered from severe depression. He recently moved to Kansas City, and grew up in Flint, Michigan. One day, as he was struggling to cope with his emotions, Shawn Wilson called her to say that he wanted to be back with his family. Roughly six months ago he moved in with his mother, four-month-old daughter and 3-year-old son. Recently, Shawn Wilson had not been taking his prescribed medication, his mother said. She sought to get him help through local services but was having a difficult time. I tried to get him some help. And I was hoping and praying that he would get the help he needs so the kids could enjoy being with him. Over the past few days, the Wilsons say the house is empty without him there. His kids miss him, they say, and the family is left with the harsh truth that hell never be able to see them grow up. His son cries himself to sleep every night, Helen Wilson said. His daddy was always the one to get him to sleep and go to bed. (Reuters) -The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) said on Saturday that it will temporarily rescind its withdrawal from the Pacific's main political forum, as U.S. Secretary Antony Blinken paid a strategic visit to the Pacific Island region. Blinken reassured leaders of 18 Pacific Island nations that Washington and its allies are committed to providing security and COVID vaccines, as China steps up its aid and influence in the region. In February 2021, the FSM and four other nations started their withdrawal https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-pacific-forum-idUKKBN2A906K from the Pacific Island Forum (PIF), saying that an informal agreement to elect a new chief diplomat from their Micronesia sub-region was not honoured. "I reinforced my country's commitment to the region and the PIF's critical role in driving regional action," Blinken told a news conference after the meeting. "We welcome the decision by the Micronesia states to pause their withdrawal from the PIF to allow for continued discussions." The foreign ministry of FSM said in a statement on Saturday that after consultations about PIF reforms offered to the leaders of the country, the decision was made to "temporarily rescind the withdrawal from the Pacific Islands Forum so as to materialise these reforms offered ... by no later than June 2022." FSM, made up of Yap, Chuuk, Pohnpei and Kosrae states and with a population of just under 114,000 people, is spread across the western Pacific Ocean comprising more than 600 islands. Despite being sparsely populated, the Pacific Island countries are strategic locations that have in recent years become a battleground for influence between China and the United States and its allies. (Reporting by Kirsty Needham and Lidia Kelly; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Nadi; Writing in Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Editing by William Mallard) Feb. 12ST. PAUL The 2022 state legislative session is providing the Minnesota State System of Colleges and Universities the chance to seek additional funding for various operations for the upcoming school year. Seeking a $60 million supplemental budget allocation along with a $150 million capital bonding request, Minnesota State Chancellor Devinder Malhotra recently detailed the two main funding sources that support the System's 30 colleges and seven universities across the state. "Half of our resources come from student tuition and half from state appropriation," Malhotra told the Pioneer. "In the 2021 session, we received about half of our total request, so we will be more aggressive for the upcoming session to make sure our campuses have the needed resources for them to continue to serve students in an effective and impactful manner." Seeing this request as a means to "fill the gaps" from the 2021 session, the $60 million supplemental request is broken down into five allocations. The first would allocate $30 million to address general campus support including providing resources for educational projects and meeting inflationary increases. A second category of $25 million would allow a tuition freeze for the 2022-2023 academic year, preventing a 3.5% undergraduate tuition increase. "With inflation being the highest it has been in decades, this could be a key to relieve inflationary stress on students and help ensure we meet workforce needs," Malhotra added. The third allocation would allow $2 million for workforce development. Referring to current efforts, Malhotra noted this allocation would help the Minnesota System to address workforce gaps in high-demand sectors across the state, particularly in health care and manufacturing. "The Minnesota Health Force Center of Excellence is working with us to address critical staffing shortages in the health care sector. With less than one week's notice, 16 of our colleges provided emergency training for approximately 400 members of the National Guard for deployment as emergency temporary nursing assistants," Malhotra said. Story continues He mentioned this initiative has been scaled up to recruit, train and deploy at least 1,000 new nursing assistants at the end of January, and also referenced Enterprise Minnesota focus groups that found a key challenge manufacturers face is a shortage of qualified workers. A fourth category of $2 million would fund mental health resources, and the final category of $1 million would address basic student needs like food and shelter. With this year being a bonding year, Minnesota State is also seeking a $150 million capital bonding request with intentions to pursue continual maintenance of on-campus facilities. "The top priority of our bonding request is for asset preservation," Malhotra said. "This would fund more than 100 campus projects across the state and address the most basic needs of our colleges and universities." Bemidji State University would be allocated approximately $6.5 million in asset preservation funds with Northwest Technical College receiving $782,000 for the purposes of updating campus buildings and facility systems. Malhotra cited that since 2012, 29% of requested asset preservation funding has been provided by the state, or $178.8 million out of a requested $610 million. "Today, the estimated backlog of maintenance in academic facilities is $1.2 billion," Malhotra said. "In the next 10 years, this will go to $1.3 billion. That just indicates how important our request is." District 5 Sen. Justin Eichorn , R-Grand Rapids, spoke in support of addressing mental health and workforce shortages that the request details. "Mental health is always a point that's on top of the list and there's more in that realm that (the senate) can do," Eichorn said. Also serving as vice-chair of the state Education Finance and Policy committee, Eichorn detailed his work on a bill that would award $1,500 in annual grants for students to pursue law enforcement careers. "Talking to my higher education colleagues, they're seeing huge declines in students pursuing jobs in the law enforcement area," Eichorn said. "My biggest focus is funding students, not systems. So these more student-directed grants should assist students to pursue these jobs whether they become police officers or DNR conservation officers." Though this bill is included in the state's K-12 committee budget, Eichorn pointed to its importance for both K-12 and college committees as a way to promote trade careers to students. The state currently has a projected $7.7 billion surplus, which means the System's $60 million supplemental request comprises less than 1% of that surplus. However, Eichorn warned of an end-of-February economic forecast that could show a slight reduction in the surplus. "Regarding the surplus, that's forecasted. It's not like we have that money in the bank," Eichorn said. "I don't see it going up, but actually being less based on what the economists may see at the end of this month." Despite a possible surplus decline, Malhotra and Roger Moe, a member of the System's Board of Trustees, still view the request as reasonable following the board of trustees approving the request to move forward to the legislature. "You can't be certain of anything with the legislature, but our request is very modest compared to the projected surplus," Moe said. "Even-yeared sessions are bonding years, so I'm optimistic they'll do something (regarding the bonding request) as well." Referencing other Minnesota State initiatives including Equity 2030 a goal to close educational equity gaps by 2030, and Minnesota Future Together grants available to students in six high-demand sectors, Malhotra pointed to the System's continuous efforts of providing robust educational experiences throughout the pandemic. "In the midst of the pandemic, our colleges and universities served over 300,000 students and produced nearly 60,000 graduates," Malhotra said. "The state is fortunate to have a historic surplus. It provides a great opportunity to make significant and impactful investments in higher education in general and Minnesota State in particular." Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren't shy when it comes to adorable public displays of affection. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Royals have made grand romantic gestures for their partners and also express love in low-key ways. Prince Charles conducted an orchestra performance for Camilla's birthday. Prince Harry always fixes Meghan Markle's hair when it gets blown out of place. Prince Philip gave up smoking on his wedding day because Queen Elizabeth wasn't a fan of the habit. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on their wedding day in 1947. Keystone/Getty Images Prince Philip's valet John Dean told Vanity Fair that the prince quit smoking "suddenly and apparently without difficulty" on the day of his wedding since he knew how much Queen Elizabeth hated her father's cigarette addiction. Queen Elizabeth and Philip shared a blanket at the Braemar Gathering in Scotland in 2015. Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth at the Braemar Gathering in 2015. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images While watching competitors in running, heavy weights, solo piping, light field, and solo dance, Queen Elizabeth and Philip got cozy under a checkered blanket. They were married for 73 years before Philip's death in 2021. He still holds her umbrella. Matt Dunham/AP It's been said that Princess Elizabeth had been in love with Prince Philip since she was 13. Even many years later, they could still be spotted laughing together and enjoying each other's company. Princess Diana's wedding shoes contained a hidden tribute to Prince Charles. Princess Diana and Prince Charles on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on their wedding day. AP In addition to 542 sequins and 132 pearls, Diana's wedding shoes contained a hidden "C" under one heel and a "D" under the other for Charles and Diana. For Camilla's 60th birthday, Charles conducted London's Philharmonia Orchestra in a romantic surprise performance. Prince Charles and Camila share a laugh. Chris Jackson/ Pool/Getty Images "They are a remarkable orchestra," Prince Charles said in an interview with BBC Radio 3's Private Passions. "He was terribly keen I should conduct it. I said: You must be out of your mind. Finally he persuaded me against my better judgment and we did it as a special surprise." Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton with his mother's engagement ring. Prince William and Kate Middleton announcing their engagement in 2011. Chris Jackson/Getty Images Princess Diana picked out her engagement ring, a sapphire surrounded by 14 diamonds, from a Garrard catalog. Even though she wasn't there to see Prince William meet and marry the love of his life, her memory lived on when he proposed to Kate Middleton with the same ring. Middleton continues to wear it daily. Story continues On a trip to the French Alps, they got into a playful snowball fight. Prince William and Kate Middleton enjoy a short private skiing vacation in 2016. John Stillwell/WPA Pool/Getty Images While the royal couple is usually very composed and refrain from affectionate gestures in public, they occasionally goof off and show PDA. Meghan Markle's wedding veil contained a piece of fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Prince Harry. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their wedding day in 2018. Ben Stansall/WPA Pool/Getty Images In a clip from "Queen of the World," a documentary about Queen Elizabeth, Markle revealed that the piece of blue fabric had been her "something blue" on her wedding day. Her 16-foot, silk tulle veil also featured a trim of hand-embroidered flowers each representing one of the 53 counties in Britain's Commonwealth, as well as a California Poppy, which is the official flower of her home state California. Read more: 22 of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's most romantic moments Harry is often spotted fixing Markle's hair when it gets blown out of place or stuck in her collar. Husband goals. Chris Jackson/Getty Images On several occasions, Prince Harry was filmed covertly fixing Markle's hair on royal engagements. He smoothed down her hair from the wind during her charity cookbook launch in 2018, and adjusted her ponytail when it got stuck in her dress collar on a visit to Cape Town, South Africa, in 2019. Markle wrote a children's book inspired by Harry and Archie's relationship. Side-by-side images of Meghan Markle with Archie and the cover of "The Bench." Stephen Pond/Getty Images/Penguin Random House "The Bench" is about the connection between father and son as seen through a mother's eyes, inspired by Prince Harry's relationship with Archie. Released in June, it became a New York Times bestseller. "'The Bench' started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father's Day, the month after Archie was born," Markle was quoted as saying in the press release. "That poem became this story," she added. Princess Eugenie posts heartfelt messages to husband Jack Brooksbank on Instagram. Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank on their wedding day in 2018. Yui Mok - WPA Pool/Getty Images Princess Eugenie is one of the only royals who maintains a personal Instagram account. She occasionally shares sweet photos of her and her husband. "Happy Birthday to you, my one and only Jack," she captioned a snapshot of the two of them posted on Brooksbank's birthday. "You are one of a kind and totally extraordinary. Nine birthdays and counting...to quote you from a few months ago 'you light up my life.'" She also posted a throwback engagement photo in 2020, two years after she said "yes," and a wedding photo marking their third anniversary in October. Read the original article on Insider NEWPORT BEACH, CA Small businesses feeling the impact of the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19 could be awarded a $2,500 grant thanks to an effort between the County of Orange and several cities. Small business owners can apply for a grant starting on Monday at 9 a.m. until March 15 at 5 p.m. The $2,500 comes from the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program, county officials said. Businesses have to meet the following criteria to be eligible: Physically located and operating in Orange County Began operating before Dec. 31, 2019 Is currently open or has a clear plan to reopen Able to show it was significantly impacted by COVID-19 Had less than $50,000 in revenue for the 2019 tax year Had less than five full-time employees during the 2019 and 2020 tax years Currently has less than five full-time employees Use all the grant money by June 1, 2022, and have receipts to show what was purchased County officials said they will give priority to businesses that are sidewalk vendors, suffered losses because of the pandemic or whose owners are a member of a "group that has faced historic barriers in accessing capital and is defined as business majority-owned and operated on a daily basis by women." Women, veterans, minorities, undocumented individuals and people with English as a second language who own businesses are encouraged to apply, officials said. For more information about the grants, and a full list of criteria and exclusions, visit the county's website. This article originally appeared on the Newport Beach-Corona Del Mar Patch There was plenty of news across Connecticut on Friday. If you missed any of it on your local Patch, here's a roundup of some of the most-read stories. Federal prosecutors said the nurse used a syringe to withdraw fentanyl from vials and then re-injected saline into the vials.>>>Read More. The parent of a high school student was charged with threatening to kill a school administrator, according to a report.>>>Read More. The coronavirus positivity rate was up slightly in CT overnight, but the number of residents hospitalized with the virus continues to drop.>>>Read More. Coming this spring, The Grey Goat Farmtique will feature the work of local artisans making it a unique shopping experience.>>>Read More. Clean Juice, an organic juice bar franchise offering smoothies and more, will open its second Connecticut location this spring.>>>Read More. Chen, 22, a student at Yale's Jonathan Edwards College, won gold at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games in mens singles figure skating.>>>Read More. Other top stories: The Patch community platform serves more than 100 communities all across Connecticut in Fairfield, New Haven, Middlesex, New London, Hartford, Tolland, and Litchfield counties. Thank you for reading. This article originally appeared on the Across Connecticut Patch Cannabis companies have long had a problem with banking in the U.S. They may be legal in certain states, but they cant access many financial services because federal law outlaws marijuana. The situation has hampered the industry, and a fix called the SAFE Banking Act has stalled for years. If passed, that bill would bar federal banking regulators from punishing financial institutions for providing services to a "legitimate" cannabis-related business. U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) has led the effort in the House to pass the SAFE Banking Act five separate times, only to see the Senate block it each time. On Friday, Perlmutter appeared on Yahoo Finance Live to discuss effort number six and explained the political dynamics that have stymied his efforts ever since Colorado legalized marijuana in 2012. Early efforts were thwarted when figures like Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), then Senate Banking Committee Chair, raised various objections in 2019, citing the potency of marijuana and the possibility the bill could facilitate money laundering. U.S. Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-CO) listens to testimony before the House Committee on Rules at the United States Capitol in Washington, U.S., December 2, 2021. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein I passed it first...when the Republicans were in charge of the Senate and Senator Crapo at that time, basically said the bill was too big and too broad, Perlmutter said. Most of those concerns have been allayed, but now Perlmutter is facing pushback from fellow Democrats including Senators Chuck Schumer and Cory Booker, who are instead focused on comprehensive cannabis reform. "From Schumer and Booker's point of view, the bill is too limited and too narrow, Perlmutter says. Booker wants to solve the banking problem by legalizing marijuana at the federal level. In the past, the New Jersey senator has vowed he will lay myself down to block efforts to pass the marijuana banking legislation before larger cannabis reform. Republicans have also pushed for legalization, with Rep. Nancy Mace (R., S.C.) leading one effort. The only place this is controversial is in Washington, D.C., she has told Yahoo Finance in the past. Story continues For his part, Perlmutter supports a broader bill but also wants to pass a law addressing the banking issue this year. If they could add research, if they could add some criminal justice reform, if they could add taxation components, I'm all for it, Perlmutter said. But we need to get something passed and on to the president this year. Industry analysts, like Barclays, have said that they dont see cannabis being legalized under the Biden administration. Perlmutter agrees that there aren't enough votes in the Senate currently for a broader bill. However, he often notes that a bipartisan group of lawmakers support the banking provisions and says his bill, if passed, can break the ice towards larger efforts. Ben Werschkul is a writer and producer for Yahoo Finance in Washington, DC. Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Flipboard, LinkedIn, YouTube, and reddit. VIRGINIA Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is likely to add an emergency clause to a bill in the state legislature prohibiting school districts from requiring students to wear masks in the classroom, Sen. Chap Petersen (D-Fairfax) said at a town hall meeting in Fairfax Saturday morning. The emergency clause on the bill, which would give parents the option to let their children go to schools without a mask, will likely take effect March 1, Petersen said. Without the emergency clause, the bill would take effect July 1. Petersen, who opposes mask requirements for students, was the author of an amendment to SB 739, which would allow students to opt out of wearing masks in classrooms. On Wednesday, the Senate gave final approval to SB 739, which was introduced by Sen. Siobhan Dunnavant (R-Henrico) to require in-person instruction aside from 10 unscheduled virtual learning days. Petersens amendment prevents school divisions from enacting universal masking requirements depending on local transmission rates. The legislation is now in the House of Delegates, where on Friday the Education Committee approved it with a 12-10 vote. It was a party-line vote, with the 10 Democrats on the committee voting against it. The bill is expected to go to the House floor on Monday or Tuesday for a full vote, where it is expected to pass. Petersen and Del. David Bulova (D), who represents Fairfax City in the House of Delegates, held the joint town hall meeting on Saturday at Katherine Johnson Middle School to discuss bills and other matters in the current session of the General Assembly. Bulova was wearing a mask at the in-person town hall, while Petersen did not wear one. Petersen said he understands that if the bill gets to Youngkin's desk, the governor will add the emergency clause that would require the law to be implemented immediately. The emergency clause would have to go back to the General Assembly for approval, where it would require only a simple majority vote. Story continues Petersens comments about the possible March 1 effective date for optional masking brought cheers from members of the crowd who oppose mask mandates in schools. Bulova told the crowd that he does not support Petersens effort to prevent local school districts from deciding student mask policy. Although he believes a mask mandate will likely not be needed soon as a result of declining COVID-19 infection rates, Bulova said the policy should be based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at a time when Virginia is still experiencing high transmission rates. His statement on why he believes school districts should rely on CDC guidance drew boos from the crowd. The CDC still recommends universal indoor masking by all students, staff, teachers and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Bulova also emphasized that the bill, if it passes, would make it far more difficult in the future for school districts to implement mitigation measures if conditions once again worsen or in another type of public health emergency. RELATED: This article originally appeared on the Falls Church Patch Welcome to Friday's Overnight Health Care, where we're following the latest moves on policy and news affecting your health. Subscribe here: thehill.com/newsletter-signup. A woman who lives outside of Boston managed to win a free vacation on the Price is Right ... all the way to New Hampshire. The FDA is delaying its decision on authorizing Pfizer's vaccine for young kids because it needs more data on a third dose. For The Hill, we're Peter Sullivan (psullivan@thehill.com) and Nathaniel Weixel (nweixel@thehill.com). Write to us with tips and feedback, and follow us on Twitter: @PeterSullivan4 and @NateWeixel Let's get started. FDA delays vaccine decision for kids under 5 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is delaying a decision on whether to authorize Pfizer and BioNTech's coronavirus vaccine for children under five years old, because there's not enough data on the efficacy of a third dose. An FDA advisory panel meeting scheduled for next week has been postponed. "Based on the agency's preliminary assessment, and to allow more time to evaluate additional data, we believe additional information regarding the ongoing evaluation of a third dose should be considered as part of our decision-making for potential authorization," the FDA said in a statement. The decision to extend the data submission and delay the advisory panel meeting pushes back the timeline for authorizing COVID-19 shots for kids under five, a major blow to parents of young kids. The companies said they don't expect to have three-dose protection data available until early April. The delay likely indicates the agency did not have data that showed two doses was enough, though the FDA's Peter Marks, head of the division responsible for vaccine safety, did not say what prompted the decision. Two shots vs. three: Pfizer earlier this month began applying for emergency use authorization of its vaccine in kids ages six months to four years old, at the FDA's request. But though the company said three doses will eventually be needed, the application was only for two doses. Story continues The companies have been testing a third shot after announcing in December that trial data showed two doses produced an insufficient immune response in toddlers over the age of 2. However, data showed two doses was sufficient in children between 6 months and 2 years old. Read more here. CDC study: Booster wanes after 4 months The effectiveness of COVID-19 booster shots wanes somewhat after four months but still provides substantial protection against hospitalization, a new study shows. The study, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Friday, found that booster shot effectiveness against hospitalization with the omicron variant was 91 percent after two months, but waned to 78 percent after four months. Protection against emergency department or urgent care visits declined from 87 percent to 66 percent after four months. It was just 31 percent after at least five months, though the study cautioned that finding was "imprecise because few data were available." Vaccine effectiveness was always higher after three doses than after two, so people are still urged to get a booster shot. Fourth dose needed? The finding of some waning in booster shot effectiveness could inform discussions of the possible need for additional shots. "The finding that protection conferred by mRNA vaccines waned in the months after receipt of a third vaccine dose reinforces the importance of further consideration of additional doses to sustain or improve protection against COVID-19-associated [Emergency Department/Urgent Care] encounters and COVID-19 hospitalizations," the study states. Speaking earlier this week at a press briefing, President Biden's chief medical adviser, Anthony Fauci, said data is being monitored closely on metrics like protection against hospitalization when it comes to deciding whether a fourth dose is needed. Another shot might not be necessary for everyone, he said. "There may be the need for yet again another boost - in this case, a fourth-dose boost for an individual receiving the mRNA - that could be based on age, as well as underlying conditions," he said. Read more here. FDA AUTHORIZES ANOTHER ANTIBODY TREATMENT TO FIGHT OMICRON The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday authorized a new antibody treatment from Eli Lilly, adding another option for fighting the omicron variant. The FDA said the treatment, called bebtelovimab, works against omicron and is authorized for treatment of mild or moderate COVID-19 in people 12 and older who are at high risk for severe disease. The agency limited its recommendation by saying it should be used in patients "for whom alternative COVID-19 treatment options approved or authorized by the FDA are not accessible or clinically appropriate." Another antibody treatment from GlaxoSmithKline and Vir Biotechnology has already been authorized to work against omicron. Two others, from Regeneron and a different product from Eli Lilly, were restricted after being found to not be effective against the omicron variant. "Today's action makes available another monoclonal antibody that shows activity against omicron, at a time when we are seeking to further increase supply," said Patrizia Cavazzoni, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. On Thursday, the Biden administration announced that it had purchased 600,000 doses of the treatment to be distributed for free. The first 300,000 doses are expected in February and the second half in March. Read more here. AMERICANS BRACE FOR CANADA-STYLE PROTESTS The trucker-led protest against COVID-19 restrictions in Canada is spreading - and American political observers of all stripes believe something similar is bound to take hold in the United States. If that happens, it will add one more fractious clash to the American debate over COVID-19, which is already so bitter and polarized. It will also come at a point when President Biden is in a tricky political spot. The public is impatient to return to some semblance of normalcy and Democratic-led states are lifting mask mandates, but Biden is adhering to the more cautious positions advocated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tentative plans are taking shape for an American equivalent to the Canadian "Freedom Convoy" that was initially centered on Ottawa but has expanded to three border crossings. The most prominent American plan, though still unconfirmed, is for a "People's Convoy" that would travel from California to Washington, perhaps in early March. Republican politicians, including former President Trump, have expressed support for the Canadian truckers, whose actions have also become a rallying point among conservative media personalities in the U.S. Read more here. Biden: states easing mandates 'probably premature' President Biden said Thursday that decisions by a growing number of states to lift mask mandates are "probably premature" but acknowledged that such decisions are a "tough call." In an interview with NBC's Lester Holt, Biden seemed to try to avoid directly criticizing governors for easing mask mandates, but stood by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommendation for masking in much of the country. "The science is saying now masks work, masks make a difference," Biden said. "I committed that I would follow the science, the science as put forward by the CDC and the federal people," Biden said later. "I think it's probably premature but it's a tough call." Biden acknowledged that the current patchwork of guidance at the federal and state and local level is "confusing" but suggested that the need for masks, especially in schools, might ease once the COVID-19 vaccines are approved for younger children. A number of Democrat-run states this week announced plans to lift or ease mask mandates in at least some settings. These states included Connecticut, New Jersey and Massachusetts, which are lifting mask mandates in schools. Some states are opting for a phased approach as the wave driven by the omicron coronavirus variant subsides, which Biden noted in his answer to Holt. Still, the developments have put the White House in an awkward position. Read more here. WHAT WE'RE READING Fight over opioid prescribing - and when it turns criminal - heads to Supreme Court (Stat) What are taxpayers spending for those 'free' Covid tests? The government won't say (Kaiser Health News) Even among the vaccinated, Covid-19 prompted a surge of sick days (Wall Street Journal) STATE BY STATE NYC's unvaccinated workforce faces termination today without proof of shots (NBC New York) Kansas Republicans tie remap law to pro-ivermectin measure (AP) Michigan counties rescinding school mask orders; Oakland and Washtenaw to lift mandate Feb. 28 (Fox 28) That's it for today, thanks for reading. Check out The Hill's health care page for the latest news and coverage. See you Monday. Members of the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team who have been training Ukrainian forces since November. Photo by Sgt. Spencer Rhodes, 7th Army Training Command The Pentagon has ordered the repositioning of National Guard troops in Ukraine elsewhere in Europe. 160 members of the Florida Guard have been training Ukrainian forces. The move comes ahead of a possible Russian attack, which the White House says could happen next week. The Department of Defense has made the decision to pull National Guard troops out of Ukraine ahead of a possible Russian invasion, Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said Saturday. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin ordered 160 members of the Florida National Guard, troops assigned to the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, who have been deployed to Ukraine since last fall to temporarily relocate elsewhere in Europe. These US service members have been advising the Ukrainian military since November as part of the Joint Multinational Training Group-Ukraine. Kirby said in a written statement "the Secretary made this decision out of an abundance of caution with the safety and security of our personnel foremost in mind and informed by the State Department's guidance on US personnel in Ukraine." He added that "this repositioning does not signify a change in our determination to support Ukraine's Armed Forces, but will provide flexibility in assuring allies and deterring aggression." The announcement came as the US Embassy in Kyiv revealed Saturday that the US State Department instructed all non-emergency employees at the diplomatic outpost to leave "due to continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine," considered a sign of "potential for significant military action." Russia has positioned more than 130,000 troops, as well as a tremendous amount of military hardware and other combat equipment, near Ukraine, nearly surrounding the country. President Joe Biden has said that in the event of a Russian invasion, the US will not send troops into Ukraine to help the country defend itself, nor will it send military personnel into the country to help evacuate US citizens who did not leave when urged to do so. Story continues The president said earlier this week that Americans in Ukraine need to leave immediately because "things could go crazy quickly," adding that there is no scenario in which he would send US troops in to rescue stranded Americans. "That's a world war when Americans and Russia start shooting at one another," he said in an interview with NBC News. "We're in a very different world than we've ever been." The White House has said there is a "credible prospect" that Russia could launch a massive military offensive against Ukraine before the end of the Olympics next week. "We are not saying a final decision has been made by [Russian President Vladimir Putin]," explained White House national security advisor Jake Sullivan during a press briefing. "What we are saying," Sullivan continued, "is that we have a sufficient level of concern based on what we are seeing on the ground, and what our intelligence analysts have picked up, that we are sending this clear message." Read the original article on Business Insider PERTH AMBOY A 22-year-old city man was shot and killed Friday evening near New Brunswick Avenue, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said Saturday. Around 5:24 p.m. Friday, police responded to the area of the train tracks near New Brunswick Avenue on a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located Jonathan Molina, who sustained a gunshot wound. Molina was transported to a nearby hospital where he later was pronounced dead, authorities said. More: North Plainfield man defrauded $860K in COVID relief loans, feds allege The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Frank Cristiano of the Perth Amboy Police Department at 732-324-3856 or Detective Paul Kelley of the Middlesex County Prosecutors Office at 732-745-3330. Email: alewis@njpressmedia.com Alexander Lewis is an award-winning reporter and photojournalist whose work spans many topics. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Perth Amboy NJ: City man killed in New Brunswick Avenue shooting MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (AP) A plea hearing has been scheduled for a Navy nuclear engineer accused of trying to sell information about nuclear-powered warships to a foreign country. Jonathan Toebbe and his wife, Diana Toebbe, of Annapolis, Maryland, were arrested last October in West Virginia, and had pleaded not guilty to espionage-related charges that carry life in prison. Court records show that a plea hearing is scheduled for Jonathan Toebbe for Monday afternoon in federal court in Martinsburg, West Virginia. Court records did not include further details about the hearing and there is no indication that a hearing has been scheduled for Diana Toebbe. Prosecutors have alleged that Jonathan Toebbe tried to pass secrets about sophisticated and expensive Virginia-class submarines to someone he thought was a representative of a foreign government but who was actually an undercover FBI agent. The government said Diana Toebbe served as a lookout for her husband at several dead drop locations at which sensitive information was left behind. The country to which Toebbe was allegedly looking to sell the information has not been identified in court documents. By Antony Paone and Leigh Thomas PARIS (Reuters) - A convoy protesting COVID-19 restrictions breached police defences and drove into central Paris on Saturday, snarling traffic around the Arc de Triomphe and on the Champs Elysees, as police fired tear gas at demonstrators. Protesters in cars, campervans, tractors and other vehicles had converged on Paris from Lille, Perpignan, Nice and other cities late on Friday, despite warnings from Paris authorities that they would be barred from entering the capital. Inspired by horn-blaring "Freedom Convoy" demonstrations in Canada, dozens of vehicles slipped through the police cordon, impeding traffic around the 19th century arch and the top of the boutique-lined Champs Elysees, a magnet for tourists. Inside the city's limits, motorists in the "Freedom Convoy" waved tricolour flags and honked in defiance of the police ban. On the Champs Elysees, clouds of tear gas swirled through the terraces of bars and restaurants. Riot police also threw tear gas grenades to keep order at an authorised street protest where demonstrators, including some "Yellow Vests" railed against President Emmanuel Macron's coronavirus vaccine pass rules and the cost of living. On the Champs Elysees, police used tear gas into the evening as sporadic scuffles continued and one person who collapsed on the sidewalk was brought to hospital for checks, police said. France requires people to show proof of vaccination to enter public places such as cafes, restaurants and museums, with a negative test no longer being sufficient for unvaccinated people. "We can't take the vaccine pass any more," said Nathalie Galdeano, who had come from southwest France by bus to participate in the protests. Police said that they had arrested 54 people, handed out 337 fines by and stopped 500 vehicles trying to get into Paris in the morning. The Interior Ministry said about 32,000 people participated in protests nationwide, including 7,600 in Paris. Story continues Less than two months from a presidential election, Macron's government is eager to keep protests from spiralling into large-scale demonstrations like the anti-government Yellow Vest revolt of 2018. That movement began as a protest against fuel taxes and grew into a broader revolt that saw some of the worst street violence in decades and tested Macron's authority. Grievances expressed by protesters in the "Freedom Convoy" extend beyond COVID restrictions, with anger simmering over a perceived fall in standards of living amid surging inflation. Police had mobilised more than 7,000 officers, set up checkpoints and deployed armoured personnel carriers and water cannon trucks in preparation for the protests. Separately police also said they had arrested five protesters in southern Paris in possession of sling shots, hammers, knives and gas masks. Canadian truckers protesting a vaccine mandate for trans-border traffic have paralysed parts of the capital Ottawa since late January and blocked U.S.-Canada crossing points. Canadian police began clearing protesters blocking a key bridge linking Canada and the United States on Saturday. (Reporting by Leigh Thomas and Antony Paone; Additional reporting by Christian Lowe and Lucien Liberte; Writing by Leigh Thomas and Richard Lough; Editing by Kirsten Donovan, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry and Sandra Maler) The Florida Department of Health registered 3,414 newly confirmed cases in Polk County in its weekly update released late Friday afternoon. The report, based on the week ending Thursday, indicated a drop of 35.2% from the previous weeks cases. Reported infections of COVID-19 in Polk County declined for the fourth straight week, though deaths are still rising. The Florida Department of Health registered 3,414 newly confirmed cases in Polk County in its weekly update released late Friday afternoon. The report, based on the week ending Thursday, indicated a drop of 35.2% from the previous weeks cases. Previously: COVID infections continue to decline in Polk Ivermectin study: Lakeland Regional joins national study to see if ivermectin is effective against COVID-19 Confirmed infections have steadily decreased since mid-January after rising dramatically over the previous seven weeks as the omicron variant propelled another wave of the pandemic. Statewide, infections declined 22.3%, according to the Department of Health report. The agency recorded 103,022 news cases for the week. But reports of COVID-related deaths continue to increase. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention registered 60 COVID-related deaths for Polk County in the week ending Wednesday, 17 more than the previous week. The Florida Department of Health disclosed 1,293 more deaths statewide, a decrease of 2.3% from the previous report. The agency no longer reports deaths by county. The state has recorded 67,572 deaths since the pandemic began in spring 2020. Deaths are a delayed indicator, and the Department of Health doesnt disclose the dates on which the deaths occurred. 'Nobody's neutral': Polk County parents' thoughts on kids' COVID-19 vaccines vary widely The CDC had registered a cumulative 2,687 deaths for Polk County through Feb. 3, according to a website maintained by Jason Salemi, an associate professor of epidemiology for the USF Health College of Public Health. The positivity rate for testing in Polk County dropped for the fourth consecutive week, falling from 20.7% to 16.4%. The rate had spiked to 33.8% in early January, by far its highest level during the pandemic. The rate still remains above the 10% threshold that the Department of Health considers a mark of high community transmission. Story continues The CDC continues to label community transmission as high in all 67 Florida counties. That status reflects a prevalence of 100 or more cases per 100,000 residents. As of Friday, the CDC showed 733 cases per 100,000 residents in Polk County, a drop of 32.2% from a week earlier. Infection numbers and positivity rates are based on tests reported to health officials and dont include results of home testing. Statewide positivity declined from 18% to 14.3%, the Department of Health reported. Opinion: Voice of the people: Best way to beat any of the variants is to get vaccinated and boosted Hospitalizations related to COVID-19 also continue to wane. The CDC reported 365 new COVID-related hospitalizations for Polk County in the week ending Wednesday, a decrease of 13.3% from the previous week. Vaccination numbers for Polk County residents are also declining. The Department of Health reported 675 vaccinations in the weekly update, a drop of 18.6% from a week earlier. That figure includes initial doses and booster shots. About 66% of eligible Polk County residents (those age 5 and older) have received at least one dose of a vaccine, according to the Department of Health. Polk continues to rank below the statewide vaccination rate of 74%. The CDC offers differing figures on its COVID Tracker. The federal agency lists 69% of eligible Polk County residents as having received at least one vaccine dose and 59.1% as completing an initial series. The CDC recommends booster doses for maximum protection against the virus that causes COVID-19. Vaccination rates in Florida remain lowest in the 5-through-11 age group at 21%. The 65-and-older age group has a vaccination rate of 95%. Gary White can be reached at gary.white@theledger.com or 863-802-7518. Follow on Twitter @garywhite13. This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Polk's new COVID cases continue decline, but death reports rise Rep. Pat Fallon, a Republican from Texas, in a group photo with freshman members of the House Republican Conference on the House steps of the US Capitol on January 4, 2021. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images Fallon has railed against "tech oligarchs" after they deplatformed GOP lawmakers. But the Texan traded stock in companies like Facebook and Twitter. His office told Insider he's in the process of moving his stock portfolio into a blind trust. Freshman Republican Rep. Pat Fallon of Texas is on a Big Tech tear. Like many Republicans, he complains that companies such as Twitter and Facebook are biased against conservatives because they've removed Republicans from their platforms. On conservative stations such as Newsmax, he has referred to tech companies as "Silicon Valley oligarchs" who are guilty of "suppressing and ultimately silencing conservative speech." Rep. Pat Fallon (@RepPatFallon) February 7, 2022 But in recent weeks, Fallon has sought to profit from investments in Big Tech, according to an Insider analysis of his financial disclosures. Fallon traded up to $150,000 worth of Twitter stock in January after already trading the stock several times over the course of 2021. In 2021, he traded up to $1.6 million worth of Facebook stock. Fallon's trades come amid a roiling debate on Capitol Hill as to whether lawmakers should be allowed to trade individual stocks at all. Asked about the tech investments, the congressman's office told Insider on Friday that Fallon was in the process of moving his portfolio into a qualified blind trust, which the Senate Select Committee on Ethics describes as "the most comprehensive approach" to "eliminate conflicts of interests and the appearance of them." "As a member of Congress, he does not plan to purchase individual stocks again," said his spokesman, Austin Higginbotham. Fallon's office did not immediately respond to a question about how soon the process would be complete or whether the move was motivated by news reporting on his late disclosures. His application for the blind trust will have to be approved by the Clerk of the US House. Story continues "Limiting member's day-to-day involvement in the stock market will prevent any confusion or exploitation on otherwise benign investments," Higginbotham said. Fallon's office did not answer questions about whether he thought his tech company investments clashed with his stated policy positions, instead pointing out that Fallon uses a broker to manage his current investments. "Like most in the industry, he listens to advice, and hopes for the best," Higginbotham said. "His broker executed a blue-chip purchase strategy and did so without political considerations. With that being said, in 2021 a year which the S&P 500 grew over 25%, the congressman's portfolio grew a mere 5%." Donald Sherman, vice president and chief legal counsel at Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, said Fallon's holdings appeared hypocritical. "It certainly looks hypocritical for him to attack Facebook and Twitter while he is also invested in them," he said. "It's reasonable for his constituents to question any of these actions, to question whether his stated position on these companies is incongruous with his ownership in the company or if his ownership with the company is influencing his official actions." Fallon, who made his fortune in the apparel business, also has over the past year been months late disclosing dozens of stock trades during early- and mid-2021 that together are worth as much as $17.53 million. He was late again on his disclosures in December 2021. Failing to file timely disclosures is a violation of the 2012 Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act, which is intended to promote transparency and defend against financial conflicts. Less than a dozen members of Congress have blind trusts Ten members of Congress have established blind trusts, and they can be expensive and initially time-consuming to establish. But a bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing for a law that would require members to quit trading individual stocks and, in one scenario, place assets into a blind trust if they want to still participate in the stock market. Insider's "Conflicted Congress" investigation, published in December, found that 55 members of Congress and at least 182 senior aides had violated the STOCK Act with late disclosures. It also found members of Congress have held stock in companies that clash with their public responsibilities or stated orthodoxies, or sat on committees that directly oversee the activities of companies in which they hold shares. Insider's analysis also found at least 32 lawmakers in the House and Senate including both Democrats and Republicans whose families held investments in Facebook during 2020. Yet bashing on "Big Tech" is a bipartisan pastime in Congress. Many Democrats have argued that social media platforms are saturated with misinformation and hate and don't do enough to stop the promotion or incitement of violence. Fallon does not sit on committees that directly regulate the tech industry. But he did cosponsor the No Social Media Accounts for Terrorists or State Sponsors of Terrorism Act last year. The bill was a dig at how certain social media sites had removed Republicans including former President Donald Trump from their platforms while failing to routinely regulate terrorist or militant content. Members of Congress have tremendous power over tech giants, and their statements and decisions can affect stock share prices and lawmakers' own portfolios, Sherman said. Fallon's trades provided a "textbook example of conflicts of interest," that showed why members of Congress shouldn't be trading individual stocks, he added. "He may hold these [anti-Big Tech] views genuinely and believe he is representing the best interest of his constituents when he does so," Sherman said. "But the fact that someone has to ask whether his financial interests have a bearing on his conduct is the problem." Read the original article on Business Insider WASHINGTON - Here's a look at how area members of Congress voted over the previous week. Along with this week's roll call votes, the Senate also passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (H.R. 4445), which had passed the House in a roll call vote earlier in the week. House votes Madison Cawthorn House Vote 1: SEXUAL HARASSMENT ARBITRATION: The House has passed the Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act (H.R. 4445), sponsored by Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Maine, to bar arbitration agreements that prevent a party to the agreement from filing a sexual assault or sexual harassment lawsuit against another party to the agreement. Bustos said employment agreements that force employees to go to arbitration to settle such cases were unjust "legal traps" used against workers. An opponent, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the bill was more likely to benefit trial lawyers than workers, due to encouraging costly litigation while blocking arbitration. The vote, on Feb. 7, was 335 yeas to 97 nays. NAYS: Cawthorn R-NC (11th). House Vote 2: HOMELAND SECURITY PURCHASING PRACTICES: The House has passed the Promoting Rigorous and Innovative Cost Efficiencies for Federal Procurement and Acquisitions (PRICE) Act (S. 583), sponsored by Sen. Gary C. Peters, D-Mich. The bill would require the Homeland Security Department to annually publish online a report on agency measures to improve its procurement systems. The vote, on Feb. 7, was 426 yeas to 5 nays. YEAS: Cawthorn R-NC (11th). House Vote 3: POSTAL SERVICE CHANGES: The House has passed the Postal Service Reform Act (H.R. 3076), sponsored by Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney, D-N.Y. The bill would establish a health benefits programs for Postal Service workers and retirees while ending a requirement that retirement health benefits be prepaid, and establish new budget and service reporting requirements for the Postal Service. Maloney called the changes an effort "to fix some of the serious problems that have been looming over the post office for years and threatening its financial stability." The vote, on Feb. 8, was 342 yeas to 92 nays. YEAS: Cawthorn R-NC (11th). Story continues House Vote 4: CONTINUING APPROPRIATIONS: The House has passed the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act (H.R. 6617), sponsored by Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-Conn., to extend funding for the federal government though March 11. The vote, on Feb. 8, was 272 yeas to 162 nays. NAYS: Cawthorn R-NC (11th). House Vote 5: GENDER AND VISAS: The House has passed the Global Respect Act (H.R. 3485), sponsored by Rep. David L. Cicilline, D-R.I., to have the State Department enact visa-blocking sanctions against foreigners accused of sexual orientation, sex, or gender identity discrimination. Cicilline said: "This bill protects LGBTQI people from murder, torture, and other forms of violence." An opponent, Rep. Claudia Tenney, R-N.Y., said: "The bill's broad language has the potential to sweep in nonviolent conduct and impose visa restrictions on individuals engaged in that conduct." The vote, on Feb. 9, was 227 yeas to 206 nays. NAYS: Cawthorn R-NC (11th). Senate votes Sens. Richard Burr, left, and Thom Tillis Senate Vote 1: D.C. SUPERIOR COURT: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Donald Tunnage to serve as a judge on the Washington, D.C., Superior Court for a 15-year term. Tunnage has been a civil rights trial attorney at the Justice Department since 2009. The vote, on Feb. 7, was 54 yeas to 39 nays. NAYS: Burr R-NC. YEAS: Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 2: D.C. APPEALS COURT: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Loren AliKhan to serve as a judge on the Washington, D.C., Court of Appeals for a 15-year term. AliKhan has been the District's solicitor general since 2018, was previously its deputy solicitor general, and before that was a Justice Department lawyer. The vote, on Feb. 8, was 55 yeas to 41 nays. NAYS: Burr R-NC. YEAS: Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 3: AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Amy Gutmann to serve as U.S. ambassador to Germany. Gutmann had been president of the University of Pennsylvania since 2004. The vote, on Feb. 8, was 54 yeas to 42 nays. NAYS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 4: ASIA FINANCING: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Chantale Yokmin Wong to serve as the U.S. director on the Asian Development Bank. Wong was a senior official at the Millennium Challenge Corporation during the Obama administration, and was on the board of the Asian Development Bank during the Clinton administration. The vote, on Feb. 8, was 66 yeas to 31 nays. YEAS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 5: INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Scott Nathan to be Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation. Nathan, a longtime executive at the Baupost Group investment firm, was an official in multiple roles during the Obama administration. A supporter, Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., said Nathan would help the agency "to be competitive with China's Belt and Road Initiative, to promote renewable energy development, and to support COVID-19 recovery, and, at the same time, to recognize and grapple with the complexity of these challenges." The vote, on Feb. 9, was 72 yeas to 24 nays. YEAS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 6: EXPORT-IMPORT BANK: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Reta Jo Lewis to serve as president of the U.S. Export-Import Bank. Lewis, currently a senior official at the German Marshall Fund, was a State Department diplomat during the Obama administration, and before that a Chamber of Commerce executive and private practice lawyer. A supporter, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, called Lewis "the leader we need in the fight to help U.S. manufacturers compete globally." The vote, on Feb. 9, was 56 yeas to 40 nays. NAYS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 7: FEDERAL APPEALS JUDGE: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Leonard Stark to serve as a judge on the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals. Stark, a U.S. district court judge in Delaware since 2010, was previously an assistant U.S attorney and private practice lawyer in the state. A supporter, Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said of Stark: "His expertise in adjudicating patents combined with his experience hearing appeals will be an asset to the Federal Circuit and to our industrious, inventive nation." The vote, on Feb. 9, was 61 yeas to 35 nays. YEAS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 8: TREASURY LAWYER: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Neil MacBride to be the Treasury Department's general counsel. MacBride was a Justice Department lawyer and U.S. attorney in Virginia during the Obama administration, and earlier was chief counsel to Senator Biden on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The vote, on Feb. 9, was 61 yeas to 33 nays. YEAS: Burr R-NC, Tillis R-NC. Senate Vote 9: MARITIME COMMISSIONER: The Senate has confirmed the nomination of Max Vekich to serve on the Federal Maritime Commission for a term ending in mid-2026. Vekich, a former Washington state legislator, has since 2004 been an official at Puget Sound port groups. A supporter, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said Vekich had "spent his life working in the maritime industry and knows the challenges we face in maritime, intermodal transportation, congestion, and continuing to move forward on how we advance our ports." The vote, on Feb. 10, was 51 yeas to 43 nays. NOT VOTING: Burr R-NC. NAYS: Tillis R-NC. This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: Here's how western North Carolina members of Congress voted this week The Biden administration hopes its threat of severe economic consequences deters Russia from invading Ukraine an event Americans officials say could be imminent. In response, the U.S. said it may ban the export of microchips and other technologies to critical sectors like artificial intelligence and aerospace and freeze the personal assets of Russian President Vladimir Putin, among other sanctions. Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing its own mother of all sanctions such as against Russian banks and government debt that could take effect even if Putin ultimately stands down from a military confrontation. The U.S. and its allies have been stressing as seen in President Joe Bidens Feb. 7, 2022, meeting with the German chancellor that they are united on the consequences for Russia should it invade. But Russia has something that may undercut that solidarity: a network of European countries, Germany in particular, dependent on it for energy exports, especially natural gas. That may make them reluctant to go along with severe U.S. sanctions. This dependence didnt happen overnight. And as Ive learned while working on a book on U.S. economic warfare against the USSR during the Cold War, this issue has tended to divide America and its allies in part because of how Russia has exploited the ambiguity of its intentions. A Cold War concern The U.S. has long speculated about Russian willingness to use trade to tie the hands of other countries - a concern dating back to the early days of the Cold War. For example, in the late 1950s and 1960s, as the USSR and the U.S. were competing for postwar hegemony, each side tried to influence countries not formally aligned with either superpower. Some American analysts warned of a Soviet economic offensive. This included Soviet efforts to use favorable trade deals and other economic assistance to Warsaw Pact countries and neutral targets like Finland, the United Arab Republic and India in a manner that created sustained dependence on Moscow, possibly enabling future Kremlin coercion. Story continues Other analysts disagreed and thought Soviet trade was largely motivated by economics. So did American allies especially Britain which resisted American calls to restrict strategic trade with the Soviet Bloc and other efforts to curb their Soviet trade prospects. These different perspectives demonstrate the ambiguity of Soviet intentions. Given the Cold War rivalry and the USSRs status as a centralized, state-run economy, Moscows motives were not clear. JFK fights an oil pipeline As the Soviet Union began developing oil and gas pipelines to Europe, European energy dependence on Russia became a particular concern in Washington. In the 1960s, Western Europe only imported 6% of its oil from the Soviet bloc. But a new planned oil pipeline running all the way from the Russian far east, through several European countries including Ukraine and Poland, and terminating in Germany suggested the Soviets hoped to change that. The prospect of greater dependence, as well as other strategic concerns, raised alarm bells in Washington. In 1963, the Kennedy administration attempted to stall construction of the Druzhba, or Friendship, Oil Pipeline by pushing an embargo on wide-diameter pipe to Soviet-aligned countries. Knowing it could not stop the project alone, it pressured allies especially West Germany, a major pipe exporter to join. While Britain refused, West Germany reluctantly agreed, permitting a partial NATO embargo. Nonetheless, the pipeline was completed a year later with only minor delays. Listen to The Conversation Weekly podcast on the geopolitics of natural gas in Europe. Reagans gas gambit sparks crisis About two decades later, the Reagan administration faced a similar dilemma. In 1981, the Soviet Union was building a natural gas pipeline from Siberia to Western Europe. Seeing it as another threat, the Reagan administration tried to persuade European allies such as France and Germany to join its embargo of not only pipeline equipment for the project but financing too. They refused, and the U.S. responded with sanctions intended to prevent European companies from providing money or equipment to the project. The gambit sparked an intra-Western crisis, sowing division between the U.S. and Europe, and resulting in a sanctions retreat just a few months later. The pipeline was completed in 1984. Wielding energy dependence as a weapon The consequences of energy dependence on Russia began to manifest itself after the Soviet collapse in 1991 and the rise of Vladimir Putin a decade later. Unlike his Soviet predecessors, who refrained from shutting off energy exports, Putin has shown a willingness to conflate economic and geopolitical objectives in Russian energy policy, applying timely pressure on neighbors that he justifies in market terms. In the mid-2000s, for example, Ukraine was still receiving the same heavily subsidized gas shipments from Russia as it did when it was part of the Soviet Union a few years earlier. The Orange Revolution near the end of 2004 led to the ouster of a pro-Kremlin leader, replacing him with one who sought closer ties with the West. A year later, Gazprom demanded Ukraine pay full market rates for its gas. When Ukraine refused, Russia restricted the flow of gas through the pipelines leaving only enough to fulfill its contracts to countries in Western Europe. To many observers, the move seemed aimed at destabilizing the pro-Western government in Kyiv. It was also later used as the basis for claims that Ukraine was an unreliable gas transit country, which helped build support for a new pipeline named Nord Stream that directly channeled gas from Russia to Germany. That pipeline opened up in 2011 and resulted in the annual loss to Ukraine of US$720 million in transit fees. Nord Stream also significantly increased German energy dependence on Russia, which by 2020 was supplying an estimated 50% to 75% of its natural gas, up from 35% in 2015. Natural gas is used not only to power industry but also for heating and to generate electricity in Germany. That pipeline is now responsible for a third of all Russian gas exports to Europe. As a result, Russian gas exports to Europe reached a record level in 2021 despite U.S. efforts to ramp up exports of liquefied natural gas to Europe. Europe got a glimpse of the potential consequences of this dependence in December 2021, when Russia reduced its gas exports to Europe as the crisis involving Ukraine was heating up. Although Russia was still technically meeting its contracts, it stopped selling additional gas as it had in the past. The next month, the International Energy Agency accused Russia of destabilizing European energy security. Will Putin do it again? Russia has reportedly amassed about 130,000 troops on its border with Ukraine - surrounding the country on three sides. While Putins intentions remain unclear, the U.S. is leading efforts to deter a potential invasion by showing that its Western allies are on board with devastating sanctions - including Bidens promise to thwart a new $11 billion pipeline running from Russia to Germany known as Nord Stream 2. But Europes and specifically Germanys already-significant dependence on Russia for energy make them vulnerable given Russias history of threatening to cut off gas supplies to its neighbors and sometimes following through. This could potentially undermine the Wests ability to execute a coordinated sanctions campaign. [Over 150,000 readers rely on The Conversations newsletters to understand the world. Sign up today.] For example, an energy crisis in winter could be a disaster for Germany, and fear of it may weaken German willingness to act against Russia. A recent example of potential German softness toward Russia can be seen in German Chancellor Olaf Scholzs failure to endorse stopping the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as a potential sanction for an invasion. Russias use of trade and energy to create dependencies has given it a strong hand one that the U.S. and its European allies have limited options to counter. This article is republished from The Conversation, a nonprofit news site dedicated to sharing ideas from academic experts. It was written by: Ryan Haddad, University of Maryland. Read more: Jury deliberations began on Friday for former Alaska governor Sarah Palins libel suit against the New York Times. The jury discussed the case for two hours before taking a break for the weekend and will return on Monday for further deliberations. Jurors heard testimony for six days in the case, and it is unclear how long deliberations will last. Palin first filed suit in 2017 after the Times published an editorial linking her PAC to the 2011 shooting of former Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. The editorial initially stated the link to political incitement was clear from a graphic circulated by the PAC showing 20 Democratic congressional districts, including Giffordss, under stylized crosshairs. That language was added to the draft editorial by former editorial-page editor James Bennett. The Times corrected the editorial shortly after publication, and Bennett has said he made an error in adding language linking Palin to the Giffords shooting. The 2017 editorial itself was published after a leftist extremist shot Representative Steve Scalise (R., La.). Noting that the shooter was an avowed supporter of Senator Bernie Sanders (I., Vt.), the editorial lamented how vicious American politics has become. Palins attorney Ken Turkel said in closing arguments on Friday that the Times editorial was typical of the papers disdain for conservatives. Theres common thread through all the pieces as to how they treat people on the right they dont agree with, Turkel said, in remarks reported by Politico. Look at the common thread: how in every single one of them they demonize the right wing or just treated them differently. Times attorney David Axelrod claimed that the 2017 editorial was not written with any political animus. The First Amendment provides legal protection to journalists and newspapers, like Mr. Bennett, like the New York Times, who make an honest mistake when they write about a person like Sarah Palin, Axelrod told the court. Thats all this was, is an honest mistake. Story continues Palin must show that the Times or Bennett knowingly published false information or acted with reckless disregard for the truth in order to win the libel suit. More from National Review A Chinese student was reportedly attacked by two Korean men in Busan, South Korea, on Wednesday night. An unverified video clip posted by China's state-run Beijing Youth Daily on WeChat shows a man being kicked by another man in a parking lot, reported Reuters. The footage has since gone viral and been shared on other platforms. Local authorities found in their preliminary investigation that the incident was not related to the tension over allegations of judging bias in favor of China over South Korea at the Olympics. Sports fans in Korea have expressed anger and disappointment online over the disqualification of South Korean skaters Hwang Dae-heon and Lee June-seo at the Beijing Winter Games, as NextShark previously reported. Many social media users have accused the referees of penalizing the South Korean athletes in favor of Chinese skaters, who went on to reach the final and eventually won gold and silver medals. Yonhap News via Reuters reports that an officer privy to the assault investigation said the unnamed students nationality had nothing to do with the case. The Chinese consulate in Busan has coordinated with local officers to provide assistance to the victim. "We will spare no efforts to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests and personal safety of Chinese citizens overseas," China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian told reporters. The building anti-China sentiment in South Korea prompted the Chinese ambassador to the country, Xing Haiming, to release a statement on Tuesday in which he expressed his concerns about the accusations. Seoul's foreign ministry responded by asking the Chinese embassy to exert prudence when releasing such statements. Ambassador Xing later congratulated Hwang for winning an Olympic gold medal for South Korea just days after. Featured Image (left) and Official Weibo account of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (right) Enjoy this content? Read more from NextShark! Story continues NPR called out for reporting 'letdown,' 'disappointment' over Michelle Wu's Boston mayoral win Havana Syndrome, the mysterious disease that delayed Kamala Harris' trip in Asia Bipartisan U.S. lawmaker group ignore Chinas blunt message against visiting Taiwan amid rising tensions Journalist Andy Ngo Says He Was Nearly Killed by 'Antifa' While Undercover at Oregon Protest State police officer in stable condition after being shot near Sedillo Hill. Police have launched a new appeal to find the urn. (Getty) A heartbroken mum has made a fresh appeal to find her babys stolen ashes. Burglars raided Catherine Farrell Breens home on Clopton Road, Birmingham, on 4 February and stole an urn that contained her daughter Phoenixs remains. Appealing directly to the thieves, Catherine, 31, asked for the silver and gold urn to be left somewhere to be retrieved. She said Phoenix is ours and her urn is the grieving process and the urn is not of value except for what it means to me." Her daughter was stillborn almost ten years ago. Mum Catherine Farrell Breen asked for the urn to be left somewhere to be retrieved. (West Midlands Police) Catherine lives at the house with her two children, aged seven and eight. The thieves also stole their Christmas present, a Nintendo Switch. Locals came together to buy them a new games console, but they remain devastated by the loss of the urn. The family light a candle for Phoenix every night and still celebrate her birthday each year with a cake and a balloon release. Police said there is a possibility the burglars may have discarded the urn somewhere. Read more: Reckless motorists caught driving dangerously to get around bin trucks Drug dealer caught after picture of him holding cocaine shows fingerprints Couple charged nearly 500 to grow vegetables in their own garden DC Rebecca Woodcock who is leading the investigation added: We understand that the urn was in a box and that the thieves probably just saw the silver and gold painted details, and took it without looking carefully to see what it was, as they didn't want to spend too much time in the property. Catherine has been very upset and feels responsible for the loss of her daughters ashes and my main concern is to get her baby Phoenix returned to her, where she belongs. Id appeal directly to the better nature of the people who took the urn to do the right thing. Take the urn to a safe location, or give it to someone who is able to safely return Phoenix ashes to Catherine and her family. They could even give an anonymous tip to Crimestoppers if thats what it takes. Anyone with information is urged to contact West Midlands Police, quoting crime reference 20/193726/22, or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Sudan's military leader General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan on Saturday dismissed Western threats of sanctions and said meetings between Sudanese and Israeli officials were part of security cooperation rather than political in nature. Burhan led a military coup on Oct. 25 that ended a partnership between the army and civilian parties which was meant to lead to democratic elections, leading to months of protests as well as Western condemnation. U.S. officials have said they are looking into options to respond to the killing of at least 79 protesters, according to a toll by medics, and to moves to impede civilian-led government. In his first interview on state television since the coup, Burhan said Washington was receiving inaccurate information. "Sanctions and the threat of them are not useful," he said. Burhan said he took personal responsibility for investigations of protester deaths and that five or six were ongoing. But he added that there were suspicions of involvement by "outside groups", without elaborating. The armed forces were committed to handing over power to an elected government or to an arrangement decided through "national consensus," he said, repeating a commitment to holding elections in mid-2023. The military had met resistance committees that are leading the protest movement, and they agreed on many points, he said. In statements, resistance committees have rejected dialogue with the military. Prior to the coup, the military had led steps to reach an agreement in late 2020 to normalise relations with Israel, a move also made by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. Burhan said meetings between Israeli and Sudanese officials since the coup had not been high-level and only involved the security and intelligence apparatus. "This is a legitimate matter for these agencies, and it is no secret that the information shared enabled us to catch several terrorist organisations located inside Sudan," he said. Story continues Protesters have accused the military of bringing back loyalists of ousted President Omar al-Bashir. This week, two prominent politicians involved in a committee to dismantle Bashir's network were arrested. In response, Burhan said officials appointed since the takeover were already part of civil service, and that the committee had diverged from its goals though he was not involved in the arrests. (Reporting by Khalid Abdelaziz and Nafisa Eltahir, Editing by Aidan Lewis and Angus MacSwan) Police on Friday announced an arrest has been made in a shooting that killed two men and injured two others in an apartment complex an apartment complex in southwest Fresno. Officers arrested 22-year-old Juan Carlos Canada on Thursday on suspicion of killing 43-year-old Roman Cervantes and 27-year-old Jose Herrera Mojica, Fresno police said in a press release. The shooting happened Feb. 6 when officers received ShotSpotter alerts at an apartment complex in the area of South Clara Avenue and East Lorena Avenue. Officers arrived and found Cervantes and Mojica dead at the scene. Another man and a juvenile were injured in the shooting and were taken to Community Regional Medical Center where they were listed in stable condition. According to police, the victims were at a gathering at the apartment complex when they had a chance encounter with another group. The two groups exchanged words before gunshots rang out in gang-related violence. Police said Canada is a member of Lao Bloods criminal street gang. He was booked into the Fresno County Jail on two counts of murder and two counts of assault with a deadly weapon. By Nichola Saminather TORONTO (Reuters) -Toronto-Dominion Bank has frozen two personal bank accounts into which C$1.4 million ($1.1 million) had been deposited to support protesters fighting the Canadian government's pandemic measures, a bank spokesperson said on Saturday. The demonstrations, dubbed the "Freedom Convoy" by Canadian truckers opposing a vaccination mandate https://www.reuters.com/article/health-coronavirus-canada-trucking-idCNL1N2UK2CD for cross-border drivers as well as other pandemic restrictions, are now in their third week. They have gridlocked the capital Ottawa and blocked U.S.-Canada border crossings, damaging trade between the two countries. Early on Saturday, Canadian police began clearing protesters https://www.reuters.com/article/healthcoronavirus-canada-trucking/update-1-canada-police-start-to-clear-protesters-blocking-u-s-canada-bridge-idINL1N2UN09T blocking a key bridge linking Canada and the United States. TD applied to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Friday to take the funds, which were sent through GoFundMe and bank transfers, so they can either be sent to the intended recipients or returned to the donors "who have requested refunds but whose entitlement to a refund cannot be determined by TD," the bank said in a statement. TD has been put "on notice that their actions are improper and disappointing," Keith Wilson, a lawyer for the convoy, said in an email on Saturday, adding the convoy will seek a court order next week to release the donations to a new not-for-profit corporation that has been set up to manage and distribute them. One of the bank accounts received a lump sum of C$1 million through GoFundMe, while the rest was sent to the second account through multiple bank e-transfers, the TD spokesperson said. TD does not know where the GoFundMe payment originated, they said. GoFundMe took down the protest convoy's donation page on Feb. 4 after it reached $10 million, prompting most of the protesters to turn to Boston-based GiveSendGo. GoFundMe has said https://twitter.com/gofundme it will refund the donations. Story continues The Ontario Superior Court on Thursday ordered GiveSendGo to freeze all funds sent in aid of the protest. The crowdfunding platform defied that order in a tweet https://twitter.com/GiveSendGo/status/1491940399505682434 on Thursday. The protest has raised C$11 million on GiveSendGo, Wilson said. "We are also going to be taking the Ontario government to court to seek an immediate lifting of what we consider to be an unlawful order," he said. Canada's other major banks did not immediately respond to emails asking if they were taking steps similar to TD. The countrys anti-money-laundering agency told a parliamentary committee on Thursday that it has not seen a spike in suspicious transaction reporting from the banks in recent weeks. ($1 = 1.2736 Canadian dollars) (Reporting By Nichola Saminather; Editing by Denny Thomas, Daniel Wallis and Chizu Nomiyama) SAULT STE. MARIE, Michigan The morning began at subzero temperatures, but that didnt stop snowmobile enthusiasts from bringing couches and folding chairs, and carving seats into the snow along the hill surrounding the race track. They were all there to witness the worlds longest, toughest, fastest, and most exciting snowmobile endurance race: the 53rd annual International 500 Snowmobile Race. Professional athletes from all over the US and Canada meet in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, to compete in the I-500. The competitors race their snowmobiles for 500 laps around the only mile-long oval ice track in North America. Snowmobile teams have between two and five drivers that switch out throughout the race, competing for prestige, glory, and a grand prize of $17,000. The I-500 race began in 1969 when inspired by the Indianapolis 500 several Sault Ste. Marie entrepreneurs dared to ask the question, Could a snowmobile run 500 miles? In its first year, 47 teams competed. This year, 35 teams started the race and only 17 were able to push through until the end. Races typically last around eight hours and racers reach speeds upwards of 123 mph. Its no Winter Olympics, but the I-500 has its fair share of enthusiastic spectators. This year, over 5,000 winter enthusiasts parked their RVs, trailers, and school-buses-turned-party-buses on top of the bluffs surrounding the track. While in town for the big event, people are also invited to join the winter pub crawl in downtown Sault Ste. Marie or attend the Miss I-500, Junior Miss I-500, and Princess I-500 beauty pageants. There are also smaller races for everyone from children to professionals leading up to the main day. For Michiganders, its more than embracing the sport itself. The I-500 is best described as the Kentucky Derby, but with furrier hats. For Bill Mourufas, a local to Sault Ste. Marie, its the citys culture. A lot of people there dont watch every lap, Mourufas said. He had spent his day so far tailgating with his wife and friends in the parking lot, with 12 Bud Lights strapped to his chest. But you also have people who go down by the fence to watch every single lap. So it brings everyone together, especially [since] COVID. Its been nice for people to have a chance to get out and have an event thats still fairly safe because its outdoors. Nic Antaya is a photographer based in Michigan. More of his work is here. The statue of U.S. President Abraham Lincoln on Feb. 15, 2021, in the Lincoln Memorial, in Washington, D.C. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, was born on Feb. 12, 1809. Over the years, he has become known as one of the greatest American presidents of all time. At the time of his death, in 1865, many saw him as a martyr, and it wasn't too long afterward that his birthday began being observed informally. In the mid-1870s, Julius Francis of Buffalo, New York, began honoring Lincoln on his birthday and petitioned Congress to make the day a legal holiday. But, as of 2019, Lincoln's Birthday is not, nor has it ever been, its own federal holiday but is included in Presidents Day. On the state level, a handful of states celebrate Lincoln's birthday on its actual date. In recent years, it has been celebrated as a state holiday in Ohio, Missouri, New York, Illinois, and Connecticut. Source: Checkiday.com. This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Today is: Lincoln's Birthday Drew Angerer/Getty One year ago, the U.S. Senate voted to acquit Donald Trump, who just a couple of weeks earlier had been the President of the United States. Three years from now, he could be that again, thanks to the Republicans who knew better but nonetheless let him off the hook. The vote was 57-43 in favor of convicting Trump for inciting the Capitol riot. This was the citizen militia portion of Trumps months-long attempted coup, which had begun in earnest when he convinced tens of millions of Americans of the bald-faced lie that a massive, multi-state conspiracy of voter fraud had denied him re-election. Seven Republicans crossed party lines to vote with every Democrat and independent to hold Trump accountable for his high crimes, and to bar him from ever holding office againbut the effort failed by 10 votes, short of the two-thirds majority needed to convict. Following the verdict, quite a few senators delivered impassioned remarks on the trial, the failed coup, and the damage Trumps Big Lie continued to inflict on basic democratic norms. McConnell Unleashes on Shameful TrumpMoments After Voting Not Guilty I watched most of them (for work, of course), but only one stood out for me at the time and continues to do so today. It was an impassioned, righteously furious, and enthralling speech. January 6th was a disgrace. American citizens attacked their own government. They used terrorism to try to stop a specific piece of democratic business they did not like. Fellow Americans beat and bloodied our own police. They stormed the Senate floor. They tried to hunt down the Speaker of the House. They built a gallows and chanted about murdering the vice president, the senator began. They did this because they had been fed wild falsehoods by the most powerful man on Earthbecause he was angry hed lost an election. Former President Trumps actions preceding the riot were a disgraceful dereliction of duty, the senator continued, laying out just how insane the basic facts about the impeachment really were. Story continues Then the senator made a succinct, no-bullshit case for conviction: There is no question that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of that day. The people who stormed this building believed they were acting on the wishes and instructions of their president. And their having that belief was a foreseeable consequence of the growing crescendo of false statements, conspiracy theories, and reckless hyperbole which the defeated president kept shouting into the largest megaphone on planet Earth. The senator who delivered this Beltway-meets-Braveheart monologue for the ages was a Republican. And not just any Republicanit was Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the boss of the congressional GOP. This was the speech McConnell gave explaining why he voted to acquit Trump, thus leaving the person practically and morally responsible for Jan. 6 unpunished, and free to serve as president again. The TL;DR version is an interpretation (disputed by about as many who support it) which holds that the Senate has no authority to convict a private citizen. If Trump were still president, the argument goes, Mitch would have voted to convict. Knowing McConnells shameless ability to go back on his word and serve the interests of the Republican Party above all else, its hard to believe he would have done so unless there was zero chance that hed be the deciding vote (and probably not even then). Trumps acquittal provided McConnell the cover to have his words lambasting Trump and his crimes entered into the congressional record, for posterity. For history. But in the here and nowone year laterTrump is still the de facto favorite (and there isnt a close second) for the 2024 GOP nomination. Worse, the Republican Party on Feb. 4 of this year censured GOP Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for their heretical insistence that Jan. 6 was a high crime that deserves a proper investigation, embodied by their participation in the U.S. House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol. The two members of Congress were contributing to the persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse, said the Republican Party. And though the GOP quickly clarified that it was not referring to the actual Capitol rioters, but the other very fine people who believe lies the president told them (and which the rest of the GOP leadership was too cowardly to forcefully repudiate.) The weasel-wording aside, lets be clear about what the Republicans have done here: they legitimized belief in the Big Lie that the 2020 election was stolen, and they tacitly provided cover for those angry enough about the Big Lie to storm the Capitol. I dont care if you think Cheney and Kinzinger are self-interested hacks or how much you hate their politics. In this case, theyre doing the right thing. Mitch McConnell Says Hell Support Trump in 2024 After Blaming Him for Capitol Riot Any Republican who would describe the baseless denial of election results and shattering the norm of peaceful transfer of power as legitimate discourse can no longer credibly claim to value American democracy more than the consolidation of political resources, and, perhaps, owning the libs. Trumps political career could have been permanently ended a year ago if McConnell and nine other Republicans had voted with their consciences to convict. They could have rebirthed their party, if only they had shown a modicum of principle, and remained steadfast against the ire of MAGA dead-enders. Instead, the GOP is now the party of permanent Trump. Theyve codified the Big Lie, an attempted coup, and the Jan. 6 riot as part of the legitimate political discourse. And it looks like McConnell has at least some regrets. He recently took a rare swing at his own partyrebuking the RNC for its censure of Cheney and Kinzinger, and calling the Capitol riot an insurrection committed by a mob that used fear and violence to intimidate Congress after being fed lies by the president and other powerful people. But he still doesnt support the Jan. 6 Commission, making his latest stab at bravery only half-courageous. McConnells post-impeachment speech was a sermon fit for a prosecuting attorneys closing remarks to the jury. But his words are meaningless, because he kept Trumps political fortunes alive, and left the former presidents crimes against America unpunished. 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. ASHGABAT (Reuters) -Turkmenistan will hold an early presidential election on March 12, a Central Election Commission official told Reuters on Saturday, after President Kurbanguly Berdymukhamedov hinted he planned to resign. Berdymukhamedov, 64, has run the gas-rich Central Asian nation since 2006 with sweeping powers and no effective opposition. His 40-year-old son Serdar, a deputy prime minister, is seen as a likely successor. Berdymukhamedov, whose current term was set to end in 2024, is also the prime minister of the former Soviet republic and the speaker of the upper house of parliament. In a speech to the upper house late on Friday, Berdymukhamedov said he had made "a tough decision" and decided that it was time to give way to "young leaders" in the running of the state. A series of promotions given to his son Serdar - who has served as a diplomat, member of parliament, minister and a provincial governor - has prompted speculation that the president was grooming him as a successor. Known as a fan of local Alabai dogs and Akhal-Teke horses to which he has dedicated state holidays and erected monuments, Berdymukhamedov is commonly referred to as Arkadag (Protector) by the media in the former Soviet republic which borders Afghanistan and exports gas to China and Russia. (Reporting by Marat GurtWriting by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Kirsten Donovan) A Ukrainian soldier participates in military drills near Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Thursday. (Andrew Marienko / Associated Press) President Biden warned Russian leader Vladimir Putin on Saturday that the U.S. would "respond decisively and impose swift and severe costs" if Moscow attacked Ukraine, the White House said, as the U.S. government ordered the evacuation of most of its personnel from its embassy in Kyiv amid dire signs an invasion was imminent. The hourlong call was among several held by U.S. officials with their Russian counterparts on Saturday as they sought to forestall an attack by Russia on its neighbor and former Soviet republic. The discussions came as the U.S. government has offered increasingly urgent assessments of the situation in recent days, with a senior administration official telling reporters on Saturday that it appeared the two countries were headed "toward some kind of active conflict." In warning all Americans to evacuate Ukraine, the official said: "It isn't just time to leave Ukraine. It is past time for private citizens to leave." The White House said Biden concluded his call with Putin at 9:06 a.m. Pacific time. Russian officials had originally proposed that the pair speak on Monday, but the White House convinced Moscow to move up the talks. Biden "reiterated that a further Russian invasion of Ukraine would produce widespread human suffering and diminish Russias standing," the White House said. The president and Western leaders have promised to impose severe economic sanctions on Russia if it were to attack. Putin has ordered the massing of more than 100,000 troops on Ukraine's border. U.S. national security advisor Jake Sullivan told reporters Friday that "Russia has all the forces it needs to conduct a major military action." "Russia could choose, in very short order, to commence a major military action against Ukraine," he added. A senior administration official on Saturday described the Biden-Putin call as "professional and substantive," but said "there was no fundamental change in the dynamic that has been unfolding now for several weeks." Story continues "We believe that we have put ideas on the table that would be in our and our allies' interests to pursue, that would enhance European security ... and would also address some of Russia's concerns," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the talks. "It remains unclear whether Russia is interested in pursuing its goal diplomatically as opposed to through the use of force," the official added, emphasizing that Biden intends to keep a diplomatic offramp open to Putin. It was the first time the two leaders had spoken since late December. They spoke twice that month, first by videoconference and then by phone. Officials from both sides met last month in Geneva. In recent days, Putin has met with other European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and Germanys new chancellor, Olaf Scholz, as a host of NATO allies have tried to dissuade Putin from starting a war. The Kremlins reaction reflected the gulf between the two countries. Yuri Ushakov, a Kremlin foreign aide, said in a news briefing that the conversation with Putin came amid an atmosphere of unprecedented hysteria. In the call, the Kremlin said, Putin voiced concerns about what he called Ukraines destructive policies aimed at sabotaging the Minsk agreement, a 2015 deal to grant amnesty and autonomy to Russian-backed separatists in the east of Ukraine. Nevertheless, the conversation was businesslike, Ushakov said, and the two leaders agreed to have discussions in the future. Joe Biden mentioned possible anti-Russian sanctions, which was expected given the tense situation around Ukraine, Ushakov said. "At the same time, this issue was not at the center of the fairly long conversation with the Russian leader. Biden's call with Putin followed one by Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on Saturday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov "to discuss acute and shared concerns that Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days," the State Department said. "The secretary made clear that a diplomatic path to resolving the crisis remained open." Blinken, traveling throughout the Pacific for meetings with allies, told reporters that the U.S. was "continuing to see very troubling signs of Russian aggression." He added that an invasion could take place at any time. U.S. officials had previously indicated that Putin might wait until the Winter Olympics concluded on Feb. 20 before beginning a military assault in order to avoid angering China, which is hosting the Games. Underscoring the danger posed by a Russian attack, the State Department issued a travel advisory that said most American staff at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv had been told to leave the country. It also directed U.S. citizens to depart as soon as possible. The State Department has ordered the "departure of most U.S. direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action," the advisory said. "U.S. citizens should not travel to Ukraine, and those in Ukraine should depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options." The last U.S. troops in Ukraine were also pulled out of the country. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III, who spoke by phone Saturday with his Russian counterpart, ordered the withdrawal of 160 members of the Florida National Guard who had been advising the country's troops since November, the Pentagon said in a statement. The National Guard troops were removed in "an abundance of caution," the Pentagon said, and will be redeployed elsewhere in Europe. Ukraine's military has reported that Russian-backed separatists have begun military drills involving artillery, tank and armored vehicles in the eastern part of the country that they control. The mobilization was the final piece in an almost total Russian-led chokehold of the country. Aside from the separatists and units stationed in Transnistria, just over the border from the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa, Russian troops are massed on Ukraines eastern and northeastern frontiers, and on its 674-mile northern border with Belarus. Russia has also assembled six warships and a submarine in the Black Sea as part of naval drills there and in the Sea of Azov. Putin had hoped that his steady buildup of forces on Ukraines borders would compel the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to give him a guarantee that Ukraine, a former Soviet republic, would never be granted NATO membership. Putin has long expressed disdain for Ukraines independence from Russia and the prospect of its aligning itself more closely with the rest of Europe. His annexation of Crimea from Ukraine in 2014 drew global condemnation and economic sanctions from the West, but the punishment has not seemed to deter him from contemplating another invasion. The U.S. and other NATO members are privately reluctant to admit Ukraine, which would make the organization responsible for guaranteeing its military defense. But thus far NATO leaders have held firm in their refusal to give Putin such a guarantee, even though it could avert an armed conflict, stating that the decision will be up to Ukraine and NATO members, not dictated by Moscow. Throughout their talks with their Russian counterparts, Biden administration officials said that Putins avowed security concerns about his countrys much smaller neighbor and his demands from NATO are merely a pretext for an eventual invasion. Stokols and Wilber reported from Washington, Bulos from Odessa and Wilkinson from Fiji. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. By Humeyra Pamuk NADI, Fiji (Reuters) -The United States will open an embassy in the Solomon Islands, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Saturday as he committed more diplomatic and security resources into the Pacific as a counter to China's drive for greater influence. Blinken, in Fiji for virtual summit of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) of regional leaders, heard their concerns about the need for genuine action on climate change and complaints that they had long been overlooked by bigger nations. "Fiji and all the Pacific Island nations are a vital part of the Indo-Pacific region," Blinken told a news conference with Fiji's Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyu. Sayed-Khaiyu noted that Fiji and the other Pacific nations were the guardians of the largest ocean continent in the world, which was crucial to the wellbeing of everyone in the world. "Despite that, Fiji and our small-state neighbours have felt at times, to borrow an American term, like a flyover country, " he said. "Small dots spotted from planes of leaders en route to meetings where they spoke about us rather than with us, if they spoke about us at all," he said, adding he hoped the visit marked the start of a more direct relationship between the United States and the Pacific. Blinken flew to Fiji after a meeting in Melbourne of the United States, Japan, India and Australia, at which the so-called Quad pledged to deepen cooperation to ensure an Indo-Pacific region free from "coercion," a thinly veiled swipe at China's economic and military expansion. "This is not at all a case of us being here, coming here, being focussed here for security reasons. It's much more fundamental than that," Blinken said. "When we're looking at this region that we share, we see it as the region for the future." CHINA'S MILITARY PUSH In a briefing on the flight to Fiji, a senior U.S. administration official told travelling reporters that "there are very clear indications that (China) want to create military relationships in the Pacific". Story continues "The most pressing case right now is what's going on in the Solomon Islands. With Chinese security personnel bucking up an increasingly besieged president in a way that has caused a lot of anxieties across the region," the official said. The Solomon Islands switched its diplomatic allegiance to China from Taiwan in 2019. Violent protests erupted in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara in November after Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare refused to speak with protesters who had travelled from Malaita province, which had opposed the diplomatic switch to Beijing. Around 200 police and soldiers from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Papua New Guinea arrived in Honiara within days of the riots, at Sogavare's request. Sogavare accused the provincial government in Malaita, the most populous province in the country, of being "Taiwan's agent", and in December survived a no-confidence motion in parliament. China later sent police advisers to help train Solomons police, and equipment including shields, helmets and batons INDO-PAC STRATEGY Blinken's visit to Fiji, the first by a U.S. secretary of state in four decades, came after the Biden administration issued a strategy overview for the Indo-Pacific in which it vowed to commit more diplomatic and security resources to the region to push back against China. Under an action plan for the next 12 to 24 months, the document said Washington would "meaningfully expand" its diplomatic presence in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and prioritise key negotiations with Pacific island states that cover access for the U.S. military and which have appeared to stall in the past year. Richard Clark, a spokesman for the president of one of the island nations, the Federated States of Micronesia, told Reuters a "tremendous amount of progress" was still needed in talks with Washington. (Reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Fiji, David Brunnstrom in Washington, John Mair and Kirsty Needham in Sydney; and Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Edwina Gibbs, Lincoln Feast and William Mallard) LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be distracted from focusing on tensions between Ukraine and Russia by receipt of a police questionnaire about lockdown parties at his Downing Street office, a government minister said on Saturday. The Metropolitan Police are contacting more than 50 people believed to have attended the parties to explain their involvement. On Friday, Johnson's spokesperson confirmed he had received a questionnaire and would respond as required. "I've every confidence that the prime minister will fill out this questionnaire and return it to the Metropolitan Police service as he must," junior defence minister James Heappey told BBC television. "But I don't think for a second it will distract him from leading the international response at a time of acute geopolitical crisis," Heappey said. "He will be reading some really very eye-opening intelligence briefs all day, every day. He and the government are in now a very regular routine of National Security Council meetings and COBRA meetings," he said, referring to an emergency response meeting. Police are investigating 12 gatherings held at Downing Street after an internal inquiry found Johnson's staff had enjoyed alcohol-fuelled parties, with the British leader attending a few of the events himself. At the time many people could not attend funerals or say farewell to loved ones dying in hospital due to strict COVID-19 lockdown rules, and the revelations have sparked widespread anger. Some lawmakers in the prime minister's own party have joined the opposition in calling for him to quit. Johnson has apologised and promised to change the culture at the top of government after the inquiry found a "serious lack of leadership". After five aides quit, he appointed new staff to senior roles. Johnson has seven days to respond to the questionnaire. Police can issue a fixed-penalty notice fine, usually 100 pounds ($136), if they think COVID-19 regulations have been breached without a reasonable excuse. Story continues Britain's parliament is currently in recess and many lawmakers will spend the next week or so in their constituencies. ($1 = 0.7375 pounds) (Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Helen Popper) Thousands of Ukrainians gathered in the nation's capital of Kyiv to demonstrate in the face of possible invasion by Russia, Reuters reported. The demonstrators walked through the center of the city with Ukrainian flags and signs saying "Ukrainians will resist" and "Invaders must die" as they chanted "Glory to Ukraine." As demonstrations broke out, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Ukrainians not to panic, stating that it was not yet certain that Russia would invade. "The best friend of our enemies is panic in our country. And all this information is just provoking panic and can't help us," said Zelenskiy, according to Reuters. "I can't agree or disagree with what hasn't happened yet. So far, there is no full-scale war in Ukraine." Zelenskiy, who recently attended Ukrainian police drills, said that it is true that a Russian attack could happen at any time. "We have to be ready each day," Zelenskiy said, according to the wire service. "It did not begin yesterday. It began in 2014, so we are ready and this is why we are here." In 2014, Russia annexed Crimea. Russia has accumulated more than 100,000 troops at its border with Ukraine, prompting concern from the international community, including the U.S., that it will invade the former Soviet state. The U.S. and its allies have attempted to deescalate the situation through diplomacy and avoid conflict. But on Friday, U.S. officials, including White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan, said that Russia could invade Ukraine "any day" and that Americans in the area must leave. A number of Western governments have joined the U.S. in calling for citizens to exit Ukraine in case of an invasion. The U.S. ordered most of its embassy staff to exit Kyiv on Saturday. UNITED NATIONS (AP) The highest-ranking U.N. official to visit Ethiopia since war began in the Tigray region in 2020 said Friday she thinks Tigrayan fighters are hopeful of ending the conflict and she senses that top government officials are not just more hopeful but making a greater effort to find peace. But Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed said the most important thing now is how to put pressure on the momentum for peace and not have it unravel, which it could its very fragile. During her talks with both sides, she said, her message was that with the conflict and the tragedies horrendous at that that no one wins and that peace really is indispensable. Months of political tensions between Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmeds government and the Tigray leaders who once dominated Ethiopias government exploded into war in November 2020. Following some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict, Ethiopia soldiers fled the Tigray capital, Mekele, in June 2021 and the government declared a national state of emergency with sweeping powers. A drone-assisted government military offensive halted the Tigrayans approach to Ethiopias capital., Addis Ababa. In December, the Tigrayans retreated back to Tigray. Last June, Ethiopias government cut off almost all access to food aid, medical supplies, cash and fuel in Tigray, and Mohammed said only a trickle is getting through, which is absolutely insufficient and inadequate. The U.N. World Food Program said in late January that three-quarters of Tigrays population of some 6 million are using extreme coping strategies to survive and more than a third are suffering an extreme lack of food, During her five-day visit to Ethiopia, Mohammed represented Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the recent African Union summit and then visited four Ethiopian regions -- Tigray and neighboring Amhara and Afar as well as Somali. She met with Tigrays leaders and Ethiopia's prime minister, travelled with Ethiopian President Sahle-Work Zewde to Afar and Somali, and talked to local leaders, civil society members and many women. Story continues Mohamed said her talks focused on how to get to that path to peace the humanitarian access, the cessation of hostilities, in some cases, the lifting of the siege in Tigray but, most importantly, the efforts they were making now at the national dialogue, and how to get to that with the parties that were concerned. She said she also asked about three U.N. staff members detained by the government, though she didn't ask to see them. She said the message to her from all of Tigrays leaders was that this was going to be done the Ethiopian way, and they were going to find an Ethiopian solution to it. They did not exclude mediation from Africa or from the United Nations, "but they were very fixed on finding the end to their problems themselves in all cases, she said. During her travels, she said, What was really heartbreaking for me was to see the social fabric of a part of that country so torn. Mohammed said she saw famine and was asked in all the regions what was the worst outcome of the hostilities. Ethiopian women, writ large, were affected in a way that is unimaginable, she said. In your worst nightmares, you cannot imagine what has happened to the women in Ethiopia. She said she spoke to women across the regions who suffered atrocities, including gang rapes, rapes of women who had just given birth by Caesarean sections and rapes of women in front of their children, sometimes leaving all listeners swallowing hard and holding back tears. Mohammed said she met a woman in Tigray who had been gang raped over and over again and had given birth to a 5-month-old son. She was staying in a safe house run by the U.N. Population Fund, but she wanted to leave and find a livelihood because she was a survivor, not a victim every though society has thrown them away because of the rapes, Mohammed said. Without a shadow of a doubt, justice and accountability have to be had, Mohammed said. I think thats very much ... center of the national dialogues. They cannot achieve any lasting peace without reconciling and being held to account for the atrocities across the country. US President Joe Biden's administration released its long-awaited Indo-Pacific strategy on Friday, one that leans heavily on alliances, military deterrence and a stronger presence in Southeast Asia to counter China's growing regional and global footprint. American officials have stressed that China is not the sole focus of their regional initiatives. But many of the strategy's provisions - including a larger role for European allies in the Taiwan Strait and beyond, as well as stronger regional trade, economic and infrastructure linkages and an empowered India - appeared squarely aimed at countering China's economic clout, military power and Belt and Road Initiative. "This is not our China strategy," said a senior US official. But "it clearly identifies China as one of the challenges that the region faces and in particular the rise of China, China's much more assertive and aggressive behaviour." 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. In a bid to support the administration's outlined pivot to Asia - even as the chaotic pull-out from Afghanistan, Iran nuclear concerns and risk of a Russian invasion of Ukraine demand Washington's immediate attention - the plan pledges to open new US embassies and consulates throughout the region, expand the Peace Corps, launch an Indo-Pacific Economic Framework and expand the role of the US Coast Guard. The US also said it hoped to change conditions outside China rather than trying to alter Beijing's thinking. "Our objective is not to change China but to shape the strategic environment in which it operates, building a balance of influence in the world that is maximally favourable to the United States, our allies and partners, and the interests and values we share," it said. Story continues In a separate briefing on Friday, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said China would pay a price for supporting Russia if Moscow decides to invade Ukraine. "To the extent that they are giving a wink and a nod, or a green light, to a Russian invasion of Ukraine, for no justified reason, I believe that China will ultimately come to suffer consequences as a result of that in the eyes of the rest of the world," he said. Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, speaks during a news conference on Friday. Photo: EPA/Bloomberg alt=Jake Sullivan, White House national security adviser, speaks during a news conference on Friday. Photo: EPA/Bloomberg> Sullivan added that if Russia invades, China would not be able to fully compensate Moscow for its economic losses from sanctions and export controls, given that the US and allies arrayed against it have more than 50 per cent of global GDP combined. "China and Russia are less than 20 per cent," Sullivan said. "We are well situated to be able to deal with any threat or challenge that would be posed to us by any autocracy in the world, including the two that you just mentioned." Most tenets of Friday's 12-page strategy - released more than a year into the Biden administration's tenure - have been well telegraphed, including a free and open Indo-Pacific region and the importance of alliances and multilateral participation after years of America First policies under Donald Trump's administration. The delay in releasing the blueprint reflects the coordination required across US agencies and among countries in the region and beyond to build consensus and include disparate views, the senior official said. "We have to work close with our allies and partners, and I think that is something that is very much baked into this," said the official. Evident from the plan and its call for closer US integration with other players is a reality that the US can no longer check an increasingly emboldened China by itself. Among those tapped for closer regional partnerships included the European Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the North American Treaty Organisation, the United Kingdom, France, and Quad alliance members Japan, India and Australia. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, on a sweep through the region that dovetails with the strategy's release, met with representatives from the Quad nations in Australia on Friday. He will formally unveil the strategy at a stop in Fiji on Saturday before travelling to Hawaii to meet with counterparts from Japan and South Korean officials on North Korean's increasingly provocative missile launches. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi speak after a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in Melbourne on Friday. Photo: Reuters alt=US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi speak after a meeting of Quad foreign ministers in Melbourne on Friday. Photo: Reuters> In a bid to avoid issues that could undermine an integrated regional strategy, the report also called for efforts to strengthen relations between Japan and South Korea, which have been strained by trade and related concerns. Officials also cited the importance of US renewal, including investments in America's own crumbling infrastructure, to better lead from a position of strength. While allies have welcomed the Biden administration's global focus, some have expressed concern that the deeply divided US electorate could lead to policy reversals after the 2024 election, undermining continuity. The senior official sidestepped a question on whether Friday's policy would outlast the current administration. The report included strong language on defence issues, with calls for greater coordination "across war-fighting domains" to ensure allies can "dissuade or defeat aggression in any form", including attempt to alter territorial boundaries or undermine the rights of sovereign nations at sea. Underscoring that commitment, the US on Monday approved the sale of US$100 million in hardware and services to support a Patriot missile system Taiwan wants to acquire. And on Thursday it gave the green light to a US$13.9 billion sale of 36 advanced F-15 fighter jets to Indonesia. The US also sees the recently announced Aukus alliance involving the US, Australia and Britain as a key part of its deterrence against any Chinese military adventurism. This includes plans for Canberra to acquire a fleet of US designed nuclear-powered submarines, extending its reach far beyond that nation's shores. Friday's strategy also includes a long list of proposed regional initiatives involving technology, the pandemic, cybersecurity, North Korea's nuclear weapons, governance, supply chain resiliency and climate change. "What we want to do is to make sure that we are building on the long-standing track record while at the same time updating our approach to deal with the challenges today, which obviously include China," said the senior US official. This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright 2022 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Copyright (c) 2022. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. The United States has received new intelligence suggesting that a "false flag" operation by Russia is in the works to justify an invasion into Ukraine, The Washington Post reported, citing numerous officials from the U.S. and Europe. The officials who spoke to the newspaper said that operation's nature and timing was not clear, but noted that it was separate from another alleged operation that the Russian government considered that involved creating a fake video portraying a fictitious attack on Russia to serve a pretext for an invasion into Ukraine. The new intelligence on the "false flag" was discussed during a meeting on Thursday evening in the White House Situation Room, according to the officials who spoke with the Post. The sources noted the information was part of the reason why the U.S. government called for Americans to leave Ukraine. The newspaper noted that a "false flag" operation was noted by White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan during a briefing with reporters on Friday. "The last point that I would make - and I know this has been the subject of a fair amount of back-and-forth between the administration and the press over the course of the past week: We are firmly convinced that the Russians, should they decide to move forward with an invasion, are looking hard at the creation of a pretext - a false-flag operation - something that they generate and try to blame on the Ukrainians as a trigger for military action," he said. "And we are calling that out publicly because we do believe that if Russia chooses to do that, they should be held to account; the world should not believe that a false-flag operation that they conducted is a legitimate casus belli for going into Ukraine," he continued. A spokesperson for the Pentagon referred The Hill back to Sullivan's comments Friday in addition to Pentagon press secretary John Kirby's press briefings from this week. The State Department also referred The Hill to Sullivan's remarks. Story continues The report comes as U.S. officials warned that a Russian invasion in Ukraine could occur at any time in the near future. Sullivan told reporters on Friday that the invasion could start "any day." "It could begin any day now, and it could occur before the Olympics have ended," he said. The 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics end on Feb. 20. "We can't pinpoint the day at this point, and we can't pinpoint the hour, but what we can say is that there is a credible prospect that a Russian military action would take place even before the end of the Olympics," he added later. The Russian military has engaged in a buildup of over 100,000 troops at its border with the former Soviet state. The U.S. along with its Western allies have participated in talks with Russian officials over the country's demands in exchange for deescalation, though little progress has been made. The Hill has reached out to the Russian Embassy in Washington, D.C. for comment. Updated 10:57 a.m. The Daily Beast (Photo by OZAN KOSE/AFP via Getty Images)The only way Russias war in Ukraine ends is with Russian President Vladimir Putin dead, Kyrylo Budanov, Ukraines top military spy, said Monday.Leaving him a way to retreat is one of the strategies, but it is almost unrealistic, Budanov said when asked if Putin could end this war alive. He is a war criminal for the whole world. This is his end, he drove himself into a dead end.Don't worry, Ukraine will win, Budanov said, speaking during an intervie The U.S. State Department issued a travel advisory early Saturday morning, announcing that the American Embassy in Kyiv had been evacuated amid the threat of Russian invasion. "On February 12, 2022, the Department of State ordered the departure of most U.S. direct hire employees from Embassy Kyiv due to the continued threat of Russian military action," the travel advisory read. The level four advisory also urged U.S. citizens not to travel to the area and those who remain in the country to depart "immediately." The State Department added that on Sunday, the embassy in Kyiv will halt all consular services and will "maintain a small consular presence in Lviv, Ukraine to handle emergencies, but will not be able to provide passport, visa or routine consular services." A senior State Department official said that some staff would be staying in Kyiv, while others would be relocated to Lviv, but they declined to provide numbers on how many would be at each. The official explained that one reason some employees had been moved to Lviv, which is situated in the western region of Ukraine, was "its closer proximity to U.S. diplomatic and consular facilities in neighboring countries," so officials could closely coordinate with colleagues nearby and move out people safely if needed should Russia engage in military action. The official said that "a couple thousand Americans" had told the U.S. in recent days that they were in the country and that officials had been in touch with them regarding whether they intend to leave. The official noted it was difficult for officials to know at any given time how many Americans were in any country, including Ukraine, but said that of the several thousand who had been in touch, some had already left. The official underscored that war is becoming an increasingly likely scenario. "It appears increasingly likely that this is where ... this situation is headed, toward some kind of active conflict," the senior State Department official said, noting that it was "past time" for private citizens to leave the country. Story continues The official said that they were not engaged in organizing departures for Americans, noting people have had "ample opportunities" to exit the country. The official added that "very few of the American citizens who have been in touch with us in recent days have expressed an inability to physically get themselves out of the country." The news is the latest development in what appears to be an increasingly volatile situation in the former Soviet state. The Russian military has amassed hundreds of thousands of troops at its border with Ukraine, a posture that has not shifted much in weeks amid efforts by the U.S., Canada, U.K. and other Western allies to solve the escalating situation diplomatically. Russia has demanded that NATO refuse to allow Ukraine and other former Soviet states into its alliance, a demand that the organization has rebuffed. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan sounded the alarm Friday afternoon, warning that a Russian invasion of Ukraine could take place "any day now," and Secretary of State Antony Blinken sounded a similar tone, stating that "we're in a window where an invasion could begin anytime." News of a potential Russian incursion comes amid the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, a second time when the world's athletes have traveled to Beijing specifically to compete. "This marks the second time that Russia has escalated aggression toward a sovereign country during a Beijing Olympics," Daniel Kritenbrink, assistant secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said in a media briefing earlier this month. The Biden administration, including President Biden himself, has warned that Americans should evacuate the country voluntarily amid the threat of Russian aggression. In its advisory Saturday, the State Department reiterated the dangers of war between Ukraine and its neighbor. "There are continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, indicating potential for significant military action against Ukraine," it stated. "The security conditions, particularly along Ukraine's borders, in Russia-occupied Crimea, and in Russia-controlled eastern Ukraine, are unpredictable and can deteriorate with little notice," it added. However, it remains unclear if Russian President Vladimir Putin will certainly give the order to invade, and some experts remain skeptical of a full-scale attack. Biden is slated to speak with Putin on Saturday about the developing situation. The U.S. as well as its allies have warned of crushing economic sanctions on Russia if it chooses to invade Ukraine. Updated 10:11 a.m. By Gabriele Pileri VENICE, Italy (Reuters) - Thousands of people revelled in the start of the annual Carnival celebrations in Venice on Saturday, marking a slow return to normality after the COVID-19 pandemic hit the two previous editions. The 2020 Venice Carnival, which usually draws tourists from around the world, was curtailed when the pandemic broke out in Italy in February that year and then cancelled the following year as the government sought to contain infections. "This is the Carnival of hope," said Venice resident Cristian Scalise. "COVID is ending and we hope to return to our life as always." Italy's rate of new COVID infections and hospitalisations has been gradually declining in recent weeks and the government this week ended a requirement for people to wear face masks outdoors under most circumstances. However some Carnival attractions, such as parades, will remain suspended to avoid contagion, authorities have ruled. "I came here because I missed the Carnival so much and because we haven't been able to celebrate it for two years," said Barbara del Prato, from the city of Parma. She had travelled to Venice with her entire family, all dressed in elaborate costumes. Some 50,000 people had come to the lagoon city to take part in the celebration, ANSA news agency reported, citing local police. The Venice Carnival began centuries ago as a period of excess before the rigors of Lent, the 40 days of fasting that traditionally precede Easter. A traditional Carnival costume often included a mask - not as a guard against disease as in current times, but so festival-goers could hide their identities and do as they pleased. On Saturday, only a few people were seen wearing costumes and the mood was more subdued than usual, but this is expected to change in the coming days as this year's edition, entitled "Remember the Future", gets going. "I'm sorry not to see the (Venetian Carnival) masks that I would have expected, but it's a restart," said Ketty Milano, a Venice resident. The Carnival is due to run until March 1. (Reporting by Gabriele Pileri; Writing by Agnieszka Flak; Editing by Frances Kerry) Students and parents of Volta Elementary marched after school Friday asking for peace, safety and investment into their schools playground in the wake of a shooting next to the school on the citys Northwest Side. About 100 parents and children gathered outside the school, 4950 N. Avers Ave., about 3:15 p.m. and held signs asking for a safer school and an improved park and play area for the children. The event, named the March for Peace, Love and Play, took place just down the street from a Feb. 1 shooting that left a 16-year-old girl injured. Their march around school grounds was meant to bring the community together to acknowledge the trauma they experienced after the girl was shot, said co-organizer Kiersten Solis, who is a parent of two Volta students and a school council member. The school went on lockdown just before 10 a.m. when two assailants confronted the girl and a teen boy and opened fire before running away, Chicago police said. The boy, also 16, was not hurt but the girl was shot in the shoulder and taken to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston. Solis said she and other parents were talking about how traumatized they felt after learning about the shooting and they thought the children were probably also traumatized. Elizabeth Salinas held a sign that said in Spanish, We want a secure school for our children. She has three kids at Volta an 11-year-old, a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old and has become more involved with school activities recently, she said. Salinas was in the school volunteering with children when the school went on lockdown, she said. She said she wasnt sure whether something had actually happened or whether they were practicing a safety drill. She later found out someone had been shot. Im really worried that Albany Park is starting to get more violent, Salinas said in Spanish. Students were inside because it was winter but Salinas wondered what could have happened to a child if theyd been out for recess. Story continues Solis said the event was also held to bring attention to a hazardous playground area at the school, which led Volta parents to ask Chicago Public Schools to allocate more than $1 million to replace it. The ground has broken asphalt and other issues that are dangerous for children, according to Solis, who added that activating and beautifying spaces like the playground can prevent violence and lead to a safer community. We wanted to be able to give back to them and do something for them that would help heal the trauma that they were experiencing and listen to them and give them an example of community and love, Solis said. Jessica Coronas 5-year-old son, Santiago Vega, had to get stitches next to his eye in November after he tripped in a hole in the pavement and fell, Corona said, holding up close-up photos of her sons injury. Corona said she hopes the school can get funding to fix the playground before another child is hurt. Juan Palacios and his wife, Carol Palacios, marched with their two children, Luciana, 9, and Liam, 6, and a nephew, Simon Palacio, 6. Juan Palacio said he hopes Fridays march will bring help bring additional security and support from police. He also hopes it moves neighbors to stay vigilant and speak up in order to keep the community safe. We always say, I want to live somewhere safe especially because of my kids, but we know in any area this can happen, Palacio said in Spanish. No one is exempt from living in an area where a tragedy can happen. But we know if we raise our hand and raise our voice so that the community is aware and contributes in some way to prevention, thats what were looking for here. No one is in custody for the shooting and police continue to investigate, Michelle Tannehill, a Chicago police spokesperson, said Friday evening. scasanova@chicagotribune.com Las Vegas resorts seemed louder Friday night. As of Thursday, guests no longer need to wear a face mask while inside most Nevada businesses including casinos. That means no more cloth muffling a cheer at a lucky blackjack hand or stifling conversation among the crowds strolling the halls of the resorts. And with the city packed for Super Bowl weekend, one of the biggest days of the year for sportsbooks, there were plenty of people to fill the air with chatter. Thats not to say that casinos had been dead before this weekend. Far from it; more than 3 million people visited Las Vegas in December, just 13% below December 2019 levels, according to the latest data available from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. Plus, the states now-defunct masking mandate had allowed people to shed their face coverings indoors when eating, drinking or smoking, which means visitors saw plenty of bare faces before Thursday. Visitors fill the sidewalks on Las Vegas Boulevard on Feb. 11, 2022. Nevertheless, the new mask policy has been seen as Las Vegas getting one step closer to a return to normal after a two-month shutdown in 2020. I keep thinking, wait, somethings missing but Im glad we can go back to normal. Im hoping we can go back to normal, said Jennifer Rios of Palm Springs, California, who was sipping on a Corona beer inside Paris Las Vegas casino Friday night. It makes me feel really hopeful that thats the way were headed. GOODBYE, BALLY'S: Bally's Las Vegas hotel-casino to get multimillion-dollar renovation into Horseshoe Casino Mixed reactions among Las Vegas visitors Sidewalks on Fremont Street, the heart of downtown Las Vegas, were packed Friday night, and crowds danced and twirled on spilled beer as music blasted through speakers. Taxis lined outside the casinos advertised shows that are back up and running. On Las Vegas Boulevard, the Bellagio's fountains danced to Frank Sinatras Luck Be a Lady. Crowds surrounded the spectacle, most without masks, cameras raised for videos. Story continues A number of visitors admitted that the state's new masking rules took them by surprise. It was welcome news for some, like Doug and Carolyn Pearson of St. Louis, who were in Las Vegas to celebrate Dougs 63rd birthday. Its kind of nice, Doug said inside Resorts World Las Vegas. Its a hassle to have a mask. It takes away some of the confusion, Carolyn added. Masked and unmasked visitors explore Resorts World Las Vegas on Feb. 11, 2022. Danny Boyd of Miami, who was in town for a Luke Bryan concert and Super Bowl Sunday, was also pleasantly surprised to learn that masks would no longer be required during his vacation. Its what were used to (in Florida). Were going back to normal again, he said. I just hate the way (a mask) feels. Despite the new rules, 10% or so of the indoor crowds opted to keep their masks on which can help prevent infection, especially if the masks are N95s or KN95s and worn correctly, according to studies. Amanda Henry-Sander, who wore a matching black surgical mask with her wife, Nicole Sander, said the two were keeping the masks on during their trip but didnt feel uncomfortable with the bare faces surrounding them. Both are fully vaccinated, and Amanda caught a mild case of COVID after a December trip to Las Vegas. The thing is is that were still in a pandemic and its not over, Amanda said. We dont know when its going to be over. And I know a lot of people have mixed emotions on it. If you dont want to wear a mask, dont wear a mask, but dont give grief to the folks that are still wearing a mask. NEVADA MASK RULES DROP: Masks no longer required at several major Las Vegas casinos: Where you still need to mask up Nicole added that shes had multiple people remind her that the mask mandate has been lifted since they got into town Thursday. Im like, we know, she said. Were going to see my 90-year-old aunt in two weeks and then were going to see her grandmother in Arkansas. You got to do what you got to do to protect yourself. Michelle Wenzel and her husband, Brian Wenzel, of Los Angeles noted that they were surprised to learn about the new masking rules during their trip. "If I hadn't been boosted and just had COVID, I would've probably freaked out," Michelle said outside Paris Las Vegas. (Unlike the casino, the city of Paris still requires masks indoors.) Others, like Julie Neff, couldnt help but feel uncomfortable seeing the COVID-19 mitigation measure drop. This morning, we were like why is nobody wearing their mask? she said. "I think its a little too early. We kind of just came down off the spike. The native of Hollister, California, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer a couple of weeks before her trip. She plans to schedule a surgery early next week, but her doctor warned her that a positive coronavirus test would mean the surgery would need to be postponed. Neff, who traveled to Las Vegas with her husband to watch Luke Brian and George Strait concerts, said she almost sold her tickets. Instead, the two "went for it" and plan to wear KN95 masks throughout the vacation. Im a little nervous about it, but Im at the point where I want to live my life, too, she said. MGM SELLS MIRAGE: MGM will sell iconic Las Vegas Mirage Hotel in $1 billion deal Visitors pack Fremont Street in Las Vegas on Super Bowl weekend on Feb. 11, 2022. Follow USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Las Vegas mask rules: Visitors shed face coverings Super Bowl weekend Wichita County Commissioner Mickey Fincannon discussed the firestorm surrounding his contest with Lee Harvey at a news conference Friday. Wichita County Commission Mickey Fincannon said he found it very odd and somewhat concerning the Wichita County District Attorney would release concerns he had about his political opponent to the media. Also at a news conference Friday, Fincannon revealed why he was inquiring of the DAs office about how to ask for a criminal investigation into Lee Harvey. Fincannon and Harvey, a former commissioner, are in a rematch race for the Republican nominations for Pct. 2 on the commissioners court. More: Wichita County DA steps into feud involving ex-commissioner Lee Harvey, Sheriff David Duke Fincannon said he had two complaints about Harvey he wants investigated. One alleges Abuse of Power by an Elected Official. Fincannon said he personally witnessed Harvey using county employees to do personal business when Harvey held office. The second complaint alleges Harvey falsified documents, which Fincannon said was something he just became aware of. He would not go into detail on either allegation. He said he wanted to make his complaints to an appropriate agency, but since DA John Gillespie forwarded his email to the media I felt it best to let the residents of Wichita County know what the complaints are. Fincannon also said he had received complaints about Harvey from residents before and since he, Fincannon, took office in late 2020. He said the complaints ranged from abuse of power to falsifying documents. He said he told the people to take their concerns to the Sheriffs Office. But he also said these criminal activities he is alleging are separate from ones included in a Sheriffs Office investigation into Harvey. Texas elections 2022: Voter cards delayed in Wichita County due to redistricting The leaking to the media of the Sheriffs Office allegations this week sparked a firestorm that prompted Gillespie to ask a judge for special prosecutors to investigate charges and countercharges. Gillespie wants to fold Fincannons complaints into the probes by those special prosecutors. Story continues Fincannon said he doubts the investigations will be finished before the March 1 Election Day. It takes a lot of manpower and a lot of interviews to get to the truth to determine if there is a legitimate case or not, he said. Harvey told the Times Record News he wants to see video of Fincannon's news conference and consult an attorney before responding. Early voting in the primary begins Monday. This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Commissioner Mickey Fincannon reveals allegations against Lee Harvey (Reuters) - New Zealand's foreign ministry urged on Saturday all New Zealanders in Ukraine to leave immediately in response to heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine. "Aotearoa New Zealand does not have diplomatic representation in Ukraine and the governments ability to provide consular assistance to New Zealanders in Ukraine is therefore very limited," the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The security situation in Ukraine could change at short notice and New Zealanders should not rely on support with evacuating in these circumstances." The warning came after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who left Australia on Saturday, said that Russia could launch an invasion of Ukraine at any time and Washington and other countries urged their citizens to leave Ukraine. (Reporting in Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Editing by William Mallard) A trial date has been set for a man charged with murder in connection with a burned body found alongside a trail in Nelson County. Roger Dale Beverly, 36, will go before a jury on Feb. 22 in Nelson County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree murder, stabbing with intent to maim or kill, concealing a body and petit larceny in the death of Winfred W. Watson, 48, of Charlottesville. At a Feb. 8 pre-trial hearing, defense Brady S. Nicks said that by virtue of the case it has taken an unusually long time to prepare. Nicks said Beverly has had plenty of time to speak with experts and receive psychological evaluations during his three years in custody at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail. Assistant Commonwealths Attorney Erik Laub told Judge Michael Doucette there is so much evidence related to sanity in this case. Watsons body was found with several charred spots alongside a wooded trail connecting the Lovingston Ridge Apartments and the Lovingston Food Lion on May 2, 2019. According to testimony from a Feb. 19, 2020 preliminary hearing, a Lovingston woman was walking the path home from work at Food Lion on May 2. She testified to seeing smoke and then a man she identified as Beverly standing next to a body on fire. She said she asked Beverly if it was a body and he responded, Yeah. The Nelson County Sheriffs Office was called to the scene just before 12:47 p.m. May 2 and turned the investigation over to Virginia State Police. According to testimony from VSP Special Agent Clay R. Overhold, Watson was walking along the path when he encountered Beverly. Overhold interviewed Beverly on the scene. He told Overhold he and Watson had gotten into an altercation which resulted in Beverly stabbing Watson. Overholt asked Beverly how many times he had stabbed Watson to which he responded, I dont know; I panicked. Overholt said when he asked what happened after the altercation, Beverly said, You see him, in reference to Watsons body just off the path. Officers with VSP recovered a charred knife near Watsons body and a damaged cell phone underneath him. 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. As Bedford County Public Schools board and administration begin crafting a budget for the coming year, the school board heard feedback from parents and community members, as well as results of a pay and classification study to consider in financial planning. Four people spoke at Thursdays board meeting, sharing what they want the school board and staff to prioritize in budgeting. William Crumpacker, father of students at Liberty High School, asked the board to consider fully funding tuition and related expenses for high school students wishing to enroll in the Career and Technical Education Academy through Central Virginia Community College, where they can obtain certification in a trade or professional training and enter the workforce after graduation. Crumpackers oldest son took a welding class his sophomore year and realized he would likely rather enter the workforce than pursue a four-year college degree. He applied for and was accepted to the dual enrollment program at the CTE Academy, but the tuition fees, plus costs for textbooks and other materials required for the program, were too expensive for the family at about $1,500 for the semester. In speaking with CTE Academy coordinators with Amherst, Campbell, and Appomattox county public schools, Crumpacker said he learned Amherst and Campbell counties have a set number of available spots for students to complete these programs at no cost, and Appomattox County offers $800 per student enrolled in the CTE Academy. Bedford County, he said, told his family they can only cover costs for required textbooks related to the program. Because his son was not a college student, the Crumpacker family was not eligible for grants or federal student aid such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, according to the financial aid office at CVCC. There is a need in our community for skilled workers to help supplement the workforce, and there are high school students like my son who want this kind of training and education, and to be able to fill that need right out of high school. However, the associated costs of the program is preventing them from doing so, Crumpacker said. The school board and staff, as well as the Bedford County Board of Supervisors, previously have discussed interest in promoting more workforce training opportunities such as those through the CTE Academy. Other speakers asked the board to prioritize bringing all teacher pay up to competitive rates wherever there are deficiencies, emphasizing the important service teachers offer and how many teachers recently have taken on additional responsibilities, such as driving buses and working in cafeterias in the midst of staffing shortages. Mary Katherine Bennett, who has students in Bedford County schools, also suggested the board consider ways to further fund resources for special-needs students. As a special-needs parent, whose child sees occupational and speech therapist through Bedford County, Bennett said she appreciated the special-needs resources the school system currently offers but would like to see it expanded if possible. Additionally, Bennett said she was thankful for the extra teachers hired on a limited contract basis with Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act money, and asked the board to find a way to retain them even after CARES funding and the conditional contracts expire. The school board also heard the results of a compensation and classification study conducted by Management Advisory Group International, Inc. The study examined where Bedford County public schools stood among other Central Virginia school systems in terms of pay for teacher and various support positions. Some positions were found to be at competitive rates, but others came in below the mark. While teachers with bachelors degrees and five to 10 years of experience were found to be at, or slightly above, the current market rate, teachers with bachelors degrees and 15 to 20 years of experience were found to be deficient in compensation by 4.1% to 6.1%. Support positions with non-competitive salary ranges included special education and adaptive aide positions are about 26% below market level; school guidance counselors, 18% below market level; attendance clerk positions at 8% below market level; and IT tech positions at 9% below market level. The school system would have to budget about $4.7 million to bring all deficiently compensated positions up to competitive market levels in the Central Virginia region, according to the study results. The first budget work session is scheduled for March 17. 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. Japan will ease a near-ban on foreign arrivals this month, gradually allowing in more business travelers and students, Nikkei has learned, as frustration mounts with stringent curbs that have kept people out of the country for as much as two years. The tougher border controls implemented in late November in response to the omicron coronavirus variant are now set to end March 1 after multiple extensions. Prior to that, the government plans to start accepting more than 1,000 people a day, and gradually raise the cap to several thousand. Schools and companies will be expected to supervise travelers coming in under their sponsorship, and visitors will be asked to self-isolate after entering the country. The looser restrictions on business travelers will apply to both short-term business trips and long-term relocation. The government will prioritize researchers and engineers, as well as workers who provide a "public benefit." Japan had previously begun allowing a handful of government-sponsored foreign students into the country. This broader reopening will give priority to students who cannot graduate without in-person classes in Japan. Cutting quarantine periods to three days or less from seven days is under consideration. To qualify, travelers, both Japanese and foreign nationals, will have to have received a vaccine booster and have been tested for COVID-19. The government plans to simplify the required paperwork and the screening process. A decision will be made as early as next week based on how coronavirus cases are trending. The top diplomats of Japan, the United States, Australia, and India have held talks on ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific region. They also discussed the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The foreign ministers of the so-called Quad alliance met in Melbourne on Friday. They agreed to cooperate in the fields of infrastructure development and maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, with China's growing influence in the region apparently in mind. "We agreed to boost maritime security support for Indo-Pacific partners to strengthen their maritime domain awareness and ability to develop their offshore resource, to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight and to combat challenges such as illegal fishing," Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said in a news conference. "We were able to reaffirm our mutual commitment to pursue the shared vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific and agree to step up practical cooperation," Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa said. "This is a meaningful result at an appropriate time." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, "We believe that the only way to make that vision reality is to deepen our engagement as allies and partners." Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said, "We're keen to work together to further peace and stability and economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific through collective efforts." The foreign ministers also expressed their concerns about Russia's massing of about 100,000 troops along its border with Ukraine. The ministers also agreed to arrange a Quad summit in Japan during the first half of the year. Mt. Hope United Methodist Church Mt. Hope United Methodist Church, 290th and Highway 6, McClelland, would like to invite all to join us on Sunday mornings for our worship service at 9:30 a.m. Children are welcome for the regular worship service and children sermon during the worship service. Upcoming event, on March 13 we will have a council meeting at 8:30 a.m. followed by our breakfast and worship at 9:30 a.m. in our fellowship room. Also watch for our yard sale coming in June. You do not have to be a member to participate in our church activities. Everyone is welcome. Underwood Lutheran Church Underwood Lutheran Church, 10 Third Ave., will hold Sunday activities. Education begins at 9 a.m. In-person Worship begins at 10:15 a.m. with online video available later in the day. Pastor Scott Dalen will deliver a sermon based on Luke 6:17-26. Gethsemane Presbyterian Church Gethsemane Presbyterian Church, 224 Wallace Ave, invites you to worship with us. Our service runs from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and children are invited to participate in Sunday school. Rev. Dr. Edwin G. Steinmetz will be delivering the sermon The True Vine. Communion will be served. Refreshments will be served following service. Adult Bible study meets on Mondays and Thursdays from 9-10 a.m. Our food pantry is open on Mondays and Thursdays until 10:30 a.m. We have an abundance of food! For more information contact the church office at 712-366-2513 or visit us on Facebook at gethsemanepresbyterianchurch.org. Timothy Lutheran Church Timothy Lutheran Church, 3112 W. Broadway, offers services at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. The church alternates between traditional services and praise services each week. Bible study and Sunday school at 9:15 a.m. If a month has a fifth Sunday, the church hosts a combined service at 9 a.m. Food and fellowship after service on fifth Sundays and there is no Bible study or Sunday school on those days. The church is handicap accessible. St. Pauls Evangelical Country Church St. Pauls Evangelical Country Church, 11055 Dumfries Ave., rings the church bell at 10:30 a.m. to welcome people to worship each Sunday morning. There are directional signs from Wabash Avenue and Pioneer Trail leading to the church. We are a friendly, growing Bible-teaching church led by Rev. Jason Kinney. Sunday school for all ages, including adults, begins at 9:15 a.m. Wednesday night activities include adult small group Bible study and youth groups. Saturday morning at 9 .m. is the mens breakfast. This Sundays scripture is Numbers 25:1-18 with the sermon title Seduced by the Enemy, the Rest of the Story. Greeters will be Norma Foster and Marsha Parker. Visit our website stpaulsecc.org for more information. We are handicapped accessible. Compass Christian Church Compass Christian Church, 2007 S. Seventh St., welcomes you to worship with us Sundays at 10:30 a.m. We are located just west of the South Expressway. The church is handicap accessible. During worship a cry room is available, and childcare for ages 1-4 with drop off at the beginning of the service and pick up after service. Following communion, Compass Kids grades K-5 meet downstairs for special Bible lessons. You may also worship with us on YouTube at Compass Christian Church CB. Weekly schedules include Mondays Mens Bible Study 7:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesdays, from 6:30-7:30 p.m. includes Childrens Group K-5, student group 6th-12th and Adult Prayer Group. Mens and womens groups are held at various times throughout the year. Sunday evenings through March 13 at 7 p.m., Compass Christian Church is hosting Dave Ramseys Financial Peace University. This is a Christian-based, 12-week course designed to help you in finding financial freedom through better money management. The facilitator of the class is Dave Bayer. You may sign up for the classes by going to ramseysolutions.com/ramseyplus/classes/1144131. More information may be found on Facebook at Compass Christian Church CB, compasscb.org, or call the church office at 712-366-9112. Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church Fifth Avenue United Methodist Church, 1800 Fifth Ave., invites the public to participate in our live worship service at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings. Face masks are optional and the Sunday worship service will continue to be recorded live and can be viewed on our Facebook page: Fifth Avenue UMC, Council Bluffs. The church office can be reached Monday or Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for prayer or other requests at 712-323-7374 or through our email at fifthaveumchurch@gmail.com. Upcoming events Feb. 9, 6 p.m., Meal and Message; Feb. 13, noon, Valentines Day party at Golden Corral; Feb. 23, 6 p.m. Meal and Message. Bethany Presbyterian Church Bethany Presbyterian Church, 1900 S. Seventh St., has worship at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday. Gues speaker will be Cindy Harvey and the liturgist is Sue Perry. Greeters are Pat Flynn and Linda Cody. Remember to bring soup and crackers for Souper Bowl on Sunday, Feb. 13. We are a handicap accessible facility. Community of Christ Church Community of Christ Church, 140 W. Kanesville Blvd, holds Sunday worship at 10:15 a.m. Our theme this week is Trust in the Lord. Our scriptures for this week are Jeremiah 17:5-10, Luke 6:17-26 and First Corinthians 15:12-20. Services will begin at 10:15 a.m., come join us as Amber Newcom will be bringing us the message. Please call our office at 712-323-4498 for any questions. There are virtual ministries out on our World Church Website at ministries cofchrist.org. Epworth United Methodist Church Epworth United Methodist Church, 2447 Ave. B, worships on Sundays at 9:25 a.m. The people are friendly, the worship is meaningful and the building is handicap accessible. Masks and hand sanitizer are available. We also invite you to our Bible study on Thursdays at 9 a.m. Our church is hosting Lenten Luncheons from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Wednesday from March 2 to April 6 and you are welcome to attend. We keep in prayer for the healing of our community and the nation for God. If you want us to pray for you, let us know your prayer requests by phone or online at facebook.com/groups/friends.epworth. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and our phone number is 712-323-3124. Faith Lutheran Church Faith Lutheran Church, 2100 S. 11th Street, will have contemporary praise worship at the 9 a.m. Sunday worship service and the Faith Praise Team will lead the congregation in uplifting praise music. Saturday there is a Prayer Sister luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., serving soups and dessert. All ladies are invited to attend and the secret prayer sisters will be revealed and new names drawn from the coming year. Tuesday there is a 9:30 a.m. adult Bible study that is open to everyone in the church fellowship hall please enter by the rear door. Wednesday there is a church council meet at 7:30 p.m. Faith is observing social distancing but masks are optional. Services are also available on Faiths Facebook page and on YouTube by searching to Ron Rosenkaimer. For more information about worship opportunities at Faith contact the church office at 323-6445. New Horizon Presbyterian Church New Horizon Presbyterian Church has traditional services at 8 and 11 a.m. and a praise service at 9 a.m. Sunday School is 10-10:45 a.m. Feb. 13 is Boy Scout Sunday. On Wednesdays the Dulcimer Group practices from 4:30-5:30 p.m., the Praise Team from 5:45-6:30 p.m., the Chancel Bell Choir from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and the Chancel Choir at 7:30-8:30 p.m. The Prayer Shawl Ministry will meet Monday in the Hearth Room from 3 to 5 p.m. Session meets at 7 p.m. on Thursday. Food and coffee will remain unavailable. Children are welcome to attend but the nursery will not be available. If you are ill, please worship from home by watching our Facebook page: facebook.com/NewHorizonPC. Westminster Presbyterian Church Westminster Presbyterian Church, 517 S. 32nd St., welcomes everyone to join us for worship on Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Rev. Kim Crummer will be our guest speaker and his sermon is entitled Stop and listen. The focus text for Sunday is Nehemiah 8:1-10 and Luke 4:14-21. We are handicapped accessible through the northeast door of church. Corpus Christi Catholic Parish Corpus Christi Queen of Apostles, 3304 Fourth Ave. in Council Bluffs, and Corpus Christi Our Lady of Carter Lake, 3501 N. Ninth St. in Carter Lake, celebrates the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass every day of the week. Daily Mass is celebrated as follows: In English on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 8 a.m. and in Spanish on Monday and Thursday at 6 p.m. at the Council Bluffs location. Our weekend Mass in English is celebrated on Saturday at 4 p.m. and on Sunday at 8 and 10 a.m. in Council Bluffs and at 9:30 a.m. in Carter Lake. Our Sunday Spanish Mass is at noon in Council Bluffs. Eucharistic Adoration is held every Monday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. in Council Bluffs. Tonight at 6 p.m. its Family Fun Friday at Corpus Christi Queen of Apostles. Join us for a chili and soup cookoff Competition and you get to be the judge chili and soup for all! On Saturday, Feb. 12, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. come to the salad buffet luncheon at Corpus Christi Our Lady of Carter Lake. Food, games, raffles. Adults $6, children 12 and under $3. All are welcome. On Saturday and Sunday after the 4 p.m., 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., the Altar/Rosary Society will have a bake sale and craft sale. All are welcome! For more information, call the parish office at 712-323-2916 or 712-323-4716 for Spanish, or visit our parish website at corpuschristiparishiowa.org. Emanuel Lutheran Church Emanuel Lutheran Church, 2444 N Broadway, welcomes everyone to come as you are and be who you are! Our weekly worship service as well as Sunday school are at 9:30 a.m. each Sunday. The service will be followed by coffee and fellowship in community room. Other events this week include Tai Chi in the youth center Monday at 10 a.m., Bible study in the conference room Thursday at 9:30 a.m. and Tai Chi Thursday at 10 a.m. Our worship service and weekly Sunday school show can be found on our YouTube channel or Facebook page. Visit us online at emanuelcb.org. Saint John Lutheran Church Saint John Lutheran Church, 633 Willow Ave., holds worship at 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and 8:30 and 11 a.m. on Sundays. Masks are recommended. Sunday school starts at 9:45 a.m. Worship is also available to watch on YouTube, our website is www.SaintJohnELCA.org. Our Facebook page is Saint John Lutheran Church Council Bluffs IA. Wednesday morning Bible study meets at 9 a.m., and Wednesday evening Bible study meets at 6 p.m., along with the Bell Choir. Confirmation class and high school youth meet at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday evenings, and the Chancel Choir starts practice at 7 p.m. Other meetings this week: VBS planning will meet on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.; Mens Club will meet on Thursday at 11:30 a.m. The quilting group will NOT meet this month. The building is handicap accessible. Please call the church office with any questions, 712-323-7173. A roundup of legislative and Capitol news items of interest: MANUFACTURED HOUSING: An Iowa House Judiciary subcommittee unanimously signed off on a proposal to address concerns about manufactured housing and the relationships between tenants and owners of manufactured home parks. An amendment to House File 833 represents a compromise that lawmakers said offers more protections to residents of manufactured home parks. Purchases of the parks by out-of-state investment firms have resulted in a number of problems, including large rent increases, according to tenants. Matt Chapman of Waukee said rent has nearly doubled in the three years the Legislature has been working on legislative solutions. Tenants, he said, are victims of a business model to exploit as much wealth as you can. The bill, with the amendment, is a good step forward, he said. The Iowa Attorney Generals Office didnt see it that way. The bill doesnt address some of the predatory practices that led to the legislation, Assistant Attorney General Nathan Blake said. The playing field is tilted against mobile homeowners, he said. Our evaluation this is worse than the status quo. Subcommittee members Republican Reps. Brian Lohse of Bondurant and Steve Holt of Denison and Democratic Rep. Ross Wilburn of Ames agreed the amendment was a move in the right direction and forwarded the bill to the full Judiciary Committee. Its not everything I want and some things I dont want, Lohse said. Im not going to say this is the greatest bill in the world, but Ive voted for a lot less. VOTER REGISTRATION: Iowa high schools are being encouraged to conduct voter registration drives Feb. 22, the birthday of President George Washington. Engaging young people in civics is a great way to inspire them to be active citizens throughout their lives, Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate said. State law allows 17-year-olds to register to vote, and there are more than 3,500 17-year-olds currently registered to vote. Those teens can participate in the upcoming June primary elections if they turn 18 by the time of the November general election, Pate said. LONG TRAINS: Trains in Iowa would be limited to about 127 cars under a bill approved by the House Transportation Committee on an 18-1 vote. House File 278 would prohibit trains longer than 8,500 feet, or 1.6 miles, Rep. David Maxwell, R-Gibson, said. Train length is an issue of safety versus efficiency, and the bill would improve safety, he said. Some people, he added, see it as a collective bargaining issue. Most railroad companies registered on the bill opposed it. A labor union representing rail workers supported it. NO-NAME PLATES: Legislation to remove county names from license plates was scaled back by the House Transportation Committee, which voted to approve generic plates only when cars are registered in a county other than the residence of the vehicle owner. House File 618, which is similar to Senate Study Bill 3045, originally called for doing away with county names on plates. A survey of sheriffs and deputies found that 77% supported keeping county names on license plates, but their lobbyist said it is a lower priority than requiring plates on the front and back of vehicles. The DOT estimates removing county names could save $242,000 over a 10-year cycle because universal plates would allow the DOT to send plates where needed when there are supply chain issues. As amended, county names would be continued, Rep. Jacob Bossman, R-Sioux City, said. However, if a vehicle was registered in a county other than the owners residence, the owner could opt for a generic plate rather than one with the name of that county. When dealers provide titling and registration as a service, the plates carry the name of the county where the vehicle was purchased rather than where the owner lives. Im old-school. I want the (county) numbers on the plate, but I dont think Im going to get that, Rep. Steve Hansen, D-Sioux City, said while encouraging support for the bill. PUBLIC HEARING: The Iowa House will have a public hearing on its flat tax proposal, House File 2317, at 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14 in Room 103 of the Capitol. Speaking time will be two minutes per person and will alternate between pro and con. Written comments are encouraged. People wishing to speak must be at the hearing. The meeting will be livestreamed on the legislative website. To sign up to speak or to leave comments, visit https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/publicHearings. ISRAEL BOYCOTT: The House State Government Committee approved a bill to expand the scope of an Iowa law restricting the investment of public funds in companies that refuse to engage in commerce with Israel, boycott Israel or people doing business there. House Study Bill 639 expands the definition of a business to apply to a wholly owned subsidiary, majority-owned subsidiary, parent company or affiliate of such company. In 2016, the Legislature stated it did not support boycotts and related tactics that have become a tool of economic warfare that threaten the sovereignty of United States allies, including Israel. VACCINE MANDATE LAWSUIT: Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa and the other eight states that sued the federal government over a COVID-19 vaccine mandate for health care workers are exploring their legal options and may soon announce their next legal steps. The U.S. Supreme Court recently issued a ruling that allowed the COVID vaccine requirement for health care workers to remain in place, even as it struck down a similar requirement for large businesses. Were continuing to review our options and what our next steps are. And I think you will see shortly the direction that were moving, Reynolds told reporters. When asked if Reynolds would support legislation targeting vaccine mandates, she said her focus is on the states legal challenges. UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS: A proposal to reduce the duration of state unemployment benefits and require more work searches to earn benefits passed along party lines in the Senate labor and business committee, with Republicans supporting and Democrats opposing. Democrats warned against unintended consequences and the potential for making it harder for unemployed Iowans to receive benefits while trying to find a new job. Republicans said the changes would modernize Iowas unemployment system and help encourage and assist Iowans to find new work. SSB 3096 is now eligible for consideration by the full Senate. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM: Religious institutions would be treated the same as businesses and other entities during a public health emergency under legislation that advanced in the Senate. The motivation for Senate File 2170 came out of the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered that people could not gather in-person for church services, but some types of businesses were allowed to remain open, albeit with social distancing requirements. Opponents of the bill, including multiple business groups, expressed the concern that some of the language in the bill could make it easier for an individual or business to discriminate against someone based on their religious beliefs. Supporters of the bill said the language matches whats in state law or legal precedence in 31 other states, as well as federal regulations. They said the language in those states has not been used to discriminate, and has in fact helped individuals from minority religions in the United States. Republican Sens. Julian Garrett and Craig Williams advanced the bill, making it eligible for consideration by the Senate committee on local government. DES MOINES A bill prohibiting Iowa businesses, schools and governments from dismissing employees based on their medical treatment status such as whether they have received a COVID-19 vaccination got a hearing Thursday that was, for the most part, about anything other than the proposal. Some physicians questioned the judgment of the medical establishment and three-letter government agencies that restrict the use of anti-parasite drug ivermectin and malaria drug hydroxychloroquine, for instance. Others said physicians and pharmacists are being forced to follow federal government dictates. Some said theyve been threatened by medical societies for their comments and practices. However, House Study Bill 647 doesnt address any of that. In fact, it doesnt mention COVID-19. But the virus was, however, the impetus for his bill, Rep. Jon Jacobsen, R-Council Bluffs, said. In general, the bill would ban face mask requirements as well as prohibit businesses and government entities from offering incentives to be vaccinated. There would be penalties for policies resulting in forced medical treatment. While lobbyists for some medical groups were registered to oppose the bill including the Iowa Hospital Association consistent throughout the three hours of testimony Thursday was the philosophy expressed by Lee Merritt, an Onawa physician, that government is not to make us safer, but to make us freer. But the opposite happened over the past two years, according to Jason Crawford of Ames, who said he was terminated from his job after posting on social media his views on vaccination requirements. During these past few years, people I once trusted slowly began taking our freedoms in the name of safety, he said. At first, it was just two weeks to stop the spread, then it was just a mask, then I was just working from home for a year, then it was just working home for a second year. Even as federal health policy continues to fail, and fail and fail and fail and fail, Eric Rosenthal of Cedar Rapids told the panel of Republicans Jacobsen and Brooke Boden of Indianola and Democratic Rep. Bruce Hunter of Des Moines, that in the current environment the political science trumps the legitimate peer review process of real fact based science. He noted that there have been no laws passed mandating vaccinations and vaccine passports, or sanctions on those who refuse vaccination or other treatment protocols. No law has been needed in this new environment where the will of the federal government is relentlessly enforced through protocols and payoffs, Rosenthal said. Whether in law or not, vaccination requirements are in conflict with privacy standards, Kevin Barry, a New York human rights and civil rights lawyer, said. And the state, in almost all cases, should stop at my skin. The militarization of public health in the past two years should be of concern to every American who values life and liberty, Barry said. Coercion to get a COVID-19 shot went from get the vaccine, have a free doughnut to you better get your third dose or you're fired to we're setting up quarantine cans for those who do not comply, which is a pending bill in New York right now. Barry hoped HSB 647 would be a model for other states to enact. The proposal now goes to the House State Government Committee. However, its not clear whether House leadership, which has supported a variety of bills resisting COVID-19 mask and vaccination requirements, will advance the bill. I was a sheriffs deputy in Stanton County when Mike Unger came to work for the sheriffs office as a deputy. It was apparent from the get go that Mike knew what he was doing and was someone that got the job done and did it well. Sheriff Lehman gave him a lot of responsibility because he kne Algeria has failed in its endeavor to bring Palestinian factions together around the mediation table which it pinned hope for in its quest to host the Arab league summit. Algerias quest is more about whitewashing the image of a decaying regime that punches above its weight diplomatically to distract its own citizens from the deepening financial and social crisis. Palestinians are also viewing Algerias mediation effort with a lot of misgiving giving the history of the country as an unreliable mediator that has already sided with the PLO against other formations, especially in the Palestinian Islamic movement. Besides, deepening disagreements within the Palestinian political landscape mean Algerian efforts are doomed to fail. Cracks were apparently deepening between the Palestinian Liberation Organization and influential members of Fatah movement during a recent meeting in Ramallah. Mohamed EL Hindi, a senior Islamic Jihad leader, told Palestinian media in a comment on Algerias hope to bring Palestinians around the negotiation table that no dialogueor consensus are possible between the different Palestinian groups who are divided more than ever. Hamas, whose leaders never forgot how the Algerian army cracked down on other formations of the Muslim Brotherhood during the civil war in the 1990s, is also unwilling to negotiate amid what its leaders describe as irreconcilable differences. President Tebboune had claimed that Algiers will host a meeting to reconciliate Palestinian factions, which are now sending a clear message that such an event will not take place. Algerias president also promised that the Arab League summit will take place in March. But none of that happens as Algeria is seen as a country that acts against Arab consensus. First it cut ties with Morocco as it continues to reap defeats on the Sahara issue, it came closer to Iran and its militias, and defends the brutal Assad regime in Syria, to mention but a few factors that make Egypt and other Arab countries, including the Gulf States, view Algeria with a lot of concern and misgiving. The failure to mediate between Palestinian factions comes after the same military-ruled country failed to mediate between Egypt and Ethiopia on the Nile dam dispute. A country that has rejected the principle of mediation in its unilateral escalation against Morocco, north Africas most stable country, cannot simply be trusted to mediate elsewhere. In the absence of concrete diplomatic achievements, the Algerian regime invests in fake news. The decision of the African Union to delay a vote on Israels observatory status was reported in Algerian official media as a rejection of Israel within the African Union. The correction came from the African Unions spokeswoman Ebba Kalondo who dismissed the news as false! The embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Kiev on Saturday advised Moroccan citizens in Ukraine to leave the country for security reasons. In light of the current situation, Moroccos embassy in Kiev recommends that Moroccan citizens in Ukraine leave the country for their safety via available commercial flights, said a statement from the diplomatic representation. The embassy also calls on Moroccan citizens wishing to travel to Ukraine to postpone their trip. According to the statement, the Moroccan embassy in Kiev provides all Moroccans in Ukraine with the following telephone numbers, so as to receive their calls: 00380931961457 00380637837591 00380930590259 A coalition bringing together the 27 states of the European Union and 13 other countries, including Morocco, was announced on Friday at the One Ocean Summit, with the aim of achieving an international treaty on the protection of high seas, an area of ecological lawlessness, currently under negotiation. The announcement was made by French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, during the opening of the high-level segment of this international Summit. This coalition calls for the adoption this year of an ambitious treaty for the preservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdictions, said the President of the European Commission. We are very close but we have to give impetus to conclude it this year, she insisted. President Emmanuel Macron said the initiative is supported by Australia, Canada, Chile, Comoros, India, Monaco, Morocco, Norway, Peru, Republic of Congo, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. The aim is to conclude these exchanges and move forward to finally have the tools to protect these international waters which are too often an area of ecological lawlessness, underlined the French president. A treaty on the high seas has been formally negotiated under the aegis of the UN since 2018, but discussions were interrupted by the Covid-19 epidemic. The fourth and theoretically final negotiating session is scheduled for March in New York. The negotiations cover four areas: the creation of marine protected areas; marine genetic resources and the sharing of their benefits; the carrying out of environmental impact studies; and the capacity building and technology transfer, particularly to developing countries. However, sensitive points remain to be settled. During a panel entitled protecting and restoring marine ecosystems and promoting sustainable fishing, as part of the High-Level Segment of the One Ocean Summit, the Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, who represented Morocco at this international event, affirmed that the international instrument for the conservation and use of biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions on the high seas, mentioned by the French President, is fundamental because it can directly impact countries. commitments, call on countries to develop and implement ambitious national action plans, and foster robust engagement of stakeholders to contribute toward the agreements objectives while complementing national government contributions. We look forward to partnering with other countries to achieve a successful outcome at UNEA and in the development of such a global agreement, Akhannouch said. Non-annexation highlights of Tuesdays North Platte City Council agenda include appointing a new library director and agreeing to share costs for the next stage of Jeffers Street reconstruction. Council members will be asked to confirm Sky Seery of North Platte as the successor to Library Director Cecelia Lawrence, who retired Feb. 4. Lawrence, who had held the post since March 1995, announced her retirement plans in April 2021. Seery, then North Platte High Schools library director, was hired last June as Lawrences successor-designate. She previously worked for the city library and served on its advisory and foundation boards. Seerys appointment as full-time director would be retroactive to Feb. 5 if the council approves, City Administrator Matthew Kibbon said in a council memorandum. In separate items, the council will be asked to approve agreements with the Nebraska Department of Transportation and create a city street improvement district to rebuild South Jeffers from First to Leota streets. The two-stage, $9.4 million project would start construction in spring 2023 and be done that fall or in early 2024, NDOT District 6 Engineer Gary Thayer has said. The Jeffers work covers the southbound one-way lanes of U.S. Highway 83 north of the South Platte River. Reconstruction of a similar length of South Dewey Street, which carries the northbound lanes, is projected for 2026-27. The state would do the work and pay about 65% of the construction costs, with the city paying $3.7 million for the other 35%. Besides rebuilding South Jeffers itself, the proposed NDOT agreement says, the state would rebuild the first 240 feet of West Francis Street past Jeffers at the citys cost. Concrete decay and breakup on that much-traveled segment of Francis was featured in The Telegraphs fall 2019 Flatrock Fix-Its series. The street continues west past Great Plains Health and Adams Middle School. The city plans to rebuild aging water and sewer lines under Jeffers and relocate them to underneath its sidewalk to the streets east in connection with its reconstruction. But City Administrator Matthew Kibbon will recommend Tuesday that the council reject the lone $2.52 million bid from Myers Construction of Broken Bow to install a wider water main. It would be rebid in the future, he said in a memorandum. In other business, the council will: Decide whether to accept certificates of completion for the replacement of eight traffic signals on state highways in the city and the extension of water service 450 feet south of West Ninth Street along North Carr Avenue. NDOT and the city shared costs of updating the traffic lights at several locations along U.S. 83 and 30. The council will sit as the citys board of equalization March 1 to assess costs of the North Carr water project. Hold third and final votes on ordinances to sell city-owned land at 1300 and 1320 Prospect Drive to Pat Clinch LLC and to rezone land at 4321 and 4421 S. Willow St. to R-1 residential. 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. Nearly 650 people who received a Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a clinic in New Haven between Christmas and Feb. 7 will need to get another shot, city health officials said late Friday, because the vaccine was improperly stored. The doses, which were administered at the New Haven Health Department clinic at 54 Meadow St., were improperly stored at a colder temperature than normal a challenge in vaccination inventory known as temperature excursion, which can reduce the effectiveness of the vaccine. After consulting with the state Department of Public Health and Pfizer, the city is working with community partners to get these individuals revaccinated at other vaccination clinics in the city. Advertisement After consulting with Pfizer and the Connecticut Department of Public Health it was recommended that those who received the improperly stored Pfizer vaccine or booster get revaccinated as soon as they can, said Health Director Maritza Bond. Bond said that Pfizer officials told city officials that the vaccine doses administered in question could be less effective due to temperature excursion. There is no evidence that temperature excursion has caused medical harm, as this has happened in other places throughout the country and no health issues have been reported. Advertisement This issue was identified this week when the Health Department was conducting an inventory of our vaccines, said Mayor Justin Elicker. Following this notification, action was taken to investigate the issue and the director of health immediately reached out to the state Department of Public Health as well the vaccine manufacturer, Pfizer. Elicker said starting Sunday city officials will begin reaching out to those who may be affected via letter, phone and email addresses we have on file and will notify them of the nearest clinic to get revaccinated. The city is reviewing its policies and procedures of vaccine storage, and conducting an internal investigation to identify the cause of this temperature excursion. Additionally, at Elickers request, the DPH will assist the city to conduct a review of all policies and procedures related to vaccination storage. The mayor said anyone who received a Pfizer vaccine at the New Haven Health Department at 54 Meadow St. between Dec. 23 through Feb. 7 should visit covid19.newhavenct.gov to find a site for revaccination. Our Climate: A series exploring a world of fear and promise. Photo: Stephane Mahe/REUTERS The world has learned to stop worrying and love nuclear energy. Or some of the world has, anyway. The nuclear industry spent the bulk of the past decade in nonliteral meltdown. The Fukushima disaster of 2011 triggered a global backlash against atomic energy. In its wake, Japan suspended nearly its entire nuclear fleet, Germany opted to phase out its nuclear plants, and various other nations either halted, delayed, or canceled planned expansions of nuclear energy. The industrys political woes were soon compounded by economic ones. As Americas shale revolution flooded the world with cheap gas and the mass deployment of wind and solar yielded rapid cost reductions in renewables, nuclear energy struggled to compete. To some climate hawks, the long-running, intra-environmentalist debate over whether nuclear was a truly clean energy source began to look moot: Who needs the hassle of radioactive waste when building out renewables is faster and cheaper? But over the past couple of years, nuclear has acquired a new glow. In 2021, Congress invested more than $8 billion in subsidizing existing nuclear plants and bankrolling advanced nuclear demonstration projects, while private investors poured billions more into American nuclear-energy start-ups. Two such firms, TerraPower and X-energy, have plans pending before the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. If President Joe Biden gets his way, Congress will soon incentivize new nuclear production with a special tax credit. And on that matter, Biden is fairly likely to get his way: Boosting nuclear is one of the few items on the presidents climate agenda that boasts Senator Joe Manchins enthusiastic support. Last month, Americas two most universally beloved celebrities, Grimes and Elon Musk, took to social media to advocate for the maintenance of existing nuclear power plants. Meanwhile, the European Commission recently leaked plans to formally declare nuclear energy a green investment. More than a half dozen states from across the region are currently pursuing advanced-nuclear power plants. And China, the worlds biggest carbon emitter, recently unveiled plans to build 150 new nuclear reactors in the next 15 years more than the rest of the world has built in the past three decades. On net, these developments are encouraging. Burgeoning support for nuclear energy reflects, in part, a recognition of renewables current liabilities and the adverse consequences denuclearization has had on global emissions. At the same time, nuclear power still suffers from deficiencies that limit its utility in the fight against climate change. In deference to these realities, the U.S. should redouble its support for existing nuclear plants and pursue regulatory reforms that facilitate the development and deployment of safe, cost-effective nuclear technologies (should they one day exist) without putting all that many eggs in the nuclear basket. The primary reason for nuclears rebounding support is simple: Its probably impossible for the world to meet its emissions-reduction targets without a substantial global expansion of atomic energy. The U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has identified four model pathways for avoiding more than 1.5-degree warming. Three of these involve increasing nuclears share of primary energy provision by between 150 and 500 percent; none allow for nuclears share to decline far from its 2018 level. When the International Energy Agency tried to map out a path to net-zero global emissions by 2050, it found that hitting that target would likely require doubling worldwide nuclear-power production. Although more vital at the global level, building new nuclear plants or failing that, maintaining existing ones would ease Americas path to decarbonizing its entire economy by mid-century. Princeton University researchers recently modeled a variety of pathways for achieving full decarbonization in the U.S. by 2050 and found that the cheapest pathway, given existing technology, involved tripling nuclear-power generation. Nuclears indispensability is a function of renewables persistent liabilities. Cost reductions in the renewable sector have been truly phenomenal. The past decade witnessed a ninefold reduction in the cost of solar energy, a 40 percent drop in that of wind power, and a 70 percent plunge in utility-scale batteries. Project that breakneck pace of innovation forward and it can seem like nuclears obsolescence is nigh. At present, however, there isnt any scalable solution to renewables intermittency problem, or at least not one that would allow America to live on renewable electricity alone. Standard lithium-ion batteries can store solar and wind energy for hours but not for days or weeks. To avert power failures amid seasonal fluctuations in wind speeds and sunlight, we still need a foundation of firm energy on our grids. And among proven technologies, nuclear is the most reliable source of round-the-clock non-carbon power. Last years energy crunch threw a spotlight on this reality. Thanks in part to the global economys unexpectedly rapid recovery from the COVID-19 recession, oil and gas prices spiked last year. In Europe, these cost burdens were compounded by unusually slow winds and limited rainfall, which yielded a smaller-than-anticipated supply of renewable power. And yet, throughout the resulting energy crisis, nuclear-power plants provided a constant supply of non-carbon power at a stable price. This demonstration of the energy sources resilience bolstered nuclears advocates on the continent. Meanwhile, the emissions trajectories of nations that curbed nuclear plants over the past decade illustrated renewables present inadequacies. In Germany, energy lost to the phasing out of nuclear was replaced primarily by coal-fired power plants. This not only undermined the nations pursuit of carbon neutrality, it also increased the lethality of its energy system. A 2019 paper from the National Bureau of Economic Research estimated that Germanys nuclear phaseout increased pollution-induced deaths by about 1,100 a year. That finding reflects a reality that nuclears champions are wont to emphasize: For all the safety concerns that atomic energy inspires, it is exponentially less damaging to public health than fossil energy. Even if one accepts the highest scientific estimate of the Chernobyl disasters death toll, the worst nuclear accident in history still killed a tiny fraction of the number of people that fossil-fuel plants kill annually while working as designed. Japans nuclear phaseout has been similarly ill-fated. The carbon intensity of the nations power sector soared following the post-Fukushima closures. And now the Japanese governments climate advisory group is warning that the country will be incapable of meeting its emissions-reduction targets unless it restarts nearly every nuclear plant it took off-line last decade. These developments demonstrate the importance of keeping existing nuclear plants online unless or until breakthroughs in renewable-energy storage ensures that lost atomic energy will not be supplanted by carbon sources. Beyond intermittency, renewables have other liabilities that have bolstered the case for subsidizing advanced-nuclear technologies. One leading drawback of atomic energy is its political unpalatability. And yet, while renewable energy is extremely popular in the abstract, wind and solar have their own political difficulties in practice. Both energy sources are far more land-intensive than nuclear. They will also likely require vast expansions in energy-transmission infrastructure. According to Princetons study, achieving net-zero emissions by mid-century through renewables alone would require quintupling electricity transmission so as to move energy generated in far-flung solar and wind farms to population centers. All this means that building out enough renewable capacity to fully decarbonize the electrical grid will require winning a dizzying number of discrete land-use battles. Which will be profoundly difficult since even environmental groups cannot be trusted to support building out renewables or high-voltage transmission lines in their (figurative) backyards. In just the past few months, three of Maines top green groups helped block a transmission line that would have brought hydropower from Canada in the name of preserving their states natural beauty. In Massachusetts this month, the Amherst chapter of the Sunrise Movement lobbied for a moratorium on new solar projects. Of course, few propositions will inspire more intense NIMBY resistance than new nuclear-power plants. But since such plants produce so much more energy per square foot of land, they may ultimately present less vexing siting issues than a 100 percent renewable-electricity system would. This said, overcoming renewables intermittency and land issues may be more plausible than transcending new nuclears present economic inefficiency and protracted development process. In a 2018 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers tried to find a plausible scenario in which advanced-nuclear technologies achieve cost competitiveness in the U.S. by 2050 and came up empty. Building many more conventional nuclear power plants in the United States is essentially hopeless. Such light-water reactors require massive infrastructure, replete with safety-enhancing redundancies. The few utilities that have tried to add conventional nuclear capacity in recent years have come to regret it, with South Carolinas Virgil C. Summer Nuclear Power Station ending up canceled and Georgias Plant Vogtle coming in late and disastrously over budget. But light-water reactors were always intended as a first-generation nuclear technology. And the industry has long rested its hopes on advanced-reactor designs that boast greater inherent safety and cost efficiency. Investors have been especially keen on small modular reactors, or SMRs, which can be constructed piece by piece from standardized parts in factories and deployed rapidly to wherever more energy capacity is needed. Unfortunately, the PNAS study found that attempts in the past several decades to develop economical advanced-nuclear technologies have yielded scant progress. Meanwhile, SMRs modeled on existing light-water technology incur both the economic premium and the considerable regulatory burden associated with any nuclear reactor. Therefore, the researchers do not see a clear path forward for the United States to deploy sufficient numbers of SMRs in the electric power sector to make a significant contribution to greenhouse gas mitigation by the middle of this century. The PNAS study isnt the final word on the subject. Thanks to a flurry of private investment, the past couple of years have seen some potential breakthroughs. In Britain, Rolls-Royce says it developed a means of constructing SMRs at less than one-tenth the cost of conventional nuclear plants, and the U.K. government is betting on the companys technology. Regardless, it remains the case that nuclear power is uniquely viable in technical terms. Unlike renewables, existing nuclear technology is already capable of delivering stable, non-carbon energy at an economywide scale. In fact, it demonstrated this capacity decades ago. Between 1979 and 1988, France cut its average annual C02 emissions by 2.9 percent and reduced the carbon intensity of its energy system by 4.5 percent, the largest decline any country has achieved in a single decade by far. And it achieved this by simply replacing the bulk of its electricity providers with state-owned nuclear power plants. So nuclear works as a means of decarbonization. The trouble in the West is new nuclear cant currently compete in energy markets, faces steep regulatory burdens, and takes a very long time to build. Rolls-Royce does not expect its first SMR to be operative until 2031. On the other hand, if a country had a state-run economy unbeholden to market imperatives, an authoritarian government capable of overriding the public fears that fuel regulatory burdens, and another 38 years before it needed to achieve carbon neutrality under its international commitments, then nuclear energy would be a powerful decarbonization tool indeed. For better or worse, the worlds No. 1 emitter of CO2 fits these specifications. China plans to build out 200 gigawatts of atomic-energy capacity by 2035, enough to light up more than a dozen cities as populous as Beijing. So even if new nuclear proves nonviable in the U.S., it is poised to play a central role in global decarbonization. All this has (at least) three implications for American climate policy. First, efforts to keep existing nuclear plants running should be redoubled. Given their significant maintenance costs and inability to compete with gas on price, these plants will be fiscally expensive to sustain. But from a climate-realist perspective, its still a bargain. Maintaining nuclear plants is much cheaper than building new ones. And losing a firm source of non-carbon energy that already provides nearly one-fifth of U.S. electricity is antithetical to meeting Americas emission-reduction targets. Despite this fact, some of Americas bluest states have shuttered nuclear plants in recent years. In 2021, New York closed its Indian Point nuclear plant, and California is on the cusp of shutting down the Diablo Canyon Power Plant. Climate hawks must make preserving such facilities a top-tier policy priority. Second, states that wish to impose mandates on the kinds of electricity their utilities can purchase should pursue zero-carbon mandates as opposed to renewable-only ones. In the near term, nuclear is needed to compensate for renewables intermittency. And while it is possible and perhaps even likely that it will be easier to overcome renewables downsides than nuclears in the long run, that should be decided by technical innovation, not regulatory discrimination. All else being equal, renewables are certainly preferable to nuclear given that solar panels generate neither radioactive waste nor the risk of nuclear-weapons proliferation. But if developing long-term battery storage proves more difficult than hoped, or securing the land necessary for a fully renewable grid proves politically untenable, we will be glad we did not snuff out other forms of non-carbon energy through legal prohibitions. Finally, there is a strong case for regulatory reforms that make it easier to deploy advanced-nuclear technologies. Congress passed a law in 2019 that directed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to complete rulemaking to establish a technology-inclusive, regulatory framework that encourages greater technological innovation for the advanced nuclear reactor program, as Sonal Patel wrote in Power magazine. But the NRCs preliminary rule bucks the spirit of that law by imposing more licensing requirements on advanced-nuclear plants than on light-water reactors despite the formers superior safety profile. It is of course extremely important to ensure the safety of new nuclear facilities. At the same time, to the extent that excessive or redundant safety provisions inhibit nuclears capacity to compete with fossil fuels which kill about 8 million people annually through air pollution the effect will be to increase the lethality of Americas energy infrastructure. This reality should inform regulation of the nuclear sector more than it presently does. In sum, the nuclear option has real flaws. But as the world is belatedly recognizing, we dont have the luxury of forgoing imperfect tools in our quest for mutually assured decarbonization. Washington, PA (15301) Today Cloudy in the morning, then thunderstorms developing later in the day. Potential for severe thunderstorms. High 76F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70%.. Tonight Thunderstorms likely. Low 59F. Winds SSW at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 80%. OP, you are doing the lord's work with these posts. thank you <3 (and the bookstores I have gift cards to thank you as well, because I'm sure I will be buying many from this list haha. Trying to restrain myself until the summer to see how many books on my shelf I can read) A lot of interesting ones in here! Gonna dive in. Reply Thread Link if y'all are on netgalley, i requested an ARC of wrath goddess sing and got approved and i only have one review, so if you're interested and want to read it early, definitely request it! idk if it's a smaller press or some publishers are loosening requirements for ARC approvals. city inside, the final strife, and katzenjammer have caught my eye. re: silk fire, feeling sensitive about being critiqued is understandable, but i wish authors would stop trying to frame bad reviews as harassment campaigns and people trying to ruin their careers. but i guess that makes more sense than lauren hodge getting so angry about a 4 star review for her memoir. as always, thanks for these posts! Reply Thread Link Bought Tom Allen's memoir. God I love him. Current reading The Master Key by Masako Togawa Reply Thread Link Some of these sound really good and some of these covers are Art. Reply Thread Link Thank you for these posts! Bummer that your original lists for future posts got deleted but I appreciate you taking the time to build them back up! What Moves the Dead and The Pallbearer's Club stick out to me. I haven't read any of Tremblay's books but I heard good things. They Drown Our Daughters sounds like it might be up my alley too... Reply Thread Link Thank you for these posts! I added so many to my Goodreads. Reply Thread Link `The City Inside` reminds me just a little of `Sagramanda` and `Iron Widow` from that synopsis. Reply Thread Link . The Last Binding series has such lovely, eye-catching covers, but forget that, I don't think I can explain how excited I am for Nona the Ninth. It's such a change from the Gideon and Harrow covers and there is a dog. The book sounds so different than the previous two (which were both wildly different from anything else I'd read) but like, this quote has me in shambles with how much I'm looking forward to this book: "I quite liked the idea of this story inhabiting a kind of Full-Frontal Snogging genre from Nonas POV." And this is also promising: "Nona is about a friend you know getting super, super drunk at the club, and youre sitting with him in the local McDonalds at midnight as he tells you a bunch of incredibly intimate details about something you always wondered about, and youre torn between wishing you were not in this McDonalds and egging him on, because you know hes really, really going to regret telling you all this when hes sober." ANYWAY, I am looking forward to that book something fierce, not looking forward to waiting seven more months. The final two covers that were missing from my sequels post were released:The Last Binding series has such lovely, eye-catching covers, but forget that, I don't think I can explain how excited I am for. It's such a change from theandcovers and there is a. The book sounds so different than the previous two (which were both wildly different from anything else I'd read) but like, this quote has me in shambles with how much I'm looking forward to this book: "I quite liked the idea of this story inhabiting a kind ofgenre from Nonas POV." And this is also promising: "is about a friend you know getting super, super drunk at the club, and youre sitting with him in the local McDonalds at midnight as he tells you a bunch of incredibly intimate details about something you always wondered about, and youre torn between wishing you were not in this McDonalds and egging him on, because you know hes really, really going to regret telling you all this when hes sober."ANYWAY, I am looking forward to that book something fierce, not looking forward to waiting seven more months. Reply Thread Link OP I love these posts so much! My wallet does not lol. Just finished: We Need To Do Something by Max Booth III Currently reading Suffer the Children by Craig DiLouie I've also read the first couple pages of My Heart Is A Chainsaw and Dead Silence, but I'm slower at reading books I own versus books from the library. Apparently, I like time crunches. Reply Thread Link I'm slower at reading books I own versus books from the library. Apparently, I like time crunches. Relatable lmao. Nothing motivates me to buckle down and read a book like it being due back to the library in 2 days and I'm only 15% into it lmao Reply Parent Thread Link I really like the Achilles premise of Wrath Goddess Sing, but turning Helen from continuously trafficked woman, which is what she is in myth into Achilles antagonist, when lbr, Achilles is always responding to bullshit from men into the Iliad, is a questionable choice that I hope reads better in the book. Edited at 2022-02-12 07:23 pm (UTC) Reply Thread Link the doc I had all the data saved in was inadvertently deleted by someone using my laptop Oh nooooo. That hurts and I wasnt even the one who put them together. Im sorry you lost all that work. Lots of spooky picks this time. Im most interested in A Taste of Gold and Iron. Give me that romance! It sounds like what I wanted from The Priory of the Orange Tree which focused too much on all the other characters and stories idgaf about for my liking. Reply Thread Link Thanks for this list, OP! I put Little Bird (found family but make it skeletons made me lol), The Pallbearer's Club (even though I only ever liked Head Full of Ghosts I keep coming back) and some others to my list. I read Dana Scwartz's Anatomy recently it was fine but felt like something was missing, like it was an outline for a story and not a "full" novel if that makes sense. Then I find out after that it was YA and I was like 'oh...'. YA isn't my preference at all. So when my copy of Iron Widow came in I was leery. But loved it sfm! I can't wait for the next book. Reply Thread Link (even though I only ever liked Head Full of Ghosts I keep coming back) lol same. I questioned my decision to add it to my list but I'll give him another chance. Cabin at the End of the World had such potential but it pissed me off so much Reply Parent Thread Link I just devoured The Twisted Ones in about 6 hours total and enjoyed it well enough, so I'll have to remember this upcoming book by T. Kingfisher. I'm on a wait list on Libby for her other book, The Hollow Places. The other book I finished this week was The Last Season, a sort of hybrid biography slash true crime slash nature/survival book about Randy Morgensen, a longtime backcountry ranger who disappeared one season. I really enjoyed it, would recommend to anyone else who finds similar books interesting. I'm just starting Taaqtumi, an anthology of Arctic horror stories, today. I was attracted because the stories are actually by Inuk writers rather than just random white ppl using Inuit folklore as inspiration, and I'd like to see more of that as the norm. Reply Thread Link OP you are doing TERRIBLE things to my TBR and I love it, thank you so much for these posts <3 The Final Strife is the one that sticks out to me the most in this post. wlw friends -> lovers made me squeal internally when I read the description haha Reply Thread Link According to a report by Elliptic, over $570,000 of cryptocurrency has flooded into voluntary organizations and NGOs in Ukraine. People from around the world are sending bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to finance Ukrainian forces against Russia as the country crowdfunds to support its war efforts. Having developed a burgeoning crypto market, Ukraine is now using its experience with digital currency to enhance its military and online capabilities. According to a report by Elliptic, over $570,000 of cryptocurrency has flooded into voluntary organizations and NGOs in Ukraine to help provide the army with military equipment, medical supplies, and drones. In addition, funds are supporting the development of a facial recognition app to identify whether someone is a Russian mercenary or spy. The fact that crypto can be sent anonymously, without strict checks, makes it easier to transfer funds across borders. Elliptics Chief Scientist Tom Robinson states, Cryptocurrency is increasingly being used to crowdfund war, with the tacit approval of governments. Demonstrating perhaps the first example of crypto being used in such away. Formal responses have already been made as the U.S., U.K. and other states have sent military equipment to Ukraine to help prepare it for a possible Russian invasion. However, voluntary forces have become an important part of Ukraines military efforts in recent years. Robinson explains the benefits of crypto over other types of currency in funding voluntary efforts, Cryptocurrency is particularly suited to international fundraising because it doesnt respect national boundaries and its censorship-resistant there is no central authority that can block transactions, for example in response to sanctions. And Ukraines grassroots crypto activity is now being taken seriously at the national level. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it legal for the central bank to issue a digital currency. He has also worked with the government to legalize and regulate cryptocurrency, making it easy for companies to trade in digital currencies. Some groups fundraising cryptocurrency include Come Back Alive, an organization founded in 2014 that provides military equipment, training services and medical supplies. It began accepting crypto donations in 2018 and received around $200,000 in the second half of 2021. Come Back Alive told Reuters, We have made a bitcoin wallet because people keep asking for it, and we want to give opportunities for everyone to support us comfortably. The organization Ukrainian Cyber Alliance has received a reported $100,000 to support its cyberattacks on Russian forces in recent years. And Myrotvorets Center, a controversial organization closely connected to the Ukrainian government, publishes personal information of enemies of the state. Ukraine could quickly become a crypto superpower at the rate funds are flooding in. Following the legalization of digital currencies in 2021, the low taxes and simple paperwork associated with the new payment method is attracting more individuals and businesses to crypto. In addition, it offers Ukraine the opportunity to establish itself as an Eastern European hub for innovation and development. It is already establishing a large pool of developers and being recognized for the programmers supporting the countrys digital transformation. Mykhailo Fedorov, Ukraines Vice Prime Minister of Digital Transformation stated of the move to legalize and regulate cryptocurrency, The development of a new industry will allow attracting transparent investments and will strengthen the image of our country as a high-tech state. Related: U.S. Gasoline Prices Soar To 2014 High According to a scale established by data firm Chainalysis, Ukraine ranks fourth on the Global Crypto Adoption Index, with an estimated $8 billion in cryptocurrencies entering and leaving the country every year. This equates to around $150 million a day. Many Ukrainians have been drawn to crypto as a place to invest their money as there is no strong stock market alternative. The Ukrainian Digital Ministry is so confident about the countrys place in the international digital currency market that it has set the objective of doubling the percentage that tech contributes to the national GDP from 5 percent to 10 percent. It also expects to double the number of people employed in tech to 500,000. And now new companies are cropping up to try their luck at the Ukrainian crypto market. Major cryptocurrency exchange Binance is preparing to launch a new crypto-payment card in Ukraine, which would place it as a dominant position. The companys general manager Kirill Khomyakov stated, "Binance card is not yet available for Ukrainian users, but we are actively working on its launch. This is one of our top priorities for 2022." Over the last year, Ukraine has worked hard to establish itself as a cryptocurrency hub thanks to the recent legalization and regulation measures taken surrounding digital currencies. It has been developing its pool of tech workers and expects to establish itself as a crypto hub in Europe in the coming years. However, cryptocurrencies have become even more vital to Ukraines economy in recent months as the threat of invasion from Russia has led individuals and companies from around the world to send funds to voluntary and government-associated groups to help them prepare. This could be the first example of cryptocurrency being used to support a war effort as well as to form an integral part of the national economy. By Felicity Bradstock for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: China continues to import metals and minerals to shore up its own reserves which have raised accusations of weaponizing trade from other countries. Chinas aggressive mining policies have not gone unnoticed by the rest of the world. In 1953, China spelled out its 1st Five-Year Plan. The strategy involved maximizing the nations control over exploration, production, and exports of natural resources. Based upon all available indicators, the country seems to have succeeded in extending that plan around the globe. News out of China earlier this week confirmed this fact. Ecuadorean President Guillermo Lasso said that it would conclude trade negotiations with China later this year. From all indications, the new trade deal between China and Ecuador may include more exports of Ecuadorean minerals to China. In the last 10 years or so, China has already come to the aid of Ecuador. China extended long-term credit running into millions of dollars for trade thats tied in with crude oil, minerals and other projects. Ecuador does not stand alone in Latin America. China has arrangements with other countries to exploit natural resources such as iron ore, copper, nickel and rare earth elements (REE). Earlier this month, Xi announced a further deepening of ties between his country and Argentina. This came after Zijin Mining Group announced that it would invest US $380 million to build a lithium carbonate plant in Argentina. Incidentally, Argentina, Chile and Bolivia make up South Americas lithium triangle. China and imports: accusations of weaponizing trade In addition to its traditional trading partners like the US and Australia, China has extended its expansionist trade tentacles across another continent. In Africa, Chinas aggressive mining policies have not gone unnoticed by the rest of the world. Afghanistan serves as another example. For example, after Congo had emerged from civil war in the early 2000s, China had seized the opening to buy mines. From those early years in this relationship, the China-Congo alliance has come a long way. Beijing has its hands in copper and cobalt projects worth billions. The way China has managed its foreign and trade policies from the 1950s underlines that its expansionist strategy drawn up in those early years still guides its actions. Iron ore the big score Iron ore likely represents where the Chinese have scored the most as compared to other countries. Beijing largely depends on Australia and Brazil for the same. Ore imports from these two countries have accounted for about 80% of all imports since 2015. Of course, with diplomatic ties between China and Australia souring in recent years, it has dampened trade between the two. In 2022, analysts expect Australian ore imports to fall below the 60% mark. To tackle the drop perhaps, China said on Feb. 7 that it aimed to step up mines iron ore production and use steel scrap to develop a more efficient, greener ferrous industry. According to the South China Morning Post, a joint statement with state planners and environmental regulators, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) vowed to consolidate and restructure the steel industry. MetalMiner previously covered that topic in this months Raw Steels MMI report. China and Rare Earth policy Of course, no report or analysis of Chinas trade policies can avoid the countrys REE strategy. According to some estimates, the country mines over 70% of the worlds rare earths. In addition, China accounts for over 90% cent of rare earth refining and production. Rare earths remain essential inputs to various technologies, including defense systems and satellites. The US also relies on China for at least 80% of its rare earths. That has long raised the hackles of the US administration and lawmakers. For years now, the US has worked to explore alternatives to reduce this reliance. Related: Colombias Oil Industry Is Finally Showing Signs Of Life In the Democratic Republic of Congo, China already has access to the largest untapped reserves of cobalt. Of the 14 large cobalt mines, as many as eight have tie-ups with Chinese companies. A few days ago, Chinas Zijin Mining had announced that its first lithium exploration project launched in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) through Katamba Mining, a joint venture between Zijin and Congolaise dExploitation Miniere (COMINIERE) of the DRC. Elsewhere, in Australia, another Chinese firm recently acquired a 51% stake in the worlds largest lithium mine there. According to another news report, in January of this year, another Chinese mining financier had bought equity in a junior mining company exploring cesium and lithium in northeastern Ontario, Canada. According to this report, Sinomine Rare Metals Resources would provide $3 million to Power Metals Corp. through a financing agreement to give the company a 5.7% interest in the Vancouver and Arizona-based junior miner. In 2021, China, the largest producer in the world of primary and hollow aluminum, imported a record amount of the same for the second consecutive year. Imports of refined nickel and copper continue at the same speed. Refined nickel imports in 2021 doubled year-on-year. So have purchases of a wide range of nickel raw materials. Strategic stockpiling Furthermore, China continues to import metals and minerals to shore up its own reserves. This has raised accusations of weaponizing trade from other countries. Once, former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott had said so in so many words. While calling for Britain and its allies to stop technology sales to China, he had called for the world to reorient essential supply chains away from China. An adviser to the UK Board of Trade, Abbott had said Beijing viewed trade as a strategic weapon that can be turned on and off. By AG Metal Miner More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: 1 killed, 14 injured in blast in W. Afghanistan Xinhua) 10:39, February 12, 2022 Injured people receive medical treatment at a hospital in Qala-e-Naw, capital of Badghis Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2022. One person was dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in Qala-e-Naw, provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said on Friday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) QALA-E-NAW, Afghanistan, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- One person has been confirmed dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in western Afghanistan, the provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said Friday. Qanet said the dead and the 14 wounded, with one in critical condition, have been taken to hospital following the blast that took place at the main gate of the mosque in Qala-e-Naw city, capital of western Afghanistan's Badghis province. Four children were among the injured, the official added. Baz Mohammad Sarwari, director of Information and Culture of Badghis province, has also confirmed the explosion, saying the blast occurred at 02:00 p.m. local time and an investigation has been initiated. According to Sarwari, 10 suspects have been arrested, and no group or individual has claimed responsibility for the incident. An injured man receives medical treatment at a hospital in Qala-e-Naw, capital of Badghis Province, Afghanistan, Feb. 11, 2022. One person was dead and 14 others were injured after an explosive device went off in front of the main mosque in Qala-e-Naw, provincial health chief Mohammad Asif Qanet said on Friday. (Photo by Mashal/Xinhua) (Web editor: Meng Bin, Bianji) Raytheon Technologies Corp. disclosed Friday its the target of a federal probe into the hiring practices of its commercial aviation divisions, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace. (MICHAEL McANDREWS / Hartford Courant) Raytheon Technologies Corp. disclosed Friday its the target of a federal probe into the hiring practices at its aviation divisions, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace. The Waltham, Massachusetts-based defense and aviation giant said in a regulatory filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission it was recently advised that its a target of an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. It says its cooperating with the investigation. Advertisement [ Grand jury indicts six from Connecticut aerospace industry of conspiracy in limiting workers advancement and compensation ] No criminal charge has been filed against the company or its affiliates, Raytheon said. Its the first time the company has commented on the matter. Raytheon said it received a grand jury subpoena in late 2019 as part of a Department of Justice criminal investigation into purported agreements not to solicit or hire employees in violation of the federal antitrust laws. Advertisement The investigation has focused on alleged hiring restrictions between and among jet engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney and suppliers of outsourced engineering services, Raytheon said. The subpoena also included requests regarding Collins Aerospace, Raytheon said. Collins is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, but has operations in Connecticut, including at the former Hamilton Sundstrand site at Windsor Locks. It manufactures a range of aviation parts and components such as landing gear, cockpit equipment and cabin components. News @3 Daily Catch up on the days top headlines sent directly to your inbox weekdays at 3 p.m > A federal grand jury in Bridgeport in December indicted five aerospace executives and a former Pratt & Whitney employee on charges of conspiring to limit workers professional advancement and compensation. The six men were accused of participating in a long-running conspiracy to restrict the hiring and recruiting of employees among their respective companies. According to the one-count felony indictment unsealed, six individuals conspired with unnamed others to not hire or solicit employees from each others companies. No current or former Collins Aerospace employees were named in the indictment, Raytheon Technologies said. Three civil lawsuits have since been filed against various aerospace suppliers and Pratt & Whitney, accusing the businesses of suppressing wages and blocking career advancement. Raytheon said plaintiffs in the civil lawsuits seek treble damages in an undetermined amount, plus attorneys fees and costs of suit. It said it expects that all the lawsuits will be consolidated into a single joint complaint. We believe that each of these lawsuits lacks merit, Raytheon said. Based on the information available to date, we do not believe that this matter will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial condition or liquidity. Advertisement Stephen Singer can be reached at ssinger@courant.com. One teacher was sent to the hospital after a fight at King Science & Technology Magnet Center in Omaha on Friday. A large fight occurred about 2 p.m. at the school, located at 3720 Florence Blvd., said Officer Phil Anson, a spokesman for the Omaha Police Department. The fight resulted in a teacher being assaulted and then transported to the Nebraska Medical Center with unknown injuries. In an email sent to King Science parents, Principal Jane Laughlin said the fight occurred in a hallway, and several police officers responded to the middle school. A school resource officer sprayed mace while responding to the fight and students were checked out by health professionals. Please be assured that the safety of students and staff is our top priority, Laughlin said in the email. Anson said numerous students will be cited on suspicion of either assault or disorderly conduct for being involved in the fight. Earlier on Friday, another fight was reported about 11:30 a.m. at Benson High School, 5120 Maple St. The fight involved eight students, and officers called to the scene were able to break up the fight, Anson said. According to an email sent to Benson High School parents by district officials, the Benson High School resource officer also sprayed mace into the group of students to break up the fight at that school. After the fight started, school administrators, school security officers and our school resource officer immediately began working to deescalate the situation, according to the email. After multiple verbal warnings, the (security resource officer) administered mace to get the student altercation to stop, the email states. As a precaution, EMTs and the school nurse were called to look over any students who may have been maced. School officials said in both emails that appropriate disciplinary action will be taken regarding the fights at Benson High and King Science. Both incidents are under investigation. 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. LINCOLN A key lawmaker called it quits Friday on efforts to deliver property tax relief by revamping the state school aid formula. State Sen. Lynne Walz of Fremont, the Education Committee chairwoman, put her Legislative Bill 890 on hold in the face of stiff opposition from senators who argued that the measure would disproportionately benefit large schools and would amount to a property tax increase for rural property owners. The proposal would have increased state aid to schools by $728 million a year, thus reducing the need for property taxes. About 60% of property taxes go to pay for schools. We have a proposal that works for all Nebraskans and all taxpayers, Walz said, arguing that the only way to fix the property tax problem is by increasing state support of education. But opponents called the proposal completely unacceptable because it would take $548 million out of a tax credit program and repurpose that money for school aid. The so-called LB 1107 credit program provides income tax credits for property taxes paid. For this year, the credits will offset about 25% of school taxes. Sen. Curt Friesen of Henderson said taxpayers in 125 school districts would end up as net losers under Walz plan. Those are people who get more back from LB 1107 tax credits than they would save through the projected school property tax reductions. To stand here on the floor and say every taxpayer gets helped is a blatant lie, he said. Sen. Tom Briese of Albion objected to the uneven effects on school property tax levies. The Omaha Public Schools, for example, would see its levy drop by 41 cents, down from the current levy of $1.0143. But the Elgin Public Schools, in Antelope County, would see only a 2-cent drop, down from its $.3295 levy. He also said the bill needed a mechanism to ensure that additional state dollars would translate into property tax cuts. His proposal that would have created such a mechanism stalled earlier this week in the face of a filibuster. The school aid revamp plan was developed over several months by Walz, working with Columbus Public Schools Superintendent Troy Loeffelholz and the districts finance director, Chip Kay. The plan won support from large, medium and small school districts, plus officials from the states main education groups, even as they acknowledged some remaining issues. But OPS Superintendent Cheryl Logan opposed it, as did leading agricultural groups. Walz introduced the school funding pieces of the plan as LB 890, while Sen. Brett Lindstrom of Omaha introduced the tax-related pieces in LB 891. His bill remains stuck in the Revenue Committee. Along with repurposing the tax credit money, the plan would have earmarked a half-cent of sales tax revenue for education. The earmarked money would have gone into a trust fund. Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, the Revenue Committee chairwoman, questioned how the state would afford that half-cent, especially if lawmakers want to eliminate income taxes on Social Security benefits or cut corporate and individual tax rates this year. Some senators decried the legislative stalemate over school funding and property taxes. Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward said the plan responded to past complaints that schools were not offering solutions to bring down property taxes. He suggested tabling the bill for a week to negotiate a compromise, particularly on the funding issue. Weve got a golden opportunity, with our school districts engaged, to get something done, he said. In the end, Walz said it became clear that opponents were unwilling to compromise. She said she plans to refocus on education issues, such as getting more teachers into classrooms, rather than continue to work on a plan to address property taxes. Under the plan, all school districts would have received a certain amount of money for each student, called education stabilization base aid. If the plan had been in place this year, total base aid would have been $352 million, and per-student payments would have been almost $1,100. The second part of the plan would have boosted the share of income tax revenue going to school districts, to 20% of income taxes paid by district residents, up from 2.23% now. For the current year, that would mean a $403 million shift from state coffers to school districts. The plan also would have allowed more schools to qualify for state equalization aid, which is intended to fill in the gap between what schools need to educate students and the amount of money they receive from property taxes and other sources. Currently, 87 of the states 244 school districts qualify for equalization aid. Under the new plan, 148 districts would have qualified this year. 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 letter on Megan McCauls front door gives her 30 days to come up with rent. Otherwise, the single mother of three will be evicted. McCaul told the Nebraska Legislatures Urban Affairs Committee on Friday that shes continued to struggle during the pandemic, losing several jobs leading up to her recent eviction notice. The Lincoln woman was one of several people who testified before the committee on legislation that would require Gov. Pete Ricketts to apply for a second round of federal dollars to be used for emergency rental and mortgage assistance. Ricketts previously said that he would not apply for the additional $120 million, citing a lack of need in the state and concerns about the potential for fraud. The states budget director previously said the decision would make Nebraska one of two states to leave the money on the table. The decision sparked a backlash from some state lawmakers and housing advocates, who pointed to ongoing need for rental and mortgage assistance in the state. State Sen. Matt Hansen of Lincoln told The World-Herald that is exactly why he introduced the measure before the committee Friday. Theres still plenty of Nebraskans struggling with housing, he said. I dont think it makes any sense to turn down this opportunity. The states current program allows struggling renters to get up to a years worth of back rent, plus three additional months. Money is sent directly to landlords and utility providers on renters behalf. The state, Omaha, Lincoln, Douglas County and Lancaster County all were allotted money. Nebraska received $200 million from the U.S. Treasury for the first round. Its expected to help renters through the end of this year. The second round of funding could be spent for an additional three years. Hansen told the committee that the first round of money has been underused in part because of the application process, as well as a lack of awareness and outreach. Part of Ricketts reasoning for turning down the second round of funding is because he doesnt see a need, Hansen said. I hope today that need comes through loud and clear. Lawyers, landlords and officials with community organizations that offer housing assistance testified before the committee. Several testifiers said the application process is cumbersome for tenants. It requires information from tenant and landlord, including several pieces of documentation like pay stubs and photo identification. Lee Will, the state budget administrator, said the states documentation requirements help protect against fraud. Some may find it cumbersome, he said. I would say were not paying fraudulent actors. But Andy Marsh, who owns almost 600 rental properties between Hastings and Grand Island, said the application portal is time consuming. It assumes that his tenants have working cellphones, laptops, an internet connection or transportation to a local library. Marsh said he has given his staff members laptops to go door to door to help tenants apply for assistance. But he and his staff have to babysit the applications, often calling or emailing to follow up. Theyve sometimes gone more than a month without hearing back or have spent hours on hold to find out what was holding applications up. Karen Rathke, president of the Heartland United Way in Grand Island, said many of the families served are living paycheck to paycheck. But the organization has limited resources to help those people. The process could be more efficient, she said, if money were in the hands of providers in the community. Rathke said they vet applications as closely as possible to be sure that money is going to the right people. But helping people painstakingly apply through the state portal is starting to leave some service providers feeling burnt out. Theres a pot of money that has not been allocated and has to be spent by the end of September, she said. We would desperately appreciate having some of those resources. Some other states have let applicants use self-attestation in applying for assistance, streamlining the process, said Kasey Ogle, an attorney with Nebraska Appleseed. Nebraska has taken another route, asking them to provide several pieces of documentation. Additional funding would help prevent a tsunami of homelessness in Nebraska communities, said Dave Pantos, a volunteer lawyer with the Nebraska Tenant Assistance Project. Eviction court in Douglas County recently had 135 cases scheduled, the most since March 2020, said Erin Feichtinger of Together Omaha. The majority of those cases were for nonpayment. Inefficiencies in the state program are by the states own design, Feichtinger said. Those quirks can be worked out in a second round of funding, she said. The committee received 58 letters of support and no letters opposing the measure. Will, the budget administrator, spoke against the measure on behalf of Ricketts. Will said money from the first round of funding was split, with $158.6 million going to the state, $22.2 million for Omaha, $13.5 million for Lincoln, $4.3 million for Douglas County and $1.4 million for Lancaster County. The state undertook marketing efforts, including social media posts, radio ads and billboards, he said. The reason for opposition, he said, is that the governor doesnt believe its a need for the state. Will said Nebraska doesnt show the same need as other states. Its the governors position that the need is going to be taken care of through the end of the year, he said. Will declined to comment during the hearing on whether the governor would decline to apply for funding if the bill passes. Will said state officials have been in contact with all localities to make sure that rent assistance will be in place through the end of the calendar year. At some point, the assistance has to end, he said. McCaul, the single mother who testified, said shes had to miss up to a month of work at a time because of day care or school closing after a COVID-19 exposure. Thats caused her to lose several jobs. Its frustrating, she said. She hopes that a second round of funding and the extra time allotted for distributing money would give people like her a chance to bounce back. This is going to be a really good thing, especially for families like me who are really trying to provide, McCaul said. I just need to live. Before Fridays hearing, Hansen told The World-Herald that hes optimistic about the bill. He also realizes that the governor could choose to apply for funding on his own. A spokesperson for the governor did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday evening. I would be glad and grateful to see that happen, Hansen said. Well see the immense need, and hopefully we can find a path forward. 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. Portfolio reviews open to public at Main Gallery 404 BLOOMINGTON Main Gallery 404, 404 N. Main St., in downtown Bloomington will host an evening of portfolio reviews on Wednesday, Feb. 16 from 5-8 p.m. Artists can visit the gallery with up to 10 examples of recent work for discussion and feedback from the curators to help them reach a level of self-assessment and direction. Reviews will last approximately 15 minutes. Appointments are encouraged but artists may drop by that evening if there are any slots still available. Appointments can be made by emailing the gallery at maingalleryart@gmail.com or calling during business hour, 12-5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturdays, at 309-590-6779. The event is open to artists at all levels and in any media. Artists should be prepared to give the curators a short explanation of their process, method of practice, goals and desires in order to start the conversation. Curators will give advice and direction after a short discussion. Knowing the difficulties in finding worthwhile conversations when creating artwork in isolation, this is a rare opportunity for artists to find a thoughtful and encouraging critique. Curators of Main Gallery 404 are Brian K. Simpson and Jarey Lacy. Simpson has a BFA from IWU and a masters from ISU and has emphasized the regular practice of drawing as a way to improve as an artist. Lacy holds a BS in education from EIU and has extensive graduate work in Studio Art/Art Ed at ISU. He was an art instructor for 38 years along with pursuing his work in the studio as a mixed media painter. Email info@brianksimpson.com or call 309-828-7471 for more information. Peoria Riverfront Museum announces first endowment fund to support elementary students PEORIA The Peoria Riverfront Museum announced the first endowment fund created to support elementary school students. This announcement comes on the anniversary of longtime museum volunteer Mary Jean Bowman's birthday (Feb. 4). Bowman's son, Andrew Wayne Bowman and his wife Dana Marie, along with Mary's estate, committed $70,000 to the Peoria Riverfront Museum for the creation of an educational endowment fund honoring his late mother. The Mary Jean Bowman Student Endowment Fund will support Peoria Public School Lincoln K-8's School's participation in the museum's Every Student Initiative program. Visit Riverfrontmuseum.org for more information. Lincoln libraries to celebrate Lincoln's birthday and promote reading SPRINGFIELD Two Lincoln Libraries are teaming up to celebrate Abraham Lincoln's love of reading with a unique read-a-thon and book drive on his birthday. Special guests will read stories for children in person and online Feb. 12. The audience can donate new books for students who participate in Compass for kids' after school program. The Feb. 12 event is sponsored by the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum and the Lincoln Library, the city of Springfield's public library. The event is called Lincolns4Lincoln Read-a-Thon and Book Drive. The Read-a-Thon will take place at the ALPLM at 212 N. Sixth St. from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Admission to the museum is free that day in honor of Lincoln's 213th birthday. The read-a-thon will also air live on ALPLM's Facebook and Youtube pages. Guests scheduled to take part in the read-a-thon include: State Sen. Doris Turner, reading I Believe I Can WICS TV anchor Stacey Skrysak, Thank You, Omu NPR Illinois host Bea Bonner, Wolfie the Bunny Illinois First Lady MK Pritzker, Dragons Love Tacos ALPLM programming director Joe Crain, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs Visit PresidentLincoln.Illinois.gov for more information. BLOOMINGTON An Illinois Wesleyan University student was able to make an argument to the United Nations on Friday for implementing increased rainwater collection. Victoria Ballesteros-Gonzalez, a freshman from the Canary Islands in Spain, spoke on a panel for the seventh annual International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This year, the U.N.'s conference, held virtually, focused on issues of water economics, including water scarcity, pollution and the impact of climate change. We need to capture rainwater, again, as we used to do. It's one of the least expensive measures we can take, Ballesteros-Gonzalez said on the panel. She was invited through her work as coordinator of the Spanish Section of Girls in Science 4 SDGs International Platform. She has been active in climate change activism for years, even as a teenager. Ballesteros-Gonzalez is also a Young Member of the New York Academy of Sciences. It was through the academy that she first got involved in the International Day of Women and Girls in STEM. Since then she has at least watched every year. Women's rights and the water crisis are tied as pollution and water scarcity increase, in part driven by climate change, panelists said. Many of the speakers highlighted the continued role women play in obtaining and using water in much of the developing world. Water is a womens rights crisis and it is a human rights crisis, said Owen Bonnici, minister of the Republic of Malta for Equality, Research and Innovation. Ballesteros-Gonzalez' native Canary Islands, located off the coast of Africa in the North Atlantic, are much closer to Morocco than mainland Spain. Growing up, she saw the water crisis playing out on the African mainland, as well as on some of the Canary Islands. It is frustrating to see so little being done about it, she said, because solutions do exist. We already have (solutions), so now is the time to start acting, she told The Pantagraph. People are dying from lack of access to clean water, Ballesteros-Gonzalez said, and that will only worsen. She and the other young adults on her panel emphasized the need for quick action. "Action needs to be taken now," she said. "We have to reshape water economics. One of her co-panelists, Alma Nordenstram, a Girls in Science 4 SDGs International Platform peer-mentor from Sweden, noted that problems like health, water scarcity and economics are often discussed separately from each other. She said solutions need to address all of the issues together, tying it back to health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. That is part of why Ballesteros-Gonzalez is studying economics at IWU: She said she wants to be better prepared to convince people that making changes now will save lives, and will also work economically. I want to show that to be sustainable is affordable, she said. The panel was split into several sections, with Ballesteros-Gonzalez in the second group, which featured youth leaders in water and climate change activism. The first group focused on comments from governmental groups and leaders, while the third group came from nonprofit and science backgrounds. "(The second group is) bringing the voice of youth and civil society to the fore, with a focus on water scarcity water solution and its impacts on our health and society, said moderator Francisco Duarte Lopes, Portugal's ambassador to the U.N. Ballesteros-Gonzalez said she is lucky that she has not been discriminated as a woman studying in STEM. Part of that comes from Wesleyans environment, she said, as she has many classmates and professors who are women. That is not the case everywhere. I know that a lot of my classmates in Spain are not in the same situation, she said. She is proud to be a women in STEM, but also wants to push back against stereotypes on the personalities of people, especially women in STEM, she said. Women working in their fields should feel free to dress up and be bubbly and outgoing, she said. Speaking to The Pantagraph on Thursday, she noted other barriers that can keep peoples perspectives from being heard in discussions around climate change. If I didnt speak English, I wouldnt be able to join this panel, she said. That can especially be a problem for women from developing countries, whose voices most need to be heard, Ballesteros-Gonzalez said. Women often have a first-hand view of the water crises, she told the panel. So when we talk, listen, she said. The conference can be watched on the U.N. TV website. Contact Connor Wood at (309)820-3240. Follow Connor on Twitter: @connorkwood Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Want to see more like this? Get our local education coverage delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. When the town of Tolland realized it had to build a new, $46 million elementary school three years ago, Kostas Diamantis, then a politically-influential, top state official, took control of the project. Diamantis told the town who they were to hire as general contractor and the consultant the town was to hire as its owners representative on the project, according to four town officials closely involved the project. If the town objected, Diamantis replied that it could cost them millions in state financing, the officials said. Advertisement Superintendent of Schools Walter Willet said that Diamantis routinely emphasized there would be detrimental effects to the project if Tolland were to chose contractors or consultants other than those he chose. When unanticipated expenses drove the cost of the Birch Grove Primary School up 8 percent or more, Diamantis told the town not to worry. Under an emergency declaration that exempted the project from bidding and other customary contracting requirements, Diamantis arranged for the state to pay the unanticipated costs, in addition to the financing his office was providing for the overall project, project records show. Advertisement Peter Sztaba, facilities director for the Tolland board of education, points to micro cracks in an exposed concrete wall that is part of the foundation of Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland. (Courant file photo) (Patrick Raycraft / Hartford Courant) One of those unanticipated costs in Tolland was a jump from $1 million to $9 million for the price of temporary, portable classrooms to be used while the school was being built. When Tolland no longer needed the portables, Diamantis pressed Danbury to buy or lease them for a school building project there, according to an exchange of text messages between Diamantis and a Danbury engineer. When the Danbury engineer did not act on Diamantiss instructions and begin talks with DAmato Construction, which provided the portable classrooms to Tolland, Diamantis implied the state emergency certification that would expedite the Danbury project might be at risk, according to the text messages obtained by The Courant through a public records request. Hello my friend, Diamantis texted on April 28. No more emergency in Danbury, you guys are all good?? I drive people nuts on these portables, etc. Then I dont hear from you or anybody. Diamantiss lawyer, Norm Pattis, said he had no immediate comment. I need to know more, Pattis said. This certainly raises questions. We are willing to answer them when he understand the complete context. Kostas Diamantis Tollands new Birch Grove school opened last year. Danburys ambitious high school project on the site of the former Union Carbide headquarters is still in planning. Both are now points on interest in an expansive federal investigation that appears from public records to be centered on Diamantis, who Gov. Ned Lamont fired on Oct. 28, a week after his administration was served with a federal grand jury subpoena that alerted it to the investigation. As deputy secretary of the Office of Policy and Management, Diamantis ran a budget office that distributed hundreds of millions of state dollars on a variety of projects that included state-financed public school construction and conversion of the State Pier in New London to a hub for offshore wind energy development. The federal subpoena demanded all records since 2018 involving Konstantinos Diamantis, concerning: (1) the planning, bidding, awarding, and implementation (including the construction process) of school construction projects; (2) the planning, bidding, awarding and implementation of hazardous materials abatement projects; and (3) the Connecticut State Pier infrastructure improvements project. Advertisement Correspondence associated with the subpoena indicates federal investigators are interested in records that document state decision-making and spending on dozens of pricey school projects, including Tollands, that stretch from Fairfield County in the states southeast corner to Windham County in the northeast. Federal prosecutors have asked the state to search specifically for records pertaining to three contractors on the Tolland school: DAmato Construction, JCJ Architecture in Hartford, and Construction Advocacy Professionals of Moosup, the owners representative known as CAP that Tolland was instructed to hire. The subpoena also asks the state for records about other construction-related businesses involved in school projects elsewhere in the state. Attorney Craig Raabe, who represents Antonietta DiBenedetto Roy, owner of Construction Advocacy Professionals, declined comment. JCJ architects didnt respond to messages seeking comment. In Tolland, Willett said the town was forced to replace Birch Grove School after an insurer determined the school foundation had been poured with concrete that contained pyrrhotite, a mineral that causes cement to erode and crumble. Willett said he consulted with Diamantis, whose duties included director of the Office of School Construction and Grants. The concrete foundation of Birch Grove Primary School in Tolland in 2019. (Courant file photo) (Patrick Raycraft / Hartford Courant) On Jan. 16, 2019, Willett asked the state to declare Birch Grove an emergency project, which would waive the requirement for competitive bidding. Two days later, Melody Currey, then commissioner of the Department of Administrative Services, granted the request in a letter that concluded, If you have any questions, please call Kosta Diamantis, office of school construction grants and review. Willet told The Courant on Thursday in a statement, In meetings with State officials, I was introduced to consultants for the State, including DAmato Construction, JCJ Architects, and Antoinette DiBenedetto from Construction Advocacy Professionals (CAP). As the reimbursement rates were established and Tolland had a successful referendum supporting the project, the bidding process was waived by both the State and the Town. Advertisement While Tolland had some input into the selection of JCJ, the architect, representatives of the Town and the Board felt they had no real choice as to CAP and DAmato because Mr. Diamantis routinely emphasized there would be detrimental effects to the project if Tolland chose contractors or consultants other than CAP or DAmato. For example, he stressed that if we did not use DAmato or CAP it would be unlikely that the project would finish on time and there could be other related financial implications to the project, Willet said. Willett said the state agreed to finance the project by reimbursing Tolland for 89% of the cost of the building and 100 percent of the cost of the portable classrooms. When the price of the portables jumped $8 million, Diamantis agreed to pay it. To the extent that Tollands cost projection of $9,000,000 accurately reflects final eligible project costs, you can forecast a state grant based on that figure, Diamantis wrote Willett in a June 17, 2019, letter. It is difficult to determine just what caused the increase in the portable classroom costs. The state has not responded to a request more than three weeks ago by The Courant for project records. Tolland records show DAmato leased the classrooms from WillScot, a Phoenix-based national supplier of portable buildings. The town records also show that Tolland paid about $9.7 million for the classrooms $8.937 million of that to DAmato and was reimbursed the full amount by the state. Tony DAmato, who represented his firm on the Tolland project, said he obtained the classrooms from WillScott, but declined to discuss the job otherwise. Advertisement Beverly Bellody, who had supervised construction projects for the town until Birch Grove, said the initial $1 million estimate may have been faulty. Five Things You Need To Know Daily We're providing the latest coronavirus coverage in Connecticut each weekday morning. > I am not aware of how that number was determined, but I suspected as with most early cost estimates perhaps not all the costs were included, she said. For example, site costs, architect and other professional fees, legal, insurance, FFE (furniture, fixtures and equipment), contractors cost. The number may have just been for what others thought was a rental fee. Town Council member and state Rep. Tammy Nuccio, said she believes the town was bullied into approving decisions by Diamantis on the classrooms and other items and that may be responsible for confusion over some project details. Nuccio said: It was, Do what we want or you are not going to have emergency status. Do what we want or you are not going to have funding. Do what we want or you are going to go over and you are going to have to pay that amount. Kosta said, point blank, I own this project. He said specifically, at 89 percent, I own this project. He was very adamant about that. The text messages obtained from Danbury show that Diamantis was offering the Tolland portable classrooms in April. After being chided for failing to move quickly on Diamantiss advice to contact DAmato Construction about the Tolland classrooms, the Danbury engineer explained that the city was studying a variety of construction options and was unsure what classrooms, if any, the city would need. I have to vet it out, the engineer said. Ill know more by mid week next week and I will reach out to you. Advertisement Diamantis replied, While the contractor on the modules obviously needs to be arranged, I would suggest you make a call to the contractor who has the modules that can make it happen for you so that at least he knows whats going on and can prepare in the event that you pull the trigger. Coordinating is key so thats my advice to you is give them a call. I gave you his number. Danbury decided against using the classrooms and two city officials said, at that point, state approval of the project stalled. NORMAL Questions remain a year after 17 Union Pacific Railroad Co. freight cars jumped the rails near uptown Normal, crumpling steel and spilling debris. State and federal documents show a worn wheel was the primary cause of the early-morning train derailment on Feb. 13, 2021. The 117-car train ground to a crunching halt, cutting off power to 1,500 residents and shutting down eight crossings. No injuries were reported. Union Pacific has not responded to specific questions on what actions the company has taken to prevent future wrecks related to worn wheel tread. "We understand the impact this derailment had on the community of Normal, Illinois," Robynn Tysver, a UP spokeswoman, told The Pantagraph. "Union Pacific works diligently to prevent derailments and other accidents. We continuously inspect our tracks, locomotives and other equipment and we utilize a variety of technology to inspect locomotives and railcar wheels. She added, "We also comply with all federal rules and regulation in working toward ensuring our trains operate safely." Union Pacific also did not respond to questions relating to the total cost of equipment and track damages. The company estimated $223,297 in equipment damages and $711,124 in damages to the tracks in its initial accident report, which was filed at the time of the wreck. The Town of Normal was reimbursed $18,923 for overtime expenses incurred while responding to the wreck. There was a lot of damage to the track and crossings," Normal Fire Chief Mick Humer said, reflecting on the event in a recent interview with The Pantagraph. "Minimal damage to the buildings, which was surprising because a lot of the cars were so very close to them. We had some melted siding on an apartment building and some fences that were destroyed, but it didnt get into the buildings itself. 'The biggest response we've had' Illinois State University students living in apartments just yards from the train track said it sounded like an earthquake when the 7,698-ton train jumped the tracks. At the time, the train was heading southbound at around 24 mph when it "went into emergency," according to the form submitted by the rail company. Cargo trailers containing mixed debris spilled over the tracks, snapping telephone poles and smashing wrought-iron fencing. Several crossings between Fort Jesse Road and Main Street were blocked for hours, but were reopened by the end of the day. In the meantime, firefighters and EMS crews had to be placed on both sides of the tracks in the event of other emergencies, said Humer. "Obviously, just because you have a big event, regular calls for service still happen," he said, reflecting on the logistical nightmare that ensued. "We had numerous other medical calls. Because of the railroad crossings, we split up the department." Amtrak, which uses the same tracks, was forced to bus passengers from Pontiac to Normal and on to Lincoln over the weekend due to the wreckage. Multiple crews of firefighters and police officers were sent into freezing temperatures to begin cleanup, which would last weeks. "It was probably the coldest day of 2021," Humer said. "The interesting part is the amount of devastation, and I'm talking about the railroad tracks. "That's not something we see a whole lot of." Fires broke out twice at the scene as firefighters began strategically clearing the mix of paper goods, wooden pallets and other materials. At the time, Humer said a saddle tank for diesel fuel ruptured as crews operated cranes to pick up the toppled train cars. After extinguishing the flames, firefighters noticed a red liquid running down the alleyway and into the sewer. The liquid was traced to Sugar Creek and samples were sent to the Environmental Protection Agency for testing. It was later identified as a "water soluble paint product" and was deemed not hazardous to humans or fish. It was leaking, and because we used water to put the fire out, some of it got into the sewer system," Humer said in a recent interview with The Pantagraph. "We worked with the water reclamation district and put some boons into the creek to absorb it. It was just visible on top of the water and under the water because in a lot of places it was frozen. While firefighters worked to clear crossings, another big problem ignited at Sugar Creek Apartments in Normal. Repair work being performed inside a lower-level apartment, which primarily housed students, sparked a fire that quickly spread through the walls and void spaces of the building. The fire extended into the attic before the fire department arrived, severely damaging or destroying 12 apartments in the building complex at 606 S. Linden St. Firefighters spent hours battling flames amid freezing temperatures and snow. Fire hydrants were frozen open, ladders were frozen in place, and crews had to be rotated every so often. "What's next?" Humer joked, remembering the response effort. All of those things are out of your control when its that cold. The last thing you want to do is have any of your citizens or firefighters be injured because of the ice. I was concerned for our people because I knew they were already tired and had been working most of the night on the train derailment. Firefighters with Bloomington, Bloomington Township, Towanda, Hudson, Danvers, Carlock and Dale Township amounting to about 110 firefighters were all dispatched to Normal to assist with the two major events. "It's the biggest response we've had in Normal in about 15 years," said Humer. "The only reason the response was that big was because of the two events and the weather conditions." Multiple investigations launched The Federal Railroad Administration, a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation, opened an investigation into the wreck in February 2021. The Pantagraph has filed a Freedom of Information Act Request for documents pertaining to the outcome of that investigation. The February 2021 accident report filed by Union Pacific to the federal rail agency identified a wheel tread issue as the primary cause of the derailment. Wheels with tread problems may not sit properly on the tracks. In March, a Union Pacific spokeswoman said severe weather conditions resulting in snow and ice also contributed to the pileup, which left at least two cars coming to a rest just yards away from a Hester Street apartment building. Federal data shows Union Pacific has reported 12 crashes due to worn wheel tread since 1976. The most recent prior to the Normal derailment was in 2019. Overall, the train company reported 71 crashes in 2021. The Illinois Commerce Commission conducted a separate preliminary investigation, which also pointed to the wheel issue. The state agency oversees rail crossings. A spokeswoman for the federal rail agency in March said a full investigative report was expected to be released in July, but timetables vary for how long investigations take. Testing the train tracks, signal systems, other infrastructure and the train itself are included in the investigation. The Pantagraph has filed multiple FOIA requests with the FRA for documents pertaining to the investigation. A FOIA filed by The Pantagraph in August was met with a letter of acknowledgement from the department, stating "there may be some delay in the processing" of the request due to "operational changes because of the national emergency concerning the coronavirus disease." Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry. 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. BLOOMINGTON Bloomington is delaying a $59,000 deal to purchase 10 automatic license plate readers after the Public Safety and Community Relations Board failed to meet quorum Friday. The seven-member board, which serves as a citizen advisory committee to the Bloomington police chief and city manager, was set to discuss the contract with Atlanta-based Flock Safety to purchase and install the cameras. Several residents, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, have spoke against the cameras, citing privacy concerns. The ACLU has also urged the city not to move forward with the purchase until members of the public were able to discuss the matter during the PSCRB meeting. Only three members of the board were present during the Friday meeting. The board delayed public comment by 20 minutes, but ultimately allowed residents to speak on the issue because the board did not need to meet quorum to listen to public comment. The city council tabled the contract in January to allow further community discussion during the PSCRB meeting. A special PSCRB meeting will be held to discuss the issue again. A date has not been announced. Five residents spoke during public comment, raising questions on how the police plan to use the cameras and asking for more transparency, specifically on the policies for how the data collected by the cameras will be used. I think communities of color need to be reassured that, if these cameras are going to be installed, that its for their own safety," Julie Prandi, of Bloomington, told The Pantagraph after the meeting. "If thats the reason for it for greater safety then the people in the neighborhood ought to endorse it and if they dont feel that makes them more safe, then thats a serious issue. Georgene Chissell during public comment said, "An established policy needs to be in place before a contract for the cameras is signed by the city. I think this policy should state how the camera placement will be determined, what the cameras will be used for and what they won't be used for." The pole-mounted cameras operate on solar power and collect information about the license plate and the color, make and model of vehicles. Data is encrypted and stored in an Amazon Web Services cloud for up to 30 days, unless it's part of an investigation. The cameras would be installed in areas identified by Bloomington police as having high rates of violent crime in 2021. The proposed locations are: West Market Street and Morris Avenue Clearwater Avenue and Hershey Road Prospect Road and Empire Drive North Hinshaw Avenue and West Market Street Oakland Avenue and Four Seasons Road Eldorado Road and Arcadia Drive South Main Street and the Interstate 55 interchange North Main Street and North East Street North Center Street and Graham Street West Washington Street and North Morris Avenue The city council is expected to vote on the contract during its Feb. 28 meeting. Contact Sierra Henry at 309-820-3234. Follow her on Twitter: @pg_sierrahenry. 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. 200 N. Main St., Bloomington While Abraham Lincoln did not enter the doors of the 1904 McLean County Courthouse that now houses the McLean County Museum of History, he did try many cases in the courthouse that stood from 1836 to 1868 in the very same spot on North Main Street. Just outside the south entrance of the museum is a bronze statue of Lincoln sitting on a bench, and its a popular spot for selfies. Inside the museum, visitors will find plenty of Lincoln history and artifacts, including documents with his signature and a desk he used while working with brothers Kersey and Jesse Fell in downtown Bloomington. 1000 E. Monroe Drive, Bloomington Lincoln made many visits to Bloomington as a lawyer on the eighth judicial circuit, and he often stayed with friend and mentor Judge David Davis at his Clover Lawn mansion. A new mansion was built on the property in 1872 and is open for tours. ELSEWHERE IN BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL In downtown Bloomington, you can also see where Lincoln gave his famous lost speech condemning slavery, check out a statue depicting the friendship between Lincoln, Davis and Fell, and eat at a restaurant downstairs from a law office used by Lincoln. In Normal, visit the Illinois State University campus, which came to be with Lincolns legal assistance. Learn more about area Lincoln-related sites at www.visitbn.org. 402 S. Lincoln Highway, Lerna Lincolns father and stepmother, Thomas and Sarah Bush Lincoln, lived on this Coles County homestead while Lincoln was a lawyer in Springfield. Today, visitors can see a reconstruction of the elder Lincolns cabin, visit their gravesites, explore the living history farm, and also visit the nearby home of Lincolns stepsister, Matilda Hall Moore. It was here that Lincoln made his last visit on Jan. 31, 1861, before heading for his presidency is Washington, D.C. 126 E. St., Charleston The Lincoln-Douglas debates are famous even beyond Illinois, but theres only one museum devoted to them. Stop at Charlestons debate site and museum to revisit the events via film, audio, photos and artifacts. ELSEWHERE IN COLES COUNTY Go to www.charlestonillinois.org for details on more Lincoln-related sites, including the downtown square and the worlds tallest Lincoln statue. 5580 N. Fork Road, Decatur Decatur was an important spot for Lincoln. Its where his family first settled after moving from Indiana, where he did plenty of law work as an adult, and was nominated for the U.S. presidency in 1860. At the Macon County History Museum, you can see the only two matching chairs he owned and used in his Springfield law office, a plaster cast of his head and hands, and campaign items from his presidential nomination. On the outdoor grounds of the museums Prairie Village, youll also find a Lincoln-era reconstructed courthouse, log house, one-room school, smithy and print shop. West of Decatur, off Route 36 About 10 miles west of Decatur, this 162-acre state park along the Sangamon River covers the land that was Lincolns first Illinois home in 1830-31. The park is open May through November for hiking, canoeing, picnicking, fishing, bird watching and more. To get there, take Route 36 about 10 miles west to Lincoln Trail Memorial Parkway and go south for four miles. The park is on the east side of the road. ELSEWHERE IN DECATUR Plaques, statues and other sites with a Lincoln connection abound in Decatur. Learn more at www.decaturcvb.com/abraham-lincoln. 1115 Nicholson Road, Lincoln Lincoln College is the only college named for Lincoln during his lifetime, and today, it houses the Lincoln Heritage Museum with artifacts including an 1860 campaign poster, a lock of his hair, Mary Lincolns jewelry and Tad Lincolns rocking chair. 101 N. Chicago St., Lincoln Lincoln is the first city named for Lincoln before his presidency, and the Logan County Tourism Bureau pays tribute to the man with a bronze statue of him christening the town with a watermelon in 1853. You can also visit the christening site itself and read more about this unusual historic event. ELSEWHERE IN LOGAN COUNTY Stop by the Postville Courthouse and Logan County Courthouse, the worlds largest covered wagon, complete with Abe Lincoln as driver, see property once owned by Lincoln, and more. Visit destinationlogancountyil.com. 212 N. 6th St., Springfield This site, opened in 2005, tells the story of the 16th president through historic artifacts, interactive displays, holographic and special effects, and even a reproduction of the 1861-era White House. Mrs. Lincolns Attic is a kid-friendly space to explore a model of Lincolns home and try on clothes, do chores and play with toys typical of the 1800s. The museum also hosts special exhibits and events throughout the year, while the museum provides plenty of research opportunities. 413 S. 8th St., Springfield Get a glimpse of how Lincoln lived day-to-day by visiting his Springfield home restored to its 1860 appearance. You can also explore the four-block neighborhood with plenty of other indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a former stop on the Underground Railroad 1500 Monument Ave., Springfield Within Oak Ridge Cemetery is the final resting place of Lincoln along with his wife, Mary, and three of their four sons. (The oldest, Robert, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.) The granite tomb was competed in 1874. At the entrance, youll found a bronze bust of Lincoln where visitors have made a tradition of rubbing his nose for good luck. 1 N. Old State Capitol Plaza, Springfield Lincoln spent a great deal of time at the Old State Capitol trying hundreds of cases, borrowing books from the library, conversing with other lawyers and politicians, and uttering those famous words, A house divided against itself cannot stand... So its fitting that on May 3 and 4, 1865, its the capitol building where Lincolns body lay in state as 75,000 people paid their respects. ELSEWHERE IN SPRINGFIELD Springfield is the spot for all things Lincoln, so go to visitspringfieldillinois.com for even more things to see and do here. Sources: Pantagraph archives, Bloomington-Normal Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Decatur Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, lookingforlincoln.org Contact Robyn Skaggs at (309) 820-3244. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. EAST ST. LOUIS A former official of the charitable organization Call for Help Inc. pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing thousands of dollars from the group, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Illinois. Kenesha Burlison, 40, of St. Louis, is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26. Burlison pleaded guilty to theft from an organization receiving federal funds and aggravated identity theft. Court records said she fraudulently obtained a cashier's check from Call for Help for nearly $70,000 to make a downpayment on a house. She told the organization she needed the check for the title company and couldn't get one from her bank because it was closed. Burlison gave Call for Help a personal check for $70,000 in exchange for the cashier's check. That check and others she provided in the coming months bounced because of insufficient funds, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. After her termination from Call for Help, where she had started working in 2016 as director of human relations, the organization "discovered that Burlison had also fraudulently submitted requests for reimbursements that she was not entitled to from the organization that exceeded $100,000. These reimbursements were paid to Burlison," a press release from U.S. Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft's office said. Court documents said Burlison, in connection with her mortgage application, submitted fraudulent income verification with a forged signature of the director of quality assurance at Call for Help. Call For Help is a charitable organization based in East St. Louis that "helps people overcome a variety of personal crises, ranging from sexual assault and poverty to homelessness and mental health issues," the release states. "Federal charges carrying a mandatory minimum prison sentence were appropriate here because the defendant stole so much money that would have provided needed services to vulnerable victims, including sexual assault survivors and the homeless," Weinhoeft said in the release. The theft charge carries a maximum 10-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $250,000. Burlison also faces a mandatory two-year prison sentence for aggravated identity theft. A federal district court judge will determine Burlison's sentence after considering sentencing guidelines and other factors. Love 1 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 For the most updated version of this story: Students in Heartland Community College's training program are at the "forefront of the electric vehicle revolution," U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Saturday. Buttigieg appeared at the college in Normal along with Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth. The visit was meant to highlight work that the transportation department is doing to make electric vehicles accessible to more Americans. Heartland's electric vehicle and energy storage program is designed to train students in the manufacture, diagnosis, service, and repair of electric vehicles. "We believe that there is a strong policy role to make sure that the EV revolution happens quickly enough to beat climate change, that it happens on equitable terms and benefits every American, and that it is a Made in America electric vehicle revolution," Buttigieg said, "and you see all of those goals at play in what is going on right here in the Bloomington-Normal area." Before speaking to the media, the group spent time with a truck driver, had a roundtable discussion at Heartland and "just had an opportunity to see for ourselves not just the equipment, but the students who are very much at the forefront of the electric vehicle revolution," said Buttigieg, a former mayor of South Bend who was among Democratic primary candidates for the 2020 election. The Biden administration released its EV charging action plan Dec. 13, outlining the steps federal agencies are taking to boost infrastructure, manufacturing and consumer adoption. The $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed into law in November, includes $5 billion in funding for states and a $2.5 billion competitive grant program for rural and disadvantaged communities to put the U.S. on the path to a national network of 500,000 charging stations. The Chicago Tribune contributed. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Before the pandemic, few people took remote work seriously. Researching the phenomenon for almost 20 years, I frequently heard disparaging comments like working from home, shirking from home and working remotely, remotely working. This all changed in March 2020, and we are never going back to the workplace of 2019. Even firms that aggressively pushed in spring 2021 for workers to return to the office, such as Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan, postponed their mandates. Working from home surged twelvefold between 2017-2018 and May 2020. The pandemic is the biggest shock to American working life since the shift to military production during World War II. Employees are driving this revolution. Surveys of 50,000 workers across the country find they want to work from home 2.5 days a week on average after the pandemic. Employees working from home frequently tell me how they enjoy the freedom of being able to go to the gym or see the dentist during a weekday, making up the work time in the evenings or on weekends. I enjoy the ability to pick up my kids from school on work-from-home days. Employees with young children are the most likely to want to work from home. As the pandemic has lingered, many of us have become ever more comfortable with remote human interactions. The rapid spread of new coronavirus variants is further undercutting employers push for a full-time return. Indeed, getting employees back to the office is now a major challenge. Companies that want more in-person work will have to overcome some serious hurdles. First, theres the labor market. A December survey revealed that more than 40% of U.S. employees would start looking for another job or quit immediately if ordered to return to the office full time. Not surprisingly, then, after Goldman Sachs demanded employees return full time to the office, the company announced it would raise its starting pay for first-year analysts by nearly 30%. In this new era, if you want employees in the office full time, you have to pay for it. A subtler issue lurks in workforce diversity. The survey data show that people of color and highly educated women with young children place especially high value on the ability to work from home at least part of the week. One explanation is that they face a less positive in-person workplace environment. Employers that ban working from home will risk driving these employees out the door. Many organizations are striving to improve representation of women and minorities, especially in management. That may turn out to be incompatible with requiring only in-person work. Environmental concerns should loom large as well. Working remotely cuts pollution from commuting and business travel, given that transportation generates about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. Finally, time is a finite resource. Remote work saves millions of hours of commuting each week. Traveling to and from work eats away at our collective productivity, in our jobs and in our personal lives. Some data from Europe and North America showed that when people shifted to remote work during the pandemic, they ended up putting in longer hours not great news for work-life balance, to be sure, but a development that many employers would cheer. And yet, a lot of bosses want people back in the office. So what should we do? My advice is to recognize the reality of the new labor market and adapt. Hybrid schedules are the future, with employees averaging three days a week in the office. The hybrid model prevents all of us from getting carried away with the shift to remote work. Some executives are understandably enthusiastic about cost savings, but I worry that a cost-driven push for fully remote work could squeeze the joy out of work life, which includes socializing with colleagues and the chance to shore up shared workplace values. Too much working from home, I fear, could also exacerbate an already highly polarized society. As employers and employees think about when and how to return to in-person work, we should be open to exploring different approaches. Nicholas Bloom is a professor of economics at Stanford University. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dear Ms. Beard and MCGOP, I appreciate your response to my Jan. 23 column, where I had commented on your partys publicly advertised commitment to carry the torch in realizing Dr. Kings vision of justice, equality, and peace for all. From your response, Im concerned about your severe misunderstandings of the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King. Youre right that in the past, the Republican party was indeed the champion of racial justice. But consider the role of federal government these historic Republicans believed in. Abraham Lincoln imposed his executive power into the fields and homes of slaveowners, which led to the abolition of slavery following the Civil War. Ulysses Grant enforced Reconstruction, a heavy-handed, multi-year federal government subjugation of the South, in an effort to protect the civil rights of newly freed black slaves. And when the Arkansas National Guard surrounded Central High School in Little Rock to keep Black students out, Dwight Eisenhower sent in the U.S. Military to strong-arm the school into allowing the students and abolishing school segregation. But the current GOPs stance is a belief in smaller government over oppressive government. It's hard to fathom more oppressive government impositions than civil war, occupation, and invasion. These Republican Presidents knew that major federal government intervention is absolutely necessary when it comes to enforcing civil rights. Nothing else works. But still, equality was far away, and Dr. King knew there would never be racial justice without federal legislation like his signature achievements you celebrate, the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. Racists at the time howled against this type of government intrusion of their rights to discriminate. The government fighting oppression feels like oppression to the oppressors. You repeatedly pledged your adherence to the values of the founding fathers. The founding fathers did not believe in racial equality. But part of their genius was setting up a system that could make change with government legislation. This takes proactive effort; lip-service complacency just perpetuates the status quo. You said that Republicans overcame obstacles to fulfilling Dr. King's goals. Wait, do you think racism ended in the 1960s? Dr. Kings dream, your dream, is far from being fulfilled. To this day Unarmed Black people are not being judged by the content of their character when they are killed by police. Nor when they are arrested, convicted, and sentenced. Nor when nearby voting locations have been removed. Nor when their history is being blocked from the classroom. Historic racial prejudice has lingered for generations, so disproportionately too many Black children dont even get a fair chance to develop their character because the color of their familys skin forces them to grow up without basic needs like nutrition, safety from violence, and adequate healthcare. Are you OK with this status quo? Dr. King wasnt, so as his followers, you cant be, either. These problems must be addressed by your public policy. In his letter from Birmingham jail, Dr. King said that even the KKK was not as much an obstacle to racial justice as the white moderates who say, I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action. This is precisely what you are doing: advertising that you share his vision, but behind-the-scenes, youre opposing all action that would carry it out. He said people like that are worse than the KKK. Those are not my words. If you dont like them, then you dont like the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King. Dr. King doesnt want empty platitudes, McLean County Republicans. Show your commitment with your policies. Phil Grizzard, of Normal, is campus minister, Judson Baptist Fellowship/AGAPE, and founder and principal tutor, Ph.G. Math Tutoring. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 I was a bit flabbergasted to see last week that Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Irvin told a blatant falsehood on a Southern Illinois radio station. But what came after that helps us see how the Republican primary will play out for the next four and a half months. If you follow my blog, CapitolFax.com, you know that Irvin flatly told WJPF Radio host Tom Miller, Ive always been opposed to mandates when Miller asked what he thought about Gov. J.B. Pritzkers plan to phase out the states mask mandate. Irvin added that Pritzker is making his decisions based on politics. Turns out, though, Irvin strongly supported state mandates as mayor of Aurora. He warned his citys business owners in September of 2020 to make sure their customers were wearing masks and threatened to impose fines on scofflaws. A few months earlier, he heaped praise on the governors COVID-19 response, which included stay at home orders and mask mandates. Even back then, at the height of the first wave, those mandates were openly being criticized by some Republicans. After noting that the governor had telephoned him the night before to explain his latest virus mitigation plan, Irvin told area reporters he pledged the support of Aurora to do our part to help in the statewide effort. I am a regular listener of Tom Millers radio interviews. He is smart, polite and non-confrontational, qualities which attract important guests from across the political spectrum. For my purposes, Miller (no relation) usually puts his interview subjects at ease, which can often lead to them saying whats really on their minds. Hes invaluable. I knew Irvin had appeared on Millers show, but I didnt get a chance to listen to the online recording until I received a press release from the Democratic Governors Association entitled: Richard Irvin Does a Complete 180 on COVID Mandates. After listening to the interview and watching an accompanying Irvin press conference video and then reading an attached news story from Chicagos ABC 7 television station, I put a blog post together and moved on. Later, though, it struck me how truly amateurish the other Republican gubernatorial candidates really are. Bigtime campaigns in an important state like Illinois usually have people assigned to monitoring their opponents public comments for just the sort of prevarications that Irvin was caught in last week. Only Irvin wasnt called out by the Republicans, but by the Democrats. That the Democrats would be interested in stopping Irvin before he makes it to the general election is no surprise at all. Hes a (so far) successful African-American mayor of the second-largest city in the state. And while he will win over some usually Democratic-supporting Black voters if he makes it out of the primary and into the general election, his presence on the ballot could well drive down the all-important Black turnout, which would damage not only Pritzker, but the rest of the Democratic ticket throughout the state. The same people who are running Irvins campaign did just that in 2014. Enough Black voters stayed away from the polls that, partly as a result, Republican Bruce Rauner defeated incumbent Democrat Pat Quinn. Rauner also did better in the hugely important suburbs than Quinn expected, and Irvins backers are hoping their candidates anti-crime messaging, along with a pledge to balance things out between the government and progressive interests will help him do well in the burbs. Don't underestimate how much of this is about making suburban white women comfortable about voting for a campaign full of dog whistles, recently warned one top Black Democratic strategist, who isnt usually a paranoid type. So, I suppose the Republican candidates feel they dont need to invest in opposition research and trackers as long as they know the Democrats will handle all the heavy lifting for them. But, in this particular case, almost all of those Republicans can honestly say, unlike Irvin, Ive always been opposed to mandates. They really missed a major opportunity to pounce. And because they havent built out that crucial campaign infrastructure, the Republican candidates are less able to anticipate and respond to Irvins campaign, which has shown an adeptness at digging stuff up about the rest of the field, particularly Darren Bailey and Jesse Sullivan. Many of the hits youve been seeing on those two candidates are coming from the Irvin camp. Gary Rabine and Paul Schimpf have apparently not been enough of a factor in the primary to warrant much attention. Rich Miller publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 State Sen. Dan Champagne of Vernon, right, announced that he is not seeking reelection this November. Here, he talks with Vanilla Bean Cafe co-owner Brian Jessurun. A retired police officer, Champagne also serves as mayor of Vernon. HARTFORD State Sen. Dan Champagne said Friday that he is not seeking reelection the fourth Republican incumbent to retire during a key political year. Champagnes retirement represents a blow to the Senate Republicans because he is a proven vote-getter with a solid chance of winning again in a year when Republicans say they have political momentum due to President Joe Bidens low poll ratings. He joins three other veteran Republicans who are retiring after decades in public life deputy Senate GOP leader Paul Formica of East Lyme, former deputy leader Kevin Witkos of Canton, and Craig Miner of Litchfield. Advertisement Democrats currently control the Senate by 23-13, a sharp increase from an 18-18 tie in 2017 and 2018 that produced a bipartisan state budget with strong input from Republicans. As Democrats waged solid campaigns in recent years, Champagne won by 2 percentage points in 2018 and then by 1 percentage point in 2020 against Coventry town council member Lisa Thomas, who also held the Working Families Party line. Advertisement A retired police officer who served for 22 years, Champagne has also served since 2013 as mayor of his hometown of Vernon. He won the Senate seat in 2018 in a huge district of about 100,000 residents that also covers Ashford, Chaplin, Coventry, Eastford, Ellington, Hampton, Pomfret, Stafford, Tolland, Union, Willington and Woodstock. For 26 years, the seat was held by Sen. Tony Guglielmo of Stafford, a highly popular Republican who won numerous elections, often by margins of 25 percentage points or more. With his law enforcement background, Champagne was an outspoken opponent of the police accountability law that was passed in July 2020 by the Democratic-controlled legislature. He served as the ranking member on the public safety committee and a member of the judiciary and education committees. I am proud to have led efforts to protect the safety of our residents and work to fix the flawed police accountability bill passed into law in 2020,' Champagne said Friday. During debates on the bill, Champagne sometimes discussed his personal experiences in a 22-year police career, saying that officers have a difficult job that often leads to injuries in scuffles with suspects. Ive been hit with chairs. Ive been hit with many things at domestics when you dont expect it, Champagne said while asking for a delay in the law last year in order to allow for more training. We do need to push this off to make sure that we train all officers in the state. The training portion of the law was eventually delayed by eight months, prompting Champagne to offer support on the Senate floor in March 2021 for a bipartisan measure that passed by 30-3. This is a lot better than last year,' he said. Is it perfect? No. ... It allows officers to continue to defend themselves and to defend others. Advertisement Besides police matters, Champagne was involved in other issues in the district. Im also proud to have championed other legislation that helps parents who adopt children through foster care, families affected by crumbling foundations in our area, and those who are receiving care in long-term care facilities.' After four years in the Senate, he said it was time to step aside. We all put a tremendous amount of time and effort into crafting policy that I hope has improved the quality of life for families in the 35th District,' he said. With that said, it is now time for me to move on to spend more time with my family.' Senate Republican leader Kevin Kelly of Stratford and Formica issued a joint statement about Champagnes departure that takes effect in January 2023. Dan brings to the Senate so much experience and perspective in public safety and municipal management,' the senators said. He brings passion and emotion to important Senate debates, sharing real life experiences, and always grounding the conversation in how we can improve as a state and implement common sense solutions to help people. From his time in the National Guard, to his decades of service as a police officer, to his experience as a mayor, Dan has committed himself to helping others.' Advertisement Christopher Keating can be reached at ckeating@courant.com While neither the Bengals or Rams or the usual Central Illinois flavor especially with the Rams leaving St. Louis for Los Angeles after the 2015 season there are still plenty of fans of both teams in the area. There was drama at an Adentan Circuit Court on Friday when a complainant in a defilement case pleaded with the judge to reduce 13 years imprisonment imposed on the accused person who defiled his granddaughter. The complainant, who raised her hand to attract the attention of the judge, said, " Please the 13 years is too much, reduce it. The trial judge, however, rebuked her saying "someone has defiled your granddaughter and you are here pleading for him? Mr Sedinam Awo Balokah pointed out to the complainant that for exposing the victim to harm after sending her on errands, she (complainant) could be sent to jail for a year. The complainant, who claimed the victim was a " spoilt" child, then apologized to the court. "Please, I have not been to court before. I did not know the implications of my actions, I am sorry," the complainant said. Kelvin Nwogwu, a 24-year-old Nigerian, pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement. Nwogwu prayed to the court to forgive him because the victim told him that she was 18 years old. The trial judge asked the accused whether the victim looked like an 18-year-old girl to him. Age assessment is done medically, however, indicated the victim could be 13 or 14 years. The court convicted the accused on his own, saying it considered the fact that the accused was a first offender, his quick admission of guilt and the fact that he did not waste the court's time. Prosecuting Inspector Gloria Ayim said the complainant was a 58-year-old farmer residing with the victim, a class three pupil at Adenta. Accused, now a convict also resides at Adenta Lotto kiosk. The prosecution said on February 3, this year, at about 6:00 pm, the complainant sent the victim to go and deliver food to her daughter, who also resides within the vicinity. It said the victim did not return home but came home the following day at 0600 hours. When the complainant quizzed the victim, the prosecution said, she said it was the accused who lured her into his room while she was returning from the errand and had sex with her. According to the prosecution, the accused asked her not to return home until the next day. A report was made to the Police and a Police medical form was issued to the complainant to seek treatment at any government hospital facility. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Police Service has warned the general public to desist from pronouncements that threaten the peace of the country. The police said such pronouncements clearly contravene the laws of the land. We continue to call on the good people of Ghana to avoid making pronouncements that may lead to a breach of the peace of the country as any such act contravene the laws of the country, the Police said in a statement on Saturday, February 12 announcing the arrest of the Convener of the Fixthecountry Movement Oliver Baker-Vormawor on Friday, February 11. Baker-Vormawor was picked-up for allegedly writing on social media that he would topple the government if the E-Levy bill is passed, the Police said. Mr. Oliver Baker-Vormawor has been arrested by the Tema Regional Police Command following a post he allegedly made on social media platforms to the effect that he would stage himself if the E-Levy bill is passed by Parliament, portions of the Police statement said. He was picked up after arriving at the KIA on Friday, February 11, a member of the Movement Felicity Naana Nelson said. Oliver has been arrested at the KIA, she told 3news.com in a telephone conversation after she earlier announced the arrest on her Facebook page. Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor arrived in Kotoka International Airport at 4 pm today and he was whisked away by state officials. Oliver has been missing for the last 6 hours, she had earlier written on her Facebook page. She later said in a statement that We wish to announce the disappearance of one of our conveners Mr. Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor. Mr. Barker-Vormawor left the United Kingdom this morning Friday, 11th February 2022 for Accra, Ghana, where he is scheduled to have a series of meetings with the diplomatic community. He arrived at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) at 4:59 pm on TAP Air Portugal flight TP 1527. The last time his family and lawyers heard from him was at 5:29 pm at which point he informed them that some unidentified armed men had accosted him on his way into the arrival hall at KIA. All attempts by Mr. Barker-Vormawors family and lawyers to find him since that time have been unsuccessful. The KIA Security, the KIA Immigration Office, the Airport Police Station, the National Bureau of Investigations Headquarters, and the National Security Head Office (Blue Gate) do not have any information on him. Source: Ghanaweb.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Medical Association (GMA) has asked the Ghana Health Service (GHS) to withdraw its mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and job loss threat to health workers who have not been vaccinated. It said the Service could demand that nurses who had not vaccinated produced negative test results but not threat of job loss. The GMA said this in a press statement issued in Accra on Thursday and made available to the Ghana News Agency. The statement, jointly signed by its President Dr. Frank Serebour, and General Secretary, Dr. Titus Beyuo, said while the mandate may be well-intended, it had the potential of reducing the already stressed and depleted health workforce. It said the mandate if hastily implemented may worsen antivaccine sentiments and vaccine hesitancy, especially when COVID-19 case count continued to decline. It said based on the current data on effectiveness and safety of the COVlD-19 vaccines approved for use in Ghana, the vaccines were safe and efficacious in helping combat the COVlD-19 pandemic. "While vaccines are generally safe and effective, persons who take the vaccines may suffer some side effects as it may be the case with already existing vaccines that have been used for decades," the statement said. It said the GMA fully supported the COVlD-19 vaccination rollout and said aside people who were excluded for medical reasons, every person living in Ghana should be encouraged to get vaccinated. "While the government has the power to institute a vaccine mandate (as enshrined in the Public Health Act), the GMA is, however, of the considered opinion that vaccine mandates should only be issued as a last resort owing to the ethical, legal and practical challenges it may pose. GMA is also unaware of any Executive Instrument that has been promulgated given legal backing for any such vaccine," it said. The statement, therefore, proposed that the GHS partnered with media houses, National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), Civil Society Organizations, Religious bodies, traditional authorities, to ramp up public education on the need for COVlD-19 vaccinations, especially in local languages. Also, Government, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and GHS should note the concerns of vaccine-hesitant individuals and groups and fashion out messages that directly addressed those concerns with local data and relevant information, adding that vaccines should be made accessible to all Ghanaians and as close as possible to their doorsteps. The statement recommended that the strict enforcement of the COVID-19 preventive protocols should continue until the country achieved herd immunity through vaccination or a verifiable cure/treatment was found. "We must all adhere to the preventive measures to ensure the safety of our families, friends and neighbours," it added. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Kwabena Bobie Ansah, an Accra FM Presenter, who was arrested for alleged publication of false news, has been granted bail in the sum of GHC50,000.00 with two sureties by a Kaneshie District Court. Bobie Ansah,42, is also being held on a charge of offensive conduct. He has pleaded not guilty before the court presided over by Mr Oheneba Kuffour. Three other accomplices - Edwin Tamakloe, Kwame Kwakye and one Eugene, are said to be at large. The accused person was represented by Kwadjoga Adawudu, Theophilus Donkor and Edudzie Tamakloe, took turns to pray for bail for him. The matter has been adjourned to March 14. Prosecuting Inspector Ebenezer Teye Okuffo narrated that sometime in January 2022, the Police received a report concerning a video circulating on social media to the effect that the First and Second Ladies of the Republic of Ghana, Mrs Rebecca Akufo Addo and Mrs Samira Bawumia had fraudulently acquired or granted to themselves State lands at AU village and Kotoka International Airport for the construction of the Rebecca Foundation, a non-governmental organisation. The prosecution said the Police commenced investigations into the matter and invited the accused person, but he allegedly failed to hour the invitations. It said based on that, Bobie Ansah was arrested on February 10, 2022. The prosecution said investigations so far revealed that the publication by the accused and his accomplices was false. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A new law that went into effect in Kenya this week makes it legal for a man to marry as many women as he wants. And a leading womens group is applauding it. President Uhuru Kenyatta signed the polygamy measure into law on Tuesday, formally recognising what has long been a cultural practice in the nation. The countrys parliament passed the Bill in March despite protests from female lawmakers, who angrily stormed out of the late-night session at the time. The Bill initially allowed the first wife the right to veto the husbands choice of additional spouses. However, the male members of parliament successfully pushed to get that clause dropped. Marriage is the voluntary union of a man and a woman whether in a monogamous or polygamous union, Kenyatta said, in a statement. The Marriage Act 2014 defines various types of marriages including monogamous, polygamous, customary, Christian, Islamic and Hindu marriages. The law legalises polygamous unions but does not provide an official limit on the number of wives a man can have. The Federation of Women Lawyers, a powerful womens rights group, applauded aspects of the Bill but criticised others. Polygamy already is a common fixture among many cultures in Kenya and in some other African countries. The Bill, the group said, is long overdue because polygamous unions were previously not regarded as equal to regular marriages. We are happy with the law because finally all marriages are being treated equally, said the Executive Director of the nations Federation of Women Lawyers, Christine Ochieng. However, she said, the first wife should have a say in picking her husbands co-wives. Source: voiceoflibertyng.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Two journalists working for the United Nations have been detained in the Afghan capital of Kabul, the global agency said in a tweet Friday with reports of at least eight other Westerners also held in the war-torn nation. Two journalists with UNHCR and Afghan nationals working with them have been detained in Kabul. We are doing our utmost to resolve the situation, in coordination with others, the UNHCR said in a tweet. We will make no further comment given the nature of the situation. Read Full Story .... nypost.com >>> : Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video A Former Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Akuapem North, Dennis Miracles Aboagye, has accused the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of speaking untruths about the current Akufo-Addo administration for political gains. According to him, a claim that allocation made to the Office of the government machinery are meant for the President to travel on a private jet is untrue and should be ignored. Contributing to a discussion regarding the E-levy proposal on the New Day show on TV3 Friday February 11, he said The NDC go round lying, telling plain lies and untruths and they expect Ghanaians will take it hook, line, and sinker Number one, when they talk about office of the government machinery, the office of the government machinery is made up of the following; Public Enterprises Commission, the Scholarship Secretariat , MASLOC, NABCO, NIA, Zongo Devt Fund, the Infrastructure of Poverty Eradication programme what we called the One million dollar ONE constituency, the Home Rental Scheme and the Council of State. So if you are saying that there is a certain amount allocated to government machinery and then quickly you run and mention president travelling on a private jet you are deceiving Ghanaians just as you did in 2008 because you are saying that we should remove scholarship secretariat which you completely collapsed under your tenure. Asked whether the constituencies get the one million dollars, he answered Yes, if you go to the middle belt , yes, Southern belt is there the Coastal Development areas , In my constituency it is there, in every constituency there are even more than one million dollars projects . Source: Peacefmonline Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video File picture showing Prince Charles visiting the control room at the Joint European Torus (JET) experiment near Oxford, where scientists say they have broken a record for nuclear fusion. Scientists in Britain announced Wednesday they had smashed a previous record for generating fusion energy, hailing it as a "milestone" on the path towards cheap, clean power and a cooler planet. Nuclear fusion is the same process that the sun uses to generate heat. Proponents believe it could one day help address climate change by providing an abundant, safe and green source of energy. A team at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility near Oxford in central England generated 59 megajoules of energy for five seconds during an experiment in December, more than doubling a 1997 record, the UK Atomic Energy Authority said. That is about the power needed to power 35,000 homes for the same period of time, five seconds, said JET's head of operations Joe Milnes. The results "are the clearest demonstration worldwide of the potential for fusion energy to deliver safe and sustainable low-carbon energy", the UKAEA said. The donut-shaped machine used for the experiments is called a tokamak, and the JET site is the largest operational one in the world. Inside, just 0.1 milligrammes each of deuterium and tritiumboth are isotopes of hydrogen, with deuterium also called heavy hydrogenis heated to temperatures 10 times hotter than the centre of the sun to create plasma. This is held in place using magnets as it spins around, fuses and releases tremendous energy as heat. Fusion is inherently safe in that it cannot start a run-away process. Deuterium is freely available in seawater, while tritium can be harvested as a byproduct of nuclear fission. Pound for pound (gram for gram) it releases nearly four million times more energy than burning coal, oil or gas, and the only waste product is helium. Reagan-Gorbachev fusion The results announced Wednesday demonstrated the ability to create fusion for five seconds, as longer than that would cause JET's copper wire magnets to overheat. A larger and more advanced version of JET is currently being built in southern France, called ITER, where the Oxford data will prove vital when the site comes online, possibly as soon as 2025. ITER will be equipped with superconductor electromagnets which will allow the process to continue for longer, hopefully longer than 300 seconds. About 350 scientists from EU countries plus Britain, Switzerland and Ukraineand more from around the globeparticipate in JET experiments each year. JET will soon pass the fusion baton to ITER, which is around 80 percent completed, said Milnes. "If that's successful, as we now think it will be given the results we've had on JET, we can develop power plant designs in parallel... we're probably halfway there" to viable fusion, he said. If all goes well at ITER, a prototype fusion power plant could be ready by 2050. International cooperation on fusion energy has historically been close because, unlike the nuclear fission used in atomic power plants, the technology cannot be weaponised. The France-based megaproject also involves China, the EU, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia and the US. Tim Luce, head of science and operation at ITER, said the project emerged in the 1980s from talks on nuclear disarmament between US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev. "And the one thing they did agree on was using fusion as a cooperation," he told AFP. "Somehow fusion has had the scientific panache to bring together disparate governmental entities and actually choose to work together on it." Despite dozens of tokamaks being built since they were first invented in Soviet Russia in the 1950s, none has yet managed to produce more energy than is put in. The latest results use about three times the amount of energy that is produced. Ian Fells, emeritus professor of energy conversion at the University of Newcastle, said Wednesday's result was a "landmark in fusion research". "Now it is up to the engineers to translate this into carbon-free electricity and mitigate the problem of climate change," added Fells, who is not involved in the project. Explore further Fusion facility sets a new world energy record 2022 AFP LAKE GEORGE Due to unseasonably warm temperatures, Ice Castles in Lake George closed Friday and this Saturday. The attraction at Charles R. Wood Park plans to reopen on Sunday at 11 a.m. Anyone who has purchased tickets will receive an automatic refund in the next seven to 10 business days, according to a news release from the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce and CVB. This is the first year for the attraction, which consists of thousands of hand-placed icicles that form shapes such as tunnels, fountains and slides and are illuminated with LED lights. The company also has locations in New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Utah and Colorado. Love 0 Funny 2 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 4 FORT EDWARD Washington County closed 2021 with a fund balance of a little over $26 million, thanks in part to sales tax revenue that came in $5 million more than budgeted, county Treasurer Al Nolette told the county Board of Supervisors Finance Committee on Thursday. Nolette said he expects the states first deposit of sales tax income for 2022 to be $424,000 more than what the county received at the same time last year. My best guess is that well continue to see growth in the first and second quarter, Nolette said. Beyond that, he didnt want to predict. Sales tax and other expected revenues should add $6 million to the fund balance, Nolette said. That doesnt include any federal American Rescue Plan Act funds. The countys expenses were also lower because there were some things we couldnt do in 2021. Jackson Supervisor Jay Skellie asked whether a proposed rollback of federal gasoline taxes would affect sales tax revenues. Nolette said it wouldnt because the county tax only applies to the price of the gas itself, not the state and federal taxes on the fuel. The biggest reason for the increased sales tax revenue was online shopping, Nolette said. Washington County has no big shopping malls; the nearest are outside the county in Wilton and Queensbury. When people shop online and have merchandise delivered to their homes, their county of residence receives the sales tax. Although that might change as people return to stores, Amazon is still a good way to do business, Nolette said. The county has also seen some new retailers open, including several Dollar General stores, he said. An ongoing effect of the pandemic is that the county hasnt held any foreclosure auctions in two years. His office was just starting to arrange auctions of properties with delinquent taxes from 2018 when a foreclosure moratorium was imposed. That expired on Jan. 15, Nolette said. The number of parcels in arrears is extremely higher than normal, around 80 parcels, Nolette said. It would usually be around 35 to 40. According to court rulings, Nolette will have to schedule conferences with owners of properties in arrears before getting a court order to proceed with an auction, he said. Its not that we wont be able to foreclose, but it will look different, Nolette said. I can do it but it wont happen tomorrow. A federal homeowner assistance program could help some delinquent taxpayers, Nolette said. Its a win-win for everyone if federal funds help people stay in their homes, Nolette said. My goal is to get the countys lien made whole, not take peoples property away. The state owes the county $4.5 million in Marchiselli grants, a state grant for transportation-related projects, Nolette said. The problem appears to be with the region and not the county specifically, he said. The county has a bond anticipation note coming due next month and Nolette was concerned the county might have to take out a short-term loan if the Marchiselli grant doesnt arrive in time. That could cost the county money, he said. The committee authorized Nolette to take out an interfund loan if that happens. The committee approved bids to purchase two trucks for the Department of Public Works. Beyer Ford submitted a price of $41,700 for a 2022 Ford F-250 truck, and DeNooyer Chevrolet bid $51,800 for a Silverado with an 8-foot bed and plow. The full Board of Supervisors will vote to confirm committee actions at its regular monthly meeting on Feb. 18. Personnel Committee The Washington County Personnel Committee approved hiring 20 seasonal employees at county parks at Lake Lauderdale and Huletts Landing this summer, during its meeting Thursday. Positions to be filled are a park manager, eight lifeguard/laborers, and two senior lifeguards at Lake Lauderdale, and seven lifeguard/laborers and two senior lifeguards at Huletts Landing. The committee approved filling a total of five vacant positions in the departments of public works, social services and sewer district. An account clerk in the sewer district was increased from 35 to 40 hours, and a part-time account clerk in the treasurers department was moved to a part-time senior account clerk. In the DPW, six highway worker II positions were replaced with six carpenter positions. Personnel Officer Danielle Lapann said the change reflects what those workers are actually doing, which is carpentry. County Treasurer Nolette said the positions were negotiated with the Teamsters Union and the change will align the jobs with the union contract. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 0 ATLANTIC CITY The city is pursuing a deal to bring a $2.7 billion auto-centric development to Bader Field, its largest undeveloped tract of land at about 141 acres, Mayor Marty Small Sr. said Friday. Under my tenure, Bader Field will get done, Small said at the Metropolitan Business and Citizens Associations annual winter luncheon at Caesars Atlantic City. Called Renaissance at Bader Field and proposed by DEEM Enterprises, the project would include hundreds of condominiums along the intracoastal waterway. It also would include a high-rise hotel/event space, retail space along Albany Avenue, educational facilities to teach people to become mechanics and a Formula One track winding through the middle where those who own high-performance vehicles can drive them at race speed, according to illustrations shown in a slide show. In his hour-and-a-half-long State of the City speech, Small said there is no signed deal yet, but in all his years of looking at ideas for the historic site, this one excites him most. Bader Field was one of the nations first airports. It closed in 2006, after 86 years of operation. Atlantic City's Mayor Langford starts sharing plans for Bader Field Editor's Note: How would you re-develop Atlantic City's Bader Field? Casinos, condos, recrea Its the most credible project and proposal this city has seen for Bader Field, Small said. We are vetting this project and others with the state of New Jersey. The idea was first broached to City Council in March 2021. Last year, Small announced a trucking school would lease Bader Field on a short-term basis as a site to teach people to qualify for commercial driving licenses, but it has yet to start. Small said he expects it to begin in the summer. DEEM filled four tables at the luncheon with people involved with the project, including Erick Feitshans, of Los Angeles, and Michael Binder, who said he was based in Pennsylvania. Feitshans said there are four major investors involved. Of the two not in attendance, one is from Los Angeles and the other is from the Atlantic City area, he said. Its a redevelopment project, so it involves cleanup, Feitshans said. We are dealing with the city and state. Its a long-term thing. Bader Field development deadline passes without any bids made From Press staff reports Bader Field needs to be raised about 6 feet to meet flood regulations, city officials have said. Feitshans said the group has not yet negotiated a price for the land with the city. During Smalls address, the audience seemed impressed with the Bader Field suggestion but saved its biggest applause for a promise made earlier in his speech to synchronize the traffic lights on Atlantic and Pacific avenues. Currently, drivers can get caught repeatedly by red lights, and sometimes in frustration drivers speed through them. Small also got strong applause when he announced a clean and safe zero tolerance policy to eliminate vagrancy and panhandling on Atlantic and Pacific avenues, and particularly around Renaissance Plaza on Atlantic Avenue. We are going to hire civilians to assist the Police Department, Small said, to clear the way so all the residents who want to go there can do so in peace. Helicopter operators want Atlantic City landing site ATLANTIC CITY Paul Dudley would fly his helicopter here at the behest of high-rolling clie He did not describe how the civilian corps would clear the area. In a video Small showed during his presentation on the Bader Field proposal, he calls the city a destination for the auto enthusiast, with retail and dining, a Boardwalk and structures built for resiliency to minimize the strain on the natural environment. Small also said the taxes it would pay would significantly lower the citys overall property tax rate. He described a variety of new developments coming in 2022, including an enlarged Kelseys restaurant near the current location on Pacific Avenue and the redevelopment of the former John Brooks Recovery Center into 53 residential units on Pacific Avenue, with 23 apartments and 7,000 square feet of retail in a new building on site. There were a variety of plans for more market-rate housing in the Orange Loop district, and coming up soonest is the opening in May of an indoor go-kart facility at the Showboat hotel, Small said. The city also plans to renovate the City Hall courtyard with a fountain and new atrium entry, Small said. This is the best spot weve been in in a long time fiscally and development-wise, Small said. Were not done yet. We cant be an international destination until we get our house in order. The MBCA is celebrating its 30th year as a community and business organization, said community outreach representative Gary Hill. REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SEA ISLE CITY Set in the 1950s, the musical Bye Bye Birdie includes a musical complaint about the new generation. Kids! They are just impossible to control! Kids! With their awful clothes and their rock n roll, went the lyrics by Lee Adams. The complaints go back further than that, with no less than Socrates complaining about the bad manners and contempt for authority from a new generation in ancient Athens. In shore towns last summer, officials believe they had it much worse than usual, with hundreds of teenagers gathering on beaches and boardwalks at night. Cape May County officials want to find ways to head off similar issues in 2022. To that end, an extraordinary gathering took place upstairs at Sea Isle Citys municipal hall Friday, with mayors, police officers and others on hand to discuss the issue with local legislators. More than 50 people were part of the morning gathering in City Council chambers, which was closed to media. After more than an hour of discussion, officials spoke with reporters after the meeting ended. We dont want to paint these juveniles as all being bad. Theyre not. Theyre not bad, said Sea Isle Mayor Leonard Desiderio, who organized the meeting. What I was calling for, and what I hope the legislators will agree to, is just to give a little bit more enforcement power back to the police than they have now. Right now, its very difficult dealing with the juveniles. Closed-door meeting planned Friday in Sea Isle City about juvenile summer gatherings SEA ISLE CITY Mayor Leonard Desiderio plans to host a meeting Friday morning at City Hall Desiderio and other officials cite changes connected to New Jerseys legalization of cannabis. Its not that more of the kids are smoking weed, its that in the package of laws approving legal cannabis was a provision keeping police officers from detaining juveniles for possession of weed, and alcohol. The idea was to keep young people out of the criminal justice system. Desiderio and others on Friday said the pendulum went too far. He wants the underage drinking laws to go back to where they were, and disconnect the enforcement of underage drinking laws from the cannabis legislation. Police are not allowed to search juveniles for alcohol or cannabis. The worst a 15-year-old faces for drinking a beer on the beach is a written warning and a talking-to. You cant have underage drinking with no consequences, North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello said after the meeting. Add alcohol to a large group of young people, and there will likely be problems, he said. Thats what we saw in North Wildwood, he said. His city saw fights among juveniles last summer. In fact, most of the resort towns in the county reported similar issues. There were reports of problems up and down the coast last summer, including in Avalon, Ocean City, Atlantic City and Beach Haven. Sea Isle City takes on crowds of summer youth SEA ISLE CITY Increased police presence, new rules for beach access and a call for new res Officials say most of the kids behave themselves, but with hundreds in a group, it only takes a couple to cause a problem. Reports included vandalism, shoplifting and rude behavior, such as yelling obscenities at families. I dont want to give anyone a (criminal) record. These kids are our future. But right now, they know what they can get away with, Desiderio said. County Prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland was also at the event. He said he could not comment on any legislation but did say some laws designed for other communities, in which officers are dealing with the same population of juveniles, have a different impact in a shore community, where thousands of new young people arrive every week. Down here in Cape May County, there are issues that maybe werent considered, he said. It may be a very good directive if youre dealing with individual juveniles, but it may not be very effective when youre dealing with large groups. If resort communities are not considered in the legislation, it may not be effective in dealing with summer crowds, Sutherland said. You may have a prom once a year, but we have that every night, he said. North Wildwood joins chorus of concern over juvenile behavior this year NORTH WILDWOOD A fight involving juveniles over the July 4 holiday continues to reverberat Sutherland said there were other issues last year as well. Many young people had been stuck at home due to COVID-19, and there were fewer places open, both for families planning a vacation and for young people on a summer night. You had a lot of people coming to the beaches because that was the place you could go, he said. I think all the beach communities were impacted. Social media also plays a role, he said, allowing young people to quickly organize, so if they are moved from one area of town they may quickly gather again somewhere else. Assemblyman Antwan McClellan, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, said the state needs to give more power back to local police. Officials and residents in multiple towns argued the rules last year handcuffed officers, especially a provision under which an officer could face charges for searching a juvenile without sufficient cause. Its important that when we create legislation, we talk to the people who will have to enforce it, he said. State Sen. Michael Testa, R-Cape May, Cumberland, Atlantic, said he has co-sponsored legislation that would remove criminal liability for law enforcement officers established in last years law. So far, the bill does not have any support from the other side of the aisle. Youth disruptions at shore fueled by pandemic and NJ blocking enforcement Young people visitors and residents alike long have gravitated into large groups on Jers Also at the event were Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian and police Chief Jay Prettyman, county Sheriff Bob Nolan, county Commissioner E. Marie Hayes, Middle Township police Chief Chris Leusner, Wildwood Mayor Pete Byron and police chiefs and officers from multiple other communities. The participants said they were not looking to punish juveniles but rather get control of a potentially dangerous situation. The objective is to keep everybody safe. Its not to be able to charge or arrest young visitors to our community, Sutherland said. Contact Bill Barlow: 609-272-7290 bbarlow@pressofac.com Twitter @jerseynews_bill 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. Illinois State Police arrested a 30-year-old Morrison, Illinois, man Thursday on child pornography charges. Gaulbert M. Gaeta is charged in Whiteside County Circuit Court with three counts of dissemination of child pornography. Each of the charges is a Class X felony under Illinois law that carries a prison sentence of 6-30 years. Gaeta also is charged with three counts of possession of child pornography. Each of those charges is a Class 2 felony that carries a prison of 3-7 years. According to a news release issued by the Illinois State Police on Friday, Gaeta was arrested at his home in the 100 block of East Main Street after an investigation involving child pornography. Gaeta made a first appearance on the charges Friday in Whiteside County Circuit Court before Circuit Judge Stanley Steines, who set a preliminary hearing date for Feb. 28. Gaeta was being held Friday night in the Whiteside County Jail on a $250,000 bond or 10%. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 1 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A battle is brewing over a federal grant awarded to Rock Island to be used toward establishing a Black history trail in the city. The $33,500 grant, called the African American Civil Rights Grant, was awarded last year by the National Park Service and the U.S. Historic Preservation Fund to help the city create 10 sites of historic or cultural significance. But the grant applicants and Black residents in the community are at odds with how the grant was obtained and how to move forward. The grant was written and applied for through the city by Natalie Linville-Mass, owner of QC PastPort and Media Link, a Quad-City advertising agency, and Charles Pearson, owner of Pearson Consulting, a heritage management consulting firm. When Rock Island residents Gaye Burnett and Shellie Moore Guy heard about the grant, they felt excluded in the process of telling of their own Black history and formed the Rock Island Coalition of African American Stakeholders with other Black residents to give their community a stronger voice when situations like these arise. The coalition is asking the city to return the grant, saying it is simply "a means to expand their economic development plan." City council members will vote Monday night on three options regarding the grant: Proceed with the history project as originally planned and consider a consulting agreement with Pearson Consulting and Media Link; discard Pearson Consulting and Media Link as consultants and consider other contractors; or return the grant to the National Park Service and not proceed with the project at all. Pearson, who is Black, has done work on the African American Story Trail in Iowa. "Anybody who is African-American in Rock Island and wants to contribute to the planning process, the door is wide open," Pearson said Friday. "But the problem is, I still haven't been paid to take those steps." Pearson said Rock Island did not have any historic African-American properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places and furthermore, the city's historic preservation commission has no Black members. "Without having an African-American like myself, that is an expert in certified local government programming, it's impossible for Shelli (Moore Guy) and the coalition to assist a preservation initiative," he said. "The city owns the properties; the city has to come up with an alliance with that coalition. The city is the overseer of the project. The confusion is that when it comes to storytelling, the city and QC Pastport is doing the story telling." Pearson said his part would be in helping the city to nominate 10 properties to the National Historic Registry. "We feel that the city has acted with total disrespect for the Black community," members of the coalition said in a press release Thursday. "To us, the Black Community, this is more than a marker on a tourism trail; it is the stories of our lives, the stories of our ancestors' past and the stories of our children's futures. Because knowing their past will make children stronger, more resilient and build better citizens for the future." The coalition members are asking that skillful historians, archivists and musicologists document and preserve their memories and experiences. "It is also important that they capture the wisdom of our personal and firsthand accounts of pivotal events of our familys rich history and contributions to the city of Rock Island," they wrote. The coalition is asking for credentialed professors from Augustana College or other professionals with expertise to assist in the telling of Black history or "community members that have been and are currently documenting and curating the local Black history of Rock Island." Pearson agreed that the Black community was disrespected. "When it comes to the African-American community and local history, you definitely want someone who is African-American to take the lead or have a position in the group or organization you are serving," he said. "You don't want the end of Black History month having a sour note when we can fix it by just understanding what the situation really is, which is the Black community trying to figure out where they fit in with QC Pastport and the city of Rock Island." He said Friday that he and Linville-Mass would move forward with the project anyway, regardless of a grant or contract with the city. "The project that we felt would be marketable is 'Black life along the Mississippi River,'" he said. "I don't even care about the grant that much anymore. This is one of the first times for the African-American community when the city will take city property and list it on the National Register (of Historic Places). It is unheard of." Rock Island city council will meet at 6:45 p.m. Monday, Feb. 14, at City Hall, 1528 Third Ave., Rock Island. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SPRINGFIELD Attorney General Kwame Raoul filed a petition on Thursday asking the Illinois Supreme Court to intervene in a controversial sexual assault case that ended with a circuit judge voiding his original guilty verdict and freeing the defendant early. Raoul petitioned for a writ of mandamus urging the Illinois Supreme Court to order Adams County Circuit Judge Robert K. Adrian to impose a lawful sentence in the sexual assault case four to 15 years in prison. Adrian released the defendant after he served five months in a county jail. The mandatory sentencing range set by the Illinois General Assembly for felony criminal sexual assault is four to 15 years in prison, Raoul said in a written release announcing his decision to take the case to the Supreme Court. In addition to the insensitivity to the victim in this case, the judges decision to vacate the conviction and call the 148 days Clinton served in county jail plenty of punishment demonstrates an abuse of power. Adrian presided over the three-day bench criminal sexual assault trial of Drew S. Clinton, 19, in October. Clinton was accused of raping a 16-year-old girl at a graduation party in Quincy on May 30. Adrian found Clinton guilty of one count of criminal sexual assault. But when Clinton returned to court in January, Adrian decided to reverse his own finding of guilt and vacate the conviction. This allowed Adrian to avoid sentencing him to the minimum sentence under Illinois law. He then ordered Clinton to be released from custody. Clintons victim was in court and prepared to read a victim impact statement when Adrian made his decision to vacate the conviction and free Clinton. A transcript showed that Adrian criticized the parents where the party was held. This is whats happened when parents do not exercise their parental responsibilities, when we have people, adults, having parties for teenagers and they allow coeds and female people to swim in their underwear in their swimming pool, he said, according to a transcript. Carrie Ward, the executive director for the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, said Adrians statements were victim-blaming and further traumatized the victim. This was a turn that no one could have predicted, Ward said. And it underscores the issues survivors of sexual assault face. Clinton, who formerly lived in Quincy, turned 18 two weeks before the crime occurred. He had no previous criminal record. He currently resides in Michigan. During the hearing, Adrian said, Mr. Clinton has served almost five months in the county jail, 148 days. For what happened in this case, that is plenty of punishment. That would be a just sentence, according to a court transcript. This is the first time I have seen a situation like this in the 20 years I have been doing this, said Daniel S. McConkie Jr., who teaches criminal law at Northern Illinois University School of Law. McConkie said Adrian avoided appellate review by reversing the conviction, instead of imposing a sentence that was less than the mandatory minimum. Adrian said during the hearing that he knew that his decision would be overturned if he did that. That leaves the case to the Supreme Court to force Adrian to impose the sentence prescribed by Illinois law. Its an extraordinary remedy to an extraordinary situation, McConkie said of Raouls motion to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court can order public officials, including judges, to follow the laws put into effect by the Illinois General Assembly. Adrians handling of the case drew national media attention and an outcry from local and state advocates. The victim appeared on the nationally syndicated television show Dr. Phil to talk about the assault. We are super-glad that the attorney general took this step to try to get some justice for this victim, Ward said. And more than that, for the message that this sends to all sexual assault survivors. Adams County Chief Judge Thomas McCartney reassigned Adrian from the criminal docket to a civil docket last month. But Adrian could also face more challenges. A petition is circulating asking for his recall. On Friday, the petition had more than 102,000 signatures. Adrian was elected to the bench in 2010 with 56% of the vote. He won retention, which requires an affirmative vote of 60% of the voters, in 2016 with 83% of the vote. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 DES MOINES A proposed law is advancing in the Iowa House that would require the state education board to adopt standards for a public high school course on the Bible. The measure, advanced Wednesday by two House Republicans, would give schools the option to offer the class as a social studies elective. The legislation does not require schools to offer the course, nor does it include other religious texts. Iowa Sen. Jeff Taylor, R-Sioux Center, noted the course could only be offered after being approved by a districts school board and district improvement advisory committee. Taylor said the bill focuses on the Bible because of Christianitys influence on U.S. history. Why the Bible? It has a disproportionate influence on U.S. history and American culture, he said. Thats just the way it is, good or bad, like it or dont. Culturally speaking, theres no comparison. Taylor said he does not oppose nor does the bill restrict any instruction about other religions, adding he would welcome more religious education instruction in schools. I dont feel this is overreach, he said. Lobbyists for Iowa school boards and teachers are registered as opposed to Senate File 2136, saying they believe it amounts to state lawmakers directing school curriculum. They also noted many schools already offer courses on world religions. There is already a process (through the state education board) to look at social studies or any other curriculum, said Phil Jeneary, a lobbyist for the Iowa Association of School Boards. Any change should go through that process and not the Legislature. Taylor invited William Jeynes, a professor at California State University-Long Beach, to speak at the subcommittee hearing. Jeynes advocates for instruction on the Bible in public schools. Jeynes said learning about the Bible helps students learn about world history and enhances their understanding of people of faiths, including those other than Christianity. Its hard to imagine a person be educated unless he has a working education of the Bible, said Taylor, who spoke virtually at the hearing. If one is to be regarded as knowledgeable, the Bible is clearly one piece of literature with which one should be familiar. Sen. Herman Quirmbach, a Democrat from Ames and former Iowa State University professor, said he opposes the bill, in part because of its narrow focus. We need to know more about a whole lot of religions, Quirmbach said. Obviously, we need to know a lot about Christianity, or Judeo-Christian theology. But we have to have students educated on a wide variety of religions. Taylor and Sen. Craig Johnson, R-Independence, approved advancing the bill. It is now eligible for consideration by the Senate Education Committee. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dressed to the nines with a sparkling tiara on her head, Jade Weller was all smiles waving to the crowd of people lined up Friday inside one of the buildings of the Iowa National Guard Armory on West Kimberly Road in Davenport. Weller, 17, of Davenport, was one of thousands of participants in the 8th Annual Night To Shine held around the globe from the Americas to Zimbabwe and many other nations in between to celebrate people with special needs for ages 14 and older. The Quad-City event was held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the armory. While there was hope that this years event would be held in a venue where everyone could dance and mingle, the COVID pandemic once again forced alternate plans. But instead of just having a virtual event, this years event also included a parade where participants could drive through, have their photos taken and be cheered on without ever leaving their vehicles. They would then return home for virtual event. With her dad, Tyson, behind the wheel and her mom, Crystal, in the back seat with cell phone out making the recording, Jade truly shined. Im really excited, Jade said as she sat in the front passenger seat waving to the crowd and giving high-fives to the people along the indoor route, which included Davenport police and Miss Iowa Grace Keller, as well as Chuck E. Cheese, McGruff the Crime Dog, Radar the team mascot of the Quad City Storm and Sparky the fire dog. Even St. Nicholas was on hand. Volunteers Scott and Sandy Sievert of Risen Christ Lutheran Church have worked the event since it first began in the Quad-Cities in 2017. Planning for the event started in June, but at that point it was still going to be a live event, Scott Sievert said. It was about September that the Tim Tebow Foundation said it would be virtual again. That gave us plenty of time to plan. Last year, of course, it was kind of last minute. The idea of a parade had been bantered about the Foundation, Sievert said, and it was put out in time for the locations to make plans for it. Sandy Sievert said a number of locations were considered, and the armory worked best. Randy Beyhl, of Davenport, who was dressed as St. Nicholas for the event, and his wife, Bonnie, were among the 90 volunteers who made the event happen. This is nice, Beyhl said, of the event and the venue, understanding well what it took to pull off the parade. Its easy to have a parade in Florida at this time of year, but in Iowa youve got to be creative to make it work. Many of the volunteers who made the parade a success worked behind the scenes. Cheryl Allbee, 76, who once owed The Flower Shop in LeClaire, has put her floral skills to use during the Night To Shine events in the Quad-Cities. This year, she directed the making of 300 corsages, using materials she got from Bonnett Wholesale Florist Inc. in Milan. My daughter, granddaughter and great-granddaughter had a hand in this, Allbee said. Emily Pries, who works for the Catholic Diocese of Davenport, said about 270 people registered this year for the virtual event and about 130 people registered for the parade. Jennie McKenna, of Eldridge, one of the volunteers cheering for two hours, said her daughter, Abbey, 38, had loved the Night To Shine since its inception. Abbey was one of the sponsors of the nights festivities at the armory. Shes come to all of them, Jennie McKenna said. Sometimes its been me that brought her and sometimes my husband. As a parent I can see these kids welling up, she said of the joy that participants have at being recognized. The first time I was at it I felt like crying, but I was too busy grinning, McKenna said. Everyone participating at this years event had one wish: that next years event can be held where everyone can be together once again. Love 4 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. A judge Friday ordered a 19-year-old man held without bond after he allegedly gunned down his 16-year-old neighbor in the Woodlawn neighborhood in Chicago. Mario Ford was charged with first-degree murder in the shooting of Uriel Rodger-Knox, which happened Tuesday in the 6200 block of South Greenwood Avenue, police said. Ford and Rodger-Knox lived across the street from each other with family members, Assistant States Attorney Andrea Williams said at the bond hearing, overseen by Judge Mary Marubio. Williams, who did not discuss a possible motive in the killing, said it unfolded shortly after 4 p.m. as Rodger-Knox and three witnesses approached Fords home without weapons, following an earlier argument between Fords mother and one of the witnesses, who was also the mother of Fords child. Rodger-Knox lived with the three witnesses, at least two of whom were sisters, according to the prosecutor. Just before the shooting, the households also had another argument, during which Fords sister sprayed mace toward Rodger-Knox and the witnesses, Williams said. Ford then allegedly exited the apartment building and shot at Rodger-Knox twice with a revolver, striking him once in the head. He also pointed the gun at one of the witnesses, who had bent down to help the 16-year-old after he fell to the ground, Williams said. The witness who prosecutors said had a child with Ford was watching nearby, holding the child, Williams said. The 1-year-old is Fords only child, his attorney said at the hearing. Rodger-Knox was pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center at 5:55 p.m., according to the Cook County medical examiners office. The three initial witnesses spoke to police at the scene and identified Ford as the shooter, but a fourth witness did not identify him. Police recovered a black puffer jacket inside Fords home, that witnesses said Ford wore during the shooting. Additionally, surveillance video shows a person who appeared to be Ford, wearing the same jacket behind the same apartment building at the time of the shooting, according to Williams. Police didnt recover any weapons at the scene and found Ford tested positive for gunshot residue on his hands, Williams said. Ford, who is unemployed, has never been arrested, according to his attorney, who said he attended Perspectives High School in Chicago. The attack happened an hour after an apparently unrelated fatal shooting of a 15-year-old Bronzeville boy in the 3500 block of South Prairie Avenue. Ford is due back in court Feb. 18. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Thumbs Up ... to the state of Illinois for awarding a $5 million Rebuild Illinois grant to MetroLINK for on-street, overhead vehicle charging equipment at Metro passenger terminals, and for the expansion of charging systems at Metros Operations and Maintenance Center to support their growing fleet of battery electric buses. As Sarah Hayden reported, the overhead pantrograph chargers will be located at terminals in East Moline, Moline and Rock Island. MetroLINK also will use the funds to expand its current depot charging system at the Operations and Maintenance Center, making it possible to charge up to 20 buses simultaneously. This board has urged local and state governments on both sides of the river to lean into policies that will position us for the coming revolution in electric vehicles. This is another step forward, and we're happy to see MetroLINK leading the way in the Quad-Cities. Thumbs Up ... to the apparent death of a bill that would have put video cameras in most Iowa classrooms. We panned this proposal last week, and earlier this week, a subcommittee meeting in the Iowa House that was scheduled to take up the bill was cancelled. According to the Des Moines Register, the subcommittee's chair, Rep. Ray Sorenson, R-Greenfield, said he was never in support of the bill. The proposal was introduced by Rep. Norlin Mommsen, R-DeWitt, and it drew criticism from teachers and others. With the legislative funnel coming up next week, it looks like the bill is dead. That's a good thing. Thumbs Up ... to the opening of a new business in the old Greatest Grains building on Harrison Street in Davenport. Lonnie and Constance Westerfield opened Celebrity's Beauty Supply at the beginning of the month and have plans for a spring opening of the Woke Smoothie & Juice Bar in another part of the building, according to reporting by our Brooklyn Draisey. There also are plans to hold financial literacy classes for young people. Clyde Mayfield and his wife, Julie, started Greatest Grains together in 1979, and it was an important piece of not just the Hilltop neighborhood but the whole city. The business closed in 2019 and Mayfield, a former firefighter and school board member, passed away in 2020. Westerfield, a friend, paid tribute this week and made clear he intends to carry on his work. "He was a mentor to the community, and he was a leader in the community, and for me to take this on and continue not what he did as far as business but continue what he did as far as being a community leader for our youth, and bringing in businesses to the community," Westerfield said. "That's a big point." Thumbs Down ... to the plan to evict park rangers from state-owned housing at 23 parks. As Erin Jordan of The Gazette reported, the state Department of Natural Resources doesn't want to invest up to $1 million to fix up housing at the parks, some of which dates back to the 1930s. The DNR says only a third of the parks have housing and that maintenance competes with public amenities for funding. It also says that other states and even the federal government are moving away from this kind of publicly-funded housing. We understand the DNR's impluse to maximize the money it gets. But rangers say they won't be able to provide the same level of services if they're not on-site, and some law enforcement officials say they're worried it will mean more work for them. In 2021, IowaWatch reported that visits to state parks have risen steadily since the mid-1990s, even as the number of park rangers has fallen, and that the operation and maintenance budget is only about $6 million. For a state with a $1.2 billion budget surplus and full rainy-day funds, it seems to us Iowa can afford to invest in its parks. Iowans, by their increased attendance, seem to value them, too. Otherwise, they wouldn't be flocking to them in increasing numbers. Thumbs Up ... to Nahant Marsh Education Center, which has concluded a fundraising campaign and surpassed its goal. The organization raised $4.2 million to build new trails, a new operation center and buy more land for habitat restoration and to expand programming. "Weve already put some of this money to work." Nahant Marsh Executive Director Brian Ritter said in a news release. "We restored a 39-acre crop field back to prairie and wetlands. Weve begun constructing a trail spur that will connect Nahant Marsh to the Mississippi River Trail and we have purchased a variety of research equipment that is being used by staff and interns to better study the marsh." Congratulations and well done to an organization that continues to preserve the largest urban wetland on the Upper Mississippi River and that educates people of all ages about the importance of taking care of the environment we hold in trust for future generations. This editorial represents the opinion of the Quad-City Times Editorial Board. The members of the board are Deb Anselm, publisher; Matt Christensen, executive editor; Ed Tibbetts, editorial page editor; and John Wetzel, community member. Love 2 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Members fill the chamber as the House of Delegates began the session inside the Virginia State Capitol in Richmond, Va, Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, the first day of the General Assembly Special Session. (Bob Brown/Richmond Times-Dispatch via AP) (BOB BROWN/AP) Richmond As the head of a military-focused organization in Hampton Roads, Craig Quigley often meets with the regions commanders. One topic always comes up. Advertisement Something that is present in nearly every conversation is the need for additional mental health care resources for service members and their families, he told The Virginian-Pilot. This is very much a huge issue of central importance. Quigley, who leads the Hampton Roads Military and Federal Facilities Alliance, recently spoke to a House subcommittee on behalf of a bill that would create a suicide prevention coordinator position within the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. Advertisement Craig Quigley (Courtesy photo) The legislation, introduced by Del. Anne Ferrell Tata, R-Virginia Beach, received bipartisan support and passed the House of Delegates earlier this month. It was referred to a Senate committee on Monday. Tata told the subcommittee the bill was written by the Joint Leadership Council of Veterans Service Organizations (JLC). The Hampton Roads area has a very large military presence; therefore, I was more than happy to submit this bill on their behalf, she said. The coordinator would increase mental health screenings of military members, and work with others to analyze data about the causes and methods of suicide among Virginias veterans. There were 188 veteran suicides in Virginia in 2019, according to the most recent report from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. The majority were men 35 and older. The coordinator also would be tasked with identifying new suicide prevention opportunities and sources of funding, as well as administering a grant program devoted to such in communities throughout the state. Quigley said the legislation comes at an especially critical time, as the COVID-19 pandemic adds stress and uncertainty to peoples lives. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > In all walks of life, you are seeing increased substance abuse, domestic violence and mental health struggles because of the very unusual lives that weve had to lead for the past two years, and the military is certainly not exempt from that, he said. Denice Williams, chair of the JLC, said the bills passage is the councils top priority for this legislative session. Advertisement The JLC, which is comprised of representatives from veterans service organization, provides advice and assistance to the governor, General Assembly and the Department of Veterans Services about veterans affairs. Everybody is aware of the numbers of veteran suicides across the country, Williams said. This issue needs attention on a consistent basis. Daniel Gade, who heads the states Department of Veterans Services, said theres a state program that works to help those experiencing a mental health crisis. But he said more resources and research are needed. We dont currently have the capability to understand fully the suicide risk factors that are specific to veterans in Virginia, Gade said. This (new position) would allow us to do some research so we could better see ourselves. Katie King, katie.king@virginiamedia.com Florence-Carlton and Darby School districts are searching for new superintendents. On Tuesday, the Florence-Carlton School Board released Superintendent Brian Rayburn from the last year of his three-year contract and will begin searching for a new superintendent. Rayburn said his decision was based on how busy hes been with the school, through COVID and school construction. Ive got four years left to be a dad and I want to really be there for my kids, he said. I found the last couple of years has been a lot of work. I have this rare opportunity to step back and find a position in a smaller district that would allow me more time with my kids. Currently, he doesnt have firm plans or job offers but will be submitting applications and setting up interviews. Rayburns sons will begin their freshman and senior years in the fall. [Im] getting ready to send one off to college and just watch the other one grow through his high school years, Rayburn said. With construction and everything involved in COVID I found myself missing a few of the important things. I really want to devote that time to them as best I can. I know Ill be busy with a new job but Im looking for a smaller town, smaller district and give what I can while I enjoy my sons. He said being in Florence has been a great experience. Ive been able to do a lot of good things in the last two years here, but it has been because Ive been surrounded by great people, Rayburn said. From the staff to the board to the community it has made it easier to do the work Ive had to do, and I wish them all the best. Being a dad is important and I want to look back on the next four years and say, I was there for my boys. Rayburn will remain the superintendent until June 30. He said the school board is looking at two search consultants and soon will be launching into the search for the new superintendent. The Stevensville community will also miss him, especially his work as a volunteer with the Stevensville Rural Fire District. Rayburn has been a firefighter for nine years. All the towns Ive lived in have all relied on volunteer fire departments and most likely the town I end up in will be in the same situation. Ill try to get on the fire department there, he said. I really enjoy the work involved with that. The Rayburn family came to Florence from Lima, and he said more rural is his goal. Im looking forward to getting back to a rural community, to be a part of that environment again, Rayburn said. A rural community would be tops for me. The Darby School Board is searching for a superintendent and has an administrative restructuring need. The school has a TK-4 principal (also the superintendent) and a grade 5-12 principal but have a three-grade overlap as they have hired their current superintendent to serve as TK-7 principal. Chris Toynbee is the TK-4 principal and superintendent and at the last school board meeting, he turned down the superintendent position offered to him. I have been the interim superintendent for the past two years and now I am declining a one-year superintendent contract so that I can return to being a principal (TK-7th grade), Toynbee said, Tuesday. I maintained my tenure as the interim superintendent and I'm not willing to give that up at this time. The Darby School Board rehired Toynbee for the 2022-2023 school year as K-7 principal at a special meeting on Thursday, Jan. 27. Currently, Darby High School Principal Christopher Mothorn covers grades 5-12. Board Chair Rosemary Griffin said all will be well as the board is working on the details and should have everything resolved at the next Darby School Board meeting, which is Monday, Feb. 14. The Darby superintendent position is open, closes at 4 p.m. on March 3, and is posted on the Montana School Boards Association web page of superintendent openings. There are currently 11 superintendent openings listed around the state on the MSBA website. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 1 Sad 0 Angry 1 Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Near the end of summer in 1977, NASA launched two spacecraft as part of the Voyager Interstellar Mission. On board each craft was a golden record that included, among other things, music from around the world, greetings in over 50 different languages, the sound of a kiss, various sounds of animals, and a mother's first words to her newborn child. The spacecrafts' main goals were to take close-up pictures of Jupiter and Saturn. After that, they would continue into space far beyond the solar system. The records onboard were built to survive a billion years with the hope that some day, they might come in contact with another civilization. So, considering you only get one shot, how do you decide what to record to succinctly describe humanity to any aliens that might come in contact with the recordings? And, who makes that monumental decision? It fell to astronomer, astrophysicist, and well-known popular purveyor of science Carl Sagan. Of course, he did not do this alone. Sagan had help, including the creative director of the project, Ann Druyan. "It was a chance to tell something of what life on Earth was like to beings of perhaps a thousand million years from now," Druyan says. For Druyan, the summer of 1977 was special to her at a very personal level. It was during the Voyager project that she and Sagan fell in love. Initially, Druyan and Sagan had been professional acquaintances, but nothing more. However, as the months passed by, they became much closer. Two days after the first Voyager spacecraft was launched on Aug. 20, 1977, Druyan and Sagan announced their engagement. They married in 1981, remaining married until his death in 1996. Not long after a phone call with Sagan, Druyan had an idea for the recording what about measuring the electrical impulses of a human brain and nervous system, turn them into sound, and put this on the record? Perhaps eons later, an alien civilization might be able to turn that data back into thoughts. Just a few days after she and Sagan had declared their love for each other, Druyan went to Bellevue Hospital in New York City. It was there that she meditated while the sounds of her brain and body were being recorded. However, as Druyan later admitted, instead of being deep in quiet thoughts, she was secretly thinking about "the wonder of love, of being in love." At this time, the probes are slowly making their way through interstellar space carrying their precious golden records, waiting for some "being" to hear the thoughts of a human newly in love. "Whenever I'm down," says Druyan, "I'm thinking: And still they move, 35,000 miles an hour, leaving our solar system for the great open sea of interstellar space." After the death of Sagan, she remarked, "When my husband died, because he was so famous and known for not being a believer, many people came up to me it still sometimes happens and asked me if Carl changed at the end and converted to a belief in an afterlife. I am also frequently asked if I think I will see him again. Carl faced his death with unflagging courage and never sought refuge in illusions. The tragedy was that we knew we would never see each other again. I don't ever expect to be reunited with Carl." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Two students from the Bitterroot Valley have been selected to travel to Washington, D.C. by Montana electric cooperatives. Across the state, the Montana Electric Cooperatives Association and electric cooperatives are sending 26 high school students on an all-expenses-paid trip to the nations capital for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Associations 2022 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., from June 18-24. Madeline Sacry from Stevensville High School and Tylin Sorenson from Corvallis High School will join 24 other youth from Montana to spend a week in Washington, D.C., experiencing history, learning more about how cooperatives work and what they do, and visiting with their congressional delegation. Students are selected by writing and submitting an essay. This year the topic was, What does the second democratic principle mean to you and your community? Ravalli Electric Co-op Communications Specialist Melissa Greenwood said that principle is about democratic member control. Stevensville High School student Madeline Sacry was selected as the REC initial winner and when her essay was forwarded she was chosen as statewide Youth Tour essay contest winner. Her trip is paid for by the Montana Electric Cooperatives Association. Madelines essay was super interesting, Greenwood said. She did additional research and interviewed others. She had an interesting take on her essay and did her homework. Im not surprised hers won at the state level. Sacry said her essay emphasized that democracy in co-ops is important, as is democracy in the nation. To win at the state level is absolutely insane, Sacry said. My essay was about the democratic process and how members and elective representatives are accountable to the membership. I researched and learned how co-ops work. I like how everyone has a say in decisions about our electricity. Since Sacry was selected as the state-wide representative, Ravalli Electric Co-op moved up runner-up Tylin Sorenson from Corvallis High School. We get to send two kids this year from our area which is nice, Greenwood said. Sorensen said she is excited to win and eager to take the trip. It is a really cool opportunity and Im honored to have been chosen, she said. [Melissa Greenwood] surprised me in front of the whole band. It was scary but very cool. Ive never been to Washington, D.C. She said her essay was about democratic member control. It was about equality in the co-ops and also in the communities and that every person has a voice, Sorensen said. Greenwood said she announced the local winners in their classrooms. It was fun, they were really surprised, Greenwood said. I announced the contest and who the winner was. Tylin was in jazz band and couldnt believe it, they were both very surprised. Greenwood said the Electric Cooperative Youth Tour has taken high school students to Washington, D.C. for a week in June every year since the late 1950s. Slowly, more and more co-ops throughout the nation have been sending kids, she said. It started small, but it keeps growing. Ive chaperoned a couple of times and the last one had probably 1,800 kids from all over. She said the experience for selected youths is rewarding. They learn about electric co-operatives, they do leadership classes, hear motivational speakers and we take them to memorials, museums and famous historical sites. They also get to go to the Capitol, take a tour and meet with our state representatives. The Youth Tour started when Senator Lyndon Baines Johnson addressed the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Annual Meeting in Chicago in 1957. Since then, nearly 50,000 students from rural areas and small towns across America have participated. Some Youth Tour alumni have gone on to design airplanes, lead companies and serve in the highest ranks of government, including the U.S. Senate. Other 2022 Montana winners are Axel Blodgett of Rapelje, Beartooth Electric Cooperative; Carolyne Christoffersen of Froid, and Kaylee Olson of Froid, both of Sheridan Electric Cooperative; Delaney Clark of Shelby, Marias River Electric Cooperative; Caroline Devoto of Wilsall, Park Electric Cooperative; Alexander Edwards of Broadus, Tongue River Electric Cooperative; Gavin Garrison of Glen, and Taryn Martinell of Dell, both of Vigilante Electric Cooperative; Adam Healy of Whitefish, Neila Lyngholm of Kalispell, and Adam Schrader of Columbia Falls, all of Flathead Electric Cooperative; Caden Hogan of Circle, McCone Electric Cooperative; Daniel Hopf of Hysham, Mid-Yellowstone Electric Cooperative; Kate Maxwell of Lewistown, Fergus Electric Cooperative; Drae Nelson of Bainville, Lower Yellowstone Rural Electric Cooperative; Shea Ostberg of Fairfield and Avery Schubarth of Vaughn, both of Sun River Electric Cooperative; Laynie Sattoriva of Hingham and Colton Spicher of Great Falls, both of Hill County Electric Cooperative; Whitney Thielen of Plevna, Southeast Electric Cooperative; Trent Truman of Trego, Lincoln Electric Cooperative; and Addison Ulrich of Malta, Big Flat Electric Cooperative. Additionally, Kash Ator of Plentywood, Sheridan Electric Cooperative, will be attending under the Willie Wirehand program for family members of electric cooperative employees. The Montana Electric Cooperatives Association is a nonprofit, statewide trade association with service areas covering all 56 Montana counties. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 1 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. Reservations for American Prairies 2022 visitation season will open to the public on Feb. 26. Upcoming trips can be planned by visiting www.americanprairie.org/visit, although online reservations are not required to explore American Prairies properties. Dispersed tent camping on public lands and on our deeded lands is free of charge and anyone is welcome to enjoy it, said Mike Kautz, director of Public Access and Recreation for the nonprofit. However, we encourage all visitors to read the safety considerations on our website and prepare adequately whether they make reservations or rough it with dispersed camping. Visitors have the option of reserving a variety of accommodations. A hut system provides affordable lodging options for larger families or groups. There are now three huts available on American Prairies PN unit, located in the Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument. Each hut costs $150 per night, can host up to eight to nine people and offers a kitchen, bedrooms and an outhouse. American Prairie also has two campgrounds, Buffalo Camp and Antelope Creek, featuring RV sites with full hookups, rental cabins, tent platforms, and potable water. At Antelope Creek Campground, cabins can be reserved for $62 per night, tent sites for $16 per night, and RV sites for $33 per night. At Buffalo Camp, tent sites are $11 per night and RV sites are $16 per night. American Prairie recorded its busiest year for visitation in 2021. Overnight reservations more than doubled compared to 2020. More than 1,400 reservations were recorded compared to 665 in 2020. According to American Prairies visitor use data, Montana residents account for the majority of visits. In 2021, more than 76% of the reservations for American Prairies hut system and more than half of reservations for the campgrounds came from state residents. Interest in American Prairie is also expected to grow in 2022 with the recent opening of the National Discovery Center in downtown Lewistown. This new visitor facility will serve as a jumping off point for adventures and as an interactive educational center to teach visitors about the significance of Montanas prairie ecosystem. The National Discovery Center is free to the public and features interactive exhibits, community meeting spaces, and the immersive Ken Burns American Heritage Theater. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Dominion Energy Inc. has agreed to sell its West Virginia natural gas utility for $690 million. The Richmond-based energy giant also announced on Friday new initiatives to reduce pollutants. Clarksburg, W.Va.-based Hope Gas Inc., also known as Dominion Energy West Virginia, would be sold to Ullico Inc.s infrastructure fund in a deal expected to close later this year, the company said. Ullico plans to integrate the gas utility with Hearthstone Utilities Inc. Dominion Energy West Virginia is a valuable business with tremendous employees, Dominion Energy chairman, president and CEO Bob Blue said in a statement. The business and its people will fit extremely well with Ullico and Hearthstones commitment to safety and their mission to serve American workers and customers. This is the second major deal that Dominion has announced in recent months. The company sold its Questar Pipelines business on the Wyoming-Utah border to Southwest Gas Holdings Inc. in late December in a deal valued at $1.975 billion, including the assumption of $430 million of existing debt. Dominion said selling the pipeline business allows it to focus on its utility customers and its clean-energy portfolio. In its efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions, Dominion announced it is expanding its plans to limit carbon and methane emissions from its power plants with new efforts to also help customers and suppliers reduce emissions. These commitments are a natural next step, building upon our industry-leading programs to drive down carbon and methane emissions within our own operations, Blue said in a statement. Were already making progress on these vital goals and will continue to do so in the months and years to come. A large fire erupted at Fox Elementary School late Friday night, resulting in major damage to the building, located in Richmond's Fan District. The Richmond Fire Department responded to the call at 2300 Hanover Avenue as flames engulfed the school. Built in 1911, the school has about 350 students, according to state figures reported in the fall. The Richmond Fire Department worked to extinguish the flames from all sides through about 1 a.m., when the fire was mostly contained. Crews remained on the scene through the morning. Much of the top floor and the roof of the school was destroyed or damaged. Jason Kamras, Superintendent of Richmond Public Schools, held a briefing on Saturday morning. "I'd like to ask everyone to please keep our students most of all, their families and teachers, our support staff, please keep them in your prayers," Kamras said. "Please reach out to them and support them in any way you possibly can." The school is collecting donations for families and staff impacted by the fire at the RPS Education Foundation site. An investigation will take place, but information obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch suggests that the first alarm may have failed to trigger an appropriate response. At 9:29 p.m., the first call went out to firefighters, but after visiting the school, they reported seeing nothing out of place through the windows. Since it was outside of school hours, calls went out to the alarm company and RPS to gain access to the building, but there was not any access granted as a result of those calls. At 10:09 p.m., according to dispatch calls, those firefighters left the scene, unable to identify anything of concern. About 26 minutes later, flames were visible from the exterior, and the call went out to firefighters to battle what ultimately became a major fire. A beloved Richmond elementary school in the city's Fan District will remain closed indefinitely after building originally built in 1911 was engulfed in flames Friday night. Students at William Fox Elementary School - who watched their classrooms burn overnight or woke up to news of it - will have Monday and Tuesday off before going virtual for a period of time on Wednesday, Superintendent Jason Kamras announced on Saturday morning. "I'd like to ask everyone to please keep our students most of all, their families and teachers, our support staff, please keep them in your prayers," Kamras said. "Please reach out to them and support them in any way you possibly can." "To the thousands of calls and emails and texts, offering love and support; It's truly a demonstration of the strength of the RPS family. And I assure you, we will dust ourselves off, stand up and move forward with joy, with love and with learning," Kamras said. No fatalities or injuries have been reported so far in connection to the fire. The superintendent said his team will look at moving them to other schools while the damage from Friday night's fire is assessed and repaired. He said officials are evaluating the former Clark Springs Elementary School building and other school facilities as alternative locations. As fire crews continued working to contain the fire Saturday morning, families ambled around the school building, taking photos of the burned building and chatting with neighbors about how their routines late Friday evening were disrupted by the acrid smell of smoke and blaring fire engines. Oliver Speck, a parent of two boys, one who currently attends Fox, said the fire feels even more devastating given that students had just been getting back to a more normal routine at school this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The family was getting ready for bed when the fire started around 10:30. He said they all stayed out watching emergency crews fighting the blaze until 2:30 a.m. The cupola on top of the building, we watched it collapse, Speck said. Its been very emotional. Most of his class is out here looking this morning. At a media briefing in front of the school Saturday morning, Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney extended his support, and said he had received a call from Governor Glenn Youngkin, who promised the same. The fire will be investigated, and no cause is known at this time. *** Richmond Fire Chief Melvin D. Carter confirmed reporting from The Times-Dispatch that crews were dispatched to the school at 9:30, but after a search did not find anything and left the scene. They were then called back at 10:35, but the blaze had spread by that point and the crews had to adopt a "defensive posture." A news release from the fire department sent earlier Saturday morning said crews were called to the school at approximately 10:35 p.m. in response to a three-alarm fire. Officials said that parts of the roof began to collapse at approximately 11:09 p.m. It was at that time that firefighters started retreating from the building to focus on a "defensive attack" outside of it. The news release did not mention the response to an alarm that was tripped at the school earlier in the evening. Audio logs from the initial emergency dispatch indicate that several fire officials were called to the school after an alarm was triggered in the building. There was some discussion as to whether it was due to a smoke alarm or some kind of motion sensor. The audio also indicated that there was a delay in firefighters being able to access the building, as the alarm company could not immediately get a response from anyone with Richmond Public School who had a key. Carter said Saturday morning that officials were still able to gain access inside the building during the preliminary investigation into the call, but was not aware of how they did so. "Before we contact the fire marshal, I just wanted to confirm this was a fire alarm. I heard the point of activation was a motion detector," a dispatcher can be heard saying on the call. "Yeah, were trying to look in through the window now," a firefighter on the scene replied. "We verified. Its stating that its a photo detector on the 2nd floor classroom number 32." A firefighter says before 10 p.m. that he gained access to the building from the "Charlie side." He doesn't say how. According to the audio recordings and call logs, firefighters left the scene at 10:09 p.m. after they said no hazards were found in the building. Fresh calls about a fire started coming in within the next 30 minutes. "Its coming from a citizen who reports there are flames visible from the top floor of the school. With gray smoke and debris falling outside. Per the alarm we received earlier tonight, possible point of activation is going to be from classroom 32," the dispatcher said. Moments later the dispatcher asked three times to confirm that the building was starting to burn. At 10:39 p.m., a firefighter answered: Affirmative. It is a working fire. About three minutes later, a request from a firefighter on the scene comes over the broadcast. "You need to send the water." City officials said Saturday morning that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. *** Garrett Roberts, a father of four who lives in the neighborhood, said he was still awake scrolling through his phone late Friday after the kids and his partner, Lauren Methena, had gone to bed. He said he checked an online log of emergency calls right after hearing several engines near their home. Roberts went to investigate, came back and told Methena that he could see flames and thick black smoke coming from Fox, where one of their four kids currently attends school. I started crying. I was in disbelief, said Methena, who is involved in organizing kids soccer on the school grounds as part of the schools parent-teacher association. The next morning, their kids pointed out their charred, roofless classrooms on the second floor. The fields also flooded. Were going to have to find somewhere else to try to keep soccer going, just so they have some semblance of normalcy. We were just getting back to normal, she said. Of course the first thing they asked me was, are we going to have to do virtual learning for the rest of the year? People from elsewhere in the city also descended upon the neighborhood school to survey the damage or show solidarity. Shae McGrath, a former Richmond Public Schools teacher, came to visit the school Saturday morning, chalking messages on sidewalks across from the building in support of the community. McGrath, who had trained at the school early in her teaching career, said it is well renowned as an idyllic place for students, teachers and parents. Other parents and teachers expressed similar sentiments about the school Saturday morning. I always felt like it was so sunshiny, McGrath said. Theres always children playing, and teachers who feel supported by this community. Thats something that not all teachers have, so its a really special place. DaQuan M. Love, the executive director for the Virginia State Conference of the NAACP, has resigned from his position. He wrote a letter regarding why he's come to this decision to staffers last Wednesday, which was obtained by the Richmond Times-Dispatch. In his letter, Love said he's resigning for his own physical and mental well-being and alleged a toxic environment on the group's executive committee. Professionally, I am sad because I earnestly love and enjoy the work I was able to do in this august role, Love wrote. While I am professionally sad, I personally am outraged. Love, a Henrico County native, became executive director in December 2020. At 28-years-old, he was the youngest person to hold the position in the NAACPs 85-year-history, according to an article published by the Richmond Free Press. In his statement, Love celebrated the fact that during his tenure he established the Virginia State Conference Endowment Fund, secured the one of the largest contributions in the history of the Virginia State Conference, upgraded the office technology and facilitated a $2.5 million campaign encouraging Black voter turnout in 2021. Love also claimed that he had to push through alleged harassment and abuse in order to get those things done. I have sacrificed my personal health and well-being in the face of verbal abuse, bullying, physical and other forms of harassment, gaslighting and other forms of manipulation by members of the executive committee, Love wrote. The stress was so severe, he said, that he was hospitalized multiple times, which he said only exacerbated the pattern of abuse demonstrated by the executive committee. Love detailed several incidents in which a committee chair demanded keys and financial information from one of Loves staffers before physically removing them from an office and threatening to call the police, and another instance in which the personal committee conducted a performance review while Love was on medical leave, despite the objections of NAACP President Robert Barnette. Love also said during his 3-week medical leave, there was no "corporate concern," for his health, except from the Henrico County branch, which sent him a gift basket. I have shown the Virginia State Conference who I am and just how hard I will work and sacrifice to move this association forward, Love said. But sadly that has not been reciprocated. Love wrote that he can't continue to battle through the micro-managing and toxic environment demonstrated throughout his time at the executive director. With some exceptions, GOP House leaders on Friday cleared more than 1,000 of former Gov. Ralph Northams nominees serving on dozens of government boards, backing down from a threat to leave the roles vacant in a scuffle with Democrats. Northam named the nominees to sit on boards that deal with industry regulations, universities and trade agreements. The appointees were serving on a temporary basis awaiting confirmation from the legislature. Earlier Friday, Democrats in the House and Senate said House GOP leaders had told them that they did not intend to confirm the nominees by Friday nights midnight deadline. The nominees would have been effectively removed from their jobs, leaving a whopping number of technical positions open for the new governor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, to fill. The standoff appeared to stem from Democrats opposition to Youngkins Natural Resources Secretary Andrew Wheeler, who served as the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump, and claims by Senate Democrats that they pose a brick wall to the Virginia GOP. On Tuesday the Senate voted 21-19 along party lines to back a committee amendment removing Wheeler from a list of appointments working its way through the Senate. Before a vote Friday evening to confirm the Northam nominees, House Majority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, said the House GOP does not believe Senate Democrats are acting in good faith. Neither chamber should be bragging about being a brick wall, he said. Ultimately, the chamber approved hundreds of nominees, with 11 exceptions. Republicans in the House rejected three of Northams nominees to the state Board of Education Stewart D. Roberson, Anthony Swann and Jamelle Smith Wilson. Roberson and Wilson are both former Hanover County school superintendents. They also rejected two of Northams nominees to the State Air Pollution Control Board, as well as nominees to other boards. Democrats in the legislature heavily criticized the GOPs threats. Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke of Hampton said earlier Friday that House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, had made clear in a conversation Friday that he did not intend to act on the appointments. She said that during the exchange, the bravado and arrogance of House Republicans and Governor Youngkin were laid bare. They are putting partisan politics ahead of good governance, Locke said in a statement. Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, said the move by the GOP would have brought parts of our government to a screeching halt. Ebbin said Senate Democrats were prepared to fight fire with fire by declining to confirm Youngkins own appointments. The roles on the line included the boards of visitors of colleges and universities, and the boards that help set rules for regulated professions like dentistry. They also included boards for the Virginia Port Authority, as well as Virginia Economic Development Partnership and Go Virginia, which vet economic development projects and appoint high-powered CEOs. Many have been serving in their roles for months or a year. Two high-ranking Northam administration officials who declined to be named because they are no longer working in government said many of the roles are not political, and that the people who have been working in them represent people sought out by the former administration for their expertise. House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, said in a statement late Friday that the GOP threat and ultimate removal of some nominees without a full hearing was reckless, plain and simple. She specifically blamed Youngkin. This is not a win for our government, Filler-Corn said. Sen. Louise Lucas, D-Portsmouth, president pro tempore of the Senate, said Friday that she received a text message from Gov. Glenn Youngkin congratulating her for a speech marking Black History Month. The only problem, Lucas said, was that Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, another Black legislator, delivered the speech. Lucas took at jab at Youngkin over the mix up in a tweet that by Saturday afternoon had been liked more than 12,000 times. I want to thank [the governor] for his text message this week, congratulating me on my excellent speech on Black History Month. I appreciate the effort, but that speech was actually given by [Sen. Locke], she wrote, adding side-by-side photos of the legislators. Study the photos and you will get this soon! In a statement provided by his office, Youngkin confirmed the mix up and said he quickly apologized to Lucas. I had the floor speeches on while doing too many things at once earlier this week. I made a mistake and I apologized to Senator Lucas right away, Youngkin said. Lockes speech delivered Tuesday on the floor of the Virginia Senate focused on the persistence of Black Americans through threats and violence, including the bomb threats received by historically Black colleges and universities around the country. We work despite efforts to take us back and silence our voices. We do so for all of the named and unnamed African Americans that work to make this a more perfect union, Locke said. We will dig in our heels and go on and get to work. Youngkins error attracted jokes on social media and anecdotes about Black people facing such actions often. I wish I could say this was rare, said former Del. Lashrecse Aird. Rep. Don McEachin, D-4th, responded to Lucas tweet, saying simply not ready. Arne Duncan, who served as U.S. education secretary under President Barack Obama, tweeted: Maybe a few courses in [Critical Race Theory] might be beneficial to [the governor.] U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor of the 1st Fighter Wing takes off from the flightline at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton Feb. 10, 2022, for a deployment to United Arab Emirates. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Anthony Nin Leclerec) A contingent of pilots and F-22s from Langley Air Force Bases 27th Fighter Squadron along with airmen from 1st Fighter Wing deployed late last week to Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates. Their mission is to assist the UAE, which has suffered a series of recent attacks from Houthi rebels from Yemen. Advertisement The Langley airmen and F-22 Raptor pilots will replenish UAEs missile interception efforts. The Pentagon is also dispatching the Norfolk-based destroyer USS Cole, part of the USS Harry S. Truman carrier strike group, to the UAE. While most of the group has been operating in the Mediterranean, the Cole had already move east of the Suez Canal. Advertisement The Raptor is the most dominant air superiority air-to-air fighter in the world, said Col. William Creeden, commander of the 1st Fighter Wing. Weve been given a superb weapon system, he said of the F-22s. But its the training, focus and discipline of our Airmen that make it the most capable. Creeden said the Langley airmen were able to move on short notice because the airmen, their planes and the complicated logistics systems they rely on for support are always ready. Anytime you need to move a force in a short amount of time, it requires a lot of coordination, communication and teamwork, Creeden said. The 1st Fighter Wing is the Air Combat Commands only F-22 combat wing. The F-22s last deployment to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility in the Middle East region was from June 2019 to February 2020. Dave Ress, 757-247-4535, dress@dailypress.com A Hanover County supervisor wants the School Board to fast-track its process for removing library books and other instructional materials after a parent complained about a childrens book in the library at Cold Harbor Elementary School. The complaint prompted Cold Harbor District Supervisor Michael Herzberg to describe the book as garbage on his Facebook page earlier this week while urging the School Board to swiftly remove it and any other book it deems inappropriate. The book, A Place Inside of Me: A Poem to Heal the Heart by Zetta Elliott and a 2021 Randolph Caldecott Medal honoree, is a childrens illustration book about a Black woman who was shot and killed by police and a young Black boys experience as he works through his emotions over it. The book is the latest to come under the microscope in Virginia and across the nation as parents have urged school boards to remove books they find offensive. In November, a pair of Spotsylvania County School Board members called for books containing sexually explicit material to be removed from schools and burned. The American Library Association reported 330 challenges to books in schools from September to November, twice as high as the year before. Herzbergs social media post referred to two specific pages in the book. On one page, illustrative images show a crowd of people and a Black Lives Matter sign, while a third illustration at the bottom shows five faceless police officers, one holding a baton, in front of a crowd. The accompanying page reads: There is anger inside of me/ a fury deep down inside of me/ that is sharp enough to slice through air/ flesh/ bone & concrete, along with an illustration of an angry boy. Herzbergs Facebook post said: Hanover: Its time for your school board to create policy to get garbage like this out of YOUR libraries. Indoctrination has been going on for years and it has to stop. Slicing through flesh and bone is not appropriate for K-5. Herzbergs post had 163 likes as of Friday morning and nearly all of the 75 comments supported him. During Wednesdays supervisors meeting, which came after the post was made, several people criticized Herzberg for the post, likening it to banning books. Experiencing different ways of life and reading promotes empathy and social emotional growth, said Dottie Walsh, who said she grew up in Hanover, moved away and recently moved back. I feel like Im in the twilight zone weve gone backwards [and] we are like in a black-and-white movie reel where all the color is fading fast. She said banning books for children creates a false sense of reality. You do not know another persons story until you walk into their shoes, she said, but how will you know, if you cannot read their story. Herzberg responded Wednesday afternoon to those public criticisms by reading aloud an email that he said he sent to another parent who had emailed him about the book. Herzberg said he learned about the complaint from a parent back in November, when their 7-year-old child brought the book home thinking it was about skateboards because the book cover features a boy on a skateboard. The student perceived on his own the violent messaging inside the book, Herzberg said. He acknowledged that the existing process for reconsideration of material was followed by school officials, but it was not sufficient ... [and] the result was nothing but more complaints from parents. The book was brought to the principals attention at Cold Harbor and resolved at that level, which is the first level according to School Board policy, said Chris Whitley, the schools spokesperson. The resolution was that the book will remain in circulation at the school, he said. Hanovers School Board policies state that instructional materials, whether basal, supplemental, or library materials, may be challenged by any parent or guardian of a Hanover County Public Schools student, Hanover County Public Schools employee, or Hanover County resident. There are four levels to the process for reconsidering material. The first is a conference with the principal. If not resolved there, the issue goes to a local school review committee, which includes at least one administrator, two teachers, a librarian, and one community member. A review committee convened by a high school principal may also include one student. If that doesnt help, an instructional material review committee is convened by the superintendent. Ultimately, if those options dont work, the issue goes before the School Board. Additionally on Wednesday, Herzberg said any messaging that portrays police officers in a negative light as this book does ... should not be in our schools, especially with the rise in murders of police across our county. He said the book touts a dangerous message by showing images of anger and rage next to pictures of police officers, and that our law enforcement deserve better. By phone Thursday, Herzberg said its that perceived violent messaging that bothered him the most. Most of the book is fine, he said. The book just goes a little too far on those two pages. The School Board should be able to make decisions earlier, Herzberg added. Theres already a policy but the policy is flawed and we need to improve it. By phone Friday, Cold Harbor School Board member Steven Ikenberry said he was made aware of the issue with the book after it had reached Herzberg. He said he agrees that the reconsideration process could be changed so that its not as time-consuming for parents. He said parents with concerns about books or other materials often give up without fulfilling the process because they dont want to pursue what amounts to a months-long ordeal. He also said the School Board needs a clearer understanding of how library books are selected. As a veteran teacher of 31 years, Ikenberry said hes not looking to ban books. He said A Place Inside of Me is recommended for children ages 4 to 8, and while he doesnt think its age-appropriate for the youngest on that scale, it could be appropriate for children ages 7 or 8 but more likely closer to middle school. I dont want to ban I want to exchange ideas, he said. Ikenberry said the issue will likely be part of a School Board work session sometime in late March. That meeting has not yet been scheduled. Phuong Tran had just realized her American dream when American reality hit. Tuesday the day after she became a U.S. citizen Republicans in a House of Delegates committee blocked a constitutional amendment that, if approved by voters, would automatically restore the right to vote to formerly incarcerated Virginians with felony convictions. Its a measure Tran had looked forward to supporting at the polls. I am a new citizen, she said Wednesday. I want to exercise my right, I want to be able to vote, and vote for what I believe in. Its something that we the people should be able to decide. And now, some necessary disclaimers: Tran is the digital communications manager for the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia, but the views expressed in this column are her own. Shes also a friend whose new citizenship delights me. When a recently appointed Virginia deputy attorney general is revealed to have been a cheerleader for the Jan. 6, 2001, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, you know democracy is on the ropes. She resigned, but the point remains: We need engaged citizens committed to our Constitution and Americas highest ideals. Too many folks arent seeing clearly as they gorge themselves on racism and resentment. Sometimes it helps to have the perspective of someone who knows what real oppression looks like. Tran was born in Ho Chi Minh City, which she says is still widely known back home as Saigon. Her mother is a retired pediatrician; her father, a retired math teacher. One of her teachers spent 10 years in a re-education camp. You have to be very careful about what you read, your activities online, lest you be flagged by the government, Tran said. She doesnt take free speech, a free press and freedom of expression for granted. In Virginia today, a governor encourages citizens to snitch on teachers who dare explore systemic racism and other subjects that might cause white students (or their parents) angst or guilt. In Vietnam, where the teachers were straightjacketed with government talking points, Tran valued the honest, informal, outside-the-textbook lessons she received from her instructors, some of whom had family members whod fled the nation after the war. Those oral histories, and books, fed her innate curiosity. She learned to think critically. But nowadays in Virginia, where the loudest citizens are intent on censoring teachers and banning books, Trans life story would be deemed a divisive concept. Growing up, I was taught that the winner gets to write history, she said. Censorship, she adds, is about power; about protecting the status quo, not the feelings of children. And about indulging parents who are afraid of having difficult conversations with their children about the good, the bad and ugly about U.S. history. I can see the same thing happening in Vietnam when I get to learn only one version of history in school because they dont want us to challenge the authority, the reality that were living, she said. Upon moving to Lynchburg to attend Randolph College, she experienced racism both casual schoolmates would make rude comments about the smell of the food she was cooking and insane, such as when a stranger in a grocery store called her a racial slur and demanded that she go back where she came from. For years, Tran was quiet and intent on assimilating, even after she began working at the ACLU. But in 2020, when attacks on Asian Americans increased as then-President Donald Trump blamed the pandemic on China, it really dawned on me that Ive been talking and advocating for the rights of everyone else but myself. Theres a lot of people in this country who dont believe that I belong here, and will really have an insurrection to send the message to everyone who looks like me, or everyone who is not white, that you dont belong here, she said. But this is her America too officially. When asked what about this nation is worth fighting for, she cites the We the people passage that begins the Declaration of Independence. Tran, who retains dual Vietnamese citizenship, is fighting to make her adoptive country a more perfect place. America, she said, is beautiful, tragic and, yes, inspiring. And it just makes me feel less alone that I am struggling to fight for equality ... to know there are other people who are on the same journey who are doing it, too. Shes not alone in seeking to realize the dream. Im already trying to make a life for myself here. Im trying to define myself; Im trying to define this nation. And all of that makes me an American. Im living what this country is supposed to be about. By C. Allen Butler and Ken Ono The United States mathematics education system largely was designed to produce a small number of STEM professionals who could beat the Soviet Union to outer space, armed only with pencils and paper. Todays business, industry, military and mathematics research communities have embraced the digital age, leveraging computational tools to make new discoveries, protect us and improve our lives. But most students experiences with mathematics remain confined to one area of math (leading to calculus) and focused largely on hand calculations. The challenges we now face require a much broader range of mathematics knowledge to be understood by a larger and more diverse group of students. One of the goals of the proposed Virginia Math Pathways Initiative was to tackle this issue by bringing modern math content to the commonwealths students. Like many such efforts in other states, this project aimed to ensure that the commonwealths children learned math that aligned with their 21st-century aspirations and our modern workforce needs. That effort came to a quick end with an executive order issued by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a move decried by Democrats. We urge all parties to put aside the partisan rancor and work together to replace our current, antiquated mathematics education system with one that better serves our children, our businesses and our nation. We see the importance of modern mathematics everywhere. In the defense industry, a mainstay of Virginias economy, scientists are using artificial intelligence/machine learning algorithms to develop new autonomous intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems that will reduce costs and save the lives of our warfighters. Financial companies like Capital One use sophisticated mathematical techniques to mine massive datasets, better understanding and serving customers. Esoteric properties of prime numbers, previously seen as a playground only for professional mathematicians, now serve as the basis for securing all online transactions. Increasingly, the math that runs the modern world is not the math we learned in school. The high-value jobs of tomorrows economy will increasingly require advanced mathematical skills, but the fastest-growing and highest-paying ones will require new content. The nascent field of data science, sporting a median salary of more than $120,000 per year, will be one of the top growing professions over the next decade. Jobs in market research, financial analysis, software development and management analysis will be filled with candidates who have backgrounds in statistics, modeling and programming. While we cant predict what new fields will spring up over the coming decades, we can be certain they wont require factoring polynomials by hand or manipulating trigonometric identities. The urgent need to bring mathematics content into the 21st century has catalyzed reforms in many places. Students in Ohio soon will choose from five different pathways. In addition to a path toward calculus, paths in statistics and probability, quantitative reasoning, discrete math/computer science, and data science will align with student aspirations and workforce needs. With careful coordination, all five pathways will satisfy high school graduation requirements as well as state university admissions requirements. In Georgia, all students soon will see key statistical and data science concepts in algebra II. Washington state high school students soon will utilize spreadsheets to understand algebraic relationships, develop tools to explore large datasets and gain early knowledge of statistics. Outside of the U.S., the Program for International Student Assessment test, one of the global benchmarks to measure students mathematical progress, will start including modern math concepts in 2026. Everywhere, reformers are paying close attention to how students are using technology, making sure it enhances learning without becoming a crutch. Modern math classes must leverage our powerful hand-held computers to push students to understand core concepts deeply, and build the robust problem-solving skills that always have characterized a strong mathematics education. Our primary concern must be to help all of our children build the math skills they will need to succeed in the future, not the ones past generations needed to defeat the Soviet Union. Instead of letting politics get in the way, this moment calls for us to work together as students, parents, business leaders, mathematicians and politicians. Together, Virginia can move toward a modern mathematics education system that will help our children and our businesses thrive. Since retiring from the Virginia Historical Society (now the Virginia Museum of History & Culture) in 2008, I have written nearly 200 columns on a variety of topics for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. The content of most of them has been related to history, but some have covered other subjects, including health and aging. I reached the peak of my production about five years ago when I was turning out one, sometimes two columns a week. I found myself becoming a minor celebrity in Richmond, a proverbial big minnow in a little pond. It seemed hardly a week went by when someone would ask: Are you the Charles Bryan who writes for the newspaper? But then my production level started to diminish in 2021. Topics for my column became harder to develop. I have published only two in the last five months. Sometimes I sit at my keyboard, staring at the screen. When people ask me why I havent written anything lately, I blame it on writers block. What has happened to me? Without question, it is something I first wrote about in 2009, titled My Fear of a Demon. In that column, I described my then five-year battle with Parkinsons disease, an incurable neuromuscular illness that mounts a slow but relentless siege on the brain and body. Little by little, it ages and slows down its victims. I call it my demon. Named for English surgeon James Parkinson in the early 19th century, the disease often is difficult to diagnose, usually requiring the expertise of specialists. Approximately 2 million Americans have the ailment, a number that is growing as more members of the baby-boom generation reach 60, the average age for diagnosis. Having served in the Army during the Vietnam War, I qualified for treatment at the Parkinsons Disease Research Education and Clinical Center at Richmonds McGuire Veterans Affairs Medical Center, one of only seven such centers in the country. The team of specialists there prescribed the right combination of drugs for me. Soon I began to feel better, and my symptoms were significantly diminished for another eight years. People often expressed surprise when I told them I had Parkinsons. Maintaining a positive attitude and vigorous exercise regimen contributed to my overall well-being. But Parkinsons is a relentless demon. Its progression can be slowed but not stopped. Little by little, the symptoms I experienced early in my diagnosis reappeared a slight hand tremor, occasional falls and increasing difficulties in performing simple tasks that require dexterity. By 2016, I reached the point where I was convinced I had to do something to slow my downward spiral. Drugs no longer provided quite the help I needed, so I began to discuss another option: deep brain stimulation surgery, a complex process that, if successful, could diminish my symptoms. The surgery was a success. I felt more like my old self: no more shaky hands, no more falls, no more shuffling of feet as people stared at me when I fumbled for my wallet in the grocery store checkout line. And I was able to continue various activities, such as writing, driving and air travel, that I had been forced to limit. I knew DBS has its limitations and in time, it eventually would lose its effectiveness. But if it gave me another five good years, I would be satisfied. Six years later, I again started to struggle with the disease. Medical scientists have identified five stages of Parkinsons, ranging from mild symptoms (stage 1) to advanced (stage 5). By my estimate, I now am in stage 4. Most of the time, I rely on a walker to stand or move from one place to another. I would find it nearly impossible, if not dangerous, to live alone. In addition to these obvious manifestations, most people with Parkinsons also experience nonmotor symptoms. These include mild depression, lack of motivation and loss of executive function. My writers block, for example, probably is a general malaise that has settled over me, making certain functions that once were simple much more challenging. Executive function is a set of mental skills that provide order to our daily lives, including time management and organizational planning. A strong executive function was key to any successes I had during my career. Despite these challenges, I still refuse to give in to the disease. I try to help others who live with it. Working on behalf of a pharmaceutical product, my wife and I regularly call people around the country with Parkinsons and share ways we handle the disease. We still speak to support groups, although we have had to cut back because of the pandemic. Probably the greatest motivator for continuing the fight has been the support and encouragement of so many people. One of the most gratifying examples has been my Virginia Military Institute classmates, who created a Parkinsons disease research fund at Virginia Commonwealth University in my honor. I doubt we will see a cure for the illness in my lifetime, but I can only hope the tide is turning. Rest assured I will do whatever I can to battle my demon of Parkinsons until my dying breath. Climate-fueled extreme weather events cost the U.S. billions of dollars each year, with 20 separate billion-dollar disasters in 2021 alone causing $145 billion in damage. Climate change in particular poses an increasing risk to national security, threatening the long-term viability of defense installations and the neighboring civilian communities, economies and ecosystems they rely on. In Virginia, this is a particular concern. Defense activities are so significant that they account for 9% of the commonwealths gross domestic product the highest concentration of any state. At the same time, coastal installations face threats from sea level rise, increasing precipitation and recurrent flooding; and in 2019, the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force identified Virginia installations among those most vulnerable to climate events. When the Navy developed its 20-year Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Plan, it prioritized a $49 million project to increase the height of dry-dock floodwalls in Virginia. The initiative was funded in 2020 to protect multibillion-dollar submarines from damaging floods while undergoing maintenance. In the face of clear, imminent climate threats, Virginia has made great strides to assess risks to all residents, military and civilian. In the last few years, state leaders worked with stakeholders across the commonwealth and defense partners to release the commonwealths first ever Coastal Resilience Master Plan. The plan assessed coastal hazards and flood risks to communities across the coastline. The findings are stark: By 2080, the number of residents living in homes exposed to major coastal flooding will nearly triple to almost 1 million people. Flood damages will skyrocket 1,300% to $5.1 billion annually. Defense facilities also will experience increased risk, as the total number of acres of Department of Defense-owned land exposed to flooding is expected to jump 45%. Finalized in 2020, the Norfolk and Virginia Beach Joint Land Use Study identified 22 priority action areas. These include blocked roadways, gate access issues and underperforming stormwater systems. Ensuring that hundreds of thousands of active duty and civilian personnel can safely access military installations across Virginia, and that their families all are able to drive to work and school, is essential to ensuring our national security at home. Some localities in the commonwealth have identified billions of dollars in needed resilience investments and already are working to implement solutions. Many others, however, dont have the resources to begin the planning or risk assessment process. They will need additional resources and technical support. That is why states should leverage every tool in their toolboxes, including federal, defense partner and innovative funding sources to implement climate resilience. The Virginia Community Flood Preparedness Fund, a statewide resource to address flood risk, deployed $30 million in 2021 to build local government capacity and start the planning process. Another $40 million already is in the queue this year. The fund also can be used as local matching dollars, thereby enabling localities to access larger federal grants. This magnifies their impact, and provides another key tool to implement critical flood resilience projects today and in the future. At the federal level, recent legislation included in the National Defense Authorization Act permitted stormwater management best practices on defense access roads. This will ensure mission-critical operations and transportation pathways can continue even during flood events in and around bases. The DOD is developing climate exposure assessments on all major U.S. installations, using its Defense Climate Assessment Tool to better understand risks to its assets, including those in Virginia. Despite these efforts, federal investments will only scratch the surface of what is needed to adequately address climate risks. The scope of whats facing us, and the level of people, infrastructure and security assets potentially in harms way, necessitates an all-of-the-above approach. Military installations play an active role in advancing climate resilience solutions alongside state and local partners. DOD programs like Sentinel Landscapes and the Readiness and Environmental Protection Integration Challenge already are investing in Virginia. Projects include a $2 million grant to Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in 2021 for coastal restoration and living shoreline construction, which is intended to reduce flood risks to the installation. But much more needs to be done. States, local partners and the federal government must work collaboratively to invest now in resilience to reduce flood risks, and other natural hazards impacting defense assets and their surrounding communities. We need all levels of government to rise to the challenge of adapting to climate change to support military readiness and national security. No weather worries ahead Saturday evening. More clouds will develop, but no rain or snow comes to Richmond before midnight. Temperatures will fall through the 50s during Saturday evening. A dramatic temperature change is ahead for Sunday. While there will be occasional snowflakes in the air, a large accumulating snow is not expected Sunday or Sunday night in metro Richmond. Spotty light rain showers will develop a couple of hours before dawn on Sunday as temperatures continue to drop to near the freezing mark, then a cold north breeze will keep temperatures from climbing at all during Sunday morning and afternoon. The spotty light rain will transition to occasional light snow, with most of the snow falling during the late morning and early afternoon on Sunday. Most of the time the snow will be light, with a coating to an inch of accumulation by late Sunday afternoon. In general, accumulation will be on grassy and elevated surfaces, so only minor impacts to travel are expected. More snow will fall in northern and western parts of Virginia on Sunday. Accumulations will be around 1-3 inches northward to Fredericksburg and westward toward Charlottesville, Staunton, and Lexington. An inch or two is also likely toward Lynchburg and Roanoke. A secondary disturbance will quickly cross Virginia late Sunday night, bringing a few more snow showers for an hour or so between midnight and dawn to metro Richmond, but no more than an additional dusting is expected on Sunday night. All snow will end by daybreak Monday, but any surfaces that were wet on Sunday afternoon will be icy on Monday morning, as daybreak temperatures Monday will be in the lower 20s. The fresh shot of Arctic air arriving on Sunday will not hold on to Virginia for more than a couple of days, as temperatures sneak above normal on Wednesday. Next week will also be dry through Wednesday, with no chance of rain until the next system pushes through Thursday and Thursday night. Once that clears on Friday, the weekend of the 19th and 20th looks dry and seasonable. *** Forecast for Richmond: Saturday night: Spotty light rain developing after midnight. Low 34. Sunday: Occasional light snow, mostly in the late morning and early afternoon. Accumulation up to an inch. Temperatures nearly steady in the lower to middle 30s. Sunday night: Partly to mostly cloudy, with occasional snow showers after midnight, adding a dusting to a coating. Low 24. Monday: Sun and clouds, cold. High 38. Tuesday: Sunny. High 48. Wednesday: Mostly sunny. High 58. Thursday: Cloudy and mild with rain likely in the afternoon and continuing into the night. High 66. Friday: Sun and clouds, breezy, and cooler. High 52. Saturday: Sunny. High 50. In a unique opportunity to celebrate Black History Month and the 100th anniversary of women students at Virginia Tech, the Military Womens Memorial is bringing a special traveling exhibition, The Color of Freedom: Honoring the Diversity of Americas Servicewomen, to Newman Library. Virginia Techs Blacksburg campus is the inaugural stop on the exhibitions tour, which is sponsored by Virginia Humanities. It will be on display Feb. 10-28 on the librarys fourth floor, across from the Corps of Cadets Museum space. Visitors will be able to immerse themselves in the contributions of military women of color who have served throughout American history. It includes their stories along with QR codes to access oral histories that provide firsthand accounts of select servicewomen featured in the exhibit. The exhibitions goal is to build awareness of the sacrifices of women from diverse backgrounds who forged a path for women of all backgrounds to serve in and with the U.S. military. That mission is important to the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets, which partnered with the Military Womens Memorial to bring the exhibition to campus, said Capt. Jamie McGrath, director of the corps Rice Center for Leader Development. In 1973, Virginia Tech was among the first of the senior military colleges to admit women to its Corps of Cadets, three years before the federal service academics. In 2005, the Corps of Cadets named its first Black female regimental commander, Christina Royal, who graduated in 2006 with a degree in sociology from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force. The most recent Black female in that role was Mame Ngom in fall 2020, who graduated in 2021 with a degree in political science from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences and was commissioned into the Air Force. The University Libraries partnered with the Corps of Cadets to host the exhibition in Newman Library. It is an honor to help highlight the military contributions of women of color to the U.S. Armed forces, womens history, and to share their achievements here at Virginia Tech, said Scott Fralin, University Libraries exhibit curator and learning environments librarian. Located at the gateway to Arlington National Cemetery, the Military Womens Memorial is the only historical repository documenting all womens service, through an interactive database, educational exhibits and world-class collections. The period from July 2021 through December 2022 marks two major milestones in Virginia Tech history: the 150th anniversary of the universitys founding and the 100th anniversary of women students at Virginia Tech. Women were first admitted to the university for full-time studies in 1921. The Military Womens Memorials mission is to honor and tell the stories of women, past and present, who serve our nation, McGrath said. Bringing the Color of Freedom traveling exhibit here highlights the strong tradition of women leaders at Virginia Tech and demonstrates our commitment to honoring those whove served and encouraging those who will serve our nation in uniform. - Submitted by Virginia Tech A robbery reported in downtown happened at a bank after a man walked in and instructed a teller to put money into a bag, according to an account detailed by prosecutors. Leonard Daniel Childress, 44, is accused of felony robbery in the Jan. 25 incident reported at American National Bank & Trust on Jefferson Street. No weapons were used, and no one was injured. The man brought his own plastic bag to give to the teller, said assistant prosecutor Chrystal Smith. Stamped in red letters on it was the word: Thank You. Childress, who authorities believe carried out the robbery and boarded a bus afterward, also is charged with wielding a machete at a hospital later that night and with spitting on an officer when he was found and arrested three days later. No injuries were reported in either incident. In a hearing on Friday to request bond, Childress told a judge he was homeless, alternating between sleeping at the Rescue Mission of Roanoke on cold nights or in other spots such as lobby vestibules. If granted bond, he said hed plan to stay at the Rescue Mission. Public defender Brian Barnett said Childresss prior record consisted largely of minor misdemeanors such as trespassing. Smith said hed also been charged with public masturbation three times last year. One of the instances occurred in the lobby of the city jail where Childress said he sometimes sought shelter. He also had past convictions for failing to appear in court, she said. Circuit Court Judge Onzlee Ware noted the current charges against Childress are serious, and asked him several questions about his history and his likelihood of being able to maintain a stable address if released. Ultimately, Ware said, he must consider two key questions when weighing bond: Would Childress reliably turn up for future court dates? And would he not present a danger to himself or others? Honestly, Mr. Childress, I cant answer either of those questions in the affirmative for you, Ware said. The bond request was denied. Childress next court hearing is set for March 10. The defense limited its comments to the bond issue during Fridays motions hearing, and has not yet presented its response to the allegations against Childress. 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. Roanoke police have arrested two people in connection with an incident Tuesday during which a shooting occurred inside a residence in the citys Old Southwest neighborhood. Clayton Pellitteri, 20, and Haley Sarks, 18, both of Roanoke, turned themselves in at the city police station on Friday. The shooting was reported about 9:40 p.m. in the 500 block of Mountain Avenue. The victims were taken to the hospital with non life-threatening wounds, officials said. Investigators believe the shooting happened after a physical confrontation occurred. Throughout the course of the investigation, Pellitteri and Sarks were identified as the suspects and warrants were obtained, a police news release said. Both suspects have been charged with two counts of malicious wounding, and one count each of robbery, felonious firearm use and petit larceny. Pellitteri is also charged with prohibiting a person from calling 911. BEDFORD The trial of an accused MS-13 gang member charged with murder in a Lynchburg teens 2017 death is headed Monday to a Bedford County jury after the prosecution and defense rested Friday. Josue Moises Coreas-Ventura, 25, has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder in commission of an abduction for financial benefit, and abduction. He maintains his innocence in the March 27, 2017, slaying of 17-year-old Raymond Wood, who was taken from his front lawn in the city, beaten, choked and stabbed repeatedly, according to prosecutors evidence. The defendant didn't testify during the evidence portion of the trial. Woods body was found on Roaring Run Road in Bedford County. Sergeant Claudio Saa, who works with the Herndon Police Department and has extensive knowledge of the MS-13 Latino gang, testified Friday in Bedford Circuit Court. Upon observing a video of Coreas-Ventura while in custody of the Bedford County Sheriffs Office the day after Woods killing, Saa testified the defendant displayed hand signs affiliated with the gang. Amy Tharp, a state medical examiner who conducted Woods autopsy, testified to the victims extensive injuries. Woods cause of death was sharp force injuries to the neck, torso and right arm, and the victim had rapid blood loss, Tharp testified. Nance said Coreas-Ventura and several other gang members who have been charged in connection with Woods death took turns stabbing the teen with a large knife in possession of Coreas-Ventura. There were numerous sharp injury chopping motions that show the severity of the homicide, Nance said of photos showing the injuries. Cristian Jose Sanchez-Gomez, a MS-13 member also facing a murder charge in the case, testified Thursday he was present during the abduction and killing and observed what he described as Coreas-Ventura choking Wood unconscious on the drive to Bedford County. Tharp testified blood splatter on the victims shirt showed active bleeding, meaning he was alive when the bleeding occurred. A photo of Woods blood-soaked polo shirt and other photos showing Woods stab wounds and severed hand were shown during Tharps testimony. The commonwealth rested in the trials fourth day after calling 14 witnesses and admitting 117 pieces of evidence. Chris Kowalczuk, a defense attorney for Coreas-Ventura, argued to have the case dismissed, saying no evidence was presented to the jury to show the killing was for financial benefit. Judge James Updike denied two motions from the defense to dismiss the case and said the jury will decide it. Kevin Poindexter, a former Lynchburg Police Department detective who worked on the case, was questioned by the defense on a series of text messages between Wood and Victor Arnoldo Rodas, who was convicted of murder in Woods death and in February 2019 was given a 55-year sentence. Kowalczuk tried to get more than 140 pages of text messages between Wood and Rodas admitted into evidence, but Updike ruled only a certain amount would be given to the jury, saying they were "needlessly cumulative." The text messages are crucial evidence, Kowalczuk said, because they directly go against prosecutors narrative Wood was killed because he was a rival of the gang. Kowalczuk said the messages show a deterioration of Woods relationship with Rodas over several months of marijuana-dealing, with Wood getting aggressive in the interactions, threatening them and saying, You dont know who youre messing with. The sad truth is Raymond Wood had no idea who he was messing with, Kowalczuk said. The text messages are evidence the gang thought Wood was cheating them in quality, quantity and weight of the drugs; Rodas was unhappy and a hit on the teen was ordered, Kowalczuk said. One text message showed Wood saying to Rodas, Come back so you can get this heat and another showed Wood saying, Ill shoot you, according to evidence the defense presented. Kowalczuk said he and a Roanoke lawyer who is not involved in the case but is fluent in Spanish visited Rodas earlier this month at a Lynchburg jail, and he was asked why Wood was killed. Rodas refused to testify in Coreas-Venturas trial. According to testimony outside of the presence of the jury, the defense said Rodas, in the jail interview, said Wood was killed not because he was a rival in the drug market but because he threatened and disrespected the gang. I think the jury should know that, Kowalczuk said of a differing theory on why Wood was killed. Updike denied the motion to have Rodas jail interview admitted into evidence, citing case law. In addition to the defendant, Rodas and Sanchez-Gomez, two other gang members Kevin Josue Soto Bonilla and Lisandro Antonio Posada-Vasquez, also took part in the abduction and killing of Wood. Bonilla received a life sentence in December 2019 and Posada-Vasquez, who previously pleaded guilty to murder, is scheduled for sentencing March 15. The defense called Posada-Vasquez to testify Friday, but, like Rodas, he didnt do so. Investigator Jon Maddox testified Friday an interview with Posada-Vasquez led to the discovery of the knife used to kill Wood, which was buried within a few miles of the crime scene. A transcript of an interview investigators had with Posada-Vasquez was read in court in which he said the intent was to cut up Woods body to prevent identification, but a vehicle drove up while they were doing so. According to the interview, Posada-Vasquez said his ski mask fell off and Woods glasses also came off during the struggle to get the teen into the vehicle outside his Lynchburg home. In the voluntary statement Maddox read while being questioned by the defense, Posada-Vasquez said he was the one choking Wood, and when his body was dropped on Roaring Run Road it sounded like a coconut falling out of a tree. Posada-Vasquez described cutting the body and said Sanchez-Gomez and Bonilla also stabbed Wood but Coreas-Ventura, who was referred to as the homeboy, did not, according to the statement read in court. I dont know if the homeboy panicked, Maddox quoted Posada-Vasquez as saying. Coreas-Ventura has pleaded guilty to one count of gang participation in this case and awaits sentencing on that charge. He also faces another count of aggravated murder, alleging the killing of two persons within three years, but that charge has been separated and will be tried at a later date. In 2017, the Montgomery County, Maryland Police Department announced Coreas-Ventura was arrested and charged with murder, along with four other people, in connection with a 2016 homicide. Instructions from the judge and closing arguments are set to come before the jury at 9 a.m. Monday. FREDERICK, Md. A Virginia man has now been charged with attempted first-degree murder after authorities say he shot two police officers in Frederick, Maryland. Maryland State Police said in a news release Saturday that Dominique Lamarr Lewis, 25, of Hampton, has also been charged with attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault and use of a firearm in commission of a felony. Advertisement Lewis is under police guard at a Baltimore hospital, where he is receiving treatment for gunshot wounds from officers who returned fire. The two officers Bryan Snyder, 43, and Kristen Kowalsky, 32 were taken to the same hospital for treatment. Authorities said Friday that their conditions were stable and they were awake. Advertisement Police approached Lewis on Friday afternoon after receiving a call about a suspicious man with a gun. State police said Saturday that the officers found Lewis sitting on an electrical box with a gun. The officers asked Lewis to show his hands but were ignored, police said. Moments later, police said, Lewis began to walk away from the officers, then turned around and shot the officers with a handgun. The officers then returned fire. RICHMOND About 1,000 nominees serving on dozens of government boards could lose their seats by Saturday, leaving unfilled key roles amid a scuffle between Republicans and Democrats in the legislature. Then-Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat named the nominees to sit on boards that deal with industry regulations, universities and trade agreements. The appointees are serving on a temporary basis awaiting confirmation from the legislature. On Friday, Democrats in the House and Senate said they had been told by House GOP leaders that they did not intend to confirm the nominees by the midnight deadline. Once the clock strikes, the nominees are effectively removed from their jobs, leaving their positions open for the new governor, Republican Glenn Youngkin, to fill. While the new governor may benefit from power over the roles, a spokeswoman for Youngkin did not respond to a request for comment about whether the governor was ready to immediately fill the whooping number of seats. The House Republican caucus, through a spokesman, declined to comment on the fate of the appointments and accusations of ill-willed politicking from Senate leaders. On the House floor, House Majority Leader Terry Kilgore, R-Scott, criticized Democrats over their efforts to block the confirmation of Youngkins Natural Resources Secretary Andrew Wheeler, the head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under President Donald Trump. Let em be a brick wall, Kilgore said. A spokeswoman for Kilgore did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Democrats in the legislature heavily criticized the move. Senate Democratic Caucus Chair Mamie Locke of Hampton said House Speaker Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah, made clear in a conversation Friday that he did not intend to act on the appointments. She said that during the exchange, the bravado and arrogance of House Republicans and Governor Youngkin were laid bare. They are putting partisan politics ahead of good governance, Locke said in a statement. Sen. Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, said the move by the GOP would bring parts of our government to a screeching halt. Ebbin said Senate Democrats were prepared to fight fire with fire by declining to confirm Youngkins own appointments. The roles on the line include the boards of visitors of colleges and universities, and the boards that help set rules for regulated professions like dentistry. They also include boards for the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Go Virginia and the Virginia Port Authority, which vet economic development projects and appoint high-powered CEOs. Many have been serving in their roles for months or a year. Two high-ranking Northam administration officials who declined to be named because they are no longer working in government said many of the roles are not political, and that the people who have been working in them represent people sought out by the former administration for their expertise. Some of the boards involved in the scuffle could be left without enough members to operate, either now or when they face regular resignations down the line. House Minority Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, D-Fairfax, went as far as to say the move by the GOP could trigger a partial government shutdown. This is another hard right turn away from his pledge to disagree without being disagreeable, Filler-Corn said of Youngkin. A question from my granddaughter who just finished college prompted me to think about Germanys role in Europe since 1945. She asked if I had written about how I felt to be in Nurnbergs courtroom in October 1946 when top Nazi leaders, including Herman Goering, were sentenced by the International Court. I suggested she take a look at my book A Cold War Odyssey, which describes how I managed to be in the press gallery that day and watched the proceedings. Germany became a crucial prize for the Soviet Unions dictator, Josef Stalin, in the 1940s and 1950s. His armies had conquered all of Eastern Europe and occupied the eastern third of a divided Germany that included Berlin. Western Europe, under U.S. leadership, formed NATO in 1949 to keep West Germany tightly tied to the West. Soviet policy was to use East Germany as a wedge to convince a defeated Germany that Russia, not the U.S., would soon dominate the continent. Today, Vladimir Putin, has a similar dream, to gain control of unified Germany and use its industrial power and Russias armies to dominate Europe. Moscows strategy Stalin concluded after his armies defeated Hitlers troops and occupied Eastern Europe in 1945 that he wouldnt cooperate with the U.S. and Britain to administer postwar Germany as a single unit. Instead, he stripped East Germany of anything his economy sorely needed to rebuild. His goal was to communize all of Germany and make it an ally of the USSR. The U.S. Marshall Plan of economic aid to help rebuild West European economies was a threat to Stalins plan. His answer was the Berlin Blockade, designed to force the western allies out of their legal presence in Berlin. It failed because of a massive U.S.-British air lift of thousands of food and fuel supplies to beleaguered West Berlins residents. Stalins belligerence lead to the formation of the North Atlantic alliance in 1949, and he countered with the Warsaw Pact which included his satellite East European countries, principally Poland and Hungary. After Stalin died in 1953, his successors, Nikita Khrushchev and Leonid Brezhnev continued Moscows efforts to undermine West Germanys growing integration with NATO. Moscow promoted neutralism as the new propaganda line toward Germans in the west. Khrushchev was ousted as party leader after his disastrous effort to place missiles in Cuba and President John F. Kennedy threatened war. Brezhnev then served as Moscows top leader for 18 years. He was careful not to provoke Washington while he built up Soviet nuclear power and expanded its armed forces. Soviet propaganda sought to convince West Germans that a war would devastate their country. Moscows effort was aided by reemergence of the German Social Democratic Party that favored better relations with Moscow. Germanys response Until 1969, German coalition governments were led by conservative party chief, Conrad Adenauer. He had worked closely with the Washington. But a new leftist coalition government was elected in 1969, headed by Social Democratic leader, Willi Brandt. He worked to create good relations with Brezhnev and reduced tensions. This occurred while America was absorbed in the Vietnam War and its European allies felt isolated. Many Germans concluded they should not rely on the United States for protection. And Washingtons humiliating withdrawal from Saigon in 1975 gave Moscow more ammunition to promote neutralism among Germans. Helmut Kohl, leader of a conservative coalition was elected chancellor in 1982 and worked with the conservative American president, Ronald Reagan, who had decided to confront Moscow militarily and economically. Kohl was followed as chancellor by Angela Merkel, another conservative, who remained in office until 2021 and maintained good relations with Washington. But she also. desired good relations Russias president Vladimir Putin. One reason was that Germany had become more dependent on natural gas shipments from Russia after it dismantled its nuclear power plants under pressure from the Green Party. What many outside Germany dont appreciate is that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder, a Social Democrat who served from 1998 to 2005, was hired by Gasprom, Russias major gas company, soon after he left office. Schroder has been the moving force in building Nordstream 2 the gas pipeline under the Baltic Sea to a German port. It will provide a major part of Germanys energy requirements for many years. When Angela Merkel stepped down as chancellor last fall, she was succeeded by a coalition led by Social Democratic Party chief, Olaf Scholz. His foreign policy views are not yet clear, but there is much concern among European leaders that Scholz is moving Germany away from its close relations with NATO. We may again see Germany be the big prize that Russia and the U.S. have tried to woo for 70 years. Without doubt, Schroder is a key factor in facilitating Putins goal of pulling Germany closer to Moscow. Nuechterlein is a political scientist who lives near Charlottesville. He served with U.S. forces in Germany in 1946-47. Even Canadians have had it with mandates Canadian truckers opposed to a COVID-19 vaccination mandate used their rigs on Monday to block the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, the busiest international land-border crossing in North America. This latest act in a weeklong show of civil disobedience is more akin to political life in France or the U.S. That it happened in restrained Canada is a signal to the political class across the West: Large swaths of humanity are done with COVID-19 restrictions, mandates and excessive meddling in their lives. They want to go back to making their own health-risk assessments. The Ambassador Bridge, which carries some $323 million in goods daily in cross-border trade and an estimated $137 billion last year, reopened Tuesday morning. Yet truckers continue their protest in Ottawa, which is disturbing the peace and worse in that usually peaceable Canadian capital. The truckers should be prosecuted if they break the law, as we argued for Occupy Wall Street and Black Lives Matters protesters on the left. But as the omicron virus shows itself to be less lethal and positive test rates fall, the truckers are sending a message to democratic governments that its time for the pandemic emergency orders to end. For two years the truckers were classified as essential workers and therefore exempt from vaccine mandates. An estimated 85% of them are vaccinated. Yet Liberal Party Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who heads a minority government, has chosen this moment to order that truckers be vaccinated if they want to cross back into the country from the U.S. The Canadian left is sneering at the truckers and their supporters, suggesting theyre nothing more than right-wing Trumpians. Mr. Trudeau has smeared them as a few people shouting and waving swastikas. But the push-back against COVID-19 overreach has gone global. In January police fired water cannons at an estimated 50,000 European protesters in Brussels registering their exhaustion with restrictions and mandates. Since December protesters have gone to the streets elsewhere in Europe and in New Zealand and Australia. A majority of Canadians dont support the Ottawa protests, according to polls. But a recent survey by the Angus Reid Institute found that a majority favors lifting restrictions, suggesting the Trudeau mandate, which went into effect on Jan. 15, was a political miscalculation. The lesson for the COVID-19 police is that when youve lost even Canadians, arguably the most law-abiding people on the planet, youve lost the political plot. Time to adopt a new strategy more tolerant of the need to return to life not dominated by pandemic fear and government commands. The Wall Street Journal * * * On legitimate political discourse The Republican National Committee has officially decided that the mob riot at the Capitol was not lawless violence, but a reasonable public debate on constitutional nuances. That was part of a resolution drafted by the RNC, when it condemned Reps. Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger for joining the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack, which the RNC refers to as a Democrat-led persecution of ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse. The party of Donald Trump supports vandals who smashed windows, assaulted police officers, ransacked offices, threatened lawmakers, and defecated on floors, a Trump-triggered strike on democracy that left five dead and 140 cops injured. Apparently, the party that believes kneeling during the anthem desecrates the flag also thinks that using the flag to bludgeon a cop is legitimate political discourse. It is also a vivid sign that Republicans believe the retention of power justifies deadly violence, so it is not unreasonable to ask of every member of the party of Trump from Kevin McCarthy to the last goose-stepping back-bencher whether they embrace such authoritarianism as their new creed. Some Republicans had the sense to condemn the RNC language, including Sens. Mitt Romney, Ben Sasse, and Bill Cassidy. The weekend of damage control included RNC chair Ronna McDaniels claim that the censure language referred to discourse that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol, but she did not change one word in the carefully negotiated resolution, and she omits the fact that neither the committee nor federal prosecutors are targeting non-violent marchers. So most Republicans have little choice but to perpetuate this New, Improved Lie about legitimate discourse, even though their last lie about stolen elections is helpless against a rising tide of accountability, prosecution, and a congressional investigation. Rebranding thugs as honest dissenters is going to be a difficult sell for Republicans going forward because seditious conspiracy is not honest dissent and judging by the polls, it will be challenging to remain tethered to Trump himself. As Rep. Tom Malinowski told New Jersey Globe last week, When a party officially declares a mob attack on cops and the Capitol legitimate political discourse, theyve all got to own it, or take a stand against it. Until then, Republican courage is embodied mostly by Cheney and Kinzinger, who defied their partys intransigence by signing on to the J-6 committee fully aware that they were putting their careers in jeopardy and the choice they made was a monumental gesture of patriotism. Cheney, the lodestar of the moment, calls GOP leaders willing hostages, and says she does not recognize those in my party who have abandoned the Constitution to embrace Donald Trump. History will be their judge. The Star-Ledger, Newark, New Jersey * * * A viral scam Two nurses in New York are being charged with forging coronavirus vaccination cards and entering the fake vaccinations into the states database. Julie DeVuono, owner and operator of Wild Child Pediatric Healthcare in Amityville, and her employee, Marissa Urraro, face forgery charges. They allegedly made $1.5 million with the scam. The two allegedly charged adults $220 apiece and $85 per child for fake records that would be filed to the New York State Immunization Information System database. The scam was interrupted when a record was filed into the database for one particular person who never received the vaccine: an undercover agent. Just a month ago, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a bill into law criminalizing fake coronavirus vaccination cards. St. Louis Post-Dispatch In his recent address to the joint assembly, Gov. Glenn Youngkin spoke to a largely unmasked, not socially distanced group of legislators and friends. He said that we all share a common goal to leave a better Virginia to our children. The words "climate" and "climate emergency" were not mentioned once. A poll conducted in 2008 by the Miller Center for Public Affairs at the University of Virginia reveals that three out of four Virginians think global warming is real and most want government at all levels federal, state and local to take actions to fight it. (The Virginian-Pilot, Oct. 22, 2008). A joint newsletter between Georgetown Climate Center and Old Dominion University Mitigation and Adaptation Research Institute studied Virginias vulnerability to climate change and states that scientists project that Virginia will experience 1.5 feet of sea level rise during the next 20-50 year ... Home to 1.7 million people, Hampton Roads is the second-most vulnerable area in the country to rising seas behind New Orleans. The American Lung Association notes that asthma affects an estimated 163,000 children and 554,000 adults in Virginia. Hotter temperatures that contribute to poor air quality threaten to exacerbate such health concerns. A recent article in the Virginia Mercury (July 24, 2019) reports on a study by the Virginia Institute of Marine Science that climate change could cost Virginia coastal cities billions. Gov. Youngkin wants to remove Virginia from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the revenue from which has already helped many Virginians who live in climate affected areas. Youngkin apparently does not have a view on the climate emergency. Yet, it is the greatest threat to our survival across the commonwealth. Youngkin does not listen to the science about preventative disease. Instead, he made an executive decision to remove mandates for mask wearing and getting vaccinated by calling mandates a matter of individual liberty. Youngkin needs to think critically about the greater good for people of the commonwealth, not what is politically expedient. William Baker, Blacksburg " " Physarum polycephalum, literally the "many-headed slime," is a slime mold that is sensitive to light and inhabits shady, cool, moist areas, such as decaying leaves and logs. Bernard Spragg /Flickr , literally the "many-headed slime," is a slime mold that is sensitive to light and inhabits shady, cool, moist areas, such as decaying leaves and logs. For a long time, nobody understood slime molds. To be clear, nobody really understands them now either, but scientists now know that these pulsating piles of jelly found on rotten logs in the forest are not fungi, but are, in fact, more closely related to amoebas. And though there's nary a neuron in a slime mold's entire gelatinous body, they seem to be able to solve relatively complex problems. There are over 900 species of slime molds (phylum Myxomycetes) living in the soils, leaf litter and rotten logs of this planet. Researchers have found a slime mold cast in amber that remains entirely unchanged from what you could find in a modern forest, dating back at least 100 million years. Slime molds in general, though, have probably been squishing their way around Earth for around a billion years. In fact, it's possible they're one of the first multicellular-ish organisms created by single cells joining together. Advertisement Slime Molds Are a Diverse Group Slime molds are a really diverse group. Some, called cellular slime molds, live as a single cell for most of their life, but collect with others in a swarm in response to chemical signals like, "Food shortage!" or "Gotta procreate NOW!" Others, called plasmodial slime molds, spend their entire lives as one humongous organism enclosed in a single membrane, containing thousands of nuclei. These are created when thousands of single, flagellated cells meet up and fuse together. The only thing all slime molds have in common is their life cycle, loosely resembling that of a fungus, which is why taxonomists lumped them in the fungi kingdom for so long. Basically, when they've vacuumed as much food out of their environs as they can, they turn their bodies into clusters of spore packets, usually on stalks and sometimes wildly colored, called sporangia. These fruiting bodies disperse a fine mist of spores into the air, which germinate wherever they fall. The single-celled organisms that spring from these spores start the slime mold life cycle over again. " " The fruiting bodies, or sporangia, of carnival candy slime mold (Arcyria denudata) feed on the bacteria, yeast and other fungi that are commonly found in dead plant matter, contributing to the decomposition of dead vegetation. Ed Reschke/Getty Images "We still know very little about the ecology of 'wild' slime molds," says Tanya Latty, who studies slime molds in the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the University of Sydney, in an email. "For example, how they interact with other organisms and what role they play in ecosystems is still somewhat mysterious." Latty studies cognition in both insects and slime molds, and though we don't give insects much credit for their intelligence, with slime molds, the tricky concept of cognition gets even weirder. "Slime molds and social insects are both 'decentralised' systems where there is no 'leader' in charge of decision making," says Latty. "However, in the case of insects, each individual operates both at the individual level they have brains and at a collective level. In slime molds it's much harder to even define what an individual is." " " The fruiting bodies of one of the most common slime molds, Ceratiomyxa fruticulosa, are only few millimeters tall and live on rotted logs in humid conditions, a common slime mold habitat. Ed Reschke/Getty Images Advertisement How Slime Molds, Octopuses and Humans Learn We humans rely on our brains for cognition, but other animals have the ability to reason, learn, plan, solve complex problems, etc. without such a giant brain as ours. Take, for instance, the octopus a cephalopod closely related to clams and snails. It has a brain, but most of its neurons are spread throughout its squishy body mostly its arms. Still, an octopus has an undeniable intelligence: the kind that can tell the difference between humans that are dressed identically or can even make an escape from its tank, out a drainpipe and back into the ocean. But this impressive cognitive functioning bears no physiological relationship to ours the neural processing equipment of an octopus evolved completely separately from ours, because our evolutionary lineages separated over 460 million years ago. But slime molds don't have brains or even anything that resembles a neuron. Still, though, scientists can press plasmodial slime molds into solving mazes. So, while the process of learning is completely different in each case, the outcome for a slime mold, an octopus and a human can look basically the same. One type of learning slime molds are capable of is habituation. You do this too you can get used to the temperature of a cold lake after a few minutes, or the initially unpleasant buzzing sound of a fluorescent light in a room your brain helps you ignore the annoying sensation of cold or noise. But the unicellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum can habituate to environments and chemicals they don't love acidic, dusty, dry, salty places or chemicals like caffeine or quinine if it means they're rewarded for putting up with it. Not only can slime molds habituate to less-than-ideal circumstances if it means they'll be rewarded, they also seem to be capable of memory. Physarum polycephalum the same, oft-studied species from the habituation study seems to be able to remember things. An experiment involving slime molds that were intentionally habituated to salt, a known repellent, before going into a dormant period, showed that they remembered how to become habituated to living in a very salty environment after a year of lying dormant. They also seem to be able to decide which direction to travel based on the food they've encountered there before. Just wait in a few years the slime mold will score a 1,200 on the SAT and scientists will really have some explaining to do. Now That's Interesting Depending on the species, slime molds might dislike things like bright light, caffeine or salt. " " Cork trees aren't cut down in the harvesting process. Only the bark is stripped from the cork oak, and it regenerates every nine or 10 years. Martin Child/robertharding/Getty Images/Collection Mix: Sub You may (or may not) have heard a rumor that the world's supply of cork is dwindling. Cork, which is made from the bark of the cork oak tree (Quercus suber), is used in a variety of products, the most common being wine stoppers. So is there any truth behind the idea that we are running out of cork? Not at all. There's actually an abundance of the totally sustainable, eco-friendly material. In fact, if you've ever traveled to the rural areas of Southern Portugal where most of the world's cork oak trees are grown you've seen firsthand that the supposed shortage of the cork supply is indeed a myth. Advertisement Insiders in the cork industry which employs an estimated 30,000 workers in varied jobs confirm that there are plenty of cork oak trees to be found in the sustainable and environmentally harvested cork forests of Portugal. Regular planting ensures a continuous and steady supply, but the process requires some patience. Newly planted cork oak trees need, on average, more than 25 years of growth before their bark can first be harvested. Farmers then must wait another nine or 10 years until the trees fully recover and are ready to have their outer bark layer harvested again. This approach yields a high-quality raw material, while enabling the trees to live about 300 years. The takeaway? There are said to be enough cork trees today in the sustainable cork forests of Portugal to last more than 100 years. Translation: There's enough harvestable cork to seal all of the wine bottles produced in the world for the coming century. So, what led to the rumor that the world is running out? One thing that might have fueled the rumble about a cork shortage or that cork is endangered and at risk of extinction is that many companies in the wine industry began switching from traditional cork stoppers to plastic "corks" and screw caps in the 1990s to cut costs. The reason? Cork is much more expensive compared with the alternatives because it can be harvested only once a year by skilled farmers. That being said, wineries had to convince people wine drinkers in particular that it would be more beneficial to use the plastic corks or screw caps to seal wine bottles rather than cork stoppers. What better way to do that than to insinuate that cork is endangered? Then, more people might be willing to choose wines sealed with screw caps. Another myth that might have contributed to this: In 1923, the Portuguese government began to protect the cork tree by law from improper or out-of-season harvest because officials were worried that developers would clear out the cork forests to build. To stop this from happening, the government declared the cork oak tree endangered. The truth is the cork oak tree is not endangered. And because wine vintners prefer screw caps for various reasons, that's actually led to a decrease in demand for cork wine stoppers. So there's actually an abundance of cork and cork oak trees. And here's the cool part: That abundance has opened up a world of opportunity for the impermeable, lightweight and moisture-resistant material. Today cork handbags and wallets are becoming popular leather alternatives. And cork also is used in flooring, shoes and other vegan fashion accessories. NOW THAT'S INTERESTING Seventeenth-century French monk Dom Perignon is credited with being the first to recognize the ability of cork to contain sparkling wines. All UK troops are to be withdrawn from Ukraine this weekend as Russia could invade at no notice, a defence minister has said. Small numbers of British personnel have undertaken Operation Orbital training missions in the eastern European country since Russias seizure of Crimea in 2014 , including around 30 deployed recently to train the Ukrainian military on anti-tank missiles. The order to return home comes as all British nationals in Ukraine are advised to leave as soon as possible. Some 130,000 Russian troops are massed on the Ukrainian border and US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan warned on Friday that an invasion could be imminent. US president Joe Biden will urge Russias Vladimir Putin to de-escalate the situation in phone talks on Saturday. Russia has repeatedly denied planning to invade. Ukraines ambassador in London Vadym Prystaiko has called on Britain to deploy troops to the country to deter president Putin from sending his armed forces across the border. But UK defence minister James Heappey insisted that there will be no British troops in the country in the case of an invasion. All of them will be withdrawn, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. There will be no British troops in Ukraine if there is to be a conflict there. They will be leaving over the course of the weekend. Mr Heappey said it was essential for all Britons to leave Ukraine urgently as war could come without warning. He told BBC Breakfast: We are now confident that the artillery systems, the missile systems and the combat air are all in place that would allow Russia to launch at no notice an attack on Ukraine. And on that basis I think it is our responsibility to share with UK citizens our view that they should leave the country immediately while commercial means are still available. He warned that there will be no airlift of the kind seen in Afghanistan last summer, as Russian forces - unlike the Taliban - are in a position to deploy air power and missiles which would threaten flights. Story continues The Royal Air Force will not be in a position to go in and to fly people out so they need to leave now by commercial means or drive out of Ukraine into a neighbouring country, he said. Mr Prystaiko said that if the UK does not send troops to Ukraine to deter invasion, it may find itself having to fight the Russians on the soil of Nato states. You might not have even to fight in Estonia, Latvia, Poland, Romania or anywhere, he told The Times. If he is stopped in Ukraine, you wont have to fight anywhere. By doing this, you can avoid sending your soldiers to defend your allies the next day. He added: If our nation is under full-scale attack and people have been killed and bombarded, Chechnya-style, I will have no sorrow, I will have nothing to stop me knocking at every door and telling your people, We have to survive, please send everything you can, tell everybody you can. But Mr Heappey said that sending military personnel to the country would play into Putins hands by allowing him to present Russia as the victim of Western menaces. Putin and his colleagues would very much like to be able to say what they may do is a consequence of Western aggression in Ukraine, said the defence minister. So its very important to us, to everybody frankly involved, that were very clear we wont play an active part in Ukraine. And the Conservative chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee, Tom Tugendhat, said that the Ukrainian armed forces are increasingly capable of defending the country from attack without direct Nato involvement. Were enabling them to have the ability to fight themselves, and having served in combat in countries around the world I can tell you that training local forces to fight for themselves is a significantly better defensive technique than putting troops in, said Mr Tugendhat. The reality is that the Ukrainians already have some 145,000 in their army, they have another ... 100-odd thousand border guard reserves and people like that, so they have a significantly larger army even than we do and they are increasingly capable to defend themselves. However, the chair of the Commons defence committee, Tobias Ellwood, said that British-led Nato divisions should be sent to Ukraine, warning that the current tensions are our Cuban Missile Crisis moment - in reference to the 1962 stand-off when John F Kennedy faced down Russian attempts to station nuclear missiles on the Caribbean island. The Conservative MP told Times Radio: An invasion is imminent. Once that happens, because of the grain the comes out of Ukraine for the world, (that will) affect food prices across the world. Oil and gas prices will be affected as well, and European security will then be threatened further, so we have to ask ourselves, what should we do instead? Mr Ellwood - who on Friday told The Independent that Boris Johnson was more Chamberlain than Churchill over Ukraine - said he believed the Ministry of Defence would like to send troops to the country, but was hampered by a lack of political resolve in 10 Downing Street. Former UK ambassador to the US Kim Darroch warned the embassy in Ukrainian capital Kyiv will be overwhelmed in the coming days helping British nationals flee. It will overwhelm the embassys resources, Lord Darroch told Today. This will occupy everyones time for 24 hours a day for the next few days and you wont get everyone out some people will choose to stay. SIOUX CENTER -- In the last weekend of February, Siouxland music lovers will have the chance to catch not one but two concerts on the Dordt University campus. At 1 p.m., on Saturday, Feb. 26, more than 100 honor student musicians, from seven states, will perform. According to a press release from the university, Dordts director of instrumental ensembles, Dr. Onsby C. Rose, will conduct the wind symphony while Dordts assistant director of instrumental ensembles, Dr. Allegra Fisher, will lead the symphonic band. The students, who come from as far away as Washington, were recommended by their own band directors and sent in video auditions. To finish the night, Dordt's music department is featuring a jazz concert in the B.J. Haan Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. "Come for a relaxed evening of big band standards, pop tune covers, and newer works," the press release said. Those who can't make the jazz concert can stream it via Dordt.edu/livestream. Jared McNett is an online editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal. You can reach him at 712-293-4234 and follow him on Twitter @TwoHeadedBoy98. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Virginia Beach City Public Schools will keep six books in the district's libraries after they were challenged in October. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) (Rick Bowmer/AP) Virginia Beach About four months after complaints about their content led six Virginia Beach school library books to be removed from circulation, multiple school division committees have decided to return them to the shelves. Advertisement Each committee decided the books can provide students with different perspectives and life experiences and support instructional material taught across other class subjects, while noting the lasting impact some of the works could have on students, among other reasons. The divisions chief academic officer sent a memorandum to board members on Jan. 28 with the committees findings. The books under review included A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison, Good Trouble by Christopher Noxon, Beyond Magenta by Susan Kuklin and Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe. Advertisement Committee members were required to read the text and answer six discussion questions based on the districts instructional material policy. Almost every committee had a parent, student, teacher, library media specialist and a coordinator from the divisions Department of Teaching and Learning. Every committee unanimously agreed to keep its assigned book. Member Victoria Manning listed issues with four of the six books in an Oct. 5 email to Superintendent Aaron Spence after she said parents raised concerns. Books have become a pressing topic over the past few months after debate about whether controversial teachings were coaxing students to think a particular way. State legislators also took up the issue this week, passing a bill in the Senate that would require the Virginia Department of Education to develop guidelines for school boards on how to notify parents about sexually explicit content assigned to their student. The two books from Gaines and Morrison can be taught respectively in 11th and 12th grade courses as supplementary instructional material. The Bluest Eye is only approved for seniors in Advanced Placement Literature. Students can check out the other four books from the school library. [ Book banning: The latest battleground in Virginia Beach schools and beyond ] Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today's local news > The Bluest Eye was called into question because of sexually explicit scenes. Members a high school library media specialist, teacher, parents and department coordinator decided the scenes did not supersede the message and purpose of the book after reading it and other online information. Morrisons book has been one of the most challenged over the past three decades, according to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom. But it will remain in the districts libraries and available as supplementary instructional material because it provides students with perspectives (specifically from Black women) they wouldnt usually encounter, addresses multiple social issues and is referenced on the Advanced Placement exam, the report said. School officials initially removed Kobabes Gender Queer from circulation because some of the graphics did not meet the divisions expectations for instructional value, a spokesperson said in an email to The Virginian-Pilot in October. But it was reinstated at the committees recommendation. One committee member did not initially recommend keeping the book in high school libraries as a result of objections to graphic depictions in the novel, Kipp Rogers, the districts chief academic officer, wrote. After the high school student spoke about the benefits of the book helping students who struggle with self-identity, the committee member agreed to vote to keep the book in the library. Advertisement The memorandum noted the following other recommendations: The graphic novel allows a visual representation of the authors thoughts/feelings in a way that simple text would not convey. Students will see that the protagonist is experiencing much of what they do growing up, feeling awkward in a variety of situations, following the path of education that is laid out for them, and deep-diving on subjects that interest them. The student member noted the book is a memoir of someones life and not fiction. The parent said, For high school level students, this is a great fit. The images are not gratuitous or created in a way that less mature students would use an excuse to poke fun of or laugh at. Growing up is such a confusing time, I think its important to have books like this available for students to relate to. Rogers noted he and Spence had concerns about the books graphics, but that those concerns did not warrant removal of the book from school libraries for student voluntary checkout. Sierra Jenkins, 229-462-8896, sierra.jenkins@virginiamedia.com SIOUX CITY -- The first Gallery in the Sky Skywalk Art Festival will be taking place from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. March 26 in the skywalks above the alleyways between Fourth, Fifth, Pierce and Nebraska Streets. A partnership between Downtown Partners, along with area artists and galleries, Gallery in the Sky is bringing Sioux City's skywalks to life with brand-new murals by local artists, art vendors and a juried art gallery show. Inspired by the Alley Art Festival, Gallery in the Sky was created to beautify the city's indoor "streets" with art and is part of an ongoing effort to enhance walkability between the downtown businesses. "This is going to be a fantastic display of art from our community," Downtown Partners executive director Ragen Cote. "With a permanent mural being created to outstanding local artists displaying and selling their works, it will be an exciting day in the downtown skywalk." Artists wanting to take part, must register at downtownsiouxcity.com before March 4. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- A customer who says he found a mouse in his burrito at Jim's Burgers has sued the Sioux City restaurant for negligence. Steven Miller says he ordered a burrito at the Jim's Burgers location at 2500 Gordon Drive on Feb. 12, 2020. After starting to eat the burrito, he said he discovered a mouse inside. According to the lawsuit, the restaurant failed to "safely maintain and sanitize the restaurant and follow food and safety standards." Miller said he has suffered damages that include past and future mental pain and suffering and past and future medical expenses and out-of-pocket expenses. Miller is seeking a judgment in an amount to compensate him for the damages. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Woodbury County District Court, did not place a dollar amount on the damages. A photo of the mouse on Miller's plate was posted on Facebook the day of the incident and quickly went viral, drawing comments from social media users across the country. The restaurant voluntary closed for a day while the Siouxland District Health Department investigated the incident. Though health inspectors could not confirm with absolute certainty that the mouse had been in the burrito, restaurant owners voluntarily deep cleaned the kitchen, discarded potentially contaminated food and upgraded pest control efforts. Jim's Burgers spokesman David Cruz released a statement at that time in which he said the incident was "bewildering" and employees were confused how it could have happened. Cruz said that after Miller reported the mouse, employees examined it and could not find any burn marks indicating it had been cooked or cut marks. "With a mouse that size, it is incredibly unlikely that the cook would not notice it. ... We did not find anything even remotely close to suggesting as to how the mouse could have gotten inside," Cruz said. Cruz said the workers apologized to Miller and refunded his money. Cruz could not be reached Friday for comment on the lawsuit. Jim's Burgers operates two other Sioux City locations and one in Le Mars, Iowa. Love 0 Funny 1 Wow 4 Sad 0 Angry 0 Sign up for our Crime & Courts newsletter Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. SIOUX CITY -- A man whose actions triggered an armed standoff with Sioux City police Thursday faces two gun charges. At an initial appearance Friday morning, District Associate Judge Todd Hensley set Emanuel Pleitez' bond at $75,000 and appointed the public defender's office to represent him. Pleitez, 36, of Sioux City, was booked into the Woodbury County Jail Thursday night on charges of intimidation with a dangerous weapon to injure or provoke fear, a Class C felony, and felon in possession of a firearm, a Class D felony. The charges carry prison sentences of 10 and five years, respectively. Pleitez' preliminary hearing was scheduled for Feb. 21 in Woodbury County District Court. He was arrested at the conclusion of a standoff with police near 12th Street and Grandview Boulevard that began just after noon, when, police say, Pleitez, who was handcuffed in the back of a police vehicle, told the officer who was driving that he had a gun and threatened to harm himself and the officer. The officer pulled over, requested backup assistance and exited the vehicle. After another officer arrived on the scene, they observed Pleitez, who was still handcuffed behind his back, armed with a subcompact-style handgun. The officers backed away and established a perimeter while more officers arrived and surrounded the car. Negotiators spent nearly an hour trying to convince Pleitez to drop the weapon, but he grew more agitated, they said, eventually firing a shot that struck the interior of the vehicle behind the rear passenger door and a second shot that hit the rear passenger window before trying to climb out of the car. Police fired a gas irritant similar to a pepper spray into the car, and Pleitez surrendered. No officers fired their weapons during the standoff. Pleitez was initially in custody as a suspect in connection with a Jan. 30 robbery in Sioux City. That robbery remains under investigation. Community policing Sgt. Jeremy McClure said Thursday that officers had patted Pleitez down after handcuffing him and before placing him inside the vehicle. Police will review camera footage to determine where Pleitez had concealed the gun and how he was able to handle it while handcuffed. At a Thursday press conference, police Chief Rex Mueller was asked about the thoroughness of the search for weapons. "Our search protocols have always been very thorough," Mueller said. The standoff led to a lockdown at the nearby Bishop Heelan High School campus, where U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra was touring at the time. Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 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. SIOUX CITY -- Top staff recommend increasing the city of Sioux City's operating budget next year by $5.8 million, or $2.62%, which would result in a slight increase in the city's property tax rate. The City Council will begin its review of the proposed $226.7 million fiscal 2023 budget at a special meeting that begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday in the Council chambers. The proposed property tax levy is around $15.43 per $1,000 of assessed valuation, up about 6.7 percent, from the previous year's levy of around $14.45. The owner of a home assessed at $100,000 would pay $761 in property taxes to the city, up $16 from the previous year, while while the owner of a commercial or industrial property with an assessed value of $100,000 would face a city tax bill of $1,389. up from $89 the prior year, according to the budget. The proposed increase of 4.25% in general fund expenditures is due primarily to increases in employee wages and benefits. In a letter to the Council accompanying the budget documents, City Manager Bob Padmore and Finance Director Teresa Fitch also cited a number of financial challenges, which include a 39 percent increase in insurance premiums and a series of state-approved property tax reforms that they say are impacting the city's budget and levies. "Staff has worked diligently to cut expenses where possible to offset the increases," Padmore and Fitch said in the letter. "The proposed budget is a realistic and responsible budget that will fund our Citys operations and provide for a high level of service to our citizens." On a positive note, the top staff noted total property valuations increased 9.31% in the last fiscal year. Much of the growth is attributed to rapid growth in new residential construction and the development of several major commercial and industrial projects. The taxable base used to calculate property taxes increased about 6.62%, or $235.2 million. Public safety, which includes the police and fire departments, accounts for the bulk of the general fund budget, or 32 percent. The next largest segments are 17% for utilities and 15% for public works. The Police Department is requesting an operating budget of $24.3 million next fiscal year, an increase of $367,938, or 1.5%. Staff is recommending that three senior police identification technicians be reclassified as full-time crime scene investigators, which would result in a net expense of $8,038. Staff are not recommending the addition of two more police officers, a net expense of $238,290, or adding one full-time evidence technician, a net expense of $80,656. According to the budget documents, the department's goals for the incoming fiscal year include expanding the its ability to rebuild relationships with minority communities, continuing to build partnerships in effort to alleviate homelessness and substance abuse issues locally, and re-defining job roles to more appropriately set workload and job responsibilities. 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. SIOUX CITY -- Western Iowa Tech Community College will continue to offer free tuition for the third year. The Last-Dollar Scholarship Program, which was first offered to WITCC students in 2019, covers tuition and some fees for specific programs that align with high-demand jobs in Iowa. The scholarship is available to recent Iowa high school graduates and adults ages 20 and older, who are enrolled in an eligible program, and who are attending WITCC part-time or full-time. A wide variety of programs are covered with the scholarships in areas such as agriculture, health administration, building trades, health, police science, cyber security, computer networking, robotics, engineering, and culinary. Additional programs in business, administration and paralegal have been added for the fall semester. The Last-Dollar Scholarship is part of Gov. Kim Reynolds' Future Ready Iowa initiative, which aims to build a pipeline of skilled workers, fill worker shortages in certain industries, and keep Iowa competitive to other states. The scholarship was first offered to WITCC students in 2019. Since then, 1,240 of students have received the scholarship and over $2.7 million in scholarships have been awarded. Without seeing the scholarship commercials last summer I would have not considered enrolling in college because of the financial barrier," WITCC student Courtney Akins said. "The scholarship has been what I owe my college success to for having been given the chance to attend college and making the most of this opportunity. I appreciated being rewarded with this financial boost and didn't want to waste it." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks at William & Mary during a Charter Day ceremony celebrating the 329th anniversary of the universitys founding on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. (Stephen Salpukas/William & Mary) It was a contentious birthday celebration for William & Mary as attendees protested Gov. Glenn Youngkin during Fridays Charter Day ceremony at Kaplan Arena. Youngkin, one of three honorary degree recipients at the ceremony, faced an outpouring of boos from the crowd in the bleachers as he stood to receive his honorary degree from the school and give his Charter Day remarks. Advertisement During the ceremony, W&M rector John Littel, who last month was named by Youngkin to serve as Virginias secretary of health and human resources, and W&M chancellor Robert Gates introduced the three recipients one by one, honoring each with a short video describing their contributions as well as a quick speech. In addition to Youngkin, honorary degrees were conferred to Howard J. Busbee, a former faculty member who has served as chair of the William & Mary Foundation and president of the Alumni Association in addition to other positions with the school, and Rep. Robert C. Bobby Scott, D-Newport News. Advertisement Busbee and Scott were honored and gave short remarks without incident, but Youngkin, the third recipient to be honored, was greeted by immediate protests as he was welcomed to the podium by Littel and Gates. Earlier on Friday, student assembly president Meghana Boojala spoke at the Board of Visitors meeting to call attention to the widespread student concerns about Youngkins involvement in Charter Day ceremonies. Some people in the crowd held up a banner that called Youngkin a bigot while others shouted that Youngkin was not welcome here. A number of audience members walked out of the arena, though the majority remained. William & Mary President Katherine A. Rowe speaks during a Charter Day ceremony celebrating the 329th anniversary of the universitys founding on Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. (Stephen Salpukas/William & Mary) The protests were met by more booing, and university president Katherine Rowe came to the microphone to ask everyone whose behavior was disrupting the event to stop immediately. We have honored guests today and we will treat every one of them with the respect that they are warranted and deserve, she said to one person in the audience that continued to shout. The person, who wore a sweatshirt that contained a message including an invective against Youngkin was escorted out by security, which was met by cheers from the audience. After the brief interruption, the ceremony went ahead without issue. During his address, Youngkin talked about a number of issues, including education, business, protecting Virginias natural treasures, mental health awareness and more. Advertisement For 329 years, William & Mary has provided the best and brightest that Virginia has to offer, Youngkin said. And I know you all are already doing this, to imagine what the next 325 years hold. A college that continues to be renowned as a leader in thought, a hub for innovation, a welcoming environment for spirited debate, but also an institution committed to educating the breadth and diversity of Virginia that sees in every child not just a dream but the means to empower them to realize it. We want this campus to not just be known today for its historic roots but for being on the leading edge of the future. The school celebrated the 329th anniversary of its founding, and a triumphant return to in-person festivities after holding a virtual ceremony in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Its so sweet to gather here again, Rowe said during her introductory remarks. Like every Charter Day before, this is an opportunity to keep exploring our regions complex history, W&Ms place in that history, and the role we aim to have in making our shared future. As you will see, both past and future are present in William & Marys Charter Day ceremonies. Rowe highlighted a number of expansions that were made to the newest iteration of the universitys birthday celebration, including a land acknowledgement reminding us that when W&M was founded, there were multiple nations here, as well as readings of the schools charter in five different languages, bringing us the charter in the language of W&M today. To conclude the ceremony, Rowe discussed Vision 2026, the schools strategic plan for the future, and pointed to the past few years of intense, enforced change as something that has strengthened W&M. Advertisement The key points outlined by W&M in Vision 2026 include expanding the schools reach, educating for impact and evolving to excel in environmental and financial sustainability, in diversity, equity and inclusion, and in operation excellence. We will get to the end of this because we will be choosing transformations ... and we will be using the muscles that we have honed by forced transformation, Rowe said. A key goal of William & Marys strategic planning has been to carry forward from pandemic the best innovations, the best new modes of work and learning, and advance our educational mission. Sian Wilkerson, sian.wilkerson@pilotonline.com, 757-342-6616 MOSCOW (AP) A Russian gallery says one of its security guards has vandalized an avant-garde painting on loan from the country's top art repository by drawing eyes on the picture's deliberately featureless faces. It said the damage can be repaired. The Yeltsin Center in Ekaterinburg said the vandalism of the painting "Three Figures" by Anna Leporskaya occurred Dec. 7. It said the suspected culprit worked for a private company providing security at the gallery. The painting, dating from the 1930s, shows three torsos and heads with hair but no facial features; the vandal drew eyes on two of them with a ballpoint pen. The Yeltsin Center said the painting has been sent for restoration to the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, which owns it. The Russian news site RBK said a criminal case has been opened on charges that carry a sentence of up to three months in prison. The picture had been reportedly insured for 74.9 million rubles (roughly $1 million). Leporskaya, who lived from 1900-1982, was a student of Kazimir Malevich, a seminal Russian abstract artist best known for his 1915 work "Black Square." Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Canadian police on Saturday moved in to clear protesters from a key bridge to the United States that is critical to the economies of both countries. The Ambassador Bridge is normally the busiest land border crossing in North America but as of Saturday afternoon it had been paralyzed for five straight days as protesters opposing pandemic restrictions had blocked traffic. As soon as police started moving in on Saturday morning, many of the demonstrators drove away. By late morning, all the vehicles appeared to have been cleared out of the road leading to the bridge but dozens of protesters who were on foot appeared reluctant to leave. And new protesters seemed to join them later in the day, leading to a tense standoff with law enforcement. Advertisement Police moved in a day after a judge issued an injunction allowing police to start clearing the bridge and end the blockade. Demonstrators had until 7 p.m. Friday to leave and the number of demonstrators started decreasing at night as authorities warned that vehicles could be seized. Some demonstrators were happy to pack up, saying their goal of calling attention to their demands had been met. Others, however, were more defiant and vowed to stay put even as authorities warned of fines of 100,000 Canadian dollars and up to one year in prison for anyone illegally blocking roads or bridges. The demonstrations started last month, first with truckers who wanted to protest against rules forcing Canadian truckers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to cross the border into the United States. That protest has since grown and expanded into a general demonstration against COVID-19 measures, including mask mandates. Despite the attention that the protests have garnered around the world, Canada has one of the highest vaccination rates in the world with 81 percent of its population fully vaccinated while 44 percent have received a booster shot. On Jan. 29, Dena Wouters stood in a crowd of people at the U.S. border in Sweetgrass, Montana, watching a line of trucks on the Canadian side form a blockade in Coutts, Alberta. About 1,800 miles east, commercial truck drivers were converging on Ottawa to begin a blockade in protest of a COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Wouters, 42, and her husband, Remko, a truck driver at a Montana company, had read about it on Facebook and were spurred to make the drive to their nearest border crossing to protest in solidarity. Advertisement Unlike some of the protesting truckers, Remko had been vaccinated. My husband felt he had no choice, Wouters said. His route sometimes crosses into Canada, which now requires a record of vaccination to enter by land. Foreign travelers crossing the border from Canada into the U.S. must now be vaccinated, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the momentum and message of the so-called Freedom Convoy drew Wouters in. For me it was really awesome to see. It meant a lot, she said. We were honking our horns, we were waving flags. We were holding signs that said thank you, truckers and all that stuff. It was really a great time. All along the border between Canada and the U.S., truckers and their familiesand a vast variety of hangers-on, including members of several far-right groupsare shutting down crossings, blockading bridges, and occupying towns. For two weeks, organizers have effectively shut down the downtown area of Ottawa, Canadas capital city. Many say they wont back down until Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leaves office. Advertisement Advertisement As the blockades drag on, threats of further law enforcement crackdowns and violence are getting louder. Downtown Ottawa residents have complained of intimidation and pyrotechnics in the streets. On Sunday, Mayor Jim Watson declared a state of emergency in light of the serious danger and threat to the safety and security of residents posed by the ongoing demonstrations. Peter Sloly, the Ottawa police chief, told city councilors that he is increasingly concerned there is no policing solution to this, hinting at military intervention. On Saturday, Canadian police moved in to clear protesters of a bridge connecting Canada and the U.S., called the Ambassador Bridge. Advertisement In short: The truckers are going wild. We know from a lot of reporting that the energy behind this movement is fueled in large part by conspiracy theorists and extremists, as well as from dark money that is flooding crowdfunding websites. There has also been a huge boost from right wing media. (Fox News, as you might imagine, has devoted a lot of time to this story.) Advertisement But it also seems to be drawing genuine grassroots support from individuals who see themselves in solidarity with the message that is being honed about the truckers, even if those individuals are vaccinated themselves. Copycat convoys have spread to France, New Zealand and Australia, and the U.S. seems next. Advertisement Advertisement Brian Brase, a trucker who is organizing a protest currently called the Peoples Convoy, told Fox Business that a U.S. demonstration will begin in California in March. Truckers and other supporters will drive to D.C., aiming to arrive about a week later, and plan to stay until all vaccine mandates are eliminated. (According to a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department of D.C., the department has not received a permit application for any truck convoy protests in the city, but the department is aware of potential First Amendment activities that may take place on March 1.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I spoke to Wouters, who is part of a network of five Montana groups that are organizing to support the convoy to D.C., to learn what was motivating some of these protesters and how the nature of the demonstrations might shift as they spread to the U.S. Wouters said that after the January rally at the Coutts-Sweetgrass border, she joined some Facebook groups for updates about the trucker protests and soon heard about the plans for a convoy to D.C. She doesnt know any truck drivers who expect to participate in the convoy, because most work for companies, unlike the owner-operators who can take their trucks wherever they please. But Wouters wanted to help, so she volunteered to collect supplies. She plans to host a rally and cookout to gather supplies later this month. Advertisement Forcing people to wear masks, forcing people to get vaccinationsI dont think its right, she said. She said that she and her husband doubted that he needed the vaccine, since a previous bout with COVID-19 may have conferred some protection against the virus. (Medical experts advise that vaccination is the best way to protect against serious illness.) But if he did not do what they were supposed to be required to do, he would lose his job, Wouters said. And with a special-needs son, we cant do that. We have to pay so many medical bills and everything. Advertisement Advertisement Wouters has fielded some messages through her convoy Facebook group that aired concerns about the demonstrators in Canada, particularly those who have interfered with ambulances and patients trying to access Ottawa hospitals. Those remarks didnt bother her. That is a very, very, very small minority of people doing that. The rest of everybody is peaceful and fine, she said, worrying that one bad apple will spoil the whole bunch. Advertisement For me its likeyou guys might say this is a great way to recruit white supremacy or something like that, but thats not what its for. Were just wanting freedom back, she said. But the essential role of right-wing extremists in organizing these convoys is undeniable. Protesters have carried Confederate flags and flags emblazoned with swastikas. One of the Canadian convoys organizers, Patrick King, has warned of a campaign by international entities to bring about the depopulation of the Caucasian race because whites are the ones with the strongest bloodlines. One of the two people who were listed on the convoys fundraising page has said that political Islam is rotting away at our society like syphilis. And on Gab, the social media network thats made a home for alt-right and extremists, the trucker convoy groups are filled with racist comments, racial slurs, and death threats directed at Sloly, the Ottawa police chief, who is Black. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the planned D.C. convoy, Brase and his co-organizers hit a snag in their planningand a goldmine for their publicity campaignwhen Facebook deleted their Convoy to D.C. 2022 group, which had reportedly amassed more than 100,000 members. The company said the group had repeatedly violated its policies about content related to QAnon, the set of right-wing conspiracy theories that often involve anti-Semitic myths. Facebook classifies QAnon as a violence-inducing conspiracy network prohibited from coordinating or maintaining a presence on the platform. (The convoys organizers deny that the groups page hosted any QAnon material.) Advertisement Advertisement The rapid influx of money to the fundraising pages for the Canadian convoysmuch of it from donors who identified their locations as outside of Canadahas also raised alarms among analysts, who note that the sums have far outpaced organic political campaigns in a country where strong majorities express approval for vaccine mandates and nearly 90 percent of truckers are vaccinated. Advertisement Crowdfunding sites can be treasure troves for grifters, and security experts warn that they may allow foreign individuals and state actors to add fuel to domestic political fires. Sloly told Grid that the department is now aware of a significant element from the U.S. that have been involved in the funding, the organizing and the demonstrating in the purportedly Canadian convoy. Advertisement Last week, GoFundMe removed a fundraiser for the Canadian blockade from its website after the company reported receiving evidence from law enforcement that the previously peaceful demonstration has become an occupation, with police reports of violence and other unlawful activity, violating its terms of service. The page had raised more than $8 million for the demonstrators, including $1 million that had been released to organizers. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Canadian Freedom Convoy has moved its fundraising to GiveSendGo, where it has already raised more than $8 million. (The crowdfunding site is known for welcoming far-right extremist groups and their pet causes, such as legal defense funds for Kyle Rittenhouse and Proud Boys chairman Enrique Tarrio.) If organizers dont change course before March, trucker blockades in the U.S. could be ugly. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before the U.S.a country with a much bigger and deeper-pocketed anti-vaccine element and a mainstream Republican Party that feeds off the volatility of right-wing extremist groupsgot its own convoy to the capital. Advertisement But the coexistence of various flavors of right-wingers within the auspices of the convoy is part of what makes it worrisome. Its not hard to imagine a U.S. convoy arriving in D.C. to a cheering crowd of ordinary people who like trucks, miss Trump, and mock mask mandatesalongside a contingent of armed militia members bent on enacting a reprise of Jan. 6. The rioters who sacked the Capitol that day were part of a demonstration that placed violent extremists alongside everyday people, too. With the power of 10-ton vehicles and a motivated army of supporters, it wouldnt take many extremists to take things to the extreme. In the middle of a Sunday afternoon, I found myself locked outside the library. No matter how many times I swiped my student ID, the doors wouldnt budge. I soon realized why. I had a red pass on my CoVerified account, a symptom screener app used by Barnard College where I attend school. Like many other schools across the country, mine has used the app since on-campus activity started to reboundfor us, that was back in October of 2020. Each day, Im required to attest that I dont have symptoms. Then, I get a green screen and am allowed to enter campus buildings, such as libraries and dorms. If students do report a symptom, like a cough, theyll get a restricted screen, and cannot enter these campus buildings. (This is not the only screening we have, we also get a weekly PCR test, which is provided free of charge to students.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, I had forgotten to fill out my daily symptom report. Standing in the cold, I clicked no symptoms, and then waited 15 minutes or so until the system registered my report and allowed me inside. God forbid you forget to do the [expletive] CoVerified an hour before you need to be somewhere, I messaged a group chat in the meantime. While I am all for mitigating COVID on campus, I wasnt certain how effective an app preventing students from accessing services in this way would be in that goal, especially given what we know at this point in the pandemic. Self-certification of symptoms has been used by schools and companies for a while now; Slate first reported on them in May 2020. But a large percentage of people who contract COVID-19 are asymptomatic. These people can still drive significant spread of disease, but they wouldnt be flagged by an app. Second, by the time youve expressed symptoms, you may have already been spreading the virus. A symptom screener isnt going to go back in time and prevent that. Advertisement Advertisement And those are the issues that are there before human behavior is factored in. As Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, told me, self-reporting symptoms is only effective if youre honest about it. If someone isnt truthful about their symptoms, then the screener cant catch that either. Advertisement There are two problems that make being honest about each and every sniffle rather difficult. The first is that its extremely difficult to tell symptoms of COVID-19 from symptoms of seasonal allergies or a runny nose from the cold. (Both of which I deal with, and have had to wrestle with reporting on the app.) If you always report that you have a runny nose because its the middle of allergy season, youre always going to have a red pass. According to Chin-Hong, omicron can present just like seasonal allergies as well, further complicating things. The fact that the app presents whether you have symptoms as a binary yes/no doesnt help, either. I wish there was an in-between where you can go and get tested because youre not sure, he told me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second issue is that in a high-stress environment like my college, there are incentives to assume that a runny nose is the cold or allergies. Classes have been at least partially in-person starting this semester, and students are largely on their own in terms of navigating what happens if theyre placed in isolation housing while they wait for a test to come back because theyve reported symptoms in the app. It can be a big disruption to your daily life. When you have multiple exams and papers and lectures and problem sets and seminars, you might hope its allergies and keep going to class. Many students are extremely fatigued with Zoom University, and many students find it extremely difficult to study in the same small room they sleep in. College is a pressure cooker, with a lot of students striving for the best grades possible and juggling multiple responsibilities at once. Why not just assume that leaky nose is a pollen-related thing? This is not the right thing to do, but it is an understandable choice. Were required to wear masks indoors anyway, and again, we receive regular tests, so the risk can seem low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, thats the cynical take on the app. There are some positives to be gained from using it, though, as my expert source explained to me. It can at least help catch the people who do report symptoms. He likened it to a temperature check in that we know by now you can have COVID without presenting a fever, but if you do have a fever, youre probably sick. So in the same vein, maybe tons of people are hiding COVID by answering it incorrectly, but the people who do answer it correctly, youre at least identifying them. Another positive is that the app can still act like a daily reminder to keep an eye on your symptoms, even if a lot of people dont answer honestly. By opening up the app and clicking no symptoms every day, it may prompt users to still think about their symptoms, and perhaps remind them to cut down on socializing while theyre feeling stuffy. So even if youre gaming the system, you might be paying more attention to your health than they would if there was no system to game. Finally, the app can function as an easy way to get care to someone who does report symptoms. Instead of calling Primary Care Health Services when you have a cough, you can just click a button, and then Primary Care can call you to schedule a test and discuss next steps. Essentially, it streamlines what could be an onerous process of phone tag. A campus doctor visit scheduled with easeeven after the threat of the pandemic fades for good, thats one aspect of this app that I hope sticks around. Foreign Affairs Ministry decided based on information from intelligence services. Font size: A - | A + Comments disabled Families of Slovak diplomats are to leave Ukraine. Slovakia's Foreign Affairs Ministry decided to move them back to Slovakia in response to the tensions on the Russian-Ukrainian border, the Sme daily reported on February 12. Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement Skryt Remove ad Article continues after video advertisement "The decision follows today's negotiations between the representations of EU member states in Kyiv," Juraj Tomaga, spokesperson of the ministry, told Sme. Related article Related article War in Ukraine would change Slovakia, too Read more The ministry made the decision after having evaluated "all the available intelligence", Tomaga said. The ministry recommends against travelling to Ukraine for any purpose. Slovakia's latest steps come amid similar decisions taken by other EU countries. https://sputniknews.com/20220212/beijing-pledges-to-support-hong-kong-as-city-observes-record-number-of-covid-19-infections--1092952481.html Beijing Pledges to Support Hong Kong as City Observes Record Number of COVID-19 Infections Beijing Pledges to Support Hong Kong as City Observes Record Number of COVID-19 Infections After months of no COVID-19-related deaths, health officials in Hong Kong have logged at least five fatalities related to the contagious disease this week. The... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T01:18+0000 2022-02-12T01:18+0000 2022-02-12T01:16+0000 hong kong beijing china covid-19 public health /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0b/1092950783_0:305:3071:2032_1920x0_80_0_0_e68778b76d8d91a8631d96cfffd4dd38.jpg Hong Kong officials are set to meet with mainland Chinese counterparts in the linking city of Shenzhen on Saturday to discuss measures to support the global financial hub's coronavirus strategy. John Lee, Hong Kong's Chief Secretary for Administration, Health Secretary Sophia Chan, and Security Chief Chris Tang are expected to attend the February 12 meeting. News of the planned discussion came as the city observed an increase in new daily COVID-19 infections, rising to 1,325 known infections and 1,500 preliminary positive cases, according to Chuang Shuk-kwan, a senior health official. Many have attributed the spike in cases to Lunar New Year celebrations, including travel. Despite containment efforts, the city's most-recent wave has brought about more than 1,000 daily COVID-19 infections for the first time since the pandemic began. China's Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office issued a statement on Thursday expressing that Beijing was "highly concerned" about the spike in Hong Kong's COVID-19 cases, which amounted to the city's fifth wave. Officials from mainland China are said to be prepping thousands of lab and medical personnel, as well as millions of COVID-19 testing kits, to assist with public health efforts in Hong Kong. "The HKMAO, Hong Kong liaison office, National Health Commission, Guangdong and Shenzhen officials will join Hong Kong senior officials to go through Hong Kongs wish list and decide on the best way going forward," a Beijing-based source told the South China Morning Post. Hong Kong officials also reported that a shipment of fresh produce was disrupted by the recent wave of COVID-19 infections. Mainland authorities are seeking to deploy more workers to border checkpoints that process trucks. "As long as Hong Kong asks, the motherland will surely respond ... Hand in hand, we will surely be able to overcome the epidemic soon," reads a government statement issued by the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. https://sputniknews.com/20220202/hong-kong-health-officials-fear-tsunami-of-new-cases-due-to-lunar-new-year-travels-1092671195.html hong kong beijing china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead hong kong, beijing, china, covid-19, public health https://sputniknews.com/20220212/bitterness-within-pakistans-ruling-party-grows-as-pm-publishes-top-10-ministries-list---report-1092957848.html 'Bitterness' Within Pakistan's Ruling Party Grows as PM Publishes Top-10 Ministries List - Report 'Bitterness' Within Pakistan's Ruling Party Grows as PM Publishes Top-10 Ministries List - Report For months, tensions have been simmering within Pakistan's government, with several party leaders taking potshots at Prime Minister Imran Khan. Two weeks ago... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T08:30+0000 2022-02-12T08:30+0000 2022-02-12T08:30+0000 pakistan pakistan imran khan prime minister prime minister tensions tensions shah mahmood qureshi foreign ministry foreign minister /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/107905/21/1079052191_0:199:2934:1849_1920x0_80_0_0_2622a1e281c85cf4fe555a95043ff9ce.jpg Bitterness within the ranks of Pakistan's ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) is growing, with many federal ministers voicing criticism of PM Imran Khan after he excluded many top ministries from his list of the top-10 performing ministries announced on Thursday, media outlet Dawn reported.The ministers were unhappy after their respective ministries were passed up. PM Khan's recognition is seen as crucial for the country's main stakeholders in power, considering his wider appeal in Pakistani society and his close ties with the all-powerful military. A ministry's inclusion in the list of top performing ministries is being viewed as PM Khan's backing for the minister concerned ahead of the national elections next year. According to the publication, PM Khan was not even spared by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, who expressed his dismay that his ministry didn't make it onto the highly-revered list. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was ranked 11th.Expressing his displeasure on the matter, Qureshi, who is also the second in command in the ruling party, wrote a scathing letter to PM Khan's Special Assistant Arbab Shahzad.It was Shahzad who was the man behind the setting up of criteria for selecting the top ten ministries and even the associated final report was prepared under his guidance. In his letter, Qureshi questioned the motive behind leaving the Foreign Ministry out of the top-10 list despite it achieving 22 of its 26 assigned targets during the nine-month period of the current fiscal year. Two main allies of PM Khan's government, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), were left fuming at the PTI chief after the ministries of IT and housing, that are under their respective control, were not included in the top-10 list. pakistan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Pawan Atri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png Pawan Atri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Pawan Atri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png pakistan, pakistan, imran khan, prime minister, prime minister, tensions, tensions, shah mahmood qureshi, foreign ministry, foreign minister, sputnik, slam, criticism, criticisms, list https://sputniknews.com/20220212/charity-fraud-how-legal-action-against-blm-non-profit-may-trigger-probe-into-clinton-foundation-1092967393.html Charity Fraud: How Legal Action Against BLM Non-Profit May Trigger Probe Into Clinton Foundation Charity Fraud: How Legal Action Against BLM Non-Profit May Trigger Probe Into Clinton Foundation While the Black Lives Matter charity is being subjected to legal scrutiny, larger examples of alleged charity fraud by powerful US political families should... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T15:19+0000 2022-02-12T15:19+0000 2022-02-12T15:19+0000 us world opinion black lives matter clinton foundation charity fraud barack obama joe biden donald trump /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102158/68/1021586875_0:419:3497:2386_1920x0_80_0_0_a4ad5cb49c76ffb34bf1d292c2292732.jpg The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation's (BLMGNF) alleged charity fraud was in the crosshairs of US states' attorney generals last week. According to the New York Post, Indiana, Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia have all revoked the BLMNGFs charitable registration. California and Washington went even further by threatening to hold the charity's leaders personally liable for not revealing what exactly happened to tens of millions of dollars in donations amid George Floyd protests in 2020.From BLMGNF to Clinton FoundationThe states' attorney generals' effort to get to the bottom of the BLMGNF's failure to produce the required IRS 990 form detailing its financial activities gives hope that the US will focus on its broader charity fraud problem, according to Wall Street analyst and investigative journalist Charles Ortel.Over the past several years Ortel a US independent analyst who was the first to uncover financial discrepancies at General Electric and predict its downfall in 2008 has looked into alleged charity fraud on both sides of the US political spectrum.One of them is the Clinton Foundation, which Ortel started to investigate during Hillary Clinton's 2015/2016 presidential cycle. The Wall Street analyst has come to the conclusion that the Clintons' charity has neither been lawfully organised nor properly managed. Moreover, its supposed financial reports are "riddled with errors that attempt to mask hundreds of millions of dollars in diverted contributions claimed by donors but not found in Clinton Foundation public disclosures," according to him.Ortel suggests that US state DOJs' investigation of the BLMGNF could become a precedent for probing the Clinton Foundation's alleged charity frauds, which may also start at local level.The Wall Street analyst underscores that these are no "minor mistakes": as in the case of BLM and other scams, gullible donors as well as co-conspirators in charity frauds, money laundering, and tax evasion use porous, loosely controlled "organisations" to route dirty money towards politically influential families such as the Clintons."The NY AG and the IRS have considerable resources at their disposal to police these apparent scams," he says.Clinton Foundation Whistleblowers' Legal Battle With IRSPresently, Clinton Foundation whistleblowers Lawrence W. Doyle and John F. Moynihan are continuing their legal fight in the US Tax Court after they filed a lawsuit against the IRS in March 2019. The two forensic investigators filed whistleblower submissions with the IRS over the charity's suspected misdeeds as early as August 2017. However, the government body appeared unwilling to consider their claim, despite the IRS website encouraging everyone to immediately report tax scams.In December 2018, Doyle and Mohnihan testified before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, alleging that the Clinton Foundation owes the US government between $400 million and $2.5 billion in taxes. According to them, the charity does not operate as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organisation but acts as nothing short of a foreign agent.Why Alleged Charity Scam May be Used Against HillaryOrtel does not rule out that the Clintons' political opponents within the Democratic Party may use an inquiry into the Clinton charity to paralyse Hillary and Bill's political activities as Biden's polls slide.Fox News' host Sean Hannity tweeted on Saturday that Hillary Clinton is reportedly going to speak at the New York Democratic Convention. "Could this mean shes getting ready to run again in 2024?" the journalist asked. Conservative pundits and Democratic insiders have been discussing Hillary's potential run for the past few months. Dick Morris, a one-time top adviser to former President Bill Clinton, suggested in his blog that Hillary will outplay Team Biden and summon moderates or disillusioned leftists to her banner in 2024. According to Ortel, Hillary's alleged presidential bid may prompt her political opponents from the Democratic Party and GOP to subject the Clinton Foundation's charitable activities to further scrutiny, therefore disrupting the Clintons' power play.Ortel believes that the Democrat Party must cleanse itself, which also should involve a thorough examination of the financial activities of the Obama Foundation and Biden Cancer Initiative."As it does, bringing incorrigible charity scam artists to justice should become a unifying and bipartisan exercise," the Wall Street analyst emphasises. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ekaterina Blinova Ekaterina Blinova News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ekaterina Blinova us, world, opinion, black lives matter, clinton foundation, charity, fraud, barack obama, joe biden, donald trump, us democratic party, republican party https://sputniknews.com/20220212/cia-data-mining-fracking-earthquakes-and-truckers-protest-persist-1092950574.html CIA Data Mining, Fracking Earthquakes, and Truckers Protest Persist CIA Data Mining, Fracking Earthquakes, and Truckers Protest Persist The Misfits talk about the CIA collecting data on US citizens, fracking is causing earthquakes in the midwest, and the protest planned over the weekend in... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T08:14+0000 2022-02-12T08:14+0000 2022-02-12T08:14+0000 political misfits cia ukraine russia fracking freedom convoy radio /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0b/1092950385_56:0:1300:700_1920x0_80_0_0_95ca2218241d9e11bdf489a4acc9ee1f.png CIA Data Mining, Fracking Earthquakes, and Truckers Protest Persist The Misfits talk about the CIA collecting data on U.S. citizens, fracking is causing earthquakes in the midwest, and the protest planned over the weekend in solidarity with the Freedom Convoy in Canada. George Szamuely, columnist and senior research fellow at the Global Policy Institute, joined John and Michelle during the first hour to break down the latest developments from a very tense session yesterday between British Foreign Minister Liz Truss and Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov.For the next segment, Guy McPherson, scientist, professor emeritus of natural resources, ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, joined the show to talk about the recent increase in earthquakes in Texas, which saw twice as many earthquakes in 2021 compared to the year prior, according to research by the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin. The Misfits ask McPherson why fracking causes earthquakes and how dangerous they are. Recent earthquakes are a result of wastewater disposal wells, a byproduct that results from drilling for natural gas that induces earthquakes, McPherson said.At the top of the last hour, Andalusia K. Soloff is a multimedia journalist, documentary filmmaker, and graphic novelist based in Mexico City who specializes in state violence, migration, indigenous land struggles and gender-based murders in Latin America. She joins the show to shed light on the assassinations of journalists in Mexico. Six weeks into 2022, five journalists have been murdered in Mexico, the deadliest year for journalists there in over a decade. Between 2000 and 2021, Mexico saw the murder of 145 journalists. Soloff explains that many of the murders follow reporting on corruption cases involving local politicians and drug cartels. Many journalists, especially those in border towns like Tijuana, are in fear of their lives yet remain committed to reporting on crime and corruption.KJ Noh, is a global justice activist, writer, teacher, and member of Veterans for Peace, joins Michelle and John to talk about what, if anything, results from the Quad meeting today in Australia. Foreign ministers of a bunch of NATO allies have been doing the rounds between Kiev and Moscow, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Asia meeting with leaders from Australia, Japan and India in the Quad format. Blinken is then headed to Fiji and then back on US soil in Hawaii.The Misfits close the show with Fridays Stories of the Weird, not to be missed. We sign off till MondayWe'd love to get your feedback at radio@sputniknews.com ukraine russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Michelle Witte https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg Michelle Witte https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Michelle Witte https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/02/11/1082103644_0:1:240:241_100x100_80_0_0_aa1e89cc3422c54bfdeb46decb112e73.jpg political misfits, cia, ukraine, russia, fracking, freedom, convoy, , radio https://sputniknews.com/20220212/help-from-abroad-uk-police-save-woman-in-canada-from-intruder-after-mistake-call-1092957630.html Help From Abroad: UK Police Save Woman in Canada From Intruder After Mistake Call Help From Abroad: UK Police Save Woman in Canada From Intruder After Mistake Call Andrea Arthur, the inspector and head of the force control room in the Durham, UK police station said that officers would assist in rescuing a vulnerable... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T07:33+0000 2022-02-12T07:33+0000 2022-02-12T08:09+0000 world uk canada police /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/09/08/1088878422_0:204:2048:1356_1920x0_80_0_0_27ec875c49c3fa4d69b20545c30f5475.jpg Last week, British police helped to rescue a Canadian woman living 3,000 miles away after she wrote to them by mistake, saying someone had broken into her home. UKs Durham Constabulary received a message via its online service about an intruder in Durham, Canada, according to CBC News."I need help, he is going to come, he is in the house," the woman wrote.Realising the woman had meant to contact a different law enforcement force in another country, the call handler, without closing the chat with womans message, asked his colleagues to contact police officers at Durham Regional Police Service in Ontario.According to Durham Constabulary, the suspect was tasered and eventually arrested about half an hour after the victim wrote her message. canada Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 world, uk, canada, police Lubbock, TX (79409) Today Generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds. High 78F. NE winds shifting to SE at 10 to 20 mph.. Tonight Mostly cloudy in the evening with scattered thunderstorms developing after midnight. Low 58F. Winds SE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 60%. https://sputniknews.com/20220212/lavrov-tells-blinken-propaganda-about-russian-aggression-against-ukraine-has-provocative-purposes-1092963955.html Lavrov Tells Blinken Propaganda About 'Russian Aggression' Against Ukraine Has Provocative Purposes Lavrov Tells Blinken Propaganda About 'Russian Aggression' Against Ukraine Has Provocative Purposes Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his US counterpart Antony Blinken held telephone talks Saturday to discuss tensions over Ukraine. Ahead of the... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T12:29+0000 2022-02-12T12:29+0000 2022-02-12T13:43+0000 sergei lavrov antony blinken /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102559/25/1025592560_0:566:3952:2789_1920x0_80_0_0_cff26c2289b9f0d7879d2431563d7d5b.jpg Foreign Minister Lavrov has informed Secretary Blinken that the "propaganda campaign" about "Russian aggression" against Ukraine has provocative purposes, and reiterated Russia's security concerns about NATO's plans to expand further east, the Russian Foreign Ministry has indicated in a readout of Saturday's talks.Lavrov was also said to have commented on the decision by NATO and Washington to reject the Russian security guarantee proposals presented in December aimed at dramatically easing tensions and improving the security situation in Europe."It was emphasized that these issue would take center stage in our assessment of the documents received from the US and NATO, which will be brought to the attention of our colleagues," the ministry stressed.Lavrov was also said to have told his counterpart that the Russian side considers actions which undermine indelible security in the Euro-Atlantic region to be unacceptable.State Department spokesman Ned Price issued a statement later Saturday outlining the US account of the conversation between Lavrov and Blinken, saying the two men discussed "acute and shared concerns that Russia may be considering launching further military aggression against Ukraine in the coming days."Lavrov and Blinken spoke by phone on Saturday at the request of the US side. Ahead of the conversation, Blinken repeated US talking points about Russia's alleged aggressive designs on Ukraine, and claims made by US officials for months on end now that Russia may invade "at any time". The talks are expected to be followed up by a telephone conversation between Presidents Putin and Biden later in the day.Ukraine TensionsMoscow has consistently dismissed increasingly shrill claims by Western officials and media that it is preparing to "invade" Ukraine, blasting the US and its allies and accusing them of artificially ratcheting up tensions to justify a beefing up on NATO's footprint on Russia's doorstep.Russia's suspicions appear to have been justified, with the Pentagon announcing this month that it would redeploy 1,000 troops from Germany to Romania, send 2,000 troops more from the US mainland to Germany and Poland, and set up a rapid reaction force consisting of another 8,500 troops in the US ready to fly out to Europe at a moment's notice. On Saturday, the US confirmed that it would send 3,000 additional troops to Poland. The US and its allies have also used the tensions to send billions of dollars' worth of military hardware to Kiev, and to deploy small numbers of trainers and mercenaries in the country, with the latter spotted openly operating near the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine.The crisis in relations between Russia and the West over Ukraine began in the winter of 2014, when the country's bloc neutrality-adherent government was overthrown in a US and EU-backed coup and replaced by political forces seeking integration with the European Union and NATO. The country's new rulers also immediately annulled a law allowing regions of the country to make Russian a second official language. The chaos in Kiev prompted the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea to politically split from Ukraine and rejoin Russia following a referendum, and sparked the creation of pro-independence movements in eastern Ukraine. Kiev forces sent the military to try to crush separatist movements in the Donbass region in the spring of 2014, sparking a bloody civil war which has left up to 31,000 people dead and caused over 2 million residents to be internally or externally displaced.In February 2015, the leaders of Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany met in the Belarusian capital of Minsk to hammer out the Minsk Agreements - a ceasefire and peace deal aimed at bringing the war between Kiev forces and the Donbass militias to an end. The ceasefire portion of the deal was implemented, albeit with repeated allegations of violations by both sides. However, the Ukrainian government has so far refused to implemented Minsk's political portion -which demands the provision of broad autonomy to the Donbass in exchange for its peaceful reintegration.The crisis has been exacerbated by NATO's flirting with Ukraine about offering Kiev membership in the security bloc - a decision Moscow says would have catastrophic consequences for Russia's strategic security. Russian officials have pointed out that the US has already set up missile defence systems in Romania and Poland which could easily be converted to fire nuclear-tipped Tomahawk cruise missiles deep into Russia, and warned that if similar systems were deployed in Ukraine they would have a flight time to Moscow of just 4-5 minutes. https://sputniknews.com/20220212/us-state-department-tells-non-emergency-personnel-at-us-embassy-in-ukraine-to-leave-country-1092961472.html https://sputniknews.com/20220211/donbass-militia-reports-presence-of-ukrainian-s-300s-artillery-and-foreign-mercs-near-front-line-1092949148.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov sergei lavrov, antony blinken https://sputniknews.com/20220212/one-man-one-post-policy-rift-among-top-leaders-of-indias-west-bengal-tmc-widens-reports-say-1092956468.html 'One Man, One Post' Policy Rift Among Top Leaders of India's West Bengal TMC Widens, Reports Say 'One Man, One Post' Policy Rift Among Top Leaders of India's West Bengal TMC Widens, Reports Say After Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2014, the opposition in India began witnessing a downward spiral. However, all that changed in the West Bengal... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T08:46+0000 2022-02-12T08:46+0000 2022-02-12T08:46+0000 india narendra modi narendra modi mamata banerjee west bengal sputnik rift tensions tensions opposition /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0c/1092958175_0:114:2047:1265_1920x0_80_0_0_c73574ae06292376ccf57dc6b0f381c8.jpg One of India's main opposition parties, Trinamool Congress, which defeated Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a high-pitched poll battle in West Bengal in May 2021 is dangling with a widening rift between two of its top leaders - West Bengal State Chief Mamata Banerjee and Party General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, media outlet NDTV reported. According to the publication, the tensions between Abhishek and Mamata have been escalating for some time now as the young leader is hell-bent on pushing a "One Man, One Post" policy in the TMC.Abhishek is reported to have borrowed the policy from the BJP. For years, the ruling party at the centre has followed a "One Man, One Post" guideline; at almost all levels, including in the federal government and in states ruled by it.The "One Man, One Post" rule states that politicians must do one job at a time, whether in government or the party. For example, if Mamata is the Bengal state chief, she can't be the president of the TMC, which she is at the moment; this is what's causing the friction.TMC's older leaders are against this strategy, as many of them hold multiple positions within Bengal's leadership. With his current move, Abhishek, who is widely thought of as Mamata's heir and is effectively the No.2 in the party, is clipping the wings of the party's old guard.While the older generation of leaders are close to Mamata, the young guns within the party view Abhishek as their sole leader.Mamata herself was seen taking a dig at Abhishek in a recent interaction with a journalist after she was asked if she would visit Goa to campaign for TMC candidates there.Her response only ignited the buzz that she had fallen out with her nephew, who is leading the party's campaign in the coastal state."Somebody is doing, so I am not. I am going to other places... in greater interest", she answered, with Abhishek obviously being the unnamed "somebody". west bengal Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Pawan Atri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png Pawan Atri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Pawan Atri https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/05/12/1082926219_0:0:358:358_100x100_80_0_0_aca1d9bdccc7af990e49b4511ee80344.png india, narendra modi, narendra modi, mamata banerjee, west bengal, sputnik, rift, tensions, tensions, opposition, opposition, leader, prime minister, prime minister, party, leaders, leadership, party leadership https://sputniknews.com/20220212/pentagon-us-temporarily-relocating-160-us-military-advisers-from-ukraine-1092968919.html Pentagon: US Temporarily Relocating 160 US Military Advisers From Ukraine Pentagon: US Temporarily Relocating 160 US Military Advisers From Ukraine MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Defene Secretary Lloyd Austin ordered for 160 US military advisers in Ukraine to be relocated elsewhere in Europe, the Pentagon said... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T14:56+0000 2022-02-12T14:56+0000 2022-02-12T15:01+0000 russia-nato row on european security us ukraine pentagon russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/102974/94/1029749478_0:0:3083:1734_1920x0_80_0_0_c5aa4d258e14e166f940195662fe1133.jpg "Secretary Austin has ordered the temporary repositioning of the 160 members of the Florida National Guard who have been deployed to Ukraine since late November," the Pentagon said in a statement.These troops, which have been "advising and mentoring Ukrainian forces," will now "reposition elsewhere in Europe," the statement said.Earlier in the day, US Secretary of Defence Lloyd J. Austin discussed Russia's military presence near the Ukrainian border in a phone call with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu."On February 12, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III spoke with Russian Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu. They discussed Russias force build-up in Crimea and around Ukraine," the department said in a press release. ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 us, ukraine, pentagon, russia https://sputniknews.com/20220212/photos-nasa-publishes-first-images-captured-via-james-webb-space-telescope--1092955033.html Photos: NASA Publishes First Images Captured Via James Webb Space Telescope Photos: NASA Publishes First Images Captured Via James Webb Space Telescope Late last month, it was reported that NASAs $10 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) was nearing operation, after its initial December 25 launch. The... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T04:08+0000 2022-02-12T04:08+0000 2022-02-12T04:08+0000 james webb space telescope (jwst) space nasa star /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/04/1092025504_0:91:744:510_1920x0_80_0_0_dab27cd7b746f1d40475c2dc24d4b99d.png NASA's JWST team announced in a Friday release that the telescope had achieved another milestone by capturing its first images of a star. The captures come as the team conducts its process of aligning the spacecraft's primary mirror via the Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam). The image, which features a bright and isolated star called HD 84406, will be used as the observatory's foundation to align and focus the telescope in the months to come. The team's primary goal is to adjust all 18 of the spacecraft's primary mirror segments until all 18 images become a single star. "Taking so much data right on the first day required all of Webbs science operations and data processing systems here on Earth working smoothly with the observatory in space right from the start," noted Marshall Perrin, deputy telescope scientist for the JWST and an astronomer at the Space Telescope Science Institute. "And we found light from all 18 segments very near the center early in that search! This is a great starting point for mirror alignment." The first images captured by the orbital observation platform are of a star approximately 258 light years from Earth. space Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead james webb space telescope (jwst), space, nasa, star https://sputniknews.com/20220212/russian-diplomats-start-leaving-ukraine-amid-escalation-of-tensions-source-says-1092957439.html Russian Diplomats Start Leaving Ukraine Amid Escalation of Tensions, Source Says Russian Diplomats Start Leaving Ukraine Amid Escalation of Tensions, Source Says MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Russian diplomats and employees of the Russian consulates started leaving Ukraine, which made it more difficult to make an appointment at... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T06:58+0000 2022-02-12T06:58+0000 2022-02-12T07:03+0000 ukraine russia us nato /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/104540/62/1045406279_0:178:2934:1828_1920x0_80_0_0_e27b2f528349f5a11c0f21e07e415fd4.jpg "According to Ukrainian citizens, Russian diplomats and consular officials in Ukraine have begun to leave for Russia. This, in particular, is proved by difficulties arising when making an appointment at the consulates and the embassy," the source said.The source added that Moscow might have decided to follow the example of some Western countries which announced its evacuation from Ukraine.In January, a number of Western countries announced the evacuation of their diplomatic missions from Ukraine. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow may also advise non-essential personnel at its diplomatic missions in Kiev to leave the country. He stressed that Russia has become concerned by the evacuations of staff by the United Kingdom and the United States as it looks as if "there were preparations for something" in Ukraine.Against the background of continuing allegations that Moscow is set to "invade" the neighbouring country and Russia's repeated denials that is the case, the Russian Foreign Ministry argued on Friday that one can talk about the conspiracy of the authorities of Western countries and the media to escalate artificial tension around Ukraine.The ministry noted that amid the media war against Russia, "the position of Western officials in the context of a massive disinformation campaign against Russia deserves special mention"."They avoid giving it a proper assessment in every possible way, thereby essentially confirming their involvement in fakes and stuffing," the foreign ministry stated. ukraine us Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 ukraine, russia, us, nato https://sputniknews.com/20220212/scotus-again-rejects-nyc-teachers-appeal-to-block-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-in-public-schools---1092954055.html SCOTUS Again Rejects NYC Teachers' Appeal to Block COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate in Public Schools SCOTUS Again Rejects NYC Teachers' Appeal to Block COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate in Public Schools Public school employees in New York City are facing termination on Monday, February 14, unless they waive their right to continue litigation or drop their... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T03:27+0000 2022-02-12T03:27+0000 2022-02-12T03:26+0000 supreme court sonia sotomayor new york city public school vaccine mandate covid-19 public health students education /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0c/1092953903_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_5efff50eb1f0d9d7588962ca57e3d191.jpg The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has again denied a group of New York City public school teachers appealing to block the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for city employees who were not given a religious exemption. SCOTUS Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who handles emergency appeals from the area that includes NYC, rejected the request for an emergency injunction on behalf of 15 people facing termination due to their refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine. The 15 NYC employees involved include a handful of public school teachers, supervisors, and staff. According to the teachers' filing, the employees claimed they were suspended without pay for a period of four months, and will be terminated from employment on Monday without the injunction. Sotomayor did not comment on the matter, nor did she refer the appeal to the full court. A similar decision was issued by Sotomayor in October, 2021, greenlighting the city's enforcement of its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for some 148,000 public school employees. According to NBC News, any employees seeking religious exemptions may have had their request denied because a religious official must support the individual's exemption. The SCOTUS decision comes a month after the high court ruled that the federal vaccine-or-test mandate implemented by US President Joe Biden's administration amounted to "a significant encroachment into the Livesand healthof a vast number of employees." https://sputniknews.com/20211003/nyc-schools-proceed-with-covid-vaccine-mandate-as-scotus-justice-sotomayor-blocks-teachers-appeal-1089613733.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Evan Craighead Evan Craighead News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Evan Craighead supreme court, sonia sotomayor, new york city, public school, vaccine mandate, covid-19, public health, students, education https://sputniknews.com/20220212/the-hum-mystery-what-is-behind-chthonic-noise-that-ruins-lives-of-people-able-to-hear-it-1092962716.html The 'Hum' Mystery: What is Behind Chthonic Noise That Ruins Lives of People Able to Hear It The 'Hum' Mystery: What is Behind Chthonic Noise That Ruins Lives of People Able to Hear It Where does it come from? No one knows. What exactly does it sound like? No one is quite sure. Why are certain people able to hear it and others are not?.. 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T13:11+0000 2022-02-12T13:11+0000 2022-02-12T13:11+0000 tech noise sound /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0c/1092964923_0:100:1921:1180_1920x0_80_0_0_f8139612c54a723fee03a459916af66b.jpg "The Hum" has been known for decades, with media reports of the elusive droning sound emerging everywhere from Canada to New Zealand.Its name is inspired by its most common description: those able to discern it say it is a low humming sound similar to engine or fan sounds. Another Halifax resident Yvonne Conner told the writer that she had been terrorised by "the Hum" for more than a month, unable to identify where it comes from or how to stop it. She was distressed by constantly hearing the noise every now and then, so much that she felt she needed to quit her beloved work.The UK is among the countries that have a long history of people suffering from the bizarre noise. Back in the late 1970s, a local newspaper in Bristol asked its readers: "Have you heard the Hum?" It received around 800 positive answers. Other cases were registered in Cheshire, Cornwall, Gloucestershire, London, Shropshire, Suffolk and Wiltshire.It turned out to be a lot more than just a funny observation, as people who reported the noise would suffer from sleep deprivation, headaches and even nosebleeds. To make matters worse, the inability of the majority of people to hear it appears to inadvertently turn them into some sort of gaslighters: not ready to believe in a bizarre noise without the source, many would label its victims insane.Still, "the Hum" seems to have received international attention. There are different versions of it: the "Taos Hum" (in New Mexico), the "Windsor Hum" in Ontario and the Aukland "Hum" in New Zealand.Explanations for the noise anomaly differ across the world. Some people think that "the Hum" is a result of factories or some mechanical devices working in the vicinity, some argue that the hearers may be exaggerating their perception of background noises, and others believe that "the Hum" is of supernatural origin. Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Daria Bedenko Daria Bedenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Daria Bedenko tech, noise, sound https://sputniknews.com/20220212/the-telegraph-deletes-conspiracy-mongering-report-about-liz-truss-giving-russians-her-dna-1092967798.html The Telegraph Deletes Conspiracy-mongering Report About Liz Truss Giving Russians Her DNA The Telegraph Deletes Conspiracy-mongering Report About Liz Truss Giving Russians Her DNA Security concerns relating to Western politicians precious DNA emerged on Friday, after it was reported that President Emmanuel Macron refused to take an... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T14:19+0000 2022-02-12T14:19+0000 2022-02-12T14:25+0000 liz truss dna /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/02/0c/1092966788_0:175:2490:1576_1920x0_80_0_0_7d17b717c2a7b8b7dfe19ed1fa427e7e.jpg The Telegraph has inexplicably deleted an article detailing security concerns said to be associated with Foreign Secretary Liz Truss taking a Russian Covid test during Thursday's visit to Moscow.The article, entitled Questions raised over Liz Truss giving Russians her DNA after Macron declines PCR test at Putin meeting, was published Friday evening, but has since disappeared off the newspapers site, replaced by a 404 Sorry, page not found error.The deletion apparently didnt come fast enough for MSN to republish the piece, and its still available on that site as of Saturday.The article says Truss is understood to have taken a PCR test, following reports [that] Emmanuel Macron declined to take a PCR test over fears his biological material would be stored by the Kremlin.The Telegraph did not provide any explanation as to why the article was deleted. However, if the top-rated comments in MSNs comments section and reaction on Twitter are anything to go by, it could be that the item was considered to be too much of a conspiratorial anti-Russia hit piece, even by UK media standards.This news is truly patheticWho gives a flying whatsit if Russia has her DNA through a covid test, what do you think they will do with it? one MSN user asked. They tried to make a clone [of Truss] but it came out as a gammon joint, another joked. Her DNA? Why? Has Putins supply of Novichok run low? a third quipped. Please Russia, DONT clone the woman. This one is enough, unless you can produce a cyborg with two brain cells, yet another suggested.Putting a fork or knife in your mouth, sipping from a cup or glass or touching a door would give up DNA as well. Really childish journalism here, one inquisitive user pointed out. A leaked email from Hillary Clinton to US ambassadors around the world several years ago revealed she asked them to collect DNA from Presidents, Prime Ministers, etc one conspiratorially-minded commenter added.Twitter featured equally merciless comments, with some users complaining that such conspiracy theories constitute a blatant and ridiculous push for war with Russia.Secretary Truss has had a difficult couple of weeks defending Britains position on Ukraine, mistakenly telling Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during Thursdays meeting that Britain would never recognize Russias sovereignty over the Russian regions of Voronezh and Rostov. A week earlier, she vowed that London would support our Baltic allies across the Black Sea two different maritime regions separated by over 1,200 km of landmass. https://sputniknews.com/20220212/from-cloning-to-the-macron-strain-how-could-russia-use-the-french-presidents-dna-1092937561.html Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov liz truss, dna https://sputniknews.com/20220212/turkey-closes-bosphorus-strait-over-malfunctioning-cargo-ship-1092969272.html Turkey Closes Bosphorus Strait Over Malfunctioning Cargo Ship Turkey Closes Bosphorus Strait Over Malfunctioning Cargo Ship ANKARA (Sputnik) - The Bosphorus Strait has been closed to traffic due to technical issues that have occurred on a coal-loaded ship, Turkey's Directorate... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T15:08+0000 2022-02-12T15:08+0000 2022-02-12T15:19+0000 turkey bosphorus cargo ship /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/04/0c/1082611177_0:6:3072:1734_1920x0_80_0_0_fd1fd69bd3746ea34c960a43b9e96c09.jpg "The Bosphorus was closed to ship traffic due to equipment malfunction on the Liberian-flagged vessel CHENG MAY, which is 295 meters [968 feet] long and carries about 170,000 tonnes of coal on board," the maritime authority said in a statement.The Bosphorus Strait is an internationally crucial maritime route located in the northwest of Turkey. The strait forms part of the continental boundary between Asia and Europe. turkey bosphorus Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 turkey, bosphorus, cargo ship https://sputniknews.com/20220212/us-state-department-tells-non-emergency-personnel-at-us-embassy-in-ukraine-to-leave-country-1092961472.html US State Department Tells Non-Emergency Personnel at US Embassy in Ukraine to Leave Country US State Department Tells Non-Emergency Personnel at US Embassy in Ukraine to Leave Country MOSCOW (Sputnik) -The US State Department has told non-emergency personnel at its embassy in Ukraine to leave due to reports of Russian troop build-up near the... 12.02.2022, Sputnik International 2022-02-12T10:44+0000 2022-02-12T10:44+0000 2022-02-12T12:36+0000 russia-nato row on european security us ukraine us state department uk russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/1a/1092530687_0:133:3173:1917_1920x0_80_0_0_b0fb6035a08747b8afd6eaa894397404.jpg "Today, the @StateDept ordered non-emergency U.S. employees at the Embassy to depart due to continued reports of a Russian military build-up on the border with Ukraine, indicating potential for significant military action," the embassy tweeted."Despite the reduction in diplomatic staff, the core embassy team, our dedicated Ukrainian colleagues, and StateDept and U.S. personnel around the world will continue relentless diplomatic and assistance efforts in support of Ukraines security, democracy, and prosperity," the embassy also said. In a separate development, UK Ambassador to Ukraine Melinda Simmons said that she continues running the embassy in Kiev together with the core personnel despite growing tensions and the departure of families of diplomats."I am staying in Kyiv and continue to work there with a core team. The embassy remains operational," Simmons wrote on Twitter.On Monday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said that the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia informed it about their intention to evacuate families of diplomats. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said that member countries of the bloc are not going to evacuate their diplomatic staff from Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Belgian Foreign Ministry has updated its travel advice, calling on Belgian citizens to leave Ukraine, adding that evacuation cannot be guaranteed if tensions escalate. "All trips to the entire Ukrainian territory are strongly discouraged. Nationals who are currently in Ukraine and whose presence is not absolutely necessary are strongly advised to leave the country," the new travel advice read. The ministry advised citizens to modify their travel plans depending on the security situation in Ukraine as tensions with Russia allegedly grow, adding that should the situation deteriorate, disruptions might affect air travel, internet and phone connectivity in Ukraine.Germany has announced it is reducing the number of embassy staff in Kiev and moving its consulate general to Lvov. "We will keep our embassy in Kiev open but will reduce the number of diplomatic staff stationed there. Our consulate general for Donetsk, which has been based in Dnipro since 2014, will be temporarily relocated to Lviv," Baerbock said, as quoted on the German Foreign Ministry's Twitter account.Earlier, the German Foreign Ministry urged citizens to leave Ukraine unless remaining there is absolutely necessary. Ukraine and several Western countries have been accusing Russia of military build-up along the Ukrainian border in an alleged preparation of invasion. Russia has rejected these accusations. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia was not threatening anyone but was being threatened. He added that Moscow is not excluding that the "hysteria" around Ukraine which is being fuelled by the West is aimed at concealing Kiev's plans to sabotage the Minsk Agreements on Donbass. Moreover, Russia warned Western counterparts supplying lethal weaponry to Ukraine that the latter could use it against the breakaway parts of the Donbass region. https://sputniknews.com/20220211/uks-defence-chief-says-ready-to-discuss-russian-security-proposals-with-shoigu-1092943152.html https://sputniknews.com/20220211/donbass-militia-reports-presence-of-ukrainian-s-300s-artillery-and-foreign-mercs-near-front-line-1092949148.html ukraine Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 us, ukraine, us state department, uk, russia